From Kailas to Earth - Mantra 91.

sri gurubhyO namahA

The next mantrA in the thirumandiram series is the 91st mantrA.
Since it has been a while since the other mantrAs of this section were published on this blog, it might be of use to revisit the basics! The last 18 mantrAs, this and the few to follow are all from the initial invocation and belong to the section known as 'thirumoolar varalAru' (the history of thirumoolar, the sage who is the author of this text). Thus aptly this section deals with the history of thirumoolar, the reasons behind his composing this text, his spiritual lineage/ paramparA, the virtues of this text etc. In the last couple of mantrAs the sage reveals that he was initiated in the shaivA tradition through his guru (nandhI) and in mantrA 88 he clearly describes this in detail. In this mantrA the sage reveals that it is on the instruction of his guru that he undertook the task of composing this text.


விளக்கிப் பரமாகும் மெய்ஞ்ஞானச் சோதி
அளப்பில் பெருமையன் ஆனந்த நந்தி
துளக்கறும் ஆனந்தக் கூத்தன்சொற் போந்து
வளப்பில் கயிலை வழியில்வந் தேனே. 19.5.91


From Siva's Seat To Earth
Thus expounding I bore His Word
Down Kailas's unchanging path,
The Word of Him, the Eternal, the Truth Effulgence,
The Limitless Great, Nandi, the Joyous One,
He of the Blissful Dance that all impurity dispels. 19.5.91

Com - The Word of Him, the Eternal, the Truth Effulgence, if one were to begin describing the state of the unmanifest core ''agOchara vindhu'' then it has to be said that it is a state which is supreme (param) and one which is effulgent consciousness or chaitanyA The Limitless Great, Nandi, the Joyous One, such a supremely blissful nandi (state of consciousness) is possesed of limitless glory. He of the Blissful Dance that all impurity dispels. Thus expounding I bore His word due to the command of Him (sivA) who is the blissful dancer (natarAja mUrthy) remaining ever without motion Down Kailas's unchanging path I have come down from the glorious realm of Kailas to this earth.

* The word 'thulakkarudhal' in the original tamil refers to being without any motion/ activity. Thus the juxtaposition of the 'blissful dancer' next to 'remaining without activity' is to describe the state of unmanifest absolute (refer the previous mantrA). This is because the swarUpa shivA or shivA in self state is pure consciousness without any activity.
Here the sage makes clear that he used to live in the lofty realms of Kailas before his advent to the tamil land. And he also mentions that it was due to the command of shivA that the sage left his abode in Kailas to visit the southern land (in order that he may bequeath the world with the gem that is the thirumandiram).

Here ends the 91st mantrA of the invocation.