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இயற்கையின் நியதி (இறைவனின் முடிவு) மிக வலிமையானது என்பதை உணர முடிகிறது...
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இறைவனிடம் மற்றவர்களுக்காக நான் உண்மையாகவே வேண்டுகின்றேன்...
இஃது என் மீது சத்தியம்...
திங்கள், 29 ஆகஸ்ட், 2011
நம்மாழ்வார் ஆத்ம உபதேசம் The Spiritual Discourses of Nammaazvaar
Dear Friends,
The genuine meaning of Saivism as expounded by the leading thinkers such as Thirumular Appar and so forth and as philosopically established by the brilliant Meykandar is NOT a religion among the so many world religions but rather that which as the Deep Structure of all religions and hence something present in all religions. It has reached the bottom most level of metaphysics and hence articulates Metaphysica Universalis with its characteristic OPENESS to the truths of all world religions and metaphysical thinking. The term ' meenmaik koL Caiva Niithi" in a way captures this very aptly. Caivism is niithi, a principle that is 'meenmaikoL" , that which accepts ALL goods things no matter what the historical origins are. It is a principle that keeps the mind forever OPEN and allows its reformulation continuosly and a hence that which regenerates itself when new insights demand it.
It is against this background of genuine Saivism that now I venture to translate the first THREE patikams of Nammaazvaar, a metaphysical genious who has conquered even the hearts of many proud Brahmins and has served to create a new school of philosophy in India that goes by the name of Srivaishanavism. But I am NOT sure whether the metaphysical insights of Nammazvaar have been truly captured by these Acariyas or theologicians and hence venture to provide my own commentaries with the presupposition that Nammazvar too articulates this universal Metaphysica Universalis albeit in a Vaishanava garb which may have some advantages of its own.
I hope the Meykandars would cherish these translations just as they do the Thevarat ThirumuRais.
Nammazvaar
Thiruvaay Mozi
1-1
உயர்வு அற உயர் நலம் உடையவன் எவன்? அவன்
மயர்வு அற மதி நலம் அருளினன் எவன்? அவன்
அயர்வு அறும் அமரர்கள் அதிபதி எவன்? அவன்
துயர் அறு சுடர் அடி தொழுது எழு , என் மனனே!
uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan evan? avan
mayarvu aRa mati nalam aruLinan evan? avan
ayarvu aRum amararkaL atipati evan? avan
tuyar aRu cudar adi tozutu ezu , en mannanee!
Oh my heart! Arise (replenished and invigorated ) by paying homage to the
ONE , the BEING whose resplendent FEET destroys all the existential miseries and the
ONE, the BEING who discloses the absence any goodness beyond that which HE embodies and the
ONE, the BEING who provides all the illuminations and liberates the mind from all illusions and the
ONE , the BEING who is the LORD of all the celestial beings who forever regenerate the spirit
என் ஏழை மனமே! எல்லா நலங்களையும் தனதாய்க்கொண்டு திகழும் திறத்தின் அதற்கு மேம்பட்ட நலங்கள் வேறு யாதும் இல்லை என்று யாவன் உனர்த்துகின்றானோ அவனை; மதி மயக்கங்கள் எல்லாங் கெட ஞானத் தெளிவு தரவல்லவன் எவனோ அவனை; பற்பல சக்திகளை ஊட்டி உவப்பித்தவாறு ஆன்மாக்கள் அயர்வு தலைப்படாது உதவிக் கொண்டே இருக்கும் அமரர்களின் அதிபதியாக யாவன் இருக்கின்றானோ அவனை, வாழ்க்கையின் துயரங்களை எல்லாம் போக்கும் அவனது சுடர் அடிகளை தொழுது ஊக்கம் பெற்று எழுவாய்!
uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan evan? avan: Who is the ONE who embodies all the Goஒdness within and shows that there is ABSENCE of any good beyond Him, that BEING
mayarvu aRa mati nalam aruLinan evan? avan : Who is the ONE who illuminates and liberates the mind thereby from all illusions, that BEING
ayarvu aRum amararkaL atipati evan? avan : whos is the ONE who is the LORD of all the celestial beings who forever regenerate the spirit , that BEING
tuyar aRu cudar adi tozutu ezu: arise (replenished and regenerated) paying homage to the resplendent Feet of that BEING that dispels all the existential miseries.
en mannanee! : Oh ! my heart!
Commentary.
==========
This verse constitutes the foundational verse of SriVaishanava Philosophy and has been extensively commented upon. The crucial phrase is "uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan" which I have rendered as BEING who embodies all the GOODNESS and SHOWS the ABSENCE of any goodness beyond HIM. Thus we have a conception of BEING as the MOST INCLUSIVE TOTALITY, the ABSOLUTE in terms of CONTENT and hence that which is ALL , most inclusively. Then the question arises : what about NOTHINGNESS, the PURE EMPTINESS that gets articulated by some Buddhists of early India, particularly the Sunyavadins such as Nagarjuna and so forth? But there is no problem here at all for the NOTHINGNESS is NOT an objective nothingness but rather an experiential nothingness, a metaphysical experience where there is experiencing of ABSOLUTE PURITY and hence also a GOODNESS and hence something that BEING embodies.
This BEING who is absolutely all is also ONE who INSTRUCTS so that the anmas are freed of their IGNORANCE and enjoy supreme illumination, the essence of the psychical presence , the 'matinalam' The BEING , though is a TOTALITY, that which is ALL is also predisposed to ILLUMINATE the humble minds suffering from all kinds confusions , illusions and delutions lacking is the indubitable CLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS
And towards this end HE is also the LORD of all the celestial beings, the deathless mantra bodies that pervade the world enacting what we call life, the world , the universe and so forth. These celestial beings are there to stimulate and energise the creatures providing the pills of happiness each time they wither and droop in exhaustion tired of the various conflicts that are so depressing and psychically so demanding. The celestial beings, through making it possible to ENJOY life aesthetically romantically and so forth provide the necessary motivations to live and struggle towards higher and higher metaphysical reaches. BEING is the LORD of these celestial beings in the sense HE is the primordial source of all the GOODNESS that are meted out to the suffering creatures in appropriate ( and small ) measures by these celestial beings.
Now DIRECT worship of BEING as such instead of the so many little gods should be most rewarding , most regenerating for BEING is the SOURCE of all the GOODNESS. It is because of this Nammazvar pleads unto his heart instead worshiping the so many little gods, it should worship the ONE, the BEING of all Goodness, the BEING , the most inclusive TOTALITY to replenish itself and get regenerated very vigorously.
Nammaazvaar 1-2
2.
மனனகம் மலமற மலர்மிசை எழுதரும்
மனனுணர்வு அளவு இலன், பொறியுணர்வு அவை இலன்
இனனுணர் முழுநலம் எதிர் நிகழ் கழிவினும்
இனனிலன் எனனுயிர் மிகுநரை இலனே
mananakam malamaRa malarmicai ezutarum
mananuNarvu aLavu ilan, poRiyuNarvu avai ilan
inanuNar muzunalam etir nikaz kazivinum
inanilan enanuyir mikunarai ilanee
BEING, though emerges in Lotus of Divine Illumination to dispell
The metaphysical DARKNESS within me, is NOT something that can be
Comprehended fully by the logical mind and is
Also beyond the reach of any kind of the cognitive utensils and stands
As the ONE who is there as the IMMANENT reality in everything that is comprehended in whatever manner and as
The ONE who does not have anyone to compare with HIM in the temporal ekstases of the future present and the past
And standing as the life of my life remains there as the eternally unchanging Youth who never grows old
என் உள்ளத்தில் ஆழத்தில் ஆகவே அநாதியே இருக்கும் அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் பாரிக்கும் வண்ணம் ஞானவொளியாக குண்டலினியின் ஓர் வடிவமாகிய பங்கய மலர்மேல் எழுந்தருளும் இறைவன், இவ்வாறு உணரப்படுபவனெனினும், அளவியற் சிந்தனை மனதால் அளவிட்டு அறிதற்குரிய அளவு இல்லாதவன்; பசுகரணம் சிவகரணம் என வரும் பொறியுணர்வின் படும் அவையும் அல்லன்; ஆயினும் இதுவென்று சுட்டறியப்படுவதின் அனைத்துள்ளும் அந்தர்யாமியாக நிற்கும் திறத்து முழுநலம் உடையவன் அவனாகும்; காலம் குறிப்புக்காலமாய் எதிர் நிகழ்வு கழிவு என நிற்க அக்காலவுணர்விற்குள் அறியப்படும் எவற்றிலும் ஒப்பு இல்லாதவனாய் அகன்று நிற்பவனும் ஆகும். இத்தகைய திறத்தால் என் உயிரோடு உயிராக நிற்கும் அவன் என்றும் மாறா வீரியத்தின் மிகுகின்ற நரை திரை மூப்பு இல்லாதவனும் ஆகும்
mananakam malamaRa malarmicai ezutarum: BEING emerges as the Lotus of Divine illumination to dispell the Metaphysical Darkness within me
mananuNarvu aLavu ilan: is NOT something that can comprehended fully by the logical mind
poRiyuNarvu avai ilan: is also beyond the reach of any kind of cognitive utensils
inanuNar muzunalam : but is present as the IMMANENT reality in everything that is comprehended in whatever manner
etir nikaz kazivinum inanilan : does not have anyone to compare with in the temporal ekstases of future present and past
enanuyir mikunarai ilanee: standing as the life of life remains there as the eternally unchanging Youth who never grows old.
Commentary:
==========
It is in the commentary to this verse that I shall depart from the standard interpretations of the Mighty Acaryas including Ramanuja who built Sri Vaishanavism in the Tamil country and which thrives to this day. For obviously the crucial term" manan akam malam" means (to me) the Metaphysical Darkness , the malam , in the deep recesses of the mind ( manan akam) and hence anati, i.e uncreated and eternal. This metaphysical Darkeness requires a cause and the cause is aNavam, that which FINITISES the mind introducing into it DARKNESS by obscuring the visions. The anma is FINITE only because the SEEING is delimited and circumscribed and that which does this is Anavam. Now this rule of the DARK, the aNu has to be VILOLATED and only BEING who stands ABOVE it can violate its hold and liberate the anmas from its hold. And for this purpose BEING emerges as the ILLUMINATING RADIANCE, the LOTUS of divine illumination which is actually the transmutation of the libidinal Kundalini into the Power that becomes the illumating LIGHT. or as the Saivas would put the icca sakti into njaana sakti.
But this agency of BEING cannot be comprehended fully by the feeble humand mind and for all categories of understanding are derived thus i.e. as the result of such illuminations that the anmas are blessed with. BEING is the SOURCE of these categories and hence beyond the reach of the mind that forever seeks to understanding everything by categorisation. BEING simpy EXCEEDS all these, HE is forever OVERFLOWING as the SURPLUS of all categorical thinking BEING as such is also beyond the reach of the cognitive utensils whether the ordinary perceptual or the transductive perceptual for BEING as the originating GROUND of all these certainly also EXCEEDS them. HE remains always the INCOMPREHENSIBLY MYSTERY where we can only see HIS presence but not what He is Himself.
Now BEING as such stands BEYOND of the temporal cosciousness. For every temproal consciousness i.e conciousness that comes along with TIME has as a fabrique of it the CUTTUNARVU, the the-tic consiousness as Meykandar has pointed out . If BEING is claimed to be an object of such thetic-consciousness then it would mean BEING is temporal and hence transient, something that comes stays and goes. And certainly BEING is NOT such an entity and obviously Nammazvar does not say that. In the UNDERSTANDING of BEING, the absolute consciousness there is NO TIME at all and because of which HE stands as the UNCHANGING metaphorically put here as the ONE who does not grow old and age despite remaining the life-force in the depths of all anmas.
But despite this WHOLLY OTHERNESS and hence absolute transcendance he is IMMANENT, stands as the Artaryaami, the indweller in everything that is in the world, standing as the world and everything that populates it. This is NOT as strange as it may seem. For whatever IS is there as a violation of the DARK that would establish the objective NOTHINGNESS, the dark emptiness. And since it is BEING who as the ONE standing ABOVE this tyrannical DARK can violate it , HE is in everything that has presence as all such presences are VIOLATUIONS against the objective Darkness.
Nammaazvaar 1-3
இலன் அது உடையன் இது என நினைவு அரியவன்
நிலனிடை விசும்பிடை உருவுனன் அருவினன்
புலனொடு புலன் அலன் ஒழிவு இலன் பரந்த அந்
நலன் உடை ஒருவனை நணுகினம் நாமே
ilan atu udaiyan itu ena ninaivu ariyan
nilanidai vicumbidai uruvinan aruvinan
pulanodu pulan alan ozivu ilan paranta an
nalan udai oruvanai naNukinam naamee
கிழமைப் படுத்தி சுட்டுணர்வாக நம் அறிவிற்கு எட்டும் எதனையும் உடையவன் என்றோ அல்லன் என்றோ சிற்றறிவினால் நினைத்தற்கு அரியவன்; ஆயினும் ஐம்பூத சேர்ககையால் எழுகின்ற இந்நிலத்திலும் விசும்பிலும் தானே எடுக்கும் வெளிப்படு வடிவங்களின் உருவினனாகவும் வெளிப்படா வடிவங்களில் அருவினனாகவும் திகழ்கின்றான் இறைவன். புலன்களாக நின்றாலும் அப்புலன் அறிவுகளில் படுகின்றவன் அல்லன், இதனால் அவன் ஓர் இல்பொருள் எனின் அதுவும் இல்லாது யாண்டும் ஒழிவின்றி நிற்பவன் அவன் ஆகும். இப்படிப்பட்ட குணா¡திசயங்களோடு விளங்கும் நலன் உடை ஒருவனாகிய இறைவனை பத்தியின் மேலீட்டால் விரும்பி நெருங்கினோம் நாமே.
We approached BEING with loving devotion, the BEING who can not be ascribed as having as his belonging any of the things that reache our the-tic consciousness or at least it is beyond our comprehension of HIM as such. But however HE is there both as visible and invisible in the earth and sky. But because of this HE cannot be said as the ONE who becomes availble for sense perceptions even though HE is the cause of the senses. And on account of this HE cannot be said as ONE who diasppears into NOTHINGNESS at all, HE is there firmly always. This BEING is MYSTERIOUS with all these things about HIM
ilan atu udaiyan itu ena ninaivu ariyan: BEING is beyond our comprehension as having this and that as HIS beloging
nilanidai vicumbidai uruvinan aruvinan: HE is available both as the visible and invisible presence in the earth and the sky
pulanodu pulan alan ozivu ilan : though the cause of the senses HE cannot be grasped by them but remains without ever disappearing
paranta annalan udai oruvanai naNukinam naamee: we aproach the BEING with all this MYSTERY surrounding HIM with loving devotion
Commentary:
BEING is a complete mystery: this is the universal consensus of the great mystics throughout world who have attempted to comprehend BEING with all their might. Nammazvar gives vent to the same sentiments here. On the way BEING may appear beyond question this and that giving rise dogmatisms and fanatical frenzies of all kinds but however as the metaphysical journey is continued mystery after mystery emerges throwing one into a desparation and when the heroic individual submits meekly to the INCOMPREHENSIBLY of BEING, He being WHOLLY MYSTERIOUS he also becomes the Bakta, one who knows only to LOVE HIM. The individual's ego gets defeated and avoiding anymore any attempt to UNDERSTAND BEING with the intellectual resources at his disposal he withdraws from all such attempts and AWAITS for BEING Himself to inform him about HIMSELF.
Thus we see here the enigmas that emerge in any descriptive endeavour , attempts to pin BEING to a catalogue of descriptions as we do in natural sciences. Does BEING have this attibute ? Yes and No. HE is elusive, for HE remains ABOVE all the-tic consciousness within which arise the notions of attributes. But is HE in the world? Yes and No again. For HE is as many archetypal forms that structure the phenomenal world but HE IS NOT also these archetypal presentations for they do not exhaust HIM: again he is elusive, HE remains always a SURPLUS even here.
And on account of the fact can HE be said to be ABSENT sometimes as HE does not become available for sense perceptions? No it is NOT so, HE is there always though beyond the reach of the senses for HE is quite capable of CONCEALING HIMSELF and work as the COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS, supremley present but UNCONSCIOUS to the individuals.
Nammazvar finally having understood the MYSTERY of BEING accomodate himself to it, and giving up all such attempts as in fact useless, just apporoaches BEING in loving devotion to be informed and formed by BEING Himself as to what He is really.
Here we are using the notion of Thirobava, the Transcendental Concealment as implicated here and I must point out that this notion belongs to Saiva Siddhanta, accepted as one of the Pancakrittiyas of BEING , a notion that is not that prominent of Sri Vaishanava Philosophical thinking.
Nammaazvaar 1-4
நாம் அவன் இவன் உவன் , அவள் இவள் உவள் எவள்
தாம் அவர் இவர் உவர் அது இது உது எது
வீம் அவை இவை உவை அவை நலம் தீங்கு அவை
ஆம் அவை ஆயவை ஆய்நின்ற அவரே
naam avan ivan uvan, avaL ivaL uvaL evaL
taam avar ivar uvar atu itu utu etu
viim avai ivai uvai avai nalam tiingku avai
aam avai aayavai aayninRa avaree
ஆன்மாக்கள் குழுவின் ஒற்றுமையில் 'நாம்- நீம்" என்ற பேதப்பட்டும் ஆணென பெண்ணென சுட்டுணர்வின் அவன் இவன் உவன் என்றும் அவள் இவள் உவள் என்றும் வினாவின் பொருளாக எவள் எவன் என்று விளங்கியும், மேலும் " தாம்- நீ " என்ற முறையில் பேதப்பட்டும் குமுகாய உறவில் மேலோர் கீழோர் ஆகி அவர் இவர் உவர் என்றும் அது இது உது எது ஆகியும், மேலும் ஆம் இஇவை வீழும் இவை ஆய்நிற்கும் இவை என காலவுணர்விற்றுமாகி, நலம் இவை என்றும் அதற்கு எதிராகி தீங்கு இவை எனவும் அறவுணர்வின் பேதப்பட்டும் நிற்கும் அனைத்துமாய் ஆய்நிற்பது ஒருவனேயாகிய பரமனே, வேறல்ல.
It is BEING and nothing else that underlies the social distinctions of 'we-they" and the sexual differences of man-woman that comes with the the-tic consciousness he-she etc; the tribal inclusive -excusive relationship "we-them" and the social status differences in terms respect and no respect, and all as the things in the processes of being produced, being preserved and being destroyed and the objects of moral approbations in terms the good and evil
Commentary:
=========
It is almost impossible to translate this verse and hence I have abandoned giving phrase by phrase tranlastions. Nammazvaar in an uncanny use of pronouns in Tamil weaves a verse so intricate and with such deep metaphysical insights into existence that unless we write a lengthy monograph it is IMPOSSIBLE to bring out all the hidden meanings that he encapsulates in the above four lines that bewilders even the trained mind.
So it is only with great reluctance that I venture to give the substance of this masterly verse in the way I see fully aware of the immense inadequacies.
The most important message is that BEING is TOTALLY ABOVE but simultaneously ALL, a magical reality and hence BEYOND the reach of the categorical mind that always seeks and exults in bifurcations and DETERMINATENESS. No, when it comes to BEING the categorical bipolarities do not apply and so is the determinateness. And again emerges the MYSTERY which DEFEATS the feeble human intellect and puts it in place by disclosing its own feebleness for it to understand and hence simply become a BAKTA, one who simply LOVES BEING and leaving all else to Him, surrendering his intellect to BEING to be formed and taken along.
We have in this encrypted and compressed verse the whole range of EXISTENTIAL analytics, an encapsulation of millenniums of effort at existential analysis such as those available in Tolkaappiyam.
BEING is the GROUND but also ABOVE all of the social distinctions of "WE-THEY" and the "WE-THEM" the foundation of tribalism nationalism casteism and so forth. These group identities allow some people to band together and stand as ONE and because of that understand others as the DIFFERENT. It is only because some isolate and identity themselves as belonging together with a shared identity that there emerges the distinction of the OTHERS, the Anniyar, the ALIEN and possibly "our" enemy.
And within this kind of thetic consciousness also arises the biological man-woman that also constitutes a fundamental categorical differentiation that is EXISTENTIALLY so meaningful. What is life if not for the presence of sexual differences that underlies the dynamics of sexual libido so important for the continuation of the species?
Now into this purely biological and tribal is inserted the sociological distinctions of Higher -Lower and hence the HIRARCHICAL organisation among the people. In society some are higher and some are lower as evidenced by the presence of terms of address that is prevalent in society and which INCORPORATE the notions of Higher-Lower in status.. Sometimes it DEGENERATES into the inflexible caste and caste-like social structures. But there are other kinds of hierarchies in other fields --in politics religion education and what not and hence a UNIVERSAL social structure that may pervade even the home.
Now into all these is written-in also the notions of RIGHT and WRONG as the fabric of social dynamics. Every issue in social and biological existence comes along with the ETHICAL question of whether it is RIGHT or WRONG and people always seeking JUSTICE as something they WANT and to which they submit themselves. Some are deemed as Nalam , right and good and some TiiNgku , wrong and inadmissible and hence to be punished censored and so forth.
But all these are THINGS that are in HISTORICAL flux, nonpermanent, they arise , are there and then somehow disappear. All these objects of THETIC consciousness are TRANSIENT, impermanent,; they slip out from our hold like the slippery fish.
It is here that Nammazvar ANTICIPATES Meykandar at least by seven centuries. For Meykandar too makes the same observation in the first sutra of Civanjanabotham: " avan avaL athu enum avai muuvinaimaiyin" The same masterly play of pronouns and to drive in the same point: that all theses objects of thetic consciousness, cuddunaRvu are objects in HISTORICAL FLUX, muuvinaiyin - arise somehow are there for a while and then disappear.
And Nammazvaar comes to the same conclusion as Meykandar: BEING IS all these as the NIMITTA KaaraNan, the AGENTIVE CAUSE but as the DEEPEST STRUCTURE of all, remains unaffected and nonexhausted by these phenomenal dramas, Plays, the various kinds of stage shows.
The Sri Vaishnava Acaryas seem to have missed out this point and it may be that it was because of this that Meykandar seized upon it and gave a new lease to these ancient and hard won metaphysical intuitions.
Nammaazvaar 1-5
அவரவர் தமதமது அறிவு அறி வகைவகை
அவரவர் இறைவர் என அடி அடைவர்கள்
அவரவர் இறையவர் குறைவு இலர்; இறையவர்
அவரவர் விதிவழி அடைய நின்றனரே
avaravar tamatamatu aRivu aRi vakaivakai
avaravar iRaivar ena adi adaivarkaL
avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivu ilar; iRaiyavar
avaravar vitivazi adaiya ninRanaree
பக்குவத்தில் வேறுபடும் மக்கள் தத்தம் அறிவின் எல்லைக்கு ஏற்ப அவரவர் புரிந்துகொள்ளும் வகையில் வெளிப்படும் இறைவனை, அவ்வடிவத்து தெய்வமே இறைவர் எனத் தொழுது முடிவில் இணையடி அடைந்து மகிழ்வர்; இவ்வாறு ஒவ்வொருவரின் அறிவுக்கேற்ற வகையில் ஓர் வடிவில் வெளிப்படும் இறைவன் ஒருவனே என, அவரவர் கொள்ளும் தெய்வ வடிவங்கள் யாதாயினும் அதில் குறையாதுமில்லை: ஒவ்வொருவரும் இவ்வாறு அருள்பாலிக்கும் இறைவனை அவரவர் விதிவழி சென்று நிச்சயமாக அடைய நிற்கின்றனர்.
BEING discloses Himself in numerous archetypal forms to accommodate the different capacities for understanding of the people. And the people too will assume that that particular presentation of BEING is BEING itself and worship and attain Him thus. And because each archetypal presentation is of the SAME BEING, there is nothing wrong in any of these forms. Each individual is destined to attain BEING in his own way no matter what kind of archetypal presentation he may choose to worship.
avaravar tamatamatu aRivu aRi vakaivakai: each in accordance with their own capacity for understanding
avaravar iRaivar ena adi adaivarkaL: will worship BEING in the archetypal form presented to them and attain Him
avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivu ilar: there is nothing wrong in the different archetypal presentations of BEING
iRaiyavar avaravar vitivazi adaiya ninRanaree: each in his own way worships the deity he chooses and will finally attain BEING
Commentary:
===========
This verse describes beautifully one of the central tenets of Agamism and which will make it conquer the world in time to come by the OPENESS it enshrines and INDIVIDUAL DIFERENCE in metaphysical pursuits it accommodates. While tribalism favours a COLLECTIVE mentality in which UNIFORMITY is enforced even at the pain of death, Agamism in being against tribalism favours individualism in the practice of religion. Each individual has his UNIQUENESS and intellectual and emotional needs and BEING presents Himself in a archetypal Form most suited to that individual in current predicament. Like a kind and excellent teacher who comes down to the level of the student he teaches so that an UNDERSTANDING can be brought about successfully so does BEING, the most excellent Guru. He discloses Himself in so many archetypal forms high and low so that it would MAKE SENSE to the individual and hence somehow he kept in the understanding of BEING, no matter how primitive it is.
