The Metaphysical Gynecology of Tirumular - Part 5

The Maamayai and Moksa

The gynecology of Tirumular, just like his sociology and psychology has as its foundations a cosmology as the highest reaches of theoretic thinking. 

The local and concrete must be seen as an instance of the cosmic in order to understand fully the phenomenal. The local and phenomenal is only a TOKEN of the cosmic and universal and this is what he is articulating here  before coming to the details of the human gynecology. 

In anticipation of this, the details of  the productive nature of the cosmos is provided, tracing all to the primordial seed form, the Vittu and which is also called Vintu Viiyam and Maamaayai. The word ‘viiyam' must be quite ancient and we can relate it to the Sumerian bi-ji (Malay Biji: seed), which literally means that which gives birth to (bi) various life forms (ji, si). Thus we have bi-ji> viiji> viisam> viiyam, vittu, vitai etc.

The universe is there as the expression of the Creative Power, the Viiyam and which shows itself as  the joint functioning of the Siva Tatvas Natam and Bindu and which is actually the real meaning of the metaphor of Siva-Sakti Dance. This is also the meaning of SivaliGkam that he has explained in great details in the earlier parts of this Tantra.

The dance is actually using the Siva Tatvas Natam and Bindu and creating myriads of things both at the depths and surface, latent and manifest and psychological and physical and so forth and all directed towards leading the anmas to attain and enjoy Moksa.

Thus Tirmular already hints that he considers even the sexual libido which is an expression of this primordial creative thrusts of Bindu ultimately derives its meaning in terms of attaining Moksa and perhaps something to be enjoyed and passed over.

7.

1929

புறம் அகம் புகுந்து ஒளிர் விந்து

நிறமது வெண்மை நிகழ் நாதஞ் செம்மை

உறமகிழ் சத்தி சிவ பாதம் ஆயுள்

திறனொடு வீடு அளிக்குஞ் செயற்கொண்டே

உரை:

அனத்தையும் உற்பவிக்கும் வீயமதாக எழும் மூலவித்து புறம் அகம் என்றும் புதையுரு புறவுரு என்றும் ஒளிர்ந்து விரவி நிற்கும். இதில் விந்துகூற்றின் நிறம் வெண்மையதாக இருக்க நாதக் கூற்றின் நிறம் செம்மையாகும். இவ்வாறான நிறங்களோடு உள்ளும் புறமுமாக , புதைவு புறமுமாக அவை உலகெங்கும் உற்று நிற்பதே உண்மையாக சிவசத்தி திருப்பாதங்களாகும். இவ்வாறு சிவலிங்கமதாகப் பதியும் சிவசத்தியே ஆன்மாக்களுக்கு அவர்களது ஆயுள், கலைத்திறன் ஆகியவற்றோடு சிவஞானம் புகட்டி வீடு பேறு அளிக்க பல்வேறு செயல்களில் படுத்த வல்லதுமாகும்.

7.

1929.

puRam akam pukuntu oLi Vintu

niRamatu ceNmai nikaz naatanj cemmai

uRamakiz catti civa paatam aayuL

tiramodu Viidu aLikkunj ceyaRkoNdee

Meaning:

That which serves as the primordial seed of all, stands as that within and without, the Deep Structure and Surface Structure, the latent and manifest and so forth. It becomes the Siva Tatvas Bindu that assumes the color white while the Natam that of Red.  The joint presence of both these Siva Tatvas is in fact the true meaning of the metaphor of the Divine Feet of Siva-Satti. In this form (of SivaliGkam) they are present everywhere including the anmas determining their longevity, various competencies and promoting several of activities all designed to lead them towards Moksa.

8.

1930.

கொண்ட இவ்விந்து பரமம்போற் கோதற

நின்ற படங் கடமாய் நிலை நிற்றலில்

கண்டகல் ஆதியின் காரண காரியத்து

அண்டம் அனைத்துமாய் மாமாயை ஆகுமே

உரை:

இனி இவ்வாறு அகம் புறம் என்றும் புதை புறம் என்றும் சூக்குமம் தூலம் என்றும் நிற்கும் இந்த மூலவித்து, தூயவொளிப் பிரகாச பரமம் போல் எவ்விதக் குற்றமுமின்றி, காணவரும் ஆடை கடம் போன்ற சூக்குமங் கெட்டு தூலமாய் நிற்கின்ற காரணத்தால், கண்டு தெளிந்து பின் நீங்குதற்குரியன எனும் பண்பின் காரண காரியத்து அண்டம் என்றும் மற்று ஏனையவென்றும் அறியத்தரும் சுத்தமாயை அசுத்தமாயை எனத்திரியும் மாமாயை ஆகுமே.

8. 

1930.

koNda ivvintu paramampoor kootaRa

ninRa padang kadamaay nilai niRRalil

kaNdakal aatiyin kaaraNa kaariyattu

aNdam anaittumaay maamaayai aakumee

Meaning:

This primordial seed of all, stands on its own radiant like Brahman and without any blemishes. It also becomes like clothes, pots and so forth concrete and visible objects and the Maamaayai that has within it the whole cosmos of visible realities and stands both the cause and effect of all to be seen learned and then to pass over (towards the absolute)

Comments:

Here again Tirumular is still with the metaphysical foundations that underlie the gynecological realities towards which he is leading us slowly. In the verse above he clarifies that Maamaayai, the primordial seed of all, also called Viiyam Vintu and so forth,  in fact stands as all allowing the anmas to LEARN, destroy the inherent Darkness of Ignorance because of a pre-existent blindness. These concrete and visible (or sensible) objects provide SEEING that enhances the depth of vision and with that enable them to see and more and more. 

It is also pointed out that this Maamaayai takes several kinds forms: the deep as opposed to the surface, the within as opposed to without and the latent as opposed to the manifest and which notions are communicated with such expressions as akam-PuRam, cuukkumam-tuulalam etc. The Maamaayai remains the stuff of all so that some kind of CONSCIOUSNESS, clear, dull mystic intuitive and so forth are generated.

Now in addition to providing such stuffs of consciousness, it is stated that this Vittu also creates longevity of the anmas along with the cognitive competencies of various kinds and the impelling force for effecting various kinds of actions so that metaphysical LEARNING takes place  and they with that, move towards Absolute Understanding that would confer them Moksa.

Loganathan @ Ullaganar