In humility - mantrA 95

SrigurubhyO namahA

With the next mantrA in the series, the sage begins a new sub section titled 'avai adakkam' - which in effect is a small section where the sage speaks of siva's powers while remaining in an attitude of humility.

6.அவையடக்கம்

ஆரறி வார் எங்கள் அண்ணல் பெருமையை
யாரறி வார்இந்த அகலமும் நீளமும்
பேரறி யாத பெருஞ்சுடர் ஒன்றதின்
வேரறி யாமை விளம்புகின் றேனே. 1. 6.95.

6 .IN HUMILITY

Infinite Greatness!
Who can know the greatness of our Lord!
Who can measure His length and breadth!
He is the mighty nameless Flame;
Whose unknown beginnings I venture to speak. 1.6.95.

Com – Who can know the greatness of our Lord! Who can ever understand the glory and the greatness of my Lord siva? Who can measure His length and breadth! And who can there be who could encompass by mind or deed the vast expanse that is the body of siva? He is the mighty nameless Flame; He (siva) is like a mighty pillar of light that possesses no attributes (of name and form) for Himself Whose unknown beginnings I venture to speak. (And yet) without even knowing the root of this supreme I still venture to speak (i.e. reveal the rest of the body of the thirumandiram).

* This mantrA is the first of four in this subsection where the sage speaks of the supreme with humility. Though the sage is an enlightened siddhA who abides in the highest state of self realisation, he acknowledges in these four mantrAs the limits of his abilities while singing the glory of the supreme siva.

So when the sage raises the question of there being someone who understands the glory of siva, he is alluding to the idea of the supreme tattvA. The vEdAs speak of this principle as ‘braHmam’ or ‘parambraHmam’. The siva who is spoken as ‘Ekam’, ‘sat’, ‘chit’ ‘AnandA’, the one who is the medium where the world(s) seemingly arise, rest and dissolve in. This supreme is akin to the ocean in whose waters the waves are born, stay for a period and disappear back into. Thus the sage here rightly asserts that there is none who can understand the greatness of this supreme principle.And again in the next line where he declares that there could be none who can understand the length and breadth of siva, he is alluding to the same idea of braHmam. The Sanskrit word has its root in the dhAtu ‘br’ which connotes an incredible vastness. The ‘sarvavyApaka shaktI’ or the All pervading nature of this supreme tattvA means that it is impossible for one to understand its limits as there are none. Thus we see here, the essence of the advaita system of philosophy revealed. The sage speaks of the One, the undivided, the eternal - the parabraHmam. In the final line of this mantrA the sage uses the words ‘vErariyAmai’ in a superbly effective fashion. The Tamil word vEr means root (of plants, trees etc) and suggestively implies lower/under the ground regions.

According to Hindu thought there are 14 worlds/planes of existence within what is known as smasArA. Of these 14, seven are known as ‘lOkA’s’ or worlds and seven are known as ‘talA’s’ or planes. The 7 lOkA’s are worlds of higher sattvic composition (as they ascended from the earth plane to the satya lOkA) and the seven talA’s are descending deeper and deeper into tamas as they go down. These are the pAtAla’s/ under worlds. So when the sage declares that he is about to speak of this supreme principle through the thirumandiram, even though he does not understand Him perfectly (due to his not being aware of the root), he achieves two things at the same time –Firstly, he brings across the message of humility by acknowledging the limits of his knowledge with regard to siva and secondly he beautifully suggests that he is beyond the taint of any tamas! As the lower talA’s (which are what are implied by the word ‘vEr’) are realms of tamas and the sage, as has been revealed before, is a denizen of the highest realm of consciousness, his lack of familiarity with this region is only natural!

On the pointlessness of these posts?

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

Firstly - I render my due apologies to the regular readers for the disappointment at your visits only to see no updates on the blog. As you may know, the incredibly introverted period also known as navaratri has just passed. And I was attempting to use this natural inward flow of tides to achieve just that - an inward flow. The anti social that I have been over the last month is due in part to the attempt to flow inward and to another fact - that I couldn't be bothered! Vocalising or intellectualising the teachings of the sages is all fine when one is involved in the 'play', but outside of the 'playing field' I am often unable to see any merit in the process of either hoarding or the dissemination of such knowledge. Time and again I come to the understanding that in as far as knowledge (any knowledge) does not produce a profound and holistic behavioural and attitudinal change (in the knower) there is simply no point in being in possession of such knowledge. One might be better off reading the Daily Mirror cover to cover than wasting time reading through the innumerable self help / new age /ready to go advaita / books that repeatedly rehash the same concepts in ever more marketable and glorified fonts and formats.

Knowledge that is 'known' through the faculties that are held in thrall by the attitude 'of being the body' is of no value and is by nature diffracted. Though the unifying truth at the ultimate Brahman level (if you will) is an exceptionally homogeneous and indistinguishable state, its expressions or manifestations (again, if you will) are as innumerable as the grains of sand in this earth. This is because the 'expressions' are something that is 'expressed' after filtering through the state or medium of the body mind complex of the individual in question. Though this is not my excuse for my laziness, I think that the idea of not wanting to contribute more to the clutter that already exists in the knowledge super market is a huge factor influencing the on - off nature of this blog (and my mind!). So please excuse me the inconsistencies - and know that such is the nature of things.

Preamble done with, lets get to the matter at hand. I hope that all of you had a wonderful Navaratri or at least a great September - October season. I had a great one - thank you very much!

There is much that I feel like saying now. So much in fact, that my tongue (and fingers) are preempting fatigue syndrome. The ideas, nay the visions, of di 'stilling' the erratic life force through the introduced boundaries of fasting and silence and sitting, is one that produces a distillate packing a mighty punch! But I am no drunk with a loose tongue and the distill in question does not bear any similarity to the Scottish variety (or Irish or Russian or whatever). This is the juice called Soma we are on about here - and no, it has nothing to do with a red mushroom or green leaves or what have you! This is the rasa or fluid that swells from within as the inner moon begins to wax and exert a steady and strong influence on the internal waters. Quaffing that Soma, draught after draught is a highly rewarding experience - though it slurrs the speech. Who cares when speech is the prime accused here in this case? Silence seems to contain within it all sounds, every sound, and even the soundless sound. There, my brother, my sister, retreat to the cave within and enjoy the experience of this silence. The secret of secrets it is and paradoxically it needs no words to express or experience. It is a secret mainly because it transcends all vocabulary. All attempts to 'define' this experience end only in limiting or dissecting this beyond imagination Whole.

I have tried. Again and again. And yet again. I have tried to define it, to explain it, to expand on it. And each time I have come to see that the 'experience' is beyond the scope of expression. Like a mad man trying to catch the flowing water with his bare hands, I fail in each attempt to succinctly express the experience. It may be that the muddy waters of my mind have not cleared sufficiently or it may be that the VagdevatAs (the goddesses of speech) and the effects of multiple kissing the Blarney Stone have failed to confer on me the power of clear speech. I reserve the right to change my mind on this one at a later stage if the need arises!

'Enough already! Give us the bite.' I hear you think. OK. Here you are then. In the very beginning stages of one's quest for what has always been in one's hand (The Self, I mean) a precise and carefully controlled path (a.k.a. SAdhanA) is extremely important. The repetitions of the different nAmAs or names of various gods and goddesses, the constant and continuous practise of japa (repetition) of mantras (I wont translate this as sacred/mystic formulae) until they take one eventually to a place of steady silence beyond the nAmAs or sounds themselves is crucial. This can and will produce holistic transformation in the individual. And until such time the wise individual will persist against all odds. This is power in your hands. This is expression of free will. This is a way.

The ever compassionate and all seeing siddha, the sage Thirumular, expertly defines and expresses the importance of mantra(s) in one's path. We will see what he has to say on that in the next post with the mantra 86 of the series we are slowly moving through in this blog.

Bliss to Humanity - Mantra 85

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

The eighty fifth mantra of the Thirumandiram proclaims the philosophy of the siddha masters. Their compassion for mankind and their un reverential attitude towards the (then) established 'spiritual politics' makes them stand out.

யான்பெற்ற இன்பம் பெறுக இவ் வையகம்

வான்பற்றி நின்ற மறைப்பொருள் சொல்லிடின்

ஊன்பற்றி நின்ற உணர்வுறு மந்திரம்

தான்பற்றப் பற்றத் தலைப்படுந் தானே. 13.5.85.

Bliss To Humanity

All the world may well attain the Bliss I have;

Who hold firm to the Heavenly secret the Books impart,

Who chant the hymns that thrill the flesh

And swell the heart,

They, sure, take their place in foremost rank. 13.5.85

Com – All the world may well attain the Bliss I have In order to help the people of the world to attain the state of Bliss that I have attained as a result of my meditation (thinking) of Siva, Who hold firm to the Heavenly secret the Books impart when I begin to speak of the secret of the supreme Siva who resides in the Akaashaa (ether) in the form of pure consciousness, Who chant the hymns that thrill the flesh And swell the heart, it is found that it is the mantra that causes sensations in the body. They, sure, take their place in foremost rank And when one attempts to identify with those sensations (in the body) through constant practise, Siva comes and unites with them.

* Hymns that thrill the flesh refers to the mantra that causes sensations in the body. That is, when one thinks and meditates on the hidden Siva, it causes certain sensations to be felt and sensed in the head region. When we seek (desire) and attain the many sense objects that are external (worldly) we experience a sensation of joy/happiness. Similarly, when we meditate on the all pervading Lord, constantly by saturating the mind with His thoughts, there arise certain vibrations (Spandam) as a result of the union of the object of meditation (namely, Siva) and the one who meditates. These vibrations are the signs through which the Siva announces His arrival and His fixing of Himself in the mind of the devotee. [This will be explained in greater clarity when commenting on the mantra 1542 ]. Through the above mantra the sage instructs all the people of the world to constantly meditate on Siva and revel in the Bliss that is born as a result.

The philosophy ''All the world may well attain the Bliss I have'' (Yaan petra inbam peruga ivvvayagam) is perhaps the best indicator of the universal and the unbiased attitude of the siddars. They were (as mentioned in the introduction to this commentary) and still are one of the most compassionate wise men/women who at all times strived to reach out and pass on the hard earned wisdom and its miraculous siddhis or powers to all people of this world without reservations. Unlike the modern guru, they sought nothing in return for this compassion. Unlike the Brahmin hierarchy of yore, they had no bias based on one's birth and place in the caste system. Unlike their contemporaries in spiritual heights from other parts of the world, they had no elitist attitudes when it came to the crunch. Though the siddars spent most of their time away from human habituation and company (being to the most part invisible even if they walked about towns and villages) and did not subscribe entirely to the clear cut varnA or caste system, they attempted to 'reach out' to the common man plenty. The clearly visible urge and the ever present urgency to freely distribute the glories of their meditative and absorptive heights is seen from even the most cursory of glances at the siddha texts. They were also pioneers in 'de mystifying' the complex Hindu thought and practises by detailing them in a very down to earth language (as against the highly terse and aphoristic nature of the Sanskrit texts) and often using crude or 'unrefined' language in the process. This apparent disregard for the established 'norm' in such systems coupled with the kind of 'target audience' for these words became very important reasons for the Brahmin elite and other scholars to disregard the siddha thought and system (even though it was as valid and as detailed as other schools of thought).

Here the sage uses this as a first line for this mantra and highlights the concept of universal brotherhood and egalitarianism.

Division or Inclusion?

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

Mantras and slokas often echo a thought so universal that it transcends all boundaries that are the evolute's of the human mind and its diminished perception of the 'whole'. The core practise contained in the everyday Sandhyavandhana (the thrice daily rite performed by the dwijas or twice born - at dawn, midday and dusk) is the anusandhanam (or inward contemplation/meditation) where the manifest sun is seen as the supreme Brahman and then that supreme Brahman is contemplated as non different from the self. All the Sahasranamas (1000 names) of the various deities also takes the sadhaka or worshipper through an extraordinary cosmic journey, where the main deity is seen as everything there is : manifest and unmanifest. Almost all upasana and related practices are aimed at the same thing - deconstructing the self made shackles that bind the jiva or the embodied self to a very localised and limited reality. They enable the perception of the self as an unlimited and expansive and all inclusive reality, something that reaches in to even the darkest recesses of space - something that vibrates in oneness with everything, absolutely everything!

Often though, in reality, we see the practitioners of such sublime rituals miss the point all together. They chant the mantras with almost no experiential understanding of the meaning. Perhaps they have mastered the language, its syntax and it various theoretical aspects. But it seems to fail to cause any perceivable change in the way they relate to themselves and to the world around them, even after years of repeating the mantras and rituals over and over again. But those exceptional individuals, who have actually contemplated on the essence of all such practices, show to us time and again the potency of the expansive self. Seeing or talking to or merely being the presence of such people is a boon in itself, an introduction to bliss!

I fail to see the point in talking endlessly about the all pervading Brahman, and waxing lyrical about all of us being made out of that self luminous consciousness that is the Brahman, when we cannot see its external expression. I mean, if all are one and the same, why then the division based on colour, sex, race, caste, and endless other small and superficial things?? Why then the aggressive and intolerant attitude to anything that is 'different' and does not confirm to one's own belief or thought? Will the endless reduction and subtraction (neti neti or the not this not this) attitude ever show one the all embracing reality that is God? Or is inclusion the way to that goal?

A nama in the Lalitha Sahasranama describes the supreme Devi as AbrahmakItajanani (the Mother of all things from brahma or Hiranyagarbha(the collective form of humanity) down to the smallest parasitical worm). Similar names can be found almost in every set of sahasranamas to the various gods and goddesses to reinforce the fact that the underlying principle is the same in everything, however different they might appear to be externally. The Supreme is like the tiny seed of the Banyan (fig) tree - which is the cause of the appearance of the roots, leaves, fruits, bark, stem and the infinite and expansive branches that spread to cover a huge area. All the above mentioned 'appear' to be different in their form and function, but we know the tree is the composite of all these. And if we were to differentiate this according to function for easy classification and understanding, it makes sense (albeit in a reduced and diminished way). This is the basis of the VarnAshrama classification/division. However, if we begin to qualify them in comparison to each other (as in, trying to judge them as one being better or more important than the other), it leads to a warped perception and nothing more.

The very next nama in the Sahasranama (after the above mentioned one) is VarnAshrama vidhAyini ( The establish er of the different castes and orders of life). This is often used as a reason for the argument in favour of the caste based division (saying that it stems from the Supreme itself). But I can never, for the life of me, see the supreme Devi, the Universal Mother separate Her children by personal bias or prejudice. The division spoken of here is not one that perceives one above or below the other. These are divisions based on the functions and the life path needed for the individual jiva to rise to a place where it can perceive its cosmic identity - nothing more, nothing less. It is like the separate perception of the roots, stem, bark, leaves etc of the above mentioned tree to understand and appreciate their individual functions which is ultimately responsible for the growth of the 'whole' tree. If we were to judge the root to be inferior to the leaves by virtue of its being lower than the leaves, we would be utterly mistaken. For it is but common knowledge that the leaves do not have a separate existence from (i.e. without) the roots. Likewise, if we are led to believe that the shudra (untouchable/lowest caste) is inferior to the Brahmin (priest/highest caste) by virtue of their separate functions in society, we would be grossly wrong. The four castes are said to have their origin in different parts of the supreme Purusha (see Purushashukta) : The Brahmin comes from the face of the Purusha, the Kshatria from the chest of the Purusha, the Vaishya from the thigh of the Purusha and the Shudra from the feet of the Purusha. And based on this people today talk of the castes as being one above the other. But tell me, where is the virtue (or possibility even) in having just a head without the 'lower' parts? Not only is it impossible, but without the feet or other parts to compare against, there is nothing 'higher' or 'lower'.

The differences in form and function universally, only add to the diversity of creation and help the jiva experience what is due to be experienced. The many tiered universe ('apparently' tiered - but the same one tier less thing in the ultimate transcendental aspect) is intrinsically connected to the very nature of this world cycle. Without this 'apparent' diversity there is no creation or progression of life - there can be nothing without it. So, it is not this world that is false and illusory - the real illusion is the 'apparent' perception of difference where none exists. That is Maya. And this stubborn, obstinate need on our part to differentiate is the biggest stumbling block on our path to experience the Oneness of the whole. This basic need (almost completely out of the common man's control) stems from the ahamkara or the I consciousness, which can exist only in differentiation to the 'other'. Thus the dissolution of the 'other ness' is really the awakening of the self. Like the wise say, Enlightenment is not something that is 'gained' - it is the state when the delusion is 'lost'. Like the man who on waking from sleep does not gain anything, he merely has 'lost' his sleep. And the various paths to achieve this 'dissolution' is found everywhere, in the texts and traditions of a million cultures. It can be seen echoed in everything in nature. It can be 'seen' when the eyes are closed even for a moment. That I feel is the essence of all Hindu practises and rituals - not the reinforcing of the hundred million differences.

''pUrnamadah pUrnamidham pUrnAth pUrnamudashyate
pUrnasya pUrnamAdAya pUrnam evA vasishyate.''

''That is whole, This is whole. From the whole the whole is manifest. From the whole when the whole is negated, what remains is (still) the whole.''