Before youth passes, praise Him in songs - mantrA 186

srigurubhyO namahA |
The 186th mantrA of the thirumandiram is the last mantrA in this subsection dealing with the transitoriness of youth. Here the sage indicates the method through which nadAntA is attained in the unmani state.

எய்திய நாளில் இளமை கழியாமை
எய்திய நாளில் இசையினால் ஏத்துமின்
எய்திய நாளில் எறிவ து அறியாமல்
எய்திய நாளில் இருந்துகண் டேனே.I.4.10.186

In the days assigned to you, before youth passes,
In songs of praise to the Lord, pour out your heart;
In the days to me assigned, wasting not the minutes away,
In the days to me assigned, I, seeing all, remained apart. I.4.10.186

Com - In the days assigned to you, during the time when one adheres to the practise of (the above mentioned) prasAda neri (the path of Grace) and when the Chandra mandala is made manifest before youth passes, prior to the loss of one’s youth and vitality In songs of praise to the Lord, pour out your heart; (one must) remain focused on singing praises of the supreme Lord. In the days to me assigned, wasting not the minutes away (while one is so engaged in singing praises) one must remain beyond awareness of the constant movement of prAnA. In the days to me assigned, I, seeing all, remained apart. With attention fixed only on the supreme Lord, one must become the ‘witness’ and remain apart (rather than be the ‘actor’ identifying with the world within the remit of Time).

*Continuing the subject discussed in the previous mantrA, the sage provides further instruction on the prasAda neri or the path of Grace. The term ‘இசையினால் ஏத்துமின் ‘ in the Tamil original which has been translated as ‘singing songs of praise’ is an allusion to the practise of nAda sammyam (discussed in a previous mantra) or using nAdA to attain nAdAntA – i.e. transcendent to sound (and thus beyond all form and division). This is a technique that has to be learnt from the guru directly and practised with dedication till such a stage as when the aspirant is able to ‘hear’ the unstruck internal nAdA (that is obtained through the Grace of the Lord) and fixing the mind only on that nAdA to persue it to a point where even that becomes gradually subtler and subtler till there is no further sound or time. This is the state of unmani (which is the final Chandra kalA of the 16 kalAs previously mentioned).  The term ‘எறிவ து அறியாமல் ‘refers to being unaware of the movement of prAnA – i.e. when the prAnA is made to flow through the central sushumnA nAdi instead of flowing through the idA and the pingalA. During this stage, the aspirant is not aware of physical processes and is in a state of suspended animation. The experiencer consciousness remains only as the witness or sAkshi bhAvA – without identification with everything. Instead there is awareness only of the supreme tattvA which is the state of I am.

thirucchitrambalam ||

The sixteen kalAs are within, why then the grave? - mantrA 185

srigurubhyO namahA |
The sage speaks of the prasAda neri or the path of Grace, a process where the strengths of this human condition are utilised to help take one to a level of 'super human'.

ஒன்றிய ஈரெண் கலையும் உடனுற
நின்றது கண்டு நினைக்கிலர் நீசர்கள்
கன்றிய காலன் கருக்குழி வைத்தபின்
சென்றதில் வீழ்வர் திகைப்பொழி யாரே. I.4.9.185

The ignorant ponder not even awhile,
The Kalas twice-eight within them stand;
When Death sets his snare-pit for them to fall,
Headlong they drop to utter stupefaction abandoned. I.4.9.185

Com - The Kalas twice-eight within them stand; Though the sixteen kalAs are ever present (as pathways to the supreme) within one The ignorant ponder not even awhile, the ignorant people do not utilise the kalAs as the way to reach and contemplate the supreme siva. When Death sets his snare-pit for them to fall, Instead when the lord of Time and the lord of death (rudrA) sets them up for (death and) future births by sending them to the next womb Headlong they drop they simply fall headlong into further births. To utter stupefaction abandoned their ignorance and delusion will never be overcome.

*The word ‘ நினைக்கிலர்  ‘ which refers to the ignorant masses who ‘ do not think/contemplate’ is here indicative of the fact that most of us are so caught up in the play of the material world that we do not pause to realise that we are possessed of the shOdasha kalA (the 16 kalAs of the lunar orb or Chandra mandala). To the yOgi who knows how to ascend the 16 kalAs of the moon and reach dvAdashAnthA (at the crown of the head), the supreme principle (siva) becomes manifest as pure radiance and light. This particular yOgic process is also known as prasAda neri – the path of Grace. Taking the entire verse in consideration it becomes clear that one must strive to utilise the body (as the kalAs are present within this body) while it is still possessed of vitality and practise those methods that will enable one to ascend the path of sushumnA. Otherwise, instead of following the path of Grace one is led down the path of delusion – i.e. entanglement in the birth death transmigratory cycle endlessly. The ‘snare – pit’ of death is nothing but yet another womb to take birth in as surely death will follow birth.

thirucchitrambalam ||

Deeds in youth seal Fate's end - mantrA 184

srigurubhyO namahA |
In the 184th verse, the sage mentions that if one does not begin the practise of stilling the agitated prAnA or life current that moves within the body before one turns thirty, it becomes impossible to rise above the fetters of misapprehension and eventually death.

கண்ணதும் காய்கதி ரோனும் உலகினை
உண்ணின்று அளக்கின்றது ஒன்றும் அறிகிலார்
விண்ணுறு வாரையும் வினையுறு வாரையும்
எண்ணுறும் முப்பதில் ஈர்ந்தொழிந் தாரே. I.4.8. 184

They know not that the radiant Sun we daily see
Measures the arch of life and its span doth appraise;
Heaven we reach or fall into Karma's grip;
Thus our fate is sealed by what we do in spring of youth. I.4.8.184

Com - that the radiant Sun we daily see The cool moon and the radiant sun Measures the arch of life and its span doth appraise; which reside within the bodies of all those who populate this world and act as the measure's of everyone’s life span They know not are not recognised by the ignorant who live without awareness of this truth. Heaven we reach or fall into Karma's grip; those that are fortunate enough to attain to perfection and be saved and those that fall into lesser births and are destroyed Thus our fate is sealed by what we do in spring of youth. Are effectively separated by the sun and the moon before one reaches the age of thirty.

*There are a few changes in the English verse for this mantrA that occur differently in the Tamil original. The word ‘கண்ணதும் ‘means the eye, which is a symbol for bIja (seed/vitality). The ruler for that is the moon. Thus the word is a code to indicate the moon – i.e the lunar channel (idA nAdi) which is cooling. The radiant sun refers to the solar channel – pingalA nAdi. The second line of the verse speaks of how most of us are not aware of the fact that as the prAnA or vital air engages in its journey via the solar and lunar channels, one’s life span is constantly being diminished. To still the prAnA means to prolong life. The word ‘முப்பதில் ‘though translated as spring of youth in the English verse, actually means thirty. Here it refers to thirty years. The sage indicates here that those who are fortunate enough to understand or at least get a glimpse of self knowledge (Atma vidyA) before they turn thirty will have a chance to attain perfection and the higher realms and those who have gone beyond their thirtieth year without such understanding will be dragged down to more births due to the taint of karma.

thirucchitrambalam ||