¾¢ÕÅ¡º¸õ 13-2 Tiruvaasakam 13-2

 

11.




Å¡ÉÅý Á¡ø«Âý ÁüÚõ¯ûǧ¾Å÷¸ðÌõ

§¸¡ý «Åý ¬ö¿¢ýÚ, Ü¼ø þÄ¡ì̽ì ÌÈ¢§Â¡ý

¬É ¦¿Îí¸¼ø ¬Ä¡Äõ «ÓЦºöÂ

§À¡É¸õ ¬ÉÅ¡ âÅøÄ¢¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡! 

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¡õ ŽíÌõ þ¨ÈÅý ±ôÀÊôÀð¼Å§É¡ ±É¢ø, Å¡É¢ø Áó¾¢Ã¦º¡åÀí¸Ç¡¸ ¦ºÂøÀÎõ ¦¾öÅí¸ðÌõ,«Å÷¸ÙìÌõ §ÁÄ¡ö ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ Óô¦ÀÕõ ¦¾öÅí¸ÙìÌõ §ÁÄ¡ö «Åü¨È¾ý¬ðº¢ì̬ìÌõºí¸¡Ã¸¡Ã½É¡¸«ÅüÈ¢ý§¸¡ý«ÅÉ¡ö¿¢ü¸¢ýÈÅý¬Ìõ.þ¾É¡øãÅ¢¨ÉôÀ𼾡¸¢Âþù×ĸ¢ýÜÊ¬í¸¡Ìõ¿¢¸úº¢ì¸¨Ç¿¼¡òÐÅÉ¡¸¢Â§À¡¾¢Öõ«ÅüÈ¢øܼøþÄ¡ì̽§Á¾ý̽Á¡¸ìÌȢ츢ýȾüÀÃÛÁ¡Ìõ.þùÅ¡Ú þÕôÀ¾¡ø¾¡ø²¨É¦¾öÅí¸Ç¡ø¬¸¡¾¸¡Ã¢ÂÁ¡¸¢ÂÁýò¾¢ý¯Ä¸«Æ¢Å¢ý¿ïº¡¸¢Â¬Ä¡Äõ,¸¼¨Ä츨¼Â«Ð¦ÅǢ¡¸,«ó¾ì¦¸¡ÊÂÅ¢„ò¨¾¾¡ý¯ñίĸ¢¨É측ìÌõ¾ý¨ÁÂý¬¸¢É¡ý.«ôÀÊôÀð¼Àæ¾öÅò¨¾ôÀ¡ÊôÀ¡Ê,«¸ò¦¾Ø»¡É¦ÅÊôÒì¸Ç¡¸¢ÂâÅøÄ¢¸¨Ç즸¡öÐÁ¸¢ú§Å¡õšã÷!

 

13-11

 

vaanavanmaalayanmaRumuLLateevarkadkum

koonavanaayninRukuudalilaakkuNakkuRiyoon

aananeduGkadalaalaalamamuthuceyya

poonakamaanavaapuuvallikoyyaamoo!

 

Meaning

 

If you ask about BEING whom we worship, let it be known that HE remains the Lord of not only the celestial beings but also the Great Gods of Vishnu Brahma and so forth. Because of this HE stands uninvolved and ABOVE all the worldly events though He is the primordial cause of it all and hence indicating that this is His identifying quality. And because of this also HE stands as the only one who can drink the poison that emerged from seas when churned by the devas andAsuras(, the poison that is the cause of both the death of the living creatures and annihilation of the cosmos as a whole. Let us sing His praise and pluck the flowers of metaphysical insights doing thus. 

 

Comments:

 

Despite what may sound a kind of religious patriotism that centers on the worship of Siva, but SIVA as BEING is worshiped so for an important reason. For Siva stands ABOVE all deities including here VishNu the Lord of Whole Cosmos, the Purusha which according to the Saivites is also a form BEING assumes as He does all other forms or archetypal forms of the celestial beings. But SIVA He is understood as the one has Power over Death and hence the Primordial Power that controls death and rebirth. Since all other divinely functions presuppose the PRESENCE of the entities they lord over but have no control over the presence or absence of the entities thus they ordain, it being left to BEING-as-Siva, the Cause of the cosmic dissolution and hence also its resurrection, He is Supreme BEING, the Power within the power of all archetypes including VishNu Rudra and Brahma and so forth. This basic metaphysical insight first becomes available in the PuraNa where the Devas and Asuras churned the Ocean ofMilk and where the most potent poison the 'aalaakalam ' emerged and where all the deities including VishNu could not control, it being left only to Siva


Thus in the conception of Siva there is this metaphysical understanding encrypted and as we ponder over and over all at this name and form, deep metaphysical insights are bound to emerge in the mind and which are understood as the Flowers ofPuuvalli here.


Tiruvaasakam 13-12
 

À¡Öõ «Ó¾Óõ §¾Û¼ý ¬õ ÀáÀÃõ ¬ö
§¸¡Äõ
ÌÇ¢÷óÐ ¯ûÇõ ¦¸¡ñ¼ À¢Ã¡ý ̨à ¸Æø¸û
»¡Äõ
ÀÃ×Å¡÷ ¿ø ¦¿È¢ ¬õ; «ó¦¿È¢§Â
§À¡Öõ
Ò¸ú À¡Ê âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý ±ýÚ ¿¡ý §À¡üÈ¢ô Ò¸Øõ ±õÀ¢Ã¡ý ±ôÀʧ¡¦ÅÉ¢ø, º¢Å»¡Éò¦¾Ç¢¨Åò ¾¡Õõ »¡ÉôÀ¡Öõ, «üÀŨ¸Â¢ø Á¡Â¡Ð Áýò¨¾ ¦ÅøÄò¾Õõ «Ó¾Óõ, ¾¢¸ð¼¡ §ÀâýÀî ͨŨ ÅüÈ¡Ð «ÕÙõ §¾Ûõ ¾¡§É ±É ¿¢üÌõ ÀáÀÃõ ¬Ìõ. ºí¸¡Ãò ¾¡ñ¼ÅòÐ ¸ÎﺢÉòÐ ±Ã¢ÔÕ §À¡ì¸¢ ÌÇ¢÷ó¾ §¸¡Äò¾¢ø «ý§À ÅÊÅ¡¸ ¿¢ýÚ ±ý ¯ûÇò¨¾ ¸Å÷ó¾ÅÛõ ¬Ìõ. þùÅ¡Ú «Åý ¬Îõ ¾¡ñ¼Åò¨¾ ¸ñÎ ¸ñΠ̨à ¸Æø¸û §À¡üÈ¢ÂÅ¡Ú »¡Ä¾¢ø «Åý þÕôÀ¨¾ ¾ÅÈ¡Ð ¸ñÎ þù×ĸò¨¾ þ¸Æ¡Ð §À¡üÚÅ¡÷ ¦¿È¢§Â ¾¢Õ¦¿È¢ ¬õ ±ýÈÅ¡Ú , «ó¦¿È¢§Â §À¡Öõ ¿¡ý ¦ºøÅÐ ±ýÈî º¢ó¨¾Â¢ø þ¨ÈÅÉÐ Ò¸úÀ¡Ê ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ º¢Å»¡É âÅøÄ¢¸¨Ç ¦¸¡öÐ Á¸¢ú§Å¡õ šã÷!
 

