|
The Mantrayana of Tirumular ¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ |
Dear Friends,
The Mantrayana may perhaps be the most distinctive
contribution of Agamic Hinduism and the roots of which are traceable to
Sumerian times. Temple worship YogaSciences and Mantrayana go together and in
the Kes temple of Hymns of Enhudu Anna( 2200 B.C.) and many other Sumerian
Hymns we see already the NamavaLi and related mantra recitals. But the most
important feature of Mantrayana is that it constitutes the THEORETICAL
framework for the whole range of Hermeneutic Sciences and in this it is
something like what theoretical physics is to positive sciences. While the West
was busy in developing the positive physical sciences, the Hindus were
developing a vast range of Hermeneutic Sciences that are essentially
spiritualbut now all buried deep down as unwanted records of the past.
In this series I want to describe selected
verses from the massive Fourth Tantra of Tirmular that runs to more 600 verses
and thus constituting the most ancient and extensive treatise on Mantrayana
from the Indian soil. I follow the same numbering as that G. Varadasanar and
also guided by the commentary he has written to them . However I shall
endeavour to bring out the Hermeneutic dimensions inherent to Tirumular’s
treatment of it.
Loga
The Asaba Mantras«º¨À Áó¾¢Ãí¸û.
Åþáºý:«º¨À
±ýÀÐ, ¦ºÀ¢ì¸ôÀ¼¡Á§Ä À¢Ã¡½§É¡Î §º÷óÐ þÂíÌõ Áó¾¢Ãõ ±ýÈÀÊ.þЧŠÁó¾¢Ãõ ±ýÚõ, À¢Ã½Åõ
±ýÚõÜÈô¦ÀÚõ. ÃîÍì ¸¡üÚ † ±ýà ´Ä¢Ô¼ý ¦ÅÇ¢ôÀθ¢ýÈÐ. … ±ýÈ ´Ä¢Ô¼ý ¯û ѨƸ¢ÈÐ.
þõÁó¾¢Ãò¨¾ ±øÄ¡ ¯Â¢÷¸Ùõ ¦ºÀ¢ì¸¢ýÈÉ
Varadarasan: The
Asaba mantras are thosewhich remain unrecited and as integral to the very life
breath. It is these which are really called the mantras .The life breath
emerges with the sounD ‘ha” and enters inside with the sound ‘sa”. All
creatures in fact recite this mantra ( inaudibly and unconsciously )
884. µ¦ÃØò§¾ ãÄõ
§À¡üÚ¸¢ý§ÈýÒ¸úóÐõ
Ò¸ø »¡Éò¨¾ò
§¾üÚ¸¢ý§Èý º¢ó¨¾ ¿¡Â¸ý §ºÅÊ
º¡üÚ¸¢ý§Èý «¨È§Â¡ º¢Å§Â¡¸ò¨¾
²üÚ¸¢ý§Èý ¿õ À¢Ã¡ý µ÷ ±Øò§¾
pooRRukinReen
pukazntum pukal njaanattai
teeRrukinReen cintai naayakan ceevadi
caaRrukinReen aRaiyoo civayookattai
eeRrukinReen nam piraan oorezuttee
In
this treatise I glorify Sivanjanam, the Absolute Understanding that serves as
the final refuge of all.Devolping that Understanding within me I also witness
the Divine Feet that dances in mind illuminating me in various ways and
communicate them through these verses. This also is explaining what is genuine
Sivayoga. And as the first step in this task, I begin expounding the secrets of
theAUM. The Primordial Logos that discloses also the authentic form of BEING
Comments:
In
this first verse Tirumular provides a prelude or introduction to the whole text
and that beginswith articulating what the essence of the Promordial Logas, AUM
is .This AUM is thevariant Su. aam which is also rendered as oom in some cases
and may also be the root of the Amen of the Christians something that probably
survived from the Sumerian times.
In
one of the Upanishads it is stated that ‘aam” means assent , a meaning that is
still retained in Tamil.
This
is the Primordial Logos simply an agitation that becomes differentiated intovarious
kinds of languages that illuminate the mind. Thus itis comparable to the most
basic computer language, the machine language of dots and dashes or something
even deeper than that --the language that differentiates into dots and dashes.
It
is a LANGUAGE on its own and that which discloses the most authentic form of
Siva, BEING all the other understandings being really inauthentic for they are
configured by languages more distant from this Promordial Logos.Hence the
oorezuttu of Piran-- the singlesyllable of BEING Himself.It turns out that the
UNDERSTANDING that this oom configures is Sivanjanam, the Final and Absolute
Understanding and hence the Absolute END of all the hermeneutic endeavours of
man, that understanding towards which all the hermeneutic endeavours are
already directed.
