It is the object of all the Vedas and the agamas dealing with multifold sciences to expound the concepts of God, hound souls, and bonds (Pati, Pasu, and Pasam). Of these, Godhead is the highest. It is beyond the material distinction of form and no form; It has no finite quality or mark; It is ever free from bonds; It is one and eternal. It is the energiser of the intelligence of countless souls; It is changeless and infinite; Its form is bliss; It is above the ken (reach) of the perverted; but it is the final goal of the right-minded; It manifests itself in the smallest of the small and is the biggest of the big. It is self-effulgent; It is named SIVAM by men of clear vision.
The eternal supreme power of God manifests itself as Love, Wisdom, and Will; and God in contact with each, takes up the holy form of grace inestimable, and by energising the luminous expansive pure-maya, causes the evolution of Nadam, Bindu and other pure reals and of the word roots of knowledge. Again, by energising the impure Maya, He causes and maintains the grand development of bodies, minds, worlds, and substances which are the channels of cruel Karma- In time He brings about the involution of all these. Immanent aspect of God in relation to these processes is viewed as formless and formful, limbless and full-limbed.
God is of a nature beyond spotting and specifying. He is without beginning, middle and end. He is full of overwhelming and all-pervading intelligence. He is unique in being above the comprehension of ail others. He is the sole Lord whom intolerable likes and dislikes cannot reach. He is the life inseparable from all lives and is unbound. He can, therefore, take up and energise for himself any form He wills.
The universe comes into being in forms male, female, and sexless. It endures and suffers involution in due processes of time. Subsequently it undergoes re-evolution on account of bonds from which souls have to be freed. Forms change, appear, move, and disappear. Maya, their primordial basis is by itself motionless and unintelligent- The bound souls have not the intellectual freedom to assume forms of their own accord and yet they are embodied and do their work. So, it is the unbound supreme being that is the moving cause of all.
All the worlds created by the lotus-seated Brahma are protected by Vishnu and their final dissolution is by our God, so that creation and protection are at an end. Brahma and Vishnu are the duly empowered agents of the Higher Being whose work is done through them and who is the real author of all. He remains unaffected by these functions, like the sun in the sky before whom one lotus puts forth its bud, another blossoms in full, and a third fades and falls.
These functions which God has taken up are styled the play of His Grace, meant to lift the souls from the sea of misery to the seat of abiding bliss. Involution has the aim of wiping out the fatigues of birth and death. Re-evolution is to render bonds fit for dissolution. Protection means making souls enjoy the fruits of Karma; and screening is to steady them in such enjoyment. The bestowal of ineffable bliss (in the end) is indeed a clear act of grace, and the other functions too can be attributed to nothing but the adorning mercy of God.
Enlightened and free from thoughts of stern Karma shall become the hearts of the votaries who never forget to strew bee-humming blooms every day at the heroic feet of the Elephant Deity whose sacred form is Light Spiritual and who comes forth pouring out the must of divine wisdom and dispensing supreme delight (to fit souls).
On our head and heart we shall entertain, revere and cherish the beautiful lotus feet of Him, who is the source of the primordial rising light, whose form is grace and wisdom, whose spreading tresses are the seat of the honeyed flowers of Konrai, the crescent moon, the river Ganga and the glistening serpent and who, with intent to lift us from the endless chain of births, dances in the Common Hall of all souls to the applauding tunes of angels, of feasting the eye of mother Uma the protector of all the worlds.
On our head shall we receive the gracious feet-flowers of the mother who is the all-pervading Supernal power, the First Cause of all and the grace, wisdom, and energy of the Supreme Being. Her form is Divine mercy bestowing (on fit souls) the frame of supreme bliss. She is the energiser of the pure and impure maya from which are evolved the expansive basic substrata of all sorts of bodies, minds, worlds, and substances. She is the many-sided, one holy energy of God, the seed of five grand functions of His and the eyewitness in the beautiful Hall of the Divine Dance meant for annulling the woes of the world.
With a view to accomplish this work in high Tamil, free from faults of metre and grammar, and secure its unhindered completion and good use, we shall contemplate the pair of holy roseate feet, blossoming in grace to the pious song of the beelike saints, of the Elephant faced deity who is the Lord of the communities of angels and whose three fold must of wisdom gushes forth like a torrent and who was begotten by God Siva and his consort whose fish-like eyes, surpassing a pair of lances in beauty and adorned by natural red lines, leap as if to contend with the sparkling leaf-like ring jewels of the ear.
We shall meditate on the two feet of God Muruga who is the commander of high-born Devas of abiding opulence, the divine child of grace and wisdom riding the blue peacock, the spiritual guru of saint Agastiya, well—versed in countless sciences, scriptures and their branches, the hero who willed to fling his brilliant spear and cut in two the breast of Suran unmindful of his prowess, the hill of Krounja and my misery, and the lover who hugged the beautiful bosom of the hunter’s daughter brimming with fragrant paste.
Lord Guru of the Devas seated on Mount Kailas, Nandhi the holy warden of the lofty hill, (Sanatkumara) one of Nandi’s community of disciples, Satyagnanadarisanigal of wide fame reaching afar in the world, the great Paranjoti, the reputed hero Saint Meykandar- of Tiruvennainallur, the illustrious Saint Arulnandhi of changeless repute, and Saint Marai-jnanasambandar endowed with the riches of spotless grace are our masters in this line of hereditary transmission of spiritual wisdom.
On our head shall we entertain the flower like feet of growing beauty of our spiritual father Maraijnanasambandar of perennial fame who is the crown gem of Saivism. For perpetuating the descent of spiritual wisdom on earth, for the popularisation of the many sided Sama Veda and the renown of the line of the great Parasara, he came to the world and redeemed us. He was born at Marudur and flourished at Pennagadam encircled by the cloud-capped cool line groves, from whose boundary walls the lofty banners with their hand-like fringes shot up and impeded the passage of the moon along the sky.
We intend to expound herein, the truths of the Saiva Siddhanta System, the distilled essence of the Vedanta, which is dark to the heathen and bright to the adherents of inner creeds and satisfying the reputed standards of logic, and which is remarkable for advocating such inseparable Adwaitic (non-dual) union of God and the world as will not warrant their substantial identity like Gold and jewels made of it, or their opposition like light and darkness or any midway relation like that of word and sense. Such union will be comparable in their unity to the blending of body and soul and in their diversity to the light of the eye and the light of the sun and in their concomitance to the knowing power of the soul and the seeing power of the eye, and will be realisable as the fruit of a course of righteous practice ordained by great books of wisdom.
The sum total of all souls falls into three categories, the first consisting of those affected only by the bond of darkness (the original bond), the second of those affected by the bonds of darkness and karma, and the third of those affected by the bonds of darkness, Karma and Maya. On the principle of showing like to like (in catching animals) the Lord comes to redeem the man affected threefold in the guise of man and confers on him the grace needed to break the bonds by means of his holy look, touch, bright mystic word, force of thought, instruction in scriptures and yogic practice and & by performance of homa which will be either external or internal. The former is known as initiation by action and the latter initiation by knowledge.
There are three forms of initiation; the first known as Samayam qualifies one for the use of Mantras, the second known as Visesha qualifies one for specialising in rites of worship and yogic practice, and the third known as Nirvana leads into the path of spiritual wisdom by helping the soul to get clean of the six kinds of ways through which the fruits of Karma reach it. The said ways lie through the region of Mantrams, pathams, and letters on the one hand and that of world centres (Bhuvanam), Tatwas and Kalais on the other, Mantrams number eleven, pathams eighty-one and letters fifty-one, and world centres two hundred and twenty-four, tatwas thirty-six and Kalais five.
Scriptures say that all kinds of pious act lead to the attainment of spiritual wisdom. The true sariya (subsidiary service), Kiriya (rites of worship) and Yoga lead directly and respectively to Saloka (living in the heaven of God), Sameepa (living-near God) and Sarupa (attaining the form of God) and indirectly to the attainment of high wisdom. The uplifting spiritual wisdom is of two grades the one being God’s grace which is in his eternal wisdom that lastingly takes up the soul after its redemption from the inveterate bonds and the other being the clear wisdom inculcated by Saiva scriptures pointing the way to realisation of such grace.
The reputed Lord Guru (Saint Meykandar) composed the great Sivagnanabotham and later his spiritual son (Saint Arulnandi) expanded its truths in his work Sivagnana Siddhi. My worship is due to their holy feet. I eagerly studied the two books and collating their ideas with what was revealed by holy grace in my mind and the views of Sivagamas on the subject, condensed them into a work of one hundred progressive verses in Virutha metre consisting of two parts general and special actuated by my intense ambition; and even my work has taken shape as spotless Sivaprakasam.
Whatever is old cannot be deemed to be good (on account of its antiquity alone) and whatever book comes forth today cannot be judged ill because of its newness. Men pledged to seek good in everything will not mind the dust that covers a beautiful gem but only appreciate its true worth. People of middle calibre will investigate and welcome the beauty and antiquity of a work. Men who have no capacity to judge of the faults, excellences and substantial work of a production will praise it, if many admire it, and will in the same breath condemn it on hearing others speak ill of it, because they have no opinion for themselves.
Image by Vassos Kyriacou from Pixabay - a lovely hindu girl rests under the shade of a tree
Sivaprakasam stands foremost among the eight philosophic treatises composed by its author in Tamil, and is generally studied and referred to along with ‘Sivagnana Bodham’, the famous central work on Saiva Siddhanta philosophy given by the Great Infant-Saint Sri Meykanda Devar, and ‘Sivagnana Siddhiyar’, its secondary, written by his disciple Sri Arulnandi Sivacharya. These two ‘great saintly seers are respectively the first and the second link of the celestial chain mentioned above, the third being Saint Sri Maraignana Sambandhar.
The aim of ‘Sivaprakasam’ is to give, in a clear and succinct manner, a plain summary of the central truths of philosophy expounded in the two works, Sivagnana Bodham and Sivagnana Siddhiyar, and to make the study of the Saiva Siddhanta system a little easier in its elementary stage before the moreadvanced and comprehensive books (Sivagnana Bodham and Sivagnana Siddhiyar), regarding the technicalities and abstruse and metaphysical questions are taken up.
This work is now published by the Adhinam with a prose rendering in English by the late Sri K. Subramania Pillai, M. A., M. l., in commemoration of the Siva Paripurana Gurupuja of His Holiness Sri-la-Sri Shanmuka Desika Gnanasambandha Paramacharya Swamigal, the twenty fourth in descent, of Dharmapuram Adhinam.
His Holiness ascended the throne of the holy Gnana-Peetam and assumed the headship of the Adhinam Mutt on ‘26th of June 1933. During the short period of about twelve years of his able administration, His Holiness showed organising ability of a very high order, raised the tone and discipline of the Mutt and the temples attached thereto to a high standard and has done the utmost for the propagation of the Saiva faith in all possible ways. The series of publications (more than fifty seven in number) which have seen the light of day during the regime of His Holiness has served to dispel the darkness in the minds of thousands of Saivites and has flooded them with the light of the Lord. The ascent of His Holiness on the holy cadi of the Mutt may he said to mark the revival of Saivism in South India, and something very marvellous has been contributed by His Holiness for the revival and re-establishment of the real greatness, fame, and prestige of the holy order of the Saiva Mutts in South India, which have been its heritage ever since it was inaugurated by Sri Meykanda Devar, the rising sun of Saiva Siddhanta, who flourished in the first half of the 13th Century.
His Holiness has been a towering and powerful personality, full of sound common sense, and constructive original thoughts, blended with a calm and genial manner finding expression in occasional out-bursts of humour and a dignified reserved nature. Gifted with these qualities of head and heart to a remarkable degree, it is no wonder that His Holiness has endeared himself to one and all and revolutionised the system of organisation and administration of the mutt, effecting distinct improvements in the various realms ruled by him, and widening the scope, usefulness, and purpose of the very ancient institution which it was his privilege to preside over and direct.
It is evident that, when His Holiness took up the administration, he started with the earnest desire that during his regime, Saiva Religion and philosophy should flourish, Tamil and Sanskrit learning should spread and, through proper upkeep and orderly maintenance of temples, the prosperity of the land should most effectively be promoted. It is this desire in His Holiness that brought the Mutt in contact with eminent men in the various walks of life, scholars, poets, and officials in the world outside and enabled all of them to estimate and appreciate the value and usefulness of the religious institutions.
Among the distinguished visitors to the Mutt mention may be made of His Excellency the Governor of Madras Sir Arthur Hope, His Excellency the Governor of French India Mon. Bonvin, Lady Bonvin, Mon. Thomas Aroul, President of the French India Legislative Assembly, The Administrator of Karikkal Territory, Ministers of the Madras Province, Sir P. T. Ilajan, Dr T. S. S. Rajan. H. Ramanathan and others, Rajah Sir Annamaloi Chettiar of Chettinad, Kumararajah Sir M. A. Muthiah Chettiar, Sir R. K. Shanmukham Chettiar, Sir R. S. Sarnia, Mon. Sambasivam Chettiar, President of the Colonial Committee of French India, Sri Muthuranga Mudaliar, the District Official Heads, and the Presidents and Commissioners of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Board. All of them have expressed their high appreciation and pleasure on the occasion of their visits to the Mutt. His Holiness Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Sankaracharya Swamigal has paid a visit to Dharmapuram and performed worship in the local temple. He entertained a high regard for the reputed head of this institution.
The conduct of the grand Meykandan Siddhanta Conference in 1941 which lasted for three days and concluded with Tirumurai Conference and festival on the Avanimoolam day was acknowledged to be the unique of its kind- This conference and the first Decennial Rule Celebrations, under the distinguished presidency of Sachivothama Sir C. P. Ramaswami Ayyar, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E., LL.D., the Dewan of Travancore State, of His Holiness have produced in the mind of the public a delightfully homely touch about the Dharmapuram Adhinam Mutt. These celebrations were the enlightening rays that made the Country realise the seriousness of the purpose of the institution of mutts.
The Adhinam, the greatness of which we are all so proud, was handed down to His Holiness by a long chain of Spiritual Heads of profound learning and thought, as a heritage, and His Holiness has done all he could by judicious improvements to render it more useful and attractive. The properties of the Adhinam are spread in several districts, some of them being in French India; the management of twenty-seven temples, many of them very big, is vested with the Adhinam.
These have been creditably managed by considerably expanding the usefulness and the significance of the Central Head-quarters Office in the Adhinam Mutt exercising proper care and discretion in the matter of appointment of local agents, clearly defining the duties and responsibilities and office-routine of the establishment both at the Central Controlling Office and at the local offices, introducing the system of correspondence and control that is in vogue in the Government Departments, making adequate provision for effective supervision and above all working out suitable economic plans for each endowment so that its resources might be developed. It is a common saying that ‘efficiency is a fine word, but economy is its shadow’, and it may be said in the case of His Holiness that efficiency and economy delightfully mingled together. Wisdom is knowing what to do next; skill is knowing how to do; and virtue is doing it. The wisdom, skill and virtue of His Holiness may be summed up in the fact that the cash balance has increased from nominal, when he took up the management, to substantial in recent years, after meeting all items of legitimate expenditure, investments included.
His Holiness possessed a keen sense for aesthetic beauty and cultural arts- New constructions and renovations have been effected both in the mutt and the temples. An adequate idea of which can be gained by a casual look into the issue of the first Decennial rule. In them, one can find the synthesis of beauty, art, religion, and philosophy. Mention may he made that the plan and design of such constructions were originally conceived by His Holiness and executed. The terraced mantapam made of granite in front of the mutt, supported by artistic pillars in which life-like models in relief of the dragon and stallion which is the embodiment of the sculptural skill, charming beauty and exquisite workmanship, the new Library which is the store house of wisdom, both spiritual and secular, the front block, the audience hall, the two entrances with the block next to the northern portico and a host, of such beautiful constructions in many of the temples belonging to the mutt are the expression of the noblest responses from the noble and exalted mind of His Holiness to the appeal of art, and culture.
Now coming to the philanthropic work and social service of His Holiness, one cannot fail to think of the noble impulses which prompted His Holiness to think of establishing ‘Women and Children Hospital and Welfare Centre’ at Mayavaram, the foundation of which was laid by His Excellency the Governor of Madras. His Holiness was specially interested in improving the health conditions of the cheries, imparting elementary education to the children and poor-feeding.
In conclusion, His Holiness has served the cause of religion in numerous ways, some of them are, arranging religious discourses and lectures on subjects of literary and religions importance by eminent luminaries in the mutt, and Devasthanams on all important occasions, aid to religious conferences held by other people, aid to kumbbabhishekam of famous temples, arranging special classes for teaching treatises on Saiva Siddhanta Philosophy, obtaining exclusive copyrights of important works on Saiva Siddhanta religion and philosophy, conducting Thevara and Veda Agama Patasalas. establishing libraries in the temples, and running the Mevkandar Saiva Siddhanta College, Mayavaram.
Of the innumerable publications brought out at the cost of the Adhinam, special mention may be made of the elaborate commentary on ‘TirunavukkarasuNainar Puranam’ of Sekkilar by Sri C. K. Subramania Mudaliar of Coimbatore, the Tamil text-books on ‘Light and Sound’, the text-book on Tamil Shorthand and the translation into Tamil of the Yajur Veda.
The installation of a press by name ‘Gnana-sambandham’ and the publication of the monthly journal of the same name therefrom serve to disseminate spiritual wisdom contained in the Tamil Scriptures, the Tirumurais, and the Philosophic.
Photo by Sachin Singh on Unsplash - A devotee offering morning prayers in the holy Ganga river at the triveni ghat, Rishikesh
We spend our entire lives without understanding why we have come into this world. A lot of questions and doubts arise at the twilight years for most of us. Whatever doubts, questions and fear that did not arise during the formative and youthful years, come home to roost in the twilight years. Did we live correctly ? Did we do the important things in life ? do we have any regrets ? all these doubts and fears arise during the twilight years. But Gnanis have a different view as they know that once they leave this physical body, they will be united with Siva. So, they associate with all Siva related activities during their stay in this world. Who is a Siva Siddhar and how do they look ? what are the differences between the Siddhars and the Siva Siddhars ? what is meant by Siddhars ? All these topics are dealt in depth in Thirumanthiram.
Goals in Life
There is a difference between Saiva Siddhantham and Siddhantha Saivam at the root. Siddhantha Saivam is a Samayam (note that this is different from Religion and has no word in the English lexicon) Whereas Saiva Siddhantham is a Tatuvam (Principle).Siddhantha Saivam is the destination and Saiva Siddhantham is the path. Hence Siva is not the destination but also the path. What would be a person’s response when you ask them their goal in life ? The generic response would be to buy a house, get married and settle down with kids. Some others will say that they would want to be independent till the end. Each one would have different goals in life. Saint Thirunavukkarasu sings that He had different goals at different stages in life. A youth studying in a university feels that getting a degree is her goal. A person who has a degree feels that getting a job is his goal. A person with a job feels that marriage is the next goal. A married person’s goal is to find a way to send his parents to a retirement home (sarcasm). As we can see, the goalposts keep on changing at different ages in life. Saint Appar sings that all these are not actual goals.
Understanding life and why we came here and focusing on attaining it, is the actual goal.
Are we really awake ?
There are so many life forms come into this world and depart from it. Is our life similar to other life forms ? Human beings are blessed with a 6th Sense whereas other life forms have 5 senses. To shape our life to understand life itself and the reason for our birth, is the actual goal. Some people realize this at a young age, some during their teenage years but others not even in old age. What is Saivam ? this was asked to Thirumular. Some people think Saivam means people who are vegetarian. They mistakenly assume that it is an eating habit like vegan. Tirumoolar says that Saivam means becoming one with Siva. We all think we are clear headed when awake but we are actually sleep walking. If you ask someone if God is present, the person will reply doubtfully. When pressed, they will say that God is yet to give that person all that he has asked, so God may not be present. We all ask for so many things, but we never ask why we are here and what we are doing here in this world ? Saint Tirugnanasambandar asks these questions to Siva.
The meaning of Saint Tirugnanasambandar’s name is making the Atmas to become one with Siva in Gnanam.
Becoming one with Siva
Once we become one with Siva, we are freed from all suffering instantaneously. The first step is becoming one with Siva with relation to this physical body. In this state, we apply the holy ash (thiruneer), wear the Rudraksha, do prayer, do temple cleansing and related activities. All these are body related activities. The next step is becoming one with Siva in thoughts. This includes thinking about Siva, listening to Siva related songs, discourses etc., mixing with other Siva devotees. The third step is becoming one with Siva at the life level. The closer one is to Siva at this level, the atma has lesser bonds that bind it to suffering. The more we are suffering means we are farther from Siva. The more we think about Siva, the farther from suffering we are.
Whenever there is suffering, one should go to any of the thirumurais to associate oneself with Siva.
Traversing the tatuvams
Once we are accepted Siva as The One, then one should not accept any other god as the one. This does not mean one should insult or disrespect other gods. Siva is The Supreme and the realization that He is the beginning and the end of all and everything in between. We highlight that we are slaves to Siva the moment we apply the holy ash.
Once one starts in this path of Siva, compassion and love grows and wherever compassion and love are present, bliss manifests.
Veersaivars always wear the Siva lingam around their neck. They do not even allow others to watch while they are doing puja. They do not look at any other God other than Siva. We are all Saivaites, and we go to other temples. We even wait for a couple of days to get darshan at certain temples. But veera Saivaites are so devoted that they do not even think of other gods. Saint Tirugnanasambandar only thinks of the Holy feet of Siva. Traversing the tatuvams is not simple. Even overcoming the simple tatuvam related to the tongue is exceedingly difficult and we have 31 tatuvams to overcome. When one is soaked in devotion to Siva, then what one considers as an obstacle becomes a step to the Divine. When one devotes oneself to Siva at each and every level, stay close to Him at each and every opportunity then each tatuvam becomes a stepping stone. Siva Siddhars are those who have done so and reached the Holy Feet of Siva. One has to consider the tatuvams as steps in a ladder and climb over them, one by one.
Realisation of the CIT
When one says to overcome the tatuvam of the tongue, it does not mean one should stop eating or speak. It means that one understands and realizes what the tongue actually is and becomes stoic with it. The eye turns our gaze to even things that are far away. But the actual realization is that the eyes were given to gaze at Siva and Sivan Adiyargal. So, one should take care and keep it healthy to be able to perform such actions soaked in Siva(ness). What we require ultimately is to obtain Bliss. That bliss sprouts only in Siddhi (Cit). But this Cit is obscured by ignorance. When this ignorance is removed, bliss occurs naturally. Only in Saiva Neri, God is considered to be Cit. Other beliefs do not consider their gods as cit.
The ignorance that covers our Atma and prevents it from the realization of the Cit can only be removed by compassion (Anbu).
A rich and powerful man used to have lots of people working for him. He once went into a dark room and asked his goons to beat up and remove the darkness from the room. Will it work ? He then asked them to give money to darkness and remove it. Will it work ? he asked his goons to serve lots of food to darkness and remove it. Will it again work ? But when one brings a small lighted lamp into the room, it dispels the darkness. This shows that darkness can only be removed by Light. Hence the ignorance engulfing our Atma cannot be removed by education, knowledge, wealth, power etc., but only by compassion. Lots of people think that knowledge can remove or dispel ignorance. But we can see that people with lots of degrees or education are not the happiest people. When ignorance is removed, happiness should occur and shine through by default. That is why Brahma, the lord of knowledge could not find the head of Siva and Vishnu the lord of wealth, could not find the holy feet of Siva. When Brahma and Vishnu themselves could not see Siva with all their knowledge and wealth, what hope do we have ? It shows that these are useful only to show off in this material world and not more than that but will not take us to the Holy Feet of Siva.
“What’s the point of education and wealth if it does not lead one to the Holy Feet of God.”
Saint Thiruvalluvar Deva Nayannar
A child cries when a mother leaves for some errand. No matter how one tries to entertain the child with toys and sweets, the child still yearns for his/her mother. When the mother returns, the child becomes a bundle of happiness. Similarly, the Adiyars are like children who are always in state of Siva consciousness in every breath. They have no interest in the worldly affairs or material things but yearn only for Siva.
Adoration with compassion
Many people think that the statue in the temple is Sivam and its sufficient to just pray to the statue. But the actual meaning is far from it. What it is, is actually an embodiment of compassion. It waits day and nights and over eons hoping that someday, instead of looking outside we look inside ourselves. Siva means bliss. Siva devotion is Bliss. Lighting a lamp, offering a flower etc., is not meant to be just an action but an act of adoration with compassion. When one does such Siva devotion with compassion, all the suffering and desire wash away, and bliss starts sprouting. This bliss sprouts from time to time when one listens to Thevaram, does Siva pujai, thinks and talks about Siva and His Adiyars. The very fact that you are reading this is due to His Bliss and not because you decided to read this.
Without His Grace, one cannot even hope to know about Him.
