The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular- Part 2

Dr K. Loganathan 2004

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-9

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

Transmuting the Sexual Libido and Becoming the Civayogi.

The study of GAZE, especially that of young women has been a matter of scientific analysis among the Tamils at least from the days of Tolkaappiyam. It has been studied as part of Body Language (KuRippu Mozi) that speaks in its own way and communicates intentions deep in the heart. Even TirukkuRaL has absorbed such studies as important knowledge about nature where such insights are further developed. ( see kamattup paal)

Tirumular attends to the same but less poetically and more scientifically and in relation to the general theme of this chapter viz. human gynecology. He notices that the Vintu that is present in a women more prominently than in men, makes her develop a GAZE that would cast a magical spell upon a male making him think of her and nothing else and yearn for union with her. The man will meet premature death if he falls for it. Tirumular also describes a way, the Civayoga, as described below to overcome this weakness and which technique is called Vintu Jayam, conquering the Bindu.

The Bindu that dominates such women and makes them develop magical Gazes is a mechanism available in nature and which is necessary for species regeneration. It acts through females desiring to have the semen of the male that would fertilize the ovum and transform it into a fetus. But unfortunately when this is done to the excess and without transmuting a part or major part of it into Kalaa Vittu, as explained above, it leads to the dissipation of sexual libido along with the decay of the flesh. The KuNdalini spend thus does not get transformed into the Kalaa Vintu that would become the Lumen Naturale and which would also serve to keep active the mechanism of tissue regeneration and so forth.

The Id-like KuNdalini is a KILLER and it has to be TAMED and re-channeled so that it becomes the AMUTU, the ambrosia of eternal youthful vitality.

14.

1937.

À¡÷ì¸¢ýÈ Á¡¾¨Ãô À¡Ã¡Ð «¸ýÚ§À¡ö

µ÷ì¸¢ýÈ ¯ûÇõ ¯Õ¸ «Æø ãðÊô

À¡÷ì¸¢ýÈ ¸ñ½¡¨º À¡úÀ¼ ãÄò§¾

§º÷ì¸¢ýÈ §Â¡¸¢ º¢Å§Â¡¸¢ ¾¡§É

¯¨Ã:

ºó¾¡ÉÅ¢Õò¾¢Â¢ý ¦À¡ÕðÎ ¯¼ÖÈ×ì ¦¸¡ûÇ Å¢ÕõÒõ ¸Õò§¾¡Î ¸¡Áì¸Éø ±ØôÒõ Å¨¸Â¢ø À¡÷ì¸¢ýÈ Á¡¾¨Ã «ùÅ¡§È ¾¡Ûõ À¡Ã¡Ð «¸ýÚ§À¡ö ¿¢üÀ§¾¡Î ÁðÎÁ¢Ä¡Ð, «ò¾¨¸Â Á¡¾¨Ã§Â º¾¡ ¿¢¨ÉòÐ ÁÈì¸ÓÊÂ¡Ð ¯ûÇõ ¯Õ¸ ¸¡Áì¸Éø ãðÊ Á£ñÎõ Á£ñÎõ «Å¨Çô À¡÷ì¸§ÅñÎõ ±Ûõ ¸ñ½¡¨ºÔõ À¡úÀÎõ Å¨¸Â¢ø ¿¡ð¼ò¨¾ ±øÄ¡õ ¯ûÇ¢ØòÐ «¨Éò¾¢üÌõ §¾¡üÈ ãÄÁ¡¸¢Â þ¨ÈÅý À¡ø §º÷òÐ º¢Å»¡Éî º¢ó¾¨ÉÂ¢ø ¾ý¨É þÕòÐÅ¡§É ¯ñ¨ÁÂ¡É §Â¡¸¢Â¡¸¢Â º¢Å§Â¡¸¢Â¡õ.

14.

1937.

paarkkinra maataraip paaraatu akanRu pooy

oorkkinra uLLam uruka azal muuddip

paarkkinra kaNNaacai paazpada muulattee

ceerkkinra yooki civayooki taanee

Meaning:

When women gaze with the intention to have sexual relationships that would lead to species regeneration, a man should avoid it and distance himself away from such women. Furthermore he should conquer the heart that pines for such unions thinking about them all the time with sexual desires burning inside with re-channeling the gaze towards the deepest inside, the Muulam ffrom where springs such desires. Such a yogi is indeed the Civayogi.

15.

1938.

¾¡§É «ÕÇ¡ø º¢Å§Â¡¸õ ¾í¸¡Ð

¾¡§É «ì¸¡Á¡¾¢ ¾íÌ§Å¡Ûõ ¯ðÌõ

¾¡§É «¾¢¸¡Ãõ ¾í¸¢ü º¼í ¦¸Îõ

°§É «ÅüÚû ¯Â¢÷ µõÀ¡ Á¡Ô§Á

¯¨Ã:

þôÀÊôÀð¼ ºó¾¡ÉÅ¢Õò¾¢ìÌ ²ÐÅ¡¸¢Â ¸¡Áò¨¾ ¦ÅøÖõ º¢Å§Â¡¸õ, ¾¡ý þ¨ÈÂÕ¨Ç §ÅñÊ ¿¢ýÈ¡§Ä ´Æ¢Â, «Ð ¾í¸¡Ð §À¡õ. þùÅ¡Ú «¾¨É ¦ÅøÄ ÓÊÂ¡Ð «ì¸¡Á¡¾¢¸û ¦¾¡¼÷óà ¾íÌÁ¡ þ¼í ¦¸¡ÎôÀ¡ý , «ò¾¨¸Â Á¡¾÷¸Ç¢¼Á¢ÕóÐ À¢Ã¢óÐ Å¡Æ ÓÊÂ¡Ð ¦ÀÃ¢Ðõ §ÀÐüÚ «ïÍÅ¡ý. þùÅ¡È¡É «üÀì ¸¡Áò¾¢ý «¾¢¸¡Ãõ ¦¾¡¼÷óÐ Å¢Æ¡Ð ¾í¸¢ø, º¼Á¡¸¢Â ¯¼õÒ §¿¡ÔüÚ ¦¸Îõ. §ÁÖõ º¨¾ô À¢ñ¼ ¯¼Ä¡¸¢Â «Ð ¦¸ðÎì¦¸¡ñ§¼ ÅÖÅ¢ÆóÐ §À¡öÅ¢¼, ¯Â¢¨ÃÔõ «¾Ûû þÕò¾¢ µõÀ ÓÊÂ¡Ð §À¡¸, ÁÃ½õ Å¢¨ÃÅ¢ø Åó¾¨ÁÔõ.

15.

1938.

taanee aruLal civayookam taGkaatu

taanee akkaamaati taGkuvoonum udkum

taanee atikaaram taGkiR cadaG kedum

uunee avRRuL uyir oombaa maayumee.

Meaning:

Such a Civayoga will not stay firmly unless BEING blesses the individual thus. Those who are not blessed thus and fall victim for such sexual desires that stay firm in the heart, will dread the separation from such women and would pine for union with them. When such desires become excessively powerful, the bodily health will suffer and the body will begin to decay. As these deteriorations proceed, there will come a point beyond which the body becomes unsuitable for continued habitation of the anma. Then death will become a reality.

Comments:

Tirumular is not one who advocated asceticism with abstinence from sexual unions. He has said that even the gods cannot control their sexual desires (anjcum adakkiya amararum illai). Even here he advocates it in the following verses. In the Third Tantra he even articulates PariyaGka Yoga, the Yoga of sexual union as a way of eliciting the KuNdalini. However here in these verses he explains how the powerful sexual libido, the Id-like libido, unless gets re-channeled towards metaphysical thinking centering on BEING, it will lead to uncontrollable sexual passions (including incest?) that would lead to the decay of the body and hence hastening the processes leading to death.

There is a kind of GAZE of the women which would cast a magical spell upon potential males, (called maayaaL, the magical woman because of this) and making the person think of nothing else will make him also pine for a vision of her and sexual union with her. It is falling to such magical looks that Tirmular notes as those that will be death-brining for it brings about intense pining in that also serves to cause the decay of the body.

The way to tame this and gain control over this Id-like blind passions, is to change the gaze towards the metaphysical realms, towards the Muulam, the Primordial Ground where originates all. In other words he appears to recommend a reflective kind of life where and understanding of the mysteries surrounding the origins of such intense and immensely powerful sexual desires that is so difficult to control and regulate, must be sought. WE can also see that thoughts about BEING can also serve to tame this Id beast so that mental and bodily health is also secured.

We have to penetrate into mysteries of sexual dynamics to gain control over it.

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-10

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

The Reasons for Sexual Union

The sexual desires in human beings and all creatures is the local manifestation of the cosmic Vittu (> Vintu > Bindu) the SEED that underlies the species regenerations and within which is worked out the evolutionary mechanisms - that of moving from lower Atara Cakras into the higher.

Now Tirumular also recognizes TWO kinds of sexuality, that directed towards getting offspring and hence the species regeneration, and that which is simply an expression of LOVE ( cakamaarkkam) with no thought of getting children and so forth. Here the ethical sensitivity of Tirumular is also quite surprising.

A man should NOT force his spouse during those days between menstruations but rather WAIT for those precious six days within these when as a result of changes in the anatomy of the womb, the sexual desire of the women surges forth to great heights.

16.

1939

Á¡Â¡û Åºò§¾ ¦ºýÈ¢Å÷ §ÅñÊø

µÂ¡ þÕ Àì¸òÐû ÅÇ÷Àì¸òÐû

²Â¡ ±ñ½¡û þýÀ§Áü ÀÉ¢ ãýÈ¢ÃñÎ

¬Â¡ «ÀÃòÐû ¬¾¢¿¡û ¬È¡§Á

¯¨Ã:

¸¡ÁÁÂì¸¢ø µ÷ Á¡¾¢¼õ ÁÂí¸¢ µ÷ ¬¼Å÷ «Åû À¡ø ¦ºýÚ þýÀõ àöòÐ Á¸ð§ÀÚ §ÅñÊø, «¾üÌÃ¢Â ¾ì¸ ¿¡ð¸Ç¢ø «Å¨Ç «Ï¸§ÅñÎõ. ¸Õô¨ÀÂ¢ø ¿¢üÌõ Óð¨¼ ´Â¡Ð ÅÇ÷Àì¸õ §¾öÀì¸õ ±ýÈ þÃñÎ Àì¸í¸§Ç¡Î þÕìÌõ. «¾¢ø â÷Å Àì¸Á¡¸¢Â ÅÇ÷Àì¸ò¾¢ø Ó¾ø ±ðÎ ¿¡ð¸û ¸ÕÅÇ÷îº¢ìÌ ²Â¡¾¨Å. «ôÀÊ§Â þýÀõ ¦¸¡ñ¼¡Öõ, «Ð ²Á¡üÈò¨¾ò ¾ÕÅ¾¡Ìõ. «¾ý À¢ý ÅÕõ ¬Ú ¿¡ð¸Ùõ À¢ÈÌ ¬öÅÕõ «ÀÃÀì¸Ðû Ó¾ø ¬Ú ¿¡ð¸Ùõ Á¸ð§ÀÚ ¦ÀÚÅ¾üÌÃ¢Â ¿øÄ ¿¡ð¸Ç¡Ìõ.

16.

1939.

maayaaL vasaththee cenRivar veeNdil

ooyaa iru pakkattuL vaLarpakkattuL

eeyaa eNNaaL inbameeR pani muunRiraNdu

aayaa aparattuL aatinaaL aaRaamee

Meaning:

If one is seduced by a captivating woman ((spouse) and has no choice but to enjoy sex and with a view to have a child, the best days for the union are as follows. The ovum once produced has an ever present periods of growth and decay. In this during the intial period of growth, the first eight days are not suitable. And if one enjoys sex during these days, one may be disappointed (in not having succeeded in conception) The six days following this during this phase, the first six days during the next decay phase are most suitable.

17.

1940

¬¨ÈóÐ Àý¦É¡ýÚõ «ýÈ¢ì º¸Á¡÷ì¸õ

§ÅÈýÒ §ÅñÎ§Å¡÷ âÅÃ¢ý À¢ýÉó §¾¡Î

²Úõ þÕÀò¦¾¡Õ ¿¡Ç¢¨¼òÐ µíÌõ

¬È¢ý Á¢Ìò§¾¡íÌõ «ì¸¡Äï ¦ºöÂ§Å

¯¨Ã:

¾ý Á¨ÉÅ¢¨Â «ýÀ¢üÌÃ¢Â Ð¨½Â¡¸ô §ÀÏõ º¸Á¡÷ì¸ò¾¢É÷ìÌ, Á¸ð§ÀÚÅøÄ âô¦Àö¾¢Â ¸¡Äõ ¦¾¡¼í¸¢ Ó¾ø ¬Ú ¿¡ð¸Ùõ ¸¨¼º¢ ³óÐ ¿¡ð¸Ùõ «ýÈ¢, Á¸ô§ÀÚ ¸Õ¾¡Ð «ýÀ¢ý ¦ÅÇ¢ôÀ¡¼¡¸ ¿¼ìÌõ ¸ÄÅ¢ ¿¡ð¸Ùõ ¯ñÎ. âôÀ¢üÌ À¢ÈÌ ¸ÕôÀ¡Âºò¾¢ø þ¾ú¸û ¸ÕÅ¢üÌ þ¼ó¾Õõ Å¨¸Â¢ø ÅÇ÷óÐ ¦¸¡ñ§¼ ¦ºøÖõ ¿¡ð¸Ç¢ø, ¸¡Á§Åð¨¸ §¾¡ýÚõ. «¾¢ø ¬Ú ¿¡ð¸û ¸¡Á§Åð¨¸ Á¢Ìò§¾¡íÌõ ¿¡ð¸Ç¢ø ÜÊ Á¸¢ÆÄ¡õ.

17.

1940.

aaRaintu pannonRum anRik cakamaarkkam

veeranbu veenduvoor puuvarin pinnan toodu

eeRum irupaatoRu naalidaittu ooGkum

aaRin mukittooGkum akkaalanj ceyyavee

Meaning:

For those who are in sakamaarkkam, i.e. in the way of LOVE, there days that are also suitable over and above the first six days of the ovum growth and last five of ovum decay. After the menstruation, there are first 21 days during which the womb develops various kinds of convolutions or petals. During this period the sexual desire will be strong and there are six days during which it surges forth to great heights. Union during these are the best.

Comments:

In these verses Tirumular quite clearly recognizes that the species regeneration instincts at work in the desires for sexual union. But interestingly enough he also notes that sexual union may also result as an expression of LOVE, called here Sakamaarkkam, the Way of Companionship and where word ‘caki’ also means the loved one. While he lists the best days for conception as above, but also notices that sexual desire may arise within a woman during those times when the womb is getting ready for the reception of the fetus, should the ovum get fertilized. He notes that there are about six days during which the sexual desire may surge forth and his advice is that the union of Love should await for such moments for maximal enjoyment of sexual union.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________--

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-11

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

The Science of Becoming Free of Sexual Desires

The whole of Tantrism of Tirumular is for FREEING the anma from the deeply embedded sexual instinct which is so powerful and which is an expression of Universal Vittu, the Universal Seed that ensures species regeneration. Unless one becomes FREE of this powerful force already in nature, one cannot emancipate oneself from the hold of physical and enjoy excursions into the metaphysical and which is the true essence of religious life as understood in Tantrism.

But what is the WAY to become Pure and Free of this immensely powerful and demonic force?

Certainly not abstinence from the enjoyment of sex and hence the WAY is NOT the Way of asceticism, canniyaasam etc as recommended in the idealistic traditions and monastic orders.

The WAY to free oneself from sexuality is to ENJOY it in the proper way so that the soul in enjoying thus is also simultaneously FREED by being lifted up from breathing the normal way into that of Deep Breath, the breathing that takes place when the soul is NOT in the Natam dominated Ida Kalai or Bindu dominated PiGkalai but rather the Suzi Munai where both Natam and Bindu, the inner Sun and Moon are equally present.

More details below.

18.

1941

¦ºöÔõ «ÇÅ¢ø ¾¢Õ¿¡û ÓÜ÷ò¾§Á

±öÔí ¸¨Ä ¸¡Äõ þóÐ ÀÕ¾¢ ¸¡ø

¨¿ÔÁ¢¼ò§¾¡Êý ¿ý¸¡Á áø¦¿È¢

¦ºö¸ ÅÄÁ¢¼ó ¾£÷óÐ Å¢Îì¸§Å

¯¨Ã:

§Á§Ä ÜÈ¢ÂÅ¡Ú Á¸ð§ÀÚ §ÅñÊÔõ «ýÀ¢ý §ÅÚ þýÀÁ¡¸ §ÅñÊÔõ, ¸¡Áì ¸ÄÅ¢ ¦ºöÔõ «ÇÅ¢ø «Ð§Å º¢Èó¾ ¾¢Õ¿¡û ÓÜ÷ò¾Á¡Ìõ. «Ð¦À¡ØÐ Á¸ð§À§È¡ «øÄÐ ¸¨Ä »¡É§Á¡ Å¢óÐÅ¢ý Å¢Õò¾¢Â¡¸ ±öÔõ ¸¡ÄÁ¡Ìõ. ¯Å¡ºÁ¡ÉÐ ºó¾¢Ã¸¨ÄÂ¡¸§Å¡ ÝÃ¢Â¸¨ÄÂ¡¸§Å¡ µÎÅÐ ¨¿óÐ ÍÆ¢Ó¨É ¿¡Ê ÅÆ¢§Â ¦ºøÖõ §À¡Ð, «ýÀ¢ý ÅÆ¢§Â ÓÂì¦¸É ÅüÒÚòÐõ ¿ü¸¡Á áø Å¢ÇìÌõ Åñ½õ ¸ÄÅ¢ ¦ºö¸. þÐ ±üÚì¦¸É¢ý ¬ýÁ¡¨Å þ¼¸¨Ä À¢í¸¨Ä ¬¸¢Â ¿¡Ê¸Ç¢ý ÀðÎ ¯Â¢÷ôÀ¨¾ò ¾£÷òÐ «¾¨É Å¢ÎÅ¢òÐ ÍÆ¢Ó¨É ¿¡ÊÂ¢ø þÕò¾¦ÅÉ «È¢¸.

18.

1041

ceyyum aLavil tirunaaL mukuurttamee

eyyuG kalai kaalam intu paruti kaal

naiyumidatoodin nankaama nuulneRi

ceyka valamidan tiirntu vidukkavee

Meaning:

When sexual union takes place as described above, that would be actually the most auspicious union. At that point either we attain a child or intellectual productions that are desired. (And to free yourself from this instinctual pressure) you should indulge in sexual union when the breathing is neither the inner moon nor sun dominated but rather the Suzi Munai where both are present in equal measures. The sex can be enjoyed during these moments and all in accordance with way described in the various good Kaama Sastras. This is to draw the anma from existing with right and left hemispherical functioning and usher it into the Cuzi Munai Nadi where both hemispheres are equally activated.

19.

1942.

Å¢Îí¸¡ñ Óý ³óÐ þó¾¢Ã¢Âí¸¨Çô §À¡ø

¿Îí¸¡Ð þÕôÀ¡Ûõ ³¨ÂóÐ ¿ñ½ô

ÀÎí¸¡¾ø Á¡¾¢ýÀ¡ø ÀüÈÈ Å¢ðÎì

¸Îí¸¡ø ¸Ã½í ¸ÕòÐÈì ¦¸¡ñ§¼

¯¨Ã:

þùÅ¡Ú ¿øÄ ¸¡Ááø ÅÆ¢ ¸ÄÅ¢¦ºöÐ Á¸¢úó¾¡ø, º¢Å¾òÐÅí¸û ¿£í¸ ±ïº¢ÔûÇ 25 ¾òÐÅí¸û Üð¼ò¨¾§Â Å¢ÕõÀ¢ Å¡Æî ¦ºöÔõ Á¡¾÷¸û À¡ø ±ÆìÜÊÂ ¸¡¾ü¸¡Áõ ¸ÆýÚ ÀüÈÈ Å¢ðÎ Í¾ó¾¢Ãõ ¬¸Ä¡õ. ±ôÀÊ ÓýÒ ³óÐ þó¾¢Ã¢Âí¸û ÅÆ¢ ¦À¡È¢Ä¢Âô À¡÷¨ÅÂ¢Ä¢ÕóÐ ¸ÆýÚ ¬ýÁ¡ §Áü ¦ºýÈ§¾¡ «§¾ô§À¡ýÚ þô¦À¡ØÐ þó¾ 25 ¾òÐÅí¸Ç¢Ä¢ÕóÐõ ¸Æüº¢Â¡õ. §ÁÖõ þ¾üÌ ãÄÁ¡ÂÐ ÁÉò¨¾ þ¼¸¨Ä ÅÄ¸¨Ä ±ýÈÅ¡Ú ¿Îì¸ò¾¢ø ¿¢øÄ¡Ð, ¸Îó¾¢ÈÄ¢ý ÍÆ¢Ó¨É ãîº¡¸¢Â ¬ÆãîÍ ¸ÄÅ¢Â¢ý§À¡Ð ¬ÌÁ¡ ¸ÕòÐÈì ¦¸¡ñ§¼ ¸ÄÅ¢ ¦ºöÅÐ ¬Ìõ.

19.

1942.

viduGkaaN mun aintu intiriyanGkalaip pool

naduGkaatu iruppaanum aiyaintu naNNap

paduGkaatal maatinpaal paRRaRa vidduk

kaduGkaal karaNaG karuttuRak koNdee

Meaning:

The sexual desires aroused by women who are loved tend to bind the anma towards the 25 Tatvas i.e. excluding the Siva Tatvas from the total 36 Tatvas. Enjoying sexual union prescribed as above and in accordance with good treatises of Sexual union, will help the anma free itself from such an instinctual pressure. Just as earlier the anma managed free itself from the five senses and hence being bound to sensory processes, so is here. The root cause of such emancipation is having sexual union by setting the anmas in Cuzi Munai Nadi and hence without wavering by keeping the breathing neither in the left nor right hemispherical functioning

Comments:

Tantrism is also equally concerned with the emancipation of the anma from desires, including the sexual and with that attain true FREEDOM. But unlike in the idealistic philosophies where abstinence is prescribed, we have here the saturation of sexual desires through a proper enjoyment of it. There is a WAY of sexual union, which will serve a person to become FREE of sexual desires and with that enjoy sojourning freely in the metaphysical realms.

Tirumular brings out a number of crucial insights here.

First he rescues the notion of the Most Auspicious Time for sexual union from being determined by the ancient astrological calculations to that of psychobiological of the optimum and most psychologically apt times as described in the above verses. The last six days of the growth period of the ovum and first 5 days of decay period are the best for having a child. It is also the case when the sexual union takes place purely as an expression of LOVE, there are six days where sexual desires on the part of women surge forth. Such unions are the TirunaaL Mukuurttam, the most auspicious unions.

Secondly he notes the sexual union in activating the Vittu, the seed in the body and which is expression of the Universal Seed, the Potu Vittu, has TWO different kinds of manifestations. It can result in the normal conception of a child where we have the fertilization of the ovum and its transmutation into a fetus that can grow into a child. Now where sexual union is enjoyed not for this but merely as an expression of LOVE, we have the Vittu, the seed blossoming as Kalai, various kinds deep insights that would constitute deep metaphysical insights of the cultural world of the arts and sciences. This is the meaning of the crucial phrase: eyyuG kalai kaalam.

Thirdly he also notes that there are certain subjective conditions that should be taken care of for freeing oneself from the sexual instinctual pressures. The normal breathing is the shallow breathing through the left and right nostrils and which are related to the right and left hemispherical functioning and which in turn has its immediate deep structures the functioning of the inner Sun and Moon and which are the bodily expression of the universal Natam and Bindu. When a person manages to free himself from such breathing and installs himself in the Cuzi Munai Nadi, where there is joint functioning of both Sun and Moon, the Natam and Bindu, we have a characteristic Deep Breath. When a person has sex with his soul in such a deep breath, he will also FREE himself gradually from the hold of sexual desires and with that enjoy metaphysical adventures without any interferences from sexual pulls that draws him back into the physical world or phenomenal reality.

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-12

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

The Conception and Birth

The following three verses are testimony to the factual observations that are essentially scientific and how valuable they were deemed for the science of gynecology attesting to the fact that it was a well-developed natural science at the time of Tirumular and which has survived in the works of the later Siddhas. We shall only note some salient points here.

The sexual union is recommend only as an expression of psychic union, the union of the souls of the man and woman who would be the parents of the a child. The man is required to praise the female so that she is psychologically ready not only for coitus but also for conception. The conception can fail if there is unconscious resistance on the part of the woman. Lavishing her with praises about her feminine charms as fore play, not only readies her mind but also the body and because of that.

Tirumular also notes the presence of genetic processes that are operative while the fetus is growing. There are certain determinations like life span, personal qualities and so forth, which are built up during this phase. Later he will explain all these in terms of mantras at work during such moments.

1943

¦¸¡ñ¼ Ì½§É ¿Ä§É ¿ü§¸¡ÁÇõ

Àñ¨¼ ÔÕ§Å À¸÷Å¡ö ÀÅÇ§Á

Á¢ñÎ ¾É§Á Á¢¨¼Â Å¢Îõ§À¡¾¢ø

¸ñ¼ ¸Ã½Óõ ¯ð¦ºøÄ ¸ñÎ Å¢§¼

¯¨Ã:

¾ý ¦Àñ Ð¨½¨Âô Ò½Õõ Óý «ó¾ Á¡¾¢ý ÁÉíÌÇ¢Õõ Å¨¸Â¢ø «Å¨Ç ¿üÌ½ò¾¢Éû, ¿Äõ ¾ÕÀÅû, «Æ¸¢ø ¿ü§¸¡ÁÇõ §À¡ýÈÅû, ¦Àñ¨Á þÄì¸½õ À¢¨ÆÂ¡¾ ¯ÕÅ¢¨Éì ¦¸¡ñ¼Åû ÀÅÇõ §À¡ýÈ º¢ÅôÒ þ¾ú¸¨Ç ¦¸¡ñ¼Åû ±ý¦ÈøÄ¡õ ÜÈ¢, «¸ò¾¨¼¦ÂøÄ¡õ ¿£ì¸¢, ¦ÀÕò¾ ¦¸¡í¨¸¸¨Ç Á¢¨¼óÐ, ¬ñÌÈ¢ ¿Ä§Á ¸ÕÌÆ¢ìÌû ¦ºÄì ¸ñÎ Å¢ò¨¾ Å¢¼ §ÅñÎõ.

20.

1943.

koNda kuNanee nalanee naRkoomalam

paNdai yuruvee pakarvaay pavaLamee

miNdu tanamee midaiya vidum pootil

kaNda karaNamaum udcella kaNdu videe

Meaning:

One must praise the woman saying she has excellent personal qualities, good nature, beautiful and precious like gems, has a feminine figure as extolled by the ancients, has lips beautifully red like the coral and so forth. Having thus praised and made her fully agreeable to intercourse, clasping her closely against the chest of large breasts, one should release the seminal fluid ensuring prior to that the male organ is well inside the opening towards the womb.

21.

1944.

Å¢ð¼À¢ý ¸÷ôÀ ¯üÀò¾¢ Å¢¾¢Â¢§Ä

¦¾¡ðÎÚí ¸¡Äí¸û §¾¡ýÈì ¸Õ¾¢Â

¸ðÊÂ Å¡û ¿¡û º¡ ¿¡û Ì½í ¸£ú¨Á º£÷ô

Àð¼ ¦¿È¢ þ¦¾ýÚ ±ñ½¢Ôõ À¡÷ì¸§Å.

¯¨Ã:

þùÅ¡Ú ¬ñ Å¢òÐ¨Å, Íì¸¢Äò¨¾, Å¢ð¼ À¢ý ¸÷ôÀ ¯üÀò¾¢ ²ü¸É§Å Å¢¾¢ì¸ôÀð¼ ¦¿È¢¸ÙìÌ ²üÀ ¿¼ìÌõ. «Ð ¦À¡ØÐ ¸Õ ¯üÀò¾¢Â¡¸¢ ¯Õô¦ÀÚõ ¸¡Äí¸û, ÅÇ÷óÐ ÅÕõ §À¡Ð «¨ÁÔõ §¾¡üÈí¸û, «ì¸Õ ÅÇÕõ §À¡Ð «¨Á¸¢ýÈ Å¡û ¿¡û º¡ ¿¡û §À¡ýÈ ¬Ôû ¿¢Ä¨Á¸û, «¨Á¸¢ýÈ ¸£Æ¡É §ÁÄ¡É Ì½í¸û §À¡ýÈ¨Å ÀÎ¸¢ýÈ ¦¿È¢ þÐ¦ÅýÚõ ±ñ½¢Ôõ À¡÷ì¸§ÅñÎõ.

21.

1944.

viddapin karppa uRpatti vitiyilee

thodduRuG kalaaGkaL toonRak karutiya

kaddiya vaaL caa naaL kuNaG kiizmai ciirp

padda neRi ithenRu eNniyum paarkkavee

Meaning:

Having released the seminal fluid as above, the fertilization will take place in accordance with the rules of fetus formation. There will be stages of onset and growth of the fetus and during which it will also be written how long it will survive, when it meet with death, the noble and evil personal qualities and so far. One must take note of such processes and understand them all.

22.

1945.

À¡÷ò¾¢ðÎ ¨ÅÂòÐû ÀÃôÀüÚ ¯Õô¦ÀüÚ

Å¡÷î¦ºüÈ ¦¸¡í¨¸ Á¼ó¨¾¨Â ¿£ì¸¢§Â

§º÷òÐüÚ þÕ¾¢í¸û §ºÃ¡Ð «¸Ä¢Ûõ

ãôÒü§È À¢ýÉ¡Ç¢ø ¬õ ±øÄ¡ ¯ûÇ§Å

¯¨Ã:

þùÅ¡Ú À¡÷òÐ ¿¡õ ÅÕõ§À¡Ð, ¯Ä¸ò¦¾¡¼ìÌ Â¡ÐÁ¢ýÈ¢ ¸ÕÅ¡ÉÐ ¸Õô¨ÀÂ¢ø ¿Ä§Á ¯Õô¦ÀÚõ. À¢ÈÌ ÓüÈ¡¸ ÅÇ÷ó¾ À¢ý, ¸îº¢¨É ÅÕòÐõ ¦ÀÕõ ¦¸¡í¨¸¸û ¯ûÇ Áí¨¸¨Â ¿£í¸¢, À¢ÈóÐ ¯Ä¸ò ¦¾¡¼ìÌ ¯Úõ. þùÅ¡Ú À¢ÈìÌõ º¢Íì¸û º¢Ä þÃñÎ Á¡¾í¸ÙìÌ §Áø Å¡Æ¡Ð §À¡Ìõ. º¢Ä ¦¿Îí¸¡Äõ Å¡úóÐ ãôÒü§È À¢ýÉ¡Ç¢ø ÁÊÔõ. þ¨Å «¨ÉòÐõ º¢ó¾¢òÐ ¦¾Ç¢¾üÌÃ¢Â Å¢ºÂí¸Ç¡Ìõ.

22.

1945.

paarttiddu vaiyattuL parapaRRu uruppeRRu

vaarcceRRa kongkai madantaiyai niikkiyee

ceertuRRu irutiGkaL ceeraatu akalinum

muupuRRee pinnaaLil aam ellaa uLLavee

Meaning:

As we observe and care for the growth of the fetus as above, the fetus develops inside the womb undisturbed by external events of the world. Then when fully grown, it escapes the womb of the woman of large breasts crushing the tight breast bands and joins the world. Such a child may sometimes live for less than two months; sometimes will live for long and die of old age. All these facts must be pondered upon to understand the whole process.

Comments: Since the verses are quite self-explanatory, additional comments are not given.

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-13

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

It is Sexual Union that Allows us Access Civanjaanam, the Absolute Understanding, the Vittai

In Saivism that worships the Androgynous Form of BEING where there is neutralization of sexual polarities, sexual union is also sacred. The SivaliGkam also communicates the same message. However it is also recognized that it is NOT the bodily cravings of sexual desires but rather the psychic cravings for the union of souls through LOVE that is more important for the spiritual well-being of the soul. The sexual union leads to self forgetting and becoming egoless and which is possible only where the union takes place within Deep Love.

Thus the sexual union between a man and a woman become also a spiritual Sadhana for understanding Vittai, the Civanjanam. The Love that makes people egoless during such moments creates an interior context for the burst of this Civanjanam and which then becomes something they can contemplate upon.

This verse also contains to well-known PuraNic theme where GaNesha, in competition with Muruka wins the Mango of Njanam just by circumbulating His Father-Mother while Muruka goes on His peacock to see the whole of Cosmos. It is GaNesha who is the deity of Civanjanam; the Mango for it is He who draws the anmas towards the deeper spiritual grounds where LOVE dominates human relationships including that between a man and woman that may also result in bodily union. It is GaNesha who implants the possibility that each soul can become Androgynous and through that FREE of sexual desires.

23.

1946

Å¢ò¾¢Î §Å¡÷ì¸ýÈ¢ §Á§Ä¡÷ Å¢¨ÇÅ¢ø¨Ä

Å¢ò¾¢Î §Å¡÷ì¸ýÈ¢ Á¢ì§¸¡÷ «È¢Å¢ø¨Ä

Å¢ò¾¢É¢ø Å¢ò¨¾ Å¢¾È ×½÷Å§Ãø

Áò¾¢ Ä¢Õó¾§¾¡÷ Á¡í¸É¢ Â¡§Á

¯¨Ã:

§Á§Ä Å¢ÇõÀ¢ÂÅ¡Ú, ¾ý Ð¨½§Â¡Î «ýÒ §ÁÄ£¼ì ¸ÄóÐ Å¢òÐ¨Å ¦ÅÇ¢Â¢Î§Å¡÷¸ýÈ¢, Á¸ð§ÀÚ ±ýÚõ »¡Éô§ÀÚ ±ýÚõ ¬¸ìÜÊÂ §ÁÄ¾¡¸¢Â Å¢¨Ç×¸û þø¨Ä. þÉ¢ «ýÀ¢¨É ÅÇ÷ìÌõ Å¨¸Â¢ø ¸ÄÅ¢ ¦ºöÐ Å¢ò¾¢Î§Å¡÷ì¸ýÈ¢, ¬ÆÁ¡É ¾òÐÅ »¡Éõ «¨ÁÂ¡Ð. þôÀÊôÀð¼ Å¢óÐì¸Ç¢ø «¼í¸¢Â¢ÕìÌõ Å¢ò¨¾Â¡¸¢Â »¡Éò¨¾ ‘«Ð’ ‘þÐ’ ±ýÛõ ÍðÎ½÷× «È ¯½Ã ÅøÄÃ¡Â¢ý, «Å÷¸ð§¸ ¯¼õÀ¡¸¢Â ÁòÐÅ¢Ä¢ÕóÐ ¸¨¼ó¦¾Îì¸ôÀð¼ Á¡í¸É¢Â¡¸¢Â º¢Å»¡ÉÁ¡Ìõ.

Å¢¾È- þ¾È : þÐ «È : þÐ «Ð¦ÅÛõ ÍðÎ½÷× «È

23.

1946.

vittidu voorkkanRi meeloor viLaivillai

vittidu voorkkanRi mikkoor aRivillai

vittinil Vittai vitaRa vuNarvareel

matti liruntatoor maaGkani yaamee

Meaning:

Except for those who discharge the seminal fluid in sexual union, there cannot be metaphysically higher forms of outcomes. And except for such people the higher reaches of metaphysical understanding are impossible. For those who access the Vittai, the Absolute Understanding buried in the seminal fluid by escaping from the the-tic consciousness of ordinary life, they in fact enjoy the Mango of Divine Wisdom buried in the body.

Comments:

Here I believe Tirumular is referring to the Mythology where GaNapati wins the Njanak Kani, the Mango of Absolute Understanding in the competition for it between himself and Tirumurukan and where while Muruka left on His peacock to round the whole universe, Vinayaka quietly just circled His Father and Mother. It carries the message that the Vittai, the True Wisdom is gained by Understanding the Father-Mother of all universe and NOT the external spread as the whole of the Cosmos.

The Civanjanam, the Vittai, the Understanding that lights up all, the Civanjanam, the Absolute Understanding is already in the BODY, buried in the capacity the body has to regenerate itself though sexual unions.

But isn’t strange that sexual union, an act of deep cravings for the regeneration of the species, should be linked with the Sadhana for metaphysical illuminations of the deepest kind?

Not really if we understand the psychology of sexual union especially as enunciated in the Ardhanari form where the Female and Male interpenetrate each other so that separate existence of these two are no more available, where there is Female there is also the Male and vice versa, a neutralization of the biological polarities.

While remaining biologically male and female, how is this neutralization possible?

It is possible where there is psychic union through LOVE and at which the body is forgotten and along with that also sexual polarity. The DEEP LOVE between a Male and Female makes them self-forgetful and egoless. These may very precious moments but certainly takes place between a man and woman truly in LOVE each other even within desires for sexual union. During these precious moments they also enjoy the state being androgynous and at which point Civanjanam, the Vittai also dawns.

GaNesha and the Mango

I want return to the meaning of the Icon, GaNesha, using the following verse of Tirumular where, I think he refers to the puraNic episode where GaNesha wins the Mango by going around Siva-Parvati while Muruka takes to roam the whole cosmos on his peacock.

But before that I want to say something about the possible causes of misunderstanding both on the part of some Western Psychoanalysts and some Hindu patriots.

We must note that an ICON like GaNesha is a TEXT with a DUALITY of structure, a double-text where we have both the man and god and hence it is man-god complex. Seeking out the Mango does not pertain to God, as he does not seek out anything, being Himself ParipuuraNan, a complete and integral whole lacking in nothing. The seeker of the mango is the man and he becomes GaNesha when in his unconscious emerges a presentation of BEING to direct his behavior so that his actions are not only ethical but also such that he is freed of the sexuality inherent to him. Sexuality pertains to man, but its transmutation into LOVE belongs to the actions of the Divine Powers and all as expressions fo the Grace(aruL0 of BEING.

In this while some of the Western Indologists who bring the psychoanalytic framework to the study on Hindu icons sees ONLY THE MAN and confuse it with the god, the Hindus see the God and His Grace in which his own sexuality is transmuted into LOVE and with that he is also FREED of sexuality. Thus GaNesha evokes reverence and Bakti unto God as it disclose Divine grace.

Here too there is difference between the Saivites ( Tantrists) and Vedanties.

The Vedic tradition has from ancient times opposed the worship of SivaliGkam as is evidenced by the story of CaNdiicar who chopped off his Vedic Brahman father’s leg when he tried to smash the sand SivaliGkam CaNdiicar built and was worshipping. (I shall attend to this in my analysis of Sisna deva in progress). The Vedantic tradition does NOT provide an UNDERSTANING of the human nature and how the Divine Powers interfere in their existence and transmute them into spiritually PURE beings. The Vedantic tradition is concerned only with Brahmanahs and with their thirst for Brahmavidya they are BLIND to the sexual dimensions of human beings. I believe that such Vedanties get emotionally worked up when the sexual dimensions of man are exposed for it forces them to come out from their Vedantic preoccupations and SEE also the reality. It also exposes a huge weakness in the whole of Vedantic tradition where in seeing man only as Brahmanah they FAIL to see sexuality as vital force shaping human ( and animal) behavior.

A Brahmanah is a Brahmacaarin, someone who practices celibacy with Vairakkya and so forth and therefore NOT someone who enjoys states of selflessness in sexual union where LOVE dominates. This is Tantrism, as its best and something, I believe, implicitly disliked by the Vedanties especially the Advaities. In the vast range of texts on Advaita, nowhere we can find any EXPLANATION of the sexual nature man such as those available in Tirumular Tevaram Divvya Prabantam the Siddhas treatises and so forth

23.

1946.

vittidu voorkkanRi meeloor viLaivillai

vittidu voorkkanRi mikkoor aRivillai

vittinil Vittai vitaRa vuNarvareel

matti liruntatoor maaGkani yaamee

Meaning:

Comments:

But isn’t strange that sexual union, an act of deep cravings for the regeneration of the species, should be linked with the Sadhana for metaphysical illuminations of the deepest kind?

While remaining biologically male and female, how is this neutralization possible?

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-14

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

The Sexual Bliss and Supreme Bliss

Saivism, a religion that has gone to the depths of the destructive-regenerative processes, has also gone to the depths of the sexual dynamics related to that and has understood its essentials without flinching from the principles of Hermeneutic Science, a rational inquiry where truth-experiences are sought and NOT mere conceptual or imaginary understanding . The forms of thinking that deviate from that of seeking truth-experiences (MeyyuNarvu) is kaRpanai, mere fictions, vain conceptual acrobatics indulged more in the vein of building defense mechanisms than seeking a true understanding. Sexulaity, being the most potent of the inner forces, has also become that which was sought to be denied or explained away as something inconsequential and so forth, But the very fact that Bramacariyam was made central in some forms of spiritual life betrays the immense Power it has over the human mind.

In this verse Tirumular also begins tying up the understanding of gynecological processes that comes along with sexuality with Mantrayana, the ultimate forms of understanding. When a certain phenomena is understood in terms of the workings of Mantras that are active at the depths, we reach the final ground of Hermeneutics. We attain a translucency that connects the current field of investigation with the most Universal and with that the understanding gained also becomes of universal applicability.

Here Tirumular relates the sexual desires and joys such desires bring about to the workings of a species of mantras - aa, ii, ee and so forth that are there in the depths of all souls as those which create these pressures within. On top of that he also notes that BEING as Ican is along with them and hence understanding that sexual desires are planted in the souls by BEING Himself and hence something DIVINE in itself.

24.

1947

¸Õò¾¢É¢ø «ì¸Ãõ ¬Ô×õ þÂ¡×í

¸ÕòÐÇý ®ºý ¸Õ×Â¢ §Ã¡Îí

¸Õò¾Ð Å¢ò¾¡ö ¸¡Ã½õ ¸¡Ã¢Âí

¸ÕòÐÚ Á¡Ú þ¨Å ¸üÀ¨É¾¡§É

¯¨Ã:

¯Â¢÷¸Ç¢ý º¢ó¾¨ÉÂ¢ø þýÀ Òº¢ôÀ¢¨É Á¸¢úîº¢¨Âò ¾Õõ «ì¸Ãí¸Ç¡¸ ¬ þ , Â¡ §À¡ýÈ¨Å ¯ûÇÉ. «Åü§Ã¡Î ®ºÛõ þò¾¨¸Â ¯ÅôÒì¸¨Ç «ÕûÀ¡Ä¢ìÌõ Åñ½õ ¯Â¢÷¸Ç¢ý º¢ó¨¾Â¢ø þÕì¸¢ýÈ¡ý. þùÅ¡Ú «øÄ¡Ð þîî¨ÉÔõ Áó¾¢Ãí¸¨ÇÔõ ÒÈì¸½¢òÐ, Áì¸ÇÐ º¢ó¾¨É¸¨Ç§Â ãÄÁ¡¸ì ¦¸¡ñÎ , «ÅÈ¢ý ÅÆ¢§Â¾¡ý þýÀô Òº¢ôÒì¸û ¯Â¢÷¸û Á¡ðÎ ¯ñ¼¡¸¢ýÈÉ ±ýÚ ÒÃ¢óÐ¦¸¡ûÅÐ , ¦ÅüÚ ¸üÀ¨ÉÂ¡Ìõ, ¯ñ¨Á¨Â ¯½÷óÐ ¦¾Ç¢ÅÐ «ýÚ.

¸¡ñ¸:

910

¬Éó¾õ ¬Éó¾õ ´ýÚ ±ýÚ «¨Èó¾¢¼

¬Éó¾õ ¬Éó¾õ ¬-®-°-²-µõ ±ýÚ «¨ÈóÐ þ¼õ

¬Éó¾õ ¬Éó¾õ «ïÍÁÐ ¬Â¢Îõ

¬Éó¾õ ¬Éó¾õ «õ-‹Ã£õ «õ-‡õ ¬õ ¬Ì§Á

¯¨Ã:

º£Åý º¸ŠÃ ¾Çò¨¾ì ¸¼óÐ ÀÃº¢Å§É¡Î §ÅÈÈ ´ýÈ¢òÐ ¿¢üÌõ§À¡Ð ¬ýÁ¡Å¢ý «¸ò§¾ ¬Éó¾§Á ¦À¡í¸¢ ÅÆ¢Â «¾¨É §ÅÚÅ¨¸Â¢Ä¢ýÈ¢ À¡¼ø¸Ç¡¸§Å À¨Èº¡üÚõ. «ùÅ¡È¡É ¦Áö»¡Éô ÒÄõÀø¸ÙìÌ Å¢ò¾¡¸ þÕôÀÉ ¬-®-°-²-µõ ±Ûõ «ì¸Ãí¸Ç¡Ìõ. þ¾üÌ Óý ¬ýÁ¡¨Å ¦ºÖò¾¢ Åó¾ ÝìÌÁ Àïº¡ì¸Ãí¸Ç¡¸¢Â ¿-Á-º¢-Å¡-Â ±ýÀÐõ ¬Éó¾ò¾¢ý ±ØòÐì¸Ç¡¸¢Â ¬-®-°-²-µõ ¬Â¢Îõ. «¾ýÀ¢ý ¬ýÁ¡Å¢üÌ §Áü¦¸¡ñÎ º¢Å¡Éó¾ò¨¾ò ¾ÕÅÉÅ¡¸ «ºÀ¡ Áó¾¢Ãí¸Ç¡¸¢Â «õ-‹Ã£õ ±ýÀÐõ «õ-‡õ ¬õ (=µõ) ±ýÀÐõ Å¢Çí¸¢ §Á¡É¡Éó¾õ Á¸¢Æî ¦ºöÔõ.

24.

karuththinal akkaram aayum iyaavuG

karuttuLan Iican karuvu rooduG

karuttatu vittaayk kaaraNa kaariyaG

karuttuRu maru ivai kaRpanai taanee

Meaning:

In the mind of the anmas are the mantra-syllables “aa” “ i” “yaa” and so forth creating internal pressures within the souls to seek joys and hence enjoyments, (including the sexual kind). BEING as Iican is also along with such anmas that have a birth (with a physical body etc) as their causal basis. But those who do not understand the basis of sexual pleasures in terms of this but attribute them to thoughts only, are indulging in fictitious or imaginary explanations.

See:

910

aananatam aanantam onRu enRu aRaintida

aanantam aanantam aa-ii-uu-ee-oom enRu aRaintu idam

aanantam aanantam anjcumatu aayidum

aanantam aanantam am-hriim am-ksam aam aakumee

Meaning:

When the anma transcends even the thousand petalled Lotus, it will be non alien with BEING, the Ever Blissful and the flooding bliss in the interior of the soul with give rise to spontaneous outpourings of divine laughter. Such lyrics will be agitated by the aksaras aa-ii-uu-ee-oom. At this point the mantras na-ma-si-vaa-ya that have been ruling the mind will coalesce with the above establishing only the state of immense bliss. Then as further experiences of this Divine Bliss are continued, there will come to prevail the asaba mantras am-hiriim and am-ksam-aam that will install the Bliss of Deep Silence

Comments:

The sexual enjoyment, as explained above, is not only that activity that facilitates species regeneration but also that which serves to lift up the souls into a higher plain of spiritual existence, the life of Suzi Munai Nadi. This is the function of having sexual union with Deep Love between the partners.

In this verse Tirumular notes that any kind of understanding that seeks to dissociate BEING as the source of sexual happiness is imaginary and fictitious, perhaps prompted by ideological notions such as brahmacariam, a temporary way of Being-in-the-World where there is self-denial of sexual relationships. The fact is there are the mantras ‘aa’ ii’ and so forth, which create inner pressures for sexual happiness and that BEING as Ican, He who confers Moksa is along with them as the Real Cause. This Ican in promoting sexual bliss with these mantras also TRANSMUTES them in the Mantras ‘na-ma-si-vaa-ya”, and with that bless the anmas with Civanjanam and brings along with it the enjoyment of Supreme Bliss, the Peerinbam. Thus we have here the transmutation of the SiRRinbam, the sexual bliss, into Peerinbam, the Supreme Bliss that Tiruvuntiyar talks about.

Brahmacariam: Do we need it?

A study of Tirumantiram of Tirumular and the Tevaram Corpus discloses that sexuality is looked at positively and that it must be enjoyed with LOVE so that in the end it can be neutralized and with that attain a Purity and Freedom that would prepare for the dawn of Civanjanam, the Absolute Understanding that would bless one with Moksa.

But this is NOT the understanding that we get from various other Indic traditions as well as the Semitic. In Indic traditions we have the extreme situation of some Vamaccara Tantrics who believe in worshipping the Vagina and assume the most effective Sadhana is fornication like dogs and pigs and which has been taken up by some neotantrics in the West. On the other extreme we have the Brahmacariam, the practice of celibacy as the precondition for Brahamanjnam, which alone will provide Mukti. This trend is post Vedic and has become well entrenched as part of Vedanta that has poisoned even the Saivites.

Brahmacariam is an Avoidance Behavior - it stamps celibacy as the hallmark of true religiosity and with that dismissing the householders, the family men and women to a secondary position. If this is true then such great Saivite figures like Tirumular Punitavati, Appar, Sambantar, Sundarar, Meykandar, AruNandi, KaNNudaiya VaLLal and so forth are implicitly ruled out as great teachers of spiritual wisdom for all of them were not advocates of celibacy.

But against this we have here Tirmular declaring that such Brahmacarins (and all Vedanties are supposed to be so) are incapable of TRUTH and whatever philosophy they do cannot be more than KaRpanai, fictions and imaginary metaphysical systems built more as defense mechanisms than as systems that articulate axiomatic truths.

Against this it would appear that the Advaita Vedantic tradition that has been projected as the acme of Indian philosophical thinking is simply a KaRpanai, a fiction born out to rationalize and justify celibacy, which in itself is a wrong attitude towards existence. Brahmacariam FAILS to cultivate LOVE between man and woman and with that slowly neutralize sexuality and rise above it with only Universal Love determining the attitude towards life.

Perhaps it is because of this that the Brahmacarins ( and Brahmanahs) have also been strong supporters of VarNasrama Dharma, the most heinous social philosophy ever evolved by man. The Brahmacarins, unconcerned with LOVE and CARE for people in general and hence spiritually DEAD can also condone the most immoral social philosophy that cuts at the very root of human dignity.

24.

karuttinil akkaram aayum iyaavuG

karuttuLan Iican karuvu rooduG

karuttatu vittaayk kaaraNa kaariyaG

karuttuRu maaRu ivai kaRpanai taanee

Meaning:

See:

910

aananatam aanantam onRu enRu aRaintida

aanantam aanantam aa-ii-uu-ee-oom enRu aRaintu idam

aanantam aanantam anjcumatu aayidum

aanantam aanantam am-hriim am-ksam aam aakumee

Meaning:

Comments:

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-15

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

From Immortality to Moksa

These two verses outline the great secrets about longevity that have been hoarded by the Siddhas as esoteric doctrines to be revealed only to the selected few. However Tirumular being a Hermeneutic scientist more than anything else clearly outlines the details for everybody to understand and practice.

What he proposes is that sexuality that is fundamental to species regeneration and hence to immortality must NOT be suppressed or repressed but rather elicited but TRANSMUTED into the higher kind of Gnostic Energy, the energy that take shape as deep metaphysical illuminations. Such illuminations are also forms of ENERGY and is possible only when the desire for immortality and hence species generation and hence also the normal sexuality is transmuted into that of desire for Moksa, the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination.

This kind of life, he also notes, is a life of even greater joy where the amutu, the ambrosia that oozes from the Inner Moon itself is drunk repeatedly and immeasurable joy and happiness is enjoyed along with a body of diamond strength, the Vaccirat Teekam.

25.

1948.

´Æ¢Â¡¾ Å¢óÐ ¯¼ý¿¢ü¸ ¿¢üÌõ

«Æ¢Â¡ô À¢Ã¡½ý «¾¢ÀÄï ºò¾¢

´Æ¢Â¡¾ Òò¾¢ ¾Àï ¦ºÀõ §Á¡Éõ

«Æ¢Â¡¾ º¢ò¾¢ ¯ñ¼¡õ Å¢óÐ ÅüÈ¢§Ä

¯¨Ã:

Â¡ñÎõ ´Æ¢Â¡Å¨¸ ¿¢üÌõ ÀÃÅ¢óÐÅ¢ý µ÷ ÜÈ¡¸ ¯¼õÀ¢ø, ºÉÉ ÅÇ÷îº¢ìÌì ¸¡Ã½Á¡¸¢ ¿¢üÌõ Å¢òÐ ¯¼ý ¿¢ü¸, «¾§É¡Î ¦¾¡¼÷Ò¨¼Â¾¡¸ ¯ðÍÅ¡ºõ ¿¢ðÍÅ¡ºõ ¬¸¢ÂÅüÈ¢üÌ ¬¸§Å ¯Â¢÷ôÒìÌì ¸¡ÃÉÁ¡¸¢Â À¢Ã¡½Ûõ «Æ¢Â¡Ð ¯¼õÀ¢ø ¿¢üÌõ. «¾ýÅÆ¢ ¯ñÏõ «ýÉò¨¾ò º£Ã½¢òÐ «¾ý µ÷ ÜÈ¡¸ «¸ò§¾ ¬üÈ¨Ä ÅÇ÷ìÌõ. þÉ¢ þôÀÊôÀð¼ ºò¾¢¨Â ¬ÆÁ¡É º¢ó¾¨ÉÂ¡Öõ, ÁÉ¨¾ì ¸ðÎôÀÎòÐõ ¾Åí¸Ç¡Öõ, ÝìÌÁí¸¨Ç «È¢Âò ¾Õõ Áó¾¢Ã ¦ºÀí¸Ç¡Öõ, ¸¡Ä×½÷Å¢¨Éì ¸¼óÐ¦ºÄò ¾Õõ §Á¡Éò¾¡Öõ ºó¾¡É Å¢Õò¾¢Â¢ý Å¢òÐ¨Å ÅüÈ¢¼î ¦ºöÐ »¡ÉÅ¢Õò¾¢Â¢ý Å¢òÐÅ¡¸ Á¡üÈ¢É¡ø, ±ýÚõ «Æ¢Â¡¾ º¢ò¾¢¸û ÀÄ ¯ñ¼¡Ìõ.

25.

