Devotion to Shakti - Mantra 78.

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

The seventy eighth mantra of the Thirumandiram describes the Bliss or Ananda that arises when the self remains united with the shakti in the sushumna channel.

நோ஢ழை யாவாள் நிரதிச யானந்தப்

பேருடை யாளென் பிறப்பறுத்து ஆண்டவள்

சீருடை யாள்சிவன் ஆவடு தண்டுறை

சீருடை யாள்பதம் சேர்ந்திருந் தேனே. 6.5.78.

Devotion To Sakti

Bright jewelled, the Eternal Bliss named,

She my Saviour, sundering all bonds of birth;

Siva's treasure, Mistress of Avaduthurai cool,

Her Feet I reached and in devotion fast remained. 6.5.78.

Com – Bright jewelled, the Eternal Bliss named The Devi (Shakti) who is adorned with the purest jewels is known by the name of SivAnandavalli (She who is saturated in the supreme Bliss of Siva). She my Saviour, sundering all bonds of birth She cut asunder all the bonds, which were the root cause of my physical birth. treasure She possesses limitless glory. Siva's Mistress of Avaduthurai cool She is manifest in the (stem of the veena) spinal chord where Siva is present for the sake of ripening (maturing) the jiva. Her Feet I reached and in devotion fast remained I attained to Her feet and there remained in steadfast devotion.

* The term ‘Avaduthandurai’ in line three of the above mantra refers to the path through which the Self is matured (through wisdom) – namely the spinal chord. Through the above mantra it is obvious that the author remained in the state of bliss that arises as a result of being united with the Shakti in the Sushumna Nadi or central channel. The cutting away of the bonds refers to the vaasanaas or latencies that lie in the karana sharira or the causative body. This causal/causative body precedes the manifest physical (sthula sharira) or gross body. The latencies or vaasanaas 'sprout' like seeds producing the need to take on a physical body or bodies. A central theme running through kundalini yoga, kriya yoga (not karma yoga) and other such methods is the 'burning' of these latent seeds through knowledge produced/realised as a result of sadhana, ascension of kundalini through the sushumna, etc. The vaasanaas thus 'burnt' do not possess the power to 'sprout' any more and thus the need for future repeated births is exhausted and the state of moksha or liberation is achieved.