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Saturday 28 October 2017

The Linguistic Philosophy of Tolkaapiyar - Part 6


The Earliest Linguistic Survey of India. 



Before I pass over Collatikaaram, I must point out something very interesting in the final chapter of Col, the importance of which has been overlooked. 


In this chapter Tol is concerned among others what words can be allowed to enter the literary compositions in Tamil so that they are not in conflict with the grammatical essences of Tamil language. 


This drives him to make a kind of SURVEY of all the languages in India and with that work out RULES on which words are admissible and what must be phonetic adaptations the scholars should impose if their phonological shape is foreign to phonemic repertoire of Tamil as such. It begins with the sutra: 

iyaRcol tiricol ticaccol vadacolenRu 

anaitttee ceyyuL iiddac col 



Meaning: All the words that are deemed suitable to be used in the composition of verses are classified into iyaRcoL, Tiricol, Ticaccol and Vadacol 



1. The meanings of classifications of words into Iyarcol etc are given as follows: 


Among these word classes the Natural Words, the IyaR Col are those 
that are in agreement with the usages in the lands of Centamiz and in active use without distortions of their natural meanings.

Comments ( Teyvasilaiyaar) : 



Now since it is said in the forward: 


(Tollkaappiyar investigated) the phonology,

morphology, grammar and meanings of both

the language of speech and literature in the lands of Centamiz (the Chaste Tamil)

that lie between Vengadam in the North and Kumari in the South”



the lands meant by the Lands Centamiz are in fact the countries lying on the South of Vengkadam, North of Kumari, East of the Western seas and West of the Eastern seas. 


Sample of words that are in agreement with the language in use in these lands and which function without deviating in meaning are: cooRu( cooked rice), kuuz ( porridge), malai( hill), maram (tree) ; uNdaan ( he swallowed), tinRaan (he ate), oodinaan ( he ran), paadinaan ( he sang) and so forth. 


Such words, because in these lands are in active use without any deviations, are called Natural Words (iyaR col). They can also be termed Cenjcol ( the proper words) 


Notes (Loga): This classification is rather different from that available in Sanskrit grammar. What we have here is reference to the LIVING PRESENCE and ACTIVE USE of a language and uniformity in their morphology and semantics throughout the countries demarcated. This comment and definition also points out that at the time of Tol. the whole of South India, the vast stretch of land that now is divided into Tamil Nadu, KeraLa, Karnadaka and TuLu were known as the land of CenTamiz and hence a land unified with the rule of the SAME language, viz, CenTamiz. 




2. The meaning of Tiricol are given as below: 


The Tiricol are the semantically ambiguous words where the dual processes hold viz. the same word meaning different things and the same meaning being conveyed by different words. 


So such words are those which communicate the same meaning as communicated by the Natural Words but in different ways. 


Notes:( Loga) 


Another meaning implicit in the concept of Natural Words is brought out here. While the natural words are semantically unambiguous throughout the whole land of Centamil and hence with univocity in meaning, the Tiricol are different in being polysemantic and polymorphic and thus requiring disambiguation, using regional and contextual factors. The morphologically same word may have different meanings in different regions and contexts(polysemantic). Similarly the same MEANING may be communicated by morphologically different words in different regions etc (polymorphic). They are called Tiri Col i.e. deviant words on account of this. Note that this definition presupposes the meaning of the Natural Words. 




3. That which is the substance of the claim that there was a kind of (primitive) linguistic survey of India is the following clarifications of Ticaicol ( regional words?) 


centamiz ceernta panniru nilattun 

taGkuRip pinavee ticaiccoR kiLavi 


The Ticaic Col are those words which have only regional prevalence in the 12 countries that linguistically belong to the lands of Centamiz. 


The TWELVE countries are as follows: -- The PotuGkar Naadu on the South East of the River Vaiyai; oLi Naadu,Ten paaNdi Naadu, karuGkudda Naadu, Kuda Naadu, the PanRiNadu, the KaRkaa Naadu, the Siitai Naadu, the Puuzi Naadu, Malaadu, Aruvaa Nadu and the country on the north of AruvaNadu. 


The following comments are given by Teyvaccilyaiyaar: 


Now because it is said “ the 12 countries one with the lands of Centamiz” , these lands (of Ticaic col) are different from the above. Some scholars enumerate them as follows: 


The lands beyond the boundaries -ancient island in the seas south of Kumari, Kollam, Kuupakam , SingkaLam and Kannadam, teLiGkam koGkaNam TuLuvam Kudakam and kuNRakam. The Sutra from Akattiyam will enumerate them as follows: The countries on both sides of the Western hills where a deviant type of Tamil is prevalent, the words that are pleasant in the lands of the TEN governors along with another TWO who co-exist and who all rule the lands under the control of the Three Rightful Kings. Here the twelve countries are those beyond the boundaries of Tamizakam and where a deviant kind of Tamil is prevalent and where the prevalence of Centamiz was very welcome. This interpretation is further supported by the fact that in the Forword (Paayiram to Tol) , over and above saying “ in the countries where speech in Tamil is prevalent, investigating both the literary and verbal expressions etc” it is also said “ also examining the ancient texts in the lands which are in essence the same as the lands of Centamil’, it has to be taken that the lands meant are those which are related to the above boundaries. Thus the 12 countries are: the ancient island in the seas south of Kumari, Kollam, kuupakam, SingkaLam, the countries West of the Hills such as KoGaNam, TuLuvam Kudakam and KuNRakam; the countries on the East Karnaadakam, Vaduku TeliGku and Kaligkam 


Among these it may be possible that because Kuupakam and Kollam were swallowed by the sea, people migrated to the northern shores of Kumari and called the lands with the same name. Now the people in the North also call these lands the Pancha Dravida , and hence these five cannot be countries on the South of Vengkadam 


The words in these countries, even if different from the Natural Words of Centamil, but on account of they occurring in the literary compositions of great scholars, they will not be disallowed. 


Notes( Loga) 


It appears that at the time of Tol (c. 3rd cent BC) the whole of the South , the lands on the South of the Vindhyas, were essentially Tamil with the languages beyond the borders of CentamiL Naadu, considered the lands of Kodun Tamil, a kind of deviant Tamil and hence only dialectically different and where the Tamil language was most welcome. It is interesting that in this list we have Sri Lanka, KaliGka, Andhra, Karnadaka and perhaps also Maharastra and Gujarat ( as they were also known as lands of Pancha Dravida) 


There is clear recognition of DIALECTICAL variations of Tamil which was a living language in the whole of the South with the rule that even words specific to a dialectic variety will be accepted by scholars as part of Centamil language. 



4. The Vadacol, Sanskrit words were identified as a separate category: 



VadacoR kiLavi vadavezuttu orIi.i 

ezuttodu puNarnta collaa kummee 



Meaning: The words designated as Vadacol ( Northern Words) are those which are incorporated into Tamil by deleting those phonemes specific to the Northern languages and replacing them with equivalent phonemes available in Tamil 


Even though common to all the nations, because current in the Northern countries, they are termed as Northern Words. Now because it is said Vadacol ( Northern Words), the living languages such as Prakrit are also included. ( prakiritam> paakatam) 


The example of words of Northern Language: vaari , maNi, kungkumam and so forth. The Prakrit words are : vaddam, naddam, paddinam and so forth. There are many such words (in Tamil) 


Now there is an interesting corollary to the above sutra of Vadacol 


citaintana varinum iyaintana varaiyaar 


Meaning: Even if some words come with gross distortions and where systematic phonemic mapping does not hold, even such words will not be rejected as long as they are overall consonant with the phonemes of Tamil.


The examples are : kantam, tasanaangku, saakaram, sattiram, pavaLam and so forth.

Among these FOUR different kinds of words, it may be observed that the Natural Words may occur as Nouns Verbs, the Enclitics, the Prepositions and so forth; the TiriCol and Ticaic Col occur mainly as Nouns and in a limited way as Verbs. The Northern Words do not occur except as Nouns



Notes ( Loga) 


We shouldn’t fail to notice that Tolkaappiyar offers here a linguistic survey of a kind of the WHOLE of INDIA, where the Tamil lands are designated as the lands of CenTamil, the adjacent lands, including Maharastra, Gujarastra ( the lands of Pancha Dravida) are designated as lands of Kodun Tamil, which is perhaps a native term for what is called now as dialectical variations. The countries outside these are simply termed Northern lands and where Sanskrit Prakrit and such other languages prevailed with their distinctive phonemic clusters. 



We should also note that Tol. does not speak of lexical borrowings and hence Sanskritization/ Aryanization of the Tamils and Tamil language ( something that came in vogue only at the beginning of the 17th cent.) . Though there may be words with 
peculiar phonetic realization in Sanskrit and Prakrit, but they are taken as COMMON WORDS (potu coL) which shows off there being cognition that throughout India there was a common repertoire of lexemes but with different kinds of phonological realizations, some even undergoing gross distortions (citaivu). 


It may also be possible that Tol does recognize a difference between Sanksrit and Prakrit, both being called Vadacol and only because they contain phonemic innovations of the same words not available in the different registers of Tamil. 


It also follows that Tol. notices that there can be differences in what can be called STYLES of Language use where while one term may be actively in use in one linguistic community, this may not be so in another ( even neighboring) community. Thus the Vadacol are such words, words which are also native to Tamil but NOT in current active use, and hence words that have become obsolete. 





ULLAGANAR

( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )

Thursday 26 October 2017

Navarathiri as human mind evolution Part 2


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Navarathiri as human mind evolution Part 1


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Jung's Collective Unconscious and Cakras - A Tamil Perspective.




Questions about the layers of Collective Unconscious (CU) of Jung and the central force  regulating them all has stimulated me to write briefly as follows in point form, a summary of what I have written quite extensively  in one of my books  and also the various thinking of the Tamil Siddhas like Bokar and so forth on the Cakras, a very ancient idea that goes back to the Pyramidal cultures of Egypt, Nubia, Sumeria and so forth. 


1.

In my monograph over and above the CU of Jung, I have introduced BEING as Transcendental Collective   Unconscious or Agamic Unconscious, the TCU and who is BEING,  the Pancakritiyam, the Sangkara KaraNan and so forth, the Absolute who presents Himself as the various deities, This gives us the clue to identify CU and its different layers with the Cakras – the Mulataram Swatistanam Manipurakam Anakatam, Vicutti , Aknjai and finally the Sahasrat Talam or Brahma Rantiram

The CU, as conceived by Jung is a universal layer of human unconscious from which emerge the Archetypes or the Imago Dei, the deities or divine icons. We   can  see this is an undifferentiated idea of Cakra that is ordained by a deity – for e.g. the Mulataram ordained by Ganesha with his consorts Citti Butti , the Swatistanam ordained by Brahma with his  consort KalaivaaNi and so forth. The common idea is the location of archetypes here Ganesha and so forth both in the Cakras and as contents of CU


2.

But what are these Cakras actually?  As Bokar explains  they are mantra-fields hierarchically organized. Actually they are inner ecologies ( refer to Tolkaapiyar in one of my earlier postings ) that determine  not only  the personality characteristics of a person but also the kind of LEARNING he becomes capable. 

For this reason I call them KaRRaLi in the sense  the mantra-field that feeds the various kinds of intuitions that become those are reflected upon and incorporated as part of one’s knowledge, understanding and so forth.  

When a person exists in a certain Cakra, overall his desires, interests, competencies and so forth are circumscribed and he can venture into the deeper and so forth only by accessing a deeper Cakra and so forth. A person in Swatistanam is ordained by Brahma, the Vetan and his interests will be scholarship and he excels in the study of the Sastras and so forth. Intellectual life will be his passion. And as such he will not show deep interests in the mystical visions and hence Yoga and so forth. But when he accesses the Manipurakam, the Cakra within the Swatistanam, then he will enjoy the visions of the Third Eye and as blessed by VishNu who enjoys the Arituyil – the Dream Sleep or Yoga Nidra.

Here the central force that regulates this ascendance of Cakras is BEING, the TCU where in fact it is this BEING who presents Himself as Ganesha,  Btahma, VisNu and so forth.


3.

Now we can understand Jung’s claim that the contents of CU that is accessed by the psyche is the sediments of the psyche’s animal and human past i.e. the Prabta Karma of Agamism. Now while all these Cakras, hierarchically organized Mantra-fiekds are objective realities and are already there in the depths of the soul of all,  at birth one is born into a Cakra that provides the initial starting point.  

While most are born into Mulataram, some are  into the Swatistanam and because of which become interested in scholarly pursuits as opposed to political, economic and so forth.  That Cakra into which one is born is determined by his whole past and hence it is part of the Prabta Karma of the individual. However we should notice that a person can ascend to the higher Cakras by learning and hence he is not imprisoned by the Cakra into which he is born. The higher Cakras remain as the deeper layers of his unconscious and he can always access them and live in them enjoying the whole range of personality features it affords.


4,

Now it is in this   ascendance of Cakras, the mantra-fields with the grace of BEING or TCU that we encounter the Mummalam of Saiva Siddhnnta. There is an impedance, an opposition to this climb and they come from the Malam related Mayai and Karma collectively known as Mummlam.  

In order to ascend the Cakras or access the deeper layers of the CU, one has to FREE oneself from the fiendish hold of this Mummalam that tend to imprison a person in the Cakra into which he is born. For example unless the Maya Malam is defeated, destroyed and the soul made free of  it, it cannot access the Swatistanam , and live a life of scholarly pursuits where Mey PoruL kaaNpatu , the seeking of truth-experiences become the dominant  desire.

In such processes of self purification we note the  Jungian notion of emotional culture. A person in the higher Cakras is emotionally more sanguine than those in the lower and so forth. For e.g. a person in Vucutti, will be pure of all the Mummlaam and hence his personality will be very stable with only Santi, an inner and deep calm pervading and regulating his whole personality.


5.

Now this ascendance and accessing the deeper layers of CU or Cakras is also related to accessing of deeper and deeper VISIONS that I have elaborated in great detail in my book and many other books.   I have classified the Paarvai or vision into PoRiliyap Paarvai (sensory perception), Nuuliyap Paarvai ( hermeneutic seeing), Nutaliyap Paarvai ( the Dream Seeing)  and so forth.  These visions are also hierarchically organised and in such a way that the higher becomes possible only when a person weakens the hold of mummlam in his soul. For example unless a person weakens the hold of Prabta Karma he cannot access the Cakra  Manipuraka and hence enjoy  ARituyil the Dream Seeing and which is the Nutaliyap Paarvai, the visions of the Third  Eye, that I call Transductive Perceptions.


6.

Now I must also mention some developments in the empirical founding and justifying of  these notions. While for Jung, Dream Analysis and related matters and for Siddhas Yogic Meditations were the means for getting such insights,  now in addition to these we have also my Access Tests that we can administer for ordinary people and work out what Cakras they have accessed and hence what layer of CU is dominant in their soul. 



ULLAGANAR

( 22-5-2010 )

( Editing and re-paragraphing by his student )


( photo taken from https://pixabay.com/ with thanks )



Tuesday 24 October 2017

The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular - Part 24


The Siddhies and Enjoying a Golden Body




Tirumular, consistent with the Hermeneutic Scientific temper of his investigations talks about the technologies for TGS ( transgressive sexuality )  and the SIGNS of  success, should this technology be applied.  


Here we should note that in Hermeneutic Science there is NO Theoretic Thinking but only gaining visions, darsanas of what are ALREADY THERE but at the depths. Each such an inner expedition brings into consciousness the elements of DS that AGENTIVELY cause the shape of the observable or experiential matters.  

Now if such darsanas of the hidden realities are true and not just simple fictions and imaginations, a TECHNOLOGY should be possible as the APPLICATION of such an understanding and would also furnish SIGNS of success that confirm that the vision has been right and so forth.

Now in these two verses, Tirumular talks, over and above the TGS as above,  also Food Control and Breath Control where he notes that there is Apara Bindu even here and to eliminate which not only we have to regulate what we eat and how we breath but also MOVE in the inner channel of Cuzi Munai Naadi where both and Natam and Bindu are present. One must move in the direction of where Siva is with Sakti and aspire also to move towards the Naataantam, the LIMIT of the mantra world and hence towards the LOGOS.

But what are the SIGNS that not only ensures that one is moving in the right direction but also confirms the TRUTH of the metaphysical insight, understanding?

It is here that the eight Siddhies are mentioned along with attaining the Golden Body, the DREAM of the ancient kings from the Middle East to the Far East. The successful person in enjoying the Golden Body also enjoys the experiential matters of the Siddhies, which are explained below.

There is nothing FICTIONAL or purely imaginative in all these - NOT Maaya or Mythiya as the Vedanties are in the habit of  saying.

50

1965

அன்னத்தில் விந்து அடங்கும்படி கண்டு
மன்னப் பிராணனாம் விந்து மறித்திட்டு
மின்னொத்த விந்து நாதாந்தத்து விட்டிட
வன்னத்  திருவிந்து மாயுங் காயத்திலே

உரை:

உட்கொள்ளப்படும் உணவில் புதையுருவாய் சந்தான விருத்திக்கு ஏதுவான அபரவிந்து அடங்கி எவ்வாறு இருக்கின்றது என்பதை ஆய்வின் கண்டு தெளிந்து, அதே அபரவிந்து உலகியல் வாழ்க்கையில் நின்று நிலைபெறுமாறு செய்யும் உயிர்முச்சில் ஊர்ந்து வருவதையும் கண்டு ஆனால் அதனோடு மறித்துப் போராடி,  சுழிமுனை நாடிச் செல்வு தாக்கி அங்கு நாதமும் விந்துவும் கலந்து மின்னொத்தப் பேரொளியாக இருப்பது கண்டு அந்த ஒளி தரிசனத்தில், உலக வேட்கையில் அபரவிந்துவை விட்டிட, அது மெதுவாக பல மந்திரங்களாக விளங்கும் அபரவிந்து உடம்பில் தொழிற்படுவது தொடர்ந்து இல்லாது போகும்.

50

1965

annattil Vintu adaGkumpadi kaNdu
mannap piraaNanaam Vintu maRittiddu
minnotta Vintu naataantattu viddida
vannat tiruvintu maayuG kaayattilee

Meaning:

On must understand how the Apara Bindu (that creates the instincts for self propagation) stands as part of the food taken in and the kind breathing practiced and then struggle against it. One should take the inner travel in the Cuzi Munai Naadi where both Natam and Bintu are present and aspiring towards the Limit of this i.e. Naataantam, free oneself from the hold of the Apara Vintu. Then and only then, this Apara Bindu that exists in various kinds of mantra-complexes will die out from being actively present in the body.


51.

1966.

அன்னம் பிராணன் என்று ஆர்க்கும் இருவிந்து
தன்னை யறிந்துண்டு சாதிக்க வல்லார்க்குச்
சொன்னமாம் உருத் தோன்றும் எண்சித்தியால்
அன்னவர் எல்லாம் அழிவற நின்றதே

உரை:

உட்கொள்ளும் உணவிலும் உயிர்மூச்சிலும் நின்று தொழிற்படும் அபரவிந்துவின் இருவேறு வடிவங்களை மெய்யாக அறிந்து, இவற்றை நீக்கி மேலே போகுமா சுழிமுனை நாடியில் நாதாந்தம் சாதிக்க வல்லாருக்கு, பொன் வடிவினதாக தன் உரு மாறம் அடைவது தோன்றும். இத்தனமையோர் அணிமா கரிமா போன்ற எண் சித்தியால், வச்சித்தேகம் பெற்று உடல் நெடுங்காலம் அழியாது நிற்கும் பேறும் பெற்றவர் ஆவர்.

51.

1966

annam piraaNan enRu aarkkum iruvintu
tannai yaRintuNdu caatikka vallaarkkuc
connamaam urut toonRum eNcittiyaal
annavar ellaam azivaRa  ninRatee

Meaning:

Having understood the presence of Apara Bindu in both the food taken in and the vital breath, if one aspires to become free of them by an inner travel in the Cuzi Munai Nadi towards Naataantam, then the Golden Body as one's own possibility will emerge. With this and the attainments of EIGHT Siddhies, one then can enjoy a body that's beyond easy decay.

Comments:

These two verses are connected together and deal with the technologies related to attaining a Golden Body and with that also the EIGHT Siddhies, the attainment of which makes one a Siddha. While the natures of these Siddhies vary according to the stage of development of an individuals, what are listed here are those POWERS that a person who has attained the stage of TGS and hence a Golden Body, would enjoy.

These Psychic Powers are: Anima, Mahima, Karima, Lahima, Piraatti, Prakaamiyam, Vacittuvam and Icattuvam. 

Here Anima is the psychic power to be CLOSE to all individuals and hence enjoying the state of being non-alien to anyone. It is state of Psychic Closeness so the other is NOT seen as an OTHER. The Anima diffuses the OTHERNESS. 

The Mahima (derived Sumerian. mah, Tamil. maa, Sanskrit mahaa) is personal GREATNESS, an ordinary person becoming GREAT, outstanding and so forth, the Purushotama, the Sumerian Engir-su etc. It is this Mahima that makes a person a historical figure- One who has left an indelible mark in History.

The Karima is the personal CHARISMA, that which binds people to an individual and makes them not only the admirers but also the disciples, frequently also dulling their critical thinking.

Lahima is the Power to achieve the impossible in an effortless manner. What are normally impossible to attain, the Paraakiramam, becomes quite elementary for such people.

Piraatti is Power to enjoy what one desires and without any disappointments. While ordinary individuals desire this and that but very often they also turn out to be simply wishes. Such is not the case with Siddhas, they accomplish what they desire and enjoy it.

Prakaamiyam is the Power they have over others - the others love and respect such Siddhas naturally just on encounter. The personality attained creates an aura whereby even strangers on seeing it respond with love and affection.

Vacittuvam is the capacity to BIND individuals perpetually so that they do NOT DEPART from the Siddhas. There comes to prevail a magical bondage  which disallows disagreements and departures.

Iicattuvam is Divine Greatness, towering over all others so that people simply SUBMIT themselves to his dictates. It is this power that makes people WORSHIP  a Siddha as if God etc.

Tirumular mentions that a person who practices TGS and enjoys a Golden Body will also enjoy such Siddhies.



ULLAGANAR

( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )


( photo taken from https://www.pexels.com/ with thanks )

Friday 20 October 2017

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 6



Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 5



Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 4


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 3



Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 2


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia

Kantha sasti viratham as a shield for the soul. Part 1


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia, Penang

What food to eat during kantha sasthi fasting?


Talk by Dr Sivakumar, University Science Malaysia.

Monday 16 October 2017

Agamic Psychology, the realistic psychology.

Agamic Psychology, the realistic psychology.





Otto Rank observes:

"Psychology is not an objective instrument, like a telescope or microscope, which can be applied for purposes of observation to the reactions of individuals or groups of people; it is not a science beyond or above the civilization it presumes to explain. On the contrary, these psychological theories themselves have to be explained as a part of the whole social system and understood as expression of a certain type representing one particular layer of it" (Beyond Psychology 1941, page 27)

Western psychologies, Otto Rank notes, are 'inspirational' by which he means a psychology that aims at influencing people, changing them, modifying them towards a preconceived ideal and so forth. Since men are not alike and actually unequal, the psychologies serve to explain away the differences and thus make them appear equal and force them to become equal or alike. 

As opposed to this control orientated psychologies, he notes, 'there operates another realistic psychology as a spontaneous expression of the people; not the psychology we create by which to change, but the one which creates change - in others as well as in ourselves - spontaneously (Ibid page 31).

The psychology that I have termed Agamic, is a self-transformational psychology, a psychological system designed to bring about a spontaneous growth of an individual from a lowly person that he is into a divine, spiritual being. This it purports to achieve through a technology that is individualistic and which facilitates Saktinipatam, the flooding of the inner-most recesses of the psyches with Arul, a natural force under the control of a Supreme Power and which spiritualises the individual through eliminating the psychic constraints that condition his existence as a finite being.

Could it be then this Agamic psychology is the realistic psychology that Otto rank talked about or at least the most eloquent, refined and elaborate that we have among the psychologies with this realistic bend?


It appears to be so, at least to me.


Ullaganar
( University Science Malaysia , 1998 )


( Photo of Otto Rank taken from wikipedia with thanks )

( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )

Om in Sumeria

The Origin of AUM In Sumeria.





It took me several days of deep thinking to realize that in the  Sumerian Temple Hymn 31 we have the elements of fully matured Mantrayana with Om recognized as the Primordial Logos and connected with Nanti, the Heavenly Bull. So I thought I should write about this which if true would clinch the fact that Saivism was already almost fully matured in the Third  Millennium BC itself and that the historical Saivism where Kailash , located in the Himalayas is a continuation of this Sumerian culture.


Ka-zal-lu and Kailasam


First we begin by noting that the city of  Ka-zal-lu can in fact be the present Kailasam also shortened as Kayilai, the abode of Siva and Sakti and located in the Himalayas.   But this Ka-zal-lu appears to be a huge and tall  mountain  touching the sky and may in fact be the Himalayas.

This follows from the line below where ‘ka-zal-la’ is to be “an-sa-ga’ (in the midst of sky) or as I take it as something that reaches the sky.


1 (396)

ka-zal-lu mus-zu an-sa-ga ( Kazallu your . . . (is) in the midst of the sky)

Ta. kasallu mudi ju vaan- saGka ( Kazallu your head joins the sky)

கசல்லு முடி ஜு வான் சங்க


I am inclined towards the interpretation I have given because  I take the meaning  of ‘mus-du” as mudi-ju’ ( your head). Thus ka-zal-la appears to be  a tall mountain that reaches the sky. 

Linguistically we can see the transformations as follows: ka-zal-la = ka-sal-la > kasallam> (metathesis) kalaasam > kailaasam . It is this which is abbreviated into kayilai etc. We may also connect with this “kalasam’ the huge pot-like structure placed at the very top of the Kopuram and which is one of the most sacred part of the temple. This globular Kalasam may in fact be a representation of Kailaasam, the Heavens.

Can all these be taken as evidences for the spread of SumeroTamils from the Himalayan region or at least a region where they were familiar with the Himalayas. e.g Harappa ? For I think around Sumeria there were no such mountains.


Ninda and Nanti

Now another fascinating detail in connection with this  identification is the mention of Ninda which is quite unmistakably the Nanti, the Divine Bull of wide occurrence in the deep past and which is continued to this day in connection with Siva worship and where Nanti is also in the puraNas the guardian deity of Kailaasam.


>>>>>>>>>> 

3(398)

nun-[zu] a- ninda x[x]x-a am-e tu-da ( (your) prince (is) the seed of a (the) steer, engendered by a wild ox  . .  [ . . ] . .  )

Ta. Nun  ju aal nanti x[x]xa amaa-ee todda ( Your Lord is a powerful bull, given birth to by the wild cow  . . . )

நுன் ஜு ஆல் நந்தி x[x]x]-அ அமாவே தொட்ட 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

The ‘am-e’ can certainly  be Ta. ammee, the Great Mother and which may be the root of Uma, the consort of Siva. The ‘a-ninda’ is Ta. ‘aal nanti’ the powerful (aal) bull (Nanti). It is interesting that Saivites  call Siva  also Nanti in view of the fact He also takes the form of Bull

Thus is confirmed further, I think, by the following line

>>>>>>>> 

4(399)

(alim-m]ah igi-gun en zu-pirig-ga  ( A great (bison) with speckled eyes, a lord with the teeth of a lion)

Ta. aalim maah imai-kan-a eeN ji-u piliku-a ) ( A great water-buffalo ? with fiery eyes , lord of even the tigers?)

ஆலிம் மாஹ் இமி கன்.அ ஏண் ஜிஉ பிரிக்க 


>>>>>>>> 

Here ‘alim mah’ may be actually ‘aalim maa’ i.e something very  broad or strong ( Ta. aal-im ) and huge (maa) and which immediately reminds us the attempts in historical times to build HUGE Nanti and very often out of a single rock. We see such Nanti-s  even today in many Siva temples in South India. Now the ‘zu-pirig-ga “ can also be “suu piraGka’ ( shining with pure light: and which goes better with ‘igi-gun’ (resplendent eyes)

It is against such an identification of Nanti that the true meaning of the following important line emerged.

>>>>>>>>>> 

5(400)

[umbin]-se-ba amar su-ti-a ( Who snatches the calf with (his) [cla]ws )

Ta. Ombi-in isaiba amar sootiya ( Who recits this mantra sound Om (Ombi-in-isai), lights up(sutiya) deathlessness (amar)
  Or :

Those who recite the sound Om, (activates deathless Light in the body) and becomes radinat(amar su-ti-a)

ஓம்பி-இன் இசைப அமர் சோதிய 

>>>>>>>>> 

The ‘um = Om” cannot be the claws for the  deity talked about is the Bull and not a bird like Garuda and so forth. In Su. we have ‘-u-a am-mi-de ‘ ( Ta. O-a idu-aamma)  where ‘u-O’ is certainly the sound ‘oh’ . In such expressions as “ u dalla-e-a ‘we have Ta. u, oL, uL etc i.e. radiant light. Thus it is clear that ‘um =Om’ is the sound “oom” and which perhaps is recognized through the bellowing sound of the bulls around.  Now  ‘se-ba’ taken as Ta. isai-ba” ascertains that ‘um= Om’ is the sound that is being talked about. Now the phrase ‘amar su-ti-a’ clinches the fact that the Om is the Mantra sound, the Primordial Logos, the Om that is analytically understood as “ A-U-M’ the union of akaaram and ukaaram, syllables of the Siva Tatvas Natam and Bindu. Here in “amar su-ti-a”  the su-ti as in  Su me su-ti , i.e. Ta, sooti  is  brilliant light.  In view of this ‘amar’ has to be ‘deathless-ness, immortality’ and so forth i.e. amar as amar-ar : the immortals, the celestial beings. It can also be taken to qualify the su-ti itself, i.e. the su-ti that is deathless.

If this is acceptable, as I think it is, there is already a recognition here  that the Om is not only  the Mantra  Sound but also Deathless Radiance - a Pure Light always there , the ‘u-dalla-e-a’ but now also understood as deathless, immortal, always there , Nityam etc.


The Recitation of Om

It appears that SumeroTamils not only discovered the Logos Om but also the sadhana of  Om-recitation for gaining the deepest metaphysical illuminations. The following lines are evidences for that

>>>>>>>> 

6(401)

[tu-tu-ba-lu] su-ti-a ( Who catches [a man in his net]

Ta. tuuttuba uLu -sootiya ( Illuminates those people who utter it *tuuttu-bi-a)

துதிப உளு சோதிய 


Tu-tu : Ta. tuti : to praise, recite etc. Su. du(g)-du(g) . du-du : id. Also Su. tu : to chant

7(402)

[kala-ga gu-ab-ba] su-ti-a (  [The strong one] who snatches [the bull]

Ta. kalai-ka  kuuvappa sootiya ( The art of uttering  that gains inner light)

கலைக கூவப்ப சோதிய 


>>>>>>>>>>> 

Here the ‘tu-tu-ba’ is certainly Ta. tutiba where ‘tuti’ means to praise, worship, recite etc. It also exists in Su as du-du related Su dug > Ta. tuukku)  and Su. tu etc. This makes the meaning of kala-ga as Ta. kala-kan, kalainjan etc the artist or the dance-priest. Thus ‘gu-ab-ba; has to be Ta., kuuvappa where we have also Su, gu (> Ta. kuuv) to call out, cry and so forth. So we can see that there was the art of RECITING the mantra Om and in order to enjoy deep metaphysical illuminations the ‘su-ti-a”


Concluding Remarks

This hymn, brief as it is , already clearly shows that around 2300 BC itself the SumeroTamils already had an understanding of  Om, the Primordial Logos and that they had instituted the Mantra Sadhana of Om recitation as the most useful technique for enjoying the deepest metaphysical illumination, the Njaanam. It also appears locally they identified this sound as the bellowing sound of  the  bull  and hence probably located the Divine Bull, the Nanti as the deity of this Om and the Kailash as the metaphysical realms where this Nanti resides. It also appears that Ka-zal-la is actually the Kailaasam is located in the Himalayas and which suggests that the Sumerians are probably Tamil folks who probably migrated from Harappa and transplanted Tantrism in Sumeria.

These ideas are put forward as matters for further research.

Loga



Sumerian Temple Hymns 31


1 (396)

ka-zal-lu mus-zu an-sa-ga ( Kazallu your . . . (is) in the midst of the sky)

Ta. kasallu mudi ju vaan- saGka ( Kazallu your head joins the sky)

கசல்லு முடி ஜு வான் சங்க

mus : Ta, mudi (, mushi? ) : head , the hair on the head.

an-sa-ga : Ta. vaan(aan) saGka : joins (saGka) the sky (vaan, aan)

2(397)

su-du-ag x x u-e-gub-ba (  . . . .  standing to be admired)

Ta. suudu-aak.u x x uuvee kuppa ( Lit with camphor  . . . that installs bright light)

சூடு ஆக்.உ x x  ஊவே குப்ப

Su-du-ag :  Ta. suudu-aak.u  that which can be lighted up to produce light . Also Ta. suudam : camphor that is lighted as part of temple ritual.

u-e gub-ba : Ta. uuvee (light) gets installed (kuppa) . Ta. uu, uL, oL etc; Pure light. Kuppu : to crowd around, to stand firm . See also Ta. kumpla: to crowd around, a gathering


3(398)

nun-[zu] a- ninda x[x]x-a am-e tu-da ( (your) prince (is) the seed of a (the) steer, engendered by a wild ox  . .  [ . . ] . .  )

Ta. Nun  ju aal nanti x[x]xa amaa-ee todda ( Your Lord is a powerful bull, given birth to by the wild cow  . . . )

நுன் ஜு ஆல் நந்தி x[x]x]-அ அமா தொட்ட

a-ninda : Ta. aal nanti : aal :powerful , strong etc Ta. nanti : the bull, the vehivle of Lord Siva

am-e : Ta. amaa: wild cow

tu-da  : Ta. todu: to shape, built etc. Ta. todda : a verbal participial form of of the verb ‘todu”

It emerges that the deity of the this temple Numusda is actually the bull, with sharp and tall  horns


4(399)

(alim-m]ah igi-gun en zu-pirig-ga  ( A great (bison) with speckled eyes, a lord with the teeth of a lion)

Ta. aalim maah imai-kan-a eeN ji-u piliku-a ) ( A great water-buffalo ? with fiery eyes , lord of even the tigers?)

ஆலிம் மாஹ் இமி கன்.அ ஏண் ஜிஉ பிரிக்க

alim : Ta. aal-im : Ta. aal : water and hence aalim  isperhaps the water-buffalo that lives in the waters.

igi -gun : Ta.  iGi kan ; fiery eyes , iGi> imi> imai : eyes. gun> gan > kan , kanal : to burn and radiate heat

pirig-ga ; Ta. piri , viri> vari : stripes . pirig-ga : the striped creatures and hence tigers. Ta. piri> pili> puli: tiger.

zu-pirigga : Ta. jii-u prikku-a : that which separates life and hence that which kills? Ta. piri: to separate. See uyir pirital : to die ie, the life separated from the body.

Notes: If my readings of the following lines are acceptable, it would follow that even in Sumerian times (around 2300 BC) there was already  the recitation of the mantra “Om” and where it was understood as that which  provides the Njanam that defeats death. It also appears to be connected with the worship of the Bull, the Nanti, the vehicle  of Siva. Interestingly  the place where this temple was located is Ka-zal-la and from which we may have  the Kayilai, the mountain where Siva resides.


5(400)

[umbin]-se-ba amar su-ti-a ( Who snatches the calf with (his) [cla]ws )

Ta. Ombi-in isaiba amar sootiya ( Who his mantra sound Om (Ombi-in-isai), lights up(sutiya) deathlessness (amar)

ஓம்பி-இன் இசைப அமர் சோதிய

Umbin-se : Ta. oombi-in-isai :  Ta. Om : the root mantra-syllable “Om’ that is widely prevalent to this day.  Se> Ta. isai . It is also rendered as ;isi-es, es’ etc in Sumerian literature. 

We have ‘u’ as radiant light as in “u-dall-e-a” and the sound O as in ‘u-a am-ma-idee’ and so forth.  Thus ‘u’ as light ( Ta. uL, oL, oLi eyc) is combined here with the sound ‘u> O “ and rendered as “um> Om”

amar : Ta. amar; deathlessness, amarar; the celestial beings who live forever. Na-mari> a-mari> amar. Ta. mari: to die

su-ti-a > Ta. sootiya : to light up. Ta. sooti , Su. su-ti : flame .

See  Temple Hymn 10

2(136)

eden muru sa-ta me su-ti ( plain (with) heavy clouds, taking the me’s from its midst)

Ta. eetil muru saaytta mey cooti ( Plain that brilliant and in the interior of which burns the true Radiance)

  ஏதில் முரு சாய்த்த மெய் சோதி

Thus if this alternate reading is correct we have in Sumerian times itself the Om and related both to the sound ‘u > O” and to the light “ u> Ol, oN) etc.  The deep metaphysical notion that the mantra-sould Om, lights up Njanam and with that blesses the souls with immortality (amarattuvam) seems to have prevailed in Sumerian times itself i.e. around 2300 BC.


6(401)

[tu-tu-ba-lu] su-ti-a ( Who catches [a man in his net]

Ta. tuuttuba uLu -sootiya ( Illuminates those people who utter it *tuuttu-bi-a)

துதிப உளு சோதிய

Tu-tu : Ta. tuti : to praise, recite etc. Su. du(g)-du(g) . du-du : id. Also Su. tu : to chant

7(402)

[kala-ga gu-ab-ba] su-ti-a (  [The strong one] who snatches [the bull]

Ta. kaaLaika kuuvappa sootiya ( The Bull which its cry lights up)

காளைக கூவப்ப சோதிய

nala : Ta. kaaLai : the bull, the strong one

gu-ab-ba : Ta. kuuv: to cry, call out etc. kuuv-abba.>kuu-avva : its cry

Note ; In Savism to this day the Nanti (<Su. ninda above) is symbolized as the BULL, the kaaLai here. It appears  that the bellowing sound of such bulls is taken as the local token of the mystical mantra-syllable Om,  This may explain why the Nanti is taken as the vehicle of Siva


7(402)

x[x x x x-g]-gi x- gal-la a sum-mu (  . . [ . . .] . . who gives strength to the  . . .]

Ta. x [x x x-g]-gi x-gal-la a sum-mu  ( “ )

x[x x x]  மீ.மீ  x- கால்ல ஆல் சும்மு

8( 403)

kun-sa-tu en-gal (d) nu-mus-da-ke  ( The great lard Numusda has, O ladder (leading up) to the mountain)

Ta. kunnu seettu eeNkaL (d) nuumusdakee ) The great Lord Numusda, helps to reach the peak)

குன்னு சேத்து ஏண்கள் (தெய்) நூமூஸ¤த்த

kun : Ta. kun, kunnu < , kunRu) ; the hill

Sa-tu ‘ Ta seettu: that which helps to attain, enjoin etc.

9(404) refrain

10 ( 405)

e-(d) nu-mus-da ka-zal-la  ( The house of Numusda in Kazalla)

Ta. el (d) nuumuusaththa ka-sal-la ( the temple of Nuumuusittha in Kasalla)

இல் (தெய்) நூமூசித்த கயில்ல 


ka-zal-la> kasalla> kayalla> kayilai?



Ullaganar 
2005.

( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )