Seek His grace, the senses get controlled - mantrA 140

srigurubhyO namahA |

The 140th mantrA reveals the path through which the mind that is usually engaged with the external world through the sense instruments can be made to disengage from it. Rather than advice the disciple to control these sense instruments by withdrawal or suppression (like many other schools of thought), the sage speaks of 'purifying' the instruments themselves by cleansing the taint of the impure tattvAs. This then would render the instruments pure while still allowing the individual to use these faculties for his/her spiritual practise and upliftment.

தானே புலன்ஐந்துந் தன்வசம் ஆயிடும்
தானே புலன்ஐந்துந் தன்வசம் போயிடும்
தானே புலன்ஐந்துந் தன்னில் மடைமாறும்
தானே தனித்துஎம் பிரான்தனைச் சந்தித்தே. I.1.28.140

Surely then the senses five under your control come,
Surely then the senses five back to their native homes retreat,
Surely then the senses five change their course,
If, alone, you seek the sole felicity of our Lord's perfect Grace. I.1.28.140

Com - If, alone, you seek the sole felicity of our Lord's perfect Grace. Without the limitations and the taints of the tattvAs (due to having transcended them or due to them being temporarily suspended) if the AtmA/self  had the occasion to meet in person with the Lord, Surely then the senses five under your control come, then definitely the mind which usually runs as pulled by the five senses will come under the control of AtmA. Surely then the senses five back to their native homes retreat, The sensory pleasures (vishaya sukhA) which otherwise keep the senses enthralled will then lose their grip over the sense instruments. Surely then the senses five change their course, and when that happens, the same five senses will enable the AtmA to continue being immersed in the path of siva.

* ‘aIm pulan’ or the five senses refers to – sound (sabda), touch (sparsha), sight (rUpa), taste (rasa) and smell (gandha). These are also known as the five tanmAtrAs or the subtle qualities. Though it is beyond the remit of what we are looking at here to expand on this in great detail, I would like to however bring to the attention of the reader to the following. These five qualities above are connected to the five elements or the panchabhUtAs thus –

AkAsha – ether/space – shabdA (sound)

vAyu    -   air   - sparshA (touch) + shabdA

agni -        fire  - rUpa (sight) + sparshA + shabdA

jalam -      water - rasA (taste) + rUpa + sparshA + shabdA

prithvI -    earth - gandha (smell) + rasA + rUpa + sparshA + shabdA

As the element becomes grosser (from space to earth) it gains more and more qualities. Thus everything in the phenomenal world that is made up of these five elements is possessed of one or more of these qualities. And within the body there are the five sense instruments ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose, these in tamil are known as the ‘aIm pori’. The manas or mind is connected to these five sense instruments and identifies with the experiences generated by the contact of these five sensory instruments and the external world. The sage tells us that if ever the occasion arose whereby the effect of the tattvAs on the jIvA was transcended or lost for a while, then it will be possible for the AtmA to see and experience the only other, siva. For this high end, a sort of rewiring is needed. The sage explains that if through the practise of pratyAhArA and prAnayamA and through living a disciplined life, the usual outward flow of the sense instruments (and thus the mind) was reversed, then the same senses will lead one to the path of union with siva.

If the wayward and wanton flow of the mind was made steady through being bought under the influence of the AtmA or self rather than being in the control of the sense instruments, the adept will soon find himself disengaging easily with the external world. The pull or the lustre of the sensory pleasures of the world will pale in comparison to the bliss that is experienced when these senses are turned inward. And gradually the yOgi becomes more interested in experiencing the pleasures of the inner world. The big message of this mantra then is that when free from the taint of the Atma tattvAs (the impure or ashudda tattvAs), the self will remain experienced in the siva tattvA (the pure or shudda tattvA) and only then the activity of the senses will be rendered silent

thirucchitrambalam |