This
reaching of BEING and understanding Him with OOM as the language is also the
genuine Sivayoga, being-with Siva , BEING, enjoying a state of Being the same
as Siva or what is the same , enjoying Sivahood ( or Sivattuvam)
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
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2
885. ²¨É ±ØòÐì¸û
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«ÕÇ¢ÂÅ¡Ú þÕó¾§À¡¾¢Öõ, «ó¾¸¡ÃòÐ ¬½ÅÁÄò¾¢ýÁýò¾¢ý ±Øò¾¡¸¢Â ÁÁ¸¡Ãò¾¡ø
¬ýÁ¡ì¸û«È¢Å¢ø ÁÂíÌŧ¾¡Î Áýò¨¾Ôõ ±öи¢ýÈÉ ¸¡ñ!
oorezut
taalee ulakeGum taanaaki
iirezut taalee isaintu aGku iruvaraay
muuvezut taalee muLaikinRa cootiyai
maavezut taalee mayakkam uRRatee
BEING
permeates everything by spreading in the form of the Primordial Logos AUM; then
becomes the Sataacivan with Sakti or the Man-Woman complex by differentiating
it into mantras akaaram and ukaaram; then becomes the basic or root archetypes
of Rudra Tirumaal and Brahma by differentiating further into akaaram ukaaram
and makaaram and in these forms enacts the dramas in the life of creatures and
illuminates them by assuming also the form of Radiant Light. But the anmasare
also affected by the mamakaaram --the mantra of the Black Holes, and because of
which suffer confusions as well as death
The‘ezuttu’
as in‘piraan ezuttu”perhaps means that which arises , taking it as having the
root ezu- to rise that occurs in Sumerian as ‘il”.It is the spontaneous
emergence of the primordial agitation that gives rise to the various languages
and hence becomes the vehicle of human understanding, that which installs
consciousness as such. This Primordial Logos differentiates further and the
first splitting being that which introduces the basic differentiations of
creatures into males and females, a differentiationthat is quite universal.
Thus BEING becomes Siva-Sakti complex, the Adam-Eve complex and hence the
Parents of the Cosmos quite often attributed exclusively to the Female aspects
of this differentiation, the Inanna of the Sumerians, the Ambaal( <ammaa:
mother) of present times.
But
this is NOT sufficient to account forthe pedagogic process in nature. To
illuminate the creatures and instruct them on Sivanjaanamthe AUM is
differentiated further into the akaaram-uakaaram-makraam complex and along with
the assumption of the shape of the root archetypes of Rudra Vishnu and Brahma
But
existential truths indicate that existence is not always one of smooth learning
, which would be the case if only the above archetypes or the mantras are
functioning. Over and above these there is the mamakaaram, the mantra of the
ANava Malam, the Black Hole that forever functions to annihilate dispel destroy
scatter swallow whatever that has become manifest, whatever illuminations
achieved.
The
workings of this mamakaraam creates Darkness in the soul, wipes out whatever
metaphysical illuminations that have been attained and in the end also brings
about death or death-like processes.
We
should note here that AUM is NOT the self as in Vedantabut rather the most
primordial language of BEING. The Upanishadic “udgiita”is actually Tamil -- uL
giitam where giitam is a devlelopment from Su. gis, giz , giz-zumeaning sound ,
loud and shrill voice etc ( Ta. kiiccu). It simply means the innermostlanguage
already available in the soul and hence if equated with AUM, then something
perhaps in the form of Sivanjaanam, the Absolute Understanding that brings
along with it the Cutta Caitanyam, Undefiled Pure consciousness.
Only
when we seek to understand BEING through the language of AUM that we get to
understand His most authentic form and simultaneously enjoy Sivanjaanam
The
Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
3.
886
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§¾Å÷ ¯¨È¸¢ýÈ ¾¢Õ «õÀÄõ ±ýÚõ
§¾Å÷ ¯¨È¸¢ýÈ ¦¾ý¦À¡Ð Å¡§Á
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¦ºÖòÐõ ã¨Ç¢ý ¬úÀ̾¢¸Ç¢ø ´ýÈ¡¸¢Â ¦¾ý¦À¡Ð ±ýÛõ À̾¢§Â, þ¨ÈÅÉÐ ¬¨½¨Â
¿¢¸ú¡ìÌõ §¾Å÷¸û Áó¾¢Ãºì¾¢¸Ç¡¸ ¾í¸¢Â¢Õ츢ýÈ þ¼Á¡Ìõ. «Ð§Å ÀæÅǢ¢ø
º¢Å»¡Éò¾¢ý º¢üÈõÀÄõ ( º¢ý=«õÀÄõ) ±ýÚõ «Æ¢Â¡¾ ºò¾È¢Å¢ý º¢¾õÀÃõ ±ýÚõ (º¢òÐ=
ºòÐ) §ÁÄ¡É º¢Å¸¾¢ ¾ÃÅøÄ ¾¢ÕÅõÀÄõ ±ýÚõ À¸ÃôÀÎÅÐõ «§¾¦À¡ØÐ ¯¼Ä¢ø
þÕôÀÐÁ¡Ìõ.
886
The Primordial Centre in the Brain
teevar uRaikinRa ciRRampalam enRum
teevar uRaikinRa citamparam enRum
teevar uRaikinRa tiru ambalam enRum
teevar uRaikinra tenpotu vaamee
Meaning:
At
one of the lower parts of the brain that controls the whole body ( with
mantras) called Ten Potu resides all the devas who are the powers
that effect the various processes (both mental and physical). This is the
reflection in the brain or the human body what is called the realms of Absolute
Understanding ( Sivanjanam) CiRRampalam, the realms of Eternal
Truth, Citambaram and the realms genuine divinity , Tiru Ambalam,
the abode of BEING and in Space
Comments:
Tirumular
is well noted for saying that whatever in the universe is also in the human
body. The human body is microcosm in a way and in this verse he gives more
substance to it. Having said that BEING permeates everything in the form
of the Primordial Logos, the Ongkaaram, he now comes to articulating in greater
details how this BEING along with the AUM is present in the human body.
