Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Dear Shakthaprapanchikas, Since, I have an exam coming up. I will restrict my postings to just one per fortnight. Please excuse me. I tried my best to be online but my studies will take a back seat.You can expect my next posting exactly on the 15th of this month. Sorry to disappoint you all. I will approve all messages on 13th(because messages cannot be stored for more than 14 days).Please save your questions(be it personal or spiritual) till the May15th. Ok, now for the posting. I wanted to give an elaborate posting on Thirumoolar and His great text Thirumanthiram for a longtime but I could not get the impetus(maybe He deemed it as not the correct time from His spiritual realm).Nevertheless, Iam sharing whatever little I know on the text. Right from my childhood, I have been interested in four languages apart from English. 1. Telugu 2. Tamil 3. Malayalam 4. Sanskrit. Since my parents were very old and used to read sacred texts even when I was a baby, I used to refine my language using texts like 'Dharma Sindhu'! at a time when Telugu children used to read books like 'Peddabala siksha'. But since I was born and brought up in Chennai, I also took an interest in Tamil, thanks to my Mother, who was born in Chengalpattu. (Malayalam and Sanskrit were different stories altogether) Thirumantiram is the greatest text next to only Devaram and Thirumurai. It is said that Thirummolar used to reel out just one verse per year. An old lady used to serve Him a porridge of greenleaves(Aaakkoora pulusu) mixed with boiled rice when He used to come out of his cave and sit to reel out a verse. There are 3,047 melodious verses, captures the essential teachings of siddha yoga, or the yoga of the perfected adepts. Which means he must have lived atleast a 3047 years! Well, His age is more than that and He is an immortal sage. Thirumoolar 'All the world may well attain the blissI have received, If the name of the Lord chanted bythe great ones is repeated,Within the heart will arise a thrillingunstruck soundWhich, when practised, will lead to realization.'(85)--Thirumantiram Time was when I despised the body;But then I saw the God withinAn the body, I realised, is the Lord's templeAnd so I began preserving it With care infinite'. (725)..Thirumantiram Face of Thirumoolar His Thirumandiram sparkles with original wisdom and shows a rare knowledge of the secrets of siddha yoga. He writes about the Divine (in the form of the god Shiva), the power of love and devotion, the efficacy of mantras, the connection between breath and mind, higher visions, ultimate God-realization, and not least the serpent power (kundalani-shakti) and the esoteric structures of the subtle body. While much of the information given can be found scattered in the Sanskrit scriptures as well, in the Thirumandiram it is imparted with a lively immediacy that is absent from more abstract works like the Sanskrit tantras or the philosophical writings of northern Shaivism. This is the yogic path of the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition flourishing in south India. As the name indicates, the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition revolves around the worship of the Divine in the form of Shiva. The name Shiva means " He who is Benevolent " , and the adjective shaiva means " relating to Shiva " . the Sanskrit word siddhantha means " philosophical doctrine " or " accomplished teaching. " Who was this Thirumoolar? In the Growing-moon crowned Lord's mount kayilai being the lead of that very ancient abode of Lord showing the righteous path to the vishnu, brahma, indra and others is the nandhi(not to be confused with Shiva's vahana). One of his disciples, vEdhAs learnt sage who attained the eight great achievements beginning from aNimA wanted to visit and stay with sage agasthyar at the podhikai mountains in thamiz land. Worshiping the Lord at kEdhAr the sage praised the pashupati at Nepal. He reached the banks of the holy river ga.nga which as a small stream falls from His vast matted Hair glittering like the lightning. Bathing in the river he saluted the Lord's avimuththam abode and proceeded towards the South. Saluting the Shrishailam of Shankara, he reached ThirukkALaththi. Praising the enchanting Everlasting Lord at thirukkALaththi entered His dancing field Alavanam and bowed down to His raised foot. He came to kAnychi worshipping Lord EkAmbaranAthar. Involving in discussions with the yoga munis of that city he left in his journey and bowed