The twentieth mantra of the first part of the Thriumandiram. In this mantra, the siddar delves deeper into the different yogic feelings/sensations that occur in the head region when the dhyana or meditation of Shiva is firmly fixed. He also draws a parallel between the head of the sadhaka to Shiva's abode of mount Kailash.
முடிவும் பிறப்பையும் முன்னே படைத்த
அடிகள் உறையும் அறனெறி நாடில்
இடியும் முழக்கமும் ஈசர் உருவம்
கடிமலர்க் குன்ற மலையது தானே. 20.
20: In Mount Kailas
Seek the Abode of the Holy,
Who, of yore, created Birth and Death
A high hill it is, where thunders roar and lightnings flash,
Where fragrant flowers bud and bloom,
His mighty likeness it bears.
Com - Seek the Abode of the Holy When one attempts to seek and find the abode of the holy Siva Who, of yore, created Birth and Death who decides the birth and death of beings even before they (the beings) enter the womb A high hill it is it is found that it is a high place that is above Where fragrant flowers bud and bloom the eyes. That is to say it is in the head. where thunders roar and lightnings flash His mighty likeness it bears His form is that of Sound (thunder) and Light (Lightning)
* Siva, in His manifestation as Sadashiva is the Lord of Akaashaa (Ether). And when that subtle intelligence of the Akaashaa aspect begins to take firm root in the head region of the sadhaka, sound similar to the roaring sound of claps of thunder and flashes of intensely bright light, compared here to lightning, are heard and seen in the head region by the sadhaka, when immersed in meditation (dhyana). This phenomenon is an indication of the impending vision/realisation of Siva. [Further details on this will be given later in the text.]
6 comments:
okay, so i can understand that idi, minnal and malargal are more abstract than literal. so also is mt. kailash. but why that particular mount? i mean, is there really something to the mountain as it is, or is it because it has been referred to as the abode of shiva? how did the idea of shiva residing there first come? because it looked majestic and mysterious? or something else?
@ confused martian (glad to see you taking an interest!)
Even though the idi,minnal, malargal and kailash all have abstract and more symbolic meanings, they still possess their literal meaning and associated significance too.Afterall, the essence of the pursit of the self is to understand that the microcosm and the macrocosm are one and the same.
Regarding Mt. Kailash though many many stories and legends can be narrated.It is a site so mystical and deeply entwined in the socio/religious/cultural/spiritual psyche of the Hindu (and I would be exaggerating here if I even went to say the Asiatic people) people. Kailasha has been a site of mystical power from long before the great war (mahabaratha)or even the birth of Rama, for longer than you or I can imagine. Perhaps it is a site of power that originated in some other distant epoch.
If we were to try and look into the reason behind the veneration of the sacred mountain logically, we might try and assign the majestic looks and the mystery etc as being the primary reasons. But I doubt that - the mystery and majesty certainly do add to the allure, but they are certainly not the sole reasons. Why, the mountain is'nt even the highest in the Himalayan ranges. It is significant that Mt. Kailash is an exception among mountains, whereby people do not summit the mountain due to a religious deference to it.
Kailash has been variously called as Meru, Sumeru and the Golden peak,etc. The Hindus believe it to be the centre of the universe. They also believe that the mighty peak ascends into the sky and that its four quarters or faces are made of different gems (sapphire, crystal, ruby and gold)and that the mighty and sacred Ganges circles (pradakshina)Kailash 7 times before descending down the slopes. A logically inclined mind will dispute almost all of the above - even the picture I have put up makes it clear that it is not ruby or crystal or gold or sapphire!
Shiva is the supreme Yogi and is forever engaged in intense tapas and meditation.He is also understood to be sthanu (or the central support, literally mountain), absolutely unshakeable.The entire himalayas are thus His world.And Kailash particularly is His abode. His residing there is not an idea that occured to people just like that - the puranas describe the Kailasha as His abode because, quite simply, it is!
Geographically speaking, the Mt.Kailash corresponds to the sahasrara chakra (in the science where there are different kshetras or places with the energy manifest in the different chakras). Its positioning in the northern direction is also very specific (no coincidence) and a quick persual of the few previous mantras will show us the value and the meaning behind the north part of the body and the quarters.
It is in Kailash that Shiva lives in blissful union with the supreme devi Parvati (who is none other than the daughter of Himavan or the Himalaya).
It is also symbolic of the nadi sushumna or the central nadi where the dual currents of ida and pingala are in equipose. The central channel through which the kundalini can ascend, ever higher.
And finally, not only is Kailash sacred to the Hindus (with the association of Shiva) but also to the Buddhists, jains and the Bon (a pre buddhist faith).
From Kathirkamam (in todays Srilanka) which is the muladhara, the journey of the macro kundalini is to the Kailasha which is the sahsrara!
Wow! 'Macro kundalini' - a new term coined, all in a days work!
i love 'macro kundalini'! profound!
if i understand you correctly, being in kailash is like being very close to shiva. but i was of the opinion that one place on the earth is as good as the other for being near shiva. or maybe it amplifies your senses much better than, say, salem?
if there are such 'power points' on earth, (and i distinctly remember u saying there are), then what does it mean? why should these places be 'chosen' so to say? why not make the whole of the continent a hot spot? or is it us (humans) that have defiled the powers in other places? i know this is such a basic question - sort of like asking why can't everyone be good - but i would love to hear your take on it.
@confused martian,
Everywhere is a power spot and everything is a thing of power and everytime is a time of power when we are able to transcend the limitations of space and time. But when within the constraints of the aforementioned space and time however, the 'vibes' or power of places vary.
I dont know if humans are capable of 'defiling' spots of power on the earth (I mean aesthetically they probably can and maybe they can take away the power of silence etc from a place like giri by bringing their mobile phones and radios blaring tunes), but beyond that humans and their impact is rather miniscule when you compare it to the awesome power of places like Kailash.
In one way of looking at it, there is no place on earth that is closer to God than any other. He is afterall all pervading and omnipresent.But I feel that the human mind is so conditioned by layers of conditioning that it percieves things by association. Hence we are able to percieve Shiva in temples faster/easier than we can percieve Him in say a toilet. Thus, it is for this reason that there are some kshetras or power spots for the different deities or energies (depending on the various associations).
To finally answer your question,never mind a whole continent, this entire world and the whole universe is a power spot!And who says, everyone is not good?
well, for an enlightened altruistic mind, everyone is good. but i guess because we see evil in people, we are tainted ourselves by ahamkara. whoever, indeed, said this is good and this is bad? sort of goes back to the basics...i agree :)
Good post.
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