He
locates a region of the brain, the Ten Potu, the southern region of
illumination, almost as the operation center that controls everything in human
body - both the physical and mental. It is also called CiRRampalam,
Citambaram and Tiru Ambalam, descriptive terms that apply normally to the
deepest realm of the Gods and where resides Siva with His consort Parvati
and all the devas, the Tillai Ambalam and where He enacts the various
dances ( that will be described soon)
Such
an abode of the gods, the powers that manage the mantra-complexes are located
somewhere in the deep recesses of the brain as well and because of which
the body functions the way it does.
Here
CiRRampalam , as a variant of cin+ ambalam means the realms of Sivanjanam, the
Absolute Understanding that illuminates all and hence that which frees the mind
from the darkness of ignorance. The word “cin’ has as its roots cuur> cuun
from which is also derived Sunyata, the Pure Radiance. It is then also the
Sunyata of the Buddhists where only Pure Brilliance shines forth obliterating
all differentiated consciousness.
The
word cit-ambaram means the realms of Absolute TRUTH . The word ‘cit’ is related
to Sumerian jid/ sid meaning “true, staight”. It has given us also the word
cattu, where it means the TRUTH that remains unsubverted and stands there as
eternal. The CiRRampalam is also this Cit-ambalam.
Tiru
Ambalam means realms of the divine, the noble, the good and the beautiful. The
word ‘tiru’ is a variant of Su. sir,siri SK sri and Ta. siir
The
implication is that the Absolute Understanding - Sivanjanam, the undying
Eternal Truth , the cattu and genuine divinity are ALREADY in our brain
somewhere waiting for us to reach appropriate and enjoy the
highest possible kind of existence.
Anyone
born a human being is already endowed with all these possibilities in his brain
itself and all are EQUAL with respect to the RIGHTS to these
possibilities.
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
4.
887¾¡ñ¼Åí¸û
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ÀÂôÀ¢ìÌõ ¬Éó¾ò ¾¡ñ¼Åõ ±ýÚõ , ¯¼Ä¢ø ÀÄŨ¸Â¡É ¯Â¢÷ôÒ §À¡ýÈ ÀÄ þÂì¸í¸û ´Ê¡Ð
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þÕ츢ýÈ ¿¢Ä¨Á «Æ¢óÐ Ò¾¢Â¾¡¸ µ÷ ¿¢Ä¨Á¨Âì ¦¸¡ñÎÅÕõ À¢ÃÇÂÓõ ¿¼ìÌõ. þ¨Å
«¨ÉòÐõ §ÁÄ¡É ¿¢¨Ä¨Â, º¡í¸Á¡É ´ý¨È ¬ýÁ¡ì¸û Á¸¢Æò ¾Õõ ºí¸¡ÃòÐ «Õó¾¡ñðÅí¸û
¬Ìõ.
887
:The Dances in the Body
aamee
ponnambalam aRputam aanantam
aamee tirukkuuttu anavarata taaNdavam
aamee piraLayamaakum attaaNdavam
aamee caGkaarattu arun taaNdavaGkaLee
Meaning
In
the location of the brain, the Ten Potu which is also CiRrampalam Citambaram
Tiruvambalam and so forth is also the Ponnambalam, the Golden Assembly
where takes place a variety of dances. There is the aRputam that continuously
introduces the novel into the mind and body, the aanantam that leads to the
enjoyments of all kinds, and there is the persistent and always occurring
anavaratam type that enable the creature to survive. These dances,
in addition bringing about metamorphoses ( piraLayam) are also
the great CagKaaram type i.e that which confer something the elegant and
noble ( saaGkam) and thereby spiritualize the anmas.
Comments:
The
notion of DANCE is made extensive use in Saivism which sees BEING itself as the
Dancing Lord, the Kutta Piran or Aadavallaan. BEING who is everywhere is also
present in the Ten Potu part of the brain and because of which it is also
called the Ponnambalam, the Golden Assembly where Siva dances continuously with
His consort Parvati. These dances that take place in the brain account for the
various kinds of movements within mind and the body that constitutes what
existing or living is.
First
of all there is the aRputam variety where the mantras combine into
complexes in novel ways so that something NEW both physical and mental
become experiential realities. Then there is aanantam type, the kinds of
movements that are happiness seeking and providing, a fundamental desire of all
living things - the seeking of pleasure and the avoidance of pain that is
instinctual.
‘anavaratam’
means the continuously ongoing, the kinds of processes like breathing that are
autonomous. There are many processes in the body that take place continuously
and beyond the willful control of the mind and which account for the survival
as a living thing.
These
dances collectively bring about metamorphoses , the piraLayam, drastic and
critical changes in both mind and body that underlie the developmental
stages - infancy childhood adolescence youth adulthood old age and so forth and
cognitive changes along with them
But all these dances and the changes that are brought about by them are
actually CaGkaarat TaaNdavam, dances that confer something GOOD for the anmas.