13-12

 

paalum amutamum  teenudan aam paraaparam aay

koolam kuLirntatu uLLam koNda piraan kurai kazalkaL

njaalam paravivaar nal neRi aam; anneRiyee

poolum pukaz paadi puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning

 

If you ask what kind of being is Sivaperuman whom we always worship, let me tell you.  It is as if HE is the one of Pure Milk that affords true metaphysical illuminations, the one who feeds the ambrosia of eternal youthful vitality and the one who feeds the Honey of ever blissful experience. Such a BEING shape-changes from that of the fiery and destructive Form into the cool and loving and thus stole my heart.  Hence praying the ever rustling twin feet of BEING who dances the Cosmic Dance tirelessly, and thinking we are in the same WAY as those who praise   the world itself as BEING, let us sing the praise of Siva and pluck the flowers of deep metaphysical illuminations.

 

Comments

 

Here emerges what can be said to be a critique of the Maya Vada Vedanta that breeds distrust in everything worldly and promotes a life of negation, or discarding of the earthly. Here negating the world  as something despicable is quite different from GROWING OUT OF IT through learning all the secrets the world harbors within it. When the world ceases to be any more mysterious and because it’s essences are known, it ceases to bind and fascinate us. Thus emerges again the hermeneutics  where the world is taken as a TEXT the Deep Structure of which is BEING, Sivaperumaan for the Saivites.

The world must be understood for the DANCE of BEING is there to be seen and hence how BEING stands as the world itself. The World is the Magnificent TEXT that when properly interpreted and understood furnishes also a genuine understanding of BEING. Thus the Saivites avoid the mistake of the Advaitins who pursue a life of negation rather than of understanding and Manikkavasakar feels that he is also one of such hermeneutists who seek to understand the world and through that BEING Himself.  The world as a whole is a genuine presentation of BEING and hence we gain an understanding of BEING Himself when we understand the world, the existence that wrought in it.

 

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-13

 

«ýÚ ¬Ä ¿£Æø ¸£ú «Õ Á¨È¸û ¾¡ý «ÕÇ¢

¿ýÚ ¬¸ Å¡ÉÅ÷ Á¡ ÓÉ¢Å÷ ¿¡û§¾¡Úõ

¿¢ýÚ ¬Ã ²òÐõ ¿¢¨È ¸Æ§Ä¡ý, Ò¨Éì ¦¸¡ý¨Èô

¦À¡ý¾¡Ð À¡Ê, ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

µÕ ¸¡Äò¾¢ø À¢ÃõÁÒò¾¢Ã÷¸Ç¡¸¢Â ºÉ¸¡¾¢ ÓÉ¢Å÷¸û ÓüȢ ÓبÁÂ¡É »¡Éõ ¡¦¾ýÚ Å¢º¡Ã¢ò¾Å¡Ú þ¨ÈÅ¨É ¿¡¼, , ¾ðº¢½¡ã÷÷¾¢ §¸¡Äò¾¢ø ¸øÄ¡Ä ÁÃò¾¢ý ¸£ú «Á÷ó¾Å¡Ú º¢ýÓò¾¢¨Ã ÅƢ¡¸ ±Ç¢¾¢ø ¸¢ð¼¡¾ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸¨Ç «ÕÇ¢ «¾ý ÅÆ¢ ÀÄ «Ã¢Â Á¨È»¡É áü¸û ±ØžüÌì ¸¡Ã½Á¡Â¢Éý. þ¾É¡ø ¯ñ¨ÁÂ¡É Àò¾¢¦Â¡Î Å¡ÉÅ÷¸Ùõ Á¡ ÓÉ¢Å÷¸Ùõ ¿¡û §¾¡Úõ þò¾¨¸Â »¡Éõ ¾¡Óõ Á¸¢Æ «Åý «Ê¸£ú ¿¢ýÚ ¬Ãò ¦¾¡Ø¸¢ýÈ ¬¼ÅøÄ¡É¡¸ò ¾¨Éì ¸¡ðÎõ ¿¢¨È ¸Æ§Ä¡ý ±õ þ¨ÈÅý. «Åý þùÅ¡Ú Å¢¼¡Ð ÀÃôÀ¢ì¦¸¡ñ§¼Â¢ÕìÌõ »¡Éî ͼ÷¸Ç¡¸¢Â Ýθ¢ýÈ ¦¸¡ý¨Èô âÅ¢ý ¦À¡ý ¾¡Ð츨Çô À¡ÊÂÅ¡,  «Ð¦À¡ØÐ ¿õ «¸ò¾¢§Ä »¡Éí¸Ç¡¸ ¦ÅÊìÌõ âÅøÄ¢¸¨Ç ¦¸¡ö§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

AnRu aala niizal kiiz aru maraikaL taan aruLi

NanRu aakaa vaanavar maa munivar naaLtooRum

NinRu aara eettum niRai kazaloon, punaik konRai

Pontaatu paadi, naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

Once the sons of the Brahma, the munis of Janaka and so forth beseeched BEING to teach them deep metaphysical truths whereupon BEING assumed the form of TatciNamurti and sitting in the cool shades of the Banyan Tree taught them the Absolute Understanding through the Cin Mudra and because of which there arose many scriptures. Because of this the devas and great rishis, staying within the vicinity of BEING, who shows Himself as the Dancer of brilliant anklets,  sing His praises everyday so that they too can enjoy such deep metaphysical illuminations.  Let us note that BEING continuously scatters such pollens from the  KonRai flowers He wears and singing His praise, pluck the flowers of deep metaphysical wisdom that blossom in our heart!

Comments:

All human beings are capable of being both  a sisya, a student and a Guru, the teacher. There is already within all of us the capacity for LEARNING and TEACHING. And as we go along these ways there comes a point when, among some,  the metaphysical understanding is more than average and hence the person tends to become  more specially a Guru rather than a sisya. However there is a Guru within such Gurus and that is the TaciNamurthy, the archetypal form BEING assumes for the purpose of illuminating the souls the mysteries of Absolute Understanding that only He can teach.

He is the teacher of the teachers and the gurus of the World,  write scriptures of various kinds depending upon the kind of understanding they gain. And those among them who knows this, in all humility,  remain in the vicinity of BEING and without trying to become God unto ordinary folks, fervently praise BEING so that they continue enjoying further and further metaphysical disclosures of a deep kind. Such illuminations are symbolically communicated  in terms of the pollens that spread from the KonRai flowers that Siva wears.

Mindful of this the genuine Adiyars will sing the praise of BEING, who is the FINAL source of Sivanjaanam and enjoy the blossoms of such an njanam deep in themselves.

Tiruvaasakam 13-14

À¼õ ¬¸ ±ý ¯û§Ç ¾ý þ¨½ô §À¡Ð «¨Å «Ç¢òÐ þíÌ

þ¼õ ¬¸ì ¦¸¡ñÊÕó¾, ²¸õÀõ §Á À¢Ã¡ý

¾¼õ ¬÷ Á¾¢ø ¾¢ø¨Ä «õÀħÁ ¾¡ý þ¼Á¡

¿¼õ ¬ÎÁ¡ À¡Ê ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¡ñÎõ «Æ¢Â¡î º¢ò¾¢ÃÁ¡¸ ¾ý «Æ¸¢Â ¾¡Á¨Ã¸¨Çô §À¡ýÈ ¾¢ÕÅʸ¨Ç ±ý ¯û§Ç À¾¢Å¢òÐ «¾ý ÅÆ¢ ¦Áö»¡Éõ «Ç¢ì¸¢ýÈ ±õ ¦ÀÕÁ¡ý þó¾ ²¸õÀõ ±ýÛõ ¾¢ÕôÀ¾¢¨ÂÔõ §ÁÅ¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ¡ý. ¾£Â «Æ¢ôÒî ºì¾¢¸û ¡Ðõ Ò¸¡ Ũ¸ ¯Ú¾¢Â¡É ¸ÅºÁ¡¸ þÕìÌõ ¦Àâ Á¾¢ü ÍÅ÷¸û  ±øÄ¡ò ¾¢¨º¸Ç¢Öõ Å¢ÇíÌõ, ±øÄ¡ ¾¢ÕÅ¢¨Ç¡¼ø¸ÙìÌõ ãÄ þ¼Á¡¸¢Â ¾¢Õò ¾¢ø¨ÄÂõ À¾¢¨Â§Â ¾ý þ¼Á¡¸ì ¦¸¡ñÎ «ÂáР¬Ê즸¡ñ§¼ þÕìÌõ «ó¾ Üò¾ ¦ÀÕÁ¡¨Éô À¡ÊÂÅ¡, «Ð ¦À¡ØÐ «¸ò¾¢§Ä ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ »¡Éôâì¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Ç ¦¸¡öÐ Á¸¢ú§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

 

Padam aaka en uLLee tan iNaip pootu avai aLiththu iGku

Idam aakak koNdirunta, eekampam meeya piraan

Tadam aar matil tillai ambalamee taan idamaa

Nadam aadumaa paadi naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

BEING who has implanted His twin lotus-feet deep within me as if undeletable pictures and thus granting me deep illuminations is also the One who pervades the Temple of Ekampam as His own. Let us sing the praise of this Dancing Lord who stays permanently in the sacred Tillai, the primordial Ground of every movement, well protected from the destructive forces with immensely thick and strong walls, and enjoy plucking the flowers of deep illuminations that blossom as we do that!

 

Comments:

 

BEING is peculiar in that He can be in the heart of human beings as well as the power that pervades a Temple. The gifted individuals, like Manikkasakar Njana Sambantar and so forth understand this and sing it  as a central theme in their hymns. For Sambantar, the Thief who stole his heart is also the BEING who pervades the Piramapuram, the Temple in Sikaazi. They see SAMENESS in the archetypal form that possesses them and that which pervades and gives the spiritual aura for the temples.

 

But there are different ways in which BEING can be present within and here we have BEING as the DANCER placing not His Whole Form but only the FEET and that too in the shape of beautiful Lotus flowers and which is metaphor for the LOVE that BEING shows towards the creatures. The Lotus is the shape of BINDU, the Feminine and which is simultaneously the shape of Love and Grace.

 

It is because of this that Manikkavasakar is blessed with the vision of the Cosmic Dance that BEING executes in Tillai assuming the form of Siva Sakti. The Tillai is well protected for no evil and destructive force can ever penetrate into it and disturb the Dance of Bliss of Siva-Sakti where both the Natam and Bindu are agitated and myriads of forms and shapes are continually created. This process continues unaffected by the annihilation and destruction elsewhere so that the universe continues despite all kinds of catastrophes. Even if the whole cosmos is destroyed,  BEING is there in this Tillai, to renew it all and let there be  the world again.

 

Such an understanding of the Cosmic Reality is that which is being enjoyed by Manikkavasakar and which when firmly established and extolled through singing hymns,  would furnish further insights into the workings of the universe and hence some mysteries unfolded.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

The Metaphor of Cosmic Dance

One of most enduring and universally present notion that unifies the Dravidian and hence Agamic Hindu religious thought is that of the  Dance Metaphor that is captured in the world famous Siva Nadarajah image that is rightly projected as the most alluring achievement of Hindus as a whole.  It has provided the anchor within which to accommodate the new insight that became available either as developments within or without. Ananda Kumarasamy, who made a detailed study of this image in his famous essay “The Dance of Siva” concludes as follows:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

    In these days of specialization, we are not accustomed to such a synthesis of thought; but for those who 'saw' such images as this, there could have been no division of life and thought   into water-tight compartments. Nor do we always realize, when we criticize the merits of individual works, the full extent of the creative power which, to borrow a musical analogy, could discover a mode so expressive of fundamental rhythms and so profoundly significant and inevitable.

    Every part of such an image as this is directly expressive, not of any mere superstition or dogma, but of evident facts. No artists of today, however great, could  more exactly or more wisely create an image of that Energy which science must postulate behind all phenomena. If we would reconcile Time with Eternity, we can scarcely do so otherwise than by the conception of alterations of phase extending over vast regions of space and great tracts of time. Especially significant, then, is the phase alternation implied by the drum, and the fire which 'changes', destroys. These are but visual symbols of the theory of the day and night of Brahma.

    In the night of Brahma, Nature is inert, and cannot dance till Shiva wills it; He rises from his rapture, and dancing sends through inert matter pulsing waves of awakening sound, and lo! matter also dances appearing as a glory round about Him. Dancing, He sustains its manifold phenomena. In the fullness of time, still dancing, he destroys all forms and names by fire and gives new rest. This is poetry; but not less, science.

    It is not strange that the figure of Nataraja has commanded the adoration of so many generations past familiar with all skepticisms, expert in tracing all beliefs to primitive superstitions,  explores of the infinitely great and infinitely small, we are worshippers of Nataraja still.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What is interesting is to note the presence of this metaphor in the 3rd millennium BC itself and in the Sumerian notion of Paradise:

Tamil

7. aasninee Tilmun-a uunee nadiyin ( Alone in Tilmun they danced)

 

8. kiiz Enkii tamanitaodu paNNidu nadi abba ( When Enki with His wife executed the Dance (of Bliss) )

 

9. kiizbi sukkil aam kiilbi salaGsalagkaam ( the plce is pure and full of musical sounds)

 

19 kiiz Enkii Nin sukkilla paNNidu nadam abba ( The place (is so) when Enki with His consort the Pure Woman executes the Dance)

 

Right from these ancient days the Tamils have sung eloquently this dance of Siva-Sakti and contemplating on it, have gained deep metaphysical visions such those of the Tirumantiram of Tirumular who has also composed many beautiful verses on this DANCE. Prior to that we have this dance described very elegantly as KadavuL Vaazttu, in Praise of God in many SaGkam classics such PatiRRuppattu Kalittokai and so forth. During the Bakti period we have all the great Saivite saints composing moving hymns describing this DANCE. The VaishNava Azwars too describe BEING as Liila vinothan and understand Tirumaal in terms of it. The Saktas also understand BEING-as-Woman in terms of the same. And lately during the 14th cent. we have the Siddhas  describing the world events in terms of Magical Play of a kind, connected with Amirta kalaiknjaanam, the Paly where BEINg blesses the soul with Amirtam, the ambrosia of eternal youthful vitality.

