THAYUMANAVAR'S POEMS.
மெளனகுரு வணக்கம்.
ஆசைநிக ளத்தினை நிர்த்தூளி படவுதறி
ஆங்கார முளையை யெற்றி
அத்துவித மதமாகி மதமாறு மாறாக
அங்கையின் விலாழி யாக்கிப்
பாசவிரு டன்னிழ லெனச்சுளித் தார்த்துமேற்
பார்த்துப் பரந்த மனதைப்
பாரித்த கவளமாய்ப் பூரிக்க வண்டுமுக
படாமன்ன மாயை நூறித்
தேசுபெற நீவைத்த சின்முத்தி ராங்குசச்
செங்கைக் குளேய டங்கிச்
சின்மயா னந்த்சுக வெள்ளம் படிந்துநின்
திருவருட் பூர்த்தி யான
வாசமுறு சற்சார மீதென்னை யொருஞான
மத்தகஜ மெனவ ளர்த்தாய்
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூவன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே 1
ADORATION TO MAUNA-GURU
(THE SAINT'S SPIRITUAL TEACHER).
(THE SAINT'S SPIRITUAL TEACHER).
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra* as well as Tantra† being a follower of the school of Tirumular. Laudable has been your spiritual affection towards me. It has done me not only the negative but also the positive good. Negative good, in that it has expelled from me the elephant-like beastliness with the result that I have thrown off the chains of desire and pulled off the peg of self-pride and, brutish with the true advaita knowledge, I have drunk in as with the elephant's proboscis the sweets of the six alien systems* of Faith; and that, roaring and flying away from my own shadow of my ignorance, I swallowed up to my fill the wandering mind and stripped out the front-let of maya mala.†
When I was, thus, made fit to receive your Grace, you began to show me to my benefit the real positive aspect of your benevolence – that is – fixing me to the goal of your chin-mudra‡ and fostering me like an elephant whose rut is Gnana§ in the province of your Grace, you plunged me deep in the surpassing bliss of Divine Knowledge.||
[* Mantra is Veda and † Tantra is Agama. c. f. Tirumular's verse:-
(The Veda and the Agama are both of them true, both being the Words of the Lord. Think that the first is the general, and the second is the special treatise. Both being the Words of God, if you ask why there is difference between them, the reply is that the great will perceive no difference). This verse is from the Saint Tirumular's sacred Poem called "Tirumantram." He is said to have sat in Yogic contemplation for 3,000 years and sang his "Tirumantram" in 3,000 verses from what he enjoyed in these 3,000 years. The translation of this work is being done in this journal. [Saint Thayumanavar claims descent from Tirumular through his Guru Mouna Desikar].
[* Six alien systems are: 1. Lokayata (materialism), 2. Buddhism, 3. Jainism. 4. Mimamsaka (the doctrine holding that Karma is the first cause). 5. Pancharatra (bigoted Vishnuvism stopping with Mulaprikriti). 6. Mayavatham (Doctrine of Idealism). These six schools are considered imperfect for their intolerance and bigotry inter alia.
† Maya mala as here used includes Karma mala that causes it.
‡ Chin-mudra is the Holy Symbol formed of the thumb and the fore-finger joined at their ends separating the other 3 fingers. The symbol will explain the relation of God to the world as well as souls in the latter's conditioned and unconditioned (moksha) states.
§ Gnana means Divine Knowledge. Vide note to 22nd verse.
|| The blissful effect of initiation and its consequent indispensability to Salvation are suggested in this verse 37.]
ஐந்துவகை யாகின்ற பூதமுத னாதமும்
அடங்கவெளி யாக வெளிசெய்
தறியாமை யறிவாதி பிரிவாக வறிவார்கள்
அறிவாக நின்ற நிலையில்
சிந்தையற நில்லென்று சும்மா விருத்திமேற்
சின்மயா னந்த வெள்ளந்
தேக்கித் திளைத்துநா னதுவா யிருக்கநீ
செய்சித்ர மிகநன் றுகாண்
எந்தைவட வாற்பரம குருவாழ்க வாழவரு
ளியந்ந்தி மரபு வாழ்க
வென்றடியா மனமகிழ வேதாக மத்துணி
பிரண்டில்லை யொன்றென் னவே
வந்தகுரு வேவீறு சிவஞான சித்திநெறி
மெளனோப தேச குருவே
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்தரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 2
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular. Marvellous indeed, was your favor done to me. You raised me to the great sage's state of perfect consciousness where the mind was made inactive and tranquil by the conquest of the tatvas* from the five elements to the sound and, therefore, I became overpowered and identified myself with the supreme Gnana† of bliss.