These dances or various kinds biological mental and psychical changes
that are brought about by the mantra-complexes , are NOT just simply
haphazard and meaningless. The various mantras are set to work in myriads of ways
so that the anmas get rid off the inherent ugliness and bestiality and
assume the good and the DIVINE. These dances are there to spiritualize the
anmas.
The
Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
5.
888¾ÁÉ¢Âì
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þ¨ÈŧɡΠþ¨ºóÐ ¿¢ü¸¢ýÈ¡÷¸§Ç¡, «Å÷¸û ¯ûÇÓõ ¯¼õÒõ ¦À¡ýÉ¡¸î ͼÕõ
¾ÁÉ¢Âõ: ¦À¡ý
888.The
Dance of Bliss
taNdavamaanatu
taniyezuttu oor ezuttu
taandavamaanatu anukkirakat tozil
taandavk kuuttu tanininRa taRparam
taandavk kuuttu tamaniyam taanee
Meaning:
The
various kinds of dances such «î aRputam Anaýtam and so forth mentioned
above are in fact effected by the Primordial Logos , Ongkaaram that stands on
its own and as undifferentiated unity. BEING enacts these dances for no other
reason except as an expression of His Infinite Love , the natural tendency to
bless all. BEING stands in itself and as it is when one with this Ongkaram and
enacts the world drama. And because this dance is enacted in the Golden
Assembly 9(Ponnambalam) whoever manages to understand BEING in this way will
also enjoy mind and body that is in fact gold.
Comments
This
an importance verse that delineates the secrets of the true metaphysical life
and the GOOD that becomes experientially available for anyone who understands
this and moves in that direction. This is the primordial impulse of the
metaphysical mind itself and hence that which underlies all religions, no matter
how different they may appear on the surface.
Here it also emerges that BEING is One-Many along a theoretical explanation of
it. BEING is in the world as many archetypal forms enacting the various dramas
in the personal and collective life of the individuals as well the
historical and cosmological processes - the macroscopic and microscopic, the
human and non-human. All these countless number of archetypal forms that human
mind is given to understand as muurtties and made to worship in various iconic
representations are in fact BEING but disclosing Himself with various
differentiated mantra-complexes as the garment, the clothes He wears or guises
He takes, or the masks he wears for that purpose. When the mind frees itself
from the hold of such muurtties and rises above them it would be one-with
BEING-in-Itself and that because it stands above the differentiated
mantras and one-with Ongkaaram, the Single undifferentiated Aksara or ezuttu.
So
it appears that the primordial goal of Sivayoga and hence all metaphysical or
religious endeavors is to gain an understanding of BEING as He discloses
Himself through Ongkaaraam, When one succeeds in this then one can enjoy the
UNITY that underlies all differences at the surface level.
But
why does BEING condescend to do this, enact this marvelous DANCE that moves
everything in the world including the human consciousness?
The
answer is simple: it is an anukkrakat tozil -- purely an expression the
INFINITE LOVE that BEING is, a natural or spontaneous expression that BEING has
to bless , purify and uplift al the creatures. LOVE expects nothing in return
and BEING being LOVE itlself enacts all this for the creatures and NOT for
Himself. He stands as the paripuuRaNan, the wholly saturated, and hence
in want of nothing.
But
what is the CRITERIA that we have so that we know that this is RIGHT and not
one of the weird imaginations of the fertile mind?
As
we understand this and move in that direction in our metaphysical struggles our
body and mind becomes GOLD. The Ten Potu,, the deep recesses in the brain where
BEING locates Himself and enacts the various dances in the body and mind is
also the Golden Assembly. When through the appropriate sadhanas the anma
locates itself in this part of brain and functions according its mind and body
becomes GOLD, a metaphor that means a healthy body and healthy mind.
As
we move away from the numerous archetypal forms of BEING and ascend
to seeing HIM as ONE, the totally above the taRparan, the inasanity and
corruption of the ordinary life is overcome , the desires that propels the
names become divine and through that mind and body become really excellent.
This
verse also explains why from ancient times Dance and Music and such fine
arts have been part of temple culture and closely linked with Sivayoga.
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
6.
889¾¡§É
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¾É째¡÷ ¾ÄŨÉì ¦¸¡ñÊøÄ¡Ð ¾¡§É ¾ÉìÌò ¾¨ÄÅÉ¡ö ¾Ã¡¾ÄÁ¡¸ ¬¸§Å ¾üÀÃÁ¡¸ò ¾¢¸Øõ.
889The
Ground Unto Itself
taanee
paranjsudar tattuvamaay niRkum
taanee akaara ukaaramataay niRkum
taanee paranjsudar tattuvak kuuttukkut
taanee tnakuut taraatalan taanee
Meaning:
BEING
discloses Himself as Brilliant and Pure Light when one with Ongkaaram and
who contains within Himself the Sivatatvas in the state on unmanifestation.
Then on His own will, He differentiates into the mantras akaaram
ukaaram and so forth and appears as the Siva Tatvas. In the dramas that
are enacted at the cosmological and personal level with these Siva Tatvas
, He remains the Brilliant Light in the depths and ordains these plays. BEING
as the fully autonomous has no other above Him, He is the Causal Ground unto
Himself.
