The Meaning of SivaliGkam:
6- 11
[ 6. The Psychiatry as
Already There 7. SivaliGkam and Vedic Gods 8. The Temple Structure and
Cataaciva 9.
The SivaliGkam in the Human Body
10. Deep Silence and Metaphysical Wisdom 11. Justice and its Universality ]
Some quite interesting notions are articulated by Tirumular in the following verse where the crucial phrase ‘aakama attuvaa’ occurs. The meaning of ‘aakama’ (Sk agama), taking as its root the Ta. aaku. Su.ag : to become, we can see that they are scriptures that are DISCLOSED, that come to be there because BEING becomes word. Therefore they are NOT various philosophical systems are ideologies that are INVENTED by man by an exercise of his own intelligence and by way of expression his Will to Power the world by his intellectual achievements. As he ventures along these lines, provided he remains OPEN to see what is already there as transpersonal realities that he has to acknowledge and accommodate himself to as TRUTHS, then we have the genesis of Agamas. The experiences of such elements are TRUTH-EXPERIENCES and which among other things illuminate the mind and shed in light into its own dark interior. It is in the course of such a way of life -- the TiruneRi of Sambantar, the San Maarkkam of Tirumular -- that such notions pookam-mutti, buddhi-siddhi and so forth become intelligible.
Woven into this is also the notion of Genuine Freedom, here NOT the Western and very limited notion of political freedom bordering anarchy but rather the metaphysical freedom, the freedom from Samsara, the freedom from being thrown into embodied existence and endlessly.
But the most striking disclosure in this verse is that the Agamas disclose the Attuvas and which as aRRu-aa, to destroy and regenerate, appear to be a technical term in Saivism for the psychiatric practices or psychotherapy where a person who has lost his normal functioning is also provided with the Sadhana of RECOVERY. The details are given below and are more elaborately explained in my Azivil uNmai (Tamil)
This explains also why the Tamil Siddhas, mostly Saivites subscribing to the Fundamental Ontology of Pati Pacu Paacam of Saiva Siddhanta, developed many hermeneutic sciences which are recognizable as Psychiatry or Psychotherapy but as integral parts of religious life itself. The Saiva Psychiatry, unlike the Western does not establish a fissure between religion and psychology.
In this there is also a recognition that the basic mental diseases are probably sex-related for the ANdaliGkam that establishes these psychotherapeutic elements into the fabric of the Cosmos is also that which establishes the sexual desires as the primary driving force, the libidinous energy that can destroy a person psychologically unless used in the right way.
1714
pookamum muttiyum puttiyunj cittiyum
aakamum aaRaaRu tattivattu appaalaam
eekamum nalki yirukkunj sataacivam
aakama vattuvaa vaaRunj civamee
Meaning:
It is Siva the BEING who becoming five-faced polycephalic Sathasiva who establishes as there in the world the various kinds of enjoyments (pookam) and the absolute releasement from that (mutti); the various kinds processes that allow the creatures to act (putti) and enjoy as achievements or outcomes of their actions (siddhi); the state of embodiment with the assumption of a physical body and the state of being FREE of it and along with it the 36 tatvas that go into its genesis and be one-with BEING. In addition to all these and through the Agamas it is BEING who discloses the six-fold mantra ways of liberating oneself from all the bonds (that tie down the soul and serve causes of mental diseases)
Comments:
When we analyze hermeneutically the whole of the cosmos and how human existence is wrought out within it, it would be transparent that the RIGHT WAY is already there and made available by BEING who pervades the whole cosmos as SivaliGkam and assuming the form of five-faced polycephalic Sathasiva establishes the essential structures of this WAY, the TiruneRi, and as for all as a fabric of the cosmos itself. The egoistic man, instead of accommodating himself to this WAY already there and allow BEING to guide him further, becomes constructive and invents various ways of his own only to learn in the end that he has been going the wrong way.
