THE SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA OR THE LIGHT OF TRUTH A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE AND SCIENCE THE LIGHT OF TRUTH — OR — SIDDHANTADEEPIKA. A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE, SCIENCE, &«., V oii* V JUNE 1901- HAY 1902. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH — OR — SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. A Monthly Journal, Devoted to Religion, ’Philosophy, Literature, Science,. &c. Commenced on the Queen’s Commemoration Day , 1 81)7 VOL. V | MADRAS, JUNE A JULY 1901. j No. 1 A 2 T R A N 8LATION8. Si VACXANA SIDDHIYAIi or ABUL NANDI SIVA ACHAKYA. Sctka VIII. fC'L Htnitd from ]>age 280.) Adhikarana 1 1. reference of Guana and Karma Mar gas. 23- iVading the Guana Shastras, and teaching and esplaiping them to others, learning them from others, and pdn-^ring over their purport, these constitute Gnana worship or Yajna, and will lead one to the feet of the Lord. Bure Karma Yajna, Tapas Yajna, Japa Yajna, and Dyana Yajna are each one superior to the one below, and will only induce Bhoga. Hence GnaDa worship alone pursued by all those who know the Moksha Marga. Difference in the ends of those who enter Samadhi and those who do not. 24. Listening to words of wisdom, meditating on them, clearly pereeivtoejfre tj-nth, and Samadhi are the four forms of Gnana. Those who nttain to Samadhi at once attain Moksha. Those* who do not come up to this condition become Lords of the Heavenly worlds and enjoy great bliss, aDd by the grace of God, are reborn in good families and by the grace of the Gnanacharya nttain to Samadhi, and the Feet of the Lord. Difference of Vedir and Atfhma Margas. 25. Those who fKrforyr deeds of charity, karma Yajnas, Pilgrimages to Holy-waters, observe Asratna dutie 1 , and perform Tapas, ^anti V rat'S, and Karma- Yoga will attain to the Higher worlds and will be re- born in no time. Those who perform Gusnayoga u«d Kriya and Cbariya will attain to Pa4a Makti, and at the eud of time, if they do not yet deserve God’s grace, they will be’ reboi u and will attriu t*j Siva by Gnana Marga. If they deserve God’s grace, they will at once attain Goo's feet. The merit of Gifts to Sivagnanis. 2(3. Even if v^-., slight gifts are made lo Siva- gnams, these will increase like the earth into mountains, and the donors will be prevented from falling into the ocean of births, and will enjoy supreme happiness in the higher ‘worlds, and losing their sin, THE LIGHT OF TROTH or SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. they will get one more lioly birth, and will even without going through Chariyw, Kriya, and Yoga attain supreme knowledge and the Lotus Fleet of the Lord. Supreme Hokeha is alone attainable by Guana. 27. The Vedas, Agatnas and Puranas proclaim that by Gnana alone is attainable Moksha, and yet whit we say to those fools who assert otherwise- By AgL.-na(Karma)is begotten Bhandam, (attachment). By true Gnana is attained freedom. As the darkness flies away before light so Agnana vanishes, and with it Bhandatn, and freedom is attained. By Gnana, we do not mean the Gnana proclaimed by all kinds of low dogmatists but the Knowledge and Love of the One True God. Notes. The language of this stanza is plain. The Highest bliss is alone attainable by the attainment of the Highest Guana- ffhe oth^r Margas, Chariya, Kriya and Yoga are only steps leading up to Guana. The first two Margas are usually calledjBhakti Margas by other schools but the word Bhakti is so vague in its acceptation that it is not taken here to zneag a particular Marga. The word is as loosely applied as the word Gnana, and wliat is real Bhakti and what is real Gnana has to be determined. But as a matter of fact, Bhakti or love of God in.any sense is essential in all the four t Margas we Lave indicated above. It is love that guides the Cbariyavan, Kiiyavan and Yogi and Gnani. Without this essential love, all their acts would only be bare hypocrisy. And Guana or knowledge too, is implied in our bavauas in the lower margas. But this knowledge is more and more symbolic in the lower stages, and as we ascend in spiritual power and genuine love it will become moie and more real. The greatest. fallacy underlies in contiastiog Bhakti and Gnana. There is no contrast at all but each one involves and implies the other. In social relations whether ifs master and servant, parentsand chi!dren,friends ) lovers and the loved, the relation will be’ unintelligible and a* sham, if .mutual knowledge and fove does not exist. And the more oife knows the other, his or h A goodness and love, the more he comes to love the pther. Love is in faet the fruiiion of knowledge. And the Highest Gnana is when we do know and recognize, how loving God is, how great His Love is, passing the love of master and parent and friend and lover* yea passing iftie love of one self,* • 6t. Manickavachaka frequently ado. -/eft Goil as sweeter than bis own mother. And what is more, St. Appar says 41 aare&gfi 2 mar * Satiiot ifieofrv GTiBe&Sk fim&rmS. aSut G ^ 0 or (pirn mr ” There ib nobody who is more }oviug than myself Yet there is one more loving than jnyeelf. how “Though man sits still and takes bis ease God is at work on man ; No means, no moment unemployed To Bless him, il he can.” (Young) or as St. Tayumanavar puts it, ' ferersmrQejr piQpgn-Lii 8 a 0ifiuGu Gfl iSeerjstusr sy Qpuanrr josvsii tea GaiQ(n?&s fin jiff iQeari tt^eon uS0*>Qe/fisiv (?,».*’ The fact is we can know only and truly when we can fully realize God's inmost nature, that God is Sivam, “ God is Love.” iQpii gliTssw Oi_ritU(f ^/fieSeDTii j*sv(?u @eiiu>irsuptiQ Lafiih^^r- j/arrQu Sanurraipir q, icfiifpiSar JtemQufdaiuii) iliU.it is fca^ipirCp. The iguonrant think God and Love are different None knows that God and Love are the same When they know God and Love are the same Then will they enter God as Love. As it is, it is the proud boast of Saiva Siddhanta that it is a universal religion and philosophy at once, comprising all schools of philosophy and all kinds of Bhakti apU Gnana Margas and yet differing from them all. “ All and not all,” “ sr su e» n w it Jj sneveyio a iu ” is at once a charac- teristic of the Divine Ideal of the Sicldhantis as of their Religion. “ pnSujeu&ni iu er fi O iu a eir fi ev&a X/-T0SW?(SW njfipunG 8 The manifestation of the Guru. 28. ;&iflidj4ir seoeilefi i~pGp Gtfuji u, 8rt-.tr r }pn era fi n e&l p G (?r? jpiiGptr *&* G^jai j>)i pa gpnOpaarp. o Sp n s^gmsTisSLCevenn lo p asr gy tin C err Gfne G ,l.&ugr)iLiLi uifhugiADti il/ uS it S 0 nStr it Qil/b ^lo Sempfiteo 'dnj GievtQpi fisypi ft Cpa^irjpio. JjQSt as the crystal emits fire when Drought before the sun, so when the Divine Guru, out of the fuloess of His grace, appears before one, there will arise Sivagnanain him. • Then will he see Sivam, and his owu real self s^id the whole world iu himself. Then will ho perceive God as thd smallest of the small and the greatest of the great, and the soul of all souls. N.ote. C.f. uuuuuu~eas> Sfip gxnjtsi,tm mniLr—iaOupQpar Qupp>fi*iQLDiLiaDuruj t S c»((i_ar aieni— ^ci, CT o® cWiiya 4cferCi_«f tSpmgfuee^rQi^A jt/» tdlSeniu eiVnrpjfnb THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok 8 IDDHANTA DEEPIKA. a. ts (jar SmSm* , 04 VturGp p* snartnsGem ®ui Gutt t_ td g. (gaa si fl(n,u sou tu is Sjb, iSAut^i Goats (ydts Sfligsdpteissflu tSluQt-dup OiLGietsss lo p. it ^S) iiip Gpnatfl, Qe flu *Qed tiSm^GsjiiSOtuttteoaiitQ S ats O p Gtsr jp sjn QprarflJimiesr St cptt&Qsij. Removing your ignorance born of understanding (with the bodily senses), and perceiving, without per- ception, (by the lower manas), by the Grace of God, the tjnpreme Intelligence in his higher self, and seeing it without seeing, and without the conjunction of the andakaranas and avastas, if you melt yourself ip God, then will the Supreme Siva, who is inseparable from everything, appear to you separately, and as one and ■different from all the world and ss far trnncending all. Notes. * Th' - la thi famous stanza which both St. Tayumanavar and the antiwar of Siva-Bhogatarav t had made the subject of Supreme praise. “utri'J s .SipprOiiiH''ii> ussfdtB^sppgireo # # t fl p p* to Q u is sit st ta ets qj it nestle ff ©6 ttsv ^t)Qets is ’’ The whole worlds’ knowledge, in half a stanza He revealed, Oh when shall I i each his golden feet. St. Tayumanavar. usshASpp uniipfluiQpfltSGsi ^r£(^ppuussfl Gutpsti. God’s Niradara traoscendency is thus darned in JTirukalitrnppadiar fl(s^sesR,i>£tLiuis.ej‘r. * “^stuuL.ip'iust (gens’ sis tuSerpSesfigtsh, fisippiQ&ar d(rpH ptsietdp — slsSe/i- eir Spfgih QutQj ©-(3’J> Gu» 0 ®i_g)ii/ Spats S trsr pi t a>tsj>‘ * “ Uncreate, immanent in everything and yet remaining separate from everything, and yet becoming one with that which becomes one with it, this is the Niradara.” The nature of the union. 31. Good Karma will lift one into Higher births and worlds; Bad karma into lower ones. As sack, sun- dering both, by the wisdom obtained by the virtjie of worshipping the Sacred Being, and without'emering into future birth in this world and lower and Higher wqrlds, the person, who becomes, a Jivanmukta in this world, does not care where the sun shines and feels no want, and leaving his body, enters the fnlnessf of Supreme God, and becomes one with that fulness and all in all. Note. Gnanaprakasar deals tally in his commentary cn the different views regarding the nature of t^e union ia Moksha postulated by various schools. The nature of Jivanmuktas. 32. They who attain to gnana-samadhi, havfc neither likes nor dislikes; they desire nothing; they care nob for social etiquette, and Tapas and Asrsjna rules, and Oyana. They have no impurity in their hearts. They care not for religious marks. They do not follow the lead of their bodily and mental senses. They have no bad qualities and no creed and no caste. They become like children.’and mad men and possessed persons, and 'they may adelight in singing and dancing also. The same. 33. They require not the affis of place, time and postures. They perfonh actiptas without any thoaght of the results; their minds do not move like a swing; They never leave the Feet of the Lord, in all they daily actions, in walking and sitting, in sleeping or waking in eating or starving, in purity or impurity, in wealth* or poverty, in pain or pleasure, in enjoyment*or sepa« ratioD, in like or dislike^ though these actions mav or may not be performed like any other person. • A particular UpSsana to reach Samadhi. 34. If^you hav^not yet reached this condition, then perceive the trnth of '•""■'ything being in God and God being in every -uing, and control your internal senses, and practise what your gnanaguru has graci- ously taught you and reach the God who is immanent in yonrself. Reaching Him, your human faculties will all be converted into Divine facnltys. Try to realize the transcendent Being even in yonr waking 4 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH or 8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA condition. Then also your Sivanubhoti will become your Svanubhuti. Norr. This is the famous Dahara Upasana set forth in most Upanishads. See p. 208. Vol. II. of this journal. The greatness of the Jivanmvktas ’{tf>. Those who can realize the Supreme Being even yi tbeir waking condition, they ate the saints who have attained to Sarva Nivarti, or absolute re- nunciatiation. And how are we to describe their .greatness ? They even in this life have freed them- selves from all bonds, and obtaining Sivam, have become God themselves. Even if they rule and enjoy as crowned kings they will have no attachment to this world. If one does not reach this Samadhi, even if they get rid of all external bonds, he will enter birth and !;is myla will not be destroyed. Adhlkarana 3. Is there Anuhhuti in Moksha. 36. If you say that nothing can be perceived when we lose our senses ; uo, nothing can^be/^erceived by those who have not seen the true. The immature virgin cannot .understand what love is. When two lovers unite in joyful embrace, their pleasure cannot be expressed in words. They alone can know. Those withoutthe aid ofGod’s grace cannot know themselves. If any such say they have perceived God with thlir ordinary senses, it is all a delusion. If they are pos- sessed of God’s Oraqg, they can perceive themselves and God without perception. If they dont, their births will not cease, and the anava cannot be sundered. ' Notes. As nature avoids vacuum, so the soul cannot exist ■nless it Jje filled in by the world or God. So fo get freed from the worltf, the only means is to get into eternal Bliss of God. If not so filled, the soul, will again revert back and fall into the world. Such is the logical results which flow from the views of Buddb-Jts and Mayuvadis, and honest people like Mrs. Besant. do not shirk from stating plainly such a consequence. To therti, the concln ing words of every Upanishad “’ine... no return, there is no re- turn,” are mere comforting words. There is no end to. births, and “ therS is an ever-recun ing necessity of 8amsara." But the true AdvaitaSiddhar.tis’ position is different. He prefers to believe that the words of the Upanishad are true and not empty words. He strengthens his position both by logic and experience. St, Ti rq val lurar not content with stating the position here taken by St. Arul Naiithi once, states it twice. t 'ujDjpx up upfifysttr ljuu pfepu t-jpjpg, ufijti “friTLi em> e/i gi * ir p l/Qs _ Q and brilliance its own ? \\ bere was it when it was covered by dost. Where is it when the brightest clinniand is kept in darkness p The fact is, the light is not its own, it comes from another son ice, it enters it and permeates it and covers it so fully that the crystal is indistinguishable fiom it. When the diamond is covered by dirt de the dirt &c prevented the light from entering it. When it was in darkness, no light was in union. So in handhn, nor maya and mala prevent us from seeing, the Light ; the light will enter us more and more, the more and more we get fieed from this diit; till at last the Jivannmkta becomes all Light and all God. The fatal fallacy committed by Mavavadis is in taking tbe reflected Light as Jiva or Jivatma. It is not •Tiva. The Jiva is the ciystal or water. They say the rejection or light is God and this is quite correct ("3„i cfc uefiiiSta a.LiuQ#£'i' fa jS^'Car" — Appai). The identi- fying of Jiva with God will he like identifying wafer or crystal with Light, But in Moksha, we still reach a pro- cess of identification as when we name a diamond, a bril-' liant. So indeed the advaita siddantis always declare that the freed Jiva is .Siva. What occurs is, the individuality o f the crystal or water or the river is lost and what is actually perceived is the Light or God. In Moksbfi, there is feeling and there is perception of God hut there is no consciousness of such feeling or perception. When cons- ciousness enters, there w ill be duality. When there is no coneionsness, there is ah. olute evenness or aavaitam. The following is pore language of science and is equally appli- cabl“ ‘j the case before us. “ When a river enters the sea, it soon loses its iWm- ihtalit;/, it becomes merged in the body of the ocean, where it loses its current, and wbe.e therefore it has no power to keep in suspension the sediment which" it had bi ought down from l lie higher lands." (The story of a piece of coal p. 4*1, NewDca) When the individuality, the feeling of T'and li mine”Ahankara or Anava is lost, the soul merges in God, and becomes indistinguishable, the Kat mic force is lost, nod it cannot revert back (“sevfyiSeiriStfiqiAmifc-— Devaram) and become incapable of sinning, and cannot leave the Feet of the Lord. See further note to clap Vi* “ Light of Grace.” Tl ic nature of God’e Onm’ijyreseiife. ; :8 If God is every where, (and everything) then there is no necessity for our reaching Him. If He is not everywhere, then He is not (led. His connection is like that of the sonl in the body 'The eye can see all other organs but they cannot see the eye ; the sonl can only uuderstMid the various tatvss in union with them. By the grace of the Lord alone wili tie attain to the Pathigrana. Then will lie be like the blind uian who get his eye sight restored to him, and perceive God as the Light of Light. To yet freed from Vasaua Mala 39. Just as when you drop a stone into a pond covered with moss, the waters get cleared for a while and covered again, the Mala, Maya and Karma will become detached from the mnn when he is attached to God ; they become attached to him, again other- wise. Those who dwell on the Feet of the Lord with love and steadiness will never lose their Satnndhi. To those who cannot always fix their minds to God, we will give another means whereby they can cut their bonds asunder. End of the VHIth Sutra. (TV be Continued). J. M. N / 6 THE LIGHT OK THUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEl’lKA. THE VEDA'NTA-SU'TRAS WITH S'KI'KANTHA- BHA'SHYA. (Continued from page 192 Vol. IV.) Tbonffc not cdiotrlnf ltaolf out c a* nn M'mma, y«t it 1* k to ulntloB) m oomprohonding ith« oraontinl futurti of an u'nni'. iZTZ. It. 40'* The Pas'upatAs'iama, though not exhibiting itself as an independent as'rama, is still an as'rama by itself, knoWD as Atyas'rama or the transcendental order, and constitutes nn independent means of reaching the Paramas'iva, by virtue of celibacy and other attributes of an ascetic (which conduce to the attainment ofVidy a) being comprehended in it. The Pns'upata-vrata is of two kinds, life-lor.g and temporary, as declared in the following passage : “ Either lasting till the death of tho body, or lasting fora period of twelve years.” Of these two, that which lasts till the end of life and is called atyasrama or transcendental order, leads to Moksha; whereas the other is a means of attaining some worldly enjoyment. Such is the distinction be- tween the two. Thus the Srnti itself teaches that this vow (Vrata) has two aspects, — as a means to worldly enjoyment and as a means to Moksha — both securing Siva’s grace. We should so interpret the texts as not to stultify the authority of this passage of the Sruti. Adhlkarana 16.’ The remit ii obtained In this birth Is the absence of obstacles, as we see In the srnti. (III. lr. 50- ) A doubt arises here as to whether the result of medi- tation accrues, to those who practise it as taught before in this birth, or in a future birth. ( Purvapaksha ) : — Let’us enquire. A man engages in the U pas^na hoping that liberation may come to him in this very birth, but not in a future birth. Who does ever desire delay with regard to the result ? There- fore the result in the form of liberation must accrue to him in this birth, if it should ever accrue to him at all. If not in this birth, it will never accrue at all. (Siddhanta) : — As against the foregoing, we hold as follows: In the absence of an obstacle in the shape of a strong karma of a different ' ; ud, the result of the upasana of the Supreme accrues in this birth. If there should be any obstacle, it will accrue in a future birth ; just as the result in the shape of a worldly good does not necessarily accrue soon after the performance of the good karma which serves as a means to it; aud will accrue in a future birth if there should be an obstacle present Aud we are told in the e’ruii that Vamadeva and others reaped in a later birtk the fruits of their investigation and stndy of Brahmavidya carried on in their past births. Hence no necessity, that the result of liberation should accrue in this very birth. Adhlkarana 17. Unlike (the eserifieisl rltee), there is no distinction in the reenlt of liberation, because of the state of Him being determined (as the result), fill. iv. 61). It has been established that,’ as in thg case of the results accruing from mere works, the result in the shape of liberation accrues in the absence of an obsta- cle in the form of a strong karma of a different kiod. A doubt now arises as to whether, on the same prin- ciple, there exists or not a difference in liberation accruing as the result of the different upasanas, aa there is a difference in the case of the , results of sacrificial rites. ( Purvapaksha ) : — It may appear that, like the results of mere sacrificial rites, liberation admits of distinctions. We are given to understand that different sacrificial rites produce different results : “Let him who desires Svarga perform the sacrifice of Jy'itishtoma.” “ Let him who desires Svarajya or lordship in Svarga perform the sacrifice of Vajapeya.” So too there must be a difference in the results of knowledge acquired through Upasana. ( Siddhanta ) : — As against tho foregoing we hold as follows ; Unlike the results of mere sacrificial rites, the result of Upisana-Jnana admits of no differcr.-es, inasmuch as it has been determined that the state of Brahman is the result of Upisana-Jnina. Since the state of Brahman which the possessors of V’Jya attain is one and the same, there is no room for any kind of difference in the result here. It should not be urged that a difference in the digrees of Upasana may give rise to a difference in the result ; for, in the case of the acts of Upasana no results heve been mentioned other than liberation. Brahman being one and the same, liberation which is the state of Biahman moat also be one and the same. Hence no difference in the liberation accruing from different Up 'saDas. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIL/lHANTA DEEPIKA. 7 FOURTH AUHYA YA— FIRST PADA. Adhikarana I. Frequent repetition (li meant) b«aw of the iuitruction- (IV. i.l) In the third Adby.'ya hay been discussed in detail the nature of the worshipper (Up'-saka), of the object of worship (Up isya), and of the several kinds of wor- ship 'Upvsana), as also the duties of the various orders ~f holy lifa ; As'ratnas). Here, again, in the fourth Adhyaya will be discussed the following topics : in the first pida, the. mode of worship (Upisana); in the second pida, the departure, from earthly life, of Jiva j the worshipper (upisakn) ; in the third pida, the Path of Light (Arcliir), etc and in the fourth pada, the state of the one who has attained to Brahman. Now the first Adhikarana (of the first pada) deals with the doubt as to whether one has to do once alone or to frequently repeat the act of knowing prescribed, as the means to Moksha, in the following passages : “ 'I he Knower of Brahman reaches the Supreme.”*' “ Knowing S iva, one attains infinite peace.”t (P urvnpakaha) : — It should be done only once, because, on the principle that ‘ once done, the inten- tion of the scipture is fulfilled, ” the act intended by the scripture in the words ‘knowing (Jn;ina)’ and * realising (Vedana)’ becomes accomplished when once doDe. as in the case of the Prayaja. < Siddhanta ) : — As against the loregoing, we hold as follows. The act of knowing, prescribed as the means to Moksha in such passages as “ the Knower of Brahman reaches the Supreme,” should be frequently revolved ; for, we understand that the act of knowing (Vedana) which is spoken of as the means to Moksha js of the form of meditation (Up'.sana), inasmuch as the two terms ‘Know (vid)’ and ‘ meditate (Upas)’ are interchangeably used at the commencement (LJpa- krauia) and the concluding portions (Upasamhara) of the following passages : Let a man meditate (upas) on mind as Brahman. He who knows (Veda] this Bhines and w.irms through his celebrity, fame and glory of countenance.’ ’J “ He who knows (Veda) what he knows, he is thus spoken of by me.”§ • Tai. Up. 2-1. t 6ve. Up. 4-14. t Chha. Up. 3-181. $ Ibid. 4-14. 11 Teach me, 0 Lord, the Deity which you worship (upas).”* And the word ‘meditation (np&eana)’ denotes a con- tinuous flow of thought. As to the Pray&ja, etc., it is but proper to do them only once beesnse their effects are invisible. Inasmuch as the intuitive realisation (Sakshatkera), the result of knowledge (Vedana), is visible, this act Bhould be repeated till its result is attained, as in the case of threshing the paddy. And because of the Indicatory marks, (iv. 1. 21. As pointing to this conclnsion, the following passages (of the Smritij may be cited : “ By knowledge of Js'vara, the soul (Kshctrajna) attains, it is deemed, the highest purity.” Be he guuty of the major sins, or he be guilty of the minor sins, let a man practise meditation (dhyana) of Brahman, engaged therein for a quarter of the night.” “ Let n man practise Yoga (or Samddhi) directed to the A'traan.” “ Let a man realise the Supreme Being (Purusha) who is of golden hue, wh6 can be reached in the dream-consciousness (svapnadhi). And so on. Hencet the necessity of a frequent repetition of the knowledge of Brahman. Adhikarana 2- As the Self, verily, do they understand (Him) and teach alsr. (iv. i. 3). In the preceding Adhikarana it has been made out that the meditation of Brahman sbonld he repeated. Here follows the enquiry as to whether the Jiva or individual soul whose A'tmun is Brahman should regard himself as one with 1'svara, or as distinct from Him. (Ptirvapaksha ) : — It may at first sight appear that the proper course is for the Jiva to contemplate upon Brahman only as distinct from himself ; for firstly, in the passage “ superior to the universe is Rudra, the Great Sage,"t and in the Vedinta-sutra I. i. 22, it is dec’ ired that the Lord, the Para-Brahman, is an • Ibid. 2.2. t Form the passages quoted above, it may be Been that the knowledge by which Brahman ia reached is of the form of meditation (dhyina) and Toga ( Same <1 hi), consisting in the frequent repetition of one and the name thought. t Mabina-Cp. 1019. 8 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SIDHHANTA DEEPIKA. entity distinct from the Jivii, from the Pratyag'.tman, from the Pas’u or individual sou!, and secondly, the Jiva. can never become Brahman whose characteristic mark is Omniscience. ( Siddhanta ) : — No doubt, the Supreme Brahman called S'iva is supeiior to the Jiva; still, the worshipper should meditate Him thus: “I am Brah- man.” For, even the worshippers of old, regarded Brahman as tbeir own Seif (A'tman) thus: ‘Thou> verily, I am, 0 Loid, 0 God; I, verily, Thou art ” Though an entity quite distinct from the worshipper, the Supreme Brahman serves those worshippers all the same, by giving them His own being.* And iu the words “ That Thou art,” etc., they also give others- their pupils, to understand that Brahman is their own Self. Certainly, Mukti or liberation consists in attaining the state of S'iva, that state which is full of unlimited s'upreme bliss and free from all taint. This attainment of the state of S'iva is not possible except on the cessation of bondage (Pasutva) on the part of the Jiva, and the cessation of bondage cannot be brought about except by the meditation thereof (i. e., of the state of S'iva). Therefore, the worshipper, freed from servitude on the bondage being loosened by the continuous stream of the thought that “ I nm S'iva,” becomes S'iva Himself. Indeed, tho state of S'iva consists in being the repository of that unsurpassed Bliss which is free from all traces of evil traint. And the Supremo Brahman is of qui f e the same nature. By constant meditation thereo f , the worshipper becomes of the same nature. Hence it is that all else is said to be unworthy of being meditated by the seeker of Moksha, in the passages like the following ; “ The beneficent S’iva alone should be meditated upon (by the worshipper) abandoning all else,”t For, all scriptures teach that Mukti or liberation consists in the cessation of servitude (Pas’ubhava), of the identification with the body of a brahmana and the like, — and in thej°t*-ainment of oneness with that Supreme Individuality (Parai.. mbhava), with that S’iva who is the immediate witness of His own • That is to say, by' removing from them the state of bondage (posntva). t Atbarvaa'il.bh inherent unsurpassed Bli-s, and who is self-luminous, shining by his own light. Contemplation of oneness with Biahuian leads the Upisakato Mukti ; otherwise there will he no cessation of sawtsara. Adhikarana 3. The Sutrakiirn makes a distinction (No meditation as Atman) in the symbol; not indeed is He (to be worshipped there.) (IV: i ij In the passages like “let him meditate mind as Brah- man,” Clih t 3-18-1., we are taught to meditate Brah- man in the mind and so on. Is Brahman to be medi- tated there as the Self (Atinrn) or as something different from the Self,? (Pi'nvapaksha ): — In such meditations of symbols as are enjoined in tbe passages “Let him meditate the mind asBrahman;” “Let him meditate the Sim as Brah- man,” we are given to understand that, in meditating upon the mind, etc., we have to exalt them by regar- ding them as Brahman. Accordingly, inasmuch na the symbol has been regarded by the devotee as Brah- man, what harm is there in regarding it as the Self (Atman)? ( Siddhlmta ): — As against the foregoing we hold as follows: The Self should not enter into the contem- plation of symbols,- for, in them it is not the Supreme Brahman that is meditated upon. On the other hand, it is the mind, etc., that are to be meditated upon as Brahman. Even supposing that in these cases the object of meditation is Brahman Himself conditioned by the mind, etc., it is not this conditionded Brahman that we should regard as theSelf, inasmuch as the mind, etc.,are not the essential attributes ofBrahman and are therefore mere phenomena ( Vikaras) It is the Brah- man possessed of such attributes as unfailing will, etc., that^we regard as the Self. Otherwise even the Self (Atman)|would be subject to phenomenal charges. Therefore, Jthe devotees should not meditate upon the symbol as the Self, seeing that there the Parames'vara is not the direct object of worship. A. Mahadeva Sastrt, b.a. {To be continued.) THE LIGHT OF TRUTH or SIDDHANTA DEKP 1 KA. 9 A CHAPTER FROM THE KURAL. Nobody who litis the least insight into the pages of he sacred Kami will fail to endor-e the remt^k of the veteran Tamil scholar Rev. Dr. G U Pope that this is a work unparalleled in any language. The merits of the work are so apparent that even at its very birth, it received the highest encomiums of the pvoudest “•cholars of the day, the Pandits of the far famed Madura College or Sangham. The tradition that the author was of low birth only heightens the value of the appreciations thus showered on him. One of the Collegians compares it to the Veda, and another says, unlike the Veda, Tiruvalluvar’s words dont lose their merit by anybody repeating them. One speaks of it as containing everything worth knowing, and another that there is nothing which iB noP contained in this work. One says that the words are sweeter than the Heavenly Ambrosia, and unlike the latter, can be partaken ofrby everybody. And as the poet utters these wcfals even our own mouth begins to water. Auother Bays they are sweet food to the mind, sweet to the ear and sweet to the tonvue, and the great panaca for the ills of Karma. One compares it to the suu who dispelling the deep darkness of ignorance makes the lotus of the heart bloom forth Another compares it to the lamp dispelling our mental darkness, with the oil can of Lharma, and wick of Artha, and ghee of Kama, words of perfection, the flame, and the short metres the lamp-stand. Its brevity, not border- ing on unintelligibility or ambiguity as do most of the sntrss in Sanscrit, its perfection of expression and style, its deepness are all matters taken up for praise irti?eitiar He is the 'Lord of Lords’ and ‘ king of kings ’ ' fflanpEvsii He is ‘incomparable’ ‘ fits ■unStowrimf,’ He is the source of all Dharma and Beneficent. ‘jt paurifi jit? mar.’ He has eight attributes. ae'vQsfi (i.e. pelf-dependent or Belf-possesed, the Pure, 6elf- Luminous, the All-Know- ing. the Ever-Free, the Beneficent, the Infinitely Powerful, and Infinitely Blissful. Parimelalugar rejects sil other interpretations of and the Eternal Truth Ojnuuflu»{5.T and the Perfect and good Being, ‘ OiuOunj*'.’ 1 ' JNo amount of learning is of any good unless a man believes in the existence of God and worships His feet in all love and troth. And without such knowledge and such conduct, the mere attaining of ethical perfection is of do on (<■ The true way to get rid of onr bonds is to reach the fe®*' ~ r the Ever-Free. And these bonds ate ne<, mere myths but they are caused by our own ignorance, Avidya, Ahankara or Aoava which is eternal, Anadi. And theD, the chain * Pandit Savariroyan derives 4 Sivam' from and onr Saint naea *#» very frequently. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SJDDHANTA 'DEEPIKA. A— . of causation following karma into endless births and •offering is worked oat, and the means* or Sadn.ua ' required t<> get freed from these bonds^ are fully shown, and of all the means, the greatest Sadana is to reach Hit^ who is past all thought and speeoh and unless this is done, it is useless to hope to get oor oarefr destroyed. And as all these principles are ?nlly explained in the chapter 36 on ‘ aunuittm'i pet ‘ How to perceive truth,’ vre.have translated the Bsme below, adopting almost the language of Dr. G. U* Pope, together with the famous commentary • of Parimrlxlagar, with some running notes, to show bow far this is embodied in the Advaita-Siddhanta. Of course the language of the Rural is the language of the Saivite writers of the past 2000 years ; and no wonder, the truths expounded by adl of them should be the same. How to Perceive Truth ? That is we know the truth when we know the nature of flifth and Freedom (Moksha) and the causes thereof, free from error and doubt. This the Sanscritists call Tatvagnana. As this knowledge arises after desiring the desire of Him who has no desire, this chapter is placed in consequence after the ebapter on ‘ jtp* y,’ ‘ Sanny&sa.’ 1. QuiQmettH&ipmpu OuTQOorcir jptmm j I10VI0 LDtggu The delusion whereby men deem that the truth which is not, That is the cause of hapless birth. Pavimelalagar' 8 Commentary. This delusion consists in believing each books and doctrines which hold that there is no rebirth, uo fruits of both kinds of Karrua, and that there is no God and such like, to be the true books and doctrines. This delusive belief is same as when one mistakes one ( tbing for another, a block for a man, shell for silver. LO 0 *r, d^lus^on, tSufjih error, Avidya or ignorance are all synonymous words. As it is only sorrow that is reaped iu all the four kinds of birth as Devas, men, animal and astrals, ibis couplet explains that birth is sorrowful and Avidya or error is its cause. By altering only a single letter in the Gist line an ‘Jt,’ ‘a’ into •£) ‘i,’ (Qu<(jvci)« into Quv 0 sA«v«i>) the meaning of the whole passage will be altered, and we will have a new system of philosophy directly opposed to oor author'-. Instead of it being then the truth, it will become the opposite of it. This is the same question which has arisen iu interpreting the negative prefix in the word ‘ Advaita.’ Thi^' a ' or *ua’ is interpieted in two ways either as meaning ‘jfa )•»’ ‘not’ ot '^wa 1 ‘no,’ though the distinction in the English equivalents will not be very apparent. This is its * a>i£(jO(j> 0 C*’ or '($«»<■ u.rj Ou« 0 « Siddhautis, of course accept the former inter- pretation, and most followers of Sankaia prefer the latter one. This latter view involves the negation of one of the two or may be both of the postulates in 1 Admit a.' Cnt this question, a huge war has iaged and volumes have been written by the late SriJa-Sri Somasundara Nayagar and his followers on one side, and the late Ratna Chettiar and of his ilk on the other side. Anyhow, Saint Tiru- vallnvar's meaning is clear. He does not mean to repu- diate anything as unreal or non-existent. To him, delusion or error consists in mistaking one existent thing as the shell, for another existent thing as silver. To him, to know the truth, is to understand the true nature of each one thing The question of reality or unreality does not come in. Only one must not mistake one thing for the other or donbt its nature. It will be sufficient requirement of the definition, if one understands the tine nature of God and man and the world, and one need not believe any of these to be unreal. One of snch truths is that birth is sorrowful. This can be proved to be tioe. But one’s ignorance or delusion comes when he take this actual soirow as happiness. Yon think that with this body, there is an end altogether when in fact there are future births. Believing that there is no futme life and future birth, ene does not betieTe that there can be a soul ; and if there is one", he thinks the body itself is the soul and believing so, alibis energies in this world are directed solely towards what would procure tbe greatest pleasure and gratification of his senses, and ha does not cate what means he adopts provided his passious are gratified. As it is, the whole foundation of moi&lity will be undermined and one need have neither feat of men nor God. All this is the result of want of knowledge of the trne nature of his body and himself, and this ignorance is the cause of his birth. This ignorance is a fact and to believe that this ignorance is itself unreal will be error or false knowledge. It is only when a man knows that he is ignorant, that lie will learn and try to remove bia ignorance. But can this ignorance be removed ? Yea. If so, bow ? This question is answered in the next couplet. ■§l0S®Pisjfi (Sssr 'JU> toajj0 u> iDJ+jt aiiLS « j 6 Darkness departs and rapture springs to men w ho see The mystic vision pure from all delusion free. Purinu'lnlagar’s Cnmmentui 3 . g 0 «rr j darkness is hell. ' Tbe mystic vision pure’ is the supreme object of knowledge. By this coaplet THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SLDDHANTA DEEPIKA. It is explained that by freedom is meant Niratisaya- nanda and the Nimitta Karana, for this the Sapi%me Being. Notes. Darkness and igno:-ance, Light and knowledge have at all times and in all climes been used synonymously and no two things aie so analogous in nature as these two pairs of words. When will darkness vanish, ? When the sun rises. When will the sun rise? After the night is past.. When will ignorance cease ? When the source of all lights arises in his heart ? When will this be ? When he has attained to a well balanced mind The Pasatchayam and Pathignanam are distinct facts, thoughdhe first is not possible without the eecoud. This couplet answers all those who say if the ignorance was eternally attachd to the 6onl, it cannot be removed, and even if it be removed what follows is only a blank and that uo Divine Powet is required to give one freedom. This couplet aud verse 4 below which gives u most distinct reply to the Buddhist view will remove all doubts as to whether lie is a Siddauti or a^Butfdhist or a Jain. Bat aoine of these truths even when known to a g^an. doubt often opposes him, environed by a host of dogmatists who each assert his own dogma iB the only truth. In the next couplet it is stated that even this doobt is the cause of birth, and the means of getting rid of this doubt is also stated. pern When doubts" disperse and clearness is gained, Nearer is heaven tbau earth to sage’s soul. Purimelalagar’n Commentary, Doubt gPit/Lo) is knowiug a thing variously. That is doubting if there is or is not (rod and Karnia and Rebirth and without defiuite belief in anything. This is the same as doubting a thing as water or a mirage, rope or a snake. As it is natural to every system to refute other doctrines and establish its owe, the doubts arising from such a multitude of doctrines, those sages well practised in Yoga will remove, by th.'ir Svanubhuti or experience, % and attain to real knowledge ; and hence they are called i. As they reach higher and higher Yogic experience, their attachment to the world will grow less and less, hence, the author s statement that <• heaven is nearer” etc. By this couplet is explained that doubtful knowledge is a cause of birth. Notes. Yoga is a means and not an end. Till Yoga merges into knowledge, no real knowledge is gained. Even the highest Yoga is no good unless the final goal is -eacbed from whence there is jio return. The attainment of Yo^a is really difficult, but this not all. One can subdue hie passion^ and desires, aud control his senses, but unless he has the “ Vision pare,” ‘ The only Truth,’ theu this attainment will be only for a first time, npd the man will again be a prey to his senses. To meet this special Buddhist view that the attainment of mere extinction of all desires is Nirvana and that there is no such thing as Brahma-Nirvana, is the special object of the next couplet. 4. fgnaaiiQemiifltjd tfjwgjrd) unjiSemQp Qumjiyaerr sSaCa i« peuiriQ. Five-fold perception gained, what benefit accrue To them whose spirit lacks perception of the true. Commentary. Five-fold perception is the Manas. By ‘gained’ is mfcant, the controlling of the raanasand concentrating of it in Darana. As training of this alone is not suffi- cient, the author says there is no benefit, ^nd he brings out by the ‘a-to,’ how difficult a feat even this attain- ment of Darana is. By these two couplets, the great- ness of Pathignana is explained by pointing out that without this attainment, no Moksha is possible. (And the nature of this Pathignana is the subject of the next couplet). 5. stl/3l/v®sv era sdr auixutgn iauQljii (r$ Ou>uJu / iunQ^tb srairu p/fls y ■■ Whatever thing, of whatsoever kind it be, ’Tis wisdom’s part in each the real thing to see. Commentary. That is, one must perceive the truth immanent in every thing, after getting rid of oar ordinary notions of them. In the phrase “Qut one must lose light of the apparent to gaio the real. God is in the earth hut the earth is not God ; God is in water but water is not God, and so through every Tatva, and lastly, God is in the soul, but the soul is oot God. When one has so learned 12 THE LIGHT OF tRUTH oh SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. •to discriminate and distinguish, tlieiaonly will he attain to • Pfihignanam. In the next three couplets, tffe Sadana required for attaining this Pathignanam is given. And the first requisite is hearing or learning. 6. 3iii'uOu«(js n- aasrruii pteorju®** lo tea: (S m: a o it QitjS. Who learo and here the knowledge of the true obtain, Shall find the path that cometh not again. Commentary , Bv ‘ learn,’ the author means learning from every body and at all times. By ‘ here/ the author brings oht the greatness of human birth wherefrom alone tyne can attain Moksha. “The path that cometh not again 1 ’ is the path to Moksha. The means or Sadana for knowing The First cause, the canse of one’s attaining Moksha are of thre^ kinds a they are Csjnsfi, Hearing or study, «9ie Reflection, uneu3ar Buvana or Realising. (In ^Sanscrit; Sravana, Manana and Nidhidyasana). This couplet explains Sravana. Notf.s. Though the commentator’s idea of wliat is to be learnt is very large, yet the correction conveyed in the following stanza of N&ladyar is important. seoed&es) j uXei apu sirran en Qwe\ s^/SSm-i Sp iSaaflue * — Q p err sir) f& m ,jyN»u)«yasi_uj apuGau /tQirrcflu w&m 0 (9 Sp Qjwflifi .“In this matchless vei ae,'' says Dr. Pope, “not a syllable could be spared; while almost every word is common and jmsy, yet is the very fittest, and is used in its exact meaning, It is somewhat archaic ; — has a fascinating air of mystery ; — pleasantly exercises and amply rewards the student’s ingenuity ; — seems dark at first, but once lit up, sparkles for ever. “This smi — shore suggests a metaphor: * learning is a aVueless — infinite — ocean.’ • . “ Then comes the simple antithesis, ‘ the learuer’s days are few.' In Tamil the nse of th$ same root twice (in and apumirr) and again in the third line (* imports an added charm. Into these perfectly (to Tamil ears) harmonious lines is compressed a whole chanter : The subject of study (««aV ith a plural verb) are infinitely numerous ; but the learner’s days are few ; and if it be calmly thought out, men are liable to many diseases. [l 96»#) natural iufirmitiee or “ bonds” that enfeeble and restrict]. Youthful enthusiasm may lead men to antici- pate great ana varried triumphs; calm reflection teaches them their natural weakness. So, men should lesrn with discrimination (Qpmerflfi) examining closely (^/r»at) things befitting (jir.nm suit, satisfy, gladden) them, with intelligence, (Q*ffl®^>) like that of the bird (the semi divine Hamoa) that drinks only the milk and leaves the write*, when these mingled are presented to it V" " 7 . &rr p £>dr m (yn* err Quip jpsv err Quimut lSjbuli. The mind that knows with certitude what is (Fiia*- Canse) and ponders well Its thoughts on birth again to other life need uot to dwell. Commentary This explains ‘manana. 8. iSpuQuehr gjjti Co upon in ? isrs e puQueir Sgrur Qs u>Qub Q iar .sa eiau p/Bey. When the folly of desiring birth departs, the soul can view The emailed Home of The Good Berfijf, this is wisdom true. Commentary. Birth and ignorance, and Exalted Home and Truth are really related as effect and cause, they are given inversely in this couplet. Of the five faults, as igno- rance is the cause of even the other faults, the author has stated this as the canse of birth. As Moksha is higher than all other things, it.is spoken of as the ‘exalted.’ The First Cause is spoken of as the ‘Good Being/’ inasmuch as He is eternal without birth and death, as all other things are too. significant to taint him by their contacts, and as he remains the same without change or taint at all time, though immanent in all things. Hence also He is spoken of above ns the ‘True Being’ and -the Existent (m.**sr£i). The “ viewing” is the soul losing its Mala and constantly realising or practising, {u-eDppir > Bavaua) so that it may become one with God (c^pgte^Lo e current about a tishi who was fondling a deer being born a deer etc. But these do not know on what principle this is based ; and except in the Siddhanta works t.htq principle ■s nowhere expounded. The principle invdlVet! regards the nature of the soul, which is stated briefly 4nd tersely by St. 'Meikandan as ‘ jjr 4 “ that, that becomes” as '» nr. it ? psis “ that becomes that to which it is attached” by St. Aiul Nantbi, which is paraphrased again by St. Thayuioanavar as “ tjnQftr' eit ji upjBes jtpav tuSta J> uipifi jtii uefinsVeBriu Sipjii.’' ‘ Like the dirt-removed crystal vhich heeomes of the nature of that to which it is attached.” St. Tit uvallnvar himself has clearly expressed 'this ptiteiplii in Kural verses “ upjpi*Ljppp(nj‘tk Ac” of the last chapter, and secoud verse of this chapter and in the next verse (firry .rr'i.-.i gj &c) and ver6cs 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the first chapter, v, herein he shows that unless the soul leaves itR clinging to one, it cannot cling to another from whence is deduced the principle «v ifavsoroito) that the soul cannot have any independent existence or form unless it is clinging to one thing, (the world or body in Bandh&l u the other (God in Moksha), and while so attached, it identifies itself so thoroughly that it is im- possible to discover its separate personality. Hence it was that a Tvndal, an Huxley, a Bain with all their minute anatomical, biological and psychological analysis were nnt ahle to discover a mind ie the body different from the body, tlmugh they could not feel that the result was not very satisfactory. Thp 1 express language used by the commentator “j*#igisv tusQ? nor jp we8d*u util— J> J0 41 a/ 1 lil^G.aadc jpiui" “lSxiuiSjdO 9 jpaintu uiwb Js 'Dc.ir^ w®» Geo anuGua^n isaQiu uasSj#** Gmav l du ,> as will appear from the besutiful stanza we quote below from St. Ainl Nantbi, will Show to whom he is indebted for the explanation. "*«*<_ sS caiai aj ,ii CctigipG ear Spry'S av jpfrerri u a Qfi « n «w G so Gear cr a s (n, p 4 « £ ? p Q p /ros (yisr j pa ear (*/&&>» ps sou uiGeo (if f sOlosstl/i- irsSs * ji Qp its as Q mijBdt 1$ •! ear i_ a^|ii>Lso] siaOrr A'«n.ut<0L- p &*j r sar j $6 sir dl—WlflltltfflGut oioStreJ JB/UVLOJ uv- iran/rSfinyir jpis n /ea)Q enGta< ea>j> ui siaffGfrx gt&i aipaaiji ir’ti estr" t The word ura>tesr (Bavaca) is important. Bavana, Sadana, Dhyana, Yoga are all more or less synonymous terms. It means practice by symbolic meditation or realization. You fancy fixedly you are one with that and you become that. And this is the principle which underlies all the Maharakyas ‘Tatvamasi’ Ac For f oiler treatment, See Sivagnanabotham ; and Siddanta Deepika. Vol. II, the article ' mind and Body.’ 9 . s rnyaa fmryGsL QtuitQp&oir rtf pis fnfrpqyGiiiL. The true snpport who knows — rejