THAYUMANAVAR’S POEMS.

ஆகாரபுவனம்.

சிதம்பரரகசியம்

      ஆகார புவனமின்பா காரமாக

            வங்ஙனே யொருமொழியா லகண்டா கார

      யோகாநு பூதிபெற்ற வன்ப ராவிக்

            குறுதுணையே யென்னளவு முகந்த நட்பே

      வாகாரும் படிக்கிசைகிண் கிணிவா யென்ன

            மலர்ந்தமல ரிடைவாசம் வயங்கு மாபோல்

      தேகாதி யுலகமெங்குங் கலந்து தானே

            திகழனந்தா னந்தமயத் தெய்வக் குன்றே.                  1

A’gara-Bhuvanam (The manifested world)

The Secret of Chithambaram.

132.     O Thou most devoted Friend of Thy lovers who are accomplished by the uttering of the Holy Syllable in universal Yoga and to whom therefore this manifested world has become the universe of eternal bliss! O Thou Friend of even me!

            O Rock of endless Bliss, Thou pervadest the whole universe of body and souls even as the sweet fragrance of the half-opened buds beautifully shaped like the tinkling bells.

      அனந்தபத வுயிர்கடொறு முயிரா யென்று

            மானந்த நிலையாகி யளவைக் கெட்டாத

      தனந்தனிச்சின் மாத்திரமாய்க் கீழ்மேல் காட்டாச்

            சதசத்தா யருட் கோயிற் றழைத்த தேவே

      இனம்பிரிந்த மானபோனா னிடையாவண்ண

            மின்பமுற வனபர்பக்க விருத்தி வைத்துக்

      கனந்தருமா கனமேதண் ணருளிற் றானே

            கனிபலித்த வானந்தக் கட்டிப் பேறே.                      2

133.     O The animating Principle of all co-existent souls in all their different conditions of existence! O The Eternal Ananda! O The Absolute Intelligence beyond all methods of logic! O the limitless Satasat* with me Below nor Above! O God illumining the Glorious Temple of Grace! O The Supreme Honor, Thou hast chosen to exalt me and place me in the beatific region of Thy devotees, so that I might not bear the pain of a deer separated from its kind.

            O Thou Fruit of Bliss supreme generated out of Thy own Grace! †

[* The epithet ‘Satasat’ is generally applied to jivatmas or souls in this school. But the saint beautifully uses the term to devote the Paramatma (Supreme Siva) also. A jivatma is from the stand point of its anubhava called ‘satasat’ (satasat); for, in the course of sadana or evolution it is one with ‘asat’ (maya world) and in the Sadin or Advaita Sivasayujya Mukti it becomes one with sat (God). Likewise the Supreme Paramatma may, from the stand point of drdupava, be called ‘Satasat’ too; for, He is one with atma in its bhanda state i.e., one with ‘asat’ or ignorance though free from it and in His Anugraha He is one with a Jivan Mukta (emancipated atma) in its (atmas) bright state of Sivasayujya i.e. one with each soul asat though untainted by it.

† The Para-sakti though inseparable and indivisible from Parama Siva (Supreme Sat), yet Parama Siva is said to be independent in nature and existence and power and the Para-sakti a dependent on Him (Vide ‘Gouri-lila Samanditha Moortham’ in Siva-Parakramam.]

      பேறனைத்து மணுவெனவே யுதறித் தள்ளப்

            பேரின்ப மாகவந்த பெருகே பேசா

      வீறனைத்து மிந்நெறிக்கே யென்ன வென்னை

            மேவென்ற வரத்தேபாழ் வெய்ய மாயைக்

      கூறனைத்துங் கடந்தவெல்லைச் சேடமாகிக்

            குறைவறநின் றிடுநிறைவே குலவா நின்ற

      ஆறனைத்தும் புகுங்கடல்போற் சமய கோடி

            யத்தனையுந் தொடர்ந்துபுகு மாதி நட்பே.                  3

134.     O Boundless Ananda of endless Beatitude that dost trifle away all the excellent gifts of this sadhana world!

            O Providential Lord that dost out of pure Grace, constrain Thy advanced Siva-yogins towards Thyself! O Blissful Omnipresence resting beyond the plane of maya which is replete with millions of illusory phenomena!

            O The Ancient Resplendent Love* of Bliss wherein do merge the myriads of different creeds just like the rivers empty themselves into the Great Ocean!

[* When love to all creatures increases, the love leaves the lover in the common platform where all creeds and all religions become truths and truths of various stages i.e. Dasa marga; or Saha marga; or Satputra marga – all which lead to the Highest Truth or mere steps lower than the higher one and each lower step cannot be avoided just as much as boy-hood cannot have been avoided in attaining the old age. Thus every lower step is a necessity to reach the higher one and all the lower steps are indispensable to souls for getting at the Highest Sanmarga aforesaid, whereby alone the Parabrahmam can be reached.]

      ஆதியந்த மெனுமெழுவா யீறற் றோங்கி

            யருமறையின் னமுங்காணா தரற்ற நானா

      பேதமதங் களுமலைய மலைபோல் வாதப்

            பெற்றியரும் வாய்வாதப் பேய ராகச்

      சாதகமோ னத்திலென்ன வடவா வீழல்

            தண்ணருட்சந் திரமெளலி தடக்கைக் கேற்க

      வேதகசின் மாத்திரமா யெம்ம னோர்க்கும்

            வெளியாக வந்தவொன்றே விமல வாழ்வே.               4

135.     O the Ninamala one, possessing the Divine Grace and wearing the cool moon as Thy Head ornament! Thou didst manifest Thy spiritual nature to Thy devotees under the banyan tree in the North and revealed to them Thy sacred symbol of chinmudra which changed and deified their human nature. This silent teaching of Thine disclosed to us at once the final Truth that the next step or Sadana to moksha consists in the harmonious state of Thy Silent Meditation, wherein alone Thou wilt be manifest and discernible to Thy devotees. And Thou wilt now show Thyself, O The Eternal Immutable Lord, either to the rare Vedas or to the different religions not two of which agree in Thy worship or to those obstinate controversialists who simply contend against one another in words or indulge themselves in bare faced technicalities.

      விமலமுதற் குணமாகி நூற்றெட் டாதி

            வேதமெடுத் தெடுத் துரைத்த விருத்திக் கேற்க

      அமையுமிலக் கணவடிவா யதுவும் போதா

            தப்பாலுக் கப்பாலா யருட்கண் ணாகிச்

      சமமுமுடன் கலப்புமவிழ் தலுமியாங் காணத்

            தண்ணருடந் தெமைக்காகுஞ் சாக்‌ஷிப் பேறே

      இமையளவு முபகார மல்லால் வேறொன்

            றியக்காநிர்க் குணக்கடலா யிருந்த வொன்றே.              5

136.     O Thou the All-knowing witness and our All-gracious protector, Thou possessest guna or attributes like resplendent purity &c; and, besides, Thou art the Being of such nature that Thou dost answer well to the description in the one hundred and eight* and other commentaries of the Vedas; and yet transcendent far, far beyond such descriptions, and is pure Love. Thou didst bless us with abilities† to discriminate ourselves from Thee, to know our advaita relation to Thee and our Sivasayujya Mukti in Thee. O Thou Absolute One, free from all qualities, ‡ Who art over employed, every moment in doing naught but good to us. §

[* The 108 Upanishads are meant here which are but the commentaries of the Vedic Sruti, varying according to the nature and maturity of the commentators.

† The souls become able to get knowledge only if they are given embodiments i.e., Thanu, karana, bhuvana, bhoga.

‡ The reference is to the three qualities Satva – Rajas – Tamas.

§ c.f., “Though man sits still and takes his ease, God is at work on man; No means, no moment unemployed, To bless him if he can.” (T. Young).]

      ஒன்றாகிப் பலவாகிப் பலவாக் கண்ட

            வொளியாகி வெளியாகி யுருவு மாகி

      நன்றாகித் தீதாதி மற்று மாகி

            நாசமுட னுற்பத்தி நண்ணா தாகி

      இன்றாகி நாளையுமாய் மேலு மான

            வெந்தையே யெம்மானே யென்றென் றேங்கிக்

      கன்றாகிக் கதறினர்க்குச் சேதா வாகிக்

            கடிதினில்வந் தருள்கூருன் கருணை விண்ணே.            6

137.     O the Bright Gnanakas of Divine Grace, as readily as a cow answers to its bellowing calf Thy boundless Grace flows to such of Thy dependent souls as do cry and grow ripe|| for it by the constant offering of devotional prayers to Thee in terms like these: -

            O Father, O the supreme Lord, Thou art the One and many Thou art the various shining objects and Thou art the broad space. Thou art all the forms. Thou art good, bad,* and else. Thou canst never be destroyed, since Thou wast never newly brought into existence. And Thou art today, tomorrow and beyond.

[|| Some idler puts the question why the Almighty God should not emancipate all the souls at once and why He should wait to see them suffer Karma in this Prapancha wrought for that purpose. These questions will vanish if they should wait to see that our Supreme Lord’s scheme adopted for the soul’s sake cannot be questioned by the souls when the souls are to be matured and redeemed, in our Lord’s choice, only by that method. They may rather question or check themselves why they should not ripen themselves by Sariya, &c., and mould their turbulent manas to our Lord’s blessing being conferred as the Vedas and Agamas declare.

* Bad to the wicked.]

      அருள்பழுத்த பழச்சுவையே கரும்பே தேனே

            யாரமிர்தே யென்கண்ணே யரியவான

      பொருளனைத்துந் தரும்பொருளே கருணை நீங்காப்

            பூரணமாய் நின்றவொன்றே புனிதவாழ்வே

      கருதரிய கருத்ததனுட் கருத்தாய் மேவிக்

            காலமுந்தேசமும் வருத்துக் கருவியாதி

      விரிவினையுங் கூட்டியுயிர்த் திரளை யாட்டும்

            விழுப்பொருளே யான்சொலும் விண்ணப்பங்கே.            7

138.     O the flavor of the fruit of Divine Grace! O the juice of sugar cane, the honey of flowers! O the boundless ambrosia! O my Eye! O the All-pervading, All-gracious Lord Absolute! O Life Pure, the thought past of thought in souls! Having appointed the time and space for them, and endowing them with the powers and faculties, senses, &c., Thou dost guide them indeed in the course of evolution according to their cravings† O Thou super-eminent Lord, do Thou also listen to my supplication.

[† The Saint has brought out in this verse that without the aid of Providence, the souls cannot set themselves to the cycle of evolution or furnish themselves with thanu, karana, bhuvana and bhoga, just as without a man’s will set to operate, his organs or senses become inactive or useless. When the will works, the whole machine (body) works. Otherwise, no. c.f. verses 101, 123 and 128 with notes.]

      விண்ணவரிந் திரன்முதலோர் நார தாதி

            விளங்குசப்த ருஷிகள்கன வீணை வல்லோர்

      எண்ணரிய சித்தர்மநு வாதி வேந்தர்

            யிருக்காதி மறைமுனிவ ரெல்லா மிந்தக்

      கண்ணகன்ஞா லம்மதிக்கத் தானே யுள்ளங்

            கையினெல்லிக் கனிபோலக் காட்சி யாகத்

      திண்ணியால் வறிவாலிச் சம்யத் தன்றோ

            செப்பரிய சித்திமுத்தி சேர்ந்தா ரென்றும்.                  8

139.     It was in this school of religion that all great sages attained Siddhis and Muktis or states of moksha; for example, all Devas, Indra, &c., Narada, &c., Sapta‡ rishis, those who can play well upon large flutes, the innumerable Siddhas,§ the rulers Manu, &c., and the Munis well learned in the Vedas, Rig, &c. It was by the Advaita Sivagnana attainable in this school that they succeeded in realizing the true final goal as clear as the nelli fruit placed in the palm of the hand and being manifest to the whole world.

            Note: - The reason why this Saiva Siddhanta school has been resorted to by all great Saints is given in the next following connected verses 140 to 143.

[‡ Sapta = sever.

§ Siddhas are those acquiring the incidental powers in Siva Raja Yoga.]

      செப்பரிய சமயநெறி யெல்லாந் தந்தம்

            தெய்வமே தெய்வமெனுஞ் செயற்கையான

      அப்பரிசா ளருமஃதே பிடித்தா லிப்பா

            லடுத்தவந்நூல் களும் விரித்தே யநுமா நாதி

      ஒப்பவிரித் துரைப்பரிங்ஙன் பொய்மெய் யென்ன

            வொன்றிலையொறெனப்பார்ப்பதொவ்வாதார்க்கும்

      இப்பரிசாஞ் சமயமுமா யல்ல வாகி

            யாதுசம யமும்வணங்கு மியல்ப தாகி.                    9

140.     As the religion universal which can stand?

            Not those religions, each in its place sound and fair: -

            Each would call its God ‘The Supreme and e’er demand,

            Though arbitrary it should be, a lion’s share

            By th’ blinded reasons with persistence and despair,

            With unsound inference and logic, no command;

            And ’ld simply cry out its religion “True and fair.”

            How can one rung be nil in th’ Moksha’s ladder grand?

            Each rung is true, and the soul in it can perceive

            The need of all, a dvaitam each to love the Lord;

            The Union Advaitic the dvaitic love doth weave

            And ends in former, The Supreme Divine Reward:*

            That which would this state is the Universal Chief

            Which stands above, grants the rest, and claims from each regard.

[* c.f. with notes verse 91, 117, 133, 134 & 137. “The dvaitic love doth weave the Advaitic Union, the Supreme Divine Reward.” All Schools of religion, as already observed, divide themselves into dvaita or advaita i.e., either (1) those in which the soul (worshipper or devotee) feels God different and in the second person or (2) those in which the soul loses itself in God by abstract meditation (yoga) some declaring the nonentity of soul-devotee and the existence of God alone, and the other declaring the soul’s existence throughout from devotee process to advaita Union. The last mentioned which predicated the advaitic end and at the same time is not antagonistic to the dvaitic course or means can be the mother-school of all and the world-school of all. Such a School declares rightly “Path or Ladder to Moksha is duality (dvaita) and the end or destination (Moksha) is non-duality (advaita) and as such can be addressed as “the only Tolerant school” i.e., THE SAIVA SIDDHANTA SCHOOL. What is the meaning of ‘Toleration’ in the Vedic sense of the term? Not, that which makes all souls equal, all castes equal and creates a confusion worse confounded, defeating the Providential design. The Sacred Teaching should be adapted to the souls in the order they deserve; but not that all souls, ripe and unripe, rude and unrude, civilized and barbarous, Saiva or non-Saiva, or vegetarians or non-vegetarians, should be adapted at once to the Sacred Teaching. The right meaning of ‘toleration’ is non-conversion’ or allowing each soul to stand in its own rung as it stands and bidding it see below and see above and understand that it has got over so many rungs and that there are so many rungs to be got over still – the ladder is tremendously high. But if you should ill-advise that soul that its rung is false and that your rung, say several steps above the former, is true, and that that soul should get at once to your rung, is it possible or conceivable for that soul to do it i.e., to jump over at once to your rung across several intermediate rungs? The philosophers can well see the absurdity if they open their inner eyes and see the truth evidenced by the Dravida Sruti as contained in this verse.

            “சமயம் பலவாகச் சாதி பலவாக

                  உமையான் விதித்த வினையுண்டால் – சமயம்

            அவனவனுக்கேதோ வவனவனுக்காங்கென்

                  சிவனெறி தன் பேறேதிறம்.”

In perfect accordance with the multifarious merits of the myriads of coexistent souls, the Perfect Lord has fixed the corresponding number of stage of religion (சமயங்கள்) or rungs. Therefore in whatever stage or rung you see a soul or man, tolerate him and allow him to stop there, calling his rung good and bidding him see above and look for the next rung, and the next rung alone, not more. The Saiva Religion which predicates in this way is the Universal Religion. It is this Saiva Religion that has prescribed four margas or ways of exercising love to God (Dvaita practices), which four ways befit the several existing classes of mankind. Viz. (1) The first class for whom the religion of love and obedience (Dasa Marga) is fixed. (2) A second class most dutiful and full of filial love towards God for whom the Satputra marga is prescribed (3) A highly advanced class with their instincts of love and knowledge fully evolved for whom the Saha Marga is prescribed, and (4) a fourth class in whom the Sivagnana is best ripe for whom the Sanmarga is prescribed. Not a religion we see on this earth which does not come under one or other of the said four margas. If there is any difference felt or preached, the difference is only in words or technicalities. In these circumstances the Saiva Religion further described in the next connected verses 141 and the rest may, with sound reasons, be called and known as a TOLERANT WHOLE of which all other religions are but parts. C. F. “According to Vedanta we do not come from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lower truth to higher truth, by the process of evolution. Each of the innumerable stages of evolution cannot be called either good or bad. When we do not compare one stage with another it appears to be neither good nor bad. We cannot find fault with any one of them. The individual soul gradually gains experience by passing through these stages and marches onward towards perfection which is the end and aim of evolution.” – Awakened India of August 99 p. 113]

      இயல்பென்றுந் திரியாம லியம மாதி

            யெண்குணமுங் காட்டியன்பா லினபமாகிப்

      பயனருளப் பொருள்கள்பரி வார மாகிப்

            பண்புறவுஞ் செளபாந பக்‌ஷங் காட்டி

      மயலறுமந் திரஞ்சிக்‌ஷை சோதி டாதி

            மற்றங்க நூல்வணங்க மெளந மோலி

      அயர்வறச்சென் னியில்வைத்து ராஜாங் கத்தி

            லமர்ந்த துவை திகசைவ மழகி தந்தோ.            10

141.     O Glory be to this Supreme Vedanta’s Crown

            Of blessed harmony and unremitting love;

            To which Vedagamas, Vedangas must bow down, -

            The latter th’ parts Khendas, Siksha* and others gave;

            Which doth kill soul’s nescience and path to heaven pave,

            The path of fourfold steps† of love and of renown;

            And which itself adorned with acts divine and grave

            Doth well reveal that all excellent gifts of town

            And city, capital and palace, full of wealth,

            Are given to man not in vain but with design,

            The Lord’s design to bless the souls with lasting health;

            The Bliss Eternal, changeless change four mansions fine.‡

            Ah! equally eternal is this School. No stealth

            It has the Siv-Raj-Yoga, Yama, eight in line.

[* The Vedangas or members of the Veda are 6 in number: - Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas and Jyotisha. (1) Siksha is the science of grammatical elements, (2) Kalpa is the body of rules on rituals, (3) Vyakarana is grammar, (4) Nirukta is etymological explanation, (5) Chandas or mantras means magical hymns and (6) Jyotisha is astronomical science.

† The four fold steps are Siva Sariya – Siva kiriya – Siva yoga and Siva Gnana and these four squared become sixteen.

‡ The four mansions are Saloka – Samipya – Sarupa and Sayujya the four States of Moksha.]

      அந்தோவீ ததிசயமிச் சமயம் போலின்

            றறிஞ்ரெல்லா நடுவறிய வணிமா வாதி

      வந்தாடித் திரிபவர்க்கும் பேசா மோனம்

            வைத்திருந்த மாதவர்க்கு மற்று மற்றும்

      இந்த்ராதி போகநலம் பெற்ற பேர்க்கு

            மிதுவன்றித் தாயகம்வே றில்லை யில்லை

      சந்தாந கற்பகம்போ லருளைக் காட்டத்

            தக்கநெறி யில்நெறியே தான்சன் மார்க்கம்.                11

142.       O what an admirable is th’ Saiva-Siddhanta!

            The best and purest course to raise the souls to Heaven;

            The best and purest made to invocate the Lord’s grant

            Of boundless Grace, which is as by Devtarus* given.

            To souls advanced in tatvas twenty-five and eleven.

            Lo! This is the best munificent faith fit to plant.

            In the minds of true jnanis to researches driven.

            The high conviction that this is the mother-grant.

            Alike to suit the Siddhas† playing in anima‡

            And other powers; or to great devotees drowned

            In blessed silence the best concentration law;

            Or to those sunk in Indra’s great delights§ profound;

            To all alike; to all beloved; to all the one.

            Inspiring; and to all a Universal Sound.||

[* The devatarus are the wishing-trees. They yield what the owner wishes for.

† Here the saint refers to the wide accommodating characters of the Saiva Siddhanta School of Religion. Of the sages’ siddhas, yogis, bhaktas and devoted Jnanis, the saint mentions the first and the last, so that all the four classes of sages may be included. The order is as given above according to Dravida Sruti.

‡ c.f., Notes to verse 44.

§ Indra’s bhoga (sensations or sensual delights) is considered the greatest Temporal Happiness in the Universe.

|| Universal sound can be the name of this religion since it is an inviting peal to all as சேரவாருஞ்செகத்திரே (O ye, men of the world, come and join this), being the mother-religions to all the rest.]

      சன்மார்க்க ஞானமதின் பொருளும் வீறு

            சமயசங்கே தப்பொருளுந் தானொன் றாகப்

      பன்மார்க்க நெறியினிலுங் கண்ட தில்லை

            பகர்வரிய தில்லைமன்றுட் பார்த்த போதங்

      சென்மார்க்க மிருக்குதெல்லாம் வெளியே யென்ன

            யெச்சமயத் தவர்களும்வந் திறைஞ்சா நிற்பர்

      கன்மார்க்க நெஞ்சமுவ வெனர்க்குந் தானே

            கண்டவுட னானந்தங் காண்ட லாகும்.                     12

143.     In no religion but this we see harmony;

            The Highest Moksha’s Gnana-Sadana as well

            As patience to assimilate the bigotry,

            Conceitedness, fanaticism and verbal spell

            Of low religionists that no good logic smell;

            Ay! In th’ Supreme Hall in Thillai* we nothing see

            But akas-gnanakas-the world’s great fait to sell

            Commodities of various kinds and many,

            Which respond to souls varieties in taste and fate,

            Which feed their cravings, which eat their likes and dislikes,

            Set by the cause and effect of their Karmic state†

            Hence I too joy‡ that the ‘Hall of Divine Wisdom, strikes

            A universal Bell; a universal gate

            For all to enter and assume th’ bliss which each likes. §

[* Thillai is the Sacred place of ‘Chidambaram.’ Where ‘Sri Natesa Murti’ – the highest manifestation of Parabrahmam for the sake of souls or Jivas which are in need of spiritual promotion.

† The technical term is ‘Chitsabha’ or ‘Chithakasam.’

‡ ‘I too Joy’ The saint says this, for he calls himself stony hearted and unworthy.

§ Each religious school has its own ideal to worship or practice and has its own Goal to reach. But each method and end must form one or other of the four Margas and four heavenly and mansions posited by this (Saiva Siddhanta) School. c.f., Notes under verses 140 and 141.]

      காண்டல்பெறப் புறத்தினுள்ள படியே யுள்ளும்

            காட்சிமெய்ந்நூல் சொலும்பதியாங் கடவு ளேநீ

      நீண்டநெடு மையுமசலத் குறுக்குங் காட்டா

            நிறைபரிபூ ரணவறிவாய் நித்த மாகி

      வேண்டுவிருப் பொடுவெறுப்புச் சமீபந் தூரம்

            விலகலணு குதல்முதலாம் விவகா ரங்கள்

      பூண்டவள வைகண்மனவாக் காதி யெல்லாம்

            பொருந்தாம லகம்புறமும் புணர்க்கை யாகி.               13

144.    O! The Supreme Lord of all, all sacred writings declare Thy Divine nature to be alike both within and without. Thou art The Interpenetrating Universal Intelligence, ever existent and unchangeable, limited by no dimensions of any kind, beyond all thought and description and not ascertainable by any criteria such as the attributes of likes or dislikes, the measure of nearness or remoteness, or the acts of union or separation.

      ஆகியதற் காரியவூ கத்துக் கேற்ற

            வமலமாய் நடுவாகி யனந்த சத்தி

      யோகமுறு மானந்த மயம தாகி

            யுயிர்க்குயிரா யெந்நாளு மோங்கா நிற்ப

      மோகவிருண் மாயைவினை யுயிர்கட் கெல்லா

            மொய்த்த தென்கொ லுபகார முயற்சி யாகப்

      பாகமிக வருளவொரு சத்தி வந்து

            பதிந்ததென்கொ னானெனுமப்பான்மை யென்கொல்.         14

     

145.     While Thou art the eternal Sat shining inseparably with the Saktis that do constitute Thy Female Energy; While Thou art the Universal Bliss; While Thou art the Pure Intelligence and the Supreme Cause of the Benevolent Scheme of Providence crowned with even-handedness; and While Thou art, as a fact, the animating Life-Principles of all souls in the Universe, How was it that the souls became enshrouded with mala ignorance), Maya, and Karma? How was it that the egotism of ‘Iness’ came to be possessed by the souls? And how was it O Lord, that, by means of soul’s acts and thoughts of devotion due to Thy Beneficent Kiriya Sakti, Thy Gnana Sakti, caused itself to be felt by souls matured?

[Note: -  Here our Saint points out that with no contradiction or inconsistency the souls (themselves Chits or intelligences) can remain enshrouded with Anava (ignorance) though they co-exist with and are dependent on the Supreme Chit (Intelligence) for their life. Existence or evolutionary stage or condition. A consonant has a sound of its own, as it is. Yet it cannot sound distinctly except when in co-existence with vowel A or its modifications. In fact it must sound ever along with the vowel. It cannot get on otherwise.]

R. SHANMUGA MUDALIAR.