Views and Reviews: Insights that Illumine the Light Within

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation 9. Three categories of persons Our elders group human beings in three categories.  For each of the three categories of people, our lord showers his blessings in three different ways. He grants knowledge of the blissful awareness as per the evolution of that category of persons. Category 1: Ordinary persons who are typically in a normal state of evolution are called "Sakalar" (common). They are fully enveloped by the three layers of dirt, "ego", "karma", and "illusion". For this group of devotees who are in this common state, our lord reincarnates in human form as their guru and teaches them the knowledge of the divine -wisdom. What this means is that for ordinary persons, those teachers who are born to teach them that will help remove the three dirts in them are all embodiment of the divine himself. Category 2: The second category of the persons are slightly ele

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation 8-2. Nine Sacred Techniques taught by Saint Thirumoolar  To share with others the divine bliss that he experienced, our Saint shares with us several sacred techniques. These  are grouped into nine secret techniques. Our elders say that these nine techniques may be considered the essence of the vedic texts. In the Sanskrit text, these techniques are called "tantra". The revelation of a tantra is also traditionally called "tantra reincarnation". The first section of the tantra is sermon (in Sanskrit upadesam). In Sanskrit, upadesam means to "be near someone and make the person aware". As per the evolution of each individual the lord stays near us and make us aware of his bliss. this is the true meaning if this section. விண்ணின்று இழிந்து வினைக்கீடாய் மெய்கொண்டு தண்ணின்ற தாளைத் தலைக்காவல் முன்வைத்து உண்ணின்று உருக்கியோர் ஒப்பிலா ஆனந்தக் கண்ணின்று காட்டிக் களிம்பறுத் தானே.  1 T

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   8-1. Life Story of Thirumoolar The words of our Saint Thirumoolar originate from the depths of his penance. For 3000 years he did penance under the Pipal tree, and composed one song per year. That is how he blessed us with 3000 songs, say our histories about him. In the Periya puranam, the life story of our Saint Thirumoolar is mentioned. In the mount kailash, one of the saints who had received immense blessings of Lord siva, decided to come down to South of India towards the Pothigai hills to meet his long time friend sage Agastya. On his way he visited several holy places,  went to Thiruvaturai where he had darshan of lord Siva,  and came to a small place called Sathanoor. At that place, he found in a grass field a herd of cows crying. He went near the cows and noticed that the cowherd was lifeless.  The cows that were unable to speak were smelling the cowherd and shedding tears. Our Saint's hea

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   7. Humility of  Saint Thirumoolar   Among the 63 saiva saints, our saint Thirumoolar is one. Among the 12 saiva sacred texts, his Thirumanthiram is one. Our elders praise with devotion that our Saint Thirumoolar was born to expound the essence of the vedas in Tamil. Saint Nambi Aroorar ( Sundarar ) in his Thirutondar thogai praises and prostrates to Saint Thirumoolar. ( நம்பிரான் திருமூலன் அடியார்க்கும் அடியேன்). He says that our Saint was a guru to all saiva saints and that he was proficient in the "anima" siddhis. Another saint Nambiandar Nambi praises our Saint by contemplating on his glory, and placing our Saint's feet on his head. ( யேபர விட்டெ னுச்சி  அடிமன்ன வைத்த பிரான் மூலனாகிய அங்கணனே.) Our Saint who has been praised by other saints is so humble that he begins his works. ஆரறி வார் எங்கள் அண்ணல் பெருமையை யாரறி வார்இந்த அகலமும் நீளமும் பேரறி யாத பெருஞ்சுடர் ஒன்றதின் வேரறி யாமை வி

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   6. Share the Divine experience with one and all   Our Saint Thirumoolar's thirumantiram is unlike normal literary work that were composed to give us the joy of reading the epic stories. Our Saint's book is also a vedic text that preaches us  spiritual facts elicited by our sages over thousands of years through their personal experiences. Because these words have come from our Saint's experience the words, the sounds and the poetic style all have a unique divine strength behind them. Our Saint Thirumoolar, has experience the divine in his own body. His noble wish is that he should share this great joy of divine experience and  all of us in the world should get the same experience. The secret methods for achieving these experiences are all mentioned in his poems, the Thirumandiram. Our Saint begins by saying, யான்பெற்ற இன்பம் பெறுக இவ் வையகம் வான்பற்றி நின்ற மறைப்பொருள் சொல்லிடின் ஊன்பற்றி

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   5. Languages to reach the Lord For the devotees who are hesitantly waiting undecided which path to choose among those that can take one to the lord, our Saint Thirumoolar restates firmly what the Lord has said in the Bhagavat Geeta -- that all paths lead one to the lord. Now, our Saint talks about the different languages. He emphatically says that there is no text greater than the vedas. வேதத்தை விட்ட அறமில்லை வேதத்தின் ஓதத் தகும்அறம் எல்லாம் உள தர்க்க வாதத்தை விட்டு மதிஞர் வளமுற்ற வேதத்தை ஓதியே வீடுபெற் றார்களே.  1   He says "have no doubt" ( உள ).  He also goes on to show evidence that saints and scholars (மதிஞர்) reached the lord with this firm conviction. After saying this about the vedas, our Saint talks about the languages.  All languages are the words of the lord. Among the languages, the arguments such as one is  greater than the other or lower than the other are all foolish, are hi

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform. Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   4. All Paths lead us to the same Lord    Often there is doubt among devotees on which path one should take to  reach the divine. The  methods of prayers, the differences in the idol forms, and the procedures for seeking these have all been described elaborately by our elders in the past. For the aspirants who are often confused and wonder which path to take from the so many methods of prayer, our Saint Thirumoolar nails down his a ffirmative statements. அப்பனை நந்தியை ஆரா அமுதினை ஒப்பிலி வள்ளலை ஊழி முதல்வனை எப்பரி சாயினும் ஏத்துமின் ஏத்தினால் அப்பரி சீசன் அருள்பெற லாமே.  36   He calls the lord ( நந்தியை ) as nectar that never satiates one even  after drinking it again and again (ஆரா அமுதினை ). It is also nectar that keeps flowing automatically without stopping. His benevolence is incomparable (ஒப்பிலி வள்ளலை). The lord is eternal, as he will exist even after the entire creation has ended. (ஊழி முதல்வ

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation 3. Divine Qualities of the Lord  Afte r beginning his teachings with a prayer to the lord, now our Saint Thirumoolar starts with a praise on the qualities of the divine. தீயினும் வெய்யன் புனலினும் தண்ணியன் ஆயினும் ஈசன் அருளறி வாரில்லை சேயனும் அல்லன் அணியன்நல் அன்பர்க்குத் தாயினும் நல்லன் தாழ்சடை யோனே.  8   We know that Fire is capable of burning things. Water is cool. Our Saint says, that the Lord is capable of burning all our sins and obstacles but faster than fire. However, the lord  is also cooler than water when he showers his blessings.  தீயினும் வெய்யன் புனலினும் தண்ணியன் ஆயினும் ஈசன் அருளறி வாரில்லை The Lord is hotter or stronger than fire, he burns our sins; he is also cooler than water when he showers his blessings. Our saint Thirumoolar laments in the first two lines why people are not aware of this great qualities of the divine. Having stated that concern, he continues in the next two lines w

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation 2. Praise to the Lord After the praise to lord Vinayaka is praise to the lord.   The words of Saint Thirumoolar have a special style. Some times, they sound as though he is speaking humorously. Within that  "humor" deep spiritual insights will be loaded. The Thirumanthiram begins with such a poem for the praise to the lord. ' For children, we start with one, two, three to teach them numbers. In the same way, the Saint explains to us about the qualities of the divine.   ஒன்றவன் தானே இரண்டவன் இன்னருள் நின்றனன் மூன்றினுள் நான்குணர்ந் தான்ஐந்து வென்றனன் ஆறு விரிந்தனன் ஏழும்பர்ச் சென்றனன் தானிருந் தான்உணர்ந் தெட்டே.  1    The Lord is One. He  also blesses as Two . Contemplating in the mind on lord Siva, devotees say "Shivabyam namah" (meaning prostrations to the two Sivas). "byam" in sanskrit applies to plural of two persons. When Sun is shining then it is visible to our e

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform.  Thirumoolar Thavamozhi Motivation   1. Lord Vinayaka Our editor mentioned that it will be good if we can have an introduction. When Saint Thirumoolar in his own words sings to the Lord Vinayaka what more will an introduction from us add? Indeed, quite difficult task. Overcoming many obstacles and solving hurdles are those we get with the blessings of Lord Vinayaka with a beautiful elephant face.     This poem is the opening dedication the lord Vinayaka of the book, called "thirumoolar thirumanthiram" or "thirumanthira malai".     ஐந்து கரத்தனை யானை முகத்தனை இந்தின் இளம்பிறை போலும் எயிற்றனை நந்தி மகன்தனை ஞானக் கொழுந்தினைப் புந்தியில் வைத்தடி போற்றுகின் றேனே. The meaning of this poem is below. Lord Vinayaka, with five hands (including the tusk), face of an elephant, a broken white ivory that looks curved like a waxing third day moon, is called "son of nandi'' (lord Siva is referred to as nandi, by Sai