Splendour of the Tamil agama - mantra 87

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

In this the eighty seventh mantra of the Thirumandiram, the sage impresses on us the readers the deep significance of the Thirumandiram to the peoples of the world. He also makes evident the truth that the Tirumandiram was a work ordained by the supreme Siva to ensure the continuity of the human race by revealing high truths and the workings of the body, mind, soul, universes etc.

அங்கிமி காமைவைத் தானுடல் வைத்தான்

எங்குமி காமைவைத் தான்உலகு ஏழையும்

தங்குமி காமைவைத் தான் தமிழ்ச் சாத்திரம்

பொங்கிமி காமைவைத் தான்பொருள் தானுமே. 15.5.87.

Splendour Of Tamil Agamas

In Himself He contained the glowing Fire,

In Himself the Seven Worlds, and yet all space not filling

He contained too the Tamil Sastra, in lone splendour set,

Pregnant of import, deep yet recondite. 15.5.87

Com – In Himself He contained the glowing Fire The Lord who created this body, kept the (Agni) Fire in the body in a contained state (that is, in a regulated state rather than an excessive fire). In Himself the Seven Worlds, and yet all space not filling He also placed the (Agni) Fire in the world in a regulated state to ensure the undisturbed continuity of the seven worlds (Bhuloka &c). He contained too the Tamil Sastra, in lone splendour set He created (in a regulated and contained manner) the Tamil Agama called Thirumandiram, in order to avoid confusion. Pregnant of import, deep yet recondite He ensured that all knowledge would be contained in the Thirumandiram.

* The fire in the body refers to the Shadaraagni which strengthens the intestines and ensures the continuity of the body. The fire in the world refers to the Vadavamugagni, which is set in the midst of the oceans to ensure that the water does not overwhelm the earth and the other worlds. Through the above mantra the author conveys that Siva ensured the composition of the Thirumandiram with a view to protect and preserve life and the world – by comparing the composition of Thirumandiram with the two great acts (of placing the two fires) of Siva in order to protect and preserve the world and the jivas in it.

Agamic truths in Tamil - mantra 81

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

The eighty first mantra of the Thirumandiram asks a very important question - what besiges people to take on many and repeated births?

பின்னைநின்று என்னே பிறவி பெறுவது

முன்னைநன் றாக முயல்தவம் செய்கிலர்

என்னைநன் றாக இறைவன் படைத்தனன்

தன்னைநன் றாகத் தமிழ்செய்யு மாறே. 9.5.81.

Agamic Truths In Tamil

What availeth thee now to be born,

If to the Lord, the mead of penance you deny?

The Lord made me, my task assigned,

In sweetest Tamil His Glory to expound. 9.5.81.

Com – What availeth thee now to be born,What is the reason for many to hesitatingly suffer future births? If to the Lord, the mead of penance you deny? It is because they did not attempt their best to perform pure penance and worship in their past lives. (Because I performed pure and true penance) The Lord made me, my task assigned, the Lord bestowed me with true wisdom and graced me with this birth, In sweetest Tamil His Glory to expound so that I may compose this Agama in praise of Siva in the sweet language called Tamil.

* It is to be noted here that the Tamil language was already flourishing before the arrival of Thirumoolar to the Tamil country. But there were no texts in Tamil script that revealed and explained the great Agamic truths – they were available only in the Sanskrit script. It is to be understood that Thirumandiram is the first text that explained the Agamas and their essence in the Tamil language. (Refer 87 and 90). Through the above mantra the author tells us that his birth, through which he expounded the agamas in Tamil, was a result of penance performed in his previous lives.