The various kinds enjoyments (pookam), and the desires to FREE oneself from that way of Being and move in the direction of Mutti, the final liberation is already there. Similarly for the Buddhies and Siddhies. The Universal Praxis of BEING is already there in universe and which can appropriated as ones own and execute various kinds of actions - the mohanam (enchanting), vaciyam (binding) aakarsham (attracting unto oneself like a magnet) etc. And through such praxis enjoy attainments, the Siddhies, such as anima (being close to all) makima (being great and lofty), lahima (being able to accomplish even difficult tasks effortlessly) etc.
It is also part of the Presence of BEING as the cosmos, as the ANdaliGkam, that there are processes that generate a physical body consistent with karma that one has elicited but also an irresistible pressure at the deepest level to LIBERATE oneself form being embodied thus. Man is destined to be FREE of biological embodiment and this possibility of escaping embodiment is also already there as part of the presence of BEING as Sathasiva, BEING-as-the -COSMOS, the ANdaliGkam, the Cosmic LiGkam.
Not only this, for BEING also a Mantra-magician who knows the various psychological ailments of the anmas in this evolutionary struggle has, with great sympathy and understanding, also disclosed the Attuvas through the Agamas, the scriptural texts with which He is very intimately connected with. ( aakamaaki ninRu aNNippaan: BEINg becomes close to us through the Agamas -Manikkaavasakar)
The meaning of the term ‘attuva’ is perhaps “ aRRu-aa”, ‘becoming new by destroying the existent “ a process of dying and enjoying new birth. In other words the attuvas disclosed by the Agamas are processes already there that are DISCONSTRUCTIVE in essence , processes that will destroy the ongoing only to install and initiate something new.
These are classified into SIX types: Kalaattuvaa Tattuvattuvaa Puvanaattuvaa, Vannaattuvaa, Pataattuvaa and Mantrattuvaa. I provide a brief explanation of these following what I have already elaborated in my Azilvil uNmai (Tamil)
Kaalattuvaa are those concerned with re-establishing the functions of the Sun and Moon principles (Natam & Bindu or Yin & Yang etc) when with the deep encroachment of the Black Hole, the aaNavam, into the interiority of the psyche, the normal functioning is thwarted and the person becomes incapable of abnormal or insane.
The Tattuvattuvaa is restoring the active functioning of the Siva Tatvas Natam and Bindu and hence along with then the Siva and Sakti, the presence of BEING Himself and hence the celestial beings.
With this become possible the restoration of the competence for PRAXIS, the projecting as some possibilities as one’s own possibilities and effecting actions to realize those possibilities as realities in one’s life. This is Puvanattuva, the capacity to accommodate oneself to the mental ecologies and generate plans and actions.
But actions may NOT be creative and productive --they can be stereotypes, simply repetitive and dull without any creative thrust. This limitation in Praxis is overcome by Vannaattuva, the mantra syllables that assemble together as mantra-wheels, the akkara-cakkaram and serve to generate creative and novel thoughts.
Then begins the Pataattuva, the overcoming of the linguistic or communicative incompetence. Where along with novel ideas there comes to prevail linguistic competence, there comes also effective communication.
Finally we have Mantrattuvaa, the ways of reciting the Mantras in appropriate ways so the there are NO MORE RELAPSES into the ways of the insane and abnormal.
SivaliGkam and Vedic Gods
Against the way Tirumular understands the Meaning of SivaliGkam and how it establishes the existential worlds as well as the cosmological ecology, it certainly becomes highly ridiculous and immature to see the SivaliGkam simply as the Phallus-Yoni complex and revile at it as such. Let us recall that it is Natam-Bindu complex in which the biological sexuality is just one of the so many ways of its differentiation as phenomenal realities. Sexuality is a Divine Blessing and is the primordial driving force in human existence and can only be a source of happiness for those who can see the divine in it, the embrace of Uma by Siva in Pure Love.
As ANdaliGkam, we have already seen that BEING creates the Pure and Empty Space with Natam and with Bindu or the Sakti fills it up al the concrete and abstract objects with their gunas and so forth. There is sexual desire, no doubt about it, as the most primordial motivational dynamics and this because of the imbalance in Natam-Bindu composition. With Natam more than Bindu we have the Male and with Bindu more than Natam we have the Female and their imbalance existing as the primordial sexual desires and which they try to balance out with deep love and physical embrace.
Another interesting observation of Tirumular is that there are also SIX Attuvas as part of the way the ANdaliGkam shows itself and these are essentially Psychiatric practices, the processes of attu-aa, destroy the existing and become someone new, a kind regenerated individual.
In the following two verses the hermeneutic dimensions are brought out - that there is seeing of the celestial beings which constitutes the CURE for the various mental diseases, (the naRkaadci of the Jains). Now it is further stated that in fact it is BEING stands as Ultimate Ground of all serving as the invisible Savior and as well as the EYES of the eyes of all the celestial beings. BEING becomes the Vaidya Natan, the Physician Supreme on account of this.
Interestingly enough Tirumular mentions here the Vedic deities such as Prajapathy, Agni Indra and so forth indicating that Vedism was also an integral part of Saiva thinking and that Dravidian Vedism was a living force at least during the time of Tirumular. After Bakti came into full swing we hardly here of Indra Prajapathy Agni and so forth
12
2. aNdaliGkam
1715
eettinar eNNili teevar em iisanai
vaazttinar vaasap pasuntenRal vaLLalenRu
aarttanar aNdaG kadantu appuRa ninRu
kaattanan ennuG karuttu aRiyaaree
Meaning:
It is because BEING-as-Isan, hence the One who can confer Moksa or Absolute releasement that even the celestial beings praise the glories of my Lord. And because He blesses continuously with everything the anmas and devas need and all out of spontaneous LOVE, He is also praised as the fragrant gentle breeze and most munificent and so forth and breaking into ecstatic exultations. But even these celestial beings do not seem to aware that this BEING who stands as the aNdaliGkam, the visible cosmos is also the One who stands ABOVE all these and reissues the cosmos by preserving it during the cosmic dissolution or PraLaya.
Comments:
BEING stands as the indestructible absolute Ground of all in addition to being the vast cosmos itself. When the whole cosmos is swallowed by the Black Hole and made to absent, BEING rescues and retains them however only to reissue it by piercing through the Black Hole again.
This essence of BEING, that He is saGkarakaaraNan, He who allows for the withdrawal of the whole of the cosmos but who nevertheless preserves and reissues is a TRUTH that is not even known to the devas who simply praise His munificence kindness and grandeur
13
1716
oNcudaroon ayan maal pirasaapati
oNsudaraana iraviyoodu intiran
kaNcudaraakik kalanteGkun teevarkaL
taN cudaraay eGkum taRparamaamee
Meaning:
It is BEING as the ANdaliGkam, the Cosmic LiGkam who stands as the eyes of the eyes of the celestial beings - agni of brilliant light Brahma VishNu Pirajapathy as well as the inner and the celestial Sun Moon Indira and so forth. BEING stands as the light of their eyes and through that stands also the illuminating gentle light throughout the celestial world.
Comments:
It is for the first here that we here the Vedic gods of Agni and Prajapaty that is being mentioned along with the well known gods of Brahma VishNu and so forth. Indira is not new -- we have many references to Indira as the Lord of celestial beings in SaGkam literature itself. It is interesting that Indira is mentioned along with the Sun and Moon. In fact Indira can be taken as the Sumerian Moon God Nanna Suen or simply Suen (> Sooman) perhaps the Full Moon deified. The word Intira itself stands to be derived from Su. iti “moon’ ( iti> inti> intu: moon; intira: moon god))
The point however is that not only BEING as the ANdaliGkam stands as the Cosmic Presence violating the Black Hole, the aaNavam, the killer stuff that swallows everything indiscriminately so that there is only Utter Darkness, but also the illuminating light of all the celestial beings. BEING shines through as the Brilliant and Pure Light and that too through the eyes of all the celestial beings. As such the gods, the deities that populate the celestial world are NOT autonomous in their celestial or divine functioning. They all depend on BEING, the TaRparan, the wholly autonomous and the Ground unto Himself.
The Temple Structure and Cataaciva
Tirumular in the following verse sees the Temple itself as an expression of the SivalinGkam, or presentation of BEING-as-Cataciva, a metaphysical structure that remains concealed ( suukkumam) but which becomes a concrete and visible monumental structure (tuulam) so that the anmas can enter into it and offer as sacrifices the dirt, the evil in them and thereby become purified.
This is a restatement in understanding where the temple has remained a structure with the tall tower right from the Sumerian days. The following lines from En Hudu Anna’s (c. 2200 BC) Kes Temple Hymn are relevant here.
First of all we notice that the word Koo-il occurs in this hymn as follows:
103: e’-ku KU-bi e’-nun ( The holy temple, whose . . . . . is the princely temple)
Ta. il koo KU-bi il-nuN ( The divine house inside which? is the small shrine?)
il-koo> koo-il> kooyil, koovil
The following lines clearly indicate the presence of the TOWER described below by Tirumular as the vimaanam.
15. hur-sag-da mu-a an-da gu-la’-a ( Growing up like a mountain, embracing the sky)
Ta. uyar-saangki-odu muuvuva vaanodu kulaavuva ( Moving up with the mountain peak, mixing with sky)
16. e’-kur-da mu-a kur-ra sag-il-bi ( growing up like Ekur, when it lifts its head in the land)
Ta. il kunRadu muuvuva kunRa saangki iyalbi ( Temple that grows up with the mountain, raising its head like the peak)
The following lines indicate that the TEMPLE is NOT the creation of man but rather that of BEING, a view also echoed by Tirumular below.
31. e’ eb-gal an-ne us-sa ( Temple, great shrine , reaching the sky)
Ta. il eekaL vaannee urasa ( Temple, Great House touching the sky)
32. e zi-da-gal an-ne us-sa ( Great, true temple, reaching the sky)
Ta. il cattqkaL vaannee urasa( Temple, truly great, touching the sky)
33. e men-gal an-ne us-sa ( Temple, great crown, reaching the sky)
Ta. il meelgaL vaannee urasa ( Temple, the great top touching the sky)
. . . .. .. .
38. e’ an-ne ki-gar-ra enlil-le za-mi du-ga ( Temple founded by An, praised by Enlil)
Ta. il aaNNee kiiz kaalla eeNliilllee saamii tuukka ( Temple established on the earth by An Himself and praised by eeNliil )
The view that The Kes Temple or Keeci Temple ( Keeci: Siva; keeci> kaaci?) was established ( gar-ra> Ta, kaalla) on earth (ki> kiiz: below, on the earth) by aaN himself , a presentation of BEING himself is also the view that is being stated by Tirumular below though aaN is understood as Cataciva here.
1718.
tuuya vimaanamum tuulama taakumaal
aaya sataacivam aakunaR cuukkumam
aaya palipiidam pattir alingkamaam
aaya aranilai aayntukoL vaarkadkee
Meaning:
BEING-as-Cataciva stands as the Cosmic LiGkam and in that also the invisible presence as the foundation of the whole of the universe. However He also presents Himself as the Temple whereby He becomes visible to the anmas. In this visible form the Vimaanam or Tower is very specially indicative of BEING Himself. The sacrificial post in front of the chambers however is the PattiraliGkam, the open leaf where the anmas are expected to OPEN UP their heart and offer contents as the sacrifice. Those who investigate the hermeneutics of the Temple (as a Text) will understand all these quite clearly.
Comments:
The TEMPLE is a peculiar architectural monument for it stands as a TEXT that is directly disclosive of BEING-as-Cataciva, BEING with the will to be present as the cosmic reality. The TOWER is BEING Himself as the Natam while the dark chambers where the icon is installed is the Bindu. Thus the encircling karuvaRai, the chambers and the towering Vimana together constitute an expression of Natam-Bindu complex, which is what the SivaliGkam is, BEING-as-Cataciva is.
Thus the temple is peculiar in that unlike the various architectural creations of man like homes palaces markets and so forth where the human will finds its expression, here it is BEING Himself showing Himself especially for those who are incapable of transductive perceptions where BEING is directly seen in various archetypal presentations. BEING present as the hidden and concealed ANdaliGkam manifests Himself as the Temple so that His presence becomes somehow available for the ordinary souls.
