Taking us by holding our hands, Agathiyar brought us to carry out the 5 tenets and today has brought us to work towards attaining the state of a Jeevan Mukta. Hence the reason for all the research on what and who is a Jeevan Mukta?
In traveling along the path to arrive where we are today, we encountered many oppositions and obstacles and saboteurs, having battled them by way of ignoring them rather than confront them, they soon fell away as all troubles start when we tend to retaliate. Now as we stand before the gateway of Erai's kingdom waiting for Erai to access our eligibility and issue us a special entrance pass to enter his kingdom, we are warned of a trap door that could open up as we step in. We are told to keep our guard up and warned that if caution is thrown to the wind, we shall find our self back at the lowest rung of the snake and ladder of this spiritual search and journey.
In the "Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhantam - Sivagnana Boodham by Thiruvilankar Canagarayar, l96l, we read that,
In the "Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhantam - Sivagnana Boodham by Thiruvilankar Canagarayar, l96l, we read that,
Jivan Mukta is one who has attained Pati Jnanam. As he is living in a body, his senses may lead him astray and he may not be able to maintain his status as a Jivan Mukta. This is due to Vasana Malam or old habit acquired by long association with pasam or world. The Jivan Mukta who is released from pasam on the attainment of Spiritual illumination (Pati Jñānam) has a tendency to be drawn in by pasam, the evil, owing to his past association with it. When the soul through divine knowledge has realised God Who cannot be known, by Worldly or pasa Knowledge and its self-knowledge or Pasu knowledge (TharPethan), the soul is liable by old habit or Vasana Malam, to revert to the world and thereby to lose its hard-earned divine wisdom, Patti Jnanam. If the enlightened Jivan Mukta returns to the world with affection, he loses his illumination of the Spiritual Reality and becomes ignorant of Him and involved in the world of pasam. As long as the Jivan Mukta lives in his physical body, it is possible for the Jivan Mukta to revert to the world and become interested therein by the recollection of its old habit (Vasana Malam), just like the smell of asafoetida lingers on in its receptacle, even after the removal of asafoetida therefrom. The Jivan Mukta who has attained Siva Jnanam should keep up the realised state without yielding to the age-long tendency to revert to the world.
When Vasana Malam attacks the Jivan Mukta, he must be protected, as he would otherwise fall a prey to pasam and thereby he would forego the illumination received from God. As the protection of the Jivan Mukta is essential he must be associated with Jivan Muktas or true Jnanis replete with immense love unto God, and not with souls bound by pasam. If his thought, desire and activity (Jñāna, Ichcha and Kriya) impel Jivan Mukta, at times to pursue the three-fold Pasam whose nature is to induce him to forget God and prevent him from attaining His Sustaining Feet which are like the blossoms of red lotus, the Jivan Mukta is now directed to wash off the three fold pasam with Jnana-water or spiritual wisdom. In order to first get rid of the Vasana Malam, he has to concentrate his thought on God, and worship him steadily with love; then he will not lose his hard-earned union with God.
Sariya, Kriya and Yoga are preparatory steps for the final stage of Jnana Marga known as Sanmargam. The aspirants attain the Pada Mukti after their death. Sariya, Kriya and Yoga can only yield a lower type of Mukti called Pada Mukti or graded Mukti or Apara Mukti not the Para Mukti which is attainable only through Jnana Marga known as Sanmarga. Jnana Marga is the final stage.
His grace is everything without which no one can attain Pati Jnanam, the Divine Knowledge. Saint Appar says: “Who can see, if not shown by Him who has an eye in the forehead. He cannot be described as one of this kind one of this colour one of this form, He is God, unless one sees Him through the eye of His Grace.” Saint Manikkavasagar says: “It is by His Grace that one can adore His Feet.” In order to achieve complete purity, the Jivan Mukta should become one with the Lord, just as He is one with him. Jivan Mukta is one with Siva. Further he should do all acts in obedience to His orders, and whatever he does should be reckoned as the acts of God, and not of his own. This is called “Erai Pany” (Service to God). At this stage, God induces a perfect Jnani to initiate the deserving aspirant or He does so Himself. This is done, only after the aspirant has learned to regard alike all actions (Samadhva Buddhi or Iruvinai Oppu) without any attachment to them, and as actions of God Himself. He is one with God. God is love to him. This is the appropriate time for the Anava Malam to cease to have any hold on him. This grace is Sayujyam (the bliss of divine communion), or Para Mukti.
To combat this tendency of Jivan Mukta or to prevent him from falling a prey unto the pasam, and further to support him to maintain his state of illumination as Jivan Mukta, it has become the duty of Jivan Mukta to meditate on the Sacred Five Letters Na, Ma, Si Va, Ya. This mantra is called Sthūla pañcākṣaram. To remedy this lapse, it is enjoined that the Jivan Mukta should meditate on the Sacred Five Letters. The soul has to meditate on the Sacred Five Letters Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma. When the letter ‘Si’ is taken as the first letter of the mantra, it reads as - Si Va, Ya, Na, Ma and is called Sūkṣma pañcākṣaram. The letter ‘Si’ is known as Mukti-pañcākṣaram. Hence meditation on the Five Letters is prescribed as a medicine for the deliverance of the Jivan Mukta from the ills of the world. If the Jivan Mukta meditates on these five letters for a long time, Kundalini will be stimulated and will pass through the Atharas, the centers in the nervous system; and reach Sahasrāra in the forehead. The soul becomes united with Siva. By this meditation, all the Malams will be destroyed by the Sakti of Siva, and Siva will appear to him in the form of light. Then he recognizes that “Siva is He". This is the beginning of the practice called “Sivoham Pavana” which signifies” “Siva is He”, Soham means “He is I”. The achievement of the practice of “Sivoham” is not within the easy reach of an aspirant. The Jivan Mukta should now become one with Siva, just as Siva was one with him in his fettered state. When Jivan Mukta is one with Siva, what he does, would not be his acts, but would be the acts of Siva. For the Ichcha, Jnana and Kriya states of Jivan Mukta are identical with those of Siva. Whatever Jivan Mukta does is done according to the will of Siva, for Jivan Mukta is in advaita relation with God, Siva.
B. Kamalakkannan in his "Siddhar Uruvil Sivaperuman" reminisces his guru's words, sharing them with us. His guru explains the differences on the state of one who tracks on the path of Yogam and those who track on the path of Jnana and warns him not to let loose his guards on this journey of self-realization.
யோக மார்க்கத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு தவம் செய்வோர்க்கு நரை இராது, திரை (உடலில் சுருக்கம்) இராது, பிணி இராது, மூப்பு இராது. ஆனால் சாக்காடு மட்டும் உண்டு. அதாவது நல்ல தேஜசொடு வாழ்ந்து இறந்து மீண்டும் பிறப்பர்.
ஞான மார்க்கத்தில் ஈடுபட்டு தவம் செய்வோர்க்கு நரை உண்டு, திரை (உடலில் சுருக்கம்) உண்டு, பிணி உண்டு, மூப்பு உண்டு. ஆனால் சாக்காடு இல்லை. அதாவது பிறப்பு அற்று விடும். முத்தி கிட்டும்.
Whenever Kamalakkannan, who is a prominent researcher and author of books on the Siddhas, derives an answer or an understanding or attains a blissful experience he would rush to his guru and share it with him. Instead of rejoicing with him on his newfound understanding or new experience, his master would just utter, "Ummh" or "Nallathu" (fine, alright, okay) without any excitement. But he would always reprimand him and add the reminder that, that should not be his objective, "It (gift and rewards) will come and go. Do not pay attention to it. Or you shall lose sight of attaining jnanam. Do not be carried away with the results. Always focus on attaining mukti. Only upon reaching Parabrahmam shall the cycle of birth be severed and mukti be yours." He warns him of the impending danger as one travels the slippery path, "The three malams will try to destroy you. Beware!"
Having compiled his writings, again he heads to the guru to get his approval and blessings. But his guru after flipping through his draft instead recites Sivavakiyar's song to him.
செய்ய தெங்கிலே இளநீர் சேர்ந்த காரணங்கள்போல்
ஐயன் வந்து என்னுள்ளம் புகுந்து கோயில் கொண்டனன்
ஐயன் வந்து என்னுள்ளம் புகுந்து கோயில் கொண்டபின்
வையகத்தில் மாந்தர் முன்னம் வாய்த்திருப்பதில்லையே
Saying thus his guru shuts him up. Kamalakkannan understood that his guru did not approve of him indulging in this venture, telling him it was not necessary, but instead asked that he be focused on attaining jnana. If he chases after fame the three malams will try to destroy him. As to till when one should be on guard against this malams, he received the answer - all life long, till the last breath.
Tavayogi too chose to be secretive many a time. Agathiyar too mentions some things and tells me its a secret. So when he tells me that I am good at keeping secrets, I am worried asking myself if I should or should not, whether I was doing the right thing. He tells me it was right of me to follow his dictates. Today I understand the need to be secretive in certain matters.
Many shun away from speaking/messaging to me these days for fear that I shall post the conversation and quote them on this blog. Do not fear. This is an arena or field where we share the joy in accepting the Siddha path and shower our love for them. I know what to share and what not to.