down to the Black-throated Mercy at Thiruvadhikai. He arrived in the Master of Dance's Thillainathar. With his heart brimming with love he saw the dance of the Golden Beauty that acts making the matters to exist. Staying and saluting the Lord there for some time he came to the banks of river Cauvery. Bathing in the chill refreshing water of river kAviri he went into the Lord's abode AvaduthuRai. The yOgi praised in undiminishing love the Lord of pashu s there. In spite of a feeling of not leaving that holy place emerging strongly he went out of the town continuing his journey towards podhikai. But in a short distance he saw the cows crying on the Cauvery bank. mUlan a herdsman who used to take care of the cows of the village chAththanUr died when he brought the cowherds for grazing on the banks of the river. The cows out of their affection for their herdsman went around his body smelling him, licking him and crying. The yOgi who told the world that Love is Lord shiva felt he would remove their suffering by His grace. Realizing that only if mUlan came alive the cows would get consoled, he, a splendid sidhdha fortified his body and introduced his soul into the body of the herdsman through air. He rose as thirumUlar. The cows relieved of their gloom licked him in joy, went around happily grazing on the riverbanks. The merciful n^AyanAr safeguarded them till they grazed enough and returned after drinking water from the river. As the sun red in the heat went to have a dip in the ocean the cows thinking of their calves started walking back towards the village. The sage who showed a supreme path to the world calmly followed them to chAththanUr. He waited till all the cows entered their respective houses. Wife of the herdsman mUlan saw him delaying to enter the house. Anxiously she went to touch him, but he refused saying there was no relation between them and went into a common mutt. The lady who had no offspring or relatives could not sleep throughout the night. She cried and lamented to the elderly people of the town about his new behavior. Those people of well analyzing capacity told the girl that he was neither mad nor had he any other association. He staying beyond the skewedness of mind, in the crystal clear shivayOga, in the height of glory unmeasurable for any human would not fit into relationship she had, they advised her. The sage thirumUla n^AyanAr in such a wonderful state got up and returned the way he came following the cowherd. The sage could not find the body he had kept it safe. He realized through his vision of spiritual wisdom that it was God's grace that way in order to give in thamiz through his words the supreme AgamAs that the Cool-matted haired Lord gave for this world to follow and get enlightened. He explained to the relatives who continued behind him the non-continuation of the bonds. After they all left thinking the holy feet of the Lord of Bull flag n^AyanAr went with great enthusiasm to salute the Supreme at thiruvAvaduthuRai. Sitting under the shade of arachu tree in ultimate shivayOgam he gave the holy thiruman^dhiram (1) a marvelous medicine for the illness of incarnation. Starting from 'onRavan thAnE' he completed theTamil garland of three thousand flowers for the Lord who charmingly wears the horn of the boar. Staying on this earth for those three thousand years, a blessed time for the upbringing of humankind he reached in non-separation the holy feet of the Almighty. Thirumoolar was, in fact, one of the earliest Shiva-worshipping adepts of the south. He achieved no particular fame during his lifetime, but, as is often the case with the saintly, his greatness was increasingly recognized after his death. Several centurieslater, his masterful work was incorporated into the Shaiva canon, and today he is remembered as one of south India's greatest yoga adepts. The teachings of Thirumoolar is known as Tirumandiram and is reckoned as the tenth of the 12 Tirumurais of Saivism. In Tirumantiram all yogas - Hada Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Mantra Yoga and Daya Yoga are explained. His Saiva devotional works are based on devotion or bakthy while the philosophical works are based on knowledge or gnanam. The first category is called Thothiram, and the second category is called Sathiram. The Thirumanthiram is considered as thothiram book and classified as the tenth thirumurai volume. However, because of the philosophical views in it, it is also seen as a sathiram book. Thirumanthiram book contains many Saiva Siddhantha views. It is the first Tamil work to carry the phrase Saiva Siddhantham. It begins with innovation to God as its preface or Payiram, which speaks of vethas, agamas etc. The first verse beginning as 'Onravan thane' speaks of the nature of the divine. Thirumanthiram contains three thousand verses, divided into nine chapters called Thanthirams. The First Tantra called the upathesam part expresses Shaiva Philosophical views and divine experience. It also has verses speaking about impermanency of the physical body, love, education etc. The Second tantra contains verses relating to Siva's glory, His divine acts, classification of souls etc. Yoga practices and applications find place in the Third tantra. Details dealing with manthiram, thanthiram, etc., are given in the Fourth Tantra. Various branches of Saiva cult and the four paths of chariyai etc., are given in the Fifth Tantra. The Sixth tantra gives details such as Siva coming as Guru and bestowing His grace, the required practices to receive His grace etc. Various images of Sivalingam, Siva poosai, control of the five of senses etc., are expressed in the Seventh Tantra. The Eighth Tantra deals with the experience stages of soul. The Ninth Tantra gives details relating to Panchadsara manthiram, Siva's dance, state of samadhi, etc. Sekkizhar, the author of Periyapuranam, designated this Tamil classic as " Tamizh Moovaayiram " since it possesses 3000 poems. These poems have a unique metrical structure, with each line consisting of 11 or 12 syllables, depending upon the initial syllable. This is the earliest exposition of Saiva Agamas in Tamil. He discusses on the four steps of spiritual progress viz., Karya, Kriya, Yoga and Gnana, concept of Pati, Pasu and Pasa and fourfold sadhanas, Vedanta, interprets the Upanishadic Mahavakya, " Tat tvam asi " (Thatthuvamasi) through grammatical technique of " Lakshanatraya " . the Vedantic concept of sevenfold adjuncts (Upaadhi) of Jiva and the same number of Upadhis of Isvara, the absolute and transcendental Reality as Sunya devoid of any attribute. There are portions in his treatise, identifiable as Tantrasastra, as they are rich in materials on basic principles of Shakti worship, diagrams, Chakras, magic spells and their accessories. The third section of the text is on Yoga. The ethical aspects of avoidance of vices and adoption of virtues, known as " Yama " and " Niyama " are presented with details, not found in the Sanskrit text of his contemporary, Patanjali. Similarly particulars of " Asanas " , the physical postures and " Pranayama " (the breathing exercises), " Pratyahara " (withdrawal of senses from going astray), " Dharana " (fixing the mind on the point), " Dhyana, " (meditation) and " Samadhi " (absorption) are also expounded. He had firm conviction that the practice of Yoga would culminate in the realisation of the oneness of Atman and Brahman. He calls this method " Sivayoga " . He describes the ways and means of attaining immortal body, called " Kayasiddhi " . Tirumoolar advocated a theory of preserving the body so that the soul would continue its existence (Udambai valarthen uyir valarthenae). Tirumoolar was a moral philosopher. He teaches the ethics of ahimsa, abstinence from slaughtering, meat eating and drinking. He condemns coveting another man's wife. He declares that " love is God " . He proclaims the unity of mankind and God. He stresses on the acquisition of knowledge through learning and listening. The final section of the Tirumandiram named " Sunya Sambhashana " (esoteric dialogue) is full of metaphorical sayings communicating mystical and speculative thoughts. " There are five cows (Indriyas) in the house of Paarppaan (Paar- to see; seer i.e. body of man) which without a cowherd (preceptor) wanders everywhere. If they were controlled and their thirst quenched, then they would give out milk (bliss) " . Yours yogically, Shreeram Balijepalli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Dear Shreeram, I am surprised that whatever topic I may be researching about, your next post reflects that. Talk about ESP. I was explaining to Ma Nishu about Saiva Siddhanta and Tirumoolar when your posting came. I even told her once that you post the exact topic that both of us might be discussing about. Do well in exams and we will wait for your next posting with much eagerness. Ashoka Rajarajeshwari_Kalpataru , " Shreeram Balijepalli " <para.anuloma.shreeram wrote: > > Dear Shakthaprapanchikas, > > Since, I have an exam coming up. I will restrict my postings to just one per > fortnight. Please excuse me. I tried my best to be online but my studies > will take a back seat.You can expect my next posting exactly on the 15th of > this month. Sorry to disappoint you all. I will approve all messages on > 13th(because messages cannot be stored for more than 14 days).Please save > your questions(be it personal or spiritual) till the May15th. > > Ok, now for the posting. > > I wanted to give an elaborate posting on Thirumoolar and His great text > Thirumanthiram for a longtime but I could not get the impetus (maybe He > deemed it as not the correct time from His spiritual realm).Nevertheless, > Iam sharing whatever little I know on the text. > > Right from my childhood, I have been interested in four languages apart from > English. > > 1. Telugu > 2. Tamil > 3. Malayalam > 4. Sanskrit. > > Since my parents were very old and used to read sacred texts even when I was > a baby, I used to refine my language using texts like 'Dharma Sindhu'! at a > time when Telugu children used to read books like 'Peddabala siksha'. > > But since I was born and brought up in Chennai, I also took an interest in > Tamil, thanks to my Mother, who was born in Chengalpattu. > > (Malayalam and Sanskrit were different stories altogether) > > Thirumantiram is the greatest text next to only Devaram and Thirumurai. > > It is said that Thirummolar used to reel out just one verse per year. An old > lady used to serve Him a porridge of greenleaves(Aaakkoora pulusu) mixed > with boiled rice when He used to come out of his cave and sit to reel out a > verse. There are 3,047 melodious verses, captures the essential teachings of > siddha yoga, or the yoga of the perfected adepts. Which means he must have > lived atleast a 3047 years! Well, His age is more than that and He is an > immortal sage. > > > Thirumoolar > > 'All the world may well attain the bliss > I have received, > If the name of the Lord chanted by > the great ones is repeated, > Within the heart will arise a thrilling > unstruck sound > Which, when practised, will lead to > realization.'(85)--Thirumantiram > > Time was when I despised the body; > But then I saw the God within > An the body, I realised, is the Lord's temple > And so I began preserving it > With care infinite'. (725)..Thirumantiram > > > > > Face of Thirumoolar > > His *Thirumandiram* sparkles with original wisdom and shows a rare knowledge > of the secrets of siddha yoga. He writes about the Divine (in the form of > the god Shiva), the power of love and devotion, the efficacy of mantras, the > connection between breath and mind, higher visions, ultimate > God-realization, and not least the serpent power (kundalani- shakti) and the > esoteric structures of the subtle body. While much of the information given > can be found scattered in the Sanskrit scriptures as well, in the * > Thirumandiram* it is imparted with a lively immediacy that is absent from > more abstract works like the Sanskrit tantras or the philosophical writings > of northern Shaivism. > > This is the yogic path of the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition flourishing in > south India. As the name indicates, the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition revolves > around the worship of the Divine in the form of Shiva. The name Shiva means > " He who is Benevolent " , and the adjective *shaiva* means " relating to > Shiva " . the Sanskrit word *siddhantha* means " philosophical doctrine " or > " accomplished teaching. " > > Who was this Thirumoolar? > > > > In the Growing-moon crowned Lord's mount *kayilai* being the lead of that > very ancient abode of Lord showing the righteous path to the *vishnu, > brahma, indra* and others is the *nandhi(not to be confused with Shiva's > vahana)*. One of his disciples, vEdhAs learnt sage who attained the eight > great achievements beginning from *aNimA* wanted to visit and stay with sage > *agasthyar* at the *podhikai* mountains in thamiz land. Worshiping the Lord > at *kEdhAr* the sage praised the *pashupati *at Nepal. He reached the banks > of the holy river *ga.nga* which as a small stream falls from His vast > matted Hair glittering like the lightning. Bathing in the river he saluted > the Lord's *avimuththam* abode and proceeded towards the South. Saluting the > S*hrishailam* of S*hankara*, he reached *ThirukkALaththi*. Praising the > enchanting Everlasting Lord at *thirukkALaththi* entered His dancing field * > Alavanam* and bowed down to His raised foot. He came to > *kAnychi*worshipping Lord > *EkAmbaranAthar*. Involving