Think of Lord through Time's cycles - mantrA 182

srigurubhyO namahA |

The 182nd mantrA has the sage indicate the practise of cultivating the bindu nAdA parts of the pranavA within the subtle body of the individual. Rather than waste ones breath by remaining unconscious (of what really is going on) through life, he exhorts the aspirant to learn the method of cultivating inner light through the grace of rudrA resident in the mUlAdhAra chakra.

காலை ஏழுந்தவர் நித்தலும் நித்தலும்
மாலை படுவதும் வாணாள் கழிவதும்
சாலும்அவ் ஈசன் சலவிய னாகிலும்
ஏல நினைப்பவர்ககு இன்பம்செய் தானே. I.4.6.182

Day after day we wake to greet the morn,
Day after day we seek the nightly couch;
Even though God, good and great, may frown in wrath,
True devotees ne'er miss His great Love's avouch. I.4.6.182

Com - Day after day we wake to greet the morn, Countless beings wake everyday in the morning Day after day we seek the nightly couch; and fall asleep each night (unaware that as each day passes, their life span is being diminished). Even though God, good and great, may frown in wrath, And though the Lord (rudrA) responsible for the diminishing life time is angry and wrathful in nature True devotees ne'er miss His great Love's avouch. He is full of Compassion and Grace towards the devotees who seek to unite with Him and upon them He bestows untold bliss.

*The term ‘salaviyan’ means the wrathful one and is a reference to the aspect of the Lord as rudrA or the agency responsible for the dissolution/destruction of the worlds (samhAra mUrthy). In this verse, the secret of a particular yOgic process is highlighted.

The pranavA (OM) is itself composed of five parts – A; U; ma; bindu (vindhu) and nAdA. Out of these above mentioned five, the A, U and ma are gross and are situated at the mUlAdhAra, svAdishtAnA and manipUra chakrAs in the energy body. In the centre of mUlAdhAra the divinity named rudrA is situated. In svAdishtAnA the divinity named brahma is present. And in the manipUra the divinity named Vishnu is located. From these respective centres they exert their influence on the individual. Though rudrA is wrathful and is responsible for the destruction of the body (over time), if He was propriated properly through the right method – of cultivating the subtle bindu and nAdA and making them flourish through the methods taught by one’s guru – then it is this same rudrA established in the mUlAdhAra who becomes the great benefactor by bestowing the light body to the aspirant. Thus to those who are intent on not wasting the days of their life time by treading the same cycle of waking and sleeping, but who instead are ever engaged in their contemplation of uniting with the supreme, the wrathful rudrA becomes the giver of all bliss. One must strive to attain to His grace before this life is exhausted.

thirucchitrambalam |

Body is burnt to ashes. Beyond that we know not - mantrA 159

srigurubhyO namahA |

In the 159th mantrA the sage observes that this body is nothing more than a pile of bones wrapped in skin. The true principle, the AtmA or self is beyond the scope of our perception as we perceive only through the agency of the five sense instruments and the supreme self is transcendent to these.

ஐந்து தலைப்பறி ஆறு சடையுள
சந்தவை முப்பது சார்வு பதினெட்டுப்
பந்தலும் ஒன்பது பந்தி பதினைந்து
வெந்து கிடந்தது மேலறி யோமே. I.2.17.159

Five the segments of the head, six the plaits of hair,
Thirty the joints, eighteen the sides,
Nine the roofs, fifteen the rows--
All to ashes burnt--no more we know besides. I.2.17.159

Com - Five the segments of the head, six the plaits of hair, This physical (human) body is possessed of five indriyAs or instruments and six AdhArAs or energy centres (chakrAs). Thirty the joints, the places where bones unite /join are totally thirty in number. eighteen the sides, and the structures (skeletal) dependant on the above thirty junctions are eighteen in number. Nine the roofs, and the layers that envelope (the skeletal frame) it, like roofs, are nine totally. fifteen the rows—And those bones that are laid out in rows are fifteen in number. All to ashes burnt—And that the body so fashioned is consumed by the flames of the pyre is the extent of our knowledge, no more we know besides. For beyond this we know nothing more of the journey of the life principle.

*The five indriyAs are the five sense instruments (gnyAnEndriyAs) and the six AdhArAs refer to the group of chakrAs from mUlAdhArA to Ag~nya. The sage proceeds to describe the arrangement of the various bones that constitute the skeletal frame and observes that these bones are wrapped as it were in nine separate layers. This collective of bones and skin known as the body is cast on the pyre after death and it is plain for all to see that all this would be consumed by the fire. In the last line, the sage suggests that this becomes the limit of our perception as to what happens after death – i.e. it stops with the body which is physical and is thus perceivable by the senses. We are however not aware of the subtle principle which is life itself and which is beyond death.  

thirucchitrambalam|

Guru's role in Soul's illumination - mantrA 139

srigurubhyO namahA |
A very popular and oft quoted mantrA, the 139th verse speaks about the importance of the guru in the life of spiritual aspirant. The mantrA has two levels of meaning - one on a personal level and the other on a level relating siva as the guru. The sage stresses on the necessity of a preceptor or an authentic guru from a sadsampradAyA or a valid and proper spiritual lineage, to enable the aspirant to progress further on the spiritual path.

தெளிவு குருவின் திருமேனி காண்டல்
தெளிவு குருவின் திருநாமஞ் செப்பல்
தெளிவு குருவின் திருவார்த்தை கேட்டல்
தெளிவு குருவுரு சிந்தித்தல் தானே. I.1.27.139

 

It is but to see the Guru's Holy Form,
It is but to chant the Guru's Holy Name,
It is but to hear the Guru's Holy Word,
It is but to muse the Guru's Holy Being
--Thus it is the soul its illume receives. I.1.27.139

Com - It is but to see the Guru's Holy Form, (--Thus it is the soul its illume receives.) The practise of visualising the presence of the siva guru on the crown of one’s head, in his effulgent form, will result in attaining clarity. It is but to chant the Guru's Holy Name, (--Thus it is the soul its illume receives.) The practise of chanting or repeating continually the holy name of the siva guru, (the auspicious panchAkshara mantra of siva) will result in attaining clarity. It is but to hear the Guru's Holy Word, (--Thus it is the soul its illume receives.) The practise of listening to the words of upadEshA of the siva guru and contemplating it, will result in attaining clarity. It is but to muse the Guru's Holy Being, (--Thus it is the soul its illume receives.) And finally, the practise of contemplating the radiant light, that is the divine form of the siva guru continually, will result in attaining great clarity.

*The word in the Tamil original ‘thelivu’ referring to clarity is present at the start of each line of the verse – however, in the English translation of the verse it is rendered as a fifth separate line. So in my translation above, I have added the fifth line in brackets ( ) to each of the other lines to provide the context correctly. Though the verse above has the word ‘thelivu’ at the start of each line, it is meant to be read at the end of each line to get the correct meaning. The term ‘guru’ in the original refers to one’s own guru in the path of upAsanA and also to the guru of gurus – siva. Following on from the mantrAs before, it becomes clear that the sage is urging the disciple to cultivate the practise of being immersed in the light, which is the form of siva that is present in the guru chakra in the crown of the head. This mystic seat of the guru tattvA is in a downward triangle that is within the pericarp of the thousand petalled lotus or sahasrAra kamala on the crown of the head. To be aware of the presence of the guru tattvA here and to revel in its radiance is an important practise as it cultivates the light body of the adept and is capable of endowing right thought, right vision etc. The guru tattvA will guide the life of the adept from there. This light that is also elsewhere in the text referred to as Grace or Holy feet is the form of siva which will pervade the adept when the right level of spiritual maturity is attained. As described in previous mantrAs, the siva yOgi remains immersed in this light and after some time learns to experience the sensations/vibrations that emanate from this light. The idea of vibrations turning into light fields or quasi energetic fields in and around the body is a concept well defined in the yOga manuals and in much of the siddha and tAntric texts.

Chanting the guru’s name continually is a reference to being immersed in the japA of the panchAkshara mahAmantrA of siva. Meditation on the form of siva as pure effulgence while being immersed in the chanting of the panchAksharA will produce clarity – this is chitta shuddi or internal purification. More on this will follow later in the text. Listening to the words of upadEshA of the guru (on the crown of the head) and contemplating that is a reference to shravana, and mananA. The words of the guru is nAdA and the contemplation of it refers to be being immersed in nAdAntA (refer mantra 128) in the state of silence as siva is beyond words. And finally being ever immersed in the contemplation of light (form of the guru) refers to the final state of nidhidhyAsanA.Thus the sage makes clear through the grace of the siva guru one is able to attain clarity of being. His words or upadEshA when taken to heart and put to practise will yield the result.

thirucchitrambalam |