O Venerable Teacher, you came and instructed the truth of unity between the Veda and the Agamas so as to induce the beloved disciples to send up applause again to the sacred Foot of our Supreme Guru‡ who sat under the Banyan tree in the North and also to the school of Nandi Deva§ who unveiled this truth for the world.
O Silent Teacher, thus you have initiated me into the main path of acquiring the Supreme Sivagnana.||
[* The tatvas are those of man, viz. 5 elements, 5
organs of sensation, 5
objects of senses, touch, smell &.c, 5 organs of action, mouth, foot, &c., and 4 andakaranas – these 24 with the 7 vidhya tatvas and the 5 sutta or siva tatvas ending with 'sound', form the 36 tatvas. These are called internal tatwas. Vide not to 11th verse.
organs of sensation, 5
objects of senses, touch, smell &.c, 5 organs of action, mouth, foot, &c., and 4 andakaranas – these 24 with the 7 vidhya tatvas and the 5 sutta or siva tatvas ending with 'sound', form the 36 tatvas. These are called internal tatwas. Vide not to 11th verse.
† Gnana = knowledge of God.
‡ Guru means Teacher. The reference is to the auspicious Dakshina Murthy.
§ Nandi Deva is the first disciple of the Supreme Guru (Siva).
|| Sivagnana means knowledge of Siva (God).]
ஆதிக்க நல்கினவ ராரிந்த மாயைக்கென்
னறிவின்றி யிடமில் லையோ
அந்தரப் புஷ்பமுங் கானலின் னிருமோ
ரவசரத் துபயோ கமோ
போதித்த நிலையையு மயக்குதே யபயநான்
புக்கவரு டோற்றிடாமல்
பொய்யான வுலகத்தை மெய்யா நிறுத்தியென்
புந்திக்கு ளிந்த்ர ஜாலஞ்
சாதிக்கு தேயிதனை வெல்லவு முபாயநீ
தந்தருள்ள தென்று புகல்வாய்
சண்மத ஸ்தாபனமும் வேதாந்த சித்தாந்த
சமரசநிர் வாக நிலையும்
மாதிக்கொ டண்டப் பரப்பெலா மறியவே
வந்தருளு ஞான குருவே
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே 3
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular. Who gave MayaΩ this wonderful power of fascination? Has it no other place in the Universe but my intelligence? It bewitches me from the Holy End of your teaching and makes this world appear to me to be eternal and unchangeable so as to preclude me from obtaining the Divine Arul.¶
O Spiritual Teacher, may you bless me with the firmness of thought to conquer this deceitful Maya; because I do apprehend that any more conceding to it on my part is as absurd as to aspire for the fair flowers or the sky of water of the mirage.
O reverence to you, my Guru, who let all the world know through my initiation the necessity of establishing the six* local schools of religion and the ecstasy of perceiving the supreme stage† of unity between the Vedanta and the Siddhanta.
[Ω Maya means cosmic matter. Vide note to 37th verse.
¶ Arul means Grace. It is also called Arul Sakti (of God).
* Six local schools of religion: Our beloved Saint Thayumanavar (as Vedanta Siddhanti or still more appropriately Saiva Siddhanti, i.e. the knower and embracer of the True End (of the Vedas) – viz. the true meaning that God is Siva or Love
in his absoluteness when He is the motionless Parabrahmam devoid of form and attribute and beyond the reach of the Vedagamas and of the human mind and tongue) rightly recognizes the need of the six dualistic Saiva Schools leading at once to the True End stated above. The 6 schools are: - (1) The Saivaism personifying Siva as – Tandava Bushana or Lord of the World dancing. (2) Pasupataism personifying Siva as Pasupathi (Lord of Souls) wearing ashes and having large braids of hair. (3) Maha-vrataism personifying Siva as wearing a garland of bones (Lord of Sutta Vidhya Bhavana). (4) Kala-Mukaism personifying Siva as wearing strings of beads of crystals and of those called putra-dipa. (5) Vama who worship Siva personified as holding fire and wearing sacred thread (punool) and as being the Lord of Sakti (Kala Bhuvana). (6) Bhairavites whose God (Siva) is represented as Bhairava holding Tamuruka (drum) in his hand and wearing ankle-rings in the leg).
in his absoluteness when He is the motionless Parabrahmam devoid of form and attribute and beyond the reach of the Vedagamas and of the human mind and tongue) rightly recognizes the need of the six dualistic Saiva Schools leading at once to the True End stated above. The 6 schools are: - (1) The Saivaism personifying Siva as – Tandava Bushana or Lord of the World dancing. (2) Pasupataism personifying Siva as Pasupathi (Lord of Souls) wearing ashes and having large braids of hair. (3) Maha-vrataism personifying Siva as wearing a garland of bones (Lord of Sutta Vidhya Bhavana). (4) Kala-Mukaism personifying Siva as wearing strings of beads of crystals and of those called putra-dipa. (5) Vama who worship Siva personified as holding fire and wearing sacred thread (punool) and as being the Lord of Sakti (Kala Bhuvana). (6) Bhairavites whose God (Siva) is represented as Bhairava holding Tamuruka (drum) in his hand and wearing ankle-rings in the leg).
† The Supreme End of the Saiva Siddhanta school being to identify oneself with God as Love where dualism is no more in the Anubhava, is True Vedanta.]
மின்னனைய பொய்யுடலை நிலையென்று மையிலகு
விழிகொண்டு மையல் பூட்டும்
மின்னார்க ளின்பமே மெய்யென்றும் வளர்மாட
மேல்வீடு சொர்க்க மென்றும்
பொன்னையழி யாதவளர் பொருளென்று போற்றியிப்
பொய்வேஷ மிகுதி காட்டிப்
பொறையறிவு துறவீத லாதிநற் குணமெலாம்
போக்கிலே போக விட்டுத்
தன்னிகரி லோபாதி பாழ்ம்பேய் பிடித்திடத்
தரணிமிசை லோகா யுதன்
சமயநடை சாராமல் வேதாந்த சித்தாந்த
சமரச சியானு பூதி
மன்னவொரு சொற்கொண் டெனைத்தடுத் தாண்டன்பின்
வாழ்வித்த ஞான குருவே
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 4
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular. O Spiritual Guru, I greatly esteem Your Divine love in taking me into your service and, in one word, inspiring me with the Supreme knowledge of unity between the Vedanta and the Siddhanta. O, you have thus saved me, indeed, from being led away into the pandemonium of Lokayata.*
Horrible are the evils of a Lokayata: his physical body, transient as it is like a flash of lightning, is the soul eternal for him. His summum bonum is the sensual pleasures of the society of women who can easily charm him with their black painted eyes. His Svarga† is the high storied house to enjoy those pleasures in. To him the eternal Sat is the wealth that can procure him all these.
Thus vainly indulging himself in the carnal pleasures of this life he becomes, of course, devoid of good qualities patience, perceptivity, renunciation and charity and possessed of the evil qualities lopa &c.‡
[* Lokayata is materialism. Vide note to 37th verse.
† Svarga is the Heaven which is abode of Gods. This is not Moksha.
‡ The saint refers to the five evil qualities (1) Kama (desire of lust), (2) Krodha (anger), (3) Lopa (covetousness), (4) Mada (pride) and (5) Matsara or Macharya (envy). These five are the principle bad qualities giving birth to many sub-divisions.]
போனக மிருக்கின்ற சாலையிடை வேண்டுவ
புசித்தற் கிருக்கு மதுபோற்
புருஷர்பெறு தர்மாதி வேதமுட னாகமம்
புகலுமதி னாலாம் பயன்
ஞானநெறி முக்யநெறி காட்சியனு மானமுதல்
நானா விதங்க டேர்ந்து
நானா னெனக்குளறு படைபுடை பெயர்த்திடவு
நான்குசா தனமு மோர்ந்திட்
டானநெறி யாஞ்சரியை யாதிசோ பானமுற்
றணுபக்ஷ சம்பு பக்ஷம்
ஆமிரு விகற்பமு மாயாதி சேவையும்
அறிந்திரண் டொன்றென் னுமோர்
மானத விகற்பமற வென்றுநிற் பதுநமது
மரபென்ற பரம குருவே
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 5
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular. You have well taught me the supreme universal nature¶ of our Saiva Siddhanta Philosophy. That it teaches us that, as in a public kitchen, we can find all needful victuals to eat, so the Vedagamas* lay down the several aims of existence for man such as dharma† &c; that Gnana-Marga‡ in the direct and immediate means for attaining the Highest End; that we should, therefore, try to destroy our self-consciousness and, applying ourselves to such methods of reasoning as induction, analogy, argument from sight &c., we should by Sadhana-chatushtaya§ discriminate ourselves from our Lord as well as this world of maya and get through the gradational steps of Sariya|| &c; and that we can, then, reach the final advaita state of moksha (called Siva-sayugyaΩ in the Vedas) where we will be neither one or two with the Supreme Siva enjoying Him as All-love.
[¶ c.f. last para of 39th verse (Translation) and notes.
* The word 'Vedagamas is the compound of 'veda' and 'agama.'
† Dharma. Here the reference is to the four purusharthas (1) Dharma called in Tamil 'Aram' (அறம்) means 'moral acts', (2) Artha called in Tamil 'porul' (பொருள்) means 'wealth,' (3) Kamya called in Tamil 'Inbam' (இன்பம்) means 'pleasure', (4) Moksha called in Tamil 'Veedu' (வீடு) means 'emancipation.' These 4 are also called 'purushartha chatushtaya.'
‡ Gnana-marga means path of knowledge of God. Vide also notes to 22nd and 37th verses. Bhakti-marga or Karma-marga and Yoga-marga are accessory to the gnana-marga.
§ 'Sadhana-chatushtaya are the four great means or qualities for the Vedantic discipleship going by 4 technical names and meaning (1) discrimination of atma and anatma, (2) a strong disregard for earthly and heavenly rewards, (3) quiescence (Sama), Self-restraint (Dama), faith (Sraddha), concentration of thought (Samadhana), abstinence (Uparathi), and endurance (Titiksha). These 6 are called angams or parts or precepts of the 3rd Sadhana and (4) an intense desire for emancipation and salvation (moksha). [Note how these Sadana chatushtaya have to be attained before following the Sohambavana marga of Sariya, Kriya &c.
|| Vide note to 27th verse for definition of Sariya, Kriya, Yoga and Gnana.
§ Siva-sayugya. Lit. intimate union with Siva (in His Absolute nature as Love). This is the final Moksha or The Eternal Liberation mentioned in the Vedas and attainable by Gnana alone. There are 3 states below this. Viz., (1) Siva Saloka means 'in the same world of Siva, and is attainable by Sariya;' (2) Siva-Samipya means 'in the vicinity of Siva and is attainable by Kiriya;' (3) Siva-Sarupya means 'getting likeness of the nature of Siva, and is attainable by Yoga.' So the True Vedantin whose end is, "Sivoham bhavana" must have gone through the above 4 steps Sariya &c. c.f. 36th verse, and end of 39th verse. ["In my Father's house, there are many mansions."]
கல்லாத வறிவுமேற் கேளாத கேள்வியுங்
கருணைசிறி தேது மில்லாக்
காட்சியுங் கொலைகளவு கட்காம மாட்சியாக்
காதலித் திடுநெஞ் சமும்
பொல்லாத பொய்ம்மொழியு மல்லாது நன்மைகள்
பொருந் துகுண மேது மறியேன்
புருஷர்வடி வானதே யல்லாது கனவிலும்
புருஷார்த்த மேது மில்லேன்
எல்லா மறிந்தநீ யறியாத தன்றெனக்
கெவ்வண்ண முய்வண் ணமோ
இருளையிரு ளென்றவர்க் கொளிதா ரகம்பெறு
மெனக்குநின் னருடா ரகம்
வல்லா னெனும்பெய ருனக்குள்ள தேயிந்த
வஞ்சகனை யான நினையாய்
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 6
O Mauna-Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular.
I am fully convinced of the frailties of bare knowledge;* I am in no way much better than what I should have been, if I had not acquired this knowledge which I have, by learning as well as hearing. For, I have not yet imbibed the divine qualities like fellow-feeling &c., after giving up the low aspirations for lying, killing, pilfering, drinking and lust-fullness.
O my spiritual Guide, You know that I am simply bearing a human frame without ever trying to realize the true end of my existence. And, you being the sole Lord of All-powerfulness, I can never hope of reaching the Salvation except by the Light of Your Grace.*
May You, therefore, place me under your control and protect me.
[* The Saint unravels in this verse the excellence of Saiva Siddhanta School. Mere knowledge of "Sadhana chatushtaya" can not procure the Highest Goal; but, after acquiring it as a matter of course, the pure soul should, by successive stages of Sariya, Kriya, Yoga and Gnana, rise and reach, through God's Grace, the Moksha of Sivohambhavana (the Supreme Adhwaita End). c.f. 41st verse and Mr. Suba Row's "Discourses on the Bhagavat-Gita" where against the Non-theistic Sankhya Philosophy he observes "While Parabrahman remains passive, Prakriti goes on creating the cosmos without its interference. It is not possible to get rid of Prakriti or its Gunams altogether" i.e. Karma which is the inevitable result of Prakriti.' Vide page 84, Edition of 88.]
கானக மிலங்குபுலி பசுவொடு குலாவுநின்
கண்காண மதயா னைநீ
கைகாட்ட வுங்கையா னெகிடிக் கெனப்பெரிய
கட்டைமிக வேந்தி வருமே
போனக மமைந்த்தென வக்காம தேனுநின்
பொன்னடியி னின்று சொலுமே
புவிராஜர் கவிராஜர் தவராஜ னென்றுனைப்
போற்றிஜய போற்றி யென்பார்
ஞானகரு ணாகர முகங்கண்ட போதிலே
நவநாத சித்தர் களுமுன்
னட்பினை விரும்புவார் சுகர்வாம தேவர்முதன்
ஞானிகளு முனைமெக் சுவார்
வானகமு மண்ணகமும் வந்தெதிர் வணங்கிடுமுன்
மகிமையது சொல்ல வெளிதோ
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 7
O Mauna-Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular.
Your glory surpasses the utmost stretch of expression. By virtue of your divine presence, the wild tiger is inspired to love and be sociable with the cow. Even the furious elephant obeys your beck and call and carries, as it were, the fuel for your fire. Every things is at your command; why, the †Kama-dhenu* waits at your feet with readiness of will to proffer you any food you like.
Kings, scholars and great sages such as Suka, Vama-Deva† &c., do extol your supremacy, as the king of ascetics. Your gracious look can win the hearts of the nine Siddhas‡ of powers.
In short it is no wonder if both heavenly and earthly beings shall come and prostrate before you.
[* Kama-Dhenu is the heavenly cow of plenty supposed to give whatever her favorite wants.
† These sages belong to the group of munis whose number is 31.
‡ The 9 siddhas of supernatural powers are: - (1) Satyanatha, (2) Sakodhanatha, (3) Adhi-natha, (4) Vakuli-natha, (5) Madhankanatha, (6) Matsyaindra-natha, (7) Gataindra-natha and (8) Ghoraka-natha.]
சருகுசல பக்ஷணிக ளொருகோடி யல்லாற்
சகோர பக்ஷிகள் போலவே
தவளநில வொழுகமிர்த தாரையுண் டழியாத
தன்மைய ரனந்த கோடி
இருவினைக ளற்றிரவு பகலென்ப தறியாத
ஏகாந்த மோன ஞான
இன்பநிஷ்டையர்கோடி மணிமந்த்ர சித்திநிலை
எய்தி னர்கள் கோடி சூழக்
குருமணி யிழைத்திட்ட சிங்கா தனத்தின் மிசை
கொலுவீற் றிருக்கு நின்னைக்
கும்பிட்ட னந்தமுறை தெண்டனிட் டென்மனக்
குறையெலாந் தீரும் வண்ணம்
மருமல ரெடுத்துனிரு தாளையர்ச் சிக்கவெனை
வாவென் றழைப்ப தெந்நாள்
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 8
O Mauna-Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular.
If no words of praise can comprehend the supreme limits of your glory, may I think of enjoying§ you in such gloriousness. I do ardently wish for the day when I will be permitted always to offer my reverential worship to your feet with fragrant flowers, while you would be seated on the rich ornamental throne, surrounded by the various classes of ascetics – namely – those who can preserve their body by taking in dry leaves and water; and those who can do so by feeding on the lunar beams like the Greek-partridge,* and those free from bondage of action and both day and night immersed in the eternal bliss of silent meditation in solitude; and, above all, those incomparable Siddhas who are possessed of eight kinds of Siddhis or powers.†
[§ Seeing that his Guru's glory is beyond all description, the saint indulges himself in the alternative of realizing it by actual enjoyment prayed for.
* The Greek-partridge is called 'Perdix rufa' said to feed on the moon's beams. In the text, it is called 'Sahora.'
† The 8 siddhis are: - (1) anima (minuteness) endowed with which one can make his way into a solid rock. (2) laghima (lightness) endowed with which one can ascend to the Solar Sphere upon a sun-beam, &c. (3) mahima (magnitude) endowed with which one can expand himself to occupy all space; (4) Prapti (reach) endowed with which one can touch the moon with the tip of finger (5) Prakamya (unobstruction of wish) endowed with which one can, dive or float in earth as in water; (6) Vasita (subjugation of nature) is the power over the elements and elementary beings; (7) Isita (dominion) in which inanimate things obey command; (8) Yatakamavasayita is obtaining any thing desired such as converting poison into ambrosia. C.f. notes to "siddhas" under 21st and 43rd verses.]
ஆங்கார மானகுல வேடவெம் பேய்பாழ்த்த
வாணவத் தினும்வ லிதுகாண்
அறிவினை மயக்கிடு நடுவறிய வொட்டாதி
யாதொன்று தொடினு மதுவாய்த்
தாங்காது மொழிபேச மரிகரப் பிரமாதி
தம்மொடு சமான மென்னும்
தடையற்ற தேரிலஞ் சுருவாணிபோலவே
தன்னிலசை யாது நிற்கும்
ஈங்கர ரெனக்குநிக ரென்னப்ர தாபித்
திராவணா கார மாகி
இதயவெளி யெங்கணுந் தன்னரசு நாடுசெய்
திருக்குமித னொடெநே ரமும்
வாங்காநி லாதடிமை போராட முடியுமோ
மெளனோப தேச குருவே
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 9
O Mauna Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular.
O my Divine Master, hard it is for me to contend against the sinful Egotism. It is the fierce notion of self-property and as such is worse than anava which is mere ignorance. Its evils are many and great: - It stupefies my intelligence and deprives it of its Sattvic‡ rectitude. It does, like the haughty Ravana, § esteem itself as inferior to none else in the universe not even to Trimurti, i.e., Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra.
Heterodoxy is its Orthodoxy and with this maxim it sits firm over my intelligence.
[‡ Sattvic – referable to satva guna (goodness)
§ Ravana is the ten-headed demon, chief of Rakshasas, King of Lanka, vanquished by Rama.]
பற்றுவெகு விதமாகி யொன்றைவிட் டொன்றனைப்
பற்றியுழல் கிருமி போலப்
பாழ்ஞ்சிந்தை பெற்றநான் வெளியாக நின்னருள்
பகர்ந்துமறி யேன்று விதமோ
சிற்றறிவ தன்றியு மெவரேனு மொருமொழி
திடுக்கென் றுரைத்த போது
சிந்தைசெவி யாகவே பறையறைய வுதரவெந்
தீநெஞ்ச மனவ ளாவ
உற்றுணர வுணர்வற்றுன் மத்தவெறி யினர்போல
உளறுவேன் முத்தி மார்க்கம்
உணர்வதெப் படியின்ப துன்பஞ்ச் சமானமாய்
யுறுவதெப் படியா யினும்
மற்றெனக் கையநீ சொன்னவொரு வார்த்தையினை
மலையிலக் கெனநம் பினேன்
மந்த்ரகுரு வேயோக தந்த்ரகுரு வேமூலன்
மரபில்வரு மெளன குருவே. 10
O Mauna-Guru, the prince of Yogins, you are the preceptor of Mantra as well as Tantra being a follower of the school of Tirumular.
Being possessed of a restless mind* like a rambling maggot, I was not able to know the supreme effect of your grace on which I should be ever intent for my final liberation. And I can never expect to get it through the dvaita† knowledge where the idea of 'I' never dies out.
If I should hear any sacred word uttered by any one casually, out of a pinching desire to grasp it I get myself into confusion and blab as in a state of stupor.
How can I, therefore, hope to reach the true path of salvation after getting my good and bad karma equipoised?
But, however, O Lord, I would never think of any thing else but that One Word which you taught me at my initiation.
[* Mind is here used as representing 'andakarana'.
† Dvaita = dualistic. The dvaita schools hold that God is eternally separate from nature (maya) and from the human soul. The dvaita practice or sadhana a necessary unavoidably preliminary in all schools is to worship or contemplate God in the second person in any form. Though the multitude of devotional practices falling under either Sariya, or Kriya or Yoga are all dualistic yet in the fourth and Moksha state of Divine Gnana, the duality ceases and lapses into advaita or non-duality, since then, the mukta lays down his soul to and identifies himself with God. Vide note to 27th verse.]
R. SHANMUGAM MUDALIAR.
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