Comments:
The
experience of BEING as Pure Light is a universal experience recorded in the
mystical experiences of all great mystics throughout the world no matter
historically to what religion they belonged . Among the varieties of religious
experiences, this constitutes not only the common ground but also the highest.
But it is the greatness of Tirumular that he does not content himself
with articulating this experience and singing praises of it but goes on to
provide a RATIONAL explanation of it.
Mantrayana
as the THEORETICAL framework that EXPLAINS in a rational manner the
metaphysical experiences emerges in this verse most clearly.
What
is the mantra basis of this experience of BEING as Pure Light and
how does it become possible for human beings to experience that at the
height of their metaphysical journeys?
BEING
with Primordial Logos, AUM is Paranjcudar, Brilliant and Pure Light, the
Brahman of Vedanta, the Sunyata of the Buddhists and so forth. When the human
mind ascends to SEE and experience BEING with Primordial Logos as the founding
language, then BEING is experienced as Brahman, Brillliant and Pure Light. This
experience also unfolds the TRUTH that it is BEING who shape-shifts into the
Siva Tatvas - Sivan Sakti Satasivan Makesvaran VishNu Brahma and so forth
while still reaming their ordaining Power and in the form of Pure Light at the
Deepest Level. Thus the world drama is played at both cosmological and personal
level by BEING as Pure Light through the intermediary of root
archetypal forms assumed for this purpose.
But how does He assume these forms?
The
undifferentiated AUM, is differentiated into the various aksaras, the
primordial mantric syllables and by selected and judicious combination of them
APPEARS as the above siva tatvas Sivan Sakti cataciva Maheswaran VishNu
Brahma and so forth Himself remaining the Pure Light in being one-with
the AUM.
But
this is there a CAUSE above him that underlies these differentiations?
No -- there is NOTHING above Him, He is the MOST HIGH, the
absolutely ABOVE, the TaRparan, a causal ground unto Himself.
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
7.
890º¢Å§Â¡¸õ
¾Ã¡¾Ä
ã¨ÄìÌò ¾üÀà Á¡ÀÃý
¾Ã¡¾Äõ ¦ÅôÒ ¿Áº¢Å¡ º¢ÂÅ¡ó
¾Ã¡¾Äï ¦º¡øÄ¢ü È¡ýÅ¡ º¢ÂÅ¡Ìó
¾Ã¡¾Ä §Â¡¸ó ¾Â¡Å¡º¢ ¡§Á
¯¨Ã
±øÄ¡ÅüÈ¢üÌõãÄ¡¾¡Ãò
¾ÄÁ¡¸ þÕìÌõ ¾¢Õ¾¢ø¨Äì̾ÉìÌ §Áø ¡Õõ ¾ÄÅÉ¡¸ þøÄ¡ ¾üÀÃÉ¡¸ Á¡ÀÃÉ¡¸¢Â
º¢Å¦ÀÕÁ¡§ÉþÕ츢ýÈ¡÷.«¨ÉòÐõ §¾¡ýÚÁ¢¼Á¡¸¢Âþ·Ð ¸Îí¸Éø «ìÉ¢ Áñ¼ÄÁ¡¸ þÕôÀ¦¾¡Î, «íÌ
¦ºÂøÀÎõ Áó¾¢ÃÁ¡¸ ¿-Á-º¢-Å¡-±Ûõ ´í¸¡Ãò¾¢ý Å¢Õò¾¢ ÅÊÅõ ¿¢üÌõ.þ¾üÌ ¾Ã¡¾ÄÁ¡¸ ãÄÁ¡¸
¿¢üÀР¡¦¾ýÚ Å¢Çì¸ôÒÌó¾¡ø «Ð§Å ¿-Á §À¡ì¸¢Â Íò¾ò¾¢ý Å¡-º¢-«øÄÐ º¢-Å¡- Áó¾¢Ãí¸û
¦ºÖòÐõ ÒÅÉÁ¡Ìõ. þ¾üÌò ¾Ã¡¾ÄÁ¡¸ þÕ츢ýÈ º¢Å§Â¡¸ò¾¢ý ÓÊó¾ þ¼Á¡¸ Å¢ÇíÌÅÐ ¾Â¡
̽ò¾¢ý, «Õ§Ç §ÁõÀðÎ ¿¢ü¸¢ýȸ¡Ãõ §À¡ì¸¢Â Å¡-º¢«øÄÐ º¢-Å¡ ±Ûõ Áó¾¢Ãí¸û þÂìÌõ
¾ÄÁ¡Ìõ.
890 The Sivayoga
taraatala
muulaikkut taRparan maaparan
taraatalam veppu namacivaa ciyavaan
taraatalanj colliR Raanvaa ciyavaakun
taraatal yookan tayaavaaci yaamee
BEING,
He who has no one else as above Him is the Great Transcendent Lord of the
PrimordialGround that generates all.This ground is also the realms of intense
Fire and the mantras that rule over them is Na-ma-ci-vaa-ya. Now if one were to
describe the deeper basis of this itself it is a realm deep within ruled by the
mantras ci-vaa-ya( and its permutations). But the Final Ground of all is the
deepest realm ruled by the mantras ci-vaa and which is Full Of Love Supreme and
that towards which the journey of Sivayogaalready is .
Comments:
Tirumular
again succeeds in unravelling the UNIVERSAL dimensions of metaphysical life of
mankind , by providing a universal and acceptable hermeneutic explanation of it
and which is thoroughly rational. Rationality shows itself in making the
unintelligible and mystical clearlyintelligible and hence thereby something one
can UNDERSTANDand appreciate.
The
immediate Ground of the emergent or phenomenalisthe Muulai,the basis and here
it is a said to be veppu, an intense realm of FIRE, the realm of molten
lavashooting out from the Volcanoes or something like that. This notion
immediately takes to the ‘u-ri-a ‘ , the realms of fire spills or mu-ri-a, the
realms where emerges molten rocks as fire balls of the Sumerians as described
in the beginning lines of Suruppak’s NeRi ( > 2600 B.C) . We can see that
this isalso the Agnim illee of Rig Veda, and the Kaalakni of Saivism.
BEING
stands as the Kaalakni Rudra as the Lordof this realms , a Lord unto Himself
and having no one as Above Him. He is TaRparan and is also maaparan, the Great
Lord, the absolutely Transcendent.
But
what is fascinating and which remains essentially Saivite to this day is
thatthis realm is said to be ruled by the mantras na-ma-si-vaa-ya , a
mantra-complexthat is recited and considered in fact the name of BEING
itself.Why is that so ?
The
na- stands for the aaNavam, the Black Hole that swallows all and confers DEATH,
state of beingcompletely withdrawn or non manifest. Thus it is only in the form
of FIRE of INTENSE heat and Light that BEING can VIOLATE this Satanic Force and
thereby let there be things as there , as existents.
The
-ma- stands for the presence of ignorance, confusions and so forth in the mind
of creatures where again only the FIRE as the illuminating Light can destroy it.
The
mantras ci-vaa-ya stands for the PURE REALMS, the metaphysical realms beyond
the aNavam , Kanmam and Maayai, the sources of the delimittedness ignorance
finititude and so forth of the mind. This remains always the Deep Structure of
the realms of Na-ma-si-vaa-ya, the ground of the Manifest World, the world
ofthe Five Fold Universal Praxis, generation, sustenance, annihilation,
concealment and revelation.
But
as the Deep Structure of this and the Deepest of all remains the reams ordained
by the mantras si-vaa and which is the golal of Sivayoga. It is the Final Home,
the Viidu , that towards which the whole metaphysical journey has been moving
untidily perhaps but surely towards nothing else.
What
is immensely fascinating is that it is the realm of ‘tayaa’ Love and Kindness
unto all, the JivakaaruNyam of VaLLalaar. The SivaYoga or theunion with the
Ultimate Ground of All is in factentering the realms of unlimited and boundless
LOVE. This state is finally attained only by the dissolution of ego-self, the
workings of the mantra ya-kaaram, that whichunderlies the creation of ego-sense.
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
8.
891º¢Å¸¾¢
¬§Á
º¢Åí¸û «¸¡Ã ¯¸¡Ãí¸û
¬§Á ÀÃí¸û «È¢Â¡Å¢¼õ ±ýÀ
¬§Á ¾¢ÕÜòÐ «¼í¸¢Â º¢üÀÃõ
¬§Á º¢Å¸¾¢ ¬Éó¾ Á¡§Á
¯¨Ã:
«¨Éò¾¢ý
¾Ã¡¾Äã¨Ä¡¸¢Â º¢üÀÃõ «¨¼ó¾¡ÕìÌ , ¯Ä¸Å¡ú쨸¢ĢÕóРŢξ¢ ¸¢¨¼ì¸, «Å÷¸û
¾¢ÕÜòиǡø ¬ðÎÅ¢ì¸ôÀ¼ Á¡ð¼¡÷¸û.þ츾¢§Â º¢Å¸¾¢Â¡Ìõ ±ýÀ¦¾¡Î, ±ùÅ¢¾ «ÅÄÓõ ±Æ¡Å¨¸
º¢Å¡Éó¾ò àöôÀ¢§Ä§Â ¸¢¼ìÌõ ¾¢Èò¾¢¨ÉÔõ ¿øÌž¡Ìõ.¦Áö»¡Éò ¦¾Ç¢Å¢ý §ÁÄ¡É »¡É¢¸û
Àæ¾öÅí¸û «È¢Â¡ þ¼õ þÐ ±ýÚ ¯¨ÃòÐ,Àæ¾öÅ ÅÆ¢À¡ðʨÉÔõ ¸¼ì¸ §ÅñÎõ ±ýÀ÷.þó¾ì
¸¼ôÀ¢üÌ Ð¨½Â¡¸ þÕì¸ìÜʨŠº¢Åò¨¾ò ¦¾Ç¢Å¡¸ ¯½Ãò ¾Õõ «¸¡Ã ¯¸¡Ã Áó¾¢Ãí¸§Ç ±ýÚõ
þýÛõ ¦¾Ç¢Å¡ìÌÅ÷.
aamee
civaGkaL akaara ukaaraGkaL
aamee paraGkaL aRiyaavidam enpa
aamee tirukuuttu adaGkiya ciRparam
aamee civakati aananta maamee
Those
who manage to access and be in CiRparam,the final Causal Ground of all, will
not suffer being played by BEING as they are freed from phenomena existence.
This is what is termed Sivakati, being as Siva Himself and which is also a
state of Supreme Bliss where there is no suffering at all. And those who are
genuinely illuminated will declare that thisstate is beyond the reach of the
Great Gods and hence one should transcend every type archetypal attachments.And
they also declare furtherthat it is themantras akaaram and ukaaram that can
facilitate this transcendence.
One
of most central notions that emerged very clearly in the Bakti Period is the
notion that we are Played by the gods and that we have no way of resisting it
-aadduvittaal aaruvar aadaataaree, as Appar put it. In ordinary life we are
played in such a way that that fact is CONCEALED from us and because of which
we think we are the agentsand the actions we execute are our own. This can also
be seen as an AS-IF Play by BEING--He plays in such a way thatwe think as if we
are the agents. But when the time comes and theTRUTH is disclosed, then we realise
that we have been IGNORANT of the TRUTH and that whatever we are, it is all
because of the GRACE of BEING.
At
this point emerges true Bakti, LOVE unto BEING but which normally comes along
with attachments to a Great God,to one or family of archetypal presentations of
BEING. Thus emerge the religious differenceswhere the baktas are known as
Saiva, VaishNava Sakta nd so forth.
What
Tirumular clarifies here is that even this state of Bakti, Love unto the great
gods must be transcended andthe mind allowedto be formed by the mantras akaaram
and ukaaram alone to reach the Final Stage, to enter the HOME and enjoy Mukti
that is noted here as Sivakati,the way of Being in which the ego does not show
itself but only BEING, Siva. This is also a state of FREEDOM from the
phenomenalworld and also beyond being played and hence beyond any kind of
sufferings.The need to being played by BEING doesn’t any more exist for after
all BEING plays only to bring the souls to this state and having brought them
to it, the PLAY also ceases.
This
state that transcends even Bakti that ismainly feeling oriented is one of
Njaanam, of metaphysical illumination. The Sivakati is also a way of Being in
which there is no more ignorance and hence a state in which the understanding
becomes the Absolute Understanding the Sivanjaanam. And this state belongs to
the mantras, akaaram and ukaaram, thePure Siva Tatvas Bindu and Natam which in
combination emerge as the illuminating LIGHT, the experiencing of which is the
Ultimate metaphysical experience.
The
Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
9.
892 :¬Éó¾ò¾¢ý ãÄõ
¬Éó¾õ
ãýÚõ «È¢× þÃñÎ ´ýÈ¡Ìõ
¬Éó¾ï º¢Å¡Â «È¢Å¡÷ ÀÄâø¨Ä
¬Éó¾ §Á¡Îõ «È¢Â ÅøÄ¡÷¸ðÌ
¬Éó¾ì Üò¾¡ö «¸ôÀÎó ¾¡§É
¯¨Ã:
«¸Ãò¾¡ø
ÅÕõ «ýÀ¢ý «ÕÇ¢ý ±Ø ¬Éó¾Óõ, ¯¸Ãò¾¡ø ÅÕõ º¢Å»¡Éò¦¾Ç¢Å¢ý±Ø¬Éó¾Óõ , Á¸Ãò¾¡øÅÕõ
»¡ÉÓõ «ýÒõ þ½íÌž¡ø ÅÕõ ¬Éó¾Óõ,¦Àñ¨Á¿Äò¾¢ý Å¢óÐ «È¢× ±ýÚõ ¬ñ¨Á ¿Äò¾¢ý ¿¡¾ «È¢×
±ýÚõ þÃñ¼¡¸ ¿¢üÌõ «È¢× ´ýÈ¡¸¢ ¿¢üÀ¾¡ø ÅÕõ ¬Éó¾Óõ º¢Å¡Â ±Ûõ Áó¾¢Ãò¾¡ø ¬ÌÅÐ ±ýÀ¨¾
«È¢ó¾¡÷ ÀÄâø¨Ä, º¢Å»¡É¢¸Ç¡¸¢Â ´Õ º¢Ä§Ã¡õ.þùÅ¡Ú ¬Éó¾ò¨¾§Âò ¾ÃÅøÄ º¢Å¡Âò§¾¡Î
«¨Éò¨¾Ôõ «È¢Â ÅøÄ¡÷¸ðÌ, þùÅ¡ú쨸§Â ¬Éó¾ì Üò¾¡ö ¬Â¢Îõ ¸¡ñ.
aanantam
muunRum aRivu iraNdu onRaakum
aanantanj civaaya aRivaar palarillai
aananta moodum aRiya vallaarkadku
aanantak kuuttaay akappadun taanee
As
Tolkaappiyar noted more than two thousand years ago and through a critical examination
of empirical l life, all creatures seek after happiness and that this varies
according to what seek to achieve.In this verseTirumular seeks to give a
metaphysical explanation of this empirical fact in terms of Mantrayana.
There
is first of all the happiness that one begins to enjoy because of the feeling
of LOVE that comes to pervadeas factor of one’s personality and which brings
about a social cohesion or integration with all. This LOVE overcomes theSOCIAL
ALIENATION which is itself the source of social struggles of various kinds and
hence the source of various kinds of stresses and strains.The feeling of LOVE
and as afforded by the dominance of aruL or Grace eliminates not only such
sources of distress but also creates the condition for social happiness by
making one someone whois LOVED and adored by all.