But why?
The Temple is the place for self purification, the place where we offer as SACRIFICE the evil thoughts in us, the karmic deposits that we have accumulated by our egotistic actions and which would continue to bind us further in the present mode of Being and hence preventing any further development as a person. The Palipiidam, the sacrificial post right in front of the dark chambers, the sanctum sanctorum is the place where we place as the offerings to BEING the evil contents in our heart so that they become eliminated from being-there and for which reason it is called the PattiraliGkam, the wide leaf spread out so that we can place the sacrificial elements there.
Thus the Temple in a way has a psychotherapeutic function - that of freeing the anmas from the karmic deposits that can serve as sources of pains diseases and other kinds of miseries.
The SivaliGkam in the Human Body
One of the features of Saivism and Jainism especially as developed by the Tamil Siddhas is the linking of religion or metaphysical life with longevity good health and youthful virility. In fact it could be said that it is this, which led to the birth of chemistry ( rasaayanam) and pharmacy along with the use of herb as medicines. They distinguished also between NjanakaRpam and KaayakaRpam, metaphysical illuminations as medicines of a kind and which are different from those meant for bodily diseases.
Among the Saivites this has been linked with installing the SivaliGkam within and with reasons. The SivaliGkam as the interpenetrating co-presence of Natam and Bindu is the producer of KuNdalini, the Coiled Power, the primordial Energia without which LIVING as such is impossible. There must interpenetration, the Natam piercing the Bindu (and hence similarity with sexual act which is also a biological manifestation of it) in order to release the KuNdalini, which is the real medicine. The youthful prowess and an agile body continues only as long as there is a continuous flow of KuNdalini and hence the active presence of SivaliGkam within the person.
But where should it pervade?
The installation in the MIND is not sufficient. It has to be installed in the BODY itself so that the body becomes the Vaccirat Teekam (the diamond body) also called the Tirumeeni.
But what must be done to accomplish this?
Tirumular provides the details in the following very interesting verse.
1722
( The verses 1719, 1720, 1721 are omitted as they appear to be later interpolations. The verse 1721 subscribes to VarNasrma Dharma which is totally inconsistent with the general philosophy of Tirumular)
atuvuNarntoon oru tanmaiayai naadi
etuvuNaraa vakai ninRanan iisan
putuvuNarvaana puvanangkaL eddum
itu uNarntu ennudal kooyil koNdaanee
Meaning:
Those who understand that BEING stands as the world in the form of Cosmic LiGkam, the union of Natam and Bindu, will also seek the unifying oneness of BEING by transcending all the difference introducing forces and be one-with It. BEING would disclose Himself in the heart of such individuals and overpower their understanding so that in their vision nothing else but Himself is available. At that point it will be case that the whole eight kinds of universes would appear in novel ways and thereby deepen the metaphysical understanding further. BEING then would appear not only in the mind of such individuals but also the body thereby making it a TEMPLE hence something immune to the diseases and the aging processes that would lead to untimely death.
Comments:
The theme of transforming the physical body into the veritable Temple is one of the most important themes that was articulated by Tirumular, perhaps for the first time in Indian History though clearly it was implicit in the temple-centered Hinduism from very ancient times. At least from the times of the Sumerians, we learn that a TEMPLE, unlike other architectural monuments, is special in that it is something BEING (Su. An) Himself erects or lowers down from the heavens. Thus the temple is the gateway to the metaphysical realms where BEING resides with all the celestial beings. Entering the temple and getting fully engrossed in the messages that are available there in the form of archetypal forms, puraNic themes, the recitation of mantras, the singing of hymns an so forth is actually in a way experiencing the metaphysical world.
But here Tirumular goes step further. Over and above such a temple worship, how to transform the BODY itself so that it becomes a TEMPLE, i.e. something not only divine but also a locale where BEING is manifest?