1948

oziyaata Vintu udan niRka niRkum

aziyaap piraaNan atipalanj satti

oziyaata putti tabanj cepam moonam

aziyaata citti uNdaam Vintu vaRRilee

Meaning:

The indestructible ParaBindu stays also in the body as the seed of species regeneration. Now it is only as long as this seed persists in the body there will the breathing that sustains life. And because of the active presence of this vital air, there will be digestive processes that produce the various kinds energy required by the body. Now when through metaphysical meditations, various kinds self-control exercises, mantra recital and the practice of Deep Silence, this libidinal energy is transmuted into the Gnostic powers, the species regeneration sexual desires will be desiccated and various kinds of mystic powers become available.

26.

1949

ÅüÚ «É¨Äì ¦¸¡ÙÅ¢ ÁÈ¢ò§¾üÈ¢

ÐüÈ ÍÆ¢ÂÉø ¦º¡Õ¸¢î Í¼ÕüÚ

ÓüÚ Á¾¢ÂòÐ «Ó¨¾ Ó¨ÈÓ¨È

¦ºüÚ ¯ñÀ§Ã º¢Å§Â¡¸¢ Â¡§Ã

¯¨Ã:

¾Åõ ¦ºÀõ §À¡ýÈ »¡Éì¸¢Ã¢¨Â¸Ç¡ø, ¸¡Áì ¸É¨Ä »¡Éì¸ÉÄ¡¸ Á¡üÈ¢ º¢üÈ¢ýÀ ¬¨º¸Ç¢ý Å¢òÐ¨Å ÅüÈ¢ , »¡Éì¸ÉÄ¢ý Ð¨½§Â¡Î «¾¨É ÁÈ¢òÐ º¢Å»¡Éò ¾¢¨º ¦ºøÖÁ¡ ²üÈ¢, ¬½ÅÁÄò¨¾ «Æ¢ìÌõ ÍÆ¢Ó¨É ¿¡Êî ¦ºÄ§Å ¦ºÄ× ±ýÚ ¿¢ýÚ º¢Å»¡Éî ¦ºïÍ¼÷ Àð¼¡ø, ¬íÌ ÓØÁ¾¢Â¡¸ Å¢ÇíÌõ ÀÃÅ¢óÐÅ¢ý «Ó¨¾ò¨¾ ÅüÈ¡Ð Á£ñÎõ Á£ñÎõ ¯ñÎ Á¸¢úó¾¢ÕôÀ¡÷ ¯ñ¨ÁÂ¡É º¢Å§Â¡¸¢Â÷ ±ýÈÅ¡Ú

26.

1949.

vaRRa analaik koLuvi maRitteeRRi

tuRRa cuziyanal corukic cudaruRRu

muRRu matiyatttu amutai muRaimuRai

ceRRu uNbavaree civayooki yaaree!

Meaning:

With the practice of meditations mantra recital and so forth, when the libido is transmuted into the HEAT that dries up the desire for species reproduction, one should re-channel the psychic energy in the direction of Civanjanam, the Inner Radiance. Attaining the movement in Cuzi Munai Naadi and remaining engrossed in it, one should move in the metaphysical realms enjoying various kinds of deep illuminations. Then at the end of it all, one would encounter ParaBindu as the Inner Moon and the genuine Civayogies would remain drinking the nectar that oozes from it continuously.

Comments:

In these two verses Tirmular outlines the well guarded secrets of the Siddhas, the techniques for transmuting the immensely powerful sexual libido into the Gnostic libido that would allow them not only the enjoyment of Civanjanam but also Supreme Bliss. This is the famous Saiva view of transmuting the SiRRinbam, sexual happiness into Peerinbam, the Supreme Bliss.

But this requires the drying up of the normal sexual desires into which is written along with bodily happiness also the mechanism of species regeneration. To enjoy the immensely satiating Supreme Bliss, that of Full Moon and not the snake, one must practice japam tavam and so forth that would re-channel the libido in the direction of metaphysical illuminations. The Sexual Energy is transmuted into the Light of metaphysical illuminations and it is only with such transmutations that the snake within is overcome and Inner Moon, the Nanna Su’en of the Sumerians is encountered. The people who attain this are the genuine Civayogies and which means that this is primary goal of all Yogas.

The Snake and the Moon

The workings of the metaphysical realms have been understood in terms of the Sun and Moon and the Snake that is also linked with the Moon. This trend of thinking, central to Tantrism, seems to be have been also widely prevalent from ancient times in Africa SEAsia and the Far East. It is also available as remnants of ancient cults even in the christianized European countries like Italy Greece and so forth to this day.

In Sumerian literature there are many references to the worship of the Moon, the Sun and the Snake that was called Usumgal from which we have Tamil udumpu.kaL, a large reptile. It is interesting that In-Anna, who also assumes the form of a large Snake is the eldest daughter of Nanna Su’en, the Moon God and which god became the Soma in later times.

Thus this myth leads us to think that the Snake, In-anna, is a product of the Moon, something that is given birth to by the Metaphysical Moon.

Now against this it is interesting that Punitavati sees a conflict between the Snake Siva wears on His neck and the Moon He wears on His tuft. She also thinks that the Moon remains always the Crescent Moon only because it is always attacked by the snake on His chest!

So what can be the iconic meanings of the symbols of the Snake and Moon?

The following two verses of Tirumular throw immense light on this metaphysical question.

What he proposes is that sexuality that is fundamental to species regeneration and hence to immortality must NOT be suppressed or repressed but rather elicited but TRANSMUTED into the higher kind of Gnostic Energy, the energy that takes shape as deep metaphysical illuminations. Such illuminations are also forms of ENERGY and is possible only when the desire for immortality and hence species regeneration and hence also the normal sexuality is transmuted into that of desire for Moksa, the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination and at which point the snake is no more but only the Full Moon, the Nanna Su’en and not Usumgal.

So it appears the reptilian shape of sexual libido is also a force that throws the soul into perpetual Historical Existence, assuming various forms of living creatures one after another. It is a FLOW, a crawl of a kind resembling the reptiles in the metaphysical world. But against this stands the Full MOO, round and complete and hence Closed within itself, no more flowing crawling and hence flowing from one kind of species to another and hence caught up in what the Hindus call Samsara. The encounter with the Moon puts an end to the historicity and with that transmutes the desire for Immortality, perpetual historical existence with a biological body even in the form of offspring, into Moksa, the releasement from such a samsara. It is interesting that Moksa is called Viidu PeeRu, the Final Homecoming and which carries the implication that this movement towards the Moon was already there as part of the historical processes and that there is an EVOLUTIONARY dynamics written into the cosmic processes and that we EVOLVE from creature nature into something higher only in the end to escape from the Snake and install the Moon.

Getting out from reptilian form of sexual libido by transmuting it into the Moon form of it, the Amutu, is already EVOLUTIONARY in nature.

Now Tirumular also notes that there is a relationship between breathing as such and the presence of the sexual libido. Thus the creatures can LIVE only as long as there is sexual libido agitating their motivational dynamics. This carries the implication that only as long as the Snake is there, there will be breathing and living. This also carries the implication that once the Snake is replaced with Moon, the breathing will cease and with that enjoying a biological form of existence. The soul in beginning to enjoy the Moon is also transported into a form of Being-in-the-World that does NOT result assuming a biological body.

25.

1948.

´Æ¢Â¡¾ Å¢óÐ ¯¼ý¿¢ü¸ ¿¢üÌõ

«Æ¢Â¡ô À¢Ã¡½ý «¾¢ÀÄï ºò¾¢

´Æ¢Â¡¾ Òò¾¢ ¾Àï ¦ºÀõ §Á¡Éõ

«Æ¢Â¡¾ º¢ò¾¢ ¯ñ¼¡õ Å¢óÐ ÅüÈ¢§Ä

¯¨Ã:

25.

1948

oziyaata Vintu udan niRka niRkum

aziyaap piraaNan atipalanj satti

oziyaata putti tabanj cepam moonam

aziyaata citti uNdaam Vintu vaRRilee

Meaning:

26.

1949

ÅüÚ «É¨Äì ¦¸¡ÙÅ¢ ÁÈ¢ò§¾üÈ¢

ÐüÈ ÍÆ¢ÂÉø ¦º¡Õ¸¢î Í¼ÕüÚ

ÓüÚ Á¾¢ÂòÐ «Ó¨¾ Ó¨ÈÓ¨È

¦ºüÚ ¯ñÀ§Ã º¢Å§Â¡¸¢ Â¡§Ã

¯¨Ã:

26.

1949.

vaRRa analaik koLuvi maRitteeRRi

tuRRa cuziyanal corukic cudaruRRu

muRRu matiyatttu amutai muRaimuRai

ceRRu uNbavaree civayooki yaaree!

Meaning:

Comments:

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular-16

21. Å¢óÐ ƒÂõ - §À¡¸ ºÃ§Å¡ð¼õ : Regulating the Desires for Sexual Pleasures

Becoming Great and Divine and Not the Bramanah

There is a fundamental contrast between what Vedanta and the Tantric traditions promote as the Great One and Divine, called here the ANNal. While Vedanta defines such an individual as a Brahmin who by virtue of birth alone into a caste is already a dwija, the twice born, such a highly presumptuous and prejudiced view is not at all available in Tantrism and Tirumular explains this in these verses.

