Subdue the senses, birth cycle ends - mantrA 183

srigurubhyO namahA |
Comparing the body to a bag with five thick needles in it and the five senses to the crow which eats without discrimination, the sage gets us to understand the nature of this transmigratory cycle. The practise of pratyAhArA or sense withdrawal is being spoken of here where the outward flowing nature of the sense instruments is curtailed and made to flow within by focusing them on the light present in the crown of the head.

பருவூசி ஐந்துமோர் பையினுள் வாழும்
பருவூசி ஐந்தும் பறக்கும் விருகம்
பருவூசி ஐந்தும் பனித்தலைப் பட்டால்
பருவூசிப் பையும் பறக்கின்ற வாறே. I.4.7.183

The five needles thick, this bag of senses holds
The five needles thick in this bestial body roam free;
If the five needles thick you tame and subdue,
No more this bag that life's cycle involves. I.4.7.183

Com - The five needles thick, this bag of senses holds the five indriyAs (sense instruments) akin to five thick needles are present within the bag like body. The five needles thick in this bestial body roam free; But like the crow that flies to seek out, scavenge (things that are vile and unsuitable) and consume, these five indriyAs roam free without regard for what is good and what is not. If the five needles thick you tame and subdue, If these five indriyAs were subdued by focusing them on the brilliant (snow like) light that is present at the crown of the head No more this bag that life's cycle involves. Then one will be free from the taint and memory of this physical body limited by the activities of the five indriyAs.

*The term’ பருவூசி ‘means thick needle. It is used as a metaphor for the indriyAs or sense instruments to suggest their sharpness as well as the fact that they are highly subtle. The term’ பை ‘or bag refers to the body. The word‘விருகம் ‘ meaning crow is used here to imply the fact that these sense instruments are constantly seeking out much that is impure and unsuitable as the crow is ever ready to eat without discrimination.  The term ‘பனித்தலை‘or snow capped head refers to the orb of brilliant light (white as snow) that is present at the crown of the head. The last line of the verse implies that when one is established in the state of nirmala jAgrat (the untainted or pure wakeful state) consciousness, then the limitations of the physical body will be transcended.  Thus through subduing the five senses, it is possible to rise to a plane of elevated consciousness.

thirucchitrambalam ||

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 |

Senses controlled, they saw this world and next - mantrA 133

srigurubhyO namahA |

The idea of pratyAhAra or sense withdrawal is conveyed in this the 133rd mantrA of the thirumandiram. Using the metaphor of the tortoise which escapes danger through withdrawal, the sage highlights the necessity of sense control to achieve a steady mind that can accept conflicting experiences without losing calm.

பெருமை சிறுமை அறிந்தெம் பிரான்போல்
அருமை எளிமை அறிந்தறி வார்ஆர்
ஒருமையுள் ஆமைபோல் உள்ஐந்து அடக்கி
இருமையுங் கேட்டிருந் தார்புரை அற்றே. I.1.21.133.

Who there be who, like our Lord, distinct know
The great and the small, the difficult and the facile?
They, unto tortoise, drawing in senses five under the shell,
They heard and saw This and Next, all impurities dispelled. I.1.21.133.

Com - who, like our Lord, distinct know The great and the small, Like our Lord siva, who pervades everything and is present within the atom as well as the mighty universe, the difficult and the facile? Who there be, and thus knows the immense greatness and the incredible minuteness (of the great and the small) alongside each other, who else is there in this world who could experience and ‘know’ (these conflicting experiences) thus with equanimity? They, unto tortoise, drawing in senses five under the shell, Those sAdhakAs (those practising the path shown by the sage) who with a steady mind practise the withdrawal of the sense instruments by arresting the outward flow of the five senses and turning it inward, like the tortoise, They heard and saw This and Next, all impurities dispelled. Will reach the state where they will be able to see the greatness and the smallness and experience them faultlessly (i.e. without the taint of duality or contrary experiences).

#  Here the sage is instructing the reader in the necessity of the yOga practise known as pratyAhArA or sense withdrawal for the purpose of attaining a calm and steady disposition. It would be well to understand here that the siddhars are in complete agreement with the tantric and vEdic concept that one must be sufficiently disengaged with one’s idea of ‘doership’ and the idea that one is the ‘experiencer’. Hence chitta shuddi or internal purification is an important first step to building a steady ground for realisation to take root. ChittA is an aggregate term – when the manas (mind), buddhi (intellect) and ahamkArA (ego/identity principle) are spoken of together the word chittA is used to describe it. It is in this realm that the idea of ‘I am doer’ and ‘I am experiencer’ is present. It is here that ‘me’ and ‘mine’ originate. When there is not enough clarity in these faculties, then the idea that ‘I am a limited jIvA, caught in the transmigratory cycle of life and death and powerless in the hands of fate’ takes root firmly. This clouds judgement regarding this phenomenal world of name and form and one thus gets firmly bound by delusions and performs wrong actions and suffers unhappiness.

pratyAhArA or sense withdrawal is the method through which the usually outward flow of the sense instruments (ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose) is checked and then by practise reversed. This would enable the mind to understand and experience without bias. To act without motive.

The sage uses the example of the tortoise, which when confronted by danger, reacts to protect itself by withdrawing its limbs and head (4+1) into the hard shell. Similarly, he indicates here that the sAdhakA or adept must practise the method of withdrawing the five senses inward to protect himself from the danger of the external world. After the first two lines of the verse which describe the equanimity with which siva engages with this world, the second two lines are pointing the reader in the direction in which even he might find the means to reach such an equanimity of perception. Through sense withdrawal, the adept will be able to gradually reach a place where he will be able to view the great and the small without conflict. To put it in other words, the idea here is to reconcile the opposing forces to achieve the steady state. This is the ancient alchemical concept which is symbolised by the Chemical Wedding.