He outlines a Sadhana here. The whole universe must be seen veritably the AndaliGkam, the union of Natam and Bindu and seek out the vision that would afford overcoming the feeling of alien-ness so that nothing stands as alien. This is the meaning of advaita of Saiva Siddhanta, the ‘anniyam inmai’, the absence of alienness. For this it is NOT sufficient to pursue metaphysical understanding - along with it LOVE must be cultivated for it is LOVE that can overcome alienness. As said by Meykandar much later, one must worship with ‘attuviti anbu’ the LOVE that overcomes every tendency to alienate and make something or someone an ‘other’ an alien. As LOVE develops and becomes universalized so would the UNDERSTANDING and most importantly BEING would grace the anma freeing it from the differentiating or alienating visions and make it persist and enjoy only in the non-alienating or the ONENESS generating vision of BEING only.
It is at this point that BEING would pervade not only the mind but also body making it thereby a TEMPLE itself.
But why is this important?
The body which is transformed into a temple, because it will be PURE and with all the POWERS, would drive away every trace of mental and physical death. There will an immunity and hence a life in good mental and physical health. Like LIGHT driving away darkness, the active presence of BEING in the body would drive away the evil forces that would bring senility death and so forth.
Deep Silence and Metaphysical Wisdom
One of the most vital aspects of Hinduism especially Saivism that has with us been from Sumerian times itself is that of the practice of SILENCE as a Sadhana that would furnish not only the deepest metaphysical understanding but also longevity in earthly life and in good health. This has been an integral part of SivaYoga and Kes Temple Hymn of Enhudu Anna ( c. 2200 BC) we speaks of a group of people the , En Kummine, the practioners of SILENCE ( kummu> kammu: be silent) and for which there were special rooms within the temple complex. This has had a continuous history and the Siddhas have been advocating it with better and better understanding of the intricacies involved. The following two verses Njanasaitanyam are to the point. (Please ignore the original in Tamil)
32.
º£È¢É¡ø º£Ú¦¾ýÚ þÕó¾¡Â¡É¡ø
º¢ÅýÀ¡¾í ¸¡ÏõÓý§É §¾¸õ §À¡Ìõ
Á¡È¢É¡ø Å¡º¢Â¢Õ ͼâ§ÄÈ¢
¨Åò¾¡ì¸¡ø þó¾¢Ã¢Âô À¡õÒ º¡Ìõ
ÜȢɡü §À¡¸¡Ð ²¦È¡ð¼¡Ð
ܺ¡Á§Ä ¦ÁªÉò ¾Ê¡ü ¦¸¡øÖ
§¾Ú¾üÌ »¡É¦ÁýÈ Å¨Ä¨Âô §À¡ð¼¡ø
º£Ú¸¢ýÈ À¡õÀÐ×õ «¼í¸¢ô §À¡§Á
siiRinaal siiRuteNru iruntaayaanal
civanpaatam kaaNum munnee teekam pookum
maaRinaal vaaciyiru cudarileeRi
vaittakkaal intiryap paamnu saakum
kuuRinaaR pookaatu eeRoddaatu
kuusaamalee maunat tadiyaaR kollu
teeRutaRku njaanamenRa valaiayaip pooddaal
siiRkinRa paamapatuvum adangkip poomee
Now if you are indifferent and let that snake of sensual attractions attack you, you will see that your body will be destroyed before you learn to witness the Dancing Feet of Siva. Now if that snake assumes other forms, then you can dissociate the snake of the senses (that pulls you towards the earthly) by maintaining your breathing with the mind witnessing firmly the Metaphysical Sun and Moon. If you just say it to yourself with mere words or just simply recite scriptures, it will NOT go away. You have to beat it violently with the staff of Deep Silence without any hesitations. And if you cast the net of metaphysical wisdom and catch that snake with that net, it will certainly be subdued.
37.