So these numerous archetypal presentations are NOT TO BE SCORNED and made and object of mockery and pointless ridicule. Certainly there are High and Low in this but however as the DEEP STRUCTURE of all such archetypes we have the SAME BEING. There are no different gods but only ONE GOD, the BEING who chooses to PRESENT Himself in countless number of shapes just to help to individuals. BEING is not only the FORMLESS and abstract Brilliance and in which he appears for the gifted but also the so many minor deities that the less gifted individuals use to understand BEING.
Namazvar , as do Karaikkal Peyar Tirumular and a host of others, states quite categorically that there is nothing wrong at all in any one of deities. No archetypal presentation is to be scorned at for all of them all equally the presentation of the same BEING. Behind Krishna and Rama, behind Muruka and Vinakaya or even Muniswarar, we have the SAME BEING as the Deep Structure, the underlying reality. And BEING will pull unto Himself all in His own way no matter what archetypal presentations evokes sanctity in an individual.
There is no THE archetype or THE way -- there is always an OPENESS , the emergence of the historically NEW and hence DEMAND that we BE OPEN. And in this way Agamism is OPPOSED to the regimenting religions that believe in conversions and collective uniformities. Such demands are a VIOLATION of the RIGHT individuals have to reach BEING in his own personal way.
If not todaytomorrow this will be the demand of the people and hence the growth of Agamism. The world is moving in that direction -- against regimentations, against collectivisation and against the standardisation of believe systems.
What Agamism favours is INDIVIDUALISATION, allowing of PERSONAL religion, allowing each individual to be formed and informed in a way BEING chooses. It is a form of life where there is NO taking as the most authoritative a scripture or the words of a religious genius but rather BEING Himself to lead the individuals in his own way-- avaravar viti vazi and in a non collective but immensely personal manner.
Hail to Namzvar for articulating this essence of Agamism so eloquently.
Namazvar 1-6
நின்றனர் இருந்தனர் கிடந்தனர் திரிந்தனர்
நின்றிலர் இருந்திலர் கிடந்திலர் திரிந்திலர்
என்றும் ஓர் இயல்வினர் என நினைவு அரியவர்
என்றும் ஒர் இயல்பொடு நின்ற எம் திடரே
ninRanar iruntanar kidantanar tirintanar
ninRilar iruntilar kidantilar tirintilar
enRum oor iyalvinar ena ninaivu ariyavar
enRum oor iyalbodu ninRa em tidaree
அசைவினைப் போக்கி நின்றனர் என்றோ , ஒரே இடத்தில் இஇருந்தனர் என்றோ , யாதும் செய்யாது வாளா கிடந்தனர் என்றோ, அமைதியற்று அங்குமிங்கும் திரிந்தனர் என்றோ நினக்க அரியவர்; அதேபொழுது இவற்றிற்கெல்லாம் எதிராக நின்றிலர் இருந்திலர் கிடந்திலர் திரிந்திலர் என்றும் நினைக்க அரியவர்; இ லர் திரிந்திலர் என்றும் நினைக்க அரியவர்; இதையெலாம் ஒழித்து யாதொன்றுடனும் தொடர்பற்று அப்பாலுக்கப்பால் ஒரே இயல்பினர் என்று நினக்கவும் அரியவர்; ஆயினும் என் உள்ளத்தில் ஓரியல்பொடு மாறாத உறுதிப்பொருளாக இஇருக்கின்றான் அந்த இறைவன் என்பது ஓர் உண்மையே.
The BEING who stays as the FIRM and UNCHANGING GROUND within me is also paradoxically ONE who can said to be
There or
is not there standing with everything in the world or stands doing nothing or is not so , lies there unmindful of all that transpires or is not so, is forever moving about or
is not so and even beyond being said that He remains the
SAME unchanging reality and so forth
Commentary
Certainly this is another deep TRUTH about BEING that Namazvar tries to articulate in terms of descriptive paradoxes,
that arise when we try to describe BEING in terms of attributes so common among the theologians. The problem : what
is the relation of BEING with the WORLD which is always on the move, always in the HISTORICAL FLUX as
observed by Meykandar and which is the common presupposition of all except when they become philosophic and begin
to IMAGINE the world is FALSE, insubstantial where every DIFFERENCE is a mental fabrication or a projection and
hence only an illusion . This was the kind of metaphysics that was prevalent at the time of Namazvar and with which the
bulk of thinkers of the bakthi revolted against. The world is REAL and BEING is responsible for whatever transpires in
the world. We cannot think of anything in the phenomenal world without relating it to the presence of BEING. The world is as GIVEN only by BEING .
The world is true and BEING responsible for it all. This much is clear. Then the questions arises: Can we say HE
stands along with the world , moves along with it, withdraws from it , stands along but remains INDIFFERENT to all that
transpires? Namazavr says that it is DIFFICULT to think of BEING in terms of this. Each answer creates a dilemma. If we answer affirmatively then BEING becomes someone AFFECTED by the world processes and subject to DEATH when
the whole universe dies entirely cntrary to the PERMANENCE of BEING.
Then arises the question: Can we then DENY all these involvements to safeguard HIS AUTONOMY and SUPREME
INDEPENDANCE , and say that he remains UNAFFECTED by all that transpires in the world?
Again the answer is NEGATIVE, BEING cannot be fully understood even in terms of these negations. If we say yes and
that BEING is so, then BEING becomes supremely IRRELEVANT for whatever the world is and whatever transpires in it.
Thus BEING in itself is BEYOND such categorisations, of attributes. -- Ninaivu ariyar. BEING is neither Saguna
Brahman nor Nirguna Brahman.
It is worth noting here that the Sri VaishNava Acariyas have been saying in their metaphysical ramblings that BEING is
Saguna Brahman in opposition to the Advaita Vedanties who maintained that BRAHMAN is Nirguna, withour any
attributes. Namazvar is NOT with any of these schools of thought.
However both schools agree to the changeableness of the world, each of course in their own way and Namazvar
subscribes to that.
Because of this another question arises: these questions presuppose that BEING is forever changing for being in the
world and being responsible for all the changes in the world HE must
also be changing along with it even as maya sakthi and so forth.
Here again Namazvar affirma that BEING cannot be said to be even so; that BEING remains the SAME , remaining
forever UNCHANGING etc.
Then what is it that we can SAY of BEING?
Namzavar seems to offer a solution for the being-becoming reality of the universe and the place of BEING in it. The
solution is simply that all these attempts to FATHOM BEING and understand in terms of attributes positively or
negatively are fruitless, BEING is always a MYSTERY and hence beyond the feeble attempts of man to comprehend in
terms of these categories. But however BEING is PRESENT in the mind as the UNCHANGING and firm GROUND for
Namazvar. That much he is clear. It constitutes part of the experience of BEING.
What follows from this?
Only that BEING is uncanny that he can present HIMSELF as the UNCHANGING and FIRM GROUND for the Bakthas
who desire such a presence. Thus the SAMENESS and UNCHANGING FIRMNESS is also a presentation of BEING.
All that we can do is to experience what is OFFERED by BEING, what HE chooses to let us know about Himself. Trying
to go beyond it is folly, trying to attain the impossible. In itself BEING is wholly MYSTERIOUS , wholly uncanny and
man with his feeble mind must accept his defeat and acquiesce with the fact he cannot understand BEING more than HE
chooses to disclose to him. We are forever at HIS mercy for an understanding about HIM.
Nammazvaar 1-7
திட விசும்பு எரி வளி நீர் நிலம் இவைமிசைப்
படர் பொருள் முழுவதும் ஆய், அவைஅவைதொறும்
உடல்மிசை உயிர் எனக் கரந்து அங்கும் பரந்துளன்
சுடர் மிகு சுருதியுள் இவை உண்ட சுரனே
tida visumbu eri vaLi niir nilam ivaimicaip
padarporuL muzuvatum aay, avaiavaitoRum
udalmicai uyir enak karntu angkum parantuLan
cudar miku curuthiyuL ivai uNda curanee
ஐம்பூதங்களாகிய என்றும் மறையாது நிற்கும் வான், அதில் எழும் நெருப்பு, அதில் எழும் காற்று, அதில் எழும் நீர் அதில் எழும் நிலன் ஆகியவற்றில் படர்ந்து அவை ஒவ்வொன்றும் பலவாறு திரிபுற்று நிற்றலின் அவை முழுவதற்கும் தானே நிமித்த காரணமாய் ஆனால் கரந்து இருக்கின்றான் இறைவன். அது எப்படியோவெனில் அந்தர்யாமியாக உடலில் உயிர் எவ்வாறு இ இருக்கின்றதோ அவ்வாறு கண்ணாற் காணமுடியாது மறைந்து அவன் இல்லாயிடம் யாதுமின்றி இருக்கின்றான். ஆயினும் இவற்றையெல்லாம் அழித்து இல்லாதுபோக்கும் இவை உண்ட தெய்வமாய் இறைவன், ஞானப்பிரகாசம் புணர்த்த வல்ல சுருதியில் தான் சுடர்ந்து அனைவரும் காணும் வகையில் சுடர்கின்றவனும் ஆவன்.
BEING stands as the Agentive ‘ause giving structure and form to everything phen,menal by being present everywhere and in everything that arise from the Space from which arise the Fire from which the Wind , from which the Waters and from which the Earth. HE is present as the IMMANENT REALITY concealing Himself and hence invisible to the naked eyes just like the soul while permeating the whole body, remains however invisible to senses. However HE, who dissolves the whole world as if eating it up, presents Himself in somehow or other in a Radiant Form in the Scriptures that illuminate the mind.
tida vicumbu eri vaLi niir nilam : In the firm Space, Fire, Winds, Waters and the Earth
ivaimicaip padarporuL muzuvatum aay, : becomes that which pervades and permeates all
avaiavaitoRum udalmisai uyir enak karntu angkum parantuLan: BEING is present in each of these things just like the soul in the body
cudar miku curutiyuL ivai uNda curanee: the BEING who devours all these things shows Himself in the scriptures that illuminate the mind.
Commentary:
The metaphysical understanding that goes by the name Saiva Siddhanta and which I have called Metaphyisca Universalis , is the COMMON understanding that constitutes the essence of all truly authentic religious or metaphysical and in this verse we see it very clearly. The words "curan" and "curuti" have the common etymological root "cuur", meaning that which radiates, the "cudar miku poruL" as Nammazvaar himself describes here, the common experience of BEING as LIGHT that is registered in the mystical experiences of all mystics throughout the world, no matter what their mundane religious background is.
What makes Nammazvar distinctly a Saiva Siddhanti is the description of BEING as who devours the whole world, and which same notion is described in Saiva Literature as sangkaram . Only the metaphors are different but NOT the meanings. This is a central metaphysical insight about BEING and seizing upon this Meykandar articulates BEING as "sangkaara kaaraNanaakiya mutal" the Primordial Power that is responsible for the dissolution of all. But this dissolution means also that HE regenerates and sustains it and because the world is present nevertheless . He is also the ONE who regurgitates and regenerates for only He who dissolves cam also reproduce. Thus we have the THREE functions of the Panjca Krittiyas.
The remaining TWO are aruLal and maRaittal, i.e. disclosing and concealing and which notions are also available in this verse.
For as the immanent reality BEING is present everywhere and permeates all things just like the soul permeating the whole body. But we cannot see by whatever means the soul despite knowing somehow its presence in the body. In the same way, HE is present in the world permeanting every nook corner but only as INVISIBLE presence. HE is there in the world as the antaryaami, the immanent presence.
This same notion is described in Saiva Literature as Throbavam, casting a screen ,a tirai, so that though we know HE is there but cannot see him no matter how hard we try.
But then how do know HE is there and gain an understanding of HIM?
And here the notion of aruLal, He disclosing Himself on HIS own accord in mentioned by way of describing the essence of scriptures. I am taking 'curuti" as a Tamil word with the etymology of 'cuur" and not Sanskrit with the root 'sru" meaning 'hearing". Curuti is that whch brings LIGHT, metaphysical illuminations, a CLARITY with respect to the concealed and mystical ,a notion that is applicable to ALL scriptures of the world and NOT simply to the VEDAS that are recited and listened to and that too an activity confined to Brahmins , a notion entirely inconsistent with Nammaazvar. BEING chooses to DISCLOSE Himself, becomes a VISIBLE reality in ALL the scriptural utterances and hence the ONE who can be understood and appreciated by all.
Thus it follows that though BEING is understood as Thirumaal , Namamzvar also understands BEING as panjca krittiya and hence as Civa also. The difference is only in the name but not in the substance, in the meaning.
Namaazvaar 1-8
சுரர் அறிவு அருநிலை விண்முதல் முழுவதும்
வரன் முதலாய் அவை முழுது உண்ட பரபரன்
புரம் ஒரு மூன்று எரித்து அமரர்க்கும் அறிவியந்து
அரன் அயன் என, உலகு அழித்து அமைத்து உளனே
curar aRivu arunilai viNmutal muzuvatum
varan mutalaay avai muzutum uNda paraparan
puram oru muunRu erittu amararkkum aRiviyantu
aran ayan ena, ulaku azittu amaittu uLanee
சிவஞானப் பிரகாசத்தின் சுரர் அறிவாய், ஊனக் கண்களால் காணமுடியாத அருநிலை மந்திரவுலகாகிய விண்முதலுமாய், இவை முழுதும் ஒன்றிலிருந்து ஒன்று தோன்றும் வகையில் அவற்றிற்கு முதலாகி பிறகு அவை இல்லாதுபோமாறு யாதும் எஞ்சாவகை முழுதும் உண்டு , ஆக இவ்வாறு உலகிற்கு அந்தமாதியாய் ஆனால் அவற்றிற்கு தான் அடங்காது அப்பாலுக்கு அப்பால் நிற்கும் பராபரமாய் இருக்கின்றான் இஇறைவன். இவனே ஆன்மாக்கள் ஆணவம் கன்மம் மாயை எனப்படும் மும்மலங்களின் காரியமாக விளங்கும் முப்புரம் செற்று எரித்து தீய்த்து இல்லாது போக்கி சுத்தம் செய்து, இதன்னின் இஇத்திறன் அமைகில்லா அமரர்களும் வியந்து பாராட்டும் வகையில் சங்காரத் தாண்டவத்து அரன் என அழித்தும் , படைப்பு வல்ல அயனென உலகினை தோற்றியும் (அது நிலைக்குமாறு அரி என காத்தும்) தோன்றி நின்றழியுமாறு இந்த உலகினை அமைத்து தான் என்றும் அழியாது உளன் எம் இறைவன்
BEING stands as the Causative Agent for the historical evolution of illuminating knowledge from the Mantra World that remains imperceptible for the ordinary eyes and also the Ground that resolves all these into the primordial unmanifest condition i.e. swallows the whole lot ( only to reissue again). This BEING is also He who singes to ashes the Three Castles of IGNORANCE as constituted by aaNavam kanmam and maayai and at which the ordinary gods really marvel , impressed by the POWER of BEING. BEING, the Absolutely Transcendent, IS , most emphatically who by assuming the archetypal forms aran ayan (and ari) dissolves the world reissues it and maintains it.
curar aRivu : the illuminating absolute understanding, the civanjanam
arunilai viNmutal muzuvatum : this and the imperceptible mantra world and all
varan mutalaay : caused to emerge one from another
avai muzutum uNda paraparan : BEING the transcendent-immanent who dissolves all totally (only to reissue)
puram oru muunRu erittu amararkkum aRiviyantu : making even the gods marvel by singing to ashes the Three Castles of ignorance of the souls;
aran ayan ena, ulaku azittu amaittu uLanee : who sustains the world as a reality in historical flux by assuming the archetypal forms of Aran, Ayan ( and Ari)
Commentary:
We saw earlier that BEING is seen as Panca Krittiyan by Nammaazvar despite the use of different metaphors that are not that current in Saiva Literature. Even though BEING is Tirumaal for Nammazvaar in many of his hymns, here he calls HIM, paraaparan, a technical term also widely in use in Saiva Siddhanta. BEING is the Totally ABOVE though also present in the world as antariyaami, the indweller in everything, the IMMANENT reality that is the SOUL of all. Combining both we see that BEING is both Transcendent and Immanent and which is the sense of param-aparam or paraaparan.
This same notion is enunciated by Tirumular in terms Sivan -Sataacavan. Only the technical vocabulary is different but not the metaphysical notions.
Now where BEING is seen Panckritiyan , there must already be the notions of Mummalam, the Anavam Kanmam and Mayai, for the Panckrityas of BEING are precisely for FREEING the anmas from the hold of the mummalams and of which the aaNavam is the most primordial and anati - unoriginated - and the other two being secondary developments out of this.
And Nammazvar mentions this only metaphorically but by using the SAME puranic lore as the Saivaites. The three Castles of Ignorance , the Muppuram , gets mentioned very extensively in Tirumantiram Teevaarama etc. And as Tirumular says, "muppuramaavtu mummala kaariyam" i.e. the three castles of IGNORANCE in which the non adventurous souls take refuge from the immense Brilliance of TRUTH are the castles generated out of aaNavam Kanmam and Maayai. The aaNavam generates the I-ness, the EGO because of which there results the Prabta Karma that throws the anmas into existential repetition and Maayai , the desire for the assumption of Physical forms.
Only BEING can destroy these castles that provide and sustain the egoistic I-ness for it is BEING who can radiate the curar aRivu, the Civanjanam and which is the only LIGHT that can dispel the metaphysical DARKNESS that is aaNavam
And now as to the reason why the world is dissolved and reissued continuously: the world is there only as the VICTORY of BEING against this aaNavam that knows only to dissolve the world and make it a nonentity, an objective NOTHINGNESS. But should that be allowed then the souls will not be able to enjoy the curar aRivu, the absolutely Illuminating Understanding that constitutes the attainment of REDEMPTION itself. There will be primordial Darkness, the Objective Nothingness. So BEING standing ABOVE the flux-prone universe reissues the world destroying when necessary but maintaining it as a reality there forever.
Looking at all these I do not understand why Nammazvar was NOT recognised as someone like Tirumular and who articulated the same of metaphysical insights that goes by the name of SAIVA SIDDHANTA.
Namazvar 1-9
உளன் எனில் உளன்; அவன் உருவம் இஇவ் வுருவுகள்
உளன் அலன் எனில், அவன் அருவம் இஇவ் அருவுகள்
உளன் என, இஇலன் என இஇவை குணம் உடைமையின்
உளன் இஇரு தகையொடு ஒழிவு இஇலன் பரந்தே
uLan enil uLan; avan uruvam iv vuruvukaL
uLan alan enil, avan aruvam iv varuvukaL
uLan ena ilan ena ivai kuNam udaimaiyin
uLan iru takaiyodu ozivu ilan parantee
இறைவன் இருக்கின்றான் என்று உடன்பட்டால், தன்னை இருப்பவனாக காட்டுவன் ; அது பொழுதே தோன்றுகின்ற பல்வேறு வடிவங்கள் அனைத்தும் அவனது திருவுருவமே யாகும். இனி இவ்வாறு காண்பதொழித்து அவன் உருவினன் அலன் எனில், அவன் தன்னை உருவமற்ற அருவமாக அருவுருக்களாக காட்டி யருகின்றான். இவ்வாறு உருவுடையவனாக அல்லாதவனாக உளன் என்பார்க்கும் அலன் என்பார்க்கும் காட்டியருளும் இத்தன்மைய இருகுணங்கள் உடைமையின், அவன் எவ்வாற்றிலும் யாண்டும் இல்லாதுபோகாத யாங்கும் பரந்து விரிந்திருக்கின்ற உண்மைப்பொருளேயாம்; பொய்ப்பொருள் அன்று
If you accept the reality of BEING, then all the different archetypal forms are His forms. If you do not want to accept these FORMS then He discloses Himself in Formless Forms showing that He can be FORMLESS as well. And HE shows Himself as capable of both Forms and Formlessness and hence on account of it a REALITY that remains pervading the whole universe, never ever absenting Itself.
uLan enil uLan: If you accept that He is, He shows Himself as there
avan uruvam iv vuruvukaL: as the ONE as these archetypal forms as His own
uLan alan enil,: Now if you want to see Him as Formless
avan aruvam iv varuvukaL: then He shows Himself Formless with so many Formless Forms
uLan ena ilan ena ivai kuNam udaimaiyin; And thus BEING with these Dual capacitties for both Formness and Formlessness
uLan iru takaiyodu ozivu ilan parantee : HE is THERE pervading everything , never absenting Himself at all.
Commentary
Against the background of the outstandingly penetrative insights Namazvar unfolds in this verse, the whole of the iconoclastic ideologies of many world religions and sects would appear supremely mistaken and perhaps something that pervades only because the real depths of TRUE religion have NOT been fathomed.
BEING can NEVER be defeated and HE is entirely capable of assuming whatever form would please the finite human mind. He can present Himself as the ONE with various Forms and if you do NOT like to understand BEING through structural FORMS then he can WITHDRAW them and show Himself as FORMLESS but nevertheless continue to BE THERE in Formless Forms. No human understanding can EXCEED His competencies. He is TOTALLY uncanny, infinitely incomprehensible and the only thing that we can be sure is that HE is THERE never absenting Himself whether you like to see him with forms or without forms.
BEING can assume both FORMS and this is the experiential Truth. The Allah of the Muslims is the Formless Form but not the Sathasivan of the Saiva, the Vishnu of the Vaishanavas. But BEING is capable of BOTH-- the iru takaimai and INDEFEATABLE and because of it the Praaparan.
But most importantly he IS THERE never absenting Himself amidst both types of choices, human preferences. The desert mind, used to desert landscape may want to acknowledge the presence BEING as the SUPREMELY Formless Form and BEING obliges such individuals assuming such presentations. Another mind used to the luxuriance of the tropical paradise might want to see the presence of BEING in as many FORMS like the flora and fauna of the tropical landscape. BEING obliges such individuals too. But whatever it is, BEING is PRESENT to both types of minds in the way they want to feel the presence of BEING.
BEING cannot be denied in whatever way and therefore ever presents everywhere.
Namazvar 1-10
பரந்த தண் பரவையுள் நீர்தொறும் பரந்துளன்
பரந்த அண்டம் இஇது என நிலம் விசும்பு ஒழிவு அறக்
கரந்த சில் இஇடந்தொறும் இஇடம் திகழ் பொருள்தொறும்
கரந்து, எங்கும் பரந்துளன்; இஇவை உண்ட கரனே
paranta taN paravaiyuL niirtoRum parantuLan
paranta aNdam itu ena: nilam vicumbu ozivu aRak
karanta cil idantoRum idam tikaz poruLthoRum
karantu, engkum parantuLan; ivai uNda karanee
உலக மலர்ச்சிக்கு மூலமாய குளிந்த நீர்நிலைகளின் நீர்தொறும் இறைவன் உள்ளவனாய் பரந்துளன்; பரந்து விரிந்த அண்டம் பேரண்டங்கள் அனைத்திலும் ஆகவே அண்டங்களுக்கு உருதரும் நிலத்திலும் இடந்தரும் விசும்பிலும் யாண்டும் மறைந்து இல்லாது போகாது இருக்கின்றான். கண்களுக்குப் புலனாகாத அணுவின் அணுவாகிய சிறு சிறு இஇடங்களிலும் , அத்தகு இடங்களில் உருவாகி நிற்கும் நுண்பொருள்களிலும் வெளிப்படாது கரந்து பரந்துளன். இவ்வாறு உண்டாகி நிற்கின்ற அனைத்திலும் ஒழியாது நிற்கின்ற அவன் யாரெனின், இவை அனைத்தையும் உண்டு இல்லாதுபோக்க வல்ல (சங்)கரனேயாம்
BEING is present in cool waters of life regeneration collected in various ways in this wide world; HE is there as non disappearing Immanent Reality in the vast cosmos, in the material stuff that gives forms to it and in the Space that gives locations for them to be. HE is even in those minute locations hidden from view and in the microscopic things that populate such spaces. And if it is asked whose is present as thus , it is Cangkaran , the BEING with the capacity to eat and swallow and thus cause their total withdrawal
paranta taN paravaiyuL niirtoRum parantuLan: HE is there immanent in the cool waters spread all over the world.
paranta aNdam itu ena: nilam vicumbu ozivu aRak: He is there never absenting Himself in the vast cosmos, in the concrete objetcs there as well as in the Space that locates them;
karanta cil idantoRum idam tikaz poruLthoRum : in every hidden crevices and in the microscopic objects there
karantu, engkum parantuLan: He is present everywhere but as the concealed
ivai uNda karanee: BEING who is thus is Cangkaran, He who can devour the all these (Manifest Worlds)
Commentary:
Here again we find a cosmological view very similar to Saivism , an understanding that I have termed Metaphysica Universalis. The "karan" is certainly is Cangkaran , a neutral term but because of wide use, is more common in Saivism.
