The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar

Eng Trans and Commentary by Dr K. Loganathan, 2004

Dear Friends

The science of Hermeneutic Semiotics constitutes the scientific component of Metaphysical Life where truth-experiences are enjoyed and with that metaphysical illuminations gained. This constitutes the way of life of temple-centered Tantrism (even the Buddhist variety) where the mythical tales are interpreted; metaphysical truths are gained and enjoyed. Such enjoyment constitutes an essential component of genuine metaphysical life and for which reason the itikasas and puraNas are taken NOT as science fictions but rather the Language of Gods akin to dream experiences and which demand a way of approach and Logic that I call here Hermeneutic Semiotics.

There are hundreds of such Patikams that constitute the essence of Bakti Hinduism that rules the mind of the average Hindu who without any knowledge of the Vedas and so forth finds great religious meanings in the temple rituals, the icons and the various godly tales they depict. There were days when there was folklores sung upaniyasams conducted in the temple precincts and where ordinary folks would sit with rapt attention and absorb the metaphysical truths unfolded. In Indonesia we have the Itihasa themes mingled with local issues and presented as puppet plays by way of stimulating metaphysical thinking that are also relevant for the practical issues.

The best way to recapture this Hermeneutic Semiotics is to study a master of such a science and who can be better than Appar, who is one of foremost metaphysicians who laid the foundation for the further development of Saiva Siddhanta as such among the Tamils?

Among the many possible choices, I have chosen Patikam 77, another general one that deals with the frolics of Siva and how the various events in the life of individuals are in fact the GAMES Siva plays.

This Patikam comes from the Fourth TirumuRai and I am guided by the commentaries written by Vidvan M.S. MaNikka Mudaliyar and published by Tarumai Adheenam in 1957

Loga

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-1

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

The Deprivation and Replenishment of Sexual Libido

The religious life is torn between two extremes of asceticism and sexual indulgence. We find monastic orders in many religions that celebrate celibacy as the most important ingredient of spiritual life. But we have also the Tantrics who absolve asceticism and indulge in sexual unions as the way towards redemption. For Appar both are extremes to be avoided and where the Divine Will seems to favor a well established DOMESTIC Life. Asceticism is self-willed deprivation of the sexual libido, the drying up of any sexual impulse by the artificial means of dietary control, mind control body control and so forth. The Tantrism the act of copulation is ritualized and thus make it lack in LOVE that should precede the sexual union that would replenish the lost sexual libido.

This is the MEANING that Appar sees in the mythic episodes where on the one hand Siva appears going around begging with a bowl of skull wearing only the loin cloths but which he discards when approaching Parvati who seduces him with all her feminine charms.

For more details see below.

1.(746)

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1(746)

kadumpakal n-addamaadik kaiyiloor kapaalameen_ti

idumpalikku il van_teeRum uzitarum iRaivaniiree

n_edumpoRai malaiyar paavai n_eerizai n_eRimen kuun_taR

koduGkuzai pukun_tavanRum koovaNam araiyatoo

Meaning:

O Lord! You bring about personal development by going around as the beggar wearing only the loin cloth dancing away even during times on intense heat using the skull as the begging bowl! Let me ask you something. When you enter the abode of Parvati, the daughter of the King of Himalayas and who is of infinite patience, and who appears sexually very alluring with long soft and well organized hair with brilliant jewelry along with bands of coils on her ears, will you still be wearing this loin cloth? Perhaps not.

Comments

Appar is obviously taken up here two different images of Siva that He presents by way of enacting His play with which He manages the world processes. One is that of ascetic beggar, the PitcandaNa Muurtti who goes around every household begging with a bowl of SKULL. The other is approaching the Chaste Woman Parvati, the daughter of the King of the Himalayas, the Sumerian Nin Hursag who has been doing tapas very patiently and who is now sexually the most alluring Woman, with long well organized hair, brilliant jewelry and ear bangles and so forth. Certainly he CANNOT be an ascetic beggar when embracing this damsel who has been single-minded in her love for Siva. He discards the ascetic guise and becomes the Somasundaran, or Candrasekaran the elegant bridegroom wearing the crescent Moon.

Now this is Double Text, where something about the human beings is described along with how that meaning is instituted by BEING. This is the MEANING that Appar obviously saw and discloses it by composing this verse. And what can be this MEANING?

BEING dances tirelessly and even during the height of the day when the heat is at its maximum. He comes here as the beggar to every household where a man lives with a woman, enjoys sexual life begetting children and so forth. This is the provision that is made available of males and females but which is also a SACRIFICE of self- Pali and which is thrown into the bowl of skull and which means DEATH. The domestic life of sexual enjoyment and so forth is simultaneously a DEPRIVATION, taking away or begging away the Sexual Libido and thus making each in a way ASCETIC - one who wears only the barest of the clothes and move closer to DEATH.

But this process is REVERSED when the WOMAN remaining infinitely patient and sexually alluring AROUSES the man towards copulation and in which act he REGAINS the lost sexual libido and ceases to be ascetic. Such a man becomes the wearer of the Crescent Moon and Ganges that provides the vitality that would provide the ENERGY to battle with DEATH.

Thus for a man there are processes of DEPRIVATION of sexual libido in normal family life and in which he LOSES his virility and hastens towards DEATH. But at the same it is same woman who with the sexual allurement coupled with LOVE replenishes the lost libido and rejuvenates the aging man.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-2

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

BEING is the BEYOND and ABOVE

Indeterminacy uncertainty ambiguity irresoluble enigmas and so forth are the enemies of fixations through which the frail human mind forever attempts to secure for itself a firm metaphysical ground and in the course of which such people are ready to kill and destroy any one who would introduce a disturbance in this false sense certainly and security. But BEING does NOT allow for this for if He does then the CLIMB towards the PEAK of the Pyramid of Understanding, the Kailash will be impossible. No Icon can be isolated as THE Icon or Image of BEING including that of LIGHT. There are hundreds and thousands of such images and sometimes one contradicting what another communicates. We cannot also say BEING promotes a life happiness and prosperity for He is also the WARLORD who promotes wars and battles

The point of it all is that there is the Pyramid of Understanding and we should keep on CLIMBING, moving higher and higher towards the PEAK where the climb comes to a natural close and which pilgrimage any fixations would not allow.