þÕÇÐ×ï §º¡¾¢Â¢§Ä ãÊüÈ¡É¡ø
²ÐÂ¢Õ ¦¸¡ûǢ¢ɡü ÍðÎô §À¡Î
ÁÕÇ¢ø¨Ä ²¸Á¾¡ö ¦ÅÇ¢îºÁ¡îÍ
ÁÉõ «¼í¸ Å¡º¢ÂÐ «¼íÌõ À¡Õ
¦ÀÕ¨Á ±ýÈ §Á¡ÉÀ¾õ «È¢Å¢ü ¸¡½
À£ÎÂÕõ ¦ÅÇ¢ ´Ç¢Â¡õ Å£ð¨¼ô ÀüÈ¢
«Õ¨Á¦ÂýÈ Å¡º¢ ÍÆ¢ ²ÚÁðÎõ
«¨¼Â¢¨¼Â¢ø «í¦¸ýÚ «Øò¾¢ ¿¢ø§Ä
Now when the Dark envelopes this vision of PURE LIGHT, the only way is to burn that DARKNESS is with the torches of the metaphysical MOON and SUN. When you succeed in this there are no more illusions and delusions and all kinds mental intoxications ( that makes one irrational) , there is only Empty and Vast Space that breeds ONENESS. When the mind gets subdued so will be the breathing. And in order to understand the full significance of the most excellent state of Being induced by Deep Silence, press all your breathing in the direction of Suzinai (where reside Vintu and Natham ever together) and till it reaches the limits that are humanly possible.
Notes:
Now is described techniques to go beyond even this realm of Light and Darkness, a realm where the Malam is in combat with Light and in which it succeeds in some cases. Going beyond this realm is reaching the Absolute Light, the ream of ParaSakti, a Pure Emptiness, a Nothingness the experience of which breeds the feeling of ONENESS with all.
Tirumular devotes many verses to this theme and in different contexts. In the following he links it up with the presence aNdaliGkam that is present everywhere and unknown to the individual because BEING who stands one with CONCEALS it ( Tirotakam). The Lingkam is the union of Natam and Bindu, and BEING who spreads everywhere as the aNdaliGkam, also floods the psych with metaphysical illuminations so that the self is purified and thus transformed into something that will not any trace that would incline towards the evil. The munam ( munnam : silence) is that which illuminates the mind and thereby destroys every evil deposit already there.
1723
akalidamaay aRiyaamal adaGkum
ukalidamaay ninRa uunattuLLee
pakalidamaay munam paava vinaasan
pukalidaamaay ninRa puNNiyan aanee
Meaning:
BEING though present everywhere as an immanent reality but remains the unknown by the anmas because of His concealment. Even though thus, in the physical body that serves as the locale for His disclosure, BEING will abide forever instructing the anmas from within through the language Silence on metaphysical clarities that in fact would destroy the evil already within and tendency for doing so in the future. Thus BEING remains the Good and the true sanctuary for the troubled anmas.
Comments:
BEING as the AndaliGkam, the Cosmic Presence and hence the immanent reality remains also the UNKNOWN, the Mysterious by His action of hiding Himself or concealment. An understanding of BEING is not something the anmas can achieve on their own efforts. No matter how hard they try, gaining an understanding of the truth of BEING as well as the essence of BEING is something enjoyed only as the GIFT of BEING and which is showered upon only the deserving. But nevertheless when He chooses to disclose Himself, the physical body that an anma enjoys in the existential tenure becomes the LOCALE for such disclosures.
But how does He disclose Himself?
Over and above dreams and such other ways of alerting about the unconscious, He remains the Silent One and who through installing that Silence in the mind of anmas also, communicates Sivanjanam, the Absolute Understanding that floods the anma with the illuminating LIGHT that drives away the darkness of ignorance. This munam or munnam is also rendered as mounam, the Deep Silence. Thus unknown to the anmas BEING-as-ANdaliGkam, the Cosmic LiGkam, BEING also illuminates the mind and bestows clarity of understanding, the understanding of truths.
It so happens that this is also the way of PURIFYING the anma, of helping it get rid of the evil karmic deposits and such other elements that would encourage the effecting of evil actions. And since subsequent to this the anma will do nothing but the Good, BEING is also understood as the PuNNiyan, the Good and Auspicious.
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Behind all major and minor human struggles, stands the notion of JUSTICE and along with it the notion of Fair Play. In every revolution or immense social uprising, those who rise with a revolutionary fervor believe they are in the right. Even if there is immense damage to properties and human life, the feeling that what one is doing is RIGHT overcomes all the guilt feelings. This applies to every walk of life- the political, social, economic, domestic and so forth. Struggle is common and all such struggles seems to be ultimately ethical in nature with at least one party feeling they are right and that they have to battle for the sake of justice.
This ethical constitution of human mind, transcends all differences in religion culture language and so forth. To respond to INJUSTICE and resolve to fight it at whatever cost seems to be one of most powerful instincts moving the human mind. We are not free of it even now. The Muslims feel justified in trying to convert the whole world into Islam because it is the only religion that is uncompromising with its brotherhood and equality of all human beings and which has an intrinsic to the Hindus who are cast into Sudras by virtue of birth alone and hence deprived of the most basic sense of dignity. The Christians feel likewise justified in the same with their belief that it is the love of Christ that can redeem the souls from sins etc. The Hindus feel right in fighting vigorously such attempts, which they see as attempts to introduce a CLOSURE into a culture that is essentially open.
One of the questions Tirumular seems to have raised is: How is that there is ethical sense in the bosom of all and why, no matter who, they are inclined to fight against every INJUSTICE they meet with in their life, and feel they are in RIGHT in fighting against such forces of injustice even when it means possible loss of life etc?
He locates in the BEING as Cosmic LiGkam presenting as the whole cosmos itself and the Pure Body of BEING installing itself as the Metaphysical Space., the hidden and concealed but which is the point of origin of all the uplifting cultural impulses.
To fight against INJUSTICE seems to already woven into the fabric of the world itself where there exists a PURITY against which anything that is not justified is led to be perceived IMPURE and hence something that ought to be battled with and destroyed. This is the meaning of the phrase “niitiyuL iisan udal vicumpaay niRkum”, a phrase that stands out as mahamantra that illuminate the understanding if only we contemplate on its meaning.
Of course this also means that only those who have at least an intuitive understanding of this PURITY will be fighters against INJUSTICE and the rest will very gladly compromising with it. The IMPURE souls will not see at all the injustice in the events that are full of it and will not arise against them. The corrupted minds cannot see corruption and even when they see, will not see it as something unjustified.
2. aNdaliGkam
1724:
pootu punaikazal puumiya taavatu
maatu punaimudi vaanaka maavatu
niitiyuL iisan udal vicumpaay niRkum
aatiyuRa ninRatu apparisaamee
Meaning:
When BEING stands as the Cosmic LiGkam, we can visualize His Presence as follows: His lotus-like Feet is the earth-bound world; His head that wears the Ganges is the sky; His very body that infuses the sense of RIGHT everywhere is the Celestial or Metaphysical Space. Thus stands BEING-as-the-Cosmic -LiGkam , the final Ground of all
1725:
taraiyuRRa satti taniliGkam viNNaan
tiraiporu niiratu manjsana saalai
varaitavaz manjsuniir vaanudu maalai
karaiyaRRa nantikkku alaiyun tikkaamee
Meaning:
The sky above remains the LiGkam for ¦¾ Power that has become earth-filled world. The waves beating seas become the expanse for cleaning continuously. The dark and water bearing clouds over the tall peaks are like garlands of stars in the sky. And for boundless BEING, the source of all powers, the various kinds of movements constitute the different directions in space.
Comments:
BEING as the AndaliGkam, the Cosmic LiGkam stands also as the Universe itself and the above two verses seek to comprehend this . This interpretation is similar to that of Purusha in the ancient Purusha Suktam , VishNu in VishNu Puranas and the Sumerian Ningirsu, Seir-ma-al as the large footed and who covers the whole universe with His enormous feet. An attempt is made in all such descriptions to comprehend the vast universe as the presentational forms of BEING Himself that the Saivites also understand as Satasivam.
The natural world is NOT denied as to what it is but interpreted and understood in terms of Metaphysical Realities that emanate from BEING Himself. The vast cosmos is what it is only because assuming various forms, BEING stands as the Causal Ground of it all. Of special interest is the description that the body of BEING which is said to be not only PURE but also by virtue of that establishes the sense of RIGHT and JUST everywhere ( niitiyuL iisan udal). This shows that the feeling of right and wrong or the ethical principles are already there in the natural but in the metaphysical space.