 

Below I provide a description of the same by Manikkavasakar, certainly the most moving philosopher-poet of  the whole of India, who by his immensely moving lyrics even managed to capture the devotion of  a missionary such as G.U. Pope, who came to convert but who became converted instead, it would appear,  to Saivism

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Padam aaka en uLLee tan iNaip pootu avai aLiththu iGku

Idam aakak koNdirunta, eekampam meeya piraan

Tadam aar matil tillai ambalamee taan idamaa

Nadam aadumaa paadi naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

BEING who has implanted His twin lotus-feet deep within me as if undeletable pictures and thus granting me deep illuminations is also the One who pervades the Temple of Ekampam as His own. Let us sing the praise of this Dancing Lord who stays permanently in the sacred Tillai, the primordial Ground of every movement, well protected from the destructive forces with immensely thick and strong walls, and enjoy plucking the flowers of deep illuminations that blossom as we do that!

 

Comments:

 

BEING is peculiar in that He can be in the heart of human beings as well as the power that pervades a Temple. The gifted individuals, like Manikkasakar Njana Sambantar and so forth understand this and sing it  as a central theme in their hymns. For Sambantar, the Thief who stole his heart is also the BEING who pervades the Piramapuram, the Temple in Sikaazi. They see SAMENESS in the archetypal form that possesses them and that which pervades and gives the spiritual aura for the temples.

 

But there are different ways in which BEING can be present within and here we have BEING as the DANCER placing not His Whole Form but only the FEET and that too in the shape of beautiful Lotus flowers and which is metaphor for the LOVE that BEING shows towards the creatures. The Lotus is the shape of BINDU, the Feminine and which is simultaneously the shape of Love and Grace.

 

It is because of this that Manikkavasakar is blessed with the vision of the Cosmic Dance that BEING executes in Tillai assuming the form of Siva Sakti. The Tillai is well protected for no evil and destructive force can ever penetrate into it and disturb the Dance of Bliss of Siva-Sakti where both the Natam and Bindu are agitated and myriads of forms and shapes are continually created. This process continues unaffected by the annihilation and destruction elsewhere so that the universe continues despite all kinds of catastrophes. Even if the whole cosmos is destroyed,  BEING is there in this Tillai, to renew it all and let there be  the world again.

 

Such an understanding of the Cosmic Reality is that which is being enjoyed by Manikkavasakar and which when firmly established and extolled through singing hymns,  would furnish further insights into the workings of the universe and hence some mysteries unfolded.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Tiruvaasakam 13-15

«í¸¢ «Õì¸ý þáŽý «ó¾¸ý ÜüÈý

¦ºõ ¸ñ «Ã¢, «Âý, þó¾¢ÃÛõ ºó¾¢ÃÛõ

Àí¸õ þø ¾ì¸Ûõ ±îºÛõ ¾õ ÀÃ¢Í «Æ¢Â

¦À¡í¸¢Â º£÷ À¡Ê ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¾¡§É ¾ÉìÌò ¾¨ÄÅÉ¡¸¢Â ¾üÀÃÉ¡¸¢Â º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ÛìÌì ¸£§Æ «¼í¸¢Â ¯ÕÅí¸Ç¡¸ þÕìÌõ «ì¿¢, ÝâÂý, ºó¾¢Ãý, þó¾¢Ã§Ä¡¸òÐ §Åó¾ý ¬¸¢ÂÅü§È¡Î, Òá½ ¯ÕÅí¸Ç¡¸¢Â þáŽý «ó¾¸¡ÍÃý ¬¸¢ÂÅü§È¡Î Áýò¨¾Ôõ Áý¡Åò¨¾¸¨ÇÔõ ¾ÃÅøÄ ÜüÚŧɡÎ, ¾üÀÃòÐÅò¨¾ ±ð¼¡¾ ¦ºí¸ñ Á¡ø À¢ÃõÁò§¾Åý ¬¸¢ÂÅ÷¸§Ç¡Î, «¼ì¸Á¢øÄ¡¾ ¾ì¸Ûõ ±îºÛõ ¾õ ¦º¡åÀõ «Æ¢óÐ º¢ÅòÐÅõ  Á¸¢Øõ Ũ¸Â¢ø  º¢ÉóÐ ±Øó¾ «ôÀÃõ¦À¡ÕÇ¢ý «Õû º£üÈò¨¾ô À¡Êô À¡Ê «¾É¡ø ¯¾¢ìÌõ »¡§É¡¾Âí¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡öÐ Á¸¢ú§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

aGki arukkan iraavaNan antakan kuuRRan

cem kaN ari ayan intiranum cantiranum

paGkam il takkanum eccanum tam parisu aziya

poGkiya siir paadi naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

There are these little archetypes of Fire, Sun, Moon and the puranic figures of IravaNa Antakasuura, Indra and so forth that people worship. There are also people  who worship the god of death, the arrogant Takkan Eccan and so forth. There are also people who worship the Red-eyed Vishnu and Brahma who are assumed as the most high. However let us sing the glorious of BEING who arose in anger and destroyed these beings so that they would too enjoy the Sivattuvam, the highest metaphysical essence and enjoy the flowers of metaphysical illuminations that burst into us then as we sing thus!

 

Comments:

 

Saivism promotes what can be called Oneness-within- Manyness, the ONE as the deep structure of all that are deemed as worship worthy. The various archetypal presentations are contextual appearances of the ONE BEING and hence are  NOT the most High. Such elements that have encroached into the religious practices of mankind are the heavenly figures of sun and moon, the basic elements of Fire Earth Wind Water and the Sky, the puranic figures of Iravana Antakasuura Taksa Ecca and so forth. And though The Red-eyed Vishnu and Brahma as distinct from these,  belong to the basic Trinity, but since they are NOT fully autonomous like BEING, they are also listed here along with these archetypes. For as Deep Structure of these and as the highest we still have BEING, the Parasivan according to the Saivites.

 

Manikavasakar notes that this BEING, this Parasivan who is Lord unto Himself having no one higher than Himself, bursts forth from depths and destroying the archetypal essence of these figures,  bestows Sivattuvam, the essential SAMENESS with BEING.

 

This is the highest and the faultless understanding of BEING and hence something that would bestow further deep metaphysical truths upon one should one immerse oneself in this understanding, and sings about it so that there  would  be weakening of  the resistances the rational mind builds around itself.

 

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-16

¾¢ñ §À¡÷ Å¢¨¼Â¡ý, º¢ÅÒÃò¾¡÷ §À¡÷ ²Ú,

ÁñÀ¡ø ÁШâø À¢ðÎ «ÓÐ ¦ºö¾ÕÇ¢

¾ñ¼¡§Ä À¡ñÊÂý ¾ý¨Éô À½¢¦¸¡ñ¼

Òñ À¡¼ø À¡Ê ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ì ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¿¡õ ŽíÌõ º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡ý ÅüÈ¡¾ ţâÂò¨¾ ÅÆí¸ÅøÄ ÀÄõ Á¢ì¸ §À¡÷ ÅøÄ  Å¢¼¨Ä ¦Åû§ÇüÈ¢¨É ¾ý Å¡¸ÉÁ¡¸ ¯¨¼ÂÅý. ¾ÁÐ ¦Áö»¡Éò¾¢ýý º¢ÈôÀ¡ø ¡Å÷ º¢ÅÒÃõ «¨¼¸¢ýÈ¡÷¸§Ç¡, «Å÷¸û ¾£Âºò¾¢¸§Ç¡Î  Á¡È¡Ð §À¡÷ ¦¾¡Î츢ýÈ Å£Ã¢Âò¨¾ «ÕÙ¸¢ýÈ §À¡÷ ²ÚÁ¡Ìõ. «ò§¾¡Î ¬ýÁ¡ì¸¨Ç ¬ñÎ ÁШâø ´÷ ¦¾¡ñ¼ý À¡ø Åó¾ÕÇ¢  µ÷ Ó¾¢§Â¡ðÌ Áñ ÍÁóÐõ  «Åû «Ç¢ò¾ À¢ðʨÉÔõ «ÓÐ ¦ºö¾Åý ¬Ìõ. §ÁÖõ «Ð¦À¡ØÐ À¡ñÊ ÁýÉý «Å¨Éî º¢ÉóÐ ¾ñ¼¡§Ä Ò¨¼ì¸, «ÅÅÄ¢ «¨ÉŨÃÔõ ¦ºýȨ¼Â «¾ý ÅÆ¢ «ôÀ¡ñÊ ÁýɨÉÔõ ¾ÉìÌ ¬Ç¡ì¸¢Â ¦ÀÕ󾨸Ôõ ¬Ìõ. þùÅ¡Ú À¡ñÊÂÉ¡ø þ¨ÈÅý Àð¼ Òñ½¢¨É À¡ÊÂÅ¡Ú, þ¨ÈÅÉÐ ¾¢ÕÅ¢¨Ç¡¼Ä¸¨Ç ±ñ½¢ ±ñ½¢ «Ð ¦À¡ØÐ ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡öÐ Á¸¢ú§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-16

 

TiN poor vidaiyaan, civapurattaar poor eeRu,

MaNpaal maturaiyil piddu amutu ceytaruLi

TaNdaalee paaNdiyan tannaip paNikoNda

PuNpaadal paadi naam puuvallik koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

Siva whom we worship has as His vehicle the Bull that is capable of ferocious battles.  Thos who, because metaphysical illuminations, gain entry into Civapuram, are given untiring energy to battle the evil forces by this Bull. This Siva of this Bull is also possesses the individuals like the one who served an Old women to build a wall against the floods for the PaNdiyan King and who ate the Piddu offered by that Old Women. He overpowered that PaNdiya King and made him serve Him by making the pain felt by all when that PaNdiyan whipped him for unruly behavior. Let us sing that pain and enjoy the flowers of metaphysical illuminations that become available as we do that.

 

Comments:

 

Saivism has as its theoretical framework Mantrayana in which BEING is seen as the one creates myriads of Mantra-forms and with which He posses the anmas and make them do things that are willed by Him. BEING does not become avatars but rather assumes various mantra-forms with which He possesses the anmas, overpowers them and makes them His agents. Thus he can possess the soul of a person and make them do things in accordance with His Will as it happened in the case of an Old Woman who did not have anyone to help her out when  a PaNdiya King issued an order that everyone should contribute towards building an embankment to arrest the floods. Siva helped out this woman by possessing the soul of person and made him serve as the servant for that Old Woman and also ate the rice-cakes offered by her. However it was shown that it was Siva Himself who was doing all that when the pains was made felt by all on being whipped for unruly behavior by the PaNdiya King, after which the King also became a servant of Siva.

 

This situation explains the notion of TiruviLaiyadal, the Sacred Games Siva plays and because of which the world moves as it does. The notion of Sacred Play gives the Saivites a concept for historiography, the way to understand the natural and historical events.

 

BEING-as-Siva is one-with all and MOVES along-with but at the same time remains ABOVE all so that the historical events do not affect Him

 

 

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-17

Óý ¬Â Á¡ø «ÂÛõ Å¡ÉÅÕõ ¾¡ÉÅÕõ

¦À¡ý ¬÷ ¾¢ÕÅÊ ¾¡õ «È¢Â¡÷; §À¡üÚŧ¾?

±ý ¬¸õ ¯û ÒÌóÐ ¬ñΦ¸¡ñ¼¡ý þÄíÌ «½¢Â¡õ

Àø ¿¡¸õ À¡Ê, ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¦ÅÇ¢ôÀð¼ àÃì ¸¡ðº¢ìÌ ¸¡½ÅÕõ §¾¡ýÈ¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ ¯Ä¸¢üÌ ¾¨ÄÅÉ¡¸¢Â ¾¢ÕÁ¡Öõ, «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ À¨¼ì¸¢ýÈ «ÂÛõ, Áó¾¢Ã ºì¾¢¸Ç¡¸¢Â à šÉÅÕõ  ÁÄí¸§Ç¡Î ¦À¡Õó¾¢Â «Ãì¸÷¸Ùõ, «ôÀ¡ÖìÌ «ôÀ¡ø ¡ñÎí ¸ÃóÐÕÅ¡¸§Å ¿¢üÌõ ÀÃÁ¨ÉÔõ, ±øÄ¡ ͸í¸Ç¢ý ãÄÓÁ¡¸¢Â «ÅÉÐ ¦À¡ý ¬÷ ¾¢ÕÅʸ¨ÇÔõ «Åü¨Èì ¦¸¡ñÎ

¿¼òÐõ ¾¢Õò¾¡ñ¼Åò¨¾Ôõ «È¢Â¡Ð ¸¢¼ôÀ¾¢ý, º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡É¢ý ¾ü¦º¡åÀõ ¯½÷óÐ §À¡üÚÅ÷ «øÄáõ. þôÀÊôÀð¼ þ¨ÈÅý ¾¡§É ¾ý «ÇôÀÕí ¸Õ¨½Â¢ý ±ý ¬¸õ ÒÌóÐ ±ý¨É ¯ûÙõ ÒÈõÒõ ¬ð¦¸¡ñ¼§¾¡Î ÁðÎÁ¢Ä¡Ð, «ÇôÀâ Ìñ¼Ä¢É¢ ºò¾¢¨Âò ¾ÃÅøÄÅý ¾¡§É ±ýÀ¨¾ ÀÄ ¿¡¸í¸¨Çô âñ¼ÅÉ¡¸ò ¾¨Éì ¸¡ðÊ «ÕÙõ þ¨ÈŨÉô À¡Êô À¡Ê «¾É¡ø ÅÕ¸¢ýÈ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ö§Å¡õ šã÷!

Tiruvaasakam 13-17

Mun aaya maal ayanum vaanavarum taanavarum

Pon aar tivadi taam aRiyaar; pooRRuvatee?

En aakam uL pukuntu aaNdu koNdaan ilaGku aNiyaam

Pal naakam paadi, naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

 

Meaning:

 

BEING, because absolutely transcendent and always ABOVE all and always the hidden and concealed, is beyond the comprehension of VishNu, the Lord of the Manifest Universe and Brahma the Lord of all creations and the pure celestial beings, the devas, and impure celestial beings, the Asuras. They will not worship BEING-as-SIVA because they do not understand the Cosmic Dance BEING enacts with His Golden Feet and by which He makes it possible the gold or everlasting happiness something enjoyable by creatures.  Such a BEING, on His accord has entered my body and empowered me within and without. He also discloses through shown Himself as the one who wears many snakes, that It is He who  afford the KuNdalini Sakti for the anmas. Praising thus and singing His glories, let us enjoy the blossoms of metaphysical wisdom that unfold in our bosom!

 

Comments:

 

Saivism understands BEING as always totally ABOVE, absolutely transcendent, the wholly Mysterious and hence always the Incomprehensible. However as the WILL behind every movement in the world and because of which the creatures are able to ACT, LEARN and become PURE by destroying the darkness of Ignorance deep within, He also discloses Himself as PRESENCE in the world. Saivites understand the great gods Tirumaal or VishNu and Brahma along with, Rudra the ROOT archetypes of this cosmic management, the lesser mantra bodies being the devas who are pure and asuras who are impure as still under the management of BEING-as-Siva.  These beings are constituted such that they do not UNDERSTAND the BEING-the -DANCER as a presence deep within themselves and managing them also.

 

Manikkavasakar also explains here through personal experience that BEING-as-SIVA can overpower both the body and soul of man and which is an expression of His Grace. The body becomes thereby the veritable temple immune to the attacks of the impure forces the asuras, devils, ghosts etc and who can be deadly. BEING  in disclosing Himself as the wearer of many snakes, the symbol of KuNdalini Sakti, also instructs on the fact once the soul and body are kept PURE, a place fit for the presence of BEING, there will be boundless flow of KuNdalini Sakti and hence longevity youthful vitality and good health.

 

 

Siva : the Lord Wearing the Snakes:

 

Right from Sumerian times we see a peculiarity in the metaphysical thinking of the Dravidians and which I have termed Iconic-thinking. This became the WAY of religious life during the Bakti period where the figures of Siva and VishNu came to dominate the metaphysical thinking as we can see in the hymns of Nayanmars and Alwars. The archetypal presentations of BEING as Siva muurttams (absorbing within the Ambal Muruka Vinayaka etc) and VishNu muurttams (absorbing within it Brahma etc) were not only worshipped but also metaphysically reflected upon and in course of which deep metaphysical illuminations burst within illuminating the soul. Because of this Agamic Hinduism came to enshrine idol worship or muurttam-worship as the central feature of religious life and for which purpose temples are raised and idols installed with appropriate prayers mantra recitals festivals and so forth.

 

 The ignorant fools and who are NOT pedagogically inclined in the metaphysical life, may not appreciate the enormous practical implications of worship and contemplation of various ICONS of BEING. But for the Nayanmars and Alwars, who knew that while BEING is above all and who can also present Himself as the formless reality, as Pure Radiance and so forth, does in fact present himself as many MUURTTAMS  or Peruvadivu and all to illuminate the human mind full of the Darkness of Ignorance.

 

In the following verse of Manikkavasakar, the composer of the most moving lyrics in the world, we have an instance of this, an interpretive understanding BEING-as-SIVA who also presents Himself as the archetype wearing numerous snakes as His ornaments. Certainly this is primitive going back to the early stages of Shamanism where a priest, wearing the snakes would probably have danced as part of the religious rituals as they still do in many parts of the world including in Italy and not far from Rome.

 

The Snake represents the KuNdalini, the Coiled Power, the primeval sexual Libido, perhaps akin to the Id of Freudian Psychology but which on being transformed becomes the psychic energy of various kinds that helps in sustaining the body and mind in good shape. BEING-as-SIVA and as the wearer of the snakes also indicates that He is the Kameshwaran, the manager of the sexual libido and hence also good health and longevity. He blesses the deserving with a satisfying family life and throws the undeserving into Sannyasam, into a life of inner desert ecology where they simply dry up and all perhaps to kill their arrogant ego.

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-17

Óý ¬Â Á¡ø «ÂÛõ Å¡ÉÅÕõ ¾¡ÉÅÕõ

¦À¡ý ¬÷ ¾¢ÕÅÊ ¾¡õ «È¢Â¡÷; §À¡üÚŧ¾?

±ý ¬¸õ ¯û ÒÌóÐ ¬ñΦ¸¡ñ¼¡ý þÄíÌ «½¢Â¡õ

Àø ¿¡¸õ À¡Ê, ¿¡õ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¦ÅÇ¢ôÀð¼ àÃì ¸¡ðº¢ìÌ ¸¡½ÅÕõ §¾¡ýÈ¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ ¯Ä¸¢üÌ ¾¨ÄÅÉ¡¸¢Â ¾¢ÕÁ¡Öõ, «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ À¨¼ì¸¢ýÈ «ÂÛõ, Áó¾¢Ã ºì¾¢¸Ç¡¸¢Â à šÉÅÕõ  ÁÄí¸§Ç¡Î ¦À¡Õó¾¢Â «Ãì¸÷¸Ùõ, «ôÀ¡ÖìÌ «ôÀ¡ø ¡ñÎí ¸ÃóÐÕÅ¡¸§Å ¿¢üÌõ ÀÃÁ¨ÉÔõ, ±øÄ¡ ͸í¸Ç¢ý ãÄÓÁ¡¸¢Â «ÅÉÐ ¦À¡ý ¬÷ ¾¢ÕÅʸ¨ÇÔõ «Åü¨Èì ¦¸¡ñÎ

¿¼òÐõ ¾¢Õò¾¡ñ¼Åò¨¾Ôõ «È¢Â¡Ð ¸¢¼ôÀ¾¢ý, º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡É¢ý ¾ü¦º¡åÀõ ¯½÷óÐ §À¡üÚÅ÷ «øÄáõ. þôÀÊôÀð¼ þ¨ÈÅý ¾¡§É ¾ý «ÇôÀÕí ¸Õ¨½Â¢ý ±ý ¬¸õ ÒÌóÐ ±ý¨É ¯ûÙõ ÒÈõÒõ ¬ð¦¸¡ñ¼§¾¡Î ÁðÎÁ¢Ä¡Ð, «ÇôÀâ Ìñ¼Ä¢É¢ ºò¾¢¨Âò ¾ÃÅøÄÅý ¾¡§É ±ýÀ¨¾ ÀÄ ¿¡¸í¸¨Çô âñ¼ÅÉ¡¸ò ¾¨Éì ¸¡ðÊ «ÕÙõ þ¨ÈŨÉô À¡Êô À¡Ê «¾É¡ø ÅÕ¸¢ýÈ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ö§Å¡õ šã÷!

Tiruvaasakam 13-17

Mun aaya maal ayanum vaanavarum taanavarum

Pon aar tivadi taam aRiyaar; pooRRuvatee?

En aakam uL pukuntu aaNdu koNdaan ilaGku aNiyaam

Pal naakam paadi, naam puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

 

Meaning:

 

BEING, because absolutely transcendent and always ABOVE all and always the hidden and concealed, is beyond the comprehension of VishNu, the Lord of the Manifest Universe and Brahma the Lord of all creations and the pure celestial beings, the devas, and impure celestial beings, the Asuras. They will not worship BEING-as-SIVA because they do not understand the Cosmic Dance BEING enacts with His Golden Feet and by which He makes it possible the gold or everlasting happiness something enjoyable by creatures.  Such a BEING, on His accord has entered my body and empowered me within and without. He also discloses through shown Himself as the one who wears many snakes, that It is He who  afford the KuNdalini Sakti for the anmas. Praising thus and singing His glories, let us enjoy the blossoms of metaphysical wisdom that unfold in our bosom!

 

Comments:

 

Saivism understands BEING as always totally ABOVE, absolutely transcendent, the wholly Mysterious and hence always the Incomprehensible. However as the WILL behind every movement in the world and because of which the creatures are able to ACT, LEARN and become PURE by destroying the darkness of Ignorance deep within, He also discloses Himself as PRESENCE in the world. Saivites understand the great gods Tirumaal or VishNu and Brahma along with, Rudra the ROOT archetypes of this cosmic management, the lesser mantra bodies being the devas who are pure and asuras who are impure as still under the management of BEING-as-Siva.  These beings are constituted such that they do not UNDERSTAND the BEING-the -DANCER as a presence deep within themselves and managing them also.

 

Manikkavasakar also explains here through personal experience that BEING-as-SIVA can overpower both the body and soul of man and which is an expression of His Grace. The body becomes thereby the veritable temple immune to the attacks of the impure forces the asuras, devils, ghosts etc and who can be deadly. BEING  in disclosing Himself as the wearer of many snakes, the symbol of KuNdalini Sakti, also instructs on the fact once the soul and body are kept PURE, a place fit for the presence of BEING, there will be boundless flow of KuNdalini Sakti and hence longevity youthful vitality and good health.

 

 

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-18

 

º£÷ ¬÷ ¾¢ÕÅÊò ¾¢ñ º¢ÄõÒ º¢ÄõÒ ´Ä¢ì§¸

¬Ã¡¾ ¬¨º «Ð ¬ö, «Ê§Âý «¸õ Á¸¢Æ

§¾÷ ¬÷ó¾ Å£¾¢ô ¦ÀÕóШÈ¡ý ¾¢Õ ¿¼õ ¦ºö

§À÷ ¬Éó¾õ À¡Ê âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¯Ä¸òÐ ¿¼ì¸¢ýÈ «¨Éò¨¾Ôõ ¾ÉÐ ¾¢Õò ¾¡ñ¼Åò¾¡ø ¿¼¡òÐõ þ¨ÈŨÉ, ¿¼Ã¡ºô ¦ÀÕÁ¡É¡¸ ¬¼ÅøÄ¡É¡¸ ¸¡Ïõ Å¢Õô¦À¡Î, «ÅÉÐ «ÆÌ Á¢ì¸ ¾¢ÕÅʸǢý º¢Äõ§À¡¨ºì¸¨Ç §¸ðÎ Á¸¢Øõ  Å¢Õô§À Å¢ÕôÀ¡¸ þô¦À¡ØÐ Å¡ú¸¢ý§Èý. ±ÉРŢÕôÀ¢¨É ¬Ã¡¾ §Å𨸨 «È¢ó¾¡ý §À¡ýÚ, §¾÷¸û ¿¢¨Èó¾ ¾¢ÕÅ£¾¢¸û ¿¢ÃõÀ¢Â ¾¢Õô¦ÀÕóШÈ¢ø ±Øó¾ÕÇ¢ÔûÇ þ¨ÈŨÉ, ¯Ä¦¸Ä¡õ «ÂáР¬Éó¾ò ¾¢Õò ¾¡ñ¼ÅÁ¡¸ «õ¨Á§Â¡Î ¾¢Õ¿¼õ ¦ºö¸¢ýÈ «¾¨É «Ê§Âý Á¸¢Æ ±ý ¯ûÇò¾¢Öõ ¬Î¸¢ýÈ «¾¨É, À¡Êô À¡Ê «¸ò§¾ ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ »¡Éò¦¾Ç¢×¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ö§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

 

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-18

 

Ciir aar tiruvadit tiN cilambu cilambu olikkee

Aaraata aasai atu aay, adiyeen akam makiza

Teer aarnta viitip peruntuRaiyaan tiru nadam cey

Peer aanantam paadi puuvalli loyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

BEING enacts through His magnificent Dance the Cosmic Drama and I now, have no other desire except to listen attentively to the sounds of the anklets of the elegant FEET that executes this DANCE. BEING who resides in TirupperunTuRai, full of streets with chariots galore, dances the Dance of Bliss within my heart so that I can enjoy infinite bliss. Singing of this immense bliss that floods the soul, let us pluck the flowers of metaphysical illuminations that blossom then!

 

Comments:

 

Saivism distinguishes itself not only in favoring and cherishing iconic-thinking, as do all the different branches of Agamic Hinduism ( idolatry) , but also gives special prominence to the image of the Dancing Lord, the Siva Nadarajah. Of course this is only a metaphor but a metaphor that is most meaningful, transcending in this whatever that can be communicated by words. As one ponders on this image and sees the whole of the cosmos in the light of this image, the whole of the cosmic reality unfolds itself as the Dance of Bliss of BEING and all for the freeing the creatures from all the miseries of earthly life and let them also ENJOY BLISS of a supreme kind.

 

Existence is NOT all sufferings and happiness is not always the sexual or economic and political that comes along with it. When the sexual desires and others that come along with it, are transmuted and the earthly passions  are transcended, new visages become available with the burst of visions of the majestic Dance of BEING and which is encrypted into the ever-elegant image of Siva Nadarajah. To be a Saivite is to gain the aruL of BEING and thereby gain also the EYES to see this cosmic dance and listen to the MANTRAS in terms of which BEING executes this dance. Using Natam and Bindu, metaphorically put as the left and right legs of BEING and also symbolizing themas having golden anklets, the soul seeks to understand the whole of the cosmos in terms of this DANCE.

 

As the mind sinks deeper and deeper into this image, there floods insights of infinite bliss and which induces a passion to be in that vision always.

 

We see Manikkavasakar in this metaphysical way of Being-in-the-World and burst into raptures of infinite bliss where he knows nothing else except to sing them and sustain oneself in it.

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Tiruvaasakam 13-19

 

«ò¾¢ ¯Ã¢òÐ «Ð §À¡÷ò¾ÕÙõ ¦ÀÕïШÈ¡ý

À¢ò¾ ÅÊ× ¦¸¡ñÎ, þù ×ĸ¢ø À¢û¨ÇÔõ ¬ö

Óò¾¢ ÓØÓ¾ø, ¯ò¾Ã§¸¡º Áí¨¸ ÅûÇø

Òò¾¢ ÒÌó¾Å¡ âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

¯¨ÁÂõ¨Á ¾ÉìÌ À¡Ð¸¡ôÀ¡ö þÕò¾¢Â ¡¨ÉÓ¸ò¾Å¨ÉÔõ ¦¸¡ýÚ «Åý §¾¡¨Ä ¯Ã¢òÐ §À¡÷ò¾¢ÂÅý, þó¾ò ¾¢Õô¦ÀÕóÐ¨È §ÁÅ¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ ±õ þ¨ÈÅý. §ÁÖõ ²Ã½ ¿¢Â¾¢ôÀ¼ º¢ó¾¢ì¸ ÁÚôÀ¨¾Ôõ ¾Õõ ÀÄ À¢ò¾ ÅÊÅí¸¨Ç ±ÎòÐ ¬ýÁ¡ì¸¨Ç ¬ûŧ¾¡Î, ±øÄ¡÷ Á¡ðÎõ þÃì¸ ¯½÷Å¢¨É ±ØôÀÅøÄ À¢û¨Ç ÅÊ×Óõ ±Î츢ýÈÅý ¬Ìõ. þùÅ¡Ú ±ò¾¨É§Â¡ ÅÊÅí¸¨Ç ±ÎòÐ «¨ÉŨÃÔõ Óò¾¢ À¡ø þðÎî ¦ºøÖõ Ӿġö, þó¾ ¯ò¾Ã§¸¡ºÁí¨¸ ÅûÇÄ¡ö þ¨ÈÅý þùÅ¡Ú «¨ÉÅ÷ Òò¾¢Â¢Öõ ÒÌóÐ «Å÷¸û ¾õ º¢ó¾¨É µð¼í¸¨Ç ¿¢ÚòÐõ ¾¢Èò¨¾ ¿¢¨ÉòÐ ¿¢¨ÉòÐ À¡ÊÂÅ¡, ¦ÅÊ츢ýÈ »¡É×¾¢ôÒì¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ö§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

Atti urittu atu poorttaruLum peruntuRaiyaan

Pitta vadivu koNdu, iv vulakil piLLaiyum aay

Mutti muzumutal, uttarakoosamaGkai vaLLal

Putti pukuntavaa puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

BEING who pervades TirupperuntuRai also shows Himself as the one who killed the elephant created by Umai to protect Herself and wore the skin.  He also assumes many mad and irrational forms and overpowers individuals in those forms creating irrationalities.  He also assumes the form of a CHILD to evoke the feelings of love and care in the heart of people. But he assumes all these forms and enters the mind only to liberate the souls and take them towards Moksa. Thus let us sing this Lord of Uttarakoosa MaGkai as he enters our thoughts and enjoy the blossoms of divine disclosures as we do thus.

 

Comments:

 

A careful and objective study of human history reveals that over and above the presence of rationality there are irrationalities of all kinds. There is patriotism towards a cause and for which people are  prepared to sacrifice their precious  life itself; an intoxication and frenzy towards a cult figure that does stand any criticism; a religious zeal bordering madness that is blind to the defects and so forth. We also see that the most momentous events in history are in fact shaped by such intense frenzies that call forth immense sacrifices and unbelievable heroic actions.

 

It appears to Manikkavasakar that such dispositions are also caused by BEING and for which purpose He assumes forms of various kinds of madness (pitta vadivu) and overpowers the souls making them thoroughly irrational. It may that the form of Siva where he defeats the elephant god, flayed it and wore the hide and all to access Uma who denied it, may represent this mad-side of BEING. It may also be indicative of the fact that once a Woman in general denies access to a Man, madness may be result.

 

Now another kind irrationality but more gentle is that of LOVE and CARE that people are capable of but quite often do not display because of some inner problems. Now BEING discloses Himself as a CHILD - BalakaNNan Balamurukan and so forth so that this feeling of LOVE and CARE comes to prevail in mind overcoming all inner resistances.

 

But why the assumption of all these weird and quite bizarre forms and through that channeling human thinking in various ways and not always rational?

 

The attainment Mutti is NOT simply a matter of intellectual acumen and discursive and rational thinking. Along with developing the rational capacities, the NONRATIONAL  dimensions of feelings and emotions must equally  be cultivated well so that there comes to prevail LOVE and CARE in the soul and which constitutes a precondition for the burst of Civanjanam that confers Mukti.

 

Tiruvaasakam 13-20

 

Á¡ ¬Ã ²È¢ ÁШà ¿¸÷ ÒÌó¾ÕÇ¢

§¾ ¬÷ó¾ §¸¡Äõ ¾¢¸Æ, ¦ÀÕóШÈ¡ý

§¸¡ ¬¸¢ ÅóÐ ±õ¨Áì Ìü§ÈÅø ¦¸¡ñ¼ÕÙõ

â ¬÷ ¸Æø ÀÃÅ¢, âÅøÄ¢ ¦¸¡ö¡§Á¡!

 

¯¨Ã:

 

«ôÀ¡ÖìÌ «ôÀ¡ø þÕìÌõ þ¨ÈÅý, þó¾ô ¦ÀÕóШÈ¢Öõ §ÁÅ¢ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈÅý, «ó¿¢¨Ä¢ĢÕóÐ ¸ÆýÚ, ±ÉìÌ ¯¾×õ ¸Õò¾¢ø ÅÄ¢¨Á Á¢ì¸ ÒÃÅ¢ ²È¢ ÁШà ¿¸÷ ÒÌ󾧾¡Î, ¦¾öÅ£¸ ¿Äõ ±øÄ¡õ Å¢ÇíÌõ ¾¢ÕÅÊÅ¢ø ¦À¡Ä¢óÐ ¯ñ¨ÁÂ¡É §¸¡ ¾¡§É ±ýÀ¾¡¸ì ¸¡ðÊ ±ý¨ÉÔõ ¾ÉìÌ Ìü§ÈÅø ¦ºöÔõ ¦¾¡ØõÀ¡¸ì ¦¸¡ñ¼¡ý. «ò¾¨¸Â þ¨ÈÅÉ¢ý ÁÄ÷¸¨Çô §À¡ýÈ ¦Áý¨ÁÂ¡É ¾¢ÕÅʸ¨Ç Å¢¼¡Ð §À¡üÈ¢ «¾É¡ø ¦ÅÊìÌõ ¦Áö»¡Éí¸Ç¡¸¢Â âÅøÄ¢¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ö Á¸¢ú§Å¡õ šã÷!

 

 

Maa aara eeRi maturai nakar pukuntaruLi

Tee aarnta koolam tikaza peruntuRaiyaan

Koo aaki vantu emmaik kuRReval koNdaruLum

Puu aar kazal paravi, puuvalli koyyaamoo!

 

Meaning:

 

BEING who is totally transcendent and who pervades the temple in TirupperuntuRai, also appeared as the rider of a fierce horse who entered the great city of Madurai (to help me out from my quandaries) in a from in which divinity was visible.  Showing Himself as the real King, he made me subservient to Him making me do only what He wills. And singing the glories of flower-like divine anklet-wearing Feet, let us pluck the blossoms of metaphysical illuminations that burst forth!

 

Comments:

 

BEING can Himself present as the totally Above, beyond the reach of all and at the same time always there with immediate presence to come to the rescue of those who deserve disclosing that He is one-with-all and always there never departing from that state even for a moment. BEING totally above and beyond the reach, being present as an inalienable friend and so forth are aspects of AS-IF PLAY of BEING and the form in which we are made to be aware of Him.

 

This is something Manikkavaasakar has learnt in his life itself. It was BEING who came to his rescue when the King of Madurai imprisoned him for not delivering the horses, for which purpose a huge sum of money was entrusted to him. Manikkavaasakar spend the money for divine services and failed to buy the horses. However the story goes that Siva transformed the jackals into horses and drove them to Madurai thereby rescuing Manikkavasakar. This dramatic event disclosed to Manikkavasakar that BEING is not only  immensely ALIVE but actively and intimately present with the soul. This also disclosed that whatever one does one is actually led to do that but thinking that it is out of one’s own will that one does it. However as the truth is disclosed in such dramatic events, it is also understood that what really works is Divine Will and NOT the ego will of the person though he may be led to think that way.

 

After this realization the ego will subsides making only the Divine Will propel and thus making one  become totally subservient to BEING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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