The
ukaaram mantra enables brave metaphysical thrusts into the DARK, into the
hidden and untrammelled metaphysical realms within and without and thereby
destroys the IGNORANCE. The ukaaram is that mantra that underlies theDEEP
CREATIVITY of an individual and hence the production and articulation of NEW
knowledge or understanding which itself is a source of delight.He who succeeds
in understanding more and more especially the hidden Depths enjoys a kind of
bliss by virtue of that fact alone.
Now
an individual can be happy just because the dominance of LOVE in his
personality or because of the depth of understandinghe has succeeded in
gaining. However there is another kind of happiness -that which becomes
available to one by combining metaphysicalwisdom along with the human quality
of being full of Love unto all. This kind of happiness is brought about the
mantra makaaram, that which combines and coalesces.
But
all these ,notes Tirumular to his eternal glory, are by-products of the mantra
Si-vaa-ya, tha mantra that works to bring about Sivattuvam, Being like Siva,
absolutely Pure and shining with Sivanjaanam, the Absolute Understanding, the
Limit of all the hermeneutic endeavours of the soul,the pressure tounderstand
and appropriate TRUTH and be free of all falsities. The mantra Si-vaa-ya
installs this thrust in the soul and those who allows for itand accommodates
oneself towardsit and LIVE accordingly, says Tirumular , will enjoy the above
kinds of Bliss and will NOTsuffer from Virakti,a total disenchantment.
We
can bombast theworldby controlling the whole media withthe greatness of one’s
own religion or the supernatural qualities of themessiah one cherishes or the
Acarya whose slave one has become or the Scripture that one has inherited as
one’s own and so forth. But these are useless in terms of the JOY that can
become one’s own and leadinga life full of happiness and contentment. Only when
the mind is OPEN and seeks to UNDERSTANDALL along with becoming LOVING unto all
that real happiness is to be had.
The Mantrayana of Tirumular
¾¢ÕãÄâý
Áó¾¢Ã¡Â½õ
10
893
¸¨Ä ÅøĨÁ
ÀÎÅÐ
þÃñÎõ Àĸ¨Ä ÅøÄ¡÷
ÀÎÅÐ µí¸¡Ãõ Àïº¡ì ¸Ãí¸û
ÀÎÅÐ ºí¸¡Ãò ¾¡ñ¼Åõ Àò¾¢
ÀÎÅÐ §¸¡½õ ÀÃó¾¢Îõ Å¡§È
¯¨Ã:
On Intellectual competency
Paduvatu
iraNdum palakalai vallaar
Paduvatu ooGkaaram panjaak karaGkaL
Paduvatu saGkaarat taandvam patti
Paduvatu kooNam parantidum vaaRee
Those
who excel in the arts and sciences do so only because their intellect is formed
actively by the siva Tatvas natam and Bindu together. These are activated by
the Primordial Logos AUM that differentiates into panjcaakkaram
na-ma-si-vaa-ya.These praxis of the mantras are actually the Dance of BEING
where the Darkness of Ignorance is destroyed. Thos who understand this and live
in genuine Bakti will also have the Vel of Tirumurukan as the trianglular
yantra that differentiates into hexagon and so forth and spread the whole being
of the person
In
this verse we have the notion INTELLIGENCE given the Mantrayana explanation
that makes intelligible how one becomes intelligent with competencies to learn
and master all kindî of skills and knowledge. The intellect is formed most
immediately by the Civa Tatvas Natam and Bindu or the Yin and Yang of Taoism.
The Bindu contains everything but unless it is pierced and make to open up by
Natam, everything remains simply unrealised potentialities. So both Bindu and
Natam must dance together for intelligence to be productive and creative with
capacities not only to learn but also to produce new knowledge and hence be
inventive .
But
the Siva Tatvas , being simply realities inert on their own cannot be doing the
dancing, the interpenetrating embracing enveloping and so forth on their own.
It turns that they are acted upon the mantras na-ma-si-vaa-ya, the mantras that
bring about theUniversal Praxis of creative production, sustenance ,
dissolution and through these concealing and disclosing. And as the Primordial
Causal Ground or Deep Structure we have the Logos itself -- the undivided AUM.
Thus it is the Primordial Logos and its active presence in the mind that shows
itself as intelligence and the competencies to learn effectively the various
arts and sciences.
But
the AUM in itself, being insentient cannot move on its own. Thus we have BEING
, one with this AUM who actually moves or DANCES and because of which the
mantras split , becomes many and agitate the Natam and Binduin so many
different ways thereby producing creative and inventive intelligence.
Having
understood this nature of intelligence, if one lives in genuine Bakti where the
Ego is NOT allowed to interfere with the functioning of these mantras and
tatvas, it so happens that the Natam-Bindu formations appear as the KooNam, the
Wedge shaped Yantras, the Spear of TiruMurukan and differentiate themselves
further into hexagons and so forth. It is only with such a differentiation of
Natam-Bindu complexes spread out that intelligence GROWS and one becomes very
competent in general intelligence.