Ethics alone cannot guide a person. It is true that ethics have their place in a person’s life- they give a strong sense of direction when a decision is to be made. However, a life built on ethics without a foundation of philosophy may very well collapse when faced by the onslaught of the violent storms of emotional challenges or metaphysical confusions. Philosophy on the other hand has no meaning if it cannot address the needs of the individual to transact in the world outside. A philosopher with no connections to the world is building his castles in thin air which only he can marvel at in his fantasy.
The challenge for any religion is to marry philosophy with ethics; to provide meaning and direction to every act in the world outside while at the same time use these very acts to help the individual evolve into a better human being. When this is accomplished, life becomes a living, breathing song.
Kannadasan has attempted to tackle this delicate task of translating philosophy into moral values and ethical actions in his song, ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல் Ezhuswarangalukkul Ethanai Paadal” This appears as the title song in the movie அபூர்வ ராகங்கள் Aboorva Ragangal directed by K.Balachander. Set to score by M.S. Viswanathan and sung ever so melodiously by Vani Jairam, the song continues to be popular almost 30 years since.
How many are the tunes with the seven notes
How many are the questions in the caverns of (our) hearts
How many are the agitations in the men (we) see
In imagined pleasures is their attention
Waking up in the morning begets a question of the morrow
On getting it in hand agitates still the spirit
Remains ever the question why
In pleasure and pain what remains is this quest
Your crying for me happens in nature (but)
How can it be that you eat for me
We all have duties assigned in this world
‘tis better well done by our hands for our own sakes
Your birth in the beginning was not in your hands
Nor were the next happenings in your hands
Having carved out a path what is the point of fear
Travel in it and you will be cleansed of your sins
Live (your life) that tomorrow is always ours
There is a person in charge of it, behold Him in the temple
Have faith that (good) times would be born
All sorrows would end like a (vanishing) cloud
All of our pursuits in life can be classified as either pain-avoidance or pleasure- seeking. In Vedanta this is referred to as Dukha Nivrithi and Sukha Prapthi. However the result of these pursuits ends up yielding a hollow feeling . The understanding of this is essential to living an intelligent life. This is emphasized in the first two stanzas.
If life's pursuits end up being hollow, the obvious thought then is to give up all responsibilities and actions. However running away from life is not an option. In fact Lord Krishna says in the Gita,
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्मं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि
ततः स्वधर्मम् कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि
“But, if you will not fight this righteous war, then, having abandoned your own duty and fame, you shall incur sin.” (Gita II: 33).
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मण
“You perform (your) bounden duty; for, action is superior to inaction....” (Gita III: 8). This is implied in the third stanza as man is exhorted to perform his assigned duties.
Kannadasan in the fourth stanza goes on to make a bold statement which is oft quoten. பாதை வகுத்த பின்பு பயந்தென்ன இலாபம் அதில் பயணம் நடத்தி விடு மறைந்திடும் பாவம் “Having carved out a path what is the point of fear? Travel in it and you will be cleansed of your sins.” The leap in logic seems to be huge. It almost seems to imply that all one has to do to get rid of sins is to continue following his/ her occupation. Is it just verbal candy or does it have any scriptural backing?
Who else but Kannan to come to the aid of Kannadasan and fill in the gaps? We go back to the Gita again.
सुख दुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि
Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, the same, engage in battle for the sake of the battle; thus you shall not incur any sin.(Gita II: 38)
Kannadasan concludes this piece summarizing that faith and devotion are necessary to carry on in this path. Let us seek this Lord in the temple of our hearts. Let us have faith in Him. Certainly He would end our confusions and make all our sorrows vanish.
Ref:
1. Chinmayananda, Swami. The Holy Geeta. Bombay: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, 1996.
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