It is the LOGIC of ascendance that unifies the bewildering and very often mutually contradictory ICONIC presentations of BEING. It is through this climb that we will understand that BEING is BEYOND and ABOVE the reach of the humble mind that seeks to capture the essence of BEING in concepts and images.

2(747)

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2(747)

koovaNam uduttavaaRum kooLaravu acaittavaaRum

tiivaNac caampar puucit tivuru iruntavaaRum

puuvaNak kizavanaaraip puliyuri araiynaarai

eevaNac cilaiyinaarai yaavaree ezuthuvaaree

Meaning:

BEING shows Himself on the one hand as the arch ascetic of PiccaaNdi, the Beggar by wearing only the loin cloth but on the other as the One who sports the large snake of KuNdalini that provides the sexual libido , as the Kamesvaran, the Lord of Sexual desires that force people into family life of sexual unions. He also appears as the supreme DESTROYER who singes to ash everything wearing the sacred and pure ASH all over His body to indicate this function of His. Now He also on the one hand the Lord of the Garden of bright blossoms showing that he promotes a life contentment and happiness but on the other who sports the Tiger Skin on His waist to show that He would impel wars and battles even with killing should there emerge injustice in the world. But above all he also shows Himself as the Pyramidal Hill (of Kailash) that urges all creatures to ascend and develop. Against these bewildering and enigmatic figures of BEING who can write or sculpture a FORM as THE form of Siva? No one can in fact.

Comments:

A study and understanding of the images of BEING, the various icons- shows that the mind is always set to move, is NOT allowed to fixate itself by settling on a certain image as THE image of BEING. There is NOTHING of that sort - each Icon illuminates the mind and in that very exercise it is transcended. The Metaphysical Mind must keep on moving but with an understanding of the various MEANINGS that unfolded. And the MEAINGS are so bewildering that the LOGICAL mind that seeks to categorize on the basis conceptual inclusions and exclusions is defeated. On the hand BEING promotes asceticism by appearing as the MENDICANT who lives not by working but by begging having disowned properties and family life. On the other hand He sports the large snake on His waist and neck and which becomes a TOOL in His hands to promote active sexuality and hence family life and with it a life of economic pursuits. So what is the ESSENCE of BEING or TRUE life that He promotes? The answer is only the enigmatic “both” and which induces a puzzle in the mind and at the same time a kind of bewilderment at noting INAPPLICABILITY of the categorical logic where understanding is compartmentalized into various mutually exclusive categories.

The same kind of bewilderment in induced when He appears the Lord of the Garden of Bright Blossoms and hence a Lord who promotes a life of peace, happiness and prosperity on the on the hand and on the other, the One who wears the Tiger Skin on His waist indicating that He can make people fierce and aggressive and hence wage wars and battles where even killing may take place.

So it would appear that there is NOTHING that is UNIQUE and distinctive of BEING that an artist can paint or sculpture, a metaphysician articulate and a mystic sing out. There is NOTHING by way essence of BEING and if there were then the mind can become FIXATED and hence REFUSE to MOVE ON. Thus there is a PURPOSE behind this seeming contradictions - the mind should NOT get fixated but keep on MOVING till further movement becomes naturally impossible.

Now we understand the meaning of ‘eevaNNac Cilai’ the Pyramid or Mountain that urges a climb upwards and which is also mentioned that which BEING owns as His own. In the mythologies this is mentioned as the Kailash where Siva resides with Uma and all His troops.

This is the Pyramid of Understanding and no one can climb and reach the PEAK unless he keeps on moving for which he must not arrest his mind with neat and logically satisfying conceptual categories that satisfies the rational mind. Such a logical and rational mind must NOT be allowed to remain content with its rational accomplishments for if allowed then the CLIMB towards the Peak of the Pyramid or Kailash will be arrested with a stagnation of genuine spiritual development.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-3

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

The Ritual Life and Metaphysics

Appar lived out metaphysical MEANINGS which constitute the substance of most of the hymns he sang. The various iconic presentations of BEING, the MEANINGS of the Play with these icons have, Appar wrested out and enjoyed a life with the happiness and joy these meanings brought along with them.

Can an academic, like the Western scholars, collect these hymns pour over them and UNDERSTAND the meanings that Appar enjoyed and hence understand them truly? Or in general can anyone who simply pours over these hymns UNDERSTAND them and enjoy the same meanings Appar enjoyed?

The words of Appar himself in this verse shows that it would be impossible for prior to singing hymns and hence understanding them, a person has to prepare himself by RITUAL actions of the appropriate kind. The metaphysical meanings cannot be wrested out through thinking alone taking into consideration only semantics philology exegetical analysis of texts and so forth. One has to be in a certain metaphysical plain to appreciate the hymns and enjoy an understanding of their true import. The meanings EMERGE as if blossoms that bloom spontaneously provided one is already well established in an inner metaphysical space and which require a temple-centered RITUALISTIC life.

For more details see below.

3(746)

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3(746)

viLakkinaar peRravinbam mezukkinRaaR patiRriyaakum

tuLakkinan malartoduttaal tuuya viN eeRalaakum

viLakkiddaar peeRu collin menjnjeRi njaanamaakum

aLappil kiithanj connaarkku AdikaL taam aruLumaaRee

Meaning:

While you get great happiness if you sweep the temple and keep it clean, you get tenfold more if you wash it and keep it shining bright. Instead of sacrificing animals, if you weave a garland of fresh and bright blossoms and offer them to the gods, then you will be able to climb up the heavenly world. Now on top of it all if you install lamps that brighten up the precincts, the benefit of it can be said to be gaining metaphysical illuminations that show you the Right Way of Metaphysical Life. And on top of it all, if you sing countless number of hymns out of these metaphysical insights, then BEING Himself will grace you with Moksa.

Comments:

The temple is the concrete source of Metaphysical Meanings that constitutes the stuff of Hermeneutic Semiotics. Entering a temple and living within it, constitutes living in the celestial world but brought to earth and in a physical concrete form. The RITUALS a person does are actually translating metaphysical understanding into ACTIONS and hence are in a way INTERPRETIVE. Here the lowest are the bodily and highest the mental. The lowest concrete but symbolic action is that of keeping the temple precincts CLEAN by sweeping etc. But a more effective action is that of cleansing so that the whole temple SHINES bright.

Here keeping the temple clean and bright is the EXPRESION of a desire to keep the Metaphysical World within oneself clean and bright, FREE of the DIRT that can disfigure it distort it and so forth.

Such rituals constitute the physical actions anyone can do and are expressive of a desire to keep the celestial world within clean and bright so that there is NO confusion and bewilderment.

Now living within this frame of mind, ushers in TRANSFORMATIONS of the heart where the BESTIAL or Sacrificial Animism is overcome and the person instead offerings animal sacrifices rises to replacing them with garlands fresh blossoms. Instead of a garland of skulls and hence being a Kapaali, the person becomes a Bakta of only LOVE unto gods and hence love unto all creatures. This is a kind of hermeneutic ritual, because while it develops LOVE unto all also enables CLIMBING higher and higher into the Metaphysical World, the heavenly world.

Next comes the installing of LAMPS in the temple and which is the ritual expression of seeking Metaphysical Illuminations, the setting of torches deep within one’s own UNCONCIOUS so that there is LESS of the Darkness of Ignorance. The Right WAY is the way that is shown by the Inner Light and when a person secures this Inner Light, he is FREED from the all kinds of authorities that come with the claim that what they say is the WAY and so forth. No scripture no man can accommodate the WAY with its words and set itself or himself up as the sole authority. That which shows the WAY is the inner light that illuminates the mind and as a person TRAVELS his metaphysical odyssey guided wholly by this Inner Light, he is sure to reach the LIMIT, the Peak. And what happens when this in fact becomes a reality?

The person is moved to sing countless number of HYMNS all incorporating the deep metaphysical insights gained on the way and which become that which gains Moksa itself for the anma. BEING becomes so pleased with such hymns and for those who sing out hymns after hymns, He blesses them with Moksa itself as it perhaps happened to Appar and so many other Baktas.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-4

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

The Metatheism of Tamil Saivism

Unlike the monotheistic religions like Islam Christianity and so forth, Saivism is NOT monotheistic but Metatheistic. While monotheistic religions ARREST the MOVEMENT of the mind in the metaphysical realms, the metatheistic religion like Tamil Saivism does not. There are many gods or celestial beings in the metaphysical world where BEING stands as the Lord of all. He presents Himself in various figural forms that human beings can understand worship and thinking semiotically wrest out metaphysical truths and enjoy existence illuminated thus. But BEING also has mantra-forms, the non-figural forms grasped mentally and in shapes that are untranslatable into figural representations. These constitute also forms of BEING beyond the understanding of the Monotheistic religions who remain fixated to a particular form clinging to which they REJECT violently all others.

A Sivanjaani would smile at this human folly and stupidity and who then would then pursue his way of Life without being bothered about the propagandist antics of such ignorant fools. They would finally choose to worship BEING as the mantra form Na-Ma-Si-Vaa-Ya without any hatred towards the figural presentations of BEING, the icons. He would be THANKFUL to these Iconic presentations of BEING as having been the steps in his MOVEMENT and ASCENDANCE towards the mantra world.

The Saivite metaphysical life calls for MOVEMENT of mind where the dynamics comes from exercises of Hermeneutic Semiotics and hence destruction of all kinds of mental fixations that are the causes of fanaticisms.

4(749)

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4(749)

Cantiran cadaiyil vaitta caGkaran caamaveeti

Antarrattu amarar pemmaan aan nal veL uurtiyaan tan

Mantira namaccivaaya vaaka niiRu aNiyap peRRaal

Ven_taRum vinaiyum n_ooyum vevzal viRakiddanRee

Meaning:

BEING who shows Himself as Cantiraceekaran, the One wearing Crescent Moon also discloses himself as the singer of the Sama Veda showing that he is disposed to do good for all who chant hymns and divine songs. He is the Lord of all the celestial beings who also shows Himself as the Lord of Heavenly Bull to show that He is the source of all virility that allows sexual bliss in the world. Now it is possible that the same BEING is worshipped not in any of these icon forms but rather as the mantra being and with the mantra Na-Ma-Si-Vaa-Ya as that which discloses His essence. Now those who are blessed with the worship of BEING reciting this mantra and consequently wear the Sacred Ash of immense Purity will also burn off like logs in a blazing fire all the karmic deposits and the diseases they cause.

Comments:

The Hermeneutic Semiotics has an internal logic of its own where the mind is elevated form the relatively concrete FIGURAL icons to the more abstract and invisible Mantra-Forms. The Icons provide the necessary understanding mastering which one is naturally lifted up towards the abstract and mentally more distant. But the mind of man cannot ascend to this on its own - BEING helps along with His figural iconic forms so that through wresting out the truths these icons embody and sustained invisibly by their blessings, one becomes FIT to higher placement in the metaphysical world.

The Crescent Moon is the source of Amutu- the AMBROSIA that both the devas and asuras and hence all living creatures seek after. It is that which produces HAPPINESS and JOY and with that provides the WILL to live and struggle. It is the possibility of HAPPINESS hovering there, as a distinct possibility of one’s own , that drives away melancholy and death-wise and keeps the WILL to live and struggle despite all kinds of odds.

The Sama Veda is symbolic of HYMNS and hence an indication of spiritual pedagogy where the THINKING rational mind has to be subverted and opened up for non-rational kinds of truths like in the aesthetical. There are TRUTHS in aesthetical experiences and the rational mind imposes a CLOSURE and chooses to remain BLIND to the metaphysical world by choosing to ignore the aesthetical.

But beyond all these FIGURAL forms, BEING has also non-figural forms viz. the mantra-forms. The body of BEING is mantra-body- as Tirumular keeps on saying.

In the highest reaches of metaphysical development, people like Appar begin to appreciate the ABSTRACT and NON-FIGURAL mantra-shape of BEING. But among the countless number of such mantra-complexes, it is given only to the really blessed to worship BEING reciting the mantra Na-Ma-Si-Vaa-Ya for these mantras help to understand the ESSENCE of BEING, how BEING is most authentically as opposed to how He chooses to show Himself by way of illuminating the mind of creatures with truths other than about Himself.

But what is the REAL significance of this Mantra?

It is only this mantra that discloses the Essence of BEING and with that dispels all the DIRT within and Appar singles out the karmic deposits that are in the deep unconscious and which erupt as various of kinds diseases both of the body and mind. The gift of living reciting this mantra leads to wearing the pure ASH in the body as well as soul and hence become PURE. These mantras BURN off the karmas just as blazing fire burns off to ashes logs of wood.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-5

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

Metatheism Transductive Perceptions and Culturing the Mind

It is only in the course of the studies of the Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar that it occurred to me that the essence of the metaphysical life he enjoyed could be termed Metatheism, and well distinguished from Monotheism Polytheism and so forth. There is the Pyramid of Metaphysical Understanding, something COMMON to the pyro cultures of the Nubian-Egyptian-Sumerian cultural complex that in fact ushered in Human Civilization as such. But this Pyramid has become among the Sumerians and hence Dravidians, the Gopuram or the Akkadian Ziggurat (also called the Jakkara> cakkaram, the il-unniir) populated by gods and hierarchically ordered so that right at the top we have the Great Gods with BEING standing above and beyond which the Sumerian described as An (Ta. aaN: the ruling power). With this deeper understanding of metaphysical pyramid, we have the birth of Metatheism as the essence of metaphysical life where worshipping the lower gods, one ascends the pyramid and reaches the top and remain with the great gods- Makeswara, Cataaciva, Brahman, Vishnu and so forth along with their consorts waiting to be blessed with Moksa by the Ican form of BEING.

It is against this kind profound metaphysical reaches of Appar, it becomes comical to me to see the antics of many Western (and Indian) scholars who interpret the mythologies which are Plays played by BEING within their physicalistic understanding where when it becomes to human essence they cannot see anything deeper than sexual cravings. Such minds are stunted minds, full of metaphysical BLINDNESS where there will be more irrational aggressions - thorns in the flesh and tongue - than RATIONALITY with true humility and objectivity. They are metaphysical imbeciles passing for great scholars perhaps all because of a collective madness.

What is the solution?

Not an easy one according to Appar. Their Third Eye must be opened up and the inherent capacity for Transductive Perceptions of all human beings must be made available to them. But can any philosophical dialogues and disputes or even more serous intellectual wars bring it about?

I doubt very much. Such people must be allowed to go their own way like the Lokayatas of ancient India were allowed. In the course of such a way of life, because that way of life will NOT eliminate desires but only MULTIPLY them, there will come a moment of sheer MEANINGLESS, an inner vacuity and hence a profound FEAR. We have to wait patiently for a such moment and when it arrives then bring them to Feet of Siva, the Third-Eyed so that He would OPEN UP the concealed EYE on the forehead and enable them to see for the themselves the Metaphysical Pyramid but which has now become the Kailash where BEING resides as Siva-Sakti right at the peak.

5(750)

ÒûÙÅ÷ ³Å÷ ¸ûÅ÷ ÒÉò¾¢¨¼ ÒÌóÐ ¿¢ýÚ

ÐûÙÅ÷ Ý¨È ¦¸¡ûÅ÷ িȢ Å¢¨Ç¦šð¼¡÷

ÓûÙ¨¼ «Å÷¸û ¾õ¨Á Ó츽¡ý À¡¾¿£Æø

¯ûÇ¢¨¼ Á¨ÈóÐ ¿¢ýÈíÌ ¯½÷Ţɡø ±ö¾Ä¡§Á

¯¨Ã:

¾¢ì¦¸øÄ¡õ þ¨Ã§¾Êò ¾¢Ã¢Ôõ ÀȨŸû §À¡Ä ³õÒÄý¸Ç¡Ìõ. ÒÉÁ¡¸¢Â ¦Àª¾£¸ ¯Ä¸¢§Ä§Â ÒÌóÐ ¿¢ýÚ ÐûÇ¢ ¬Ê «¼ì¸ ÓÊ¡¾ §Åð¨¸Â¢ý, «¸ôÀÎõ «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ ݨÈ¡Êì ¸Å÷óÐ ¾ý Àº¢ì¸¨Ç §À¡ìÌÅ÷ Áì¸û. þ¾É¡ø »¡Éì ÌÕθǡ¸§Å ¾¢Ã¢Â «¸îÍò¾òРিȢ¦ÂÉ ´ýÚ ¯ñÎ ±É «È¢Â¡Ð , «¸ò§¾ ¦ÅÚôÒõ ̧á¾Óõ §À¡ýÈ Óü¸¨Ç ¯¨¼ÂÅ÷¸Ç¡¸ ÅýӨȧ ӨȦÂÉ Å¡úÅ÷. þÅ÷¸û ¯öžüÌ ÅÆ¢¾¡ý ¡¦¾É¢ø þýÛõ ¾¢Èì¸À¼¡§¾ þÕìÌõ ѾøŢƢ¨Â ¾¢ÈóÐ ¸ñ¼È¢Â¡¾É ¸¡½ò¾Õõ Óì¸ñ½¡É¡¸ ¾õ¨Áì ¸¡ðÊ «ÕÙõ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý À¡¾¿£Æø «¨¼óÐ «¾Ûû§Ç§Â ¾ý¨É Á¨ÈòÐ ¾¡¦ÉÛõ ÁÁ¨¾ §¾¡ýÈ¡Ð Á¨È¡¸ ¿¢ýÈ¢ÄíÌÅÉÅü¨È ¿Ä§Á ¦¾Ç¢óÐ «¾ý ÅÆ¢ÅÆ¢ ÅÕõ ¯½÷Ţɡø »¡Éõ ±ö¾Ä¡Ìõ.