BEING as the immanent reality, is the ancient Purusha of Purusha Suktam or even going earlier the Ningirsu of the Sumerian times, the One with very large feet and who spans the earth and sky. The descriptive term "uta amrtatvasyaa eesaanah" in Purusha Suktam is also available over there in terms of : sig-ba-ni-a-su a-maru-kam ( at his feet was a tempest)
This NinGirsu or Enlil or Seirmaal of the Sumerians may the Tirumaal of Vaishanavism. But Namzavar in addition to describing Tirumaal as such also goes BEYOND to the Absolute which in Sumerian times itself was understood as Nin-a : the Great One , the Great Mother who gives birth to all but here noted as Karan, or Cangkaran He who discontructs the whole world. Elsewhere this Great One is also An, that exists even now buried in the Tamil terms aaaNdavan aaNdakai etc.
This Karan is also known as Aingkaran , meaning the one capable of Pancha Kritiyam-- the five fold activities of BEING, that of production, sustenance, annihilation and all these through Concealment and Disclosure. Thus though Namazvar as a bakta melts in the thoughts of Krishna, as a metaphysician he is the same as the great Nayanmars like Appar Njanasamabantar Sundarar and Tirumular. He has the same metaphysical understanding but chooses the archetype of Tirumaal or Krishna for his PERSONAL and feeling toned emotional Bakti but whom for him is also the same as Karan or Cankaran.
Namazvar 1-11
கர விசும்பு எரி வளி நீர் நிலம் இவைமிசை
வரன் நவில் திறல் வலி அளி பொறை ஆய்நின்ற
பரன் அடிமேல் குருகூர்ச் சடகோபன் சொல்
நிரல் நிறை ஆயிரத்து இவை பத்தும் வீடே
உரை
தான் தனித்து வெளிப்படாது அகன்று நிற்பது போக்கி இறைவன் அருள் மேவர , ஐம்புலன்கட்கு ஆய்வரும் கரிய விசும்பு தீ காற்று நீர் நிலம் எனும் பஞ்சபூதங்கள் வழியாக அவற்றின் நிலவும் திறல் வன்மை அளி பொறை போன்ற குணங்களாய் ஆய்நின்று அதன்வழி தன்னை ஆன்மாக்கள் உணரும் வகையில் வருகின்றவன் பரன். அவனது இத்தகு பிரபஞ்சக் கூத்தியற்றும் திருவடிகளை கண்டு கண்டு ஆனந்தித்து குருகூர் எனும் திருப்பதியில் வாழும் சடகோபனாகிய அடியேன் சொல்கின்ற, ஓர் அழகிய நிரல் பட தொகுத்துள்ள இந்த ஆயிரம் திருவாய்மொழிகளில், இந்த முதல் பத்துப் பாசுரங்களை யார் தெரிந்து தெளிகின்றார்களோ, அவர்கட்கு
வீடு பேறு உறுதியாம்
kara visumbu eri vaLi niir nilam ivaimicai
varan navil tiRal vali aLi poRai aayninRa
paran adimeel kurukuurc Cadakoopan col
niral niRai aayirattu ivai pattum viidee
Meaning:
BEING, instead of remaining the totally above and beyond and hence inaccessible, out of immense and intrinsic LOVE, has disclosed Himself through the five basic elements - the Dark Space, Fire Wind Water and Earth that are also elements of sense perception and through them also as ONE full of Power Strength Love and Patience. I, Sadakoopan of Kurukuur having witnessed His Divine Feet of this Cosmic Dance has composed these thousand verses and organized them in a sequence that is appropriate. But among these, this First Ten is special for anyone who understands their meaning and get to enjoy the metaphysical insights available there, are sure to enjoy genuine Redemption or Moksa!
Comments:
As already noted quite unfailingly by practically all the VaishNava Acaryas who have built up the Vishistatvaita Philosophy (but wrongly fathered upon the Vedantic texts) these first ten verses are of outstanding merits in addition to being immensely profound. In fact along with immense beauty of diction and syntax that is very poetical as well as deeply metaphysical , a vast philosophy is already being outlined within so few words that it becomes a real challenge for anyone who would seek to understand them. It is not simply the semantics and syntax, the metaphors and the various of poetical figures but the insights that are unfolded that become the real challenge. The metaphysical eyes must be wide open in order to understand and appreciate these liberating insights and which is possible only with the assistance of Divine Grace. As one ponders over the meanings fully aware that there is a MUSIC to these and that they are relevant to grasp the meanings, the mind is lifted up into an altogether different horizon where the mind loses its egotism and merges fully in vision of the Dance of Divine Feet.
His Feet is what the human mind can witness and understand and this is what this Sadakoopan also succeeded in witnessing. BEING-in-Itself is wholly incomprehensible, immeasurable -- forever a Mystery. We can understand only what He chooses to tell us about Himself and that only if His Grace facilitates it. No matter how brilliant we are and no mater how heroic our struggles are, unless BEING graces us, we cannot understand anything of Him. And this despite the fact that HE, having torn Himself away from the ISOLATION and Aloofness intrinsic to Him, chooses to disclose Himself through the world of Space Wind Water Fire and Earth, the basic elements that go into the weaving of the phenomenal world, the historical. Like a ghost that discloses itself by possessing a human being and transforming everything available to disclose its presence, BEING also possesses the world and discloses Himself by transforming these insentient and brute matter by infusing spiritual qualities to them, the various gunas. BEING thus becomes the Purusha, the EnLil of the Sumerians, permeating everything physical and spiritualising them.
There is Strength and various kinds of Competencies (tiRal), there is Power (vali) to accomplish so many things, there is LOVE and Compassion for all (aLi) and infinite Patience and Peace of mind (poRai) among the creatures who have assumed a physical frame but who are SPIRITUAL in terms of the above gunas.
BEING is present as the manifest reality in the gunas or the spiritual qualities of the creatures. It is in human essence as well as the essence of the physical world that BEING has made Himself accessible and that too only His Divine Feet.
The notion of Divine Feet is a metaphor more popular among the Saivites and where is connotes the DANCE, infusing MOTION and through that agitate the immense universe making it move - develop evolve change transform withdraw re-emerge and so forth. It is in these changes that the Divine Gunas are to be seen and though that some aspects of BEING Himself, BEING as the eN kuNattaan, as already announced by TiruvaLLuvar several centuries before Namazvar and which insight has taken deep roots in the Tamil metaphysical mind. For Saakoopan, it provides a away of interpreting his spiritual experiences and which are contained in these first ten verses. For unlike the other verses where there is self-abandonment in the direct spiritual experiences of BEING-as- NaraNan, these first ten are INTERPRETIVE and hence embody the metaphysical understanding, Siddhanta. Over and above the direct experiencing of BEING in the various kinds of archetypal presentations, the philosophical UNDERSTANDING, the Siddhanta stands above all of them for it is that which brightens up consciousness, makes one UNDERSTAND and appreciate BEING. And this understanding is that which will secure the final Liberation for it is that which destroys the inherent Ignorance or Blindness that throws the creatures into an endless existential repetition, samsara.
Namazvar of course knew this and that's the reason why he included this verse as the eleventh in the first patikam, something like a corollary.
(The First Patikam that has been such a challenge and so demanding is now concluded)
The genuine meaning of Saivism as expounded by the leading thinkers such as Thirumular Appar and so forth and as philosopically established by the brilliant Meykandar is NOT a religion among the so many world religions but rather that which as the Deep Structure of all religions and hence something present in all religions. It has reached the bottom most level of metaphysics and hence articulates Metaphysica Universalis with its characteristic OPENESS to the truths of all world religions and metaphysical thinking. The term ' meenmaik koL Caiva Niithi" in a way captures this very aptly. Caivism is niithi, a principle that is 'meenmaikoL" , that which accepts ALL goods things no matter what the historical origins are. It is a principle that keeps the mind forever OPEN and allows its reformulation continuosly and a hence that which regenerates itself when new insights demand it.
It is against this background of genuine Saivism that now I venture to translate the first THREE patikams of Nammaazvaar, a metaphysical genious who has conquered even the hearts of many proud Brahmins and has served to create a new school of philosophy in India that goes by the name of Srivaishanavism. But I am NOT sure whether the metaphysical insights of Nammazvaar have been truly captured by these Acariyas or theologicians and hence venture to provide my own commentaries with the presupposition that Nammazvar too articulates this universal Metaphysica Universalis albeit in a Vaishanava garb which may have some advantages of its own.
I hope the Meykandars would cherish these translations just as they do the Thevarat ThirumuRais.
Nammazvaar
Thiruvaay Mozi
1-1
உயர்வு அற உயர் நலம் உடையவன் எவன்? அவன்
மயர்வு அற மதி நலம் அருளினன் எவன்? அவன்
அயர்வு அறும் அமரர்கள் அதிபதி எவன்? அவன்
துயர் அறு சுடர் அடி தொழுது எழு , என் மனனே!
uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan evan? avan
mayarvu aRa mati nalam aruLinan evan? avan
ayarvu aRum amararkaL atipati evan? avan
tuyar aRu cudar adi tozutu ezu , en mannanee!
Oh my heart! Arise (replenished and invigorated ) by paying homage to the
ONE , the BEING whose resplendent FEET destroys all the existential miseries and the
ONE, the BEING who discloses the absence any goodness beyond that which HE embodies and the
ONE, the BEING who provides all the illuminations and liberates the mind from all illusions and the
ONE , the BEING who is the LORD of all the celestial beings who forever regenerate the spirit
என் ஏழை மனமே! எல்லா நலங்களையும் தனதாய்க்கொண்டு திகழும் திறத்தின் அதற்கு மேம்பட்ட நலங்கள் வேறு யாதும் இல்லை என்று யாவன் உனர்த்துகின்றானோ அவனை; மதி மயக்கங்கள் எல்லாங் கெட ஞானத் தெளிவு தரவல்லவன் எவனோ அவனை; பற்பல சக்திகளை ஊட்டி உவப்பித்தவாறு ஆன்மாக்கள் அயர்வு தலைப்படாது உதவிக் கொண்டே இருக்கும் அமரர்களின் அதிபதியாக யாவன் இருக்கின்றானோ அவனை, வாழ்க்கையின் துயரங்களை எல்லாம் போக்கும் அவனது சுடர் அடிகளை தொழுது ஊக்கம் பெற்று எழுவாய்!
uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan evan? avan: Who is the ONE who embodies all the Goஒdness within and shows that there is ABSENCE of any good beyond Him, that BEING
mayarvu aRa mati nalam aruLinan evan? avan : Who is the ONE who illuminates and liberates the mind thereby from all illusions, that BEING
ayarvu aRum amararkaL atipati evan? avan : whos is the ONE who is the LORD of all the celestial beings who forever regenerate the spirit , that BEING
tuyar aRu cudar adi tozutu ezu: arise (replenished and regenerated) paying homage to the resplendent Feet of that BEING that dispels all the existential miseries.
en mannanee! : Oh ! my heart!
Commentary.
==========
This verse constitutes the foundational verse of SriVaishanava Philosophy and has been extensively commented upon. The crucial phrase is "uyarvu aRa uyar nalam udaiyavan" which I have rendered as BEING who embodies all the GOODNESS and SHOWS the ABSENCE of any goodness beyond HIM. Thus we have a conception of BEING as the MOST INCLUSIVE TOTALITY, the ABSOLUTE in terms of CONTENT and hence that which is ALL , most inclusively. Then the question arises : what about NOTHINGNESS, the PURE EMPTINESS that gets articulated by some Buddhists of early India, particularly the Sunyavadins such as Nagarjuna and so forth? But there is no problem here at all for the NOTHINGNESS is NOT an objective nothingness but rather an experiential nothingness, a metaphysical experience where there is experiencing of ABSOLUTE PURITY and hence also a GOODNESS and hence something that BEING embodies.
This BEING who is absolutely all is also ONE who INSTRUCTS so that the anmas are freed of their IGNORANCE and enjoy supreme illumination, the essence of the psychical presence , the 'matinalam' The BEING , though is a TOTALITY, that which is ALL is also predisposed to ILLUMINATE the humble minds suffering from all kinds confusions , illusions and delutions lacking is the indubitable CLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS
And towards this end HE is also the LORD of all the celestial beings, the deathless mantra bodies that pervade the world enacting what we call life, the world , the universe and so forth. These celestial beings are there to stimulate and energise the creatures providing the pills of happiness each time they wither and droop in exhaustion tired of the various conflicts that are so depressing and psychically so demanding. The celestial beings, through making it possible to ENJOY life aesthetically romantically and so forth provide the necessary motivations to live and struggle towards higher and higher metaphysical reaches. BEING is the LORD of these celestial beings in the sense HE is the primordial source of all the GOODNESS that are meted out to the suffering creatures in appropriate ( and small ) measures by these celestial beings.
Now DIRECT worship of BEING as such instead of the so many little gods should be most rewarding , most regenerating for BEING is the SOURCE of all the GOODNESS. It is because of this Nammazvar pleads unto his heart instead worshiping the so many little gods, it should worship the ONE, the BEING of all Goodness, the BEING , the most inclusive TOTALITY to replenish itself and get regenerated very vigorously.
Nammaazvaar 1-2
2.
மனனகம் மலமற மலர்மிசை எழுதரும்
மனனுணர்வு அளவு இலன், பொறியுணர்வு அவை இலன்
இனனுணர் முழுநலம் எதிர் நிகழ் கழிவினும்
இனனிலன் எனனுயிர் மிகுநரை இலனே
mananakam malamaRa malarmicai ezutarum
mananuNarvu aLavu ilan, poRiyuNarvu avai ilan
inanuNar muzunalam etir nikaz kazivinum
inanilan enanuyir mikunarai ilanee
BEING, though emerges in Lotus of Divine Illumination to dispell
The metaphysical DARKNESS within me, is NOT something that can be
Comprehended fully by the logical mind and is
Also beyond the reach of any kind of the cognitive utensils and stands
As the ONE who is there as the IMMANENT reality in everything that is comprehended in whatever manner and as
The ONE who does not have anyone to compare with HIM in the temporal ekstases of the future present and the past
And standing as the life of my life remains there as the eternally unchanging Youth who never grows old
என் உள்ளத்தில் ஆழத்தில் ஆகவே அநாதியே இருக்கும் அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் பாரிக்கும் வண்ணம் ஞானவொளியாக குண்டலினியின் ஓர் வடிவமாகிய பங்கய மலர்மேல் எழுந்தருளும் இறைவன், இவ்வாறு உணரப்படுபவனெனினும், அளவியற் சிந்தனை மனதால் அளவிட்டு அறிதற்குரிய அளவு இல்லாதவன்; பசுகரணம் சிவகரணம் என வரும் பொறியுணர்வின் படும் அவையும் அல்லன்; ஆயினும் இதுவென்று சுட்டறியப்படுவதின் அனைத்துள்ளும் அந்தர்யாமியாக நிற்கும் திறத்து முழுநலம் உடையவன் அவனாகும்; காலம் குறிப்புக்காலமாய் எதிர் நிகழ்வு கழிவு என நிற்க அக்காலவுணர்விற்குள் அறியப்படும் எவற்றிலும் ஒப்பு இல்லாதவனாய் அகன்று நிற்பவனும் ஆகும். இத்தகைய திறத்தால் என் உயிரோடு உயிராக நிற்கும் அவன் என்றும் மாறா வீரியத்தின் மிகுகின்ற நரை திரை மூப்பு இல்லாதவனும் ஆகும்
mananakam malamaRa malarmicai ezutarum: BEING emerges as the Lotus of Divine illumination to dispell the Metaphysical Darkness within me
mananuNarvu aLavu ilan: is NOT something that can comprehended fully by the logical mind
poRiyuNarvu avai ilan: is also beyond the reach of any kind of cognitive utensils
inanuNar muzunalam : but is present as the IMMANENT reality in everything that is comprehended in whatever manner
etir nikaz kazivinum inanilan : does not have anyone to compare with in the temporal ekstases of future present and past
enanuyir mikunarai ilanee: standing as the life of life remains there as the eternally unchanging Youth who never grows old.
Commentary:
==========
It is in the commentary to this verse that I shall depart from the standard interpretations of the Mighty Acaryas including Ramanuja who built Sri Vaishanavism in the Tamil country and which thrives to this day. For obviously the crucial term" manan akam malam" means (to me) the Metaphysical Darkness , the malam , in the deep recesses of the mind ( manan akam) and hence anati, i.e uncreated and eternal. This metaphysical Darkeness requires a cause and the cause is aNavam, that which FINITISES the mind introducing into it DARKNESS by obscuring the visions. The anma is FINITE only because the SEEING is delimited and circumscribed and that which does this is Anavam. Now this rule of the DARK, the aNu has to be VILOLATED and only BEING who stands ABOVE it can violate its hold and liberate the anmas from its hold. And for this purpose BEING emerges as the ILLUMINATING RADIANCE, the LOTUS of divine illumination which is actually the transmutation of the libidinal Kundalini into the Power that becomes the illumating LIGHT. or as the Saivas would put the icca sakti into njaana sakti.
But this agency of BEING cannot be comprehended fully by the feeble humand mind and for all categories of understanding are derived thus i.e. as the result of such illuminations that the anmas are blessed with. BEING is the SOURCE of these categories and hence beyond the reach of the mind that forever seeks to understanding everything by categorisation. BEING simpy EXCEEDS all these, HE is forever OVERFLOWING as the SURPLUS of all categorical thinking BEING as such is also beyond the reach of the cognitive utensils whether the ordinary perceptual or the transductive perceptual for BEING as the originating GROUND of all these certainly also EXCEEDS them. HE remains always the INCOMPREHENSIBLY MYSTERY where we can only see HIS presence but not what He is Himself.
Now BEING as such stands BEYOND of the temporal cosciousness. For every temproal consciousness i.e conciousness that comes along with TIME has as a fabrique of it the CUTTUNARVU, the the-tic consiousness as Meykandar has pointed out . If BEING is claimed to be an object of such thetic-consciousness then it would mean BEING is temporal and hence transient, something that comes stays and goes. And certainly BEING is NOT such an entity and obviously Nammazvar does not say that. In the UNDERSTANDING of BEING, the absolute consciousness there is NO TIME at all and because of which HE stands as the UNCHANGING metaphorically put here as the ONE who does not grow old and age despite remaining the life-force in the depths of all anmas.
But despite this WHOLLY OTHERNESS and hence absolute transcendance he is IMMANENT, stands as the Artaryaami, the indweller in everything that is in the world, standing as the world and everything that populates it. This is NOT as strange as it may seem. For whatever IS is there as a violation of the DARK that would establish the objective NOTHINGNESS, the dark emptiness. And since it is BEING who as the ONE standing ABOVE this tyrannical DARK can violate it , HE is in everything that has presence as all such presences are VIOLATUIONS against the objective Darkness.
Nammaazvaar 1-3
இலன் அது உடையன் இது என நினைவு அரியவன்
நிலனிடை விசும்பிடை உருவுனன் அருவினன்
புலனொடு புலன் அலன் ஒழிவு இலன் பரந்த அந்
நலன் உடை ஒருவனை நணுகினம் நாமே
ilan atu udaiyan itu ena ninaivu ariyan
nilanidai vicumbidai uruvinan aruvinan
pulanodu pulan alan ozivu ilan paranta an
nalan udai oruvanai naNukinam naamee
கிழமைப் படுத்தி சுட்டுணர்வாக நம் அறிவிற்கு எட்டும் எதனையும் உடையவன் என்றோ அல்லன் என்றோ சிற்றறிவினால் நினைத்தற்கு அரியவன்; ஆயினும் ஐம்பூத சேர்ககையால் எழுகின்ற இந்நிலத்திலும் விசும்பிலும் தானே எடுக்கும் வெளிப்படு வடிவங்களின் உருவினனாகவும் வெளிப்படா வடிவங்களில் அருவினனாகவும் திகழ்கின்றான் இறைவன். புலன்களாக நின்றாலும் அப்புலன் அறிவுகளில் படுகின்றவன் அல்லன், இதனால் அவன் ஓர் இல்பொருள் எனின் அதுவும் இல்லாது யாண்டும் ஒழிவின்றி நிற்பவன் அவன் ஆகும். இப்படிப்பட்ட குணா¡திசயங்களோடு விளங்கும் நலன் உடை ஒருவனாகிய இறைவனை பத்தியின் மேலீட்டால் விரும்பி நெருங்கினோம் நாமே.
We approached BEING with loving devotion, the BEING who can not be ascribed as having as his belonging any of the things that reache our the-tic consciousness or at least it is beyond our comprehension of HIM as such. But however HE is there both as visible and invisible in the earth and sky. But because of this HE cannot be said as the ONE who becomes availble for sense perceptions even though HE is the cause of the senses. And on account of this HE cannot be said as ONE who diasppears into NOTHINGNESS at all, HE is there firmly always. This BEING is MYSTERIOUS with all these things about HIM
ilan atu udaiyan itu ena ninaivu ariyan: BEING is beyond our comprehension as having this and that as HIS beloging
nilanidai vicumbidai uruvinan aruvinan: HE is available both as the visible and invisible presence in the earth and the sky
pulanodu pulan alan ozivu ilan : though the cause of the senses HE cannot be grasped by them but remains without ever disappearing
paranta annalan udai oruvanai naNukinam naamee: we aproach the BEING with all this MYSTERY surrounding HIM with loving devotion
Commentary:
BEING is a complete mystery: this is the universal consensus of the great mystics throughout world who have attempted to comprehend BEING with all their might. Nammazvar gives vent to the same sentiments here. On the way BEING may appear beyond question this and that giving rise dogmatisms and fanatical frenzies of all kinds but however as the metaphysical journey is continued mystery after mystery emerges throwing one into a desparation and when the heroic individual submits meekly to the INCOMPREHENSIBLY of BEING, He being WHOLLY MYSTERIOUS he also becomes the Bakta, one who knows only to LOVE HIM. The individual's ego gets defeated and avoiding anymore any attempt to UNDERSTAND BEING with the intellectual resources at his disposal he withdraws from all such attempts and AWAITS for BEING Himself to inform him about HIMSELF.
Thus we see here the enigmas that emerge in any descriptive endeavour , attempts to pin BEING to a catalogue of descriptions as we do in natural sciences. Does BEING have this attibute ? Yes and No. HE is elusive, for HE remains ABOVE all the-tic consciousness within which arise the notions of attributes. But is HE in the world? Yes and No again. For HE is as many archetypal forms that structure the phenomenal world but HE IS NOT also these archetypal presentations for they do not exhaust HIM: again he is elusive, HE remains always a SURPLUS even here.
And on account of the fact can HE be said to be ABSENT sometimes as HE does not become available for sense perceptions? No it is NOT so, HE is there always though beyond the reach of the senses for HE is quite capable of CONCEALING HIMSELF and work as the COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS, supremley present but UNCONSCIOUS to the individuals.
Nammazvar finally having understood the MYSTERY of BEING accomodate himself to it, and giving up all such attempts as in fact useless, just apporoaches BEING in loving devotion to be informed and formed by BEING Himself as to what He is really.
Here we are using the notion of Thirobava, the Transcendental Concealment as implicated here and I must point out that this notion belongs to Saiva Siddhanta, accepted as one of the Pancakrittiyas of BEING , a notion that is not that prominent of Sri Vaishanava Philosophical thinking.
Nammaazvaar 1-4
நாம் அவன் இவன் உவன் , அவள் இவள் உவள் எவள்
தாம் அவர் இவர் உவர் அது இது உது எது
வீம் அவை இவை உவை அவை நலம் தீங்கு அவை
ஆம் அவை ஆயவை ஆய்நின்ற அவரே
naam avan ivan uvan, avaL ivaL uvaL evaL
taam avar ivar uvar atu itu utu etu
viim avai ivai uvai avai nalam tiingku avai
aam avai aayavai aayninRa avaree
ஆன்மாக்கள் குழுவின் ஒற்றுமையில் 'நாம்- நீம்" என்ற பேதப்பட்டும் ஆணென பெண்ணென சுட்டுணர்வின் அவன் இவன் உவன் என்றும் அவள் இவள் உவள் என்றும் வினாவின் பொருளாக எவள் எவன் என்று விளங்கியும், மேலும் " தாம்- நீ " என்ற முறையில் பேதப்பட்டும் குமுகாய உறவில் மேலோர் கீழோர் ஆகி அவர் இவர் உவர் என்றும் அது இது உது எது ஆகியும், மேலும் ஆம் இஇவை வீழும் இவை ஆய்நிற்கும் இவை என காலவுணர்விற்றுமாகி, நலம் இவை என்றும் அதற்கு எதிராகி தீங்கு இவை எனவும் அறவுணர்வின் பேதப்பட்டும் நிற்கும் அனைத்துமாய் ஆய்நிற்பது ஒருவனேயாகிய பரமனே, வேறல்ல.
It is BEING and nothing else that underlies the social distinctions of 'we-they" and the sexual differences of man-woman that comes with the the-tic consciousness he-she etc; the tribal inclusive -excusive relationship "we-them" and the social status differences in terms respect and no respect, and all as the things in the processes of being produced, being preserved and being destroyed and the objects of moral approbations in terms the good and evil
Commentary:
=========
It is almost impossible to translate this verse and hence I have abandoned giving phrase by phrase tranlastions. Nammazvaar in an uncanny use of pronouns in Tamil weaves a verse so intricate and with such deep metaphysical insights into existence that unless we write a lengthy monograph it is IMPOSSIBLE to bring out all the hidden meanings that he encapsulates in the above four lines that bewilders even the trained mind.
So it is only with great reluctance that I venture to give the substance of this masterly verse in the way I see fully aware of the immense inadequacies.
The most important message is that BEING is TOTALLY ABOVE but simultaneously ALL, a magical reality and hence BEYOND the reach of the categorical mind that always seeks and exults in bifurcations and DETERMINATENESS. No, when it comes to BEING the categorical bipolarities do not apply and so is the determinateness. And again emerges the MYSTERY which DEFEATS the feeble human intellect and puts it in place by disclosing its own feebleness for it to understand and hence simply become a BAKTA, one who simply LOVES BEING and leaving all else to Him, surrendering his intellect to BEING to be formed and taken along.
We have in this encrypted and compressed verse the whole range of EXISTENTIAL analytics, an encapsulation of millenniums of effort at existential analysis such as those available in Tolkaappiyam.
BEING is the GROUND but also ABOVE all of the social distinctions of "WE-THEY" and the "WE-THEM" the foundation of tribalism nationalism casteism and so forth. These group identities allow some people to band together and stand as ONE and because of that understand others as the DIFFERENT. It is only because some isolate and identity themselves as belonging together with a shared identity that there emerges the distinction of the OTHERS, the Anniyar, the ALIEN and possibly "our" enemy.
And within this kind of thetic consciousness also arises the biological man-woman that also constitutes a fundamental categorical differentiation that is EXISTENTIALLY so meaningful. What is life if not for the presence of sexual differences that underlies the dynamics of sexual libido so important for the continuation of the species?
Now into this purely biological and tribal is inserted the sociological distinctions of Higher -Lower and hence the HIRARCHICAL organisation among the people. In society some are higher and some are lower as evidenced by the presence of terms of address that is prevalent in society and which INCORPORATE the notions of Higher-Lower in status.. Sometimes it DEGENERATES into the inflexible caste and caste-like social structures. But there are other kinds of hierarchies in other fields --in politics religion education and what not and hence a UNIVERSAL social structure that may pervade even the home.
Now into all these is written-in also the notions of RIGHT and WRONG as the fabric of social dynamics. Every issue in social and biological existence comes along with the ETHICAL question of whether it is RIGHT or WRONG and people always seeking JUSTICE as something they WANT and to which they submit themselves. Some are deemed as Nalam , right and good and some TiiNgku , wrong and inadmissible and hence to be punished censored and so forth.
But all these are THINGS that are in HISTORICAL flux, nonpermanent, they arise , are there and then somehow disappear. All these objects of THETIC consciousness are TRANSIENT, impermanent,; they slip out from our hold like the slippery fish.
It is here that Nammazvar ANTICIPATES Meykandar at least by seven centuries. For Meykandar too makes the same observation in the first sutra of Civanjanabotham: " avan avaL athu enum avai muuvinaimaiyin" The same masterly play of pronouns and to drive in the same point: that all theses objects of thetic consciousness, cuddunaRvu are objects in HISTORICAL FLUX, muuvinaiyin - arise somehow are there for a while and then disappear.
And Nammazvaar comes to the same conclusion as Meykandar: BEING IS all these as the NIMITTA KaaraNan, the AGENTIVE CAUSE but as the DEEPEST STRUCTURE of all, remains unaffected and nonexhausted by these phenomenal dramas, Plays, the various kinds of stage shows.
The Sri Vaishnava Acaryas seem to have missed out this point and it may be that it was because of this that Meykandar seized upon it and gave a new lease to these ancient and hard won metaphysical intuitions.
Nammaazvaar 1-5
அவரவர் தமதமது அறிவு அறி வகைவகை
அவரவர் இறைவர் என அடி அடைவர்கள்
அவரவர் இறையவர் குறைவு இலர்; இறையவர்
அவரவர் விதிவழி அடைய நின்றனரே
avaravar tamatamatu aRivu aRi vakaivakai
avaravar iRaivar ena adi adaivarkaL
avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivu ilar; iRaiyavar
avaravar vitivazi adaiya ninRanaree
பக்குவத்தில் வேறுபடும் மக்கள் தத்தம் அறிவின் எல்லைக்கு ஏற்ப அவரவர் புரிந்துகொள்ளும் வகையில் வெளிப்படும் இறைவனை, அவ்வடிவத்து தெய்வமே இறைவர் எனத் தொழுது முடிவில் இணையடி அடைந்து மகிழ்வர்; இவ்வாறு ஒவ்வொருவரின் அறிவுக்கேற்ற வகையில் ஓர் வடிவில் வெளிப்படும் இறைவன் ஒருவனே என, அவரவர் கொள்ளும் தெய்வ வடிவங்கள் யாதாயினும் அதில் குறையாதுமில்லை: ஒவ்வொருவரும் இவ்வாறு அருள்பாலிக்கும் இறைவனை அவரவர் விதிவழி சென்று நிச்சயமாக அடைய நிற்கின்றனர்.
BEING discloses Himself in numerous archetypal forms to accommodate the different capacities for understanding of the people. And the people too will assume that that particular presentation of BEING is BEING itself and worship and attain Him thus. And because each archetypal presentation is of the SAME BEING, there is nothing wrong in any of these forms. Each individual is destined to attain BEING in his own way no matter what kind of archetypal presentation he may choose to worship.
avaravar tamatamatu aRivu aRi vakaivakai: each in accordance with their own capacity for understanding
avaravar iRaivar ena adi adaivarkaL: will worship BEING in the archetypal form presented to them and attain Him
avaravar iRaiyavar kuRaivu ilar: there is nothing wrong in the different archetypal presentations of BEING
iRaiyavar avaravar vitivazi adaiya ninRanaree: each in his own way worships the deity he chooses and will finally attain BEING
Commentary:
===========
This verse describes beautifully one of the central tenets of Agamism and which will make it conquer the world in time to come by the OPENESS it enshrines and INDIVIDUAL DIFERENCE in metaphysical pursuits it accommodates. While tribalism favours a COLLECTIVE mentality in which UNIFORMITY is enforced even at the pain of death, Agamism in being against tribalism favours individualism in the practice of religion. Each individual has his UNIQUENESS and intellectual and emotional needs and BEING presents Himself in a archetypal Form most suited to that individual in current predicament. Like a kind and excellent teacher who comes down to the level of the student he teaches so that an UNDERSTANDING can be brought about successfully so does BEING, the most excellent Guru. He discloses Himself in so many archetypal forms high and low so that it would MAKE SENSE to the individual and hence somehow he kept in the understanding of BEING, no matter how primitive it is.
So these numerous archetypal presentations are NOT TO BE SCORNED and made and object of mockery and pointless ridicule. Certainly there are High and Low in this but however as the DEEP STRUCTURE of all such archetypes we have the SAME BEING. There are no different gods but only ONE GOD, the BEING who chooses to PRESENT Himself in countless number of shapes just to help to individuals. BEING is not only the FORMLESS and abstract Brilliance and in which he appears for the gifted but also the so many minor deities that the less gifted individuals use to understand BEING.
Namazvar , as do Karaikkal Peyar Tirumular and a host of others, states quite categorically that there is nothing wrong at all in any one of deities. No archetypal presentation is to be scorned at for all of them all equally the presentation of the same BEING. Behind Krishna and Rama, behind Muruka and Vinakaya or even Muniswarar, we have the SAME BEING as the Deep Structure, the underlying reality. And BEING will pull unto Himself all in His own way no matter what archetypal presentations evokes sanctity in an individual.
There is no THE archetype or THE way -- there is always an OPENESS , the emergence of the historically NEW and hence DEMAND that we BE OPEN. And in this way Agamism is OPPOSED to the regimenting religions that believe in conversions and collective uniformities. Such demands are a VIOLATION of the RIGHT individuals have to reach BEING in his own personal way.
If not todaytomorrow this will be the demand of the people and hence the growth of Agamism. The world is moving in that direction -- against regimentations, against collectivisation and against the standardisation of believe systems.
What Agamism favours is INDIVIDUALISATION, allowing of PERSONAL religion, allowing each individual to be formed and informed in a way BEING chooses. It is a form of life where there is NO taking as the most authoritative a scripture or the words of a religious genius but rather BEING Himself to lead the individuals in his own way-- avaravar viti vazi and in a non collective but immensely personal manner.
Hail to Namzvar for articulating this essence of Agamism so eloquently.
Namazvar 1-6
நின்றனர் இருந்தனர் கிடந்தனர் திரிந்தனர்
நின்றிலர் இருந்திலர் கிடந்திலர் திரிந்திலர்
என்றும் ஓர் இயல்வினர் என நினைவு அரியவர்
என்றும் ஒர் இயல்பொடு நின்ற எம் திடரே
ninRanar iruntanar kidantanar tirintanar
ninRilar iruntilar kidantilar tirintilar
enRum oor iyalvinar ena ninaivu ariyavar
enRum oor iyalbodu ninRa em tidaree
அசைவினைப் போக்கி நின்றனர் என்றோ , ஒரே இடத்தில் இஇருந்தனர் என்றோ , யாதும் செய்யாது வாளா கிடந்தனர் என்றோ, அமைதியற்று அங்குமிங்கும் திரிந்தனர் என்றோ நினக்க அரியவர்; அதேபொழுது இவற்றிற்கெல்லாம் எதிராக நின்றிலர் இருந்திலர் கிடந்திலர் திரிந்திலர் என்றும் நினைக்க அரியவர்; இ லர் திரிந்திலர் என்றும் நினைக்க அரியவர்; இதையெலாம் ஒழித்து யாதொன்றுடனும் தொடர்பற்று அப்பாலுக்கப்பால் ஒரே இயல்பினர் என்று நினக்கவும் அரியவர்; ஆயினும் என் உள்ளத்தில் ஓரியல்பொடு மாறாத உறுதிப்பொருளாக இஇருக்கின்றான் அந்த இறைவன் என்பது ஓர் உண்மையே.
The BEING who stays as the FIRM and UNCHANGING GROUND within me is also paradoxically ONE who can said to be
There or
is not there standing with everything in the world or stands doing nothing or is not so , lies there unmindful of all that transpires or is not so, is forever moving about or
is not so and even beyond being said that He remains the
SAME unchanging reality and so forth
Commentary
Certainly this is another deep TRUTH about BEING that Namazvar tries to articulate in terms of descriptive paradoxes,
that arise when we try to describe BEING in terms of attributes so common among the theologians. The problem : what
is the relation of BEING with the WORLD which is always on the move, always in the HISTORICAL FLUX as
observed by Meykandar and which is the common presupposition of all except when they become philosophic and begin
to IMAGINE the world is FALSE, insubstantial where every DIFFERENCE is a mental fabrication or a projection and
hence only an illusion . This was the kind of metaphysics that was prevalent at the time of Namazvar and with which the
bulk of thinkers of the bakthi revolted against. The world is REAL and BEING is responsible for whatever transpires in
the world. We cannot think of anything in the phenomenal world without relating it to the presence of BEING. The world is as GIVEN only by BEING .
The world is true and BEING responsible for it all. This much is clear. Then the questions arises: Can we say HE
stands along with the world , moves along with it, withdraws from it , stands along but remains INDIFFERENT to all that
transpires? Namazavr says that it is DIFFICULT to think of BEING in terms of this. Each answer creates a dilemma. If we answer affirmatively then BEING becomes someone AFFECTED by the world processes and subject to DEATH when
the whole universe dies entirely cntrary to the PERMANENCE of BEING.
Then arises the question: Can we then DENY all these involvements to safeguard HIS AUTONOMY and SUPREME
INDEPENDANCE , and say that he remains UNAFFECTED by all that transpires in the world?
Again the answer is NEGATIVE, BEING cannot be fully understood even in terms of these negations. If we say yes and
that BEING is so, then BEING becomes supremely IRRELEVANT for whatever the world is and whatever transpires in it.
Thus BEING in itself is BEYOND such categorisations, of attributes. -- Ninaivu ariyar. BEING is neither Saguna
Brahman nor Nirguna Brahman.
It is worth noting here that the Sri VaishNava Acariyas have been saying in their metaphysical ramblings that BEING is
Saguna Brahman in opposition to the Advaita Vedanties who maintained that BRAHMAN is Nirguna, withour any
attributes. Namazvar is NOT with any of these schools of thought.
However both schools agree to the changeableness of the world, each of course in their own way and Namazvar
subscribes to that.
Because of this another question arises: these questions presuppose that BEING is forever changing for being in the
world and being responsible for all the changes in the world HE must
also be changing along with it even as maya sakthi and so forth.
Here again Namazvar affirma that BEING cannot be said to be even so; that BEING remains the SAME , remaining
forever UNCHANGING etc.
Then what is it that we can SAY of BEING?
Namzavar seems to offer a solution for the being-becoming reality of the universe and the place of BEING in it. The
solution is simply that all these attempts to FATHOM BEING and understand in terms of attributes positively or
negatively are fruitless, BEING is always a MYSTERY and hence beyond the feeble attempts of man to comprehend in
terms of these categories. But however BEING is PRESENT in the mind as the UNCHANGING and firm GROUND for
Namazvar. That much he is clear. It constitutes part of the experience of BEING.
What follows from this?
Only that BEING is uncanny that he can present HIMSELF as the UNCHANGING and FIRM GROUND for the Bakthas
who desire such a presence. Thus the SAMENESS and UNCHANGING FIRMNESS is also a presentation of BEING.
All that we can do is to experience what is OFFERED by BEING, what HE chooses to let us know about Himself. Trying
to go beyond it is folly, trying to attain the impossible. In itself BEING is wholly MYSTERIOUS , wholly uncanny and
man with his feeble mind must accept his defeat and acquiesce with the fact he cannot understand BEING more than HE
chooses to disclose to him. We are forever at HIS mercy for an understanding about HIM.
Nammazvaar 1-7
திட விசும்பு எரி வளி நீர் நிலம் இவைமிசைப்
படர் பொருள் முழுவதும் ஆய், அவைஅவைதொறும்
உடல்மிசை உயிர் எனக் கரந்து அங்கும் பரந்துளன்
சுடர் மிகு சுருதியுள் இவை உண்ட சுரனே
tida visumbu eri vaLi niir nilam ivaimicaip
padarporuL muzuvatum aay, avaiavaitoRum
udalmicai uyir enak karntu angkum parantuLan
cudar miku curuthiyuL ivai uNda curanee
ஐம்பூதங்களாகிய என்றும் மறையாது நிற்கும் வான், அதில் எழும் நெருப்பு, அதில் எழும் காற்று, அதில் எழும் நீர் அதில் எழும் நிலன் ஆகியவற்றில் படர்ந்து அவை ஒவ்வொன்றும் பலவாறு திரிபுற்று நிற்றலின் அவை முழுவதற்கும் தானே நிமித்த காரணமாய் ஆனால் கரந்து இருக்கின்றான் இறைவன். அது எப்படியோவெனில் அந்தர்யாமியாக உடலில் உயிர் எவ்வாறு இ இருக்கின்றதோ அவ்வாறு கண்ணாற் காணமுடியாது மறைந்து அவன் இல்லாயிடம் யாதுமின்றி இருக்கின்றான். ஆயினும் இவற்றையெல்லாம் அழித்து இல்லாதுபோக்கும் இவை உண்ட தெய்வமாய் இறைவன், ஞானப்பிரகாசம் புணர்த்த வல்ல சுருதியில் தான் சுடர்ந்து அனைவரும் காணும் வகையில் சுடர்கின்றவனும் ஆவன்.
BEING stands as the Agentive ‘ause giving structure and form to everything phen,menal by being present everywhere and in everything that arise from the Space from which arise the Fire from which the Wind , from which the Waters and from which the Earth. HE is present as the IMMANENT REALITY concealing Himself and hence invisible to the naked eyes just like the soul while permeating the whole body, remains however invisible to senses. However HE, who dissolves the whole world as if eating it up, presents Himself in somehow or other in a Radiant Form in the Scriptures that illuminate the mind.
tida vicumbu eri vaLi niir nilam : In the firm Space, Fire, Winds, Waters and the Earth
ivaimicaip padarporuL muzuvatum aay, : becomes that which pervades and permeates all
avaiavaitoRum udalmisai uyir enak karntu angkum parantuLan: BEING is present in each of these things just like the soul in the body
cudar miku curutiyuL ivai uNda curanee: the BEING who devours all these things shows Himself in the scriptures that illuminate the mind.
Commentary:
The metaphysical understanding that goes by the name Saiva Siddhanta and which I have called Metaphyisca Universalis , is the COMMON understanding that constitutes the essence of all truly authentic religious or metaphysical and in this verse we see it very clearly. The words "curan" and "curuti" have the common etymological root "cuur", meaning that which radiates, the "cudar miku poruL" as Nammazvaar himself describes here, the common experience of BEING as LIGHT that is registered in the mystical experiences of all mystics throughout the world, no matter what their mundane religious background is.
What makes Nammazvar distinctly a Saiva Siddhanti is the description of BEING as who devours the whole world, and which same notion is described in Saiva Literature as sangkaram . Only the metaphors are different but NOT the meanings. This is a central metaphysical insight about BEING and seizing upon this Meykandar articulates BEING as "sangkaara kaaraNanaakiya mutal" the Primordial Power that is responsible for the dissolution of all. But this dissolution means also that HE regenerates and sustains it and because the world is present nevertheless . He is also the ONE who regurgitates and regenerates for only He who dissolves cam also reproduce. Thus we have the THREE functions of the Panjca Krittiyas.
The remaining TWO are aruLal and maRaittal, i.e. disclosing and concealing and which notions are also available in this verse.
For as the immanent reality BEING is present everywhere and permeates all things just like the soul permeating the whole body. But we cannot see by whatever means the soul despite knowing somehow its presence in the body. In the same way, HE is present in the world permeanting every nook corner but only as INVISIBLE presence. HE is there in the world as the antaryaami, the immanent presence.
This same notion is described in Saiva Literature as Throbavam, casting a screen ,a tirai, so that though we know HE is there but cannot see him no matter how hard we try.
But then how do know HE is there and gain an understanding of HIM?
And here the notion of aruLal, He disclosing Himself on HIS own accord in mentioned by way of describing the essence of scriptures. I am taking 'curuti" as a Tamil word with the etymology of 'cuur" and not Sanskrit with the root 'sru" meaning 'hearing". Curuti is that whch brings LIGHT, metaphysical illuminations, a CLARITY with respect to the concealed and mystical ,a notion that is applicable to ALL scriptures of the world and NOT simply to the VEDAS that are recited and listened to and that too an activity confined to Brahmins , a notion entirely inconsistent with Nammaazvar. BEING chooses to DISCLOSE Himself, becomes a VISIBLE reality in ALL the scriptural utterances and hence the ONE who can be understood and appreciated by all.
Thus it follows that though BEING is understood as Thirumaal , Namamzvar also understands BEING as panjca krittiya and hence as Civa also. The difference is only in the name but not in the substance, in the meaning.
Namaazvaar 1-8
சுரர் அறிவு அருநிலை விண்முதல் முழுவதும்
வரன் முதலாய் அவை முழுது உண்ட பரபரன்
புரம் ஒரு மூன்று எரித்து அமரர்க்கும் அறிவியந்து
அரன் அயன் என, உலகு அழித்து அமைத்து உளனே
curar aRivu arunilai viNmutal muzuvatum
varan mutalaay avai muzutum uNda paraparan
puram oru muunRu erittu amararkkum aRiviyantu
aran ayan ena, ulaku azittu amaittu uLanee
சிவஞானப் பிரகாசத்தின் சுரர் அறிவாய், ஊனக் கண்களால் காணமுடியாத அருநிலை மந்திரவுலகாகிய விண்முதலுமாய், இவை முழுதும் ஒன்றிலிருந்து ஒன்று தோன்றும் வகையில் அவற்றிற்கு முதலாகி பிறகு அவை இல்லாதுபோமாறு யாதும் எஞ்சாவகை முழுதும் உண்டு , ஆக இவ்வாறு உலகிற்கு அந்தமாதியாய் ஆனால் அவற்றிற்கு தான் அடங்காது அப்பாலுக்கு அப்பால் நிற்கும் பராபரமாய் இருக்கின்றான் இஇறைவன். இவனே ஆன்மாக்கள் ஆணவம் கன்மம் மாயை எனப்படும் மும்மலங்களின் காரியமாக விளங்கும் முப்புரம் செற்று எரித்து தீய்த்து இல்லாது போக்கி சுத்தம் செய்து, இதன்னின் இஇத்திறன் அமைகில்லா அமரர்களும் வியந்து பாராட்டும் வகையில் சங்காரத் தாண்டவத்து அரன் என அழித்தும் , படைப்பு வல்ல அயனென உலகினை தோற்றியும் (அது நிலைக்குமாறு அரி என காத்தும்) தோன்றி நின்றழியுமாறு இந்த உலகினை அமைத்து தான் என்றும் அழியாது உளன் எம் இறைவன்
BEING stands as the Causative Agent for the historical evolution of illuminating knowledge from the Mantra World that remains imperceptible for the ordinary eyes and also the Ground that resolves all these into the primordial unmanifest condition i.e. swallows the whole lot ( only to reissue again). This BEING is also He who singes to ashes the Three Castles of IGNORANCE as constituted by aaNavam kanmam and maayai and at which the ordinary gods really marvel , impressed by the POWER of BEING. BEING, the Absolutely Transcendent, IS , most emphatically who by assuming the archetypal forms aran ayan (and ari) dissolves the world reissues it and maintains it.
curar aRivu : the illuminating absolute understanding, the civanjanam
arunilai viNmutal muzuvatum : this and the imperceptible mantra world and all
varan mutalaay : caused to emerge one from another
avai muzutum uNda paraparan : BEING the transcendent-immanent who dissolves all totally (only to reissue)
puram oru muunRu erittu amararkkum aRiviyantu : making even the gods marvel by singing to ashes the Three Castles of ignorance of the souls;
aran ayan ena, ulaku azittu amaittu uLanee : who sustains the world as a reality in historical flux by assuming the archetypal forms of Aran, Ayan ( and Ari)
Commentary:
We saw earlier that BEING is seen as Panca Krittiyan by Nammaazvar despite the use of different metaphors that are not that current in Saiva Literature. Even though BEING is Tirumaal for Nammazvaar in many of his hymns, here he calls HIM, paraaparan, a technical term also widely in use in Saiva Siddhanta. BEING is the Totally ABOVE though also present in the world as antariyaami, the indweller in everything, the IMMANENT reality that is the SOUL of all. Combining both we see that BEING is both Transcendent and Immanent and which is the sense of param-aparam or paraaparan.
This same notion is enunciated by Tirumular in terms Sivan -Sataacavan. Only the technical vocabulary is different but not the metaphysical notions.
Now where BEING is seen Panckritiyan , there must already be the notions of Mummalam, the Anavam Kanmam and Mayai, for the Panckrityas of BEING are precisely for FREEING the anmas from the hold of the mummalams and of which the aaNavam is the most primordial and anati - unoriginated - and the other two being secondary developments out of this.
And Nammazvar mentions this only metaphorically but by using the SAME puranic lore as the Saivaites. The three Castles of Ignorance , the Muppuram , gets mentioned very extensively in Tirumantiram Teevaarama etc. And as Tirumular says, "muppuramaavtu mummala kaariyam" i.e. the three castles of IGNORANCE in which the non adventurous souls take refuge from the immense Brilliance of TRUTH are the castles generated out of aaNavam Kanmam and Maayai. The aaNavam generates the I-ness, the EGO because of which there results the Prabta Karma that throws the anmas into existential repetition and Maayai , the desire for the assumption of Physical forms.
Only BEING can destroy these castles that provide and sustain the egoistic I-ness for it is BEING who can radiate the curar aRivu, the Civanjanam and which is the only LIGHT that can dispel the metaphysical DARKNESS that is aaNavam
And now as to the reason why the world is dissolved and reissued continuously: the world is there only as the VICTORY of BEING against this aaNavam that knows only to dissolve the world and make it a nonentity, an objective NOTHINGNESS. But should that be allowed then the souls will not be able to enjoy the curar aRivu, the absolutely Illuminating Understanding that constitutes the attainment of REDEMPTION itself. There will be primordial Darkness, the Objective Nothingness. So BEING standing ABOVE the flux-prone universe reissues the world destroying when necessary but maintaining it as a reality there forever.
Looking at all these I do not understand why Nammazvar was NOT recognised as someone like Tirumular and who articulated the same of metaphysical insights that goes by the name of SAIVA SIDDHANTA.
Namazvar 1-9
உளன் எனில் உளன்; அவன் உருவம் இஇவ் வுருவுகள்
உளன் அலன் எனில், அவன் அருவம் இஇவ் அருவுகள்
உளன் என, இஇலன் என இஇவை குணம் உடைமையின்
உளன் இஇரு தகையொடு ஒழிவு இஇலன் பரந்தே
uLan enil uLan; avan uruvam iv vuruvukaL
uLan alan enil, avan aruvam iv varuvukaL
uLan ena ilan ena ivai kuNam udaimaiyin
uLan iru takaiyodu ozivu ilan parantee
இறைவன் இருக்கின்றான் என்று உடன்பட்டால், தன்னை இருப்பவனாக காட்டுவன் ; அது பொழுதே தோன்றுகின்ற பல்வேறு வடிவங்கள் அனைத்தும் அவனது திருவுருவமே யாகும். இனி இவ்வாறு காண்பதொழித்து அவன் உருவினன் அலன் எனில், அவன் தன்னை உருவமற்ற அருவமாக அருவுருக்களாக காட்டி யருகின்றான். இவ்வாறு உருவுடையவனாக அல்லாதவனாக உளன் என்பார்க்கும் அலன் என்பார்க்கும் காட்டியருளும் இத்தன்மைய இருகுணங்கள் உடைமையின், அவன் எவ்வாற்றிலும் யாண்டும் இல்லாதுபோகாத யாங்கும் பரந்து விரிந்திருக்கின்ற உண்மைப்பொருளேயாம்; பொய்ப்பொருள் அன்று
If you accept the reality of BEING, then all the different archetypal forms are His forms. If you do not want to accept these FORMS then He discloses Himself in Formless Forms showing that He can be FORMLESS as well. And HE shows Himself as capable of both Forms and Formlessness and hence on account of it a REALITY that remains pervading the whole universe, never ever absenting Itself.
uLan enil uLan: If you accept that He is, He shows Himself as there
avan uruvam iv vuruvukaL: as the ONE as these archetypal forms as His own
uLan alan enil,: Now if you want to see Him as Formless
avan aruvam iv varuvukaL: then He shows Himself Formless with so many Formless Forms
uLan ena ilan ena ivai kuNam udaimaiyin; And thus BEING with these Dual capacitties for both Formness and Formlessness
uLan iru takaiyodu ozivu ilan parantee : HE is THERE pervading everything , never absenting Himself at all.
Commentary
Against the background of the outstandingly penetrative insights Namazvar unfolds in this verse, the whole of the iconoclastic ideologies of many world religions and sects would appear supremely mistaken and perhaps something that pervades only because the real depths of TRUE religion have NOT been fathomed.
BEING can NEVER be defeated and HE is entirely capable of assuming whatever form would please the finite human mind. He can present Himself as the ONE with various Forms and if you do NOT like to understand BEING through structural FORMS then he can WITHDRAW them and show Himself as FORMLESS but nevertheless continue to BE THERE in Formless Forms. No human understanding can EXCEED His competencies. He is TOTALLY uncanny, infinitely incomprehensible and the only thing that we can be sure is that HE is THERE never absenting Himself whether you like to see him with forms or without forms.
BEING can assume both FORMS and this is the experiential Truth. The Allah of the Muslims is the Formless Form but not the Sathasivan of the Saiva, the Vishnu of the Vaishanavas. But BEING is capable of BOTH-- the iru takaimai and INDEFEATABLE and because of it the Praaparan.
But most importantly he IS THERE never absenting Himself amidst both types of choices, human preferences. The desert mind, used to desert landscape may want to acknowledge the presence BEING as the SUPREMELY Formless Form and BEING obliges such individuals assuming such presentations. Another mind used to the luxuriance of the tropical paradise might want to see the presence of BEING in as many FORMS like the flora and fauna of the tropical landscape. BEING obliges such individuals too. But whatever it is, BEING is PRESENT to both types of minds in the way they want to feel the presence of BEING.
BEING cannot be denied in whatever way and therefore ever presents everywhere.
Namazvar 1-10
பரந்த தண் பரவையுள் நீர்தொறும் பரந்துளன்
பரந்த அண்டம் இஇது என நிலம் விசும்பு ஒழிவு அறக்
கரந்த சில் இஇடந்தொறும் இஇடம் திகழ் பொருள்தொறும்
கரந்து, எங்கும் பரந்துளன்; இஇவை உண்ட கரனே
paranta taN paravaiyuL niirtoRum parantuLan
paranta aNdam itu ena: nilam vicumbu ozivu aRak
karanta cil idantoRum idam tikaz poruLthoRum
karantu, engkum parantuLan; ivai uNda karanee
உலக மலர்ச்சிக்கு மூலமாய குளிந்த நீர்நிலைகளின் நீர்தொறும் இறைவன் உள்ளவனாய் பரந்துளன்; பரந்து விரிந்த அண்டம் பேரண்டங்கள் அனைத்திலும் ஆகவே அண்டங்களுக்கு உருதரும் நிலத்திலும் இடந்தரும் விசும்பிலும் யாண்டும் மறைந்து இல்லாது போகாது இருக்கின்றான். கண்களுக்குப் புலனாகாத அணுவின் அணுவாகிய சிறு சிறு இஇடங்களிலும் , அத்தகு இடங்களில் உருவாகி நிற்கும் நுண்பொருள்களிலும் வெளிப்படாது கரந்து பரந்துளன். இவ்வாறு உண்டாகி நிற்கின்ற அனைத்திலும் ஒழியாது நிற்கின்ற அவன் யாரெனின், இவை அனைத்தையும் உண்டு இல்லாதுபோக்க வல்ல (சங்)கரனேயாம்
BEING is present in cool waters of life regeneration collected in various ways in this wide world; HE is there as non disappearing Immanent Reality in the vast cosmos, in the material stuff that gives forms to it and in the Space that gives locations for them to be. HE is even in those minute locations hidden from view and in the microscopic things that populate such spaces. And if it is asked whose is present as thus , it is Cangkaran , the BEING with the capacity to eat and swallow and thus cause their total withdrawal
paranta taN paravaiyuL niirtoRum parantuLan: HE is there immanent in the cool waters spread all over the world.
paranta aNdam itu ena: nilam vicumbu ozivu aRak: He is there never absenting Himself in the vast cosmos, in the concrete objetcs there as well as in the Space that locates them;
karanta cil idantoRum idam tikaz poruLthoRum : in every hidden crevices and in the microscopic objects there
karantu, engkum parantuLan: He is present everywhere but as the concealed
ivai uNda karanee: BEING who is thus is Cangkaran, He who can devour the all these (Manifest Worlds)
Commentary:
Here again we find a cosmological view very similar to Saivism , an understanding that I have termed Metaphysica Universalis. The "karan" is certainly is Cangkaran , a neutral term but because of wide use, is more common in Saivism.
BEING as the immanent reality, is the ancient Purusha of Purusha Suktam or even going earlier the Ningirsu of the Sumerian times, the One with very large feet and who spans the earth and sky. The descriptive term "uta amrtatvasyaa eesaanah" in Purusha Suktam is also available over there in terms of : sig-ba-ni-a-su a-maru-kam ( at his feet was a tempest)
This NinGirsu or Enlil or Seirmaal of the Sumerians may the Tirumaal of Vaishanavism. But Namzavar in addition to describing Tirumaal as such also goes BEYOND to the Absolute which in Sumerian times itself was understood as Nin-a : the Great One , the Great Mother who gives birth to all but here noted as Karan, or Cangkaran He who discontructs the whole world. Elsewhere this Great One is also An, that exists even now buried in the Tamil terms aaaNdavan aaNdakai etc.
This Karan is also known as Aingkaran , meaning the one capable of Pancha Kritiyam-- the five fold activities of BEING, that of production, sustenance, annihilation and all these through Concealment and Disclosure. Thus though Namazvar as a bakta melts in the thoughts of Krishna, as a metaphysician he is the same as the great Nayanmars like Appar Njanasamabantar Sundarar and Tirumular. He has the same metaphysical understanding but chooses the archetype of Tirumaal or Krishna for his PERSONAL and feeling toned emotional Bakti but whom for him is also the same as Karan or Cankaran.
Namazvar 1-11
கர விசும்பு எரி வளி நீர் நிலம் இவைமிசை
வரன் நவில் திறல் வலி அளி பொறை ஆய்நின்ற
பரன் அடிமேல் குருகூர்ச் சடகோபன் சொல்
நிரல் நிறை ஆயிரத்து இவை பத்தும் வீடே
உரை
தான் தனித்து வெளிப்படாது அகன்று நிற்பது போக்கி இறைவன் அருள் மேவர , ஐம்புலன்கட்கு ஆய்வரும் கரிய விசும்பு தீ காற்று நீர் நிலம் எனும் பஞ்சபூதங்கள் வழியாக அவற்றின் நிலவும் திறல் வன்மை அளி பொறை போன்ற குணங்களாய் ஆய்நின்று அதன்வழி தன்னை ஆன்மாக்கள் உணரும் வகையில் வருகின்றவன் பரன். அவனது இத்தகு பிரபஞ்சக் கூத்தியற்றும் திருவடிகளை கண்டு கண்டு ஆனந்தித்து குருகூர் எனும் திருப்பதியில் வாழும் சடகோபனாகிய அடியேன் சொல்கின்ற, ஓர் அழகிய நிரல் பட தொகுத்துள்ள இந்த ஆயிரம் திருவாய்மொழிகளில், இந்த முதல் பத்துப் பாசுரங்களை யார் தெரிந்து தெளிகின்றார்களோ, அவர்கட்கு
வீடு பேறு உறுதியாம்
kara visumbu eri vaLi niir nilam ivaimicai
varan navil tiRal vali aLi poRai aayninRa
paran adimeel kurukuurc Cadakoopan col
niral niRai aayirattu ivai pattum viidee
Meaning:
BEING, instead of remaining the totally above and beyond and hence inaccessible, out of immense and intrinsic LOVE, has disclosed Himself through the five basic elements - the Dark Space, Fire Wind Water and Earth that are also elements of sense perception and through them also as ONE full of Power Strength Love and Patience. I, Sadakoopan of Kurukuur having witnessed His Divine Feet of this Cosmic Dance has composed these thousand verses and organized them in a sequence that is appropriate. But among these, this First Ten is special for anyone who understands their meaning and get to enjoy the metaphysical insights available there, are sure to enjoy genuine Redemption or Moksa!
Comments:
As already noted quite unfailingly by practically all the VaishNava Acaryas who have built up the Vishistatvaita Philosophy (but wrongly fathered upon the Vedantic texts) these first ten verses are of outstanding merits in addition to being immensely profound. In fact along with immense beauty of diction and syntax that is very poetical as well as deeply metaphysical , a vast philosophy is already being outlined within so few words that it becomes a real challenge for anyone who would seek to understand them. It is not simply the semantics and syntax, the metaphors and the various of poetical figures but the insights that are unfolded that become the real challenge. The metaphysical eyes must be wide open in order to understand and appreciate these liberating insights and which is possible only with the assistance of Divine Grace. As one ponders over the meanings fully aware that there is a MUSIC to these and that they are relevant to grasp the meanings, the mind is lifted up into an altogether different horizon where the mind loses its egotism and merges fully in vision of the Dance of Divine Feet.
His Feet is what the human mind can witness and understand and this is what this Sadakoopan also succeeded in witnessing. BEING-in-Itself is wholly incomprehensible, immeasurable -- forever a Mystery. We can understand only what He chooses to tell us about Himself and that only if His Grace facilitates it. No matter how brilliant we are and no mater how heroic our struggles are, unless BEING graces us, we cannot understand anything of Him. And this despite the fact that HE, having torn Himself away from the ISOLATION and Aloofness intrinsic to Him, chooses to disclose Himself through the world of Space Wind Water Fire and Earth, the basic elements that go into the weaving of the phenomenal world, the historical. Like a ghost that discloses itself by possessing a human being and transforming everything available to disclose its presence, BEING also possesses the world and discloses Himself by transforming these insentient and brute matter by infusing spiritual qualities to them, the various gunas. BEING thus becomes the Purusha, the EnLil of the Sumerians, permeating everything physical and spiritualising them.
There is Strength and various kinds of Competencies (tiRal), there is Power (vali) to accomplish so many things, there is LOVE and Compassion for all (aLi) and infinite Patience and Peace of mind (poRai) among the creatures who have assumed a physical frame but who are SPIRITUAL in terms of the above gunas.
BEING is present as the manifest reality in the gunas or the spiritual qualities of the creatures. It is in human essence as well as the essence of the physical world that BEING has made Himself accessible and that too only His Divine Feet.
The notion of Divine Feet is a metaphor more popular among the Saivites and where is connotes the DANCE, infusing MOTION and through that agitate the immense universe making it move - develop evolve change transform withdraw re-emerge and so forth. It is in these changes that the Divine Gunas are to be seen and though that some aspects of BEING Himself, BEING as the eN kuNattaan, as already announced by TiruvaLLuvar several centuries before Namazvar and which insight has taken deep roots in the Tamil metaphysical mind. For Saakoopan, it provides a away of interpreting his spiritual experiences and which are contained in these first ten verses. For unlike the other verses where there is self-abandonment in the direct spiritual experiences of BEING-as- NaraNan, these first ten are INTERPRETIVE and hence embody the metaphysical understanding, Siddhanta. Over and above the direct experiencing of BEING in the various kinds of archetypal presentations, the philosophical UNDERSTANDING, the Siddhanta stands above all of them for it is that which brightens up consciousness, makes one UNDERSTAND and appreciate BEING. And this understanding is that which will secure the final Liberation for it is that which destroys the inherent Ignorance or Blindness that throws the creatures into an endless existential repetition, samsara.
Namazvar of course knew this and that's the reason why he included this verse as the eleventh in the first patikam, something like a corollary.
(The First Patikam that has been such a challenge and so demanding is now concluded)
Thirumular on AruL
Dear Friends,
This constitutes the second selction from Thirumular and the selctions come from the Seventh Tantra , the 9th to 11th parts entiltled ThriuvaruL vaippu, aruLoli and Civapuusai. In these verses thirumular outlines the notion of aruL that plays a central role in Saivism as well as in many other religions. From the saivite point of view religion is praxis concerned with gaining the GRACE of BEING, the arul of Civa. The word aruL is in use from the days of Tolkaappiyar and has been contniuously used by all great thinkers, while ThiruvaLLuvar, Karaikkaal Peyar constitutes the predessors of Thirumular who must have served to develop his understanding of this very important notion. It has contniuous adumbaration in which Thriumular brings his own geniuos to bear upon the concept. One of the most outsatnding aspcet of Thriumular's articulation is that he brings the notion to expalin the experience of TRUTH and in that aruL as that which underlies the aLavai , the various ways in which truth is experienced.
In this exercise translation and commentrary I follow the numbering of G. Varadarasan as well as his commentary where relevant. In many places I depart from the various commentaries but I believe that I am not deviating from the real import of Thirumular in all these.
For those who are new, let me mention that Thirumular is the father of Tamil Siddhas who probably lived around the 7th cent. A.D and that this Thirumanthiram , divided into NINE Tantras or books contains 3000 verses ( along with some interpolations) He is supposed to have written another book Thirumanthira Maalai though not generally agreed upon as such. It has incorporated as one of the ThriuRais, the sacred lore of the Saivites, all numbering 12 in which Thirumanthiram is the 10th.
I hope you enjoy reading this series as well.
9. திருவருள் வைப்பு TiruvaruL Vaippu ( The Natural Way of AruL)
1792
இருபதமாவது இரவும் பகலும்
உருவதுவாவது உயிரும் உடலும்
அருளதுவாவது அறமும் தவமும்
பொருளது உள்நின்ற போகமதாமே
உரை:
மறைஞான (metaphysical realms) உலகில் இயன்றவாறு இருப்பது அஞ்ஞானத்தைத் தரவல்ல இரவும் ஞானத்தெளிவைத் தரவல்ல பகலும் ஆகும். இரவு என்பது ஆணவ வல்லிருள், பகல் என்பது அந்த வல்லிருளைப் போக்கும் அருள் உதயம். இந்தப் போராட்டத்தில் அருளின் வெளிப்பாடாக ஆன்மாக்கள் உயிரும் உடலும் பெற்று உலகத்தில் வாழ்கின்ற உருவாகின்றனர். அங்கு ஆணவ இருள் கடிந்து அருள் வளர்க்கும் வகையில் பல்வேறு தவங்களும் அறநெறிகளும் உளவாயிருக்கின்றன. இவ்வாறு நற்றவத்தின் நன்னெறி ஊய்ந்து செல்ல, அருளே அகத்தே ஏற்கனவே இருக்கின்ற ஒன்றாய் சிவஞானத் தூய்ப்பின் போகமதாயும் எல்லா முயற்சிகளின் முடிவாய பொருளதுவாகவும் நிற்கும் .
1792
irupatamaavatu iravum pakalum
uruvatuvaavatu uyirum udalum
aruLatuvaavatu aRamum tavamum
poruLatu uLninRa pookamataamee
Meaning:
The metaphysical realms are constituted by the ignorance breeding Nights and illuminations fostering Days. As a result of this conflict and as the power of aruL emerges the anmas with a body and psychic being. And within the existence thus founded there are the right WAYS and various spiritual disciplines as an expression of this aruL. And within these stands aruL also as the MEANING of all, the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination and the joys in attaining it.
Commentary:
In Tol (3rd cent B.C. ) we have the occurrence of the phrase "aruL muntuRutta anbu poti kiLavi" meaning "language of LOVE as impelled by aruL" and subsequent to that we have TiruvaLLuvar (4th cent B.C ?) contrasting aruL with poruL, here the economic wealth. He notes that just as worldly pleasures are impossible without wealth, so is the pleasures of heavenly world without aruL. In this he connects the gaining of aruL as something pertaining to metaphysical kinds of existence and thereby implying that it is not relevant for worldly life. It is this dichotomy that is challenged by Kaaraikkaal Peyar who says rather emphatically that aruL is all, that it rules the whole world, the physical as well as metaphysical. ( aruLee ulakellaam aaLvippathu)
It is this understanding that is being elaborated further by Thirumular here. The aruL stands as the DAY that violates the Primordial Darkness in the metaphysical realms that DISALLOWS any entity to have have an existence as such. It is as the result of this primordial violation that the anmas assume a biological body and a psychic essence and thus become entities that LIVE, that have EXISTENCE as such. And also this aruL becomes within existence the Dharma, the aRam, the ethical principles that guide existence so that the anmas do not deviate from the WAY and various kinds spiritual disciplines of self control so that the anmas can maintain themselves steadily in the WAY.
While the world as a whole may be cyclic and in that not teleological, the human existence is certainly teleological, it is DIRECTED towards a DESTINY and aruL appears as the MEANING of existence, that towards which one OUGHT to move. Thus existence has already within it an OUGHTNESS and it ought to attain the Absolute i\Illumination, the Civanjanam and enjoy the immense Bliss in attaining it. There is meaning for existence, and that meaning, the FOR-WHICH of existence is the attainment of Civanjanam and thereby attaining Mukti.
(to continue) 1
2
1793
காண்டற் கரியன் கருத்திலன் நந்தியுந்
தீண்டற்குஞ் சார்தற்குஞ் சேயனாத் தோன்றிடும்
வேண்டிக் கிடந்து விளக்கொளியால் நெஞ்சம்
ஈண்டிக் கிடந்து அங்கு இருள் அறுமாமே
உரை:
விஞ்ஞானக் காட்சி சிவஞானக் காட்சி என்பனபோன்ற காட்சிகட்கும் அரியனாக இருக்கின்றான் நந்தியெம் பெருமான். சிந்தித்துத் தெளிந்து இத்தகையவன்தான் இறைவன் என்று துணிதற்கு கருத்தினில் வெளிப்படுகின்றவனும் அல்லன். மேலும் விரல்களால் தீண்டி பரிச உணர்வால் அறிதற்கும் அப்படியில்லாமல் போயினும், அரூவ சொரூபமாக ஆனால் உட்பொருளாக விளங்கும் அவனைச் சார்ந்து திண்ணமாய் நின்று மகிழ்தற்கும் முடியாவகை தூரத்து தூரமாய் இருக்கின்றான். ஆனால் மனந் தளராமல் அவன் அருளையே வேண்டிக் கிடந்து உறுதியாக நின்றால், சிவஞானம் என்னும் விளக்கொளியை ஏற்றி நெஞ்சினைப் பிளந்து அங்கு அநாதியே நிற்கும் அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் போக்குவன் என்பதாம்.
1793
kaNdaR kariyan karuttilan nantiyun
tiiNdaRkunj caartaRkunj ceeyanaat toonRidum
veendik kidantu viLakkoLiyaal nenjsam
iiNdik kidantu angku iruL aRumaamee
Meaning :
BEING stands rather difficult to witness directly even through various kinds of transductive perceptions. Also HE is not someone who appears within the thought processes that seek to determine HIS essences. And furthermore HE is also beyond being touched by in whatever manner. Even as the abstract indeterminate object HE is so distant that HE is not someone we can grasp and repose as the firm ground. But despite all these problems in encountering BEING , if we persist in seeking HIS GRACE relentlessly, then that will emerge as the LIGHT of Absolute Illumination and will plough the mind dispelling the DARKNESS there from beginningless times.
1794
குறிப்பினின் உள்ளே குவலயந் தோன்றும்
வெறுப்பிருள் நீங்கில் விகிர்தனும் நிற்குஞ்
செறிப்புறு சிந்தையைச் சிக்கென நாடில்
அறிப்புறு காட்சி அமரரு மாமே
உரை:
ஐம்புல நுகர்ச்சிக்கு அல்லாது சின்னமப் பொருளின் (symbolic elements) குறிப்பாய் இறைவனது மெய்யுலகுத் தோன்றும். அந்த உலகில் ஆழ்ந்து கிடக்க இப்பொழுது மிகவும் வெறுக்கத் தக்கதாக விளங்கி நிற்கும் ஆணவ இருள், உண்டாகும் ஞானத்தெளிவில் நீங்க, இறைவன் அங்கு நிற்போனாக காண வருவன். இவ்வாறு சிவக்காட்சியின் எழு சிந்தையை மறித்து நோக்கி அதன் சூக்குமத்தை இன்னும் இன்னும் நாடின், இதுவரை மரையாகவே இருக்கும் இறைவனது திருவடிங்களின் காட்சிகள் அறிவினில் ஆகும். இத்தகைய தெய்வ தரிசனக்களால், ஆன்மாவும் சுத்தமாகி அற்ப மானிடப் பண்பை இழந்து தெய்வபதம் எய்தும்.
1794
kuRippinin uLLee kuvalayam toonRum
veRuppiruL niingkil vikirtanum niRkunj
ceRippuRu cintaiyaic cikkena naadil
aRippuRu kaadci amararu maamee
Meaning:
The World of BEING is accessed only as the MEANING of the metaphorical, mythical and such other symbolic elements of life. And as one accesses this WORLD through appropriate interpretive strategies, and the mind is flooded with the LIGHT that dispels the metaphysical DARKNESS induced by aaNavam, then slowly BEING begins to be appear as there. Now we pursue the inner dynamics of such metaphysical reaches (hermeneutic) scientifically, then we can witness many other archetypal presentations of BEING that have remained inaccessible thus far. And as one continues to witness such DIVINE realities, one also gets transformed into a divine-like being.
NOTES:
The experience of BEING directly as HE is HIMSELF is almost an impossibility and this especially so when such attempts do not go beyond the sensorial and cognitive. When we function within such constrains BEING would appear very distant, impossible even to perceive HIS presence and be secure with the understanding that BEING is there. No this is NOT possible, He would appear very distant and extremely rare if not something impossible to encounter . However even if as such, if individuals persist relentlessly in seeking HIS GRACE , HIS presence can be slowly felt by the Inner Radiance that begins to GLOW within the mind dispelling the metaphysical DARKNESS induced by aaNavam that blocks off any ray of light.
Now as this GLOW within increases it will be noticed that the WORLD of BEING can be accessed through the semiotics of the mythical metaphorical and such other symbolic elements that one encounters in existence. Now as we take them seriously and inquire after their MEANINGS within hermeneutic semiotics, there will be more clarities as well as encounters with deeper and root archetypes that have remained unaccessed thus far. Now as one witnesses archetypes after archetypes which are presentations of BEING out of GRACE and all to ILLUMINATE the souls, there begin to be less and less of metaphysical darkness and more and more of LIGHT within. This will , like in alchemy where the base metals are transformed into gold, transform the individual from being merely human into someone divine in essence.
(to continue) 2
3.
1795
தேர்ந்து அறியாமையின் சென்றன காலங்கள்
பேர்ந்தறிவான் எங்கள் பிஞ்ஞகன் எம்மிறை
ஆர்ந்தறிவார் அறிவே துணையாமெனச்
சார்ந்தறிவான் பெருந்தன்மை வல்லானே
உரை:
காலத்தை வெல்லத் தரும் சிவஞானத்தை தேர்ந்து தெள்ளிதின் அறியாமையின் காரணமாக, காலவுணர்வின் பிடியிலிருந்து தப்ப முடியாது விணே சென்றன வாழ்கின்ற காலங்கள். தனக்கென எச்சொரூபமும் இல்லா இறைவன் , விரிசடை எம்மிறை, பலவேறு வடிவங்கள் எடுத்து ஒவ்வொரு உயிரின் பக்குவத்திற்கு ஏற்ப பேர்ந்து அறிவோடு அறிவாக நின்று அறிவான். இதனைப் பிழையாது உணர்ந்து தன்னுள் ஆர்ந்து அதுபொழுது தானேச் சுடரத் தொடங்கும் சிவஞானமே ஞானமெனச் சிவனையேச் சார்ந்து அவன் காட்டியவா காணும் திறத்து ஆன்மா பெருஞ் சித்திகள் கைவரப்பெற்ற மாபெரும் வல்லானாக உயர்வர்.
1795.
teerntu aRiyaamaiyin cenRana kaalangkaL
peerntaRivaan engkaL pinjnjakan emmiRai
aarntaRivaar aRivee tuNaiyaamenac
caarntaRivaan peruntanmai vallaanee
Meaning:
Because unconcerned with Absolute Illumination that allows disengaging oneself from Temporality, existence continues with time wasted on useless matters. BEING, though does not have a form of HIS own , however assumes countless number of archetypal forms and standing within the understanding of all creatures understands all as it is. And those who withdraw deep into themselves and seek to understand everything exactly as shown by BEING within and thereby begin to enjoy the Absolute Illumination that begins to glow spontaneously , will attain many rare gifts of BEING and grow to be one capable of great achievements.
NOTES:
There is Civa njaanam or Absolute Illumination that is peculiar in many ways. It is that which fosters RELEASEMENT and through that genuine psychological growth. Personality , the evolution into a higher kind of human species is contingent upon the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination. For it is that which allows the escape from TEMPORALITY and hence being a mortal, being born again and again and hence existential repetition. Civanjanam violates at the beginning the aaNava malam, that which makes the mind FINITE through introducing metaphysical IGNORANCE, the Darkness in the soul and because of which it's visions are limited. Such a soul CANNOT SEE the many things that are there in the world . The aaNavam acts like a filter that blocks off from being seen and hence introducing a BLINDNESS.
Having violated aaNavam that is ultimately also the cause of Physical Time, there remains only Throtakam, BEING concealing Himself and because of which there is still TIME but in the form of pure Temporality or psychological time. Civanjanam is also the metaphysical illumination that ultimately overcomes even this pure temporality and after the existential repetition also ceases to be a factor of Being-in-the -World. Existence does not cease and anma continues to BE but now in the Timeless World that is also understood as the Paradise in the mythologies. Hence this is also the attaining of Moksa.
This kind of spontaneously emerging Illumination is NOT the various kinds of knowledge we acquire through intellectual efforts of all kinds. Such knowledge being temporal are acattu, something that would disappear when another deeper insight begins to be in the intellect. The Absolute is NOT to be acquired in this manner but rather by being ONE-WITH-BEING who is WITHIN all. The anma must withdraw into itself and stand firmly in seeing all only as SHOWN by BEING within. When one persists in this way of UNDERSTANDING one is led towards the Absolute Illumination gradually. It is here that we are led to feel the experience of TRUTH. When the anma succeeds in SEEING precisely as SHOWN by BEING, it is given the feedback that it is so by allowing the feeling of TRUTH at that point.
The experience of TRUTHS one after another in this manner is that which coincides with the increasing GLOW of the Inner Radiance, the Absolute Illumination. This in turn brings about a CLEANSING of the soul, the getting rid of all defiling factors that makes a man a beast. With such growth also comes POWER, the various kinds of sitties and hence such a person also stands out as extraordinary in the world, becomes the mahatma. They become the shapers of history instead of being the weak and powerless victims of it.
4
1796
தானே யறியும் வினைகள் அழிந்தபின்
நானே யறிகிலன் நந்தி யறியுங்கொல்
ஊனே யுருகி உணர்வை உணர்ந்தபின்
தேனே அனையன் நந்தேவர் பிரானே
உரை:
சிவஞான புசிப்பை தடை செய்து நிற்கும் மனோவிலங்குகளாகிய வினைகள் இறையருளின் அழிந்திட, ஆன்மா வேறு யாருடைய உதவியுமின்றி தானே அச்சிவஞானத்தை அறியும். எனது முயற்சியால் இதனை நான் அறியவில்லை. இவ்வாறு யார் தற்போத முயற்சியால் சிவஞானத்தைப் புசிக்கு முயல்கின்றார்களோ அஃது அவர்களால் முடியாத ஒன்று என்று இறைவனுக்கு நங்கு தெரியும். இதனால் கூர்த்த அறிவின் சிந்திப்பது மாத்திரம் செய்யாது அன்பின் பெருக்கில் அகங்குழைந்து நெக்குருகி அருள் ஈட்ட அதனால் தானே மலரும் சிவஞானத்தை மெய்யாக உணர்ந்தபின், இவ்வாறு அருள் செய்கின்ற இறைவனை தேனைப் போன்ற இன்பத்தினன் எல்லா தேவர்களுக்கும் பிரானாக இருக்கின்ற அவன் என்று உணர்வும் சிறந்தோங்கி நிற்கும்.
1796
taanee yaRiyum vinaikaL azintapin
naanee yaRikilan nanti aRiyungkol
uunee yuruki uNarvai uNarntapin
teenee anaiyan nanteevar piraanee
Meaning:
When the innate prejudices that block off the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination are destroyed by flooding the interior with the Grace of BEING, the soul on its own and without the help of anyone else begins to enjoy it. I did not come to enjoy it through the intellectual efforts of my own. BEING knows that whoever tries hard in this way is bound to fail. But abandoning arid intellectual efforts and if one pursues with the heart melting with genuine LOVE , the Absolute Illumination begins to dawn in the inner horizon. When one begins to enjoy this, BEING , the Lord of all the deities and who graces thus will also be understood as sweet as honey.
Commentary:
Civanjanam, the Absolute Illumination that redeems the soul and makes possible the total releasement from existential repetition, is NOT to be attained through intellectual efforts. No matter how sharp the intellectual acumen is and no matter how great and impressive the analytical skills are, the Civanjaanam will forever remain beyond the reach, always hovering there as in the distant horizon that forever recedes as one approaches it with intellectual equipment. Every intellectual effort constitutes a VINAI, a binding chain, a prejudice and hence something that would BLOCK OFF the emergence of Civanjaanam.
Thirumular claims that he is AWARE that it is NOT by such efforts of his own that he enjoyed Civanjanam and BEING knows it as such.
But what is way then?
Our efforts should be directed at DISSOLVING the innate prejudices that always provide perspectives and points of view and perhaps within various kinds of paradigms to catch existence with a network of concepts. To enjoy Civanjaanam , we have to abandon this tendency and with complete trust in BEING, must allow being carried forth by BEING himself and be brave enough in this sojourn to ABANDON whatever prejudices with which we have understood existence and acquired a certain identity.
BEING, knowing that all human efforts will end up futile, AWAITS for the exhausted soul to come to HIM like the prodigal son and allow to be instructed by HIM and NOT by any other. Thus the soul LEARNS on its own and with BEING only as the Guru who intstructs him from within.
One of the things that happens with such abandonment to BEING is that soul gets flooded with aruL which in turn generates LOVE that makes the heart MELT with KINDNESS or KaruNai. The soul becomes incapable of hatred as such and behavior conditioned by LOVE becomes something that embraces all , totally indifferent to whatever differences that may prevail. There is NO DENIAL of difference for obviously it is a fact of human psychology and sociology . However what comes to prevail is OVERLOOKING all such differences , being INDIFFERENT to them and thus embracing all DESPITE the differences that prevail.
This attitude is important for it is through developing this attitude of UNIVERSAL LOVE that a person becomes like BEING, a similitude --a caaruupiyam -- in terms of dispositional traits. A person understands Civanjaanam by being in the state of being of BEING Himself. It is like an actor understanding a certain character by absorbing himself into that character on stage.
Such a progress in the metaphysical excursions also provides a true understanding of BEING at which point it is realized that BEING is NOT the cruel or gruesome archetypes, the angry and jealous gods but rather LOVE itself and supremely SWEET.
5.
One Must Teach Oneself
1797
நானறிந்தேன் அன்றே இருக்கின்றது ஈசனை
வானறிந்தார் அறியாது மயங்கினர்
ஊனறிந்து உள்ளே உயிர்க்கின்ற ஒண்சுடர்
தானறியான் பின்னை யார் அறிவாரே.
உரை:
அன்றும் என்றும் இன்றும் இருக்கின்றதாகிய பரம்பொருளாகிய ஈசனை நான் ஐயந்திரிபற உண்டென அறிந்தேன். ஆயினும் என்னைபோல் அன்றி வான் போன்ற ஐம்பூத புறப்பொருள்களியே தன் அறிவை இழந்து மயங்கிக் கிடப்பார் இவ்வாறு தெளியவில்லை. இந்த உடலையே அறிந்துதெளிய வேண்டியப் பொருளாகத் தேர்ந்து, அதன் சேட்டைகளுக்கெல்லாம் மூலமாக இருக்கின்ற உயிரின் உள்ளே உயிர்க்கின்ற ஒண்சுடராகிய ஈசனை, உண்டென்றுறாவன் அறியாதுபோனால் பின் யார்தான் அறிவார்?
1797
naanaRinteen anRee irukkinRatu iicanai
vaanaRintaar aRiyaatu mayangkinar
uunaRintu uLLee uyirkkinRa oNcudarai
taanaRiyaan pinnai yaar aRivaaree
Meaning:
I have understood beyond any shadow of doubt the presence of BEING as ONE who is always there. It is unfortunate that those who are absorbed in the physical realms such as the sky, remain ignorant of His presence intoxicated as they are with the physical. However those who examine the workings of the physical body, will note the presence of the psyche within and the presence of BEING as the life-force there. And if one does not understand the presence of BEING within his soul thus, who else will understand it?
NOTES:
For Tirumular , psychology is NOT an ancillary science that simply tells the personality structure of people , their different motivational dynamics and so forth. In developing what we call Agamic Psychology, the intentions are larger -- that of serving the religious needs of all. Psychology must be practiced as an integral part of religious life that demands the UNDERSTANDING the presence of BEING which has immense significance for regulating one's behavior. The value systems of the believers and nonbelievers are NOT the same and sane and meaningful behavior or praxis comes to prevail only when there is an UNDERSTANDING of the presence of BEING as always there and hence there even now, that BEING is there beyond time and hence nontemporal, the ever present.
Tirumular is also emphatic here as well as in many places that each and every one should strive towards gaining this understanding for himself. Unless one does this, NO ONE ELSE can bring about this understanding for him. Here we see Tirumular's distrust of the so many who go around claiming they are the only ones qualified to instruct others on the truth of BEING by virtue of birth, training, special gifts and what not. No , he says no one else except oneself who can LEARN and be absolutely sure of the presence of BEING.
But how?
Each one must become a psychologist and must examine his own body, its functioning and so forth. He would then realize that there is the self there and then the self itself being animated by a life-force that is ultimately a gift of BEING who is present within as the illuminating Light and animating principle.
But the body must be examined as a TEXT with a duality of structure. If one examines it purely as a physical stuff, like the sky and so forth and remain fixated to the physicality of it all, we will remain trapped in the physicalism and hence immensely confused. We shall FAIL to attain that real MEANING for existence that would provide the solid foundation for organizing behavior as a whole, and secure a THAT-FOR-WHICH existence is.
We must become HERMENEUTIC in our efforts to understand the bodily functions, how it is organized in so many different and complex ways. For only then we shall see the presence of the psyche within and presence of BEING as the life-force that really animates the psyche. The body is simply a mass of physical stuff if not for the presence of psyche. In the same mannaer the psyche is NOTHING if not for the animating presence of BEING within it. It is BEING as the Illuminating Light and Animating Principle who gives MEANING to the psyche by working within and thereby help out the psyche to organize and stabilize itself.
6
அருள் எங்குமான அளவை அறியார்
அருளை நுகர அமுதானதுந் தேரார்
அருள் ஐங்கருமத்திற்கு அதிசூக்கம் உன்னார்
அருள் எங்குங் கண்ணானது ஆர் அறிவாரே
உரை:
முனைப்போடு உயிர்கள் இயங்குகின்ற சாக்கிர நிலையில் மாத்திரம் அல்லாது அதற்கு அப்பாலாகிய சொப்பனம் சுழுத்தி போன்ற நிலையிலும் உண்மை இதுதான் உணர்த்துகின்ற அளவை அருள் என்பதை சாதாரண மக்கள் அறியார். இப்படி உண்மை உணர்வுகளே நுகரப்படவேண்டும் என்று செல்ல அதுவே மனநலம் உடல்நலம் ஆகியவற்றிற்கு காரணமாகிய அமுதம் என்பதையும் இவர்கள் சிந்தித்துத் தேரார். இந்த அருளே எல்லா இடத்திலும் நிலையிலும் பயலும் பரகிருத்தியங்களாகிய பஞ்சகிருத்தியங்களின் ஆழப் புதையுருவாக ஆகவே அதிசூக்கமாக இருப்பதையும் சிந்திக்கமாட்டார்கள். அத்தோடு இந்த அருள் என்பது பாசங்களில் கட்டுண்டு கிடக்கின்ற உயிர்களுக்கு அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் போக்கி பொருளுணர்வு சனிக்கும்படி கண்ணாக நிற்பதையும் யார் தான் அறிவார்கள்? சாதாரண மக்கள் அறியமாட்டார்கள் என்றவாறு.
தேர்தல்: மதித்து ஓர் முடிவிற்கு வருதல் ; உன்னுதல்: ஒளி என்னும் கருத்தின் 'உ(ன்)' என்னும் வேர்ச்சொல் அடியாகப் பிறந்த வினைச் சொல்; அகத்தே தெளிவு வரும்படியாக சிந்தித்தல்
6.
aruL engkumaana aLavai aRiyaar
aruLai nukara amutaanatun teeraar
aruL aingkarumattiRku aticuukkam unnaar
aruL engkung kaNNaanatu aar aRivaar.
Meaning:
The ordinary individuals do not seem to know that it is aruL that becomes the measure of TRUTH in all states of consciousness -- the wakeful , dream states and so forth. They also do not seem to appreciate that it is the experiencing of truths that serve as the ambrosia that would grant both good mental and physical health. And furthermore they do not reflect and understand that ultimately it is aruL that remains the source of the the five fold para-praxis that pervades the whole universe. And furthermore they don't seem to be aware also the fact that it is aruL that serves as the eyes for the all the creatures that would enable them to SEE as such and generate consciousness.
Commentary:
Perhaps this is one most powerful verses in the whole corpus of Tirumantiram and historically also one of most influential and which led to the recovery of Hermeneutic Logic as part of the Saiva Siddhanta metaphysics. The concern is the experience of TRUTH and this verse provides an interesting analysis of it within the context of analysis of behavior , behavior as praxis, as actions and within that the source of Meaningful Behavior with which this train of thoughts begin. It was noted that it is aruL that provides a sequence of MEANINGS, the ought that forms the That-For-Which existence is.
Now it is being stated that such MEANINGS that ground and stabilize behavior are in fact TRUTH experiences and that such truth experiences pervade the whole gamut of human experience , the conscious as well as unconscious.
Why this important?
This immediately rules out Naiyaayika position that truths are products of certain procedures applied CONSCIOUSLY by the human intellect and hence something that belongs to the intellectual capabilities of man. This notion is implicit in the Naiyayika claim that " pramaa karaNam piramaaNam" : the piramaaNas are those which genrate truths on being applied. It is in this vein that they claim Pratyaksa ( perception) Anumana ( inference) and Agama ( scriptural texts) are PiramaaNa. But here there is obviously confusing the notion of reliability with VALIDITY. All these ways of gaining consciousness may be reliable but not necessarily VALID for in each one of these ways there can be errors and hence falsities too.
We belief that a certain perception or reasoning or metaphysical understanding is VALID on grounds other than the manner in which they are arrived at. Tirumular maintains here it is the FLOW of aruL in whatever modes of experiences that leads us to exclaim that a certain experience currently being experienced is that of TRUTH and NOT falsity.
The criteria for TRUTH is NOT just logical or epistemological but also PSYCHOLOGICAL. The TRUTH experience in being illuminating, in being destructive of the inner darkness and metaphysical blindness is also MEDICINAL -- it brings about both good mental and physical health. As truths after truths are experienced the HEALTH improves and a person also GROWS in his personality and thereby becomes healthier as a person.
The Para-Praxis are the activities of BEING and which are there everywhere and all the time. It is noted that only those who note and acknowledge the presence of Para-Praxis as such can understand that there is this aruL even as the ground of these activities and hence understand BEING Himself as aruLon, the most munificent and benign.
Then another observation comes along with this. When we take for analysis not sensing but the SEEING and access it as the most primordial act that confers consciousness , it turns out to that at the deepest level it is also an expression of aruL. There cannot be SEEING as such in the world if not for the presence of aruL in the world.
ThiruvaaruL Vaippu
7.
அறிவில் அணுக அறிவது நல்கிப்
பொறிவழி யாசை புகுத்திப் புணர்ந்திட்டு
அறிவது வாக்கி அடியருள் நல்குஞ்
செறிவொடு நின்றார் சிவம் ஆயினாரே
உரை:
மேலான சிவஞானம் யாது என்று தீர விசாரிக்கும் நோக்கில் யார் தம் அறிவையே மறித்து நோக்கி அது எவ்வாறு சனிக்கின்றது உருவாகி நிற்கின்றது என்ற கேள்விகளோடு நிற்க, அப்படிப்பட்ட ஆன்மாக்களை தெளிவிக்கும் வகையில் ஞானத்தெளிவுகளை நல்குவன் இறைவன். சிவஞானம் நேரத் தராது போவது ஏன் எனும் கேள்வி எழ, பக்குவம் வரத் தருமா பொருட்டு முதலில் ஓர் உடலைத் தந்து அந்த உடலின் அமையும் பொறிகளின் வழி ஞானவேட்கைகளை எழுப்பி ஆன்மாக்களை விசாரிக்கும்படி தானே பல்வேறு வடிவுகள் எடுத்து ஆன்மாவே தானாய் புணர்ந்திட்டு, படிப்படியாக திரோதகம் நீக்கி தன்னை பலவேறு வடிவங்களில் ஆன்மாக்கள் தன்னை அறியும் பொருளாக்கி தன் என்றும் ஆடிக்கொண்டே இருக்கும் இணையடிகள் வழி அருள் நல்குவன் இறைவன். இப்படிப்பட்ட தெளிவொடு மாறுபடாது செறிந்து நிற்பவர் அனைவரும் தற்போதமெலாம் இழந்து சிவபோதத்தின் சிவமே ஆய் நிற்பர் என்பதாம்.
7.
aRivil aNuka aRivathu nalkip
poRivazi yaacai pukuttip puNarntiddu
aRivatu vaakki adiyaruL nalkunj
ceRivodu ninRaar civam aayinaaree.
BEING provides the necessary metaphysical illuminations for those individuals who seek their understanding itself as that which needs to be understood. They will realize that BEING does not bless them with the Absolute Illumination immediately but rather in stages where they are at first given a body and impelled to inquire into metaphysical matters through sensorial perceptions in the course of which He discloses Himself in various archetypal forms thereby allowing the anmas intuit His Presence and understand Him. Furthermore by impelling further inquiries through these archetypal forms, discloses HIS Grace continuously to further illuminate them. Those who live steadfast with this clarity will finally destroy their Ego and shine forth in existence as BEING himself.
Notes:
Human beings are PRAXIMATIC, inclined to effect ACTIONS knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally. That which stabilizes behavior , as we have already seen, is MEANINGFUL behavior and we have already seen that the emergence of DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEANINGS is a matter of Grace, the blessings of BEING that never dries up. As a person continues to act in the world, meanings after meanings emerge in a graded manner taking the person higher and higher in cognitive development and so forth.
However such a person , caught up in his Praxism, is ignorant of himself, the various mechanisms made available to him for effecting an action and the presence of BEING as the ONE who provides and regulates all these. Thus a praxic person remains IGNORANT or UNCONSCIOUS of all these and when the knowledge of one's own ignorance of such matters breaks into the consciousness of the person, then he sits back and makes his UNDERSTANDING itself the subject matter of his his search. Thus he becomes at long last genuinely philosophic or metaphysical seeking to understand his own being and presence in the world as such and such . BEING provides the metaphysical illuminations sought after but in stages CONCEALING his OWN Essence till the right sort of philosophic maturity becomes available. He discloses Himself in various archetypal forms that impel further metaphysical reflections about the essence of BEING and in the course He UNCONCEALS Himself in slow measures so that the individuals begin to glow in the TRUTH of BEING.
But why this archetypal presentations and that too in human-like forms?
Those who do not understand the workings of BEING and His strategies would be inclined to say that such archetypes or divinities are fertile imaginations of human beings , their own projections into the Unknown, simply their fictions , mental constructs and so forth. It should be noted that archetypes, as they possess powers beyond the imagination of the individuals, are NOT projections of the feeble human mind bu rather presentations of BEING Himself in a manner that is within the COMPREHENSION of the human mind. The anmas are given a body and for the matured the human frame itself with all the cognitive facilities that come along with it so that they can BEHOLD BEING at least in the human- like archetypes but at the same time INQUIRE further as to the TRUTH of the whole matter. BEING conceals Himself behind these archetypal presentations and draws the attention of the anmas to His HIDDEN PRESENCE so that they would TRANSCEND these archetypes and seek out His FORMLESS ESSENCE.
Not all individuals can do this for it requires a certain maturity to do this -- they must have the INNER COURAGE to liberate themselves from being held a prisoner of such comprehensible archetypes that remain dear to oneself. Any way for those who dare and free themselves from the worship of archetypal form of BEING and ascend further, BEING graces them destroying their Ego and implanting HIMSELF there so that they shine forth as BEING HIMSELF. With this the anmas attain the ultimate mode of behavior for from this moment, their PRAXIS ceases to be human and turns out to be that of BEING HIMSELF.
ThiruvaruL Vaippu -8
1800
அருளில் பிறந்திட்டு அருளில் வளர்ந்திட்டு
அருளில் அழிந்து இளைப்பாறி மறைந்திட்டு
அருளான ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுது ஊட்டி
அருளால் என் நந்தி அகம் புகுந்தானே
உரை:
நான் எவ்வித முயற்சிகளும் செய்யாத போதிலும் , இறைவனே தனது சொருபமாகிய அருளால் என் அகம்புகுந்தான். அது எப்படியோவெனின், என்னை அருளில் ஓர் உடம்பொடும் மற்றும் ஏனைய அகப்புற கரணங்களுடன் பிறந்திடச் செய்து, பற்பல வினைகளை செய்யுமாறு ஊக்கி அருளை ஈட்டிடச் செய்து அந்த அருளின் காரணமாக இழிகுணங்களைப் போக்கி நற்குணங்களை தேற்றி வளர்ந்திடச் செய்தான். அத்தோடு காலம் வர, மூப்புத்தட்டிவிட்ட இந்த உடலை அழித்து புத்துடல் மலைந்து பக்குவத்தில் இன்னும் உயர்ந்திட, அந்த அருளின் வழியே மரணமுற்று அழிந்து , உடலின்றி பரலோகத்தில் இளைப்பாறி மறைந்திட்டு பிறகு அந்த அருளின் காரணமாகவே மீண்டும் இன்னொரு பிறப்பெடுக்க வைத்தான். அதுபொழுது சிவச்சுவையை நான் அனுபவிக்கும்படி அருள் பாலித்து ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுதும் ஊட்டி என்னை மகிழ்வித்தான்.
1800
aruLil piRantiddu aruLil vaLarntiddu
aruLil azintu iLaippaaRi maraintiddu
aruLaana aanantattu aaramutu uuddi
aruLaal en nanti akam pukuntanee
Meaning:
Even though I did not attempt in any way BEING entered my Being on his own accord and because of His Grace. This is how how I understand this. It is because of the Grace that I have a birth with a body and other utensils and within this birth I have been impelled to act to gain GRACE discard the evil and retain the good and thereby develop as a person. Also it is also because of Grace that there is death where I am freed from a worn-out body and after resting in some space without a body resume worldly existence with a new body , rejuvenated in the process. And throughout all these HE fed me with the ambrosia that helped me to enjoy the Supreme Bliss and thereby enjoy existence itself.
Notes:
A thoroughgoing analysis of meaningful behavior where we remain steadfast to the fact that we effect actions and avoid muffling it with some reductionism, indicates that ultimately it is all a matter of the engracing processes of BEING who is GRACE itself. As we persist in seeking out the mysteries surrounding our praxic nature -- that we effect actions and we have a biologically derived body that is pre organized as for that -- we realize that all these are GIFTS of BEING just as much as the world itself. Furthermore Thirumular is astonished that BEING becomes an integral part of his own self and that too as if by magic, without he trying for it. Somehow or other BEING who remains CONCEALED and DISTANT at the beginning becomes intimate and close and finally takes over the self itself destroying the Ego in that possession.
And in this way the PRIMORDIAL meaning for existence and hence our praxis is outlined. We assume a birth only because of the Grace of BEING and that we are impelled by forces that remain concealed and hence unconscious, to effect actions and LEARN through that to avoid and discard the evil but retain the GOOD and thereby DEVELOP as an individual. Without effecting actions of all sorts there is no way in which we can LEARN, avoid the evil and become more and more the good natured .
It turns out that this process of developing or evolving is NOT something that takes within a single life span but rather something that is spread across the EVOLUTIONARY movement of the anmas. It requires countless number of births and deaths to evolve into the higher kind of species and having become human evolve from the bestial into the DIVINE. Thus we have to suffer a countless number of deaths and rebirths and all also because of Grace. It is because of Grace that there is death and in which we are freed of the worn-out body , and assume rebirth in which a new body becomes available, having become rejuvenated meanwhile by resting in the mantra world.
This evolutionary dynamics into the HIGHER is sustained by another strategy of BEING -- as we develop into the higher of the species, the experience of BLISS becomes more and more intense as there comes to be the FLOW of Ambrosia, the Amutu , also as another expression of this GRACE. All anmas desire to be happy and joyous forever and now we realize that this predisposition itself is also a matter of Grace, of aruL.
TiruvaruL Vaippu-9
1803
அருளால் அமுதப் பெருங்கடல் ஆட்டி
அருளால் அடிபுனைந்து ஆர்வமுந் தந்திட்டு
அருளான ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுது ஊட்டி
அருளால் என்நந்தி யகம் புகுந்தானே
உரை:
மெய்வழிச் செல்கின்ற அன்பர்கட்கு என்றுந் தளராது உழைக்கின்ற வீரியத்தைத் தருகின்ற அமுதத்தை, சாதாரண மக்கட்கு சிறு குடத்துக் குண்டலினி என, மெய்யன்பர்கட்கு பாற்கடல்போன்ற பெருங்கடலேயாக தனது அருளாலேயே அருந்தத் தருவன். மேலும் அதே அருளாலேயே பாதங்கள் தளர்ந்து விழத்தரும் ஊக்கங்கெடல் என்பதைத் தவிர்த்து அடுத்தடுத்து நல்லார்வங்களைத் தந்து தொடர்ந்து உழைத்துக் கொண்டே இருப்பதற்கு வழியும் காட்டுவன். மனச்சோர்வுப் பெற்று மடிமை எய்திடா வகையில் ஆனந்தமேப் பருகும் வண்ணம் ஆரமுதும் ஊட்டுவன். இவ்வாறு தொடர்ந்து செய்துகொண்டே இருக்கவேதான், தமது அருளாலேயே என் அகம் புகுந்தான் என் நந்தி.
1803.
aruLaal amutap perungkadal aaddi
aruLaal adipunaintu aarvamun tantiddu
aruLaana aanantattu aaramutu uuddi
aruLaal ennanti yakam pukuntaanee
Meaning:
While for the ordinary individuals the Kundalini is fed in a limited manner as if from a pot, but for those valiant individuals who dare to go the WAY of TRUTH, the same Kundalini is fed as if of the vast oceans so that they do not get ever exhausted. And furthermore, the same ambrosia is fed from within in terms of new meanings for actions so that such individuals do not attain a state of not knowing what to do and become idle. Overcome with grace BEING also feeds pleasures after pleasures of various kinds to keep up the motivational dynamics. And in order to do these effectively HE entered my self out of Grace and on His own accord.
Comments:
The Kundalini, called here the Amutu, the ambrosia, is that which flows on its own accord into the interior of the psychic selves and assumes different forms so that an ACTIVE life can be maintained by the individuals. The more an individual moves in the right direction, the WAY unto BEING, the more of this flow of Kundalini into the self. Its measure increases as BEING is closed on and at a certain point the flow of Kundalini becomes immense described here a flow as if from an Ocean.
This makes the person YOUTHFUL and one with strong legs, the precondition for leading an active life. When the legs become weak so that it becomes almost impossible to walk, old age sets it and along with it senility. This is AVOIDED by the flow of KuNdalini in a large measures so that the psychic energy is recovered and along with it the physical prowess.
One of most important ingredient of sustaining INTEREST in something is the feeling of happiness. If one encounters miseries after miseries, one is demotivated and becomes effectively indolent. But the flow of Kundalini makes it possible the enjoyment of various kinds of pleasures and because of that continuous interest in something or other.
All this happens when we go the RIGHT WAY and such things happens only because BEING enters the self on His accord . Such developments provide the CRITERIA for judging whether one is moving the right way or not. Those who go the wrong way, suffer miseries , early death due diseases and old age and all because BEING is distanced and the ever ready aaNavam makes its ugly presence strongly felt by the individual.
No matter how we cheat ourselves by fantasies, self indoctrination, rationalizations and what not, TRUTH is there objectively and such benefits as outlined here will accrue only to those who go the RIGHT WAY no matter how torturous and difficult it may.
This constitutes the second selction from Thirumular and the selctions come from the Seventh Tantra , the 9th to 11th parts entiltled ThriuvaruL vaippu, aruLoli and Civapuusai. In these verses thirumular outlines the notion of aruL that plays a central role in Saivism as well as in many other religions. From the saivite point of view religion is praxis concerned with gaining the GRACE of BEING, the arul of Civa. The word aruL is in use from the days of Tolkaappiyar and has been contniuously used by all great thinkers, while ThiruvaLLuvar, Karaikkaal Peyar constitutes the predessors of Thirumular who must have served to develop his understanding of this very important notion. It has contniuous adumbaration in which Thriumular brings his own geniuos to bear upon the concept. One of the most outsatnding aspcet of Thriumular's articulation is that he brings the notion to expalin the experience of TRUTH and in that aruL as that which underlies the aLavai , the various ways in which truth is experienced.
In this exercise translation and commentrary I follow the numbering of G. Varadarasan as well as his commentary where relevant. In many places I depart from the various commentaries but I believe that I am not deviating from the real import of Thirumular in all these.
For those who are new, let me mention that Thirumular is the father of Tamil Siddhas who probably lived around the 7th cent. A.D and that this Thirumanthiram , divided into NINE Tantras or books contains 3000 verses ( along with some interpolations) He is supposed to have written another book Thirumanthira Maalai though not generally agreed upon as such. It has incorporated as one of the ThriuRais, the sacred lore of the Saivites, all numbering 12 in which Thirumanthiram is the 10th.
I hope you enjoy reading this series as well.
9. திருவருள் வைப்பு TiruvaruL Vaippu ( The Natural Way of AruL)
1792
இருபதமாவது இரவும் பகலும்
உருவதுவாவது உயிரும் உடலும்
அருளதுவாவது அறமும் தவமும்
பொருளது உள்நின்ற போகமதாமே
உரை:
மறைஞான (metaphysical realms) உலகில் இயன்றவாறு இருப்பது அஞ்ஞானத்தைத் தரவல்ல இரவும் ஞானத்தெளிவைத் தரவல்ல பகலும் ஆகும். இரவு என்பது ஆணவ வல்லிருள், பகல் என்பது அந்த வல்லிருளைப் போக்கும் அருள் உதயம். இந்தப் போராட்டத்தில் அருளின் வெளிப்பாடாக ஆன்மாக்கள் உயிரும் உடலும் பெற்று உலகத்தில் வாழ்கின்ற உருவாகின்றனர். அங்கு ஆணவ இருள் கடிந்து அருள் வளர்க்கும் வகையில் பல்வேறு தவங்களும் அறநெறிகளும் உளவாயிருக்கின்றன. இவ்வாறு நற்றவத்தின் நன்னெறி ஊய்ந்து செல்ல, அருளே அகத்தே ஏற்கனவே இருக்கின்ற ஒன்றாய் சிவஞானத் தூய்ப்பின் போகமதாயும் எல்லா முயற்சிகளின் முடிவாய பொருளதுவாகவும் நிற்கும் .
1792
irupatamaavatu iravum pakalum
uruvatuvaavatu uyirum udalum
aruLatuvaavatu aRamum tavamum
poruLatu uLninRa pookamataamee
Meaning:
The metaphysical realms are constituted by the ignorance breeding Nights and illuminations fostering Days. As a result of this conflict and as the power of aruL emerges the anmas with a body and psychic being. And within the existence thus founded there are the right WAYS and various spiritual disciplines as an expression of this aruL. And within these stands aruL also as the MEANING of all, the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination and the joys in attaining it.
Commentary:
In Tol (3rd cent B.C. ) we have the occurrence of the phrase "aruL muntuRutta anbu poti kiLavi" meaning "language of LOVE as impelled by aruL" and subsequent to that we have TiruvaLLuvar (4th cent B.C ?) contrasting aruL with poruL, here the economic wealth. He notes that just as worldly pleasures are impossible without wealth, so is the pleasures of heavenly world without aruL. In this he connects the gaining of aruL as something pertaining to metaphysical kinds of existence and thereby implying that it is not relevant for worldly life. It is this dichotomy that is challenged by Kaaraikkaal Peyar who says rather emphatically that aruL is all, that it rules the whole world, the physical as well as metaphysical. ( aruLee ulakellaam aaLvippathu)
It is this understanding that is being elaborated further by Thirumular here. The aruL stands as the DAY that violates the Primordial Darkness in the metaphysical realms that DISALLOWS any entity to have have an existence as such. It is as the result of this primordial violation that the anmas assume a biological body and a psychic essence and thus become entities that LIVE, that have EXISTENCE as such. And also this aruL becomes within existence the Dharma, the aRam, the ethical principles that guide existence so that the anmas do not deviate from the WAY and various kinds spiritual disciplines of self control so that the anmas can maintain themselves steadily in the WAY.
While the world as a whole may be cyclic and in that not teleological, the human existence is certainly teleological, it is DIRECTED towards a DESTINY and aruL appears as the MEANING of existence, that towards which one OUGHT to move. Thus existence has already within it an OUGHTNESS and it ought to attain the Absolute i\Illumination, the Civanjanam and enjoy the immense Bliss in attaining it. There is meaning for existence, and that meaning, the FOR-WHICH of existence is the attainment of Civanjanam and thereby attaining Mukti.
(to continue) 1
2
1793
காண்டற் கரியன் கருத்திலன் நந்தியுந்
தீண்டற்குஞ் சார்தற்குஞ் சேயனாத் தோன்றிடும்
வேண்டிக் கிடந்து விளக்கொளியால் நெஞ்சம்
ஈண்டிக் கிடந்து அங்கு இருள் அறுமாமே
உரை:
விஞ்ஞானக் காட்சி சிவஞானக் காட்சி என்பனபோன்ற காட்சிகட்கும் அரியனாக இருக்கின்றான் நந்தியெம் பெருமான். சிந்தித்துத் தெளிந்து இத்தகையவன்தான் இறைவன் என்று துணிதற்கு கருத்தினில் வெளிப்படுகின்றவனும் அல்லன். மேலும் விரல்களால் தீண்டி பரிச உணர்வால் அறிதற்கும் அப்படியில்லாமல் போயினும், அரூவ சொரூபமாக ஆனால் உட்பொருளாக விளங்கும் அவனைச் சார்ந்து திண்ணமாய் நின்று மகிழ்தற்கும் முடியாவகை தூரத்து தூரமாய் இருக்கின்றான். ஆனால் மனந் தளராமல் அவன் அருளையே வேண்டிக் கிடந்து உறுதியாக நின்றால், சிவஞானம் என்னும் விளக்கொளியை ஏற்றி நெஞ்சினைப் பிளந்து அங்கு அநாதியே நிற்கும் அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் போக்குவன் என்பதாம்.
1793
kaNdaR kariyan karuttilan nantiyun
tiiNdaRkunj caartaRkunj ceeyanaat toonRidum
veendik kidantu viLakkoLiyaal nenjsam
iiNdik kidantu angku iruL aRumaamee
Meaning :
BEING stands rather difficult to witness directly even through various kinds of transductive perceptions. Also HE is not someone who appears within the thought processes that seek to determine HIS essences. And furthermore HE is also beyond being touched by in whatever manner. Even as the abstract indeterminate object HE is so distant that HE is not someone we can grasp and repose as the firm ground. But despite all these problems in encountering BEING , if we persist in seeking HIS GRACE relentlessly, then that will emerge as the LIGHT of Absolute Illumination and will plough the mind dispelling the DARKNESS there from beginningless times.
1794
குறிப்பினின் உள்ளே குவலயந் தோன்றும்
வெறுப்பிருள் நீங்கில் விகிர்தனும் நிற்குஞ்
செறிப்புறு சிந்தையைச் சிக்கென நாடில்
அறிப்புறு காட்சி அமரரு மாமே
உரை:
ஐம்புல நுகர்ச்சிக்கு அல்லாது சின்னமப் பொருளின் (symbolic elements) குறிப்பாய் இறைவனது மெய்யுலகுத் தோன்றும். அந்த உலகில் ஆழ்ந்து கிடக்க இப்பொழுது மிகவும் வெறுக்கத் தக்கதாக விளங்கி நிற்கும் ஆணவ இருள், உண்டாகும் ஞானத்தெளிவில் நீங்க, இறைவன் அங்கு நிற்போனாக காண வருவன். இவ்வாறு சிவக்காட்சியின் எழு சிந்தையை மறித்து நோக்கி அதன் சூக்குமத்தை இன்னும் இன்னும் நாடின், இதுவரை மரையாகவே இருக்கும் இறைவனது திருவடிங்களின் காட்சிகள் அறிவினில் ஆகும். இத்தகைய தெய்வ தரிசனக்களால், ஆன்மாவும் சுத்தமாகி அற்ப மானிடப் பண்பை இழந்து தெய்வபதம் எய்தும்.
1794
kuRippinin uLLee kuvalayam toonRum
veRuppiruL niingkil vikirtanum niRkunj
ceRippuRu cintaiyaic cikkena naadil
aRippuRu kaadci amararu maamee
Meaning:
The World of BEING is accessed only as the MEANING of the metaphorical, mythical and such other symbolic elements of life. And as one accesses this WORLD through appropriate interpretive strategies, and the mind is flooded with the LIGHT that dispels the metaphysical DARKNESS induced by aaNavam, then slowly BEING begins to be appear as there. Now we pursue the inner dynamics of such metaphysical reaches (hermeneutic) scientifically, then we can witness many other archetypal presentations of BEING that have remained inaccessible thus far. And as one continues to witness such DIVINE realities, one also gets transformed into a divine-like being.
NOTES:
The experience of BEING directly as HE is HIMSELF is almost an impossibility and this especially so when such attempts do not go beyond the sensorial and cognitive. When we function within such constrains BEING would appear very distant, impossible even to perceive HIS presence and be secure with the understanding that BEING is there. No this is NOT possible, He would appear very distant and extremely rare if not something impossible to encounter . However even if as such, if individuals persist relentlessly in seeking HIS GRACE , HIS presence can be slowly felt by the Inner Radiance that begins to GLOW within the mind dispelling the metaphysical DARKNESS induced by aaNavam that blocks off any ray of light.
Now as this GLOW within increases it will be noticed that the WORLD of BEING can be accessed through the semiotics of the mythical metaphorical and such other symbolic elements that one encounters in existence. Now as we take them seriously and inquire after their MEANINGS within hermeneutic semiotics, there will be more clarities as well as encounters with deeper and root archetypes that have remained unaccessed thus far. Now as one witnesses archetypes after archetypes which are presentations of BEING out of GRACE and all to ILLUMINATE the souls, there begin to be less and less of metaphysical darkness and more and more of LIGHT within. This will , like in alchemy where the base metals are transformed into gold, transform the individual from being merely human into someone divine in essence.
(to continue) 2
3.
1795
தேர்ந்து அறியாமையின் சென்றன காலங்கள்
பேர்ந்தறிவான் எங்கள் பிஞ்ஞகன் எம்மிறை
ஆர்ந்தறிவார் அறிவே துணையாமெனச்
சார்ந்தறிவான் பெருந்தன்மை வல்லானே
உரை:
காலத்தை வெல்லத் தரும் சிவஞானத்தை தேர்ந்து தெள்ளிதின் அறியாமையின் காரணமாக, காலவுணர்வின் பிடியிலிருந்து தப்ப முடியாது விணே சென்றன வாழ்கின்ற காலங்கள். தனக்கென எச்சொரூபமும் இல்லா இறைவன் , விரிசடை எம்மிறை, பலவேறு வடிவங்கள் எடுத்து ஒவ்வொரு உயிரின் பக்குவத்திற்கு ஏற்ப பேர்ந்து அறிவோடு அறிவாக நின்று அறிவான். இதனைப் பிழையாது உணர்ந்து தன்னுள் ஆர்ந்து அதுபொழுது தானேச் சுடரத் தொடங்கும் சிவஞானமே ஞானமெனச் சிவனையேச் சார்ந்து அவன் காட்டியவா காணும் திறத்து ஆன்மா பெருஞ் சித்திகள் கைவரப்பெற்ற மாபெரும் வல்லானாக உயர்வர்.
1795.
teerntu aRiyaamaiyin cenRana kaalangkaL
peerntaRivaan engkaL pinjnjakan emmiRai
aarntaRivaar aRivee tuNaiyaamenac
caarntaRivaan peruntanmai vallaanee
Meaning:
Because unconcerned with Absolute Illumination that allows disengaging oneself from Temporality, existence continues with time wasted on useless matters. BEING, though does not have a form of HIS own , however assumes countless number of archetypal forms and standing within the understanding of all creatures understands all as it is. And those who withdraw deep into themselves and seek to understand everything exactly as shown by BEING within and thereby begin to enjoy the Absolute Illumination that begins to glow spontaneously , will attain many rare gifts of BEING and grow to be one capable of great achievements.
NOTES:
There is Civa njaanam or Absolute Illumination that is peculiar in many ways. It is that which fosters RELEASEMENT and through that genuine psychological growth. Personality , the evolution into a higher kind of human species is contingent upon the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination. For it is that which allows the escape from TEMPORALITY and hence being a mortal, being born again and again and hence existential repetition. Civanjanam violates at the beginning the aaNava malam, that which makes the mind FINITE through introducing metaphysical IGNORANCE, the Darkness in the soul and because of which it's visions are limited. Such a soul CANNOT SEE the many things that are there in the world . The aaNavam acts like a filter that blocks off from being seen and hence introducing a BLINDNESS.
Having violated aaNavam that is ultimately also the cause of Physical Time, there remains only Throtakam, BEING concealing Himself and because of which there is still TIME but in the form of pure Temporality or psychological time. Civanjanam is also the metaphysical illumination that ultimately overcomes even this pure temporality and after the existential repetition also ceases to be a factor of Being-in-the -World. Existence does not cease and anma continues to BE but now in the Timeless World that is also understood as the Paradise in the mythologies. Hence this is also the attaining of Moksa.
This kind of spontaneously emerging Illumination is NOT the various kinds of knowledge we acquire through intellectual efforts of all kinds. Such knowledge being temporal are acattu, something that would disappear when another deeper insight begins to be in the intellect. The Absolute is NOT to be acquired in this manner but rather by being ONE-WITH-BEING who is WITHIN all. The anma must withdraw into itself and stand firmly in seeing all only as SHOWN by BEING within. When one persists in this way of UNDERSTANDING one is led towards the Absolute Illumination gradually. It is here that we are led to feel the experience of TRUTH. When the anma succeeds in SEEING precisely as SHOWN by BEING, it is given the feedback that it is so by allowing the feeling of TRUTH at that point.
The experience of TRUTHS one after another in this manner is that which coincides with the increasing GLOW of the Inner Radiance, the Absolute Illumination. This in turn brings about a CLEANSING of the soul, the getting rid of all defiling factors that makes a man a beast. With such growth also comes POWER, the various kinds of sitties and hence such a person also stands out as extraordinary in the world, becomes the mahatma. They become the shapers of history instead of being the weak and powerless victims of it.
4
1796
தானே யறியும் வினைகள் அழிந்தபின்
நானே யறிகிலன் நந்தி யறியுங்கொல்
ஊனே யுருகி உணர்வை உணர்ந்தபின்
தேனே அனையன் நந்தேவர் பிரானே
உரை:
சிவஞான புசிப்பை தடை செய்து நிற்கும் மனோவிலங்குகளாகிய வினைகள் இறையருளின் அழிந்திட, ஆன்மா வேறு யாருடைய உதவியுமின்றி தானே அச்சிவஞானத்தை அறியும். எனது முயற்சியால் இதனை நான் அறியவில்லை. இவ்வாறு யார் தற்போத முயற்சியால் சிவஞானத்தைப் புசிக்கு முயல்கின்றார்களோ அஃது அவர்களால் முடியாத ஒன்று என்று இறைவனுக்கு நங்கு தெரியும். இதனால் கூர்த்த அறிவின் சிந்திப்பது மாத்திரம் செய்யாது அன்பின் பெருக்கில் அகங்குழைந்து நெக்குருகி அருள் ஈட்ட அதனால் தானே மலரும் சிவஞானத்தை மெய்யாக உணர்ந்தபின், இவ்வாறு அருள் செய்கின்ற இறைவனை தேனைப் போன்ற இன்பத்தினன் எல்லா தேவர்களுக்கும் பிரானாக இருக்கின்ற அவன் என்று உணர்வும் சிறந்தோங்கி நிற்கும்.
1796
taanee yaRiyum vinaikaL azintapin
naanee yaRikilan nanti aRiyungkol
uunee yuruki uNarvai uNarntapin
teenee anaiyan nanteevar piraanee
Meaning:
When the innate prejudices that block off the enjoyment of Absolute Illumination are destroyed by flooding the interior with the Grace of BEING, the soul on its own and without the help of anyone else begins to enjoy it. I did not come to enjoy it through the intellectual efforts of my own. BEING knows that whoever tries hard in this way is bound to fail. But abandoning arid intellectual efforts and if one pursues with the heart melting with genuine LOVE , the Absolute Illumination begins to dawn in the inner horizon. When one begins to enjoy this, BEING , the Lord of all the deities and who graces thus will also be understood as sweet as honey.
Commentary:
Civanjanam, the Absolute Illumination that redeems the soul and makes possible the total releasement from existential repetition, is NOT to be attained through intellectual efforts. No matter how sharp the intellectual acumen is and no matter how great and impressive the analytical skills are, the Civanjaanam will forever remain beyond the reach, always hovering there as in the distant horizon that forever recedes as one approaches it with intellectual equipment. Every intellectual effort constitutes a VINAI, a binding chain, a prejudice and hence something that would BLOCK OFF the emergence of Civanjaanam.
Thirumular claims that he is AWARE that it is NOT by such efforts of his own that he enjoyed Civanjanam and BEING knows it as such.
But what is way then?
Our efforts should be directed at DISSOLVING the innate prejudices that always provide perspectives and points of view and perhaps within various kinds of paradigms to catch existence with a network of concepts. To enjoy Civanjaanam , we have to abandon this tendency and with complete trust in BEING, must allow being carried forth by BEING himself and be brave enough in this sojourn to ABANDON whatever prejudices with which we have understood existence and acquired a certain identity.
BEING, knowing that all human efforts will end up futile, AWAITS for the exhausted soul to come to HIM like the prodigal son and allow to be instructed by HIM and NOT by any other. Thus the soul LEARNS on its own and with BEING only as the Guru who intstructs him from within.
One of the things that happens with such abandonment to BEING is that soul gets flooded with aruL which in turn generates LOVE that makes the heart MELT with KINDNESS or KaruNai. The soul becomes incapable of hatred as such and behavior conditioned by LOVE becomes something that embraces all , totally indifferent to whatever differences that may prevail. There is NO DENIAL of difference for obviously it is a fact of human psychology and sociology . However what comes to prevail is OVERLOOKING all such differences , being INDIFFERENT to them and thus embracing all DESPITE the differences that prevail.
This attitude is important for it is through developing this attitude of UNIVERSAL LOVE that a person becomes like BEING, a similitude --a caaruupiyam -- in terms of dispositional traits. A person understands Civanjaanam by being in the state of being of BEING Himself. It is like an actor understanding a certain character by absorbing himself into that character on stage.
Such a progress in the metaphysical excursions also provides a true understanding of BEING at which point it is realized that BEING is NOT the cruel or gruesome archetypes, the angry and jealous gods but rather LOVE itself and supremely SWEET.
5.
One Must Teach Oneself
1797
நானறிந்தேன் அன்றே இருக்கின்றது ஈசனை
வானறிந்தார் அறியாது மயங்கினர்
ஊனறிந்து உள்ளே உயிர்க்கின்ற ஒண்சுடர்
தானறியான் பின்னை யார் அறிவாரே.
உரை:
அன்றும் என்றும் இன்றும் இருக்கின்றதாகிய பரம்பொருளாகிய ஈசனை நான் ஐயந்திரிபற உண்டென அறிந்தேன். ஆயினும் என்னைபோல் அன்றி வான் போன்ற ஐம்பூத புறப்பொருள்களியே தன் அறிவை இழந்து மயங்கிக் கிடப்பார் இவ்வாறு தெளியவில்லை. இந்த உடலையே அறிந்துதெளிய வேண்டியப் பொருளாகத் தேர்ந்து, அதன் சேட்டைகளுக்கெல்லாம் மூலமாக இருக்கின்ற உயிரின் உள்ளே உயிர்க்கின்ற ஒண்சுடராகிய ஈசனை, உண்டென்றுறாவன் அறியாதுபோனால் பின் யார்தான் அறிவார்?
1797
naanaRinteen anRee irukkinRatu iicanai
vaanaRintaar aRiyaatu mayangkinar
uunaRintu uLLee uyirkkinRa oNcudarai
taanaRiyaan pinnai yaar aRivaaree
Meaning:
I have understood beyond any shadow of doubt the presence of BEING as ONE who is always there. It is unfortunate that those who are absorbed in the physical realms such as the sky, remain ignorant of His presence intoxicated as they are with the physical. However those who examine the workings of the physical body, will note the presence of the psyche within and the presence of BEING as the life-force there. And if one does not understand the presence of BEING within his soul thus, who else will understand it?
NOTES:
For Tirumular , psychology is NOT an ancillary science that simply tells the personality structure of people , their different motivational dynamics and so forth. In developing what we call Agamic Psychology, the intentions are larger -- that of serving the religious needs of all. Psychology must be practiced as an integral part of religious life that demands the UNDERSTANDING the presence of BEING which has immense significance for regulating one's behavior. The value systems of the believers and nonbelievers are NOT the same and sane and meaningful behavior or praxis comes to prevail only when there is an UNDERSTANDING of the presence of BEING as always there and hence there even now, that BEING is there beyond time and hence nontemporal, the ever present.
Tirumular is also emphatic here as well as in many places that each and every one should strive towards gaining this understanding for himself. Unless one does this, NO ONE ELSE can bring about this understanding for him. Here we see Tirumular's distrust of the so many who go around claiming they are the only ones qualified to instruct others on the truth of BEING by virtue of birth, training, special gifts and what not. No , he says no one else except oneself who can LEARN and be absolutely sure of the presence of BEING.
But how?
Each one must become a psychologist and must examine his own body, its functioning and so forth. He would then realize that there is the self there and then the self itself being animated by a life-force that is ultimately a gift of BEING who is present within as the illuminating Light and animating principle.
But the body must be examined as a TEXT with a duality of structure. If one examines it purely as a physical stuff, like the sky and so forth and remain fixated to the physicality of it all, we will remain trapped in the physicalism and hence immensely confused. We shall FAIL to attain that real MEANING for existence that would provide the solid foundation for organizing behavior as a whole, and secure a THAT-FOR-WHICH existence is.
We must become HERMENEUTIC in our efforts to understand the bodily functions, how it is organized in so many different and complex ways. For only then we shall see the presence of the psyche within and presence of BEING as the life-force that really animates the psyche. The body is simply a mass of physical stuff if not for the presence of psyche. In the same mannaer the psyche is NOTHING if not for the animating presence of BEING within it. It is BEING as the Illuminating Light and Animating Principle who gives MEANING to the psyche by working within and thereby help out the psyche to organize and stabilize itself.
6
அருள் எங்குமான அளவை அறியார்
அருளை நுகர அமுதானதுந் தேரார்
அருள் ஐங்கருமத்திற்கு அதிசூக்கம் உன்னார்
அருள் எங்குங் கண்ணானது ஆர் அறிவாரே
உரை:
முனைப்போடு உயிர்கள் இயங்குகின்ற சாக்கிர நிலையில் மாத்திரம் அல்லாது அதற்கு அப்பாலாகிய சொப்பனம் சுழுத்தி போன்ற நிலையிலும் உண்மை இதுதான் உணர்த்துகின்ற அளவை அருள் என்பதை சாதாரண மக்கள் அறியார். இப்படி உண்மை உணர்வுகளே நுகரப்படவேண்டும் என்று செல்ல அதுவே மனநலம் உடல்நலம் ஆகியவற்றிற்கு காரணமாகிய அமுதம் என்பதையும் இவர்கள் சிந்தித்துத் தேரார். இந்த அருளே எல்லா இடத்திலும் நிலையிலும் பயலும் பரகிருத்தியங்களாகிய பஞ்சகிருத்தியங்களின் ஆழப் புதையுருவாக ஆகவே அதிசூக்கமாக இருப்பதையும் சிந்திக்கமாட்டார்கள். அத்தோடு இந்த அருள் என்பது பாசங்களில் கட்டுண்டு கிடக்கின்ற உயிர்களுக்கு அஞ்ஞான இருளைப் போக்கி பொருளுணர்வு சனிக்கும்படி கண்ணாக நிற்பதையும் யார் தான் அறிவார்கள்? சாதாரண மக்கள் அறியமாட்டார்கள் என்றவாறு.
தேர்தல்: மதித்து ஓர் முடிவிற்கு வருதல் ; உன்னுதல்: ஒளி என்னும் கருத்தின் 'உ(ன்)' என்னும் வேர்ச்சொல் அடியாகப் பிறந்த வினைச் சொல்; அகத்தே தெளிவு வரும்படியாக சிந்தித்தல்
6.
aruL engkumaana aLavai aRiyaar
aruLai nukara amutaanatun teeraar
aruL aingkarumattiRku aticuukkam unnaar
aruL engkung kaNNaanatu aar aRivaar.
Meaning:
The ordinary individuals do not seem to know that it is aruL that becomes the measure of TRUTH in all states of consciousness -- the wakeful , dream states and so forth. They also do not seem to appreciate that it is the experiencing of truths that serve as the ambrosia that would grant both good mental and physical health. And furthermore they do not reflect and understand that ultimately it is aruL that remains the source of the the five fold para-praxis that pervades the whole universe. And furthermore they don't seem to be aware also the fact that it is aruL that serves as the eyes for the all the creatures that would enable them to SEE as such and generate consciousness.
Commentary:
Perhaps this is one most powerful verses in the whole corpus of Tirumantiram and historically also one of most influential and which led to the recovery of Hermeneutic Logic as part of the Saiva Siddhanta metaphysics. The concern is the experience of TRUTH and this verse provides an interesting analysis of it within the context of analysis of behavior , behavior as praxis, as actions and within that the source of Meaningful Behavior with which this train of thoughts begin. It was noted that it is aruL that provides a sequence of MEANINGS, the ought that forms the That-For-Which existence is.
Now it is being stated that such MEANINGS that ground and stabilize behavior are in fact TRUTH experiences and that such truth experiences pervade the whole gamut of human experience , the conscious as well as unconscious.
Why this important?
This immediately rules out Naiyaayika position that truths are products of certain procedures applied CONSCIOUSLY by the human intellect and hence something that belongs to the intellectual capabilities of man. This notion is implicit in the Naiyayika claim that " pramaa karaNam piramaaNam" : the piramaaNas are those which genrate truths on being applied. It is in this vein that they claim Pratyaksa ( perception) Anumana ( inference) and Agama ( scriptural texts) are PiramaaNa. But here there is obviously confusing the notion of reliability with VALIDITY. All these ways of gaining consciousness may be reliable but not necessarily VALID for in each one of these ways there can be errors and hence falsities too.
We belief that a certain perception or reasoning or metaphysical understanding is VALID on grounds other than the manner in which they are arrived at. Tirumular maintains here it is the FLOW of aruL in whatever modes of experiences that leads us to exclaim that a certain experience currently being experienced is that of TRUTH and NOT falsity.
The criteria for TRUTH is NOT just logical or epistemological but also PSYCHOLOGICAL. The TRUTH experience in being illuminating, in being destructive of the inner darkness and metaphysical blindness is also MEDICINAL -- it brings about both good mental and physical health. As truths after truths are experienced the HEALTH improves and a person also GROWS in his personality and thereby becomes healthier as a person.
The Para-Praxis are the activities of BEING and which are there everywhere and all the time. It is noted that only those who note and acknowledge the presence of Para-Praxis as such can understand that there is this aruL even as the ground of these activities and hence understand BEING Himself as aruLon, the most munificent and benign.
Then another observation comes along with this. When we take for analysis not sensing but the SEEING and access it as the most primordial act that confers consciousness , it turns out to that at the deepest level it is also an expression of aruL. There cannot be SEEING as such in the world if not for the presence of aruL in the world.
ThiruvaaruL Vaippu
7.
அறிவில் அணுக அறிவது நல்கிப்
பொறிவழி யாசை புகுத்திப் புணர்ந்திட்டு
அறிவது வாக்கி அடியருள் நல்குஞ்
செறிவொடு நின்றார் சிவம் ஆயினாரே
உரை:
மேலான சிவஞானம் யாது என்று தீர விசாரிக்கும் நோக்கில் யார் தம் அறிவையே மறித்து நோக்கி அது எவ்வாறு சனிக்கின்றது உருவாகி நிற்கின்றது என்ற கேள்விகளோடு நிற்க, அப்படிப்பட்ட ஆன்மாக்களை தெளிவிக்கும் வகையில் ஞானத்தெளிவுகளை நல்குவன் இறைவன். சிவஞானம் நேரத் தராது போவது ஏன் எனும் கேள்வி எழ, பக்குவம் வரத் தருமா பொருட்டு முதலில் ஓர் உடலைத் தந்து அந்த உடலின் அமையும் பொறிகளின் வழி ஞானவேட்கைகளை எழுப்பி ஆன்மாக்களை விசாரிக்கும்படி தானே பல்வேறு வடிவுகள் எடுத்து ஆன்மாவே தானாய் புணர்ந்திட்டு, படிப்படியாக திரோதகம் நீக்கி தன்னை பலவேறு வடிவங்களில் ஆன்மாக்கள் தன்னை அறியும் பொருளாக்கி தன் என்றும் ஆடிக்கொண்டே இருக்கும் இணையடிகள் வழி அருள் நல்குவன் இறைவன். இப்படிப்பட்ட தெளிவொடு மாறுபடாது செறிந்து நிற்பவர் அனைவரும் தற்போதமெலாம் இழந்து சிவபோதத்தின் சிவமே ஆய் நிற்பர் என்பதாம்.
7.
aRivil aNuka aRivathu nalkip
poRivazi yaacai pukuttip puNarntiddu
aRivatu vaakki adiyaruL nalkunj
ceRivodu ninRaar civam aayinaaree.
BEING provides the necessary metaphysical illuminations for those individuals who seek their understanding itself as that which needs to be understood. They will realize that BEING does not bless them with the Absolute Illumination immediately but rather in stages where they are at first given a body and impelled to inquire into metaphysical matters through sensorial perceptions in the course of which He discloses Himself in various archetypal forms thereby allowing the anmas intuit His Presence and understand Him. Furthermore by impelling further inquiries through these archetypal forms, discloses HIS Grace continuously to further illuminate them. Those who live steadfast with this clarity will finally destroy their Ego and shine forth in existence as BEING himself.
Notes:
Human beings are PRAXIMATIC, inclined to effect ACTIONS knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally. That which stabilizes behavior , as we have already seen, is MEANINGFUL behavior and we have already seen that the emergence of DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEANINGS is a matter of Grace, the blessings of BEING that never dries up. As a person continues to act in the world, meanings after meanings emerge in a graded manner taking the person higher and higher in cognitive development and so forth.
However such a person , caught up in his Praxism, is ignorant of himself, the various mechanisms made available to him for effecting an action and the presence of BEING as the ONE who provides and regulates all these. Thus a praxic person remains IGNORANT or UNCONSCIOUS of all these and when the knowledge of one's own ignorance of such matters breaks into the consciousness of the person, then he sits back and makes his UNDERSTANDING itself the subject matter of his his search. Thus he becomes at long last genuinely philosophic or metaphysical seeking to understand his own being and presence in the world as such and such . BEING provides the metaphysical illuminations sought after but in stages CONCEALING his OWN Essence till the right sort of philosophic maturity becomes available. He discloses Himself in various archetypal forms that impel further metaphysical reflections about the essence of BEING and in the course He UNCONCEALS Himself in slow measures so that the individuals begin to glow in the TRUTH of BEING.
But why this archetypal presentations and that too in human-like forms?
Those who do not understand the workings of BEING and His strategies would be inclined to say that such archetypes or divinities are fertile imaginations of human beings , their own projections into the Unknown, simply their fictions , mental constructs and so forth. It should be noted that archetypes, as they possess powers beyond the imagination of the individuals, are NOT projections of the feeble human mind bu rather presentations of BEING Himself in a manner that is within the COMPREHENSION of the human mind. The anmas are given a body and for the matured the human frame itself with all the cognitive facilities that come along with it so that they can BEHOLD BEING at least in the human- like archetypes but at the same time INQUIRE further as to the TRUTH of the whole matter. BEING conceals Himself behind these archetypal presentations and draws the attention of the anmas to His HIDDEN PRESENCE so that they would TRANSCEND these archetypes and seek out His FORMLESS ESSENCE.
Not all individuals can do this for it requires a certain maturity to do this -- they must have the INNER COURAGE to liberate themselves from being held a prisoner of such comprehensible archetypes that remain dear to oneself. Any way for those who dare and free themselves from the worship of archetypal form of BEING and ascend further, BEING graces them destroying their Ego and implanting HIMSELF there so that they shine forth as BEING HIMSELF. With this the anmas attain the ultimate mode of behavior for from this moment, their PRAXIS ceases to be human and turns out to be that of BEING HIMSELF.
ThiruvaruL Vaippu -8
1800
அருளில் பிறந்திட்டு அருளில் வளர்ந்திட்டு
அருளில் அழிந்து இளைப்பாறி மறைந்திட்டு
அருளான ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுது ஊட்டி
அருளால் என் நந்தி அகம் புகுந்தானே
உரை:
நான் எவ்வித முயற்சிகளும் செய்யாத போதிலும் , இறைவனே தனது சொருபமாகிய அருளால் என் அகம்புகுந்தான். அது எப்படியோவெனின், என்னை அருளில் ஓர் உடம்பொடும் மற்றும் ஏனைய அகப்புற கரணங்களுடன் பிறந்திடச் செய்து, பற்பல வினைகளை செய்யுமாறு ஊக்கி அருளை ஈட்டிடச் செய்து அந்த அருளின் காரணமாக இழிகுணங்களைப் போக்கி நற்குணங்களை தேற்றி வளர்ந்திடச் செய்தான். அத்தோடு காலம் வர, மூப்புத்தட்டிவிட்ட இந்த உடலை அழித்து புத்துடல் மலைந்து பக்குவத்தில் இன்னும் உயர்ந்திட, அந்த அருளின் வழியே மரணமுற்று அழிந்து , உடலின்றி பரலோகத்தில் இளைப்பாறி மறைந்திட்டு பிறகு அந்த அருளின் காரணமாகவே மீண்டும் இன்னொரு பிறப்பெடுக்க வைத்தான். அதுபொழுது சிவச்சுவையை நான் அனுபவிக்கும்படி அருள் பாலித்து ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுதும் ஊட்டி என்னை மகிழ்வித்தான்.
1800
aruLil piRantiddu aruLil vaLarntiddu
aruLil azintu iLaippaaRi maraintiddu
aruLaana aanantattu aaramutu uuddi
aruLaal en nanti akam pukuntanee
Meaning:
Even though I did not attempt in any way BEING entered my Being on his own accord and because of His Grace. This is how how I understand this. It is because of the Grace that I have a birth with a body and other utensils and within this birth I have been impelled to act to gain GRACE discard the evil and retain the good and thereby develop as a person. Also it is also because of Grace that there is death where I am freed from a worn-out body and after resting in some space without a body resume worldly existence with a new body , rejuvenated in the process. And throughout all these HE fed me with the ambrosia that helped me to enjoy the Supreme Bliss and thereby enjoy existence itself.
Notes:
A thoroughgoing analysis of meaningful behavior where we remain steadfast to the fact that we effect actions and avoid muffling it with some reductionism, indicates that ultimately it is all a matter of the engracing processes of BEING who is GRACE itself. As we persist in seeking out the mysteries surrounding our praxic nature -- that we effect actions and we have a biologically derived body that is pre organized as for that -- we realize that all these are GIFTS of BEING just as much as the world itself. Furthermore Thirumular is astonished that BEING becomes an integral part of his own self and that too as if by magic, without he trying for it. Somehow or other BEING who remains CONCEALED and DISTANT at the beginning becomes intimate and close and finally takes over the self itself destroying the Ego in that possession.
And in this way the PRIMORDIAL meaning for existence and hence our praxis is outlined. We assume a birth only because of the Grace of BEING and that we are impelled by forces that remain concealed and hence unconscious, to effect actions and LEARN through that to avoid and discard the evil but retain the GOOD and thereby DEVELOP as an individual. Without effecting actions of all sorts there is no way in which we can LEARN, avoid the evil and become more and more the good natured .
It turns out that this process of developing or evolving is NOT something that takes within a single life span but rather something that is spread across the EVOLUTIONARY movement of the anmas. It requires countless number of births and deaths to evolve into the higher kind of species and having become human evolve from the bestial into the DIVINE. Thus we have to suffer a countless number of deaths and rebirths and all also because of Grace. It is because of Grace that there is death and in which we are freed of the worn-out body , and assume rebirth in which a new body becomes available, having become rejuvenated meanwhile by resting in the mantra world.
This evolutionary dynamics into the HIGHER is sustained by another strategy of BEING -- as we develop into the higher of the species, the experience of BLISS becomes more and more intense as there comes to be the FLOW of Ambrosia, the Amutu , also as another expression of this GRACE. All anmas desire to be happy and joyous forever and now we realize that this predisposition itself is also a matter of Grace, of aruL.
TiruvaruL Vaippu-9
1803
அருளால் அமுதப் பெருங்கடல் ஆட்டி
அருளால் அடிபுனைந்து ஆர்வமுந் தந்திட்டு
அருளான ஆனந்தத்து ஆரமுது ஊட்டி
அருளால் என்நந்தி யகம் புகுந்தானே
உரை:
மெய்வழிச் செல்கின்ற அன்பர்கட்கு என்றுந் தளராது உழைக்கின்ற வீரியத்தைத் தருகின்ற அமுதத்தை, சாதாரண மக்கட்கு சிறு குடத்துக் குண்டலினி என, மெய்யன்பர்கட்கு பாற்கடல்போன்ற பெருங்கடலேயாக தனது அருளாலேயே அருந்தத் தருவன். மேலும் அதே அருளாலேயே பாதங்கள் தளர்ந்து விழத்தரும் ஊக்கங்கெடல் என்பதைத் தவிர்த்து அடுத்தடுத்து நல்லார்வங்களைத் தந்து தொடர்ந்து உழைத்துக் கொண்டே இருப்பதற்கு வழியும் காட்டுவன். மனச்சோர்வுப் பெற்று மடிமை எய்திடா வகையில் ஆனந்தமேப் பருகும் வண்ணம் ஆரமுதும் ஊட்டுவன். இவ்வாறு தொடர்ந்து செய்துகொண்டே இருக்கவேதான், தமது அருளாலேயே என் அகம் புகுந்தான் என் நந்தி.
1803.
aruLaal amutap perungkadal aaddi
aruLaal adipunaintu aarvamun tantiddu
aruLaana aanantattu aaramutu uuddi
aruLaal ennanti yakam pukuntaanee
Meaning:
While for the ordinary individuals the Kundalini is fed in a limited manner as if from a pot, but for those valiant individuals who dare to go the WAY of TRUTH, the same Kundalini is fed as if of the vast oceans so that they do not get ever exhausted. And furthermore, the same ambrosia is fed from within in terms of new meanings for actions so that such individuals do not attain a state of not knowing what to do and become idle. Overcome with grace BEING also feeds pleasures after pleasures of various kinds to keep up the motivational dynamics. And in order to do these effectively HE entered my self out of Grace and on His own accord.
Comments:
The Kundalini, called here the Amutu, the ambrosia, is that which flows on its own accord into the interior of the psychic selves and assumes different forms so that an ACTIVE life can be maintained by the individuals. The more an individual moves in the right direction, the WAY unto BEING, the more of this flow of Kundalini into the self. Its measure increases as BEING is closed on and at a certain point the flow of Kundalini becomes immense described here a flow as if from an Ocean.
This makes the person YOUTHFUL and one with strong legs, the precondition for leading an active life. When the legs become weak so that it becomes almost impossible to walk, old age sets it and along with it senility. This is AVOIDED by the flow of KuNdalini in a large measures so that the psychic energy is recovered and along with it the physical prowess.
One of most important ingredient of sustaining INTEREST in something is the feeling of happiness. If one encounters miseries after miseries, one is demotivated and becomes effectively indolent. But the flow of Kundalini makes it possible the enjoyment of various kinds of pleasures and because of that continuous interest in something or other.
All this happens when we go the RIGHT WAY and such things happens only because BEING enters the self on His accord . Such developments provide the CRITERIA for judging whether one is moving the right way or not. Those who go the wrong way, suffer miseries , early death due diseases and old age and all because BEING is distanced and the ever ready aaNavam makes its ugly presence strongly felt by the individual.
No matter how we cheat ourselves by fantasies, self indoctrination, rationalizations and what not, TRUTH is there objectively and such benefits as outlined here will accrue only to those who go the RIGHT WAY no matter how torturous and difficult it may.
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