in discussions with the *yoga munis* of that > city he left in his journey and bowed down to the Black-throated Mercy at * > Thiruvadhikai*. He arrived in the Master of Dance's T*hillainathar*. With > his heart brimming with love he saw the dance of the Golden Beauty that acts > making the matters to exist. Staying and saluting the Lord there for some > time he came to the banks of river *Cauvery*. Bathing in the chill > refreshing water of river *kAviri* he went into the Lord's abode * > AvaduthuRai*. The yOgi praised in undiminishing love the Lord of *pashu*s > there. In spite of a feeling of not leaving that holy place emerging > strongly he went out of the town continuing his journey towards *podhikai*. > But in a short distance he saw the cows crying on the Cauvery bank. > *mUlan*a herdsman who used to take care of the cows of the village > *chAththanUr* died when he brought the cowherds for grazing on the banks of > the river. The cows out of their affection for their herdsman went around > his body smelling him, licking him and crying. The yOgi who told the world > that Love is Lord shiva felt he would remove their suffering by His grace. > Realizing that only if mUlan came alive the cows would get consoled, he, a > splendid *sidhdha* fortified his body and introduced his soul into the body > of the herdsman through air. He rose as *thirumUlar*. The cows relieved of > their gloom licked him in joy, went around happily grazing on the > riverbanks. The merciful n^AyanAr safeguarded them till they grazed enough > and returned after drinking water from the river. As the sun red in the heat > went to have a dip in the ocean the cows thinking of their calves started > walking back towards the village. The sage who showed a supreme path to the > world calmly followed them to *chAththanUr*. He waited till all the cows > entered their respective houses. Wife of the herdsman mUlan saw him delaying > to enter the house. Anxiously she went to touch him, but he refused saying > there was no relation between them and went into a common *mutt*. The lady > who had no offspring or relatives could not sleep throughout the night. She > cried and lamented to the elderly people of the town about his new behavior. > Those people of well analyzing capacity told the girl that he was neither > mad nor had he any other association. He staying beyond the skewedness of > mind, in the crystal clear *shivayOga*, in the height of glory unmeasurable > for any human would not fit into relationship she had, they advised her. > > The sage *thirumUla n^AyanAr* in such a wonderful state got up and returned > the way he came following the cowherd. The sage could not find the body he > had kept it safe. He realized through his vision of spiritual wisdom that it > was God's grace that way in order to give in thamiz through his words the > supreme AgamAs that the Cool-matted haired Lord gave for this world to > follow and get enlightened. He explained to the relatives who continued > behind him the non-continuation of the bonds. After they all left thinking > the holy feet of the Lord of Bull flag n^AyanAr went with great enthusiasm > to salute the Supreme at *thiruvAvaduthuRai*. > > Sitting under the shade of *arachu* tree in ultimate *shivayOgam* he gave > the holy *thiruman^dhiram* (1) a marvelous medicine for the illness of > incarnation. Starting from *'onRavan thAnE'* he completed theTamil garland > of three thousand flowers for the Lord who charmingly wears the horn of the > boar. Staying on this earth for those three thousand years, a blessed time > for the upbringing of humankind he reached in non-separation the holy feet > of the Almighty. > > > > Thirumoolar was, in fact, one of the earliest Shiva-worshipping adepts of > the south. He achieved no particular fame during his lifetime, but, as is > often the case with the saintly, his greatness was increasingly recognized > after his death. Several centurieslater, his masterful work was incorporated > into the Shaiva canon, and today he is remembered as one of south India's > greatest yoga adepts. > > [image: Thirumoolar] > > > > > > > The teachings of Thirumoolar is known as Tirumandiram and is reckoned as the > tenth of the 12 Tirumurais of Saivism. In Tirumantiram all yogas - Hada > Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Mantra Yoga and Daya Yoga are > explained. His Saiva devotional works are based on devotion or bakthy while > the philosophical works are based on knowledge or gnanam. The first category > is called Thothiram, and the second category is called Sathiram. The > Thirumanthiram is considered as thothiram book and classified as the tenth > thirumurai volume. However, because of the philosophical views in it, it is > also seen as a sathiram book. > > Thirumanthiram book contains many Saiva Siddhantha views. It is the first > Tamil work to carry the phrase Saiva Siddhantham. It begins with innovation > to God as its preface or Payiram, which speaks of vethas, agamas etc. The > first verse beginning as 'Onravan thane' speaks of the nature of the divine. > > Thirumanthiram contains three thousand verses, divided into nine chapters > called Thanthirams. > > - > > The First Tantra called the upathesam part expresses Shaiva > Philosophical views and divine experience. It also has verses speaking about > impermanency of the physical body, love, education etc. > - > > The Second tantra contains verses relating to Siva's glory, His divine > acts, classification of souls etc. > - > > Yoga practices and applications find place in the Third tantra. > - > > Details dealing with manthiram, thanthiram, etc., are given in the > Fourth Tantra. > - > > Various branches of Saiva cult and the four paths of chariyai etc., > are given in the Fifth Tantra. > - > > The Sixth tantra gives details such as Siva coming as Guru and > bestowing His grace, the required practices to receive His grace etc. > - > > Various images of Sivalingam, Siva poosai, control of the five of > senses etc., are expressed in the Seventh Tantra. > - > > The Eighth Tantra deals with the experience stages of soul. > - > > The Ninth Tantra gives details relating to Panchadsara manthiram, > Siva's dance, state of samadhi, etc. > > Sekkizhar, the author of Periyapuranam, designated this Tamil classic as > " Tamizh Moovaayiram " since it possesses 3000 poems. These poems have a > unique metrical structure, with each line consisting of 11 or 12 syllables, > depending upon the initial syllable. This is the earliest exposition of > Saiva Agamas in Tamil. He discusses on the four steps of spiritual progress > viz., Karya, Kriya, Yoga and Gnana, concept of Pati, Pasu and Pasa and > fourfold sadhanas, Vedanta, interprets the Upanishadic Mahavakya, " Tat tvam > asi " (Thatthuvamasi) through grammatical technique of " Lakshanatraya " . the > Vedantic concept of sevenfold adjuncts (Upaadhi) of Jiva and the same number > of Upadhis of Isvara, the absolute and transcendental Reality as Sunya > devoid of any attribute. > > There are portions in his treatise, identifiable as Tantrasastra, as they > are rich in materials on basic principles of Shakti worship, diagrams, > Chakras, magic spells and their accessories. > > The third section of the text is on Yoga. The ethical aspects of avoidance > of vices and adoption of virtues, known as " Yama " and " Niyama " are presented > with details, not found in the Sanskrit text of his contemporary, Patanjali. > > Similarly particulars of " Asanas " , the physical postures and " Pranayama " > (the breathing exercises), " Pratyahara " (withdrawal of senses from going > astray), " Dharana " (fixing the mind on the point), " Dhyana, " (meditation) > and " Samadhi " (absorption) are also expounded. He had firm conviction that > the practice of Yoga would culminate in the realisation of the oneness of > Atman and Brahman. He calls this method " Sivayoga " . > > He describes the ways and means of attaining immortal body, called > " Kayasiddhi " . Tirumoolar advocated a theory of preserving the body so that > the soul would continue its existence (Udambai valarthen uyir valarthenae). > > Tirumoolar was a moral philosopher. He teaches the ethics of ahimsa, > abstinence from slaughtering, meat eating and drinking. He condemns coveting > another man's wife. He declares that " love is God " . He proclaims the unity > of mankind and God. He stresses on the acquisition of knowledge through > learning and listening. > > The final section of the Tirumandiram named " Sunya Sambhashana " (esoteric > dialogue) is full of metaphorical sayings communicating mystical and > speculative thoughts. > > > > > > " There are five cows (Indriyas) in the house of Paarppaan (Paar- to see; > seer i.e. body of man) which without a cowherd (preceptor) wanders > everywhere. If they were controlled and their thirst quenched, then they > would give out milk (bliss) " . > > > > Yours yogically, > > > > Shreeram Balijepalli > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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