I received a message from a friend and a reader of this blog after reading the post at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/05/understanding-tattvas-1.html
Aiyya I have been looking for this _ what you discussed in this post_ for more than two years! In my ashi nadi agathiyar told me to learn dehatattwas primarily. Hence, I have been asking many, searching nd Googling since then. At first I thought like _ y ? Did agathiyar meant that I should learn body anatomy and how it works etc. But how nd why _ I have the least intelligence when it come to such scientific studies. But still, I was dissatisfied because, by reading these things doesn't make me knowledgeable at all. Still now I didnt understand a thing _ I am sure! I read that Body is made of panchabhootas etc etc but I don't get it. Actually, still now, i didnt understand the instruction of agathiyar clearly _ is what i think. Yesterday i happened to read the exact word in Baul philosophy and was alerted. Oh. At last my search ended in your blog post!! Aiyya, please advise me _ how and from where can I learn about this? How can I learn about 96 principles of body? Tavayogi's book etc are in tamil. What shall i do?
The Bauls are mystic minstrels living in rural Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The Baul movement, at its peak in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, has now regained popularity among the rural population of Bangladesh. Their music and way of life have influenced a large segment of Bengali culture, and particularly the compositions of Nobel Prize laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Bauls live either near a village or travel from place to place and earn their living from singing to the accompaniment of the ektara, the lute dotara, a simple one-stringed instrument, and a drum called dubki. Bauls belong to an unorthodox devotional tradition, influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism, Bengali, Vasinavism and Sufi Islam, yet distinctly different from them. Bauls neither identify with any organized religion nor with the caste system, special deities, temples or sacred places. Their emphasis lies on the importance of a persons physical body as the place where God resides. Bauls are admired for this freedom from convention as well as their music and poetry. Baul poetry, music, song and dance are devoted to finding humankinds relationship to God, and to achieving spiritual liberation. Their devotional songs can be traced back to the fifteenth century when they first appeared in Bengali literature.
Baul music represents a particular type of folk song, carrying influences of Hindu bhakti movements as well as the shuphi, a form of Sufi song. Songs are also used by the spiritual leader to instruct disciples in Baul philosophy, and are transmitted orally. The language of the songs is continuously modernized thus endowing it with contemporary relevance.
I was following a TV show "Rudra Veenai" several years ago. In it, a man is seen carrying a mystical veena from village to village, and "healing" the folks in multiple ways. He resembles the above description of the Baul's.
I wrote back to her that "I too have been trying to figure this out ma. I remember carrying many notes that I came across while searching for clarification in my subsequent posts. Pls, keep reading. You might find something there." To recap and refresh my memory too, I thought I should go through those posts. It might seem that I am revisiting this topic often. Initially, upon reading Paramahansa Satchidananthar's "Jeeva Bramakiya Vedanta Ragasiyam" or "ஜீவப் பிரம்மைக்ய வேதாந்த ரஹஸ்யம்" I was wondering why the author was repeating things throughout his book. Finally, he reveals that it's only with repetition that the matter will register in us. Similarly, Tavayogi would take the stage at various venues and repeat the same story again and again. Once I asked him why he was repeating the same things in his talk. He asked me in return as was his nature, if I was following his dictates, referring to his audience. "It's only when you listen and follow that I can move on to the next stage", he added.
Dr. Bruce Lipton says the subconscious mind learns through either of two ways, through hypnosis and repetition. Train the subconscious mind through repetition and practice he says. By repetition you talk to your subconscious he says. Repetition is a habit. The subconscious mind is habitual. Habit becomes a character. Character is embedded in the subconscious as vasanas or as in tracks on vinyl records.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Shaivism) we are told that "Tattvas are used to explain the structure and origin of the Universe." As the body is relative to the universe around us, a study of the former will justify a study of the cosmos too.
The Siddhas categorized the human body into 96 tattvas that have come to be known as the Siddha Anatomy. From the first atom, the Paramanu, the Pancha Maha Bhutam came forth, writes Tavayogi. The world emerged with these 5 atoms coming together. Each atom carried 96 Tattvas. These Tattvas function in our bodies too. These tattvas form the basis for the growth, sustenance, and the proper functioning of all the regulatory systems within us for the continued dwelling and inhabitance of the spirit and soul within. We are said to be a combination of the same five basic primordial or primary elements that form the building blocks of all of creation, the Pancha Maha Bhutam namely earth, water, fire/energy, air/wind, and sky/space, in descending order of grossness. This is seen as the first layer of elements or Tattvas of creation. These principal forces of Nature are responsible for the creation and coming into being, development and continued sustenance, and completion of every creation of the divine that we have come to know. "Their personified forms are imagined to be in the form of their patron Gods who actually control these elements and their functions in creation," says Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia.
Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia compliments the above. "Brahm would be like the primary Atom which left to itself is neutral and inactive. It is only when certain changes take place in its core, such as the shift in the position of its electron, etc that the chain of reaction starts that would ultimately result in not only producing newer elements but releasing energy or absorbing matter from the surrounding atmosphere. The Varaha Upanishad, Canto 1 is entirely dedicated to enumerating the Tattvas, starting from a single universal element that is known as the Param Tattva, the Supreme Essence, to the 96 Tattvas. From these primary elements came forth the secondary elements that form the second layer of elements or Tattvas of creation. Finally came the tertiary elements - the various Anatahakarans, the various Vikaars and Vrittis, the three Gunas, etc, that would form the third layer of elements or Tattvas of creation."
The great sage Ribhu performed penance for twelve Deva (divine) years. At the end of the time, the Lord appeared before him in the form of a boar. He said: “Rise, rise and choose your boon”. The sage got up and having prostrated himself before him said: “O Lord, I will not, in my dream, wish of thee those things that are desired by the worldly. All the Vedas, Shastras, Itihasas and all the hosts of other sciences, as well as Brahma and all the other Devas, speak of emancipation as resulting from a knowledge of thy nature. So impart to me that science of Brahman which treats of thy nature.”
Some disputants hold that there are twenty-four Tattvas (principles) and some thirty-six, whilst others maintain that there are ninety-six. I shall relate them in their order. Listen with an attentive mind.
- The organs of sense are five, viz., ear, skin, eye, and others. (5)
- The organs of action are five, viz., mouth, hand, leg, and others. Pranas (vital airs) are five; sound and other (viz., rudimentary principles) are five. (5 + 5 +5 = 15)
- Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, and Ahankara are four; (4)
- thus those that know Brahman know these to be the twenty-four Tattvas. (24)
- Besides these, the wise hold the quintuplicated elements to be five, viz., earth, water, fire, Vayu, and Akasa; (5)
- The bodies to be three, viz., the gross, the subtle, and the Karana or causal; (3)
- the states of consciousness to be three, viz., the waking, the dreaming, and the dreamless sleeping (3)
- The Munis know the total collection of Tattvas to be thirty-six (coupled with Jiva). (36)
Pa.Kamalakannan in one of his writings mentions that Sage Ribhu came down from the Himalayan mountain ranges and lead Ramalinga Adigal to his abode. What better place to understand this subject then to turn to Ramalinga Adigal himself. Browsing through the numerous e-books that I had downloaded and saved for further reading, I came across the following explanation by Dr. C. Srinivasan in his book "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami", published by Ilakkia Nilayam Trichy, 1968. Ramalinga Adigal lists out the three bondages that shackle man. Srinivasan explains.
The bondages of human beings are according to the Swami, with regard to the body or தேகப்பற்று, to the soul or ஜீவப்பற்று and to the enjoyment which one expects in these or போகப்பற்று. These bondages are thirty-six in number.
Brahma Thathvam or மலரோன் தத்துவம் that is made of 24 elements.
(5 Elements): 1. Space 2. Air 3. Fire 4. Water 5. Earth(5 Sense Organs): 6. Body (Skin) 7. Tongue 8. Eyes 9. Nose 10. Ears(5 Perception of Senses): 11. Sensitivity (Touch) 12. Taste 13. Sight (Vision) 14. Smell 15. Hearing(5 Motor Organs): 16. Mouth 17. Feet (legs) 18. Hands 19. Anus (Rectum) 20. Sex organ(4 Intelectual faculties) 21. Manam (மனம்) or Mind 22. Buddhi (புத்தி) or Intellect 23. Sitham (சித்தம்) or Subconscious mind 24. Ahangaram (அகங்காரம்) or Ego
Vishnu Thathvam or மாலோன் தத்துவம் that is made of 7 elements.
(...) 25. Kalai (கலை) 26. Viddhai (வித்தை) 27. Aragam (அராகம்) 28. Niyathi (நியதி) 29. Time (காலம்) 30. Mohini (மோகினி) 31. Purusha (புருஷன்)
Suddha Thathvam or சுத்த தத்துவம் that is made of 5 elements.
(...) 32. Suddha Viddhai (சுத்த வித்தை) 33. Eswaram (ஈசுரம்) 34. Sadakkiyam (சதாக்கியம்) 35. Vindu (விந்து) 36. Nadam (நாதம்)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Shaivism) we understand that the tattvas are similarly divided into three groups but named as Asuddha (impure tattvas), Suddha Asuddha (pure-impure tattvas); and Suddha (pure tattvas).
The Asuddha tattvas include the universe and living beings that assist the existence of the soul. Asuddha tattvas numbering 24 are aspects of the Universe and physical body. The five gross elements (mahabhuta) namely: earth, water, fire, air, ether, or space are part of the list of 24 principles.
The Suddha Asuddha tattvas, 7 in total, are described as the "instruments" that assist the souls or Purusha in its liberation. It pairs with Maya that hides the divine nature of created beings creating a sense of separateness from each other and the Divine too. Hence the need of the guru to come along and draw the curtain or veil aside to expose the truth.
Suddha tattvas that are 5 in numbers are functioning in the absolute level which leads to the Five Acts or Panchakritya namely: Creation; Sustenance; Destruction; Concealment; and Grace. Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia in his "The Mahavakyas of the Upanishads" writes that "These tattvas form the basis for the growth, sustenance, and the proper functioning of all the regulatory systems within us for the continued dwelling and inhabitation of the spirit and soul within."
As for the rests of the tattvas,
- With these Tattvas, there are six changes, viz., existence, birth, growth, transformation, decay, and destruction. (6)
- Hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age, and death are said to be the six infirmities. (6)
- Skin, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, and bones are said to be the six sheaths. (6)
- Passion, anger, avarice, delusion, pride, and malice are the six kinds of foes. (6)
- Vishva, Taijasa, and Prajna are the three aspects of the Jiva. (3)
- Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are the three Gunas (qualities). (3)
- Prarabdha, Sanchita, and Agamin are the three Karmas. (3)
- Talking, lifting, walking, excreting, and enjoying are the five actions (of the organs of action) (5)
- And there are also thought, certainty, egoism, compassion, memory (functions of Manas, etc.,), complacency, sympathy, and indifference; (8)
- Dik (the quarters), Vayu, Sun, Varuna, Ashvini Devas, Agni, Indra, Upendra, and Mrityu (death); and then the moon, the four-faced Brahma, Rudra, Kshetrajna, and Ishvara. (14)