5(750)

puLluvar aivar kaLvar punattidai pukuntu n_inRu

tuLLuvar cuuRai koLvar tuuneRi viLayavoddaar

muLludai avarkaL tammai mukkaNaan paatan_iizal

uLLidai maRaittu n_inRaGku uNarvinaal eytalaamee

Meaning:

The five senses are hungry birds that fly around in search of food. In the garden of worldly life they play around assaulting the physical nature and stealing whatever available there. Blinded by this physicalism they are, not only ignorant about the Pure Way of Life but also will not allow it to flourish. They are full hatred and fury with thorns in their body and mind. Now how can they redeem themselves? They have to get into the cool shadows of the Divine Feet of the Third-Eyed Siva and if they remain totally absorbed in that without the ego assert itself, there will be metaphysical disclosures, understanding which they can begin to understand Njaanam, the Pure Consciousness.

Comments:

Here comes Appar’s profound analysis of the sources of human aggression and anger that results in wars and battles so notoriously present also in religious life. Those locked up within the PHYSICAL world of sense perception have endless appetites and because of which they roam around the physical world tirelessly and with an insatiable GREED and COVETEOUSNESS. They spend all their energy not only in such vain pursuits but also very aggressively waging wars against the Pure Life (tuuneRi). A life beyond the sense perceptions is anathema, something that FRIGHTENS them for FEAR of the death of EGO, which they see, out of metaphysical ignorance, as their own death. Instead of waging wars within themselves, they pick on those who are metaphysical and by a mode thinking that is more irrational than anything else, seek to destroy them. They create STORMS and tornados in social life more out of emptiness of understanding than anything else. The wise, who are metaphysically well informed, will remain CALM and unruffled by such happenings in social existence. For such individuals are gifted with the visions of the Third Eye and because of which they enjoy Transductive Perceptions, visions that enable them to witness the PLAY of BEING and because of which happens whatever transpires as the historical social and personal. When people are playing such and such games and all because they played by BEING, there is nothing to worry for eventually the playing will be good for all.

Against this Appar poses the question: How to knock some sense into the head of such arrogant and aggressive individuals who are ignorant of it all ?

They will suffer and will continue to suffer forever assaulted by hunger and greed. It is this more than any arguments and philosophical disputes that will draw them to the metaphysical world. We have to wait just for the right opportunity which will emerge on its own out of an emptiness of the soul, a meaninglessness for existence which can more frightening than death itself. At that point they must be advised to meditate upon the Icon of Siva as the Third-Eyed and when the ego is NOT allowed to assert itself again during such meditations, there will come a moment when the Third Eyes will be opened up and with that the veil of metaphysical ignorance is removed and the person is allowed see the hidden and concealed all for themselves.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-6

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

The Meaning of the Celestial Ganges

The Baptism of Waters is a common theme in most of the religions. But the Saivites locate the real meaning not in the ritual act of dipping into a river but rather in the metaphysical processes that are ongoing at the depths perhaps unknown to the souls. Bodily existence in being caught not only in the historical but also PHYSICAL brings along with it pains and sufferings all because of various kinds of desires fed into it. The physical body is a burden that the soul carries and all because of the Karma. One of the basic metaphysical struggles of man is FREE himself from such endlessly repetitive bodily embodiment. To be baptized is to reinforce ascendance towards a BODY-FREE way of Being-in-the-World. This is NOT a ritual but rather a metaphysical process where there is EMPLACEMENT of the soul higher in the Metaphysical Pyramid.

The way is the Way of Hermeneutic Semiotics where each Metaphysical Meaning gained and which is a TRUTH floods the psychic interior with LIGHT and hence brings about the destruction of the inherent and pre=existent DARKNESS.

This slow process of metaphysical illuminations constitutes the Evolutionary Movement of the soul towards the Peak of the Metaphysical Pyramid.

It is here that Appar sees a benign function for the Celestial Ganges that is symbolically indicated on the Icon of Siva. In this struggle, the soul becomes exhausted and at some point will become so weary that it will embrace premature death unless Siva interferes and floods the interior of the anmas with the replenishing waters of the Celestial Ganges that is under His control.

For more details see below.

6(751)

¦¾¡ñ¼§Éý À¢ÈóÐ Å¡Ç¡ò ¦¾¡øÅ¢¨Éì ÌƢ¢ø Å£úóÐ

À¢ñ¼§Á ÍÁóÐ ¿¡Ùõ ¦À⧾¡÷ ¬Å¡Å¢ü Àð§¼ý

«ñ¼§É ÂÁÃ÷§¸¡§Å ÂÈ¢Å§É Âïºø ±ýÉ¡ö

¦¾ñʨÃì ¸í¨¸ ÝÎõ ¾¢¸ú¾Õ º¨¼Â¢É¡§É

¯¨Ã:

Å¡ú¨¸Â¢ø ¦ºöÂì ¸¼ÅÐ ¦¾¡ñθ§Ç ±ýÈ º¢ó¨¾Â¢ÉÉ¡ö Å¡úóÐ ¬Â¢Ûõ »¡Éõ ¦¾Ç¢Â¡¨Á¢ý ¸¡Ã½Á¡¸ Á£ñÎõ Á£ñÎõ À¢ÈóР¡Р¦ºöÂÓÊ¡Рšǡò ¦¾¡øÅ¢¨É ±ýÛõ Á£ñÎõ Á£ñÎõ À¢ÈìÌÁ¡ ¦ºöÔõ À¢Ã¡ô¾ ¸ýÁõ ±Ûõ ¸ÕíÌƢ¢ø Å£úóÐ, ¯¼¦ÄÛõ µ÷ À¢ñ¼ò¨¾î ÍÁóÐ «Ð ¯û¿¢ýÚ °óÐõ ÀÄ ¬¨º¸ðÌ ¬ðÀðÎ ¿¡Ùõ þùÅ¡Ú «¨Ä¸Æ¢ì¸ôÀðÎ Å¡ú¸¢ý§Èý. ±ý þýÉø¸¨Çì ¸ñÎ «ñ¼§Á ¾¡É¡¸ ¿¢üÌõ ³Â§É, «ÁÃ÷¾õ §¸¡§Å , ±øÄ¡õ «È¢ó¾ »¡ÉÁ§É, ¸Õ¨½ ¨ÅòÐ «ï§ºø «ï§ºø ±ýÚ ÜÈÁ¡ð¼¡ö. ¦¾ûǢ ¾¢¨Ã¸û ¿¢¨Èó¾ ¸Õ¨½ ¦ÅûÇÁ¡¸¢Â ¬¸¡Â ¸í¨¸¨Â ¡ñÎõ ¿¢üÌÁ¡ º¨¼Â¢§Ä ÝÎõ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡§É! ±í§¸ §À¡Â¢üÚ «ó¾ ¸í¨¸?

6(751)

toNdaneen piRantu vaaLaat tolvinaik kuziyil viizntu

piNdamee cumantu n_aaLum periyatoor aavaaviR paddeen

aNdanee yamarar koovee yaRianee yanjcal ennaay

teNdiraik kaGkai cuudum tikaztarum sdaiyinaanee

Meaning:

I live as given over to social services to humanity but because of metaphysical ignorance, have fallen into the pit of Prabta Karma because of which I continue to be born again and again each time carrying a physical body that drives me crazy with implanting endless desires every day. And despite seeing my plights, O Lord of the Cosmos and all celestial beings, you will NOT console me saying Fear Not Fear Not. Then what is the use of wearing permanently the Ganges of wavy waters on your tuft where there is nothing of the boundless kindness for all?

Comments:

Appar comes to Hermeneutic Semiotics of the Celestial Ganges in an indirect way again projecting himself into an ordinary individual blissfully ignorant of the metaphysical dimensions of human understanding. The Ganges that the Icon of Siva shows as flowing always on the tuft (sadai) and next to the Crescent Moon is not the ordinary river but the Celestial One and which NOURISHES the souls when they get exhausted in the daily struggles with a physical body into which they are locked. Of the two fundamental processes which are always there - the destruction and regeneration, the Celestial Ganges indicates the regenerative in addition to that of cleansing. While the Fire Siva holds in His hands BURNS and hence DESTROYS, the Ganges does the opposite - it cools and replenishes.

But why is this necessary?

To lead the soul already engulfed in the DARKNESS, the aaNava Malam that induces Metaphysical Blindness, the souls are given a body with cognitive utensils for SEEING where with each SEEING certain DARKNESS in the soul is destroyed by the illuminations it brings about. To SEE and UNDERSTAND something truly , is already flooding the soul with LIGHT that would dispel the inherent DARKNESS or BLINDNESS. But the seeing is intentional and hence the soul has to be implanted with DESIRES for it to generate INTENTIONS and with that ACT where even seeing something as such and such is also a way of acting. This brings along with it the infection with Karma for without the karmic scripts helping out, the acquisition of a biological body is impossible.

Now this way of existence can be endless as along as the soul does not free itself from the hold of this Karma and which is the case with an average man. He simply lives given over to the various desires that bring along sufferings and the pains of bodily existence. Appar deplores this disposition of the average man and implores that BEING-as-Siva should grace such souls with flooding them with the waters of the Celestial Ganges that would not only cleanse them of he dirt but also replenish them with the energy lost..

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-7

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

Inner Purity and the Proof of Hermeneutic Semiotics

All Hermeneutic Sciences (HS), as do sciences in general have applications. While this application remains TECHNOLOGY in the case of positive and largely PHYSICAL sciences, the HS’s lead to Sadhanas that LIBERATE the soul from the physical embodiment and in that afford a body-free kind of existence. One common metaphor used by the Tamil Saivites is that of the water drops on the lotus leaf- the body is there but the soul is NOT attached to it, its life is located not in the pulls and pushes of the body but rather in Icon Thinking as exercises in Hermeneutic Semiotics (HSem). In seeing a drama on stage, there is involved seeing where sees identifying one self with the one of characters and as opposed to that a DETACHED seeing where everything is seen OBJECTIVELY as something that happens objectively there. Freeing oneself from identification of self with body, lead one to view even what happens to oneself OBJECTIVELY as something that happens there even the mind of body of self itself.

And when it is asked: What is the PROVE of Demonstration of the TRUTH and OBJECTIVITY of such claims? We have can say the experiential enjoyment of the detachment form physical body is the PROOF of the truth and efficacy of the Sadhana.

The Sadhanas like Hermeneutic Semiotics lead to the gradual liberation of the soul from attachment to the body and self-identification of self itself with the body and celebrating it as the most elegant as forth.

There is already the Metaphysical Pyramid within, the Kailash where right at the peak BEING resides as Siva-Sakti. The soul finds it difficult in maintaining itself at the PEAK of this PYRAMID fro it requires being absolutely PURE. It falls assumes a body and lives like swine enjoy the mud and mire as the purest and moist enjoyable.

What a life of HSem facilitates is FREEING the mind from such a disposition and with that lead to enjoy Sivakati, a life of genuine purity and beauty. This psychic transformation constitutes the proof of the TRUTH of Hermeneutic sciences and which is something IMPOSSIBLE to bring about by the positive sciences.

7(752)

À¡È¢É¡ö À¡Å¢¦¿ï§º ÀýÈ¢§À¡ø «ÇüÈ¢ð ÀðÎ

§¾È¢ ¿¢¨É¾¢Â¡Â¢ü º¢Å¸¾¢ ¾¢ñ½Á¡Ìõ

°È§Å ÔÅ÷ôÒ ¿¡È¢ Ô¾¢Ã§Á ¦Â¡ØÌõ Å¡ºø

ܨÈ¡ý ã¼ì¸ñÎ §¸¡ÄÁ¡ì ¸Õ¾¢É¡§Â

¯¨Ã:

Á¢¸×õ Íò¾Á¡É þ¨ÈÅÉÐ ¾¢ÕÅÊì ¸£ú ´Ê¡Р¿¢üÀÐÅ¢ðÎ, À¡Å¢ ¦¿ï§º ¯Ä¸¢Âø ¬¨º¸ðÌ ¬ðÀðÎ , «¾É¢ýÚ ¿£í¸¢ ¯¼¦ÄÛõ ´ý¨Èô ¦ÀüÚ «¾É¡ø µ÷ ÀýÈ¢§À¡ø, «Íò¾À¡ú¨¸Â¡¸¢¼ §ºüâø Å£úóÐ «Ð§Å ͸õ ±ýÚ þÕ츢ýÈ¡ö. þó¾ «ÅÄ ¿¢¨Ä¢ɢýÚ §¾È¢ þ¨ÈÅ¨É Â¡ñÎõ ¿¢¨ÉòÐî º¢óò¾Å¡Ú Å¡úó¾ø Íò¾Å¡ú¨¸ «¨ÁÂô ¦ÀüÕ º¢Å¸¾¢ «¨¼ÂÄ¡õ. þÐ ¾¢ñ½õ. ¬Â¢Ûõ «È¢Â¨Á¢ü ÀðÎ ¯¼¦ÄÛõ ´ýÈ¢ø º¢¨ÈôÀðΠš¢ĢóÐ °Úõ ±îº¢¨ÄÔõ ¯Å÷ôÒ ÐÅ÷ôÒ §À¡ýÈ Í¨Å¸¨Ç ¿ÚÁ½õ ¿¡üÈõ §À¡ýÈ Òº¢ôÒìì¨ÇÔõ , ´ýÀÐ Å¡º§Ä¡Î ÌÕ¾¢ ´ØÌõ ܨÈ¡ø, §À¡÷¨Å¡ø ã¼ô ¦ÀüÈ þó¾ ¯¼§Ä¡Î ÜÊ šú¨¸¨Â Á¢¸ «Æ¸¡ÉÐ ±ýÚ ¸Õ¾¢ «¾¨É µõÒ¸¢ýÈ¡§Â, ±ýÉ Á¼¨Á?

7(752)

paaRinaay paavi n_enjcee panRipool aLaRrid paddu

teeRi n_inaitiyaayiR civakati tiNNamaakum

uuRavee yuvarppu n_aaRi yutiramee yozukum vaasal

kuuRaiyaan muudakkaNdu koolamaak karuthinaayee

Meaning:

Moved by worldly desires you have O self! moved away from a life of PURITY at the Feet of BEING and assuming a physical body you have, like a swine, immersed yourself in the mud unable to free yourself from it. But should you liberate yourself and return to a life of intense meditation on BEING, attaining Sivakati, a life of inner Purity is most certain. But lo! You have opted for a life of embodiment where you have a garment with nine doors and where the blood flows giving the saliva to flow from the mouth, affords enjoying various tastes with the tongue smell the good and bad with the nose and so forth And the great pity is that you take it that this kind of life is in fact the most elegant way of Being-in-the-World.

Comments:

Appar returns here to Body Thinking but not as it being a potential temple but its opposite. To keep the body as a TEMPLE is to keep it PURE and which is possible only by being at the metaphysical presence of BEING for only Inner Purity will allow the presence of BEING and sustaining oneself in it. But the soul can DEPART from this blissful state and pushed by the worldly desires, get endowed with a physical body , remain attached to it and live a life like that of a swine caught in the mire and which it also takes it as the most becoming and beuatiful, ignorant of the dirt it piles up on itself.

This is man’s life of IGNORANCE where the ignorance is NOT understood as ignorance and which leads to value this bodily existence as the most beautiful and cherish it as such. But should one liberate oneself from this kind body thinking and spend the life in constant meditation of BEING then the attainment of Sivakati, a life of inner purity is most certain and the bodily existence with only sensory inputs will be despised.

The phrase “teeRi n_inaittal” means here the exercises of Hermeneutic Semiotics where continuous application of oneself in this science enables one to attain metaphysical illuminations that have the EFFECT of purifying the soul and lead to enjoy Sivakati, a state of absolute purity.

This is the MEANING of a life of Hermeneutic Semiotics, the most genuine religious life. The Metaphysical Thinking is not thinking as one pleases but rather that of seeking the MEANINGS of icons, the PLAY enacted with them by BEING and so forth. This is the most MEANIGFUL metaphysical efforts for only such efforts allow the gaining of metaphysical TRUTHS the accumulation of which lead to liberate oneself from the bodily embodiment by diffusing the ignorance that necessitates that way of Being-in-the-World in the first place.

The Hermeneutic Semiotics of Appar-8

Appar Tevaram Fourth TirumuRai Potu 77

«ôÀ÷ §¾Å¡Ãõ ¿¡ý¸¡õ ¾¢ÕÓ¨È ¦À¡Ð 77

The Meaning of the Raised Leg

BEING is known quite often simply as the Glorious Feet, the AdikaL perhaps a term that historically originated in the Jain habit of erecting statues for the Tirtangkaras and worshipping the FEET of such statues. However in Saivism it is used to show that we can see and understand only the workings of BEING and NOT His authentic and FULL FORM. BEING is forever MYSTERIOUS and the only thing that we can see is His DANCE, the various activities and that too only by the discipline of natural metaphysics. Once we DENY the reality of the historical world as is done by the Advaita Vedanties who cast it aside as shadowy insubstantial and so forth i.e. an inexplicable Maaya, then we blind ourselves towards seeing the DANCE of BEING and hence His presence.

Appar notes in this verse that this DANCE is a kind of WAR Dance where BEING asserts Himself as the DESTROYER, the Rudra and squashes the primeval Darkness, the arrogant RavaNa, the seductive Full moon and so forth with His feet. Thus he sees the VIOLENCE of Rudra-Siva as not beneficial but also something without which the world will not enjoy presence, safety and security.

8(753)

¯öò¾¸¡ø ¯¾ÂòÐ ¯õÀ÷ ¯¨ÁÂÅû ¿Îì¸ó ¾£Ã

¨Åò¾ì ¸¡ø «Ã츧ɡ¾ý Å¡ýÓÊ ¾ÉìÌ §¿÷ó¾¡ý

¦Á¡öò¾¸¡ý Ó¸¢ú ¦Åñ ¾¢í¸û ã÷ò¾¢ ±ý ¯îº¢¾ý§Áø

¨Åò¾¸¡ø ÅÕóЦÁýÚ Å¡Ê ¿¡ý ´Îí¸¢§É§É.

¯¨Ã:

¯Ä¦¸Ä¡õ §¾¡üÈõ ¦ÀÈ¡Ð ¬½Å ÁÄò¾¢ý ÅøÄ¢ÕÇ¢ø ¸¢¼ó¾ §À¡Ð þ¨ÈÅý ¾¢Õ×ûÇõ ÀüÈ¢ þ¼Ð ¾¢ÕôÀ¡¾ò¨¾ ±ÎòÐõ ÅÄÐ ¾¢ÕôÀ¡¾ò¨¾ °ýÈ¢Ôõ ¾¢Õ¿¼õ ÒâóÐ ¯Ä¦¸Ä¡õ ¯¾¢òÐ ¦ÅÇ¢ôÀðÎ ¿¢üÌÁ¡Ú ¦ºö¾¡ý. «§¾ ¾¢ÕôÀ¡¾ò¾¡Ä ¯¨ÁÂÅû ¿Îí¸ ¾¢Õì¸Â¢¨Ä¨Â§Â «¨ºò¾ þáŽ¨É º¢È¢§¾ «Øò¾¢ þáŽý Å¡ýÓʨÂ, ¯Ä¸ò ¾¨Ä¨Á¨Â ¾É째 ¯Ã¢ÂÐ ±ýÚ ¿¢¨Ä ¿¢Úò¾¢É¡É. ÓØÁ¾¢Â¡¸ò §¾¡ýÚõ «Ó¾Å¢óШÅ, «§¾¸¡Ä¡ø º¢¨¾òÐ «¾ý µ÷ ÜÈ¡¸¢Â À¢¨ÈÁ¾¢¨Â ¾ý ¯îº¢§Áø ÝÊÉ¡ý. þôÀÊôÀð¼ ¾¢ÕÀ¡¾ò¨¾ ±ÉìÌ «ÕÙõ ¦À¡ÕðÎ ±ý ¯îº¢§Áø ¨Åò¾¡ø ¿¡Ûõ ÅÕóÐ§Å§É ±É Å¡Ê ´Îí¸¢ «îºò¾¢ø ¸¢¼ì¸¢ý§Èý ¸¡ñ.

8(753)

uyttak kaal utayattu umpar umaiyavaL n_dukkam_ tiira

vaittak kaal arakkanootan vaanmudi tanakku n_eern_taan

moyttak kaaN mukiz veN tiGkaL muurtti en uccitanmeel

vaittakaal varuntumenRu vaadi n_aan oduGkineenee

Meaning:

When the whole world was engulfed in the DARKNESS of aaNava Malam, BEING raised His left leg and keeping the Right leg firm pressing down Muyalakan, dispelled the engulfing DARKNESS and let the world enjoy presence. When RavaNa tried to shake off the Kailas itself and which frightened Uma, He again pressed RavaNa with his FEET making him bleat and by which He also maintained world leadership unto Himself. With the same feet He scattered into pieces the Full Moon and kept only the Crescent Moon on His Tuft. Now I fear and shudder at the thought of this feet being placed on my head by way gracing me and remain completely withdrawn from it.

Comments:

In this verse Appar brings out beautifully the different kinds of VIOLANCE of BEING Himself and which are told in terms of some enduring myths. The first VIOLANCE is that of dispelling the primordial DARKNESS that engulfed the cosmos disallowing PRESENCE as such. Thus BEING the DANCER who keeping the Muyalakan, the symbolic form of this primeval Darkness under His firm right leg, raises the left by way dispelling the DARKNESS and with that allow the presence of the whole universe, the uuzi or utayam as put here. The birth of the universe is like a DAWN (utayam) - emergence from a prevailing DARKNESS.

Now RavaNa represents the immensely egoistic individuals who like to usurp world leadership unto himself and for which purpose they would seek to become God themselves. This gives rise to another kind of tyranny and killing anyone who would deviate and fall off from reign of such tyrants. The females like Uma remain unable to fight back such tyrannical actions, but Siva through an army of valiant soldiers would press His feet down i.e. create violent oppositions whereby such tyrants are reduced to nothing. It can also mean the deprivations of all physical and mental strength so that out of mortal fear such individuals are reduced to crying and bleating.

Now the Full Moon is that which is the Female Power and which when fully operative disallows RATIONAL thinking by promoting unthinking mysticism at higher levels and excessive sexual desires at lower levels. The females have POWER only because there is excessive sexuality in the bosom of the males. Now BEING-as-Siva does not tolerate this excess of the MOON and for which reasons He scatters it into several pieces and wears only the Crescent Moon on His tuft showing that Moon should function only as the Crescent Moon and not the Full Moon

Appar recalls all these meanings as part of Hermeneutic Semiotics and pretends as if he shudders at the thought of the same feet being placed on his head but which is a mythical language that shows that BEING blesses such souls with Moksa and so forth.

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