The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
11. Single Minded Resoluteness 12. The Nonwinking Eye of Siva 13. The
Meaning of Human Sexuality 14. Becoming Pure by Becoming Egoless 15. BEING is
Wholly Mysterious 16. The Experience of Moksa 17&18The AS-IF Play of BEING
19. It is only Bakti that would make it Easy to Understand BEING 20. Tat Twam Asi:
The Saiva Interpretation
____________________________________________________________
11. Single Minded Resoluteness
Bakti seems to come not only with a
fascination or infatuation but also with immense LOVE for an archetypal
presentation that seems to POSSESS the individual. But this is also that which
breeds a single-mindedness, a deep devotion that allows for the severance of
world ties but without pains. Such an anma extricated and purified of all
worldly cares, is freed to dissolve itself deeper and deeper into the
archetypal form that takes over and in that also enjoy metaphysical insights
one after another and which bliss producing.
When Punitavati reflects on it, she
sees the REASON for it all: in the image of Siva as the wearer of the Crescent
Moon and Ganges on the tuft and the
holder of Fire of fierce flames, she
sees BEING as both the source of the destruction and regeneration, the
fundamental processes in the world and which reinforces the model of Historical
Flux and BEING as the POWER behind it all. In understanding the most
fundamental processes she also understands the world and BEING in His most
authentic form and because of which she remains unable to reject such a BEING.
This verse also implies that the
real Tiikkai (Sk diksa, the burning to ashes the dirt within) is NOT the ritualistic that are effected by the
Accariyas but what is effected in existence by BEING Himself. It is
BEING-as-Siva who disrupted her family life and thereby also desiccated her
sexual libido and thus freed from sexuality, transmute that as Divine Love and
that too only for Siva. The physical ties must be singed to ashes in order to
lead the truly metaphysical life and for this purpose the sexual love must be
transmuted into Spiritual Love.
Thus what Punitavati exemplifies is
NOT the dry and world negating asceticism but rather a life of immense LOVE for
BEING and which does not encourage world negation but rather its appropriation
also as where BEING is present and hence something to be loved as well.
11.
´ý§È ¿¢¨Éò¾¢Õó§¾ý ´ý§È
н¢ó¦¾Øó§¾ý
´ý§È ±ý ¯ûÇò¾¢Ûû Ǩ¼ó(ò)§¾ý -- ´ý§È ¸¡ñ
¸í¨¸Â¡ý ¾¢í¸ð ¸¾¢÷ ÓÊ¡ý ¦À¡í¦¸Ã¢§º÷
«í¨¸Â¡ü ¸¡Ç¡õ «Ð
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ.Å¢.¸)
´ýÚ: º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ÛìÌ ¬Ç¡ÅÐ ±ýÈÀÊ. '±ýÛûǾ¢
ÛûǨ¼ò§¾ý' ±ýÀÐõ À¡¼õ
¯¨Ã(¯Ä¸ý)
±øÄ¡ Àó¾í¸¨ÇÔõ þÆóÐ ÐÈóÐ ÁÉõ
àö¾¡¸¢Å¢ð¼ »¡ýÚ, ±ýÉ¡ø §Å¦È¡ýÚõ ¦ºö ÓÊ¡Р, «Ó¾ô ¦À¡Ä¢Å¢ý ¸í¨¸¨ÂÔõ ¦Áý¸¾¢÷
¾¢í¸¨ÇÔõ ¾ý ¾¢Õ¼Â¢§Ä ¾Ã¢òÐ ¾¡ý «Ñ츢øõ ¦ºö ÅøÄÅý ±ýÚõ «§¾ ¦À¡ØÐ, ¾£î
ÍÅ¡¨Ä¸û ¦¸¡ØóÐÅ¢ð¦¼Ã¢Ôõ ¦¿Õô¨ÀÔõ ¾ý «Æ¸¢Â ¾¢Õ쨸¢ø ²ó¾¢ÂÅÉ¡¸ «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ «Æ¢ì¸
ÅøÄÅÛõ ¾¡§É ±ýÚ ±ÉìÌò ¾ý¨Éì ¸¡ðÊÂÕÙõ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡É¡ì§¸ ¬Ç¡¸¢ ¿¢ýȦ¾¡Î, «¾¨É§Â
¿¢¨ÉòÐ ¿¢¨ÉòÐ Á¸¢úó§¾ý, «ùÅ¡Ú Å¡úŧ¾ º¢Èó¾Ð ±ýÚõ н¢ó¦¾Øó§¾ý, §ÅÚ ±ùÅ¢¾
º¢ó¾¨É¸Ùõ ±Æ¡ Åñ½õ þ¾¨É§Â ±ý ¬ØûÇò¾¢Öõ «¨¼ò§¾ý ¸¡ñ!
11.
onRee ninaittirunteen onRee
tuNintezunteen
onRee en uLLattinuL Latteen -- onRee kaaN
kaGkaiyaan tiGkad katir mudiyaan poGkericeer
aGkaiyaaR kaaLaam atu.
Meaning:
Having become absolutely pure
with having been freed of all worldly attachments, I could not do anything
except install BEING who showed Himself as Siva wearing the Ganges and
the Moon of soft rays on his tuft showing that He is capable of Blessing all
and Fire with raging flames on His beautiful hands showing that He is also
capable of destroying all. I found myself becoming totally subservient to this
BEING, contemplate nothing else but this and rejoice at it and resolving also
that this is best I can do!
Comment:
The discovery of BEING, the
primordial source of destruction and regeneration that underlies everything in the
world and without which there cannot be the world in Historical Flux becomes an
element of understanding only when all the worldly ties are severed and singed
to ashes. The domestic drama in which Punitavati was caught and as a result of
which she burnt off her flesh and thus the sexual libido and became a Ghost (
to speak metaphorically here) was the Tiikkai, the burning that Siva effected
in her and that too to purify here. Her soul thus freed and purified becomes
now also the GROUND for the emergence of BEING in the archetypal form that
instructs her on some metaphysical truths and thereby showing Himself as
the One who blesses or regenerates also.
Every archetypal form is a
presentation of BEING to INSTRUCT creatures on some metaphysical TRUTHS that
are unavailable otherwise. It is NOT simply a vain and superstitious
idolatry but rather a peculiar form of metaphysical pedagogy. Each Muurttam
encrypts within itself a deep TRUTH but which become a element of UNDERSTANDING
only when the self is appropriately prepared and that too as the GRACE or aruL
of BEING. One can worship , do hundreds of pompous pujaas, study all the
scriptures in the world , listen to all the gurus , recite mantras millions of
times but still go away without being illuminated by the metaphysical truths
encrypted into the IMAGE, the Muurttam.
Punitavati was NOT such an
individual and thus one who went away disenchanted. The TRUTH was
disclosed and she was captivated , possessed by it and lived happily in the
continuous contemplation of it. But what is the TRUTH that she admired so much
that she could do nothing else except being totally and completely subservient
to BEING and rejoice at it?
She has reached the metaphysical
ground where transpires the TWO fundamental processes that sustain the world -
destruction and regeneration and BEING as GROUND of both these. This TRUTH is
there in the world for anybody to grasp and become illuminated. It is hidden in
the presence of DEATH and BIRTH as a fabric of the world process , the destruction
and regeneration that underlies all. But what captivates Punitavati is that
these are not simply physical processes that persist on their own in a
mechanical kind of manner but rather the PRAXIS of BEING and indicated
symbolically in the IMAGE where He along with wearing the Cool Waters and Moon
also holds in one of hands the furious FIRE !
In the contemplation of this IMAGE
and what is communicated by it and in the GRACE that allowed her to
UNDERSTAND it all, she finds immense satisfaction and happiness so much so that
she RESOLVES to live thereafter in the continuous beholding of that IMAGE to
enjoy more and more of such redeeming insights.