The Vedanta traditions remains BLIND to the sexual dimensions of the human essences and have worked out a conceptual system with such notions as Aroopitam Adhyasam and so forth, where sexuality does not figure at all except perhaps as mental aberrations of a kind. This is clearly false and as Tirumular would say KaRpanai - pursue fantasies born out of perhaps because of FEAR of sexuality and its immense power over human behavior. Advaita Vedanta is simply wishing way sexuality and not at all transmuting into the Amutu. The whole of Advaita Philosophy dismisses sexuality without bothering to EXPLAIN as does the Tantrism of Tirumular here.

The Great Ones and the Divine in personality, the ANNals, are NOT such Brahmins but rather the Civayogi, the Great Siddhas, the selfless Gurus who impart divine wisdom (just like Tirumular who declared: yan peRRa inbam peRuka ivvaiyakam: let the whole world enjoy the supreme bliss I have enjoyed) and even the ordinary individuals who overcome with sexual desires, Moham, enjoys it the proper way the way of LOVE. Anyone can be Civayogi, a great Siddha and so forth for it has nothing to do with birth or recitations of Vedas, study of scriptures and so forth. To become the ANNal, the Great and Divine, what one has to do is transmute the Sexual Libido into the Gnostic Libido and which actually becomes the Amutu, the ambrosia of longevity, eternal youthfulness and immense bliss.

27.

1950

§Â¡¸¢Ôõ »¡É¢Ôõ ¯ò¾Á º¢ò¾Ûõ

§À¡¸¢Ôõ »¡É ÒÃó¾Ãý ¬§Å¡Ûõ

§Á¡¸õ ¯È¢Ûõ Ó¨È «Á¢÷Ð ¯ñ§À¡Ûõ

¬¸¢Â Å¢óÐ «Æ¢Â¡¾ «ñ½§Ä

¯¨Ã:

§Á§Ä ÜÈ¢ÂÅ¡Ú ÍÆ¢Ó¨É ¿¡Êî ¦ºÄÅ¢ý º¢Å§Â¡¸¢Ôõ, «¾ýÅÆ¢ º¢Å»¡Éó ¦¾Ç¢óÐ ÀìÌÅò¾¢ø ¯ÂÕõ º¢Å»¡É¢Ôõ, §¾¸õ Åîº¢Ãò §¾¸Á¡Ìõ º¢ò¾¢¨Âô ¦ÀüÈ ¯ò¾Á º¢ò¾Ûõ, ¯Ä¸¢Âø þýÀò¾¢ø þýÛõ ¬úó¾¢ÕìÌõ §À¡¸¢Ôõ , ¾¡ý ¦ÀüÈ º¢Å»¡Éò ¦¾Ç¢Å¢¨É À¢ÈÕìÌõ ¯À§¾º¢òÐ »¡ÉÀ¡ÃõÀÃ¢Âò¨¾ ÅÇ÷ìÌõ »¡É ÒÃó¾Ãý ¬§Å¡Ûõ, ¸¡Á§Åð¨¸ò ¾ð¼ ¬Â¢Ûõ «¾¨É «ýÀ¢§É¡Î ÅÕõ ¸¡¾ø Á¸Ç¢¨Ãò ¾ØÅ¢§Â «Á¢÷¾Á¡¸ ¯ñ§À¡Ûõ ¬¸¢Â þò¾¨¸ÂÅ÷¸§Ç «¸ò¾¢§Ä ±øÄ¡ ¦ºÆ¢ôÀ¢üÌõ ãÄÁ¡¸¢Â ÀÃÅ¢óÐ Â¡ñÎõ «Æ¢Â¡Ð ¯¼õÀ¢ø ¿¢üÌõ Å¨¸Â¢ø ¯Â÷ó¾ ¦ÀÃ¢§Â¡÷¸û ¬Ìõ.

27.

1950.

yookiyum njaaniyum uttama cittanaum

pookiyum njaana purataran aavoonum

mookam uRinum muRai amirtu uNpoonum

aakiya Vintu aziyaatha aNNalee

Meaning:

There are the Civayogies who indulge in metaphysical excursions through the Cuzi Munai Nadi, the Civanjanies who become the illuminated with Civanjanam in such excursions, there are the great Siddhas who have the diamond body and remain eternally youthful, and there are also folks though overcome with sexual desires but enjoy unions only with LOVE and hence are people who drink the Nectar. All such people are the Great Ones (ANNal) who are also divine and all because the keep the Bindu continuously active in their body.

28.

1951

«ñ½ø ¯¼Ä¡¸¢ «ùÅÉø Å¢óÐ×õ

Áñ½¢¨¼ Á¡öìÌõ À¢Ã¡½É¡õ Å¢óÐ×õ

¸ñÏí ¸ÉÄ¢¨¼ì ¸ðÊì ¸ÄóÐ ±Ã¢òÐ

¯ñ½¢ø «Á¢÷¾Á¡¸¢ §Â¡¸¢ìÌ «È¢Å¡§Á

¯¨Ã:

§Á§Ä ÜÈ¢Â Å¢óÐ Â¡ñÎõ «Æ¢Â¡Ð ¿¢üÌõ ¯¼¨Äô ¦ÀüÈÅÃ¡¸¢, ¸¡ÉüÀ¡Ä¡¸ Å¢ÇíÌõ ÀÃÅ¢óÐ¨Åõ, °ÉôÀ¢ñ¼Á¡¸¢Â ¯¼ÖüÚ Áñ½¢¨¼ À¢ÈóÐ À¢ÈÌ ÁÃ½õ Å¡öì¸ò¾Õõ À¢Ã¡½É¡¸ ¿¢üÌõ «ÀÃÅ¢óÐ¨ÅÔõ , º¢Å»¡Éõ ¬Æî º¢ó¾¢ì¸ò¾Õõ »¡Éì¸ÉÄ¢ø, ¸¡ÉüÀ¡Ä¢ø ¸ðÊì ¸ÄóÐ º¢Å¾£ì¨¸¡Â¢ý ±Ã¢òÐ, «¾ÉÐ ÒÐ ÅÊÅ¢ø ¯ñ½¢ø «Ð§Å §Â¡¸¢ÂüÌ «Á¢÷¾Á¡ÌÅ§¾¡Î, º¢Å»¡Éî ¦ºïÍ¼Õõ ¬Ìõ.

28.

1951

aNNal udalaaki avvanal vintuvum

maNNidai maayakkum piraaNanaam vintuvum

kaNNuG kalanlidaik kaddik kalantu erittu

uNNil amirtamaaki yookikku aRivaamee

Meaning:

Such individuals as above who have become Divine and Great are the ones who enjoy a deathless body. Such people burn in deep metaphysical illuminations the primordial energies of ParaBindu, the Fire Supreme and the AparaBindu that comes with breathing, throws the anma into bodily existence and with that suffer birth and death and transmuting with this with appropriate Sadhana into the Amutu, the ambrosia of deep metaphysical illuminations.

Comments:

Greatness of personality has nothing to do with birth or even guNas. It all depends to what extend one penetrates into the metaphysical DEPTHS and enjoys the deep illuminations ALREADY THERE as objective realities. These deep truths ILLUMINATE the mind and it is such illuminations that serve as the AMUTU for those who become great.

This is essentially transmuting the Sexual Libido into the Gnostic Libido, the Apara Bindu into ParaBindu where the Apara Bindu also comes along establishing BREATHING, the primordial life processes and which also lead to the assumption of a physical body, a biological nature along with birth and death. A person, as long as he lives with this biological sexual libido will also remain the ordinary mortal, suffering endless births and deaths and hence caught up with Samsara, Historicity, blind to Moksa but aware of only immortality, the perpetuation of self replication or seeking to overcome death with herbs and so forth.

The Highest Reaches of Personality

There appears to be a fundamental difference between what Vedic/Vedanta traditions and the Tantric traditions promote as the Great One and Divine, called by Tirumular the ANNal here. While Vedanta defines such an individual as a Brahmin who by virtue of birth alone into a caste is already a dwija, the twice born, such a highly presumptuous and prejudiced view is not at all available in Tantrism and Tirumular explains this in these verses. While the real significance of Purusha Suktam where the Brahmins are declared to have merged from the head of Purusha and hence superior to other castes who emerge from the chest thighs and feet, may not be what is interpreted as the roots of VarNasrama Dharma, but somehow such a line of thinking has degenerated into the notion of Brahmin as the Dwija and by birth alone. This remains the overt and covert presentation of what Hinduism is even now and since the field is dominated by Brahmins, even the non-practicing ones, alternatives to these Brahmanical views and mostly Tantric are edged out and marginalized.

The genuine Tantrism with its temple-centeredness and caste free sociology and equality of mankind are hardly seen as aspects of Hinduism. The dominance of Brahmanism may also underlie the vehement opposition of the application of Psychoanalysis for understanding Hinduism where as a matter of fact Tantrism can be said to be wholly Psychoanalytic in its methodological orientation and because of which it is also vehemently opposed to VarNasrama Dharma that cannot support at all the freedom and universality of Tantrism. Tantrism develops all human studies including the metaphysical as Hermeneutic Sciences, endeavors of man to seek truth-experiences and through that develop as a person.

Let us note that such a view transcends all kinds of differences - nationality, ethnicity, religious affinity and so forth.

27.

1950.

yookiyum njaaniyum uttama cittanaum

pookiyum njaana purataran aavoonum

mookam uRinum muRai amirtu uNpoonum

aakiya Vintu aziyaatha aNNalee

Meaning: