Tamil version of Yoga and Shiva worship differs slightly from the Vedic Worship.
The Vaasi Yoga of Tamil is the root for Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra in the sense that while Vaasi Yoga addresses the issue of Breath Control directly,Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra goes from the tools to achieve Breath Control.
The Siddhas are like Rishis,Realized Souls,who have revealed texts on Science and Philosophy.
Agastya,Valmiki are Siddhas,according to Tamil literature.
Though there are innumerable Siddhas,Eighteen are considered to be the foremost.
For more read my article on Siddhas.
Shiva is considered to be the First Siddha.
One of the great Siddhas,Thirumoolar had written a treatise called ‘Thiru Mandiram” The Auspicious Mantra,where he details the Attributes of Reality in both ways,one Beyond Attributes and the other with the Attributes ,Nirguna and Saguna Upasna of the Vedas.
I shall write a short note on Thiru Mandhiram and Thirumoolar in a separate article.
Now following the Tamil Grammar ,Thirumoolar begins with the Prayer,he addresses it to Lord Ganesha and follows it up with prayers to others ,the Greatness of the Vedas…….
Then he starts the work,each poem is called Mantra or Mandhiram in Tamil.
To get you know the depth, I am posing on a poem,which forms a part of the Prayer,called Paayiram
Here Thirumoolar describes Shiva from numbers One to Eight.
Each of the statements is pregnant with Tantra and Philosphical meaning.
Shiva as,
ONE,
The One Reality,Brahman.
TWO,
Sakthi and Shiva;Kinetic and Potential Energy.
THREE,
Satva,Rajas and Thamo Guna,(Calm Learned;Dynamic; Docile ,Ignorant and Lazy.
FOUR,
Rig,Yajur,Sama and Atharva Vedas.
FIVE
Five senses of Perception( Karmendriya),Eyes,Nose,Ears,Mouth and Body; the acts of these senses( Gnanendriya) Five,Seeing,Smelling,Hearing,Tasting and the Tactile sensation;Five Elements,Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether(Akasa); One Element Each in Karmendriya and Gnaendriya: One Underlying abstract principle behind each of the Five Elements.
Shiva ,the One who conquered the Five senses
SIX
As the Six Tastes, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent.
SEVEN
Beyond the Seven Celestial worlds and the Seven Nether worlds,
EIGHT
Aware of His Eight Characteristics,Gunas and is in the world .
The Eight are,
1.Dhaya. Compassion.
2.Shama,Forbearance.
3.Anasuya,
Non Jealous.
4.Soucha, Clean in Thought,Words and Deeds.
5.Anaayaasa,Efforless,Easy Attitude.
6.Mangala,Auspiciousness,
7.Akaarppanya, The quality to help without being being stingy;the joyful and fighting attitude( Lord Krishna uses this term in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita,advising him not to be a ‘Krupana)
The Brain,the physical organ receives the signals,Stimulii.
At the this level what is received remains as raw Data.
The Mind,Manas,ascribes file folders like agreeable,disagreeable,the Genus the Stimuli belongs to.
It does not go further,excepting associating the Stimuli with Emotion.
But is Buddhi,this can be translated roughly as Intellect ,passes judgement by assigning Labels such as Correct,Incorrect,factual judgements ;Right or Wrong ,Moral Judgement.
How and why Buddhi behaves the way it does?
It is because of Chitta,which is Consciousness.
The Individual Consciousness is,till it Realizes its Identity with the Universal Reality,Brahman,is tethered to Swabhava,one’s natural disposition and Karmaphala,fruits of actions.
More of this later.
As Yoga is the effort to effect Union of the Individual Consciousness with the Universal One,the Chitta is to be corrected,purified.
The reflections in the Chitta,when it is not fully Realized,is conditioned be downstream Data from Intellect,Mind.
This Data has to be properly reflected upon.
The negative inputs gathered as explained in the earlier Sutras are to be handled by the following four tools.
Friendship, mercy, gladness, indifference, being
thought of in regard to subjects, happy, unhappy,
good and evil respectively, pacify the Chitta.
We must have these four sorts of ideas. We must have
friendship for all; we must be merciful towards those that are
in misery; when people are happy we ought to be happy, and
to the wicked we must be indifferent. So with all subjects that
come before us. If the subject is a good one, we shall feel
friendly towards it; if the subject of thought is one that is
miserable we must be merciful towards the subject. If it is
good we must be glad, if it is evil we must be indifferent.
These attitudes of the mind towards the different subjects that
come before it will make the mind peaceful. Most of our
difficulties in our daily lives come from being unable to hold
our minds in this way. For instance, if a man does evil to us,
instantly we want to react evil, and every reaction of evil shows that we are not able to hold the Chitta down; it comes out in waves towards the object, and we lose our power. Eve
Every reaction in the form of hatred or evil is so much loss to the
mind, and every evil thought or deed of hatred, or any thought
of reaction, if it is controlled, will be laid in our favour. It is
not that we lose by thus restraining ourselves; we are gaining
infinitely more than we suspect. Each time we suppress
hatred, or a feeling of anger, it is so much good energy stored
up in our favour; that piece of energy will be converting into the higher powers.
The obstacles,as listed by Patanjali in earlier Yoga Sutras from 1.21 to 1.31,totalling 9 and another 3,can be overcome says Patanjali in Yoga Sutra 1.32.
Human Mind,by nature receives many Stimulii,at the same time.
It is the disposition of the individual on the one hand and the environment in which he grows up,which clouds one’s Mind,the other.
Multitude of Thoughts ,most of them occurring at the same time creates a conflict of Ideas.
It might be the clash of ideas,or the value system one has /been exposed to or merely the presence of totally contradicting ideas or overlapping ideas.
This,essentially,is because of the Perception one has of Objects and the ideas he forms of them.
The Object,we observe first ,as Fact.
Then our association of Ideas make us link the Object to various Objects we have perceived earlier and our impressions of it and the pain or pleasure it has caused us.
This Conditioned Perception,though we are not aware of it,determines our present Perception.
This is the cause of Prejudice.
And also our failure to distinguish Fact from Impression.
This is the cause for clash of ideas,confusion,indecision,incorrect judgement and finally inaction.
This has been addressed by Lord Krishna in the Second Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita,in the form of Karma Yoga.
Patanjali,in Yoga Sutra 1.31, addresses this issue thus,
Yoga Sutra .1.32 of Patanjali
32. तत्प्रणतषधेाथभय
ए्कतत्त्वाभ्यास् ॥ ३२॥
tatpratishedhartham ekatattvabhyasah
To remedy this practice of one subject (should be
made).
(Translation by Swamy Vivekananda)
The inability to Perceive the Reality as One,says Yoga,is the cause for these conditions and he sets forth remedial measures to overcome this.
This will be explained in the forthcoming Yoga Sutras.
States Of Consciousness – 5
1. Wakefulness
2. Dream
3. Sleep
4. Repose (Tranquil Or Peaceful State)
5. Insensibility To Surroundings
Next to the Tattvas the human body exists of 72000 blood vessels, 13000 nerves and ten main arteries.
4448 diseases are caused by the imbalance of the three humors. )
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The human body is a remarkable creation that comprises a vast array of intricate principles. From the five elements to the three humors, and from the physical bindings to cosmic qualities, there are 96 fundamental principles that form the foundation of the human body. Additionally, the human body consists of 72000 blood vessels, 13000 nerves, and ten main arteries, which play crucial roles in our bodily functions. However, the imbalance of the three humors can lead to 4448 diseases, which can affect the human body in various ways. Understanding these principles is essential to maintain a healthy and balanced body, which can ensure overall well-being. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate good acts, regulate passions, and be aware of our states of consciousness. By doing so, we can keep our body and mind in balance and achieve optimal health, energy, and vitality.
avirati = sensuality, want of non-attachment, non-abstention, craving
bhranti-darshana = false views or perception, confusion of philosophies (bhranti = false; darshana = views, perception)
alabdha-bhumikatva = failing to attain stages of practice (alabdha = not obtaining; bhumikatva = stage, state, firm ground)
anavasthitatva = instability, slipping down, inability to maintain
chitta-vikshepa = distractions of the mind (chitta = mind field; vikshepa = distractions, diversions)
1.30 Nine kinds of distractions come that are obstacles naturally encountered on the path, and are physical illness, tendency of the mind to not work efficiently, doubt or indecision, lack of attention to pursuing the means of samadhi, laziness in mind and body, failure to regulate the desire for worldly objects, incorrect assumptions or thinking, failing to attain stages of the practice, and instability in maintaining a level of practice once attained.
(vyadhi styana samshaya pramada alasya avirati bhranti-darshana alabdha-bhumikatva anavasthitatva chitta vikshepa te antarayah)
One may notice that these are the afflictions of the mind ,primarily
Even Vyadhi, Disease(loose translation) is the result of mental attitudes and mental state.
While the first five,disease, mental laziness,Indecision,carelessness and Sloth are acquired qualities of the mind over a period of time, the others are the natural attributes of the Mind.
In the case of the former one can be vigilant and resist acquiring them by following Achara and Anushtana.
Doing things that facilitate mental hygiene and following a strict code of conduct.
They day one feels that one should have a Drink at any cost, irrespective of the time and place, it is a sign he/she becomes an alcohol addict which requires treatment.
The way to handle such issues is to be among people who have clean habits which do not hurt one physically and mentally.
And the setting of goals in Life should be realistic and one has to understand is limitations,
This is not possible by the individual concerned.
This can be evaluated by a Guru,who can dispassionately analyse and offer solutions.
The identification of one’s ability is essential for contentment in life.
Not every one is endowed with everything in Life.
Everything in the world has its place, be it a blade of grass or an elephant.
One should be where he is and be content and happy in doing what he is comfortable with.
Patanjali explains in the next few sutras the other ailments associated with these attitudes and offers solutios.
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