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
One of the central concepts that became current among the Saivites during Bakti period is that metaphysical illuminations are ultimately a GIFT, a BLESSING of BEING. No matter what the birth is, no matter what austere penances are conducted, no matter how many times the mantras are recited and no matter how pompously the rituals are carried out, unless BEING wills there cannot be metaphysical illuminations to be enjoyed by the anmas. If it were possible then it would follow that BEING can be bribed or induced to do so by a trickery just like a mighty King can be made with verses of praise and so forth. BEING is tanvayan, i.e. One who is fully autonomous and wholly neutral, never to be swayed by any platitudes.
This is what Punitavati learns about BEING and because of which she also understands BEING is actually the Piraan, the Most High and hence truly the Lord of all with a WILL of His own. And with this comes the recognition of the presence of the Third Eye, the eye that gazes upon all without blinking at all and hence SEES all not objectively as the human beings do but staying as all as they are in themselves, seeing non-interpretively and hence without any errors.
There is SEEING of BEING and which is disclosed at a suitable point in the spiritual maturity of a person and from which moment the person knows nothing except to submit himself to BEING and nothing else. The anmas become free and autonomous from the hold of the priestly and such other aspirants towards becoming man-god with their messianic gimmicks and with this accomplishment also place themselves as students to be taught directly by BEING Himself and nobody else.
12
«Ð§Å À¢Ã¡ý ¬Á¡Ú ¬ð¦¸¡ûÙÁ¡Úõ
«Ð§Å þÉ¢ «È¢ó§¾¡Á¡É¡ø - «Ð§Å
Àɢ츽íÌ ¸ñ½¢Â¡÷ ´ñϾĢý §Á§Ä¡÷
¾É¢ì¸½ìÌ ¨Åò¾¡÷ ¾¸×.
(«-¨Ã: ¾¢Õ.Å¢.¸)
À¢Ã¡É¡Á¡Úõ «Ð§Å ±ýÚõ ¬ð¦¸¡ûÙÁ¡Úõ
«Ð§Å ±ýÚõ þÉ¢ÂȢ󧾡Á¡É¡ø ±ýÚ Üðθ. ÀÉ¢ìÌ «½íÌ ¸ñ½¢Â¡÷ -- ¸í¨¸ ¿¾¢Â¢ý
ÌÇ¢÷ìÌ ¿ÎìÌÚõ ¦¸¡ý¨È Á¡¨Ä «½¢ó¾Å÷. ´ñѾĢý§Áø - «Æ¸¢Â ¦¿üȢ¢ý §Áø. µ÷
¾É¢ì ¸ñ -- µ÷ ´ôÀüÈ ¸ñ¨½; ¾¸× «Ð§Å ±ýÚ §º÷ì¸. ¾¸× -¾¸¨Á
¯¨Ã (¯Ä¸ý)
±øÄ¡Åü¨ÈÔõ §¾¡üÈ¢ «Æ¢ìÌõ ÅøĨÁ¡¸¢Â
«Ð§Å, º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡¨É §¾Å¡¾¢ §¾Å÷¸ðÌõ À¢Ã¡ý ¬Á¡Ú ¦ºö¸¢ýÈÐ. «¾É¢ý §¾Å÷¸û ¯ðÀ¼
«¨ÉŨÃÔõ «ÅÛ째 ¬Ç¡ÌÁ¡Úõ ¦ºö¸¢ýÈÐ. þÉ¢ ó¾ô §ÀÕñ¨Á¨Â Á¨ÈòÐ ¨Åò¾¢Õ츢ýÈ þ¨ÈÅý,
«¾¨É «È¢óÐ Á¸¢ú¸¢ýÈ «Õ¨ÇÔõ ¦ÀüÚ «È¢ó§¾¡Á¡É¡ø, «ùÅÈ¢§Å ¿£ÕìÌõ «ïÍõ ¦Áý¨Á¢ý
¦¸¡ý¨È Á¡¨Ä «½¢ó¾Å÷, «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ ¡ñÎõ ¯¼ý «Ð§Å ¾¡É¡¸¢ ¯ûǨ¾ ¯ûÇÅ¡¸ ¸¡ñ¸¢ýÈ
ÅøĨÁ¢ý ѾøŢƢ§Â¡Î ¾¨Éì ¸¡ðÊÂÕÙ¸¢ýÈ ¾¢Èò¾¢ý ¦ÀÕ¨Á¨Â «È¢ÂÓÊÔõ.
12.
atuvee piraan aamaaRum
aadkoLlumaaRum
atuvee ini aRintoomaanaal -atuvee
panikkaNaGku kaNNiyar oNNutalin meeloor
thanikkaNakku vaittaar takavu.
Meaning:
BEING becomes the ABOVE ALL
including the Devas by His capacity for destruction and regeneration. And
because of that also He is capable of making everyone surrender to Him and
become totally devoted to Him. But this understanding of BEING as such is NOT
something everyone can enjoy. He covers himself up and only those who are also blessed with the capacity
to understand this, can comprehend the Immense Greatness of Siva of why He , the One who wears a garland
KonRai flowers very sensitive even to the cool waters, wears also an EYE on His
forehead, an EYE that sees all unceasingly and as it is by being one with all.
Comments:
Punitavati is certainly on some Deep
Metaphysical grounds. Torn from the normal run of life she has been
catapulted into perhaps the TiruCiRRamapalam, the Ground where Siva enacts the
world drama though His PRAXIS of destruction and regeneration. It is this
understanding of Siva that confirms for Punitavati that Siva is BEING and not
any of the other archetypal forms that are worshipped as God. Those Muurttams
are NOT primordial for they do not reach the Final Ground where destruction and
regeneration proceeds, the processes that allow the PRESENCE or Being-in-the-World,
living as such and such, or simply existing. EXISTENCE is what SIVA confers and
because of which He is the Supreme, the Most High, the ONE above whom
there is none.
But this capacity also discloses
that He is FULL OF LOVE for He is not obliged to be thus, i.e. become the
Ground for the presence of the world and all in it. It is purely out of
love that he does it all and which fact endears Him to all including the devas.
All are there in the world as such and such only because of His immense kindness.
And so He becomes the ONE to whom all creatures become subservient . He
overpowers all by His unconditional LOVE that enables all creatures to enjoy
PRESENCE, existence.
Now those who understand this or are
blessed with this kind of understanding are also blessed with another -- that
He has the Third Eye, an eye on the forehead that never winks and
never ceases to SEE and sees everything as it is. Siva SEES all non
interpretively and hence NOT like the humans -- with the two fleshy eyes, eyes
where everything seen comes along with interpretations and hence with the
possibility of being not only limited and circumscribed but also false. For
what the fleshy eyes behold are prompted by the intentionalities and hence
immensely selective with the attendant circumscription.
Siva does NOT see the way the human
beings see and this fact is disclosed by the Image of Siva as having the Third
Eye and on His forehead, the location of Ilaadat taanam of brain following the
human anatomy. The forehead is the location of Absolute Clear
Consciousness and that is always
error free, Cutta Saitanyam as the Siddhas would call it. Siva SEES all and always and his seeing is
error free and therefore NOTHING escapes his notice. His Praxis , destruction
and regeneration is NOT a blind process but rather something that transpires
within the GAZE of BEING and hence understandingly!
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
Celibacy along with asceticism has been an important element of religious life and in perhaps all religions. Saivism is not an exception to this though they seem to have favored illaRat TuRavaRam, the celibate kind of Family Life and that too only when the souls are sufficiently ripe. In this way life where they do not become members of the monastic orders or Sannyasins who keep away from females and even despise them as possible causes of their fall. The IllaRat TuRavi does not have such fears for he learns to deal with all females, including the charming young maidens as daughters or something like that so that in their social encounter with such people, the sexual impulses are NOT allowed to swell in heart. So there is no suppression or repression of sexual dynamics but rather its transmutation into Pure Love, such as BEING (Siva) has unto al creatures. One aspect of Sivattuvam, the SAMENESS as Siva is to become one of Pure Love, the love that does not alienate anyone as different, high or low. (Anniyam inmai)
Thus sexuality has a metaphysical function over and above the species reproduction dynamics. It serves to humanize the human beings by transmuting the animalistic and sexual into the spiritual and pure love. (With thanks Dr Rajaram). BEING (Siva) plays with sexuality in order to transmute the animalistic into humanistic and when totally humanized there is NO FEAR of sexuality and hence NO taking asylum in monastic orders with their attendant suppression and repression of the sexual libido.
This is the meaning Punitavati sees in the SNAKE that she sees Siva wearing on His chest and which also serves as an ornament or weapon He uses to manage mankind. BEING can shape change - from that of austere Yogi, the Mahayogi who is totally free of sexual interest to that of Kameshwaran, He who grants Sexual Bliss by implanting the SNAKE in the body and which activates the sexual libido by activating the KuNdalini Sakti
13
¾¸×¨¼Â¡÷ ¾¡õ ¯Ç§Ãø ¾¡÷ ¸Äï º¡Ãô
ҸŢξø ¦À¡øÄ¡Ð ¸ñË÷ - Á¢¸ «¼Ã
°÷ó¾¢Î(õ) Á¡¿¡¸õ ´Õ¿¡û Á¨ÄÁ¸¨Çî
º¡÷ó¾¢Î§Áø ² À¡Åó¾¡ý
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ, Å¢.¸)
¾¸×¨¼Â¡÷¾¡õ ¯Ç§Ãø - ¾¸¨ÁÔ¨¼ÂÅá¸ò §¾Åã÷ þÕôÀ£§Ãø. (¿¡¸õ) ¾¡÷
«¸Äõ º¡Ã - À¡õÀ¢¨É Á¡¨Ä¡¸ Á¡÷À¢ø ¦À¡Õó¾. «ó¿¡¸õ ±ý¨È측¾ø ´Õ¿¡û
Á¨ÄÁ¸¨Çî º¡÷ó¾¢ÎÁ¡¾Ä¡ø ±ý¸. À¡Åõ - ÀÆ¢
¯¨Ã( ¯Ä¸ý)
¡ñÎõ þ¨Á측¾ 㼡¾ ¦¿üÈ¢ì
¸ñ½¢ý «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ «ó¿¢ÂÁ¢ýÈ¢ ¿¢ýÚ ¯ûǨ¾ ¯ûÇÅ¡ì ¸ñÎ «Æ¢ò¾Öõ ¬ì¸Öõ «¾§É¡Î ÅÕõ ²¨ÉÂ
Å¢¨É¸¨ÇÔõ ¦ºöÐ ¾¸× ¯¨¼ÂÅÉ¡¸ ¾ý¨Éì ¸¡ðÊÂÕÙõ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý, Á¡¨Ä ÝÊ ¾ý ¦¿ïº¢ø
¦À¡ýÉÃÅò¨¾ º¡ÃŢξø µ÷ ¦À¡øÄ¡¾ ¦ºÂø §À¡Äò§¾¡ýÚõ ¸ñË÷. ²¦ÉÉ¢ø Á¢¸ ¦¿Õí¸¢
Å¢ð¼¸Ä¡Ð °÷óÐ ÅÕõ «ó¿¡¸õ µ÷ ¿¡û ¸¡Áò¾¢ý ¸¡Ã½Á¡¸ Á¨ÄÁ¸Ç¡¸¢Â À¡÷ž¢¨Âî
º¡÷ó¾¢Î§Áø, Á¡§Â¡¸¢Â¡¸¢Â º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý ¸¡Á§Åð¨¸Â¢ý ¸¡§ÁÍÅÃÉ¡¸ Á¡È¢ ¯Ä¦¸íÌõ
¯Â¢÷¸Ç¢¨¼§Â ¸¡Á§Å𨸠±ØÁ¡Ú ¦ºöÐÅ¢ÎÅý. «Ð Á¢¸×õ À¡ÅÁ¡É ´ýÈ¡Ìõ -- ţΧÀÚ «¨¼Å¾üÌ
¾¨¼Â¡¸¢ Å¢Îõ ±ýÀ¾¡ø!
13.
takavudaiyaar taam uLareel taar
akalanj caarap
pukavidutal pollaatu kaNdiir - mika adara
uurntidu(m) maanaakam oor naaL malaimakaLaic
caarntidumeel ee paavantaan.
Meaning:
Siva who discloses Himself as the
One with the Third eye and hence as One who sees all unfailingly
and as it is and destroys and regenerates with this seeing always there,
is indeed the Supreme, the One Above All and who has no one Above Him.
But this Siva who is BEING also discloses Himself as the One who wears the
Golden Snake on His chest rustling with a garland. This may appear to be
immensely improper for one day this Snake that crawls tightly on His chest may
conjoin Parvati, the Daughter of the Hills and at which point Siva becomes the
Kamesvaran , He who arouses the sexual desire in the heart of all the
creatures and which becomes an impediment for attaining Total Releasement.
Comments:
Saivism does not see the sexual
libido negatively and not at all unnecessarily puritanical about
it. It is not only part of life but also an essential ingredient that
provides the fundamental motivational dynamics that results in the continuous
regeneration of the species. Unless mankind or the species in general gets
continuously reproduced, the existential repetition and hence the enjoyment of
phenomenal existence that provides opportunities to LEARN will NOT be available
for the anmas . Thus unlike the Buddhists and Advaitins, who are said to be
disguised Buddhists , there was no hatred towards sex and hence towards woman.
The Woman is also Siva, the BEING and the ideal is the ArdhanaRi, half man and
half women that instructs the anmas that they must live as man-woman units for
understanding existence.
But why does Punitavati decries that
Siva should also be the source of the sexual libido, symbolized here by the
Snake that never departs from His chest and crawls over it very tightly?
Admittedly at the bottom most level, the desire for sexual
happiness is there as that which is the MEANING of the earthly life, that for
which EXISTENCE is . But by this very fact it also becomes that which BINDS the
anmas to the physical and the worldly and hence PREVENTS the FREE exploration
of the METAPHYSICAL.
Punitavati did not learn this from
the scriptures or from some kind of institutionalized practice of celibacy and
so forth. She was a married woman and hence one who craved for sexual
happiness. But however that kind of life was DISRUPTED by the Play of Siva (
BEING) and because of which the sexual libido was desiccated and transmuted
making her assume the form of a ghost, the Peey. Not only that , the sexual
craving was REDIRECTED towards the metaphysical and transmuted into LOVE
for Siva and hence Bakti. Bakti cannot arise as an element that founds
existence unless there was this sexual libido in the first place and which gets
transmuted and reconstituted as PURE LOVE for Siva. A man or woman incapable
of deep human love cannot also rise up to LOVE Siva and becomes a true bakta.
It is NOT just metaphysical
illuminations that are necessary for leading an authentic life but also LOVE
unto Siva. But to rise to this state of Being in the world is difficult for the
transmutations of the sexual libido into genuine Bakti is NOT possible for all.
Only those who are ripe and ready for it can stand up the disruption of family
life that this occasions and continue to live but now on a different plane of
existence- as a member of Divine Family where the spouse is Siva Himself.
It is this aspect of it that moves
Punitavati to decry that Siva should also allow the snake to crawl on His chest
meaning that He implants the sexual desires also in the heart of the creatures.
The
Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
14. Becoming Pure by Becoming Egoless
There
is a fundamental difference between Brahmanism and Saivism (and also Tamil
VaishNavism). While perhaps incidentally and unknown to themselves the notion
of Aham Brahmam Asmi and so forth has contributed to furtherance of ego and
egotism, in Saivism and VaishNavism, the Bakti that fosters the Will to Submit, has served to kill the ego and thereby the
selves becoming egoless and hence also Pure. It is this inner purity and
egolessness that removes all the mental obstructions for presence of
BEING-as-Siva and so forth within the self itself thereby transforming the body
itself into a veritable Temple, a notion that became well rooted in Saivite
thinking during the Bakti period and as an extension of the ecological thinking
such as that of Tolkaappiyar where each inner and outer ecological region is
seen to be animated by the SPIRIT in some archetypal form, the Ceeyoon Maayoon
etc.
BEING
as supremely autonomous cannot be induced to grace the soul by whatever rituals
and so forth. The soul has to show itself as worthy of it by becoming egoless
and Pure and at which point BEING, on His own account, will overpower the self
with some suitable Muurttam facilitating thereby metaphysical thinking that
would further illuminate the mind.
When
Punitavti further reflects on how she has been
brought to this beautiful state of being engraced by BEING Himself, it
dawns on her that it has to do something with the huge snake that Siva wears as His ornament and which rustles on
Hid chest and which is capable of emitting the Poison that is simultaneously
intense Fire that can singe to ashes all her egoism. Perhaps what is meant is
that the sexual drive can be used as a weapon not only for granting happiness
in the world but also to develop the Will to Submit by obliterating the Will to
Power and thereby become humble and egoless.
14.
¾¡§É ¾É¢¦¿ïºó ¾ý¨É ¯Â즸¡ûÅ¡ý
¾¡§É ¦ÀÕ狀Áï ¦ºöÔÁ¡ø -- ¾¡§É§Â¡÷
⽡¸ò ¾¡ü¦À¡Ä¢óÐ ´í¸Æø§º÷ ¿ïÍÁ¢Øõ
¿£û ¿¡¸ò¾¡¨É ¿¢¨ÉóÐ
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ Å¢.¸)
§ºÁõ - ¸¡ôÒ; ¿ÄÛÁ¡õ. âñ - «½¢. ¬¸ò¾¡ø
-- Á¡÷À¡ø. ¿£û ¿¡¸ò¾¡¨É - ¿£ñ¼ À¡õÀ½¢ó¾ ÀÃÁº¢Å¨É
¯¨Ã (¯Ä¸ý)
±ùÅ¢¾ Å¢ñ½ôÀí¸Ùõ §ÅñΧ¸¡û¸Ùõ þø¨Ä¦ÂýÈ¡Öõ,
±øÄ¡ «üÀô ÀüÚ츨ÇÔõ §À¡ì¸¢ ¾É¢òÐ àö¾¡¸¢Å¢ð¼ ¦¿ïºí¸¨Ç ¾¡§É ÅÄ¢óÐ ¬ð¦¸¡ñÎ þýÛõ ¯Â÷óÐ
¦ºøÖ¾üÌâ ÅÆ¢¨Âì ¸¡ðÎŧ¾¡Î ¿Ä§Á àöìÌÁ¡ ¦ÀÕí¸¡ôÀ¡¸×õ þÕ츢ýÈ¡ý þ¨ÈÅý. þ¾¨É
«È¢óÐ ¾ý ¦¿ïºò¾¢ø «½¢¸ÄÉ¡¸ «Æ¸¢Â ¦¸¡ý¨Èò ¾¡÷ ¦À¡Ä¢Â×õ «Æ¢ôÀ¢ý ¦¸¡ØóÐÅ¢ðÎ ±Ã¢Ôõ
¦¿ÕôÀ¢¨É ²ó¾¢Ôõ, ¾£§Â¡÷ìÌ ¿ïÍõ ¿ø§Ä¡÷ìÌ «ÓÐõ ¯Á¢Øõ Á¢¸ ¿£ñ¼ ¿¡¸ò¨¾Ôõ
¦¸¡ñ¼Å¡Ú ±ÉìÌ ¦ÅÇ¢ôÀð¼ÕÙõ «ó¾ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡¨É ¿¢¨ÉóÐ ¿¢¨ÉóÐ Á¸¢ú¸¢ý§Èý ¸¡ñ!
14.
tanee taninenjsan tannai
uyakkoLvaan
taanee perunjceemanj ceyyumaal -- taaneeyoor
puuNaakat taaRpolintu ooGkazalceer nanjcumizum
niiL naakattaanai ninaintu.
Meaning:
BEING is such that once the heart
frees itself from all the worldly attachments and thus become isolated and free
, He will on his own accord possess the soul, show the higher ways and remain
the true guardian ensuring that only the good become what are
experienced. Having grasped this I remain in deep and untiring contemplation of
BEING as SIVA who discloses Himself in the archetypal form where in
addition to wearing the Garland of KonRai flowers, the Fire of bursting flames
also wears the huge Snake that can emit poison for the evil individuals and
ambrosia fro the good.
Comments:
A number of further metaphysical
insights are unfolded to Punitavati that she articulates in this verse
and all related to the fact that she has established a fissure with worldly desires
and has made her heart something isolated and FREE. She realizes now that once
she has made her heart thus then BEING-as-Siva comes to reside there ,
possess her soul ensuring that she will progress further in her metaphysical
journey within the safety and security provided by the All Mighty BEING
Himself.
This carries the important message
that the TRUE SADHANA for being with Siva is becoming FREE and PURE, certainly
not something that easy to attain for the ordinary individuals.. The truly
religious ALLOW themselves to be possessed by BEING and this they do by
killing the EGO that always keeps away from being possessed by Siva. To become
egoless , one has to eradicate the emergence of intentionalities, the
seeking out this and that and this is what Punitavati has accomplished and
because of which she declares that she is a Ghost as far as the world goes. She
has dropped out from the world but precisely by virtue of that has become a
soul taken possession by BEING Himself.
The new insight that emerges here is
that BEING on His own accord possesses the souls provided they kill the Ego and
evacuate all intentionalities from the heart. To be with BEING we have to
become detached from the worldly desires and hence the killing of the Ego
becomes the true Sadhana.
The
Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
15. BEING is Wholly Mysterious
BEING
is capable of infinite Play and because of which there is NO UNIQUE Sadhana or
ritualistic practice that would ensure the gaining of Mukti. As Sambantar declared, if you want to seek
out the most efficacious and sure way in which you gain the Grace of BEING,
forget it for it is beyond counting (aadpaalavarukku aruLum vaNNam keedpaan
pukil alavillai kiLakka veeNdaa). This is the Wholly Mysterious Essence of
BEING, the forever Unfathomable for the human mind, the Forever Elusive for
conceptual mapping, the Forever Surplus for human understanding.
As
against this truth of BEING, it becomes ridiculous that among some religious
individuals there is a claim that their way is the way and the whole world must
follow it and if they desist then they should be battled with defeated and
forced to accept. Another group of individuals would, on the understanding that
only they have the real path, isolate themselves and keep the scriptures like
the Vedas UNTO THEMSELVES, denying access to all other such non-privileged
groups, thus establishing discriminations where there shouldn’t be.
Punitavati
mocks at such people for their stupidity for she notes that even the celestial
beings are NOT blessed with the redeeming Civanjanam and hence how would these
mortals with their pompous and selfish claims?
It
is only BEING who though wholly mysterious but who can illuminate the mind by
appearing as flashes of light that clarifies consciousness and as the burning
Fire that can singe to ashes the inner
dirt that makes consciousness impure. The iconic features of Siva -- fiery
tuft, fire-colored body and so forth mean this universal praxis of BEING.
15
¿¢¨Éó¾¢ÕóÐ Å¡ÉÅ÷¸û ¿£ûÁÄáü À¡¾õ
Ò¨ÉóÐõ «Ê¦À¡Õó¾ Á¡ð¼¡÷ - ¿¢¨Éó¾ÕóÐ
Á¢ý¦ºöÅ¡ý ¦ºïº¨¼Â¡ö §Å¾¢Â§É ±ý¸¢ý§Èü(Ì)
±ý ¦ºöÅ¡ý ¦¸¡ø§Ä¡ þÉ¢
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ Å¢.¸)
Ò¨ÉóÐõ - «Äí¸Ã¢òÐõ; ÝÊÔõ. Á¢ý - ´Ç¢ Å¡ý --
§ÁÄ¡É
¯¨Ã(¯Ä¸ý)
Áó¾¢Ã ¦º¡åÀòÐ Å¡ÉÅ÷¸Ç¡¸¢Â §¾Å÷¸û,
º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡¨É ¡ñÎõ «¸ò§¾ ¨ÅòÐ ¿¢¨ÉóÐ ¦ÀÕõ ¦ÀÕõ »¡ÉÁÄ÷¸Ç¡ø ¾¢ÕôÀ¡¾ò¨¾ «Äí¸Ã¢òÐ
«÷òÐ §À¡üȢ §À¡¾¢Öõ, ţΧÀÚ «Ç¢ì¸ÅøÄ º¢Å»¡Éò¨¾ò «ÕÇÅøÄ ¾¢ÕÅÊ ¦À¡Õó¾
Á¡ð¼¡÷¸û. «ôÀÊ þÕìÌõ §À¡Ð, «üÀ Á¡É¢¼ À¢ÈôÀ¢ÉÇ¡¸¢Â ¡ý, º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡¨É§Â º¢ó¨¾Â¢§Ä
¨ÅòÐ «¾É¡ø «ùÅô§À¡Ð ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸¨Ç «Õó¾¢ , «ó¾ »¡ÉôÀ¢Ã¸¡ºò¨¾ Ò½÷òÐŨ¾ì
¸ñÎ þ¨ÈÅ¨É Á¢ý ¦ºöÅ¡ý ±ýÚõ Áɾ¢ø ¦ºõ¨Á¨Â§Â ÅÄ¢óàðÎõ ¦ºïº¨¼Â¡ö ±ýÚõ, »¡Éò
¾£Â¢É¡ø §Å¾¢òÐ «¸ò¨¾ Íò¾ï ¦ºöÔõ §Å¾¢Â§É ±ý§ÈøÄ¡õ ±ý «È¢Å¢üÌ ±ðÊÂŨà «Å¨Éô
§À¡üÈ¢ Á¸¢Øõ ±ÉìÌ, ±ý ¦ºöÅ¡ý þî º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý ±ýÀ¨¾ ¡ý «È¢§Âý ¸¡ñ¸.
15.
ninaintiruntu vaanavarkaL
niiLmalaraaR paatam
punaintum adiporunta maaddaar - ninaintaruntu
minceyvaan cenjcadaiyaay veetiyanee enkinnReeR(ku)
en ceyvaan kolloo ini.
Meaning:
Even the celestial beings, the mantric
devas having installed Siva in their heart and contemplating Him all the
time, will not attain the Feet of BEING even though they praise His
glories and worship Him placing the flowers of metaphysical illuminations at
His feet. And to me , the humble human being who forever contemplating
Him and enjoying deep flashes of metaphysical insights , what will He do even
though I praise as the One who flashes like the lightning, have swirling
red curls and burns all the dirt as the Fire? I really don't know.
Comments:
The human understanding, being
finite, cannot really understand the MYSTERY that's BEING. In our Ego
preoccupations we think that once we have formulated a system of thought then
we can claim that that's the TRUTH and everyone should follow it in total
obedience failing which all will be still in ignorance or continue to suffer
the Hell Fire and so forth. All these are the expressions of the WILL to
POWER and enslave others and through that enjoy a false sense of superiority,
of being like a God. The world is full of such individuals and certainly
Punitavati has seen so many such seers rishies messiahs that fill the world
continuously . It is against this that Punitavati points out how ridiculous
such claims are when even the celestial beings are NOT that easily graced with
the redeeming Civanjaanam that will put an end to their phenomenal
circulation
Knowing this very much she
declares her total IGNORANCE about the WAY BEING engraces the souls and redeems
them. It is a complete MYSTERY and hence quite unfathomable. No matter in
what manner we go about it, the final redemption is NOT instrumental, something
attainable through a certain Sadhana. There is NO such a sadhana or METHOD
that will certainly ensure unfailingly Mukti. If there were then certainly
Mukti would become like so many things in life -- something
attainable through a definite course of action.
But such is NOT the case it would
appear and that it is entirely a matter of GRACE and hence something wholly
dependent on BEING. Unless He wills it, it is impossible to attain and enjoy
it. Thus the valiant human soul is finally defeated , the Ego gets
destroyed and the souls purified of its Ego
This is the state in which we find
Punitavati here -- totally defeated and declaring, because of that, that
BEING is WHOLLY Mysterious, Unfathomable and hence entirely Unpredictable and
in that expressing the Will to Submit obliterating every trace of the Will to
Power.
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
The verse that follows is very rare and unusual and to be cherished and pondered at repeatedly by all those who seek out metaphysical wisdom. For Punitavati is no more in doubt about Mutti, Moksa, the final Home Coming - the Viidu PeeRu. She has arrived Home at long last, the final abode of the evolutionary journey that she has been in for perhaps millenniums, with countless births and deaths, a cosmic process that we have Disclosive Evolution.
This truth that the anmas are ALREADY in an evolutionary journey which has being in the presence of BEING as its goal also shows that while the cosmological processes may not teleological, the processes concerned with creature existence is immensely so. The mind evolves and along with it also the physical embodiment it acquires and all these directed towards attaining the Home, the TiruCiRRambalam, the final abode, the location where Siva dances the dance of Bliss with His Woman, the eternally youthful and chaste Uma.
Punitavati is a woman and a non Brahmanah etc but she enjoys, nevertheless Mukti, as is certainly the case here. Therefore for any one who is OPEN and accommodates himself to the truths of world, it should mean that whether born a man or woman and of whatever caste, BEING does not discriminate in granting Moksa and that the potentiality for becoming a mumuksu is already there in the bosom of all.
This also shows that the right kind of religious pedagogy must be something that would make everyone RECOGNIZE that there is ALREADY this possibility deep within them for them to be and OWN it up consciously and lead a life consistent with it. We must allow for the UPWARD movement of ALL without discriminating against any and in that also OPEN UP the scriptural sources of mankind to all and again without hoarding them up as meant only for the privileged social groups. All scriptures are the properties of BEING and meant for all and so any hoarding and making it the exclusive property to only one group of people would turn out to be supremely UNETHICAL, a Paavam, an act against God Himself.
16
þÉ¢§Â¡ ¿¡õ ¯Â÷󧾡õ þ¨ÈÅý ¾¡û
§º÷󧾡õ
þÉ¢§Â¡÷ þ¼÷ þø§Ä¡õ ¦¿ï§º -þÉ¢§Â¡÷
Å¢¨É츼¨Ä ¬ìÌÅ¢ìÌõ Á£Ç¡ô À¢ÈÅ¢ì
¸¨É츼¨Ä ¿£ó¾¢§É¡õ ¸¡ñ
(«-¨Ã, ¾¢Õ.Å¢.¸)
¸¨É: ´Ä¢ò¾¨Ä ¯¨¼Â
¯¨Ã(¯Ä¸ý)
þÕ츢ýÈ þ¨ÈÅý ¾¨É ±ùÅ¡Ú ¸¡ðθ¢ýÈ¡§É¡
«ùÅ¡§È «È¢Â ÅÕÅý ±Éò ¦¾Ç¢óÐ «È¢Å¢ý ¾¢Á¢¨Ã ±øÄ¡õ §À¡ì¸¢ «Åý «Õ¨Ç§Â §ÅñÊ
¿¢È¸¢ýÈÅÇ¡ö ¬öŢ𼠿¡õ «¾É¡ø ¦ÀâÐõ ¯Â÷óÐŢ𧼡õ. ¾¡¦ÉÛõ ÁÁ¨¾ «üÚÅ¢Æ þÉ¢ «Å§É
¾¡ý ±É ¿¢üÀ§¾ ÜÊÅÕŦ¾É, «Åý þ¨½ÂÊ ¾¢Õ¿¢Æø «¨¼óÐõ Ţ𧼡õ.
«øÄüÀðÎ ¦¿¡ó¾ ¦¿ï§º! «È¢¸, þÉ¢ ¯ÉìÌ ±ùÅ¢¾ þ¼÷¸Ùõ þø¨Ä ! ²¦ÉÉ¢ø
Àø§ÅÚ «üÀ ¬¨º¸¨Çô À¢ÈôÀ¢òÐ ¯Æüº¢ Å¢¨É¸Ç¢ø Å£úò¾¢ Á£ñÎõ Á£ñÎõ À¢ÈôÀ¢ì¸î ¦ºöÔõ
¸ýÁò ¾¨Ç¸Ç¡¸¢Â Å¢¨É츼¨Ä ¬ìÌÅ¢ìÌõ ¸¨Éì ¸¼Ä¡¸¢Â þó¾ ¬ÃÅ¡ÃÁ¢ì¸ À¢ÈôÒ ±Ûõ
¦ÀÕí¸¼¨Ä þ¨ÈÂÕÇ¢ý ¿£ó¾¢ ¸¨Ã §º÷óÐŢ𧼡õ ¸¡ñ!
16
iniyoo naam uyarntoom iRaivan
taaL ceerntoom
inyoor idar illoom nenjcee -- iniyoor
vinaikkadalai aakkuvikkum miiLaap piRavik
kanaikkadalai niintinoom kaaN
Meaning:
BEING is such that unless He
discloses Himself and on His own accord, there is no way in which we can
witness Him. Having realized this we have actually ascended to a higher
way of Being where we have become the pure egoless selves and forever in
His PRESENCE and as He Himself. O my heart ! Fear not anymore for henceforth
there will NO miseries at all. You have transcended the noisy sea of earthly
life and through that swum across the sea of Karma that throws you into a
chain of endless births and deaths.
Comments
Here again emerges the main theme of
Punitavati -- that of attaining releasement from Samsara, being thrown
endlessly into embodied existence, the cycle of births and deaths, endless
existential repetition. The trauma she suffered and all as Divine Play at the
destruction of family life has made her despise it in a way. In fact
excruciating pains she experienced had make her TRANSCEND the normal family
life and ascend a higher existential Ground that now she cherishes and exalts
in endearing words and with an UNDERSTANDING. She is not simply seeking
spiritual life as a refuge for her existential pains. It is NOT a drug to sooth
her pains or provide a FALSE WORLD where she can forget the earthly life
by a mental fiat. No - she KNOWS and
UNDERSTANDS that there is NO a HIGHER
kind of life that anyone can access , a life in the PRESENCE of BEING,
metaphorically put here as being at His Feet and which REAL.
In fact what we have here is that of
an artilcuation of the intuition that she has gained Moksa, being in the
eternal presence of Divine Feet.
The family crisis she suffered has
taught her that she has to KILL her Ego and become a Pure and Egoless Self and
that's what she has become and because of which she earned the privilege
of being in the presence of BEING. This also means that she has TRANSCENDED the
KARMA that one continues to acquire as long as one is indulging in the earthly
kind of Praxis where Ego actions are forever practiced caught in the hustle and
bustle of ordinary life.
The family crisis she suffered and
the dissolution of married life as a possibility for her was a DIVINE PLAY and
that has earned her the privilege of Being-with-BEING and in whose Being
only BEING shines forth. She has lost her ego and by virtue of that also
reentering the earthly life of flesh that brings along with it existential
anguish of all kinds.
She has come HOME and is fully
present at the Feet of BEING never to depart and never to suffer whatever
again.
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
It is not an accident that philosophy is called darsanas in India. For the goal of metaphysical search is not simply debates and argumentations, the Vaatam but rather the gaining of INSIGHTS, the opening up the eyes so that more and more can be seen. Discussions and debates when properly taken, are helpful in OPENING up the mind and enabling the softening of the ego and thus humbled the self beginning to SEE a larger horizon where what remained concealed hitherto begins to be witnessed. Hence the debates and so forth are NOT an end in themselves.
In the following two verses which are connected together, Punitavati unfolds deep metaphysical insights into the essence of the archetypes or muurttams and the AS-IF Play of BEING that accompanies them. The AS-IF Play of BEING is He appearing as if Rudra, Brahma, VishNu, Ambal and so forth i.e. the various muurttams. Here then there are darsanas, and hence the practice true philosophy.
The finite human mind is at the mercy of these archetypal presentations for whatever metaphysical insights they gain and enjoy and which are BLESSINGS, the Arul of BEING. The individuals who are moved by the Will to Power like RavaNa are also played but NOT granted metaphysical insights till the Will to Power gives way to the Will to Submit and Serve.
Becoming PURE is becoming EGOLESS and the Rudra-Play is for making individuals egoless and thereby humble and generally loving. But the final state is not just simply being egoless but being FULL of LOVE for BEING. While prior to that BEING may still play His AS-IF game with many archetypes, it is only for those in genuine Bakti that BEING shows Himself as the Pure Radiance, the experience of which makes the soul absolutely PURE and at which point they also see beneath the various archetypal presentations that there is only one and the SAME BEING.
This is the meaning of wearing the sacred ash of the Saivites - at first on the body but later and authentically in the soul itself as symbolic of the desire to become absolutely PURE. The ash is final state, even burned it remains the same ash.
17
¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌí ¸¡½Ä¡ó ¾ý¨Á夃 ¨¸¦¾¡ØÐ
¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌí ¸¡½Ä¡õ ¸¡¾Ä¡ü -¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌî
§º¡¾¢Â¡öî º¢ó¨¾Ô§Ç §¾¡ýÚ§Á ¦¾¡øÖÄÌì(Ì)
¬¾¢Â¡ö ¿¢ýÈ «Ãý
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ Å¢.¸)
¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌõ - §Â¡¸¢Â÷ìÌõ. ¨¸¦¾¡ØÐ ¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌõ -- ¨¸ò¾¢Õò
¦¾¡ñ¼÷ìÌõ. ¸¡¾Ä¡ø ¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌî §º¡¾¢Â¡ö º¢ó¨¾Ô§Ç §¾¡ýھĢÖûÇ º¢ÈôÒ ¯ýÉüÀ¡ÄÐ. ¸¡¾ø
§¿¡ìÌî º¢Èó¾Ð ±ýÈÀÊ.
¯¨Ã (¯Ä¸ý)
§Â¡¸í¸û ¦ºöÐ ÁÄí¸û Å¡ðÊ, »¡Éì¸ñ
¾¢Èó¾¢ÎÁ¡ «Õû ®ðÊ Á¨ÈÔĨ¸ ¸¡ñÀ¡÷ìÌ þ¨ÈÅý Àø§ÅÚ ÅÊÅí¸Ç¢ø ¸¡½ÅÕõ ¦À¡ÕÇ¡Ìõ. «ùÅ¡È¢ýÈ¢
¦¾¡ØÐ ¦¾¡ØÐ §À¡üÈ¢ ¾¢Õò¦¾¡ñ¼É¡ö Å¡úó¾Å¡Ú þ¨ÈŨÉì ¸¡½ ÓÂøÅ¡ÕìÌõ ¡§¾¡§Å¡÷
Ũ¸Â¢ø «Åý ¸¡½ ÅÕ¸¢ýÈ ¦À¡ÕÇ¡Ìõ. ¬Â¢Ûõ ¦ÁöÀ쾢¢ý ¦¿ìÌÕ¸ì ¸¡¾Ä¡ü ¸º¢óÐ «Å¨É ¸¡½
ÓÂøÅ¡ÕìÌ «Õð¦ÀÕ狀¡¾¢Â¡ö º¢ó¨¾Â¢§Ä §¾¡ýÈ¢ «¸ò¨¾ò àö¾¡ìÌÅý, þó¾ô ÀÆõ¦ÀÕõ ¯Ä¸¢üÌ
¬¾¢Â¡ö ãÄӾġ¸ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ «Ãý ±ýÈÈ¢¸
17.
kaaNpaarkkuG kaaNalaan
tanmaiyanee kaitozutu
kaaBpaarrkuG kaaNalaam kaatalaaR - kaaNpaarkkuc
cootiyaayc cintaiyuLee toonRumee tollulakuk(ku)
aatiyaay ninRa aran
Meaning:
BEING, the Primordial Cause for this
ancient world, can be witnessed directly for those Yogis who have managed
to see the concealed world by opening their Third Eye of transductive
perceptions. BEING is also seeable for those who have become the humble
servants who tirelessly involve themselves in selfless service for
humanity always praising BEING with true Bakti. But among these for those
who, out of Deep Love for BEING and with a heart that melts in sincere LOVE, He
discloses Himself as the Pure Light that purifies the soul and relieves them of
all pains.
18.
«Ãý ±ý§¸¡ ¿¡ýÓ¸ý ±ý§¸¡ «Ã¢Â¡õ
ÀÃý ±ý§¸¡ Àñҽà Á¡ð§¼ý - ÓýƢÂò
¾¡ÉŨÉô À¡¾ò ¾É¢Å¢ÃÄ¡ü ¦ºüÈ¡¨É
¡ÉÅ¨É ±õÁ¡¨É þýÚ
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ. Å¢.¸)
ÓÃñ - ÅÄ¢¨Á. ¾¡ÉÅ¨É - «Ãì¸É¡¸¢Â þᎨÉ.
¦ºüÈ¡¨É - ´Î츢ÉŨÉ. ÀñÒ : þÂøÒ
¯¨Ã (¯Ä¸ý)
«¨Éò¨¾Ôõ «Æ¢òÐ ¾¡§É «ÅüÈ¢ü¦¸øÄ¡õ ¬¾¢
±ýÚ½÷òÐõ «Ãý ±ý þ¨ÈÅý ¬Ìõ. «Å§É ¾¡§É ±ÎìÌõ ÅÊÅòÐ ¿¡ýÓ¸Ûõ ±ý þ¨ÈÅý ¾¡ý.
¯Ä§¸ ¾¡É¡¸¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ ¾¢ÕÁ¡Ä¡¸¢Â ÀÃÛõ ±ý þ¨ÈÅý¾¡ý. ¦ºÕ츢ɡø ¸Â¢¨ÄÂí
¸¢Ã¢¨Â§Â «¨ºòÐ «Æ¢ì¸ ÓüÀð¼ ¬½Åò ¾¢Á¢Ã¢ý þᎨɧ µ÷ Å¢ÃÄ¡ø ¿Í츢 ¸¾È¢ «Ø¾¢¼î
¦ºö¾ þ¨ÈÅý ²ý þùÅ¡Ú þùÅ¡¦ÈøÄ¡õ §¾¡ýÚ¸¢ýÈ¡ý ±ýÀ¨¾ «È¢Â¡§¾ þ¨ÈÅÉÐ
¾üÀñÒ¸¨Ç ¦º¡ÕÀò¨¾ «È¢Â ÓÊ¡§¾ ¾Å¢ì¸¢ý§Èý ¸¡ñ!
18.
aran enkoo naanmukan enkoo
ariyaam
paran enkoo paNpuNara maaddeen - muraNaziyat
taqanavanaip paatat tanivirlaaR ceRRaanai
yaanavanai emmaanai inRu
Meaning:
The Rudra who destroys all and in
that shows that He is the Causal Ground of all is my Lord. The form of Brahma,
the creator God that He assumes is also my Lord. So is Vishnu who stands
as the world and simultaneously transcendent to it. I remain
puzzled as to why BEING, who made the arrogant RavaNa weep with unbearable pain
just by pressing a little with His toes when he try to shake off
Mount Kailash, assumes all these forms.
Comments:
BEING is REAL for He can be
witnessed DIRECTLY and in so many different ways and in archetypal forms, the
muurttams. Punitavati as is the case with all the Nayanmars and Alwars, there
is certainty in the vision. With regard
to the WAYS in which He becomes visible we have that of the Yogis who through
their yogic discipline open up their Third eye and hence activate the dormant
capacities for transductive perceptions. BEING
becomes a witnessable reality for those who are sincere servants and
praising the Lord involve themselves with the ego-killing social
services. But most of all He appears the Pure Light for those who seek to
see Him in sincere Bakti, with LOVE for God that seeks NOTHING in return except
His Grace and continuous Presence.
And when we view how exactly BEING
discloses Himself, it turns out to be at least in the experience of Punitavati
that he discloses Himself in so many archetypal forms -- Rudra, VishNu
Brahma and so forth. For Punitavati all these are HIM, the BEING and she is
disposed NOT to despise them or ridicule them as so many of the cultic
individuals are prone to do. Here visions are different certainly but
Punitavati, BENEATH each one of these
archetypal forms she sees only Sivam the BEING and hence LOVABLE as Siva is.
She has transcended the cultic patriotism and has managed to SEE the depths
where beneath each one of these archetypal presentations she sees only BEING,
the ONE.
But why this PLAY of BEING as if
wearing different masks?
The story of RavaNa, the
arrogant individual who ventured to shake the very abode of Siva and who
suffered for His arrogance holds the key to unravel this mystery.
BEING wears all these masks to
DEFEAT even the most arrogant individual who would seek to become God Himself
by DISPLACING the worship of BEING among the people and emplace himself there.
These God-Mad individuals have to be DEFEATED forever so that they remain
humble and a true servant. Thus He remains a MYSTERY, forever the
SURPLUS, the ONE who cannot be understood by the feeble human mind and thus
forever remaining the BEYOND that no individual, no matter how well
informed, will ever seek to be EQUAL to BEING.
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
We have seen that there are already the almost instinctual forces : the dual tendencies of the Will to Power and Will to Submit and Serve. Genuine Bakti unto BEING emerges only when the Will to Power is vanquished and the Will to Submit and Serve comes to dominate.
The Logical and Epistemological thrusts of the Buddhists and Jains of the times gave to Indian spiritual life with razor sharp analysis of consciousness self and so forth, were expressions of the Will to Power rather than the Will To Submit and Serve. The ratiocinative and intellectual attempts to construct various kinds of metaphysics more in ideological vain than discovering truths already there, were indirectly fostering the Ego and hence the Will to Power rather than the weakening of the ego and thereby fostering the Will to Submit and Serve.
Punitavati notes in the following verse that it has become quite easy for her (namakku eLitee) to understand BEING over and above admitting His presence only because of the LOVE she has for Him and in that becoming an egoless self. Egoism and all activities that are ego fostering (and which she attributes to the archetypes of VishNu and Brahma who emerges from His Navel) serve as mental blocks that deprive the self from witnessing directly BEING. It is to be noted here that it is the practice of LOVE in social existence that fosters this Will to Submit and Serve and hence overcome the Will to Power, Dominate . makes others worship the self and so forth.
To see the presence of BEING and be one-with Him what is needed is the culturing the self so that it becomes egoless and loving and NOT mastery in dialectical subtleties that only serve as mental blocks by fostering egotism.
19.
þýÚ ¿Á즸Ǣ§¾ Á¡ÖìÌõ ¿¡ýÓ¸üÌõ
«ýÚõ «ÇôÀâÂý ¬É¡¨É - ±ýÚ§Á¡÷
ãÅ¡ Á¾¢Â¡¨É ã§Åú ¯Ä¸í¸û
¬Å¡¨Éì ¸¡Ïõ «È¢×
(«-¨Ã ¾¢Õ Å¢.¸)
ãÅ¡ - ÓШÁ ±ö¾¡¾; ±ýÚõ µÃ¢ÂøÀ¡¸×ûÇ. ¸¡Ïõ «È¢×
±Ç¢§¾ ±ý¸.
¯¨Ã(¯Ä¸ý)
¯Ä§¸ ¾¡É¡¸ ¿¢üÌõ ÀÃÉ¢ý ¦ÀÕÅÊÅ¡¸¢Â
¾¢ÕÁ¡Ä¢üÌõ «ó¾ò ¾¢ÕÁ¡Ä¢ý ¯ó¾¢ ¸ÁÄò¾¢ø ±Øõ À¨¼ôÒì ¸¼×Ç¡¸¢Â ¿¡ýÓ¸üÌõ ¾ý ¦º¡åÀò¨¾
«ý§È ´Ç¢òÐ ¨Åò¾¢ÕôÀ¾¢ý ¸¡Ã½Á¡¸, «ýÚõ þýÉ¡ý ±ýÚ «ÇóÐ ¦¾Ã¢Â «Ã¢ÂÅÉ¡¸ þÕ츢ýÈ
Àú¢Å¨É, ¯Ä¸òÐ ±øÄ¡ ¯Â¢÷¸Ùõ ¦ºÆ¢òÐ ÅÇ÷ó§¾¡í¸¢ ¿¢üÀ¾üÌ ²ÐÅ¡¸¢Â «Ó¾î
¦º¡Ã¢Å¢ý ãÅ¡Á¾¢¨Â ¾ý º¨¼Â¢ø âñÀ¡¨É, ±øÄ¡×ĸí¸Ùõ §¾¡ýÚ¾üÌâ ºó¿¢¾¡ÉÁ¡¸
¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ «ôÀÃõ¦À¡Õ¨Ç ¸¡Ï¸¢ýÈ «È¢×, ¦ÁöÂýÀ¢ý ±Ø¸¢ýÈ À쾢¢ø «Å¨É ÅÆ¢ÀÎõ ±ÉìÌ þýÚ
±Ç¢¾¡¸¢ ¿¢üÀ¨¾ ¸¡ñ¸!
19.
inRu namakeLitee maalukkum
namukaRkum
anRum alappariyan aanaanai - enRumoor
muuvaa matiyaanai meeveez ulakaGkaL
aavaanai kaaNum aRivu
Meaning:
BEING remains beyond the
comprehension of VishNu who rules the manifest world and Brahma , the creator
God who emerges from the navel of Vishnu because HE conceals Himself (from the
various archetypal forms He assumes). This BEING who wears the forever
un-diminishing Crescent Moon that feeds the ambrosia to all the living
creatures and who stays as the GROUND for all the universes to emerge and
be-there as such has now become SOMEONE easy to comprehend f´÷ me , a humble
self who knows only to LOVE Him dearly!
Comments:
Punitavati rebels again boldly
against the Positivism of the Buddhists and Jains of the times and also the
Advaita Vedanties who followed them in essence where the WAY of Epistemology
was instituted as the highest form of Philosophical Life. Such a life is a
HEARTLESS life that finds no place for the sentiment of LOVE and
CARE and hence also for Bakti. Punitavati declares emphatically here that
BEING remains and would remain incomprehensible for anyone who would want to
MEASURE Him out in terms of various categories included here
also VishNu and Brahma as beings.
These archetypal beings presuppose
the being-there of the world and hence ignorant of the DARKNESS that
can suck in the whole world and let there pervade only a DARKNESS. BEING stands
as the ONE who can violate even this Primeval Darkness and hence beyond even
the comprehension of VisHnu who does not understand the presence of ANavam, the
Black Hole that can suck in all that is manifest. Both the world sustaining
VishNu and productivity sustaining Brahma WITHIN this manifest world presuppose
the ENPRESENTING power that is BEING (or ParaSivam) only who can violate the
ANavam and let there be LIGHT.
Thus BEING can conceal Himself and
hence remain forever the BEYOND for anyone who try to measure Him out. He
WOUNDS such ego enterprises but discloses Himself as what He is really to who
are NOT thus egoistic and have learned to approach BEING in LOVE
and only in LOVE
Genuine Bakti is NOT simply an
emotional way of relating oneself to BEING but rather in genuine LOVE and
which also earns spontaneous DISCLOSURES as what BEING is and hence
metaphysical illuminations of a profound kind.
The Icon-Thinking of Punitavati
20.Tat Twam Asi: The Saiva Interpretation
The verse below embodies the deepest insight of Punitavati and which appears to be an answer as to the real meaning of the Vedantic Mahavakkiyas “aham Brahmam asmi” ‘Tat Twam Asi” and so forth and which are variants of the claims “ I am in essence Brahman”
Punitavati sees such claims that some individuals make under certain circumstances as part of the AS-IF Game BEING plays and all in order to instruct the anmas and illuminate their mind. The average self will not dare to claim such things under ordinary circumstances. However when BEING overpowers the selves, obliterates their individuality or backgrounds it, the self is led to SEE itself as the SAME as BEING and hence burst into such declarations as the Mahavakkiyas. But this is only to make realize the self the Sat part of itself and thereby overcome and disengage from the Asat part that it is equally capable of. Thus the Mahavakkiyas serve to install and become the Sat-Self by releasing itself and becoming FREE from the Asat-Self and all by the GRACE of BEING.
And this is made possible by reinforcing the Mey KaaNal; truth seeking and collecting together only truth-experiences, the Meyp PoruL, for it is BEING who is the GROUND of truth-experiences. Each time one feels one is in truth and there is apodictic certainty about it, it means one is in total agreement with BEING, that one is seeing exactly as shown by BEING, the aRivippaan.
Thus the meaning of advaita in Saivism is NOT singleness of substance, the realization that one is in fact Brahman by piercing through the veil of illusion and delusion understanding is surrounded with and because of which one fails o see it (and which is anirvasana, beyond language) but rather the SAMNESS in ESSENCE and which is attained by the Grace and only by the Grace of BEING by the practice of Sivookam, the contemplation that one has a Sat essence over and above the Asat essence and that is the Sat-Self what one ought to be.
This view of advaita, later elaborated by Meykandar in his
Civanjanabotham, is consistent with the Fundamental Ontology of Triadism that
the different schools of Vedanta do not seem to have. It focuses on
‘ottupootal’ (agreeing with BEING) of Tirumular and ‘anniyam inmai’ (non
alienness) of Meykandar
20
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aRivaanun taanee aRivippaan
taanee
aRivaay aRikinRaan taanee - aRikinRa
meypporuLum taanee viricudar paar aakaayam
apporuLum taanee
Meaning:
For the purpose of illuminating the
creatures filled with the darkness of ignorance BEING plays a game in which He
stands as if the learner as well as the teacher who instructs in many different
ways. At that point BEING also becomes that which is TRUTH and not the falsity.
And He stands also as this vast universe with the suns and the moons earth and
the space all in order to make this learning possible.
Comments
BEING plays an AS-IF game in which
He stands as the creatures who LEARN and the Guru who instructs in so many
different ways so that LEARNING takes place and the inherent ignorance is
destroyed by the illuminations attained. BEING does not learn of course for He
is ALL KNOWING, the carvaknjan as they say. The creatures will not learn on
their own for they are submerged totally in the Metaphysical Darkness and
without any impulse to learn. Under these circumstances it is BEING who plays a
game and stands as if the anma and as if the Guru so that learning takes place
and the anma gets illuminated.
But in this it also transpires that
BEING stands as the TRUTH and hence makes the anma learn only TRUTH and not
falsities. The very purpose of existence is to LEARN and learn only truths and
not falsities. Thus BEING promotes a life of Mey KaaNal, that of TRUTH seeking
and seeing and hence the anma becoming the TRUTH beholder, the meykaNdaan. The
falsities and the mithiyak njaanam , no matter how appealing they are to
overcome the current psychological crisis will not show BEING and hence not
something promoted as the very essence of learning.
But the anma has to be taken from
the concrete to abstract, from the visible to the invisible, from the physical
to the metaphysical. Thus BEING becomes the Physical World also -- the earth,
the vast sky the celestial bodies with thousands of suns and moons. This is the
VISIBLE form of BEING, the manifest form that becomes amenable to the sense
perceptions. But He lies as the Deep Structure and becomes visible only for
those who can penetrate beneath the physical and with the Third Eye now open
see with x-ray vision the vibrant BEING beneath it all.