The Siva Siddhars hence ask for nothing but that everything should lead to the Holy Feet of Siva. Whereas we consider each tatuvam to be an obstacle, the Siva Siddhars consider them as tools to obtain the Bliss of Siva. So, when they traverse each and every Tatuvam, they get a nectar of bliss. The Bliss is such that no words or emotions are enough to explain or express it. One can notice that energy simply in the company of Siva Siddhars.
Thinnanar was hunting a wild boar for a long time. After some time, the boar got tired and slowed down. Using this opportunity Thinnanar hunted down the wild boar. Once done, he remembered that he was both thirsty and hungry but had forgotten about it while hunting the boar. Similarly, we are running behind material things in life and forget about God while in pursuit. Soon, Thinnanar’s friends nanan and kanan arrived after some time. Kanan started preparing a fire to cook the boar and nanan went with Thinnanar to get some water. Thinnanar and nanan see a grove at a distance and walk at a good pace to get to the river beside the grove. While nearing the grove, they see a hill and nanan points out that it was the mount Kaalathi. Nanan then adds that Kudimi Devar resides in the same hilltop. Thinnanar’s eyes glow when he hears the name of Kudimi Devar, and he gets a burning desire to go see him. So nanan and Thinnanar cross the chest deep waters of the river. While crossing the river, nanan reminds Thinnanar that he should drink some water as he was thirsty. But Thinnanar was totally immersed with the thought of seeing Kudimi Devar that he forgot that he was thirsty. Thinnanar crossed the entire river without even drinking a drop of water. Soon Nanan started climbing and Thinnanar followed. Saint Sekkizhar writes eloquently that even though Thinnanar was following, his compassion was in front along with Nanan. Saint Sekkizhar highlights that the very act of climbing the steps was the act of traversing and overcoming the 36 tatuvams.
Only two things accompany one at the end of one’s life. Good and bad deeds. Nanan and Kanan are nothing but the good and bad karma.
Only by the virtue of Nanan, Thinnanar hears about Kudimi Devar and hence nanan here becomes the guru as well, by showing the path to Kudimi Devar.
Manifesting Bliss
Patinathar sings with melancholy that Thinnanar reached The Holy Feet of God in 6 days and wonders whether he has such level of devotion like Thinnanar. This does not mean one has to renounce everything and become a godly person. But one has to use these senses at every opportunity to pay obeisance to God at every step. The senses are just a medium and not the end in themselves. One obtains bliss while using the senses to pay obeisance to Siva without even expecting it. The tatuvams in a pure state gives bliss and tatuvams which are in an impure state give suffering.
The tatuvams move from an impure to pure state by one’s concerted action of adoration and devotion to Siva and hence bliss manifests.
Dear viewer, the video content in this page is in Tamizh.
The embedded video content in this page and their respective copyrights belong to the original content owners and have been shared here for informational purposes only.
Dear viewer, the video content in this page is in english.
The embedded video content in this page and their respective copyrights belong to the original content owners and have been shared here for informational purposes only.
Dear viewer, the video content in this page is in Tamizh.
The embedded video content in this page and their respective copyrights belong to the original content owners and have been shared here for informational purposes only.
Dear viewer, the video content in this page is in Tamizh.
The embedded video content in this page and their respective copyrights belong to the original content owners and have been shared here for informational purposes only.
Dear viewer, the video content in this page is in Tamizh.
The embedded video content in this page and their respective copyrights belong to the original content owners and have been shared here for informational purposes only.
Approximate Transcription/Translation
We discussed the philosophic and metaphysic aspect of Saivam which is something very nuanced. As Saivaites, we should have a basic understanding of it. Not everyone is Saivam can fully comprehend that hence but at least a few should be able to go there at least to safeguard those texts/scriptures. Hence classes and discourses are important to share that wisdom.
In the worship of Siva, we discussed about the SivaLingam. The base of the Lingam should be made of « Ali – neuter » stone.
Silpa sastras, Siddhanta sastras and Tirumurais coming together is the speciality of Saivam.
There are three types in which the peedam/base of Lingam can be made.
Patra
In the form of a leaf
Padma
In the form of a lotus
Veli Patra
Half sculpture
Peedam should be made of Ali stone.
Lingam should be made of male stone.
Aavudai should be made of female stone.
Just as a doctor can distinguish between vein and nerves, there is a text called « sirpa chen nool » by the Mahabalipuram sirpa kalloori using which we can identify male, female and Ali stone.
The SivaPeruman who embodies the cosmos is the one we worship(aavaganam) in the temple. What is there in andam(cosmos) is there in the pindam(body) as well. This is the reason we say « tiru chit ambalam » before and after the Tevaram. Because the first one is for the SivaPeruman in the Andam, the last one is for the SivaPeruman in the pindam.
The body contains the same ingredients that are in the world. Science also accepts this hence the body is a microcosm and the cosmos, a macrocosm.
Mahakumbabhishekam is nothing but the obescience to AshtamurthiSivaPeruman who is the embodiment of Andam/ cosmos.
The daily puja that happens is called “palli arai deevaranai“. Children mistake it for God going to His bedroom. Agamas do not say that. We only call it palli arai. Also, there is the misconception where one should witness the “palli arai deevaranai“.
Viswaroopam Darisanam
The Sakti comes into the SivaLingam in the morning during “Aavaganam“.
Sivasamyojanam
The Sakti in the SivaLingam merges with the cosmos in the night.
This is the concept in aanmartha pujai and parartha pujai.
Andiyeshti in Sanskrit: « Irudi Aagam » in tamizh and not « dikshai irrakuradhu » or « yeturadhu ».
Mayana(Cremation Ground) kriyai and Illai (Home) kriyai.
Preda samskaram (sacrament) is required for all. Andiyeshti samskaram is required only for initiates (those who have got dikshai)
All explanations are available in Saiva Siddhantam.
Sri Palli Nathar is without any form:
Aarini – power given to Brahma
Janani – power given to Vishnu
Roda Ithiri – power given to Rudiran.
Sulam (trident) signifies that all three Saktis emanate from Siva – that’s the connation. One will never find that the Sulam was never used to kill / sublimate anyone in saiva scriptures. It will not come in Saivam but in Saktam.
3 types of Siva worship
Pujai
Homam
Dyanam
These 3 have different types of Kriyai and the method varies.
The wielding of the Sulam means that all 3 are Him.
Explanation in 11th Tirumurai, Orupa Orupagathu – Patinathar
The three are.
Brahma
Vishnu
Rudiran
It signifies SivaPeruman only when Maha is added before the above 3. Without Maha, it signifies the other devas.
SivaPeruman performs.
Creation via Brahma
Sustains via Vishnu
Sublimation via Rudiran
Concealment via Maheswaran
Grace via Sadasivan
Siddhiyar explains this clearly. The next question that comes is that why not this status given to me? The answer given by Tiru Arulnandi Sivacharyar is that if one does the same Siva Punyam, you can also get those posts.
Even though the body is one, each organ performs different actions.
Whenever a god misuses the powers, then Siva withdraws it. Like giving and withdrawing Power of attorney. When Kaman (Kama – God of love) exceeded his limits, he was burnt.
The explanation for the death of Yama is given in Kanda Puranam while giving back life to Yama.
The world functions via the three Saktis Aarini (Harini in Sanskrit), Janani, Roda Ithiri and this is symbolically personified by Sri Palli Devar coming into the SivaLingam or Moolavar(Presiding Deity) in the temple.
We can keep velayudam as name but not Sulayudam. Why?
Tatpurusha Desikar has written.
The Tirumurais are not intended for Kriyai and that is why they are not used in temple worship. But Tirumurais can be used when it comes to Archanai. That is why in temples after archanai using rig, yajur, sama, atharva Vedam, the call to sing Tirumurai is made (Dravida Vedam aruli paduga)
There are only 2 restrictions that both Sanskrit Vedas and tamil Tirumurais are not to be sung inside the sanctum sanctorum. Only Agama mantras are to be used inside the sanctum sanctorum.
Vadiyars – specialized in Vedas. They are also not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum.
Adi Saiva lineage
Should have got Acharya Abhiskhem according to the agama using which the temple was built.
He must be married, and no bachelor can touch the vigraham.
This is why Sri La Sri Arumuka Navalar refused to get Thiruneer from Dikshitar at Chidambaram because he had not got Acharya Dikshai according to Makuta Agama.
In CitAmbalam Hall, no Vedas are sung but in the TenAmbalam hall, yes.
Aagamam – the thing that came. Agamas contains all answers. What does agama say, is important rather than arguing whether SivaPeruman gave it, or was it said in Sanskrit or tamil etc.,
Tirumoolar explains that SivaPeruman expounded the Agamas via His 5 faces to the rishis.
If you go on asking something, then the fault that arises is « varam indri ozhal ». Goes on without end.
If Only love is required to do pujai, then nothing else is required. But almost all of us are incapable of such devotion. Aanmartha pujai can be done in one’s own home temple but parartha pujai must follow SaivAgamic rules.
Sivam is not present in Sanskrit, its Sivaha.
Mahesvara murtham’s : SivaPeruman with His Sakti manifests the 25 different forms we see today.
Deva Goshtam
PaRimara Goshtam: suryan, chandiran, agastiyar, samaya/santhana Kuravargal who all were aanmas and got Gynanam. And these are worshipped after Mahesvara pujai.
Sambubatcham: SivaPeruman Himself takes the form murtham of Brahma.
Anubatcham: Gives the form of Brahma to highly evolved aanmas.
After completing Pradakshinam, Candesvarar must be worshipped.
How to install Candi in different yugas is specified in the agamas. In kali yugam, Candesvara Nayanar is the only one within a Siva temple to have a separate Koil and vimanam.
Murugan has a Different Candi: Sumitra Canda
SivaPeruman has a different Candi: Candesvara Nayanar (Thoni Canda)
Vinayagar: Kumbothara Canda
Ambal: Yamani Candeeswari
The Chief accounts officer of Lord Siva is Candi. Chitragupta is for worldly punyam.
Yama Logam and Pitru Logam is under Yama’s control. (Thenkulathar in Tirukural refers to pitrugal) in English it’s called Manes.
If one must understand Tirukural correctly, then Parimel Alagar’s explanation is the only one and Kovana Vadivelu Chettiar’s work to read certain aspects of Parimel Alagar’s work. It’s the key for Parimel Alagar’s work. For those criticising Parimel Alagar’s work, then ask them to explain his explanation of the 27th Tirukural. Explain first and you can disagree later.
If one can understand Parimel Alagar’s explanation of the 27th Tirukural, then one can consider that 50% understanding of Saiva Siddantam has been achieved.
Go alone to Candi and do Kovidana Mudrai: clapping with index and middle finger on the other palm and asking for the fruits of SivaDarisanam to be given.
Out of 33 not to do things in Sivalayam: Navalar, Saiva Vina Vidai 33
One of the 33 is Stepping or crossing the Nirmalayam (the things that are offered to SivaPeruman)
Since we do a circuit, we cross the Nirmalayam, hence we go to Candi and ask for cleansing the not to do thing.
Nirmalayam(ablution) is different from Neivediyam (oblation)
Pujai: Liturgy Is the nearest equivalent.
Abhishekam: Anointment
As Sivaya Subramuniya Swamy says, it’s the nearest equivalent and not the exact one.
If one gets Visheda Dikshai, one can do Agni Karyam. But Parartha Pujai cannot be done. Any activity after the Temple Flag, only (qualified)Adi Saivas can do. In Sivalayam, no one other than qualified Adi Saivas can do pujai. Even unqualified Adi Saivas cannot perform pujai.
What is happening for 600 years, the gov has no power to change. Supreme court decision. Even is Kasi, Pujai is performed as per the agamas.
Uchavar: He has to come as one of the Pancha Murthis. Oorvalam word will not be used. Pancha murthi veedhi vizha is the word that will be used in print by the temples.
Shankaracharya sect do not follow agamas, but they have different process.
Those who follow Vedam but not agamas are Pura Samayam.
Arya Samaj : Swami Dayanand Saraswathi who said that temple worship is not required. They follow Vedas but not agamas hence they are pura Samayam. There is a difference between Saivam and saiva siddantam. (Siva is The One and acceptance of 6 as without origin)
Who need temple worship?
Saiva Vinai Vidai 207, 208, 209, 210 by Navalar
Even Gnanis must also perform temple worship but the way SivaPeruman bestows grace will be different for them.
E.g., a normal person and VIP would be accorded different welcomes in different countries. Similarly, its different for Gnanis, yogis, normal person in sariya etc. Meykandar finishes the Sivagnanabotham with need for temple worship with His 12th Sutra.
Jeevan Mukthargal need no scriptures as they are already in consonance with Siva. They will not be born in a mortal coil once they shed this body.
Dargam and ilakanam are both required to understand/establish the profound nuances of a language.
Saivam will give credit to only to two commentators who have given explanation for Tamizh: Parimel Alagar(vaishnavite) and Senavaraiyar.
He was parisaragar not a bhattar meaning he gives the items to those who actually do the Kriyai in the sanctum sanctorum.
In Tiruchendur, there are different persons who do puja for moolavar, Arumugam, other deities. This is as per tradition. Varnam is by birth only. For e.g., an Englishmen, a Canadian, or a tamizhan is by birth only. But that alone does not signify importance hence Varna Ashramam(deeds) dharmam and not simply varna dharmam.
Even MKG himself who was against caste says in his book that he was born as a baniya (trader).
Even in oxford dictionary, Welsh and English are different. Even in Koran, Mohammed Nabi was born in Qureshi community. Man cannot change this but this reform will happen on its own accord. The problem arises when one says that one will come to God only when all these societal problems are resolved. It’s akin to saying i will take dip in sea only when the waves stop. Almost many have died holding such an ideal without understanding the deeper nuances.
The person who said the world is round got stones hence one cannot generalize the particular.
Today admission and work is based on castes in India. Those who come 500 years later will call it stupid. We are saying to remove caste/community columns but gov is not doing it. It will be simple. Hence its only for votes and not for action.
Society will not define Samayam. Siva Punyam is not based on Jaati and its nowhere mentioned as such.
Siva punyam and worldly punyam : in Periyapuram, it deals only and mainly with Siva Punyam and it cannot be applied to the world at large.
AaN adhikam – spirituality a male bastion?
People say that its prevalent in India but not in western countries. To them, the first question i ask is
« There are 12 apostles all male, why no female ? «
Ladies were not permitted in Oxford university until a certain time period.
Even after admission, they were not awarded degrees.
In English poets, there are no lady poets. There are no lady poets in neither Greek nor Hebrew. Whereas we have so many lady poets even in Sangam literature. Around 40.
Religious reforms are the purview of the society especially in Hindu dharma. One comes into Aanmeegam(Spirituality) only when only realises that birth is not the beginning and death is not the end.
There are 19 other philosophies in India regarding the soul and all these 19 are refuted by Tiru Arulnandi Sivam in Siddiar.
But in Sivagnanabotham, Meykanda Deva only deals with 8 philosophies. 7 in 3rd sutra and 1 in 4th Sutra.
J.M.Nallaswami Pillai says that the 3rd sutra is a remarkable example of condensation of thought and brevity of expression.
They are the only commentators who are equally proficient in tamizh and Sanskrit and logic as well. (On being accorded enormous respect to Senaraiyar & Parimel Alagar).
