Shiva Agamas
Shiva Agamas
Shiva Agamas
by
Thiru A. SHANMUGHA MUDALIAR, m.a.
Retd. Professor in Sanskrit, Pachiappa’s College, Madras
Our India is the most ancient civilised country among the diffe-
rent parts of the world. It has been the main fountain-spring from
which have flown all branches of culture—Religion, Philosophy,
Literature, Sciences and Fine Arts. It will be but appropriate to
quote here some sentences from Max Muller’s address to I.C.S.
candidates at Cambridge in the last century.
‘What I wish to show to you, I mean more especially the candi-
dates for Indian Civil Service, is that this India of a thousand or two
thousand or three thousand years ago, aye! the India of today also
if only you know where to look for it, is full of problems, the solution
of which concerns all of: s, even usin this Europe of the 19th Century.
If you have acquired any special taste here in England, you will
find plenty to satisfy them in India and whoever has learnt to take an
interest in any of the great problems that occupy the best thinkers and
workers at home, need certainly not be afraid of India proving to
him an intellectual exile.
Ifyou care for geology, there is work for yo. from the Himalayas
to Ceylon.
If you are fond of botony, there is flora rich enough for many
Hookers,
If you are a Zoologist, think of Haeckel, who is just now rtshing
through Indian Forests and dredging in Indian seas and te whom
his stay in India is like the realisation of the brightest dream of his
life.
If you are interested in Ethnology, why ! India is like a living
ethnological museum.
If you are fond of archacology, if you have ever assisted at the
opening of a barrow in England and know the delight of finding a
2
fibula or a knife or a flint in a heap of rubbish, read only general
Cunningham’s Annual Reports of the Archaeological Survey of Ind la
and you will be impatient for the time when you can take your spade
and bring to light the Viharas or colleges built by the Buddhist
monarchs of India.
The study of Mythology has assumed an entirely new character,
chiefly owing to the light that has been thrown in it by the ancient
Vedic Mythology of India.
Even the study of fables owes its new life to India, from whence
the various migrations of fables have been traced at various times and
through various channels from east to west. We may go back into
antiquity and still find strange coincindences bétween the legends of
India and the legends of the West without as yet being able to say
how they travelled whether from east to west or from west to east.
Before I begin the subject, I shall just say a few words about the
language of India since the Sanskrit Agamas have to be studied being
supplemented by Tamil books. No doubt our country is multilingual
and we learn that scholars studied almost all the languages. Cf,
definition of a Pandit டு
Thirumular’s
பண்டிதராவார் பதினெட்டு பாடையுங்
கண்டவர் கூறுவர் கருத்தறிவாரென்க
பண்டிதர் தங்கள் பதினெட்டு பாடையு
மண்ட முதலரனறஞ் சொன்னவாறே.
There can be no doubt whatsoever with regard to the faci that Sanskrit
and ‘Tamil are the most ancient languages. Both Sanskrit and Tamil
are believed to be divine im origin. The Agamas mention that
word and sense are inseperable and interrelated. Both the Jan ்
(Sabda Prapanca) and the world (Artha Prapanca) Siianaie ten
Godhood. From Para (God) emanates the Nada—-the sound Which
is actuated by Bindu (Energy). By this action is born the grou ம் f
or
Jivaksharas-(vowels) and their body is the group of consonants
Kamika Agama. “ட
எகரி ஏக: ஏன், எக்னலி மா: |
ஏனளாகளி ஏர் க் ப
ள் என எ ளை எள் னாள் ரு |
wae fegeaqayat feateread waq |
எண aes at gd asi எளி
aU: Tea Wasa: sia ளை: ப
எனா 8ஈர் wafesra ea sagaifa g |
ளிய sang ata aaa: |
ஏஏ ஈர் சான் ஈரா ர ப
Sanskrit grammer of Panini begins by enumerating the Sanskrit
alphabet in 14 aphorisms called M&heswarasiitras ; about the origin
of which Nandikeswara Karika says thus:
and future. What about our present life? Our knowledge is so.
limited, erroneous and beset with dangerous{consequences. Unless we
depend on some good guidance, we mistake the body for our
soul and spend our entire Jife for the sake of this body which is going,
to perish sooner or later. We little bestow our attention to our
precious soul. A poet says
a: sam எர ர
eq எள் எ: ஈர |
ண்ண ணடுளி%: ஈவு,
எண கனை
ர ॥
Agamas are of various groups presenting the supremacy of Siva,
Sakti, or Vishnu. The two prominent Agamas, of Vishnu are
Pancaratra and Vaikhanasa. The Agamas pertaining to Sakti are
numerous, the most important of which are Kuldrnava, Tintraraja,
Kamakalavilasa, Kalivilasa, Maha Nirvana etc. Of the Saiva
agamas there are two branches—-one in South India and another in
Kashmir. Siva is said to be the author of the Siva Sutras, the original
work of Advaita Saivisim-peculiar to Kashmir. This tradition has
been handed over to posterity by Vasu Gupta and Somiananda.
Very little is known about Vasu Gupta. He is said to have discovered
on a rock in a peak of mount Mahadeva certain Sutras which were
inscribed on it. He came to know of its location, by Siva who appeared
to him in a dream and by His grace understood the meaning of the
sutras and wrote the Spandamrta. Sominanda gives us an account
ofhislineage. From that, we learn that Siva as Srikantha commanded
Sage Diirvasas to teach anew the Siva Agamas, Diirvasas accordingly
produced by his mind Tryambaka and taught it io him. In the same
way each taught the tradition to his mind-born son upto the 15th
generation. The fifteenth married a brahmin girl and got a son
named Sangamaditya. He wandered from place to place and finally
settled in Kashmir. From him, came this lineage of Varshaditya,
Arunaditya Ananda and Somfnanda, Kallata and Sominanda
seem to be pupils of Vasu Gupta. Kallata is the author of Spanda.
Karikas, Spanda Vriti, Tattvartha Cintimani and Maduvahinii.
8
body somewhere and entered into the corpse of Moola only to please
the cattle. The next day, when he wanted to re-enter into his own
body, it was not to be found. He understood the divine order that
he should remain in the mortal world and write in Tamil the gist of
Siva Agamas. He did so and then reached Goodhood. In the
Thirumanthiram, he himself says that he inherited this knowledge
from the sisyaparamara of Nandi. Healso says that proficiency in
both languages-Sanskrit and Tamil is necessary to know God.
Tam not also going to bother myself with regard to the date of the
Agamas, Critics with a bias will certainly ascribe a late date for them.
Anyhow the Agamas must be earlier than the South Indian Temples,
since they are constructed as per rules prescribed in the Agamas and
the worship in the temples is also carried on from their inception
acording to the Agamas. Archaeologists, Epigraphists, Historians may
be able to show the antiquity of the temples. The inscriptions on the
walls of the temples may disclose the dates. But these too are not cor-
rect ; because many of these temples were renovated at various
periods. The exavations as from Mohanjadharo and elsewhere will
prove that there were temples, Sivalingas, and idols which have become
dilapidated and immersed in the bosom of the earth. It is humanly
impossible 1o discover from the depth of the earth the oldest relics of
idols and archeological sculptures. The mythologies of the temples
narrate the installation and consecration of the chief idols in the tem-
ples. If those stories are to be considered historical, the date will be
the beginning of Kaliyuga, nay even earlier. Valmiki’s Ramayana,
Bhasa’s Pratima Nataka indicate the existence of the temples before
their periods, that is 10th century B.C. Some how or other, we have
been attaching too much importance to the old. But times have
changed now and we become more critical. Even Kalidasa of the
First Century 8.00) வ் ஏடி a ag எர
though in a different context. Many a quarrel may bé avoided if
undue importance is not attached on the relative antiquity or
posterity,
Now, I shall take up the subject-matter of the Agamas. Agamas
are so called because they have come from god. The other name for
Agamas is Tantra which is thus defined.
One more topic that I want to present before you today is the
relationship of the Agamas with Vedas. At the outset I have pointed
out that according to tradition Vedas and Agamas emanate from the
same god and are considered as Apta, Sabda or Agama Pramana by
the Astikas. Both are revelations to the pcople of things that can’t
be known by physical knowledge nor even by science. Even western
scholars and scientists have accepted after long and laborius researches
the existence of a power called god who cannot be seen in the labora.
tory. Even the soul is not traceable. Sir James Jeenes says in his
** Mysterious universe **—“‘ Is a living cell merely a group of ordinary
atoms arranged in some non-ordinary way or is it something more?”
Is it mrely atoms or is it atoms plus life? Or t¢ put it in another way,
could a sufficiently skilled chemist create life out of the necessary atoms
as a boy can create a machine out of Maccano?”’, So, both Vedas,
and Agamas are inlended for seekers of mystical truth. While Vedas
are restricted to the three varnas, Agamas are open to all. Vedas
consist of three parts—the Stotras, Brahmanas and Aranyakas which
speak about the rituals and sacrifices and Upanishads which are phi-
losophic discourses. Likewise, the Agamas consist of four divisions viz
Carya, Kriya, Yoga and Jfidna. In the first 3, we have all the modes of
individual and group rituals-secular and religious to be practised by belie-
vers in religion. Carya and the Smrtis are almost of the same character
presenting the daily routines, the Samkaras etc. In addtion to the
Upanayana of the Vaidikas, we have here the Diksha which is of three
degrees viz., Samaya, Visesha, and Nirvana. Just as Lpanayana is
expected to lead the people towards philosophical pursuit so also
Diksha initiates the people into divine mysteries step by step. Kriya
vefers to Siva Pooja including Agri Karya. Yoga refers to medita-
tion corresponding to Patanjali’s Yoga system. The Jfianapada is
equivalent io the Upanishads. But in the Agamas we don’t have the
15
னனர
The Kamixa Agama says thus:
onerayaian armiratea: |
qusqaata afarayesre: I
இராக் எள் ளர் a waz |
84ம் எள் TATA
எர feat ஏஜி: எரர் ஏ: |
TA NYT ஏன் ஏரார் என்கை பு
எவர் ved ஏ வாக்கர் |
aya ql ale wea nada = II
அனி னார் எரி எ |
க்க ளர் ஏளி எள ॥
கவர் என savor என் 9 |
விள எ ஈடன் எர ॥
ஊரவர் Hoty ஈனா: |
எனகன னா ச: ப
Knowledge is of two kinds—Apara (lower) and Para (higher). The
Sastras which deal with Pagu (Soul) and Pasa (Bondage) are lower ;
while that which speaks about god is higher. The difference between
these 2 is like the eye-sight of man and cat in night. But both have
been revealed by the same god according to the intellect of the people,
just as various syllabi are prescribed by educational authorities so as
to suit various grades of students from the infant to the post-graduate,
2
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ting varnas padas, mantras, tatvas, kalas and bhuvanas in the different
limbs of god, Naivedya, Archana, Diparadhana, Upachara, Stotra,
Parayana, Agnikarya, Aikiknrana, Chandeswerarpana, and Nyasa of
Linga with Parivaras in the Petaka.
araignRafiaaad weakest |
After Atmarthapiija, the Saiva is expected to go to the public
temple and. offer worship there. One form of worship or service
consists of sweeping and washing of the precincts of the temple,
planting and nourishing plants, plucking of flowers, knitting of gar-
lands, burning of incense, litting lamps with ghee, singing devotional
songs and offering materials of worship etc.
Anothe: form is worship of the temple and the deities. After
washing hands and fect, and sipping water thrice, looking at the
Gopura with devotion as Sthtla Linga, the devotee has to enter
the Dvara uttering Siva Nama, offer namaskara to Balipeetha, Dhwaja
Siamba and Rishabhadeva, prostrate with Astanga, go around the
temple at least 3 times, offer namaskira to Dwarapalakas, Nandi
Deva, Vighneswara in order, have arcana done through the Sivacarya to
both Siva Linga and Ambika, then off2r Namask@ra to Nataraja,
Dakshinamoorthy, Somiskanda, Subrahmanya and Saivacaryas and
finally reach the Sannidhi of Candéswara, offer to him the Nirmalya,
clap the hands thrice, continue the pradakshina, stand before the
Rshba and see Sivalinga through the horns of Rshaba, then prostrate
before the Balipeetha, sit and meditate the Panchakshara and
Aghora Mantra. é
From entering the temple till leaving it, the mind must be con-
sentrated only on god. No talking, no diversion, no eating, drinking,
chewing, spitting etc., should be done. Then cnly, there will be the
calm serenity in the temple which would facilitate concentration,
making the term Alaya significant, since the word means drawing
the mind from all-around and concentrating on God.
Before I continue with other religious duties, at this context, [I
shall just poini out the structure of the temple and its
philosphical
interpretation. A temple has got Garbha grha, Ardha Mandapa
Mahamandapa, Snana Mandapa, Alankara Mandapa and Sabha
Mandapa. These six represent the Shadhddhiras vizg., Muladhara.
Svadhishthana, Manipiiraka, Anahata, Viguddhi and Ajna in the
human body. Mandapa of thousand pillars represents the
Saha-
srarakamala in the head called Ummani Sakti.
The tirtha by the
side of the Mandapa is Candrapushkarani in the brain, There
are
five prakaras in a temple. The first represents the
Sthula Deha of
Annamaya Kofga, the second pr@ns and Karméndriyas
of Pranamaya
23
ஊர் எண்ணி க: |
ஏன எனா எரா: ப
Hrdaya means wisdom, and that is not fearful but Santa, but his
parigraha Sakti connected with Afuddhadhwa is fearful,
Vamadevaguhya is explained in this manner by Mrgendra.
water எவன எள்ளை: |
aaa எனி ம: சாரா: ப
Dharma, Artha and Kama—these three are of alower ¢rder—Vama;
Dev means brilliance, Guhya-means secret. Siva’s brilliance which
makes the soul enjoy the three vargas according to Karma is called
Vama Deva and by nature it is secret.
SadyOjaia is defined thus in Mrgendra—
என்னாள் ஏன்ன
waa aalshrart: |
amt afial frat a fea
எனி: கணக்: ॥
Since he endows quickly bodies to the souls and mantra Sariras to
yogis, he is called as SadyOjata since he acts quickly; not since he takes
forms.
ஊன ஏகானா எனின் |
எர ஐ கரன் எிரனர்ாஸ்ரி ப
That is called Kundalini or Suddha Maya. It is Adhishthana of Siva
in which Laya, Bhoga, and Adhikara of Siva exist and from which
Suddhadhva is evolved From Suddhamay4 or Urduvamaya there is
the evolution of five Siva Tattvas called Siva, Sakti, Sddakya, Iswara
and Suddha Vidyi From Adhomiya is the evoluion of Vidya
Tattvas viz., Kala, Niyati, Kala, Vidya, Raga and Purusha, From
Prakrtimaya is the evolution of 24 Atmatattvas viz., Guta, Buddhi,
Ahankéra, Manas, Kama, Tvak, Cakshus, Rasana, Ghrina, Vak
Pada, Pani, Payu, Upastha, Sabda, Sparga, Ripa, Rasa, Gandha,
Akasa, Vayu, Tejas, Ap, and Prthvi.
The method of evolution and the charactertiscs of all these 36
tattvas are defined elaborately in different pathalas. Ishall just indicate
very briefly. The universe which always exists is dissolved into subtle
form, during Mahasamhara Kala. Then it is to be reproduced by
Parasiva from Himself. For that purpose He aspects the Suddhamaya
through his Jhanagakti; then there is Kshobain the Suddamaya.
That Bhaga which is perceived by Jf@ana§akti alone is Sivatattva
or Laya or Nishkala or Saktim&n or Nada. When Para Siva aspects
the Sudda Maya which is Kriya Sakti, Suddamaya is actuated and
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aseacntqeatga vaya |
ஏனா கிகா: |)
‘The Atma has his Jfidna-Kriya concealed by Mala, is different from
Autahkarafla : but yetlike aking assisted by the ministers, with the
help of Antahkaranas experiences the five states viz., Jagara, Swapno,
Sushupti, Turfya and Turlyatita.
The world is Jada and so, no use of it to itself. God has infinite
knowledge, power and joy and he is not in need of anything and so,
he has no benifit of the world. So, for whom is this world intended?
Surely, it is for the Atmé.
Similarly, Vedas and Agam@s are produced by god himsell,
not for his own purpose. The inanimate world, can make no use of it.
So for whom are these revelations ? God and world, Vedas and
Agamas are intended only for Atmas, who possess a little knowledge
which requires kindling and who take part in the world, and make
use Of the world. Warious plants function by nature, not knowing
what they are doing. The Atmas are not doing things blindly. So
itis clear that they are not Jadas; but they possess some animate power,
which western scientists call as Neo Vitalism. Atma can be only
inferred ay fragrance in flower, But we know that fragrance
and flower are different, and yet fragrance cannot remain without
flower. Similarly, Atma and, Savira are different. Burt Atma cannot
remain without Sarira. Atma is like Electricity. We can only
explain how and what we can do with electricity; but we can’t show
electricity, Likewise, we can only explain the energy and activity
of the Atma but can’t show the Atma. Another feature of the Atm?
is like that of the eye. The eye in light is able to see things. But in
darkness it becomes dark, and is not able to see things, Similarly
Atma when allied with God can see god and when allied with Paéa
becomes tied to it. Atma is like crystal also, The crystal gets the
32
colour of any object that is beneath it when the light of the Sun falls
on it from side; but when the light falls directly on it frem above
the crystal retains its own nature and is not influenced by the colour of
the abject beneath. So also Atma is attached to Pasa, when Siva’s.
graceis far fromit. But when Siva’s grace falls directly, the Atmais not
at all affected by Pasa.
Atmias or anus arc minute like a Gow’s hair split into one by lakh.
Atmias are innumerable. They are of the same form in which they live
whether Andaja, Swétaja, Udbhija
and Jarayuja—C.P. Thiruvachakam
புல்லாகிப் பூடாம் புழுவாய் மரமாஇப்
பல்விருகமாகிப் பறவையாய்ப் பாம்பாகிக்
சல்லாய் மனிதராய்ப் பேயாய்க் சணங்களாய்
வல்லசுரராகி முனிவராய்த் தேவராய்ச்
செல்லா நின்ற வித்தாவர ஐங்கமத்துள்
எல்லாப் பிறப்பும் பிறந்திவ ததேன்.
According to the bodies, the souls possess senses from onc to six. Alb
these souls in this earthly world are called Sakalas Those in heaven.
are Pralayadkalas and Vijfanakalas. Sakalas are those Atmas bound
by all the three paSas ; Pralay&kalas by two wz., Amava and
Maya and Vijnanakalas by Anava only.
The Aim4s which are bound by nature with these Malas are to-
be freed from their effects. It is for this purpose, they are endowed
by god with Karanas. By doing the thing enjoined in the Agamas
gradually in some births the souls become ripe and then god by his
grace liberates them.
Next, I define the Malas as presented in the Agamas, The
various names of Anava-Mala are enumerated thus.
WMAIWIAMSAGASSIASSeA: |
ஏஏ கவ் ஏரி ப
Their characteristics and divisions are presented in the following.
ats எள் ௭௭ |
ணன வவஎக ரர ப
This Mala is one, binding allsouls, having no beginning, dense,
incapable of separation, but having various degrees of powers which
perish individually in Atmas, as they get Paripakva. It is according
tothe degree of the bondage, that god gives diferrent bodies to the souls.
And, having got Karanas, the souls have to expericnce misery in this
world. :
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