Sivagnanabodham

Meykanda Devar (aka Meykandar) was a important 13th century CE philosopher and propounder of the southern school of Saiva Siddhanta. Here we read from his work known as Sivagnanabodham (Instruction in the Knowledge of Shiva), a masterpiece of 12 sutras in the Tamil language. It is said that these verses come from or are inspired by the Rauravasutrasamgraha (aka, Raurava Agama). However, this is no longer found in the remaining fragment of the text that goes by that name. 

Within these sutras, Meykanda Devar has carefully woven and saliently highlighted the essential triad that is central to all forms of Shaivism from the ancient Vedic Pashupata and Lakulisha-Pashupata forms all the way to the Agamic-Tantric, Puranic and Vedantic forms. These sutras then also go on to form a school of philosophy within the southern Saiva Siddhanta through their exposition by Shivacharyas that follow Meykanda Devar. 

Verses 1-2 describe the nature of Pati (the Lord), here called Hara, as it relates to the world and the individual Atmans (Pashus). Verses 3-5 elaborate the true nature of the Pashus, and how they are guided by the Pati. Verses 6-7 speaks of the world (the fetters, pasha) and how it is perceived by the Pashus; what constitutes real and not real. Verses 8-11 speak of the quest and means of liberation for the Pashus. Finally, verse 12 describes the remaining life of the liberated soul (jivan-mukta), who has removed the fetters by the Grace (Arul/Anugraha) of Hara. Such is the beauty of the Sivagnanabodham!

 

ஓம் நம சிவாய ~ ॐ नमः शिवाय ~ ওঁ নমঃ শিবায় ~ ૐ નમઃ શિવાય ~ اوم نمہ شوایہ ~ Om Namah Shivaya 

-----

Sivagnanabodham

Tamil Om

1. As the (seen) universe, spoken of as he, she and it, undergoes three changes (origin, development, and decay), this must be an entity created (by an efficient cause.) This entity owing to its conjunction with anava mala has to emanate from Hara to whom it returns during samharam (dissolution). Hence, the learned say that Hara is the first Cause.

2. He is one with the souls (non-dual). He is different from them (dual). He is one and different from them (dual-non-dual). He stands in union with His Gnana Sakti and causes the souls to undergo the processes of evolution (births) and return (samharam) by including their good and bad acts (karma).

3. It rejects every portion of the body as not being itself; it says my body; it is conscious of dreams; it exists in sleep without feeling pleasure or pain or movements; it knows from others; This is the soul which exists in the body formed as a machine from maya.

4. The soul is not one of the antahkarana (mental apparatus). It is not conscious when it is in conjunction with anava mala. It becomes conscious only when it meets the antahkarana, just as a king understands through his ministers. The relation of the soul to the five avasthas is also similar.

5. The senses while perceiving the object cannot perceive themselves or the soul; and they are perceived by soul. Similarly, the soul while perceiving cannot perceive itself (while thinking cannot think thought) and God. It is moved by the Arul  (Anugraha) Sakti of God, as the magnet moves the iron, while He Himself remains immoveable or unchangeable.

6. That which is perceived by the senses is Asat (non-real in the absolute sense). That which is not so perceived does not exist. God is neither the one nor the other, and hence Siva is called Sat or Chit - Sat by the wise; Chit or Siva when not understood by the human intelligence and Sat when perceived with divine wisdom.

7. In the presence of Sat, every thing else (i.e., cosmos - Asat) is sunyam (is non-apparent). Hence Sat cannot perceive Asat. As Asat does not exist, it cannot perceive Sat. That which perceives both cannot be either of them. This is the Soul (called Sat-Asat).

8. The Lord appearing as Guru to the soul which had advanced in tapas (virtue and knowledge) instructs him that he has wasted himself by living among the savages of the five senses; and on this, the soul, understanding its real nature leaves its former associates, and not being different from Him, becomes united to His Feet.

9. The soul, on perceiving in itself with. The eye of Gnanam, the Lord who cannot be perceived by the human intellect or senses, and on giving up the world (Pasha) by knowing it to be false as a mirage, will find its rest in the Lord. Let the soul contemplate the panchakshara according to instruction.

10. As the Lord becomes one with the Soul in its human condition, so let the Soul become one with Him and perceive all its actions to be His. Then will it lose all its mala, maya, and karma.

11. As the soul enables the eye to see and itself sees, so Hara enables the soul to know and itself knows. And this Advaita knowledge and undying love will unite it to His Feet.

12. Let the Jivatma, after washing off its mala which separates it from the strong lotus feet of the Lord and mixing in the society of bhaktas (jivan-muktas) whose souls abound with love, having lost dark ignorance, contemplate their forms and the forms in the temples as His Form.

Trans: J M Nallaswami Pillai

[Edited for clarity]