When the five senses take chit's way, they reach chit - mantrA 135

srigurubhyO namahA |

The 135th mantrA of the thirumandiram takes the place of the customary abishEgam or the purificatory rite where the new initiate is bathed ceremoniously in sanctified waters that help cleanse the subtle body and prepare the initiate for the path of sAdhanA. A very important and mystical concept is introduced here regarding the nature of the manipUra chakrA.


சத்த முதல் ஐந்துந் தன்வழித் தான்சாரில்
சித்துக்குச் சித்தன்றி சேர்விடம் வேறுண்டோ
சுத்த வெளியிற் சுடா஢ற் சுடர்சேரும்
அத்தம் இதுகுறித் தாண்டுகொள் அப்பிலே. I.1.23.135

When the senses Five, sound commencing, Cit's way take,
Where shall the Cit go but to the Cit?
In space light mingles but with Light,

Note this, as doth salt in the sea vast. I.1.23.135

Com - When the senses Five, sound commencing, Cit's way take, (When) The unreal (without consciousness) tattvAs (i.e. the ashuddha tattvAs) Sound, Touch, Sight, Taste and Smell, also known as tanmAtrAs are successively dissolved into where they originated from, namely into the unreal ahamkArA (ego) Where shall the Cit go but to the Cit? Is there any other resting place for the consciousness incarnate AtmA other than consciousness itself, siva? In space light mingles but with Light, The light of the AtmA will merge one day with the light of siva, in that rarefied ether of pure space, the paramAkAshA. Note this, as doth salt in the sea vast. Hence keeping this the highest end in mind, and taking me for your guru, be cleansed by the waters of grace.

# The term ‘AndukOl appilE’ in the original, which has been translated to ‘ Note this, as doth salt in the sea vast’ is something known as a sampradAya rahasyam or a secret doctrine that is imparted only to the disciples belonging to the particular spiritual lineage. But for the initial purposes of our translation, it can be understood as referring to the act of being cleansed by pure waters (abishEgam), an important rite in initiation or dIkshA.

But a small explanation here would benefit the reader to better understand the context of the above words in this verse. The chakrA that is known as manipUrA and which is situated in the navel region, is the seat of the cause for endless births. It is the station from whence all desires originate. It is this chakrA which is also the origin for the effects such as kAmA, krOdhA etc. And it is here, stationed within this chakrA, that vishnU distracts and deludes people through the attraction for the pleasures of life.

It is from here, through the network of the small intestine, that the energy or prAna shaktI of sUryA permeates the body and ensures its well-being and vitality. And if the energy and the vibrations that are sensed here are diverted, through the agency of the guru, then they will reach the crown of the head and change into pure light. And as a result the poisonous nature of this chakrA will not extend any further than the vishuddi (throat chakrA) and will remain forever locked there, as a sensation. It is this principle that is symbolically conveyed through the story of the deadly poison, hAlAhalA, which arose out of the ocean during the churning by the dEvAs and the asurAs. The poison that the purAnAs maintain was consumed by siva to save the world and which stopped (due to the grace of dEvi) at the throat of siva and earned him the name nIlakanthA or the blue throated one.

It is only the sUkshma nAdA or the subtle and highly mystical sound that can end the downward effects of kAma. Those who have attained to perfection and spiritual maturity know through their experience that as soon as the guru swarUpA is manifest in the quiet mind (see previous mantra), the poisonous effects of this chakrA known as manipUrA begin to fade and dissolve. To know this is known as knowing the self. More about this is spoken by the sage himself in the mantrAs 944, 956, 958, 959, 2424.

As mentioned above, this is a very important and highly esoteric secret that is guarded zealously by the siddars and other practitioners as it affects the very core of jIvAs delusions and is capable of delivering him from endless bondage and the continuous cycle of birth and death that stem from this delusion or agn~yAnA. Due to certain traditions and also owing to the effect such teachings can have in the karmic life path of an unprepared individual, the finer points of what is spoken of here needs to be learnt from a competent guru personally and thus it is beyond the remit of this post to address further details.

Taken together, through proper pursuit of the path revealed by the guru and taking only the guru as one’s sole refuge, if the sAdhakA continues to purify his mind and internal instruments it is entirely possible that there will come a time when the energies that are currently being locked in the manipUrA will rise to the crown of the head and will reveal the inner light to the seeker. That light which is the chit (consciousness) swarUpA will be merged into the light that is siva swarUpA and thus the disciple would reach a state of perfection.

thirucchitrambalam |