THE UNFOLDING OF LIFE

When Agathiyar in his memo to us defined clearly Udal, Uyir, and Atma, it cleared the air over our confusion as to the use of the words often interchangeably that of spirit and soul, Udal, Porul, and Aavi, etc.

உனது உடலைப் பிரதானமாகக் கொண்டு இயங்குவது சுவாசம், அதுவே உயிர். உயிர் என்பது செயல் அற்று இருக்கக்கூடிய உறுப்பைச் செயல் பெறச் செய்வது. 

Breath is life. Uyir or life is the prime mover of our body. Indeed the first thing we do to ascertain if one is alive is to check if he is breathing. The next thing we check for is the pulse. We check if the body is warm or cold too. These are signs of life besides any response him or her or movement in him or her. 

பிறக்கும் சிசு கருவுற மூலமாக இருப்பது பிராணவாயு. பிராணவாயு ஆணின் அணுக்களிலும் பெண்ணின் அணுக்களிலும் ஊடுருவி ஒன்றெனக் கலந்து பிரதான பொருள் வடிவம் அடையும் தன்மை உண்டானால் அங்கு உயிர் சக்தி உருவேற்ற படுகிறது.

Prana that is present in the cells of both parents is the prime mover in the conception of the embryo. If the conception is successful, life force comes within. 

உடல் என்பது ஐந்து உலோகங்களின் நுண்ணுயிர்களின் அளவுகளைத் தாங்கிக் கொண்டு பிண்டம் ஒன்றினை உருவ வடிவமாய் கர்ப்பகிரகத்தில் நிலை பெறுகிறது. பஞ்சபூதம் ஆகிய நீர், நிலம், ஆகாயம், காற்று, நெருப்பு அனைத்தும் தாய் தந்தையின் உடலிலிருந்தே  எடுக்கப்பட்டு சிசுவின் உடலைப் பிறப்பிக்கின்றது. இவைகளின் அளவுகள் குறையும் தருவாயில் சிசு தன் உடலின் பாகங்களில் கோளாறு ஏற்படுகிறது.

The body is formed of 5 primary elements namely water, earth, space, air, and fire that are sourced from both the parents in a specified proportion.

நிலத்தின் அளவு - 1/3

Earth 1 part from the mother and 3 parts from the father,

நீரின் அளவு – 4/3

Water 4 parts from the mother and 3 parts from the father,

நெருப்பின் அளவு – 5/6

Fire 5 parts from the mother and 6 parts from the father,

காற்றின் அளவு – 8/2

Air 8 parts from the mother and 2 parts from the father,

ஆகாயத்தின் அளவு – 1/8

Space 1 part from the mother and 8 parts from the father.

இவ்வாறு அதற்கென்று அளவுகள் பிரம்மதேவரால் கணக்கிட்டு உடலை உருவாக்கப்படுகிறது.

These proportions that are determined by Lord Brahma lead to the formation of the embryo. Hence when our elders say that Lord Brahma determines our fate they imply that he plays with these figures or proportion. Anytime these doesn't comply with to the formula, it results in a defect in the newborn child. This is in turn determined by past karma. So are we really in charge of our lives then? Did we choose the gender? Did we choose the race? Did we choose our parents? Did we choose the nation to be born in? But when we are given a body to rent and occupy for a short while, we begin to claim ownership to it. We create havoc with it and live our mark here, often an unpleasant one.

ஆன்மா உடலையும் உயிரையும் தனது கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் ஒரு சூச்சமம். 

The Atma has the ability to keep both the body and breath under its control. One would wonder what is that that keeps us alive 24/7 and even when we are asleep? What is it that responds to a call while we are asleep? How is it that we know we are being called by name in our sleep? Now we know that it is the Atma. My mother used to tell a story of 5 Buthams or entities that leave us each night in our sleep. Upon awakened abruptly 4 return turning up immediately. The last one hardly goes far for it struggles to return as it is lame. I guess he stays behind to stay guard and keep a vigil while the rests roam. Agathiyar says the Atma is made of 5 kooru or parts. Does this ring a bell?

இந்தச் சூச்சமத்தை பிறந்த குழந்தைகள் 1  முதல் 5 வராகை வரையிலும் உடன் இருந்து மறையும். மறைத்தலின் காரணம் இன்னதென்று இப்போது உனக்குச் சொல்ல இயலாது. 

Agathiyar reveals that the Atma loses its grip and control over the body and breath as the child grows. We understand it pretty well. When the child knows that it can make decisions and choices, it's a sign that its "I" is emerging and it sends the Atma into the shadows. G.Vanmikanathan in "Thiruvachagam", Amudha Nilayam, Chennai, 2002, says veiling is "an act of grace too, by which he hides reality from the soul so that it can gain the experience provided by good and bad karma in the world. When the soul is mature enough God withdraws the veil concealing reality." So we now understand that Erai out of love and compassion for us chose to cloth us in Maya or illusion and subject us to act out our past desires and Karma. Only after having gone through a systematic mechanism put in place by the divine that governs cause and effect and regulates the need to face pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, etc and taking a beating, and molded and strengthened or weakened as the case may be do we tend to come out polished and shining minus the karma that is burnt and the ego or "I" that dies a natural death. The same was told by Tavayogi to "Let them be" when I asked him to bring others to the fold too. He said they have to exhaust their desires.

ஆனபோதிலும் ஆன்ம ஒருவரின் செயலைப் பொறுத்தே மீண்டும் அவனை வந்து சேரும். ஆன்மா உன்னோடு இருந்து உன்னை ஒரு பாதைக்கு இழுத்து செல்லும். அப்போது நீ அதனை உணர்ந்தாள், உன்னில் அதிர்வாய் தோன்றி மறையும். அந்த அதிர்வினை நீ உனக்குள் நீடிக்கப் பழகினால் உன்னால் ஆன்மா என்னும் உனது அதிர்வுகளில் ஊடுருவி என்னுள் (இறை / அகத்தியன்) வந்து சேர ஒரு வழி. 

But the Atma does not desert him. The Atma stays behind the veil and monitors the child without interfering. During this period that Agathiyar mentions in an ancient time frame that of 1 to 5 Varaahai, the child's breathing pattern changes, the three dosas and its proportions in his body changes, etc while the "I" thinks it is in charge. The Atma awaits patiently for the time to return to take possesion and take charge, constantly monitoring his actions. Could this period be a sort of banishment or hibernation for the Atma? We have read of Avatars being banished from their kingdom and evil takes charge in their absence.

After the said term, during which we learn from experience that in reality, we were never in charge of our lives, the Atma reappears to bring us to a particular path. If we are aware says Agathiyar we shall know it as a vibration within that appears and disappears. If we practice prolonging this awareness of the vibration, it shall lead us to God/Erai/Agathiyan. When a devotee cornered Agathiyar asking to know his true form as we are confused over being told that he is a dwarf and depicted as such in some places and a 6 footer elsewhere, when we are told that he is in the form of light, etc, Agathiyar places a question to her just like Tavayogi does. As they were staunch devotees of his, involved in puja and charity, he asked them what do they feel during those moments when they say his name during puja and in giving away alms? When she replied an Athirvu or vibration, he answered "That I Am!"

ஆன்மா உனது கர்ம வினை தாங்கி வருவது அல்ல, ஆனால் ஆன்மாவே உனது கர்ம வினையைச் சரிசெய்வதற்கு உதவி புரியும். கர்மவை சரி செய்த பின், ஆன்மாவின் தேடல் அதிகமாகி மனிதனின் அன்றாட தேடல் தீர்ந்து போகும். அவன் தேடல் முழுதாய் என்னையே தேடி வர முயற்சி செய்யும்.

Agathiyar goes on to reveal and correct a false perception many including I had before this and that I had carried in many of my previous posts. I stand corrected too by Agathiyar. He says contrary to the belief that our past karma is attached to the Atma or that it carries it, Agathiyar reveals that it is not the case but that the Atma helps solve our karma. Once it shows him the way and means to settle his karma, the soul searching begins in him while the search outside for his daily needs dies down. The Atma leads his search to know God/Erai/Agathiyar. From "Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhantam - Sivagnana Boodham by Thiruvilankar Canagarayar, l96l, we learn that,

Now it is its duty to meditate on Him. Then the soul discovers the vanity or metamorphosis of the physical world, (the Asat) and is led into meditation. By the Grace of God, the soul becomes blind to the world and attains knowledge of God by His Grace. This is the spiritual truth called Pati Jñānam. God appears as Satguru before the soul fettered by pasam or world of senses, and initiates it, on the ground of tapas performed by it in the past birth. On receipt of the Upadesa the soul realizes its real spiritual nature as that of God and abandons the world and reaches the feet of God, as He is one with it. 

Gordon Matthews explains this concept in his translation of Meykanda Devar’s "Shivagnana Botham". 

By reason of the soul’s virtue in previous births, God, who has been immanent in the soul, making it known, now vouchsafing to take the form of a Guru, initiates the soul in the Saiva mysteries. The primal one himself teaches these souls as a Guru: for in the form of consciousness, he is in union (with him). When because of the soul’s meritorious practices the primal one enlightens the soul as a Guru… When God comes as a Guru and teaches the soul, the soul is made to see that the world of experience, evolved from Maya, is non-real. It ceases then to identify itself with the non-real and to depend upon it; and in so doing it discovers its oneness with God.

The Atma that was initially a part of the Param or source or Paramatma, brings forth a new life joining forces with the 5 primary elements that maketh the embryo or Udal, and the life force or breath or Uyir Sakthi. It comes to be known as the Jeevatma as it has given life or Jeeva to the union. Knowing the 5 elements to be tainted with impurities or Malam, this union is tainted as a whole. The Atma though pure in every aspect but due to its union with the body, is not spared. The Atma is said to be tainted because of its association with the Jeevan (Udal + Uyir). The Jeevan is said to be tainted by Malas or Malam. Bharathi laments to the Goddess Muthumari, singing of the things available to whiten and brighten for instance the clothes, the skin, and the household, but there is no way to whiten nor brighten the inquiring mind or Manam. (https://www.jiosaavn.com/song/ulagathu-nayagiye/PSMnXxpKBXg)

துணி வெளுக்க மண் உண்டு,
தோல் வெளுக்கச் சாம்பருண்டு,
மணி வெளிக்க சாணை உண்டு,
மனம் வெளுக்க வழி இல்லையே

From "Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhantam - Sivagnana Boodham by Thiruvilankar Canagarayar, l96l, we learn that,

In order to purify the soul, the Primal One by His infinite Grace, applied Maya and Karma Malams, (the other impurities) to the fettered soul, just as a washerman applies Fuller’s earth and cow-dung to remove the dirt in a piece of cloth.

Hence there is reason to purify the body by purging it of impurities. Sariyai and Kriyai then are the tools meant to transform the body or Udal as it helps lessen the hold of karma on us. Karma that ties us down to this physical and material body cements and binds it giving form. This bond loosens as we shed our karma. Similarly, the breath has to be purified through pranayama. Both body and breath have to be energized with prana from the Prapanjam. Prana is attained directly from the air, sunlight, water, and food. Nature that is filled to the brim with prana energizes us if only we reach out to it. Yoga brings about the transformation of the Uyir, expanding the Pranava deham. Finally, by the grace of Arutperunjothi Andavar we gain the light body or Oli deham and wisdom body or Gnana deham. Hence we move from a body of inert material given life by the Uyir Sakthi, to that of a vibrational or Pranava deham that is sound, to that of light, Oli deham, and Gnana deham, the Silent Watcher. In having us come to yoga, the move now is to bring about a transformation of the gross body to the finer breath and further to that of light and the body of wisdom. Moving from the inherent Asudha deham or impure body to Sudha deham or Pure body and moving on to attain a Pranava deham or that of sound which is vibration, this is pushed further into the realm of the Atma that is both light and wisdom. From earth, water, air, space, and fire that is in unison in the body we begin to separate it back into its primary form beginning with working on the grosser earth and water element to that of the finer air and space elements of fire and light and finally into a subtle form that of arivu or gnanam or the wisdom body, moving from form to formless.

Self-realization is to bring an awareness that we are not the "I" that dictates our actions living out our desires and karma but the Atma that is inherent in us. When we realize that this Atma is a part of the Paramatma, Godliness comes within. Divinity steps in. We take on the nature of the Paramatma. For this to take place we have to work hard in removing, scrubbing, washing, and cleaning the present Self to shine in luminosity and wait for the Effulgence to do the rests. It is sort of distilling the Self to become the Higher Self. Would declaring oneself as a God amount to being egoistic? Jalaluddin Rumi thinks otherwise. " "I am God" is an expression of great humility. The man who says I am the slave or servant of God affirms two existences - his own and his God but he that says "I am God" has made himself non-existent and has given himself up and says "I am naught; he is all there is; nothing but God's." This is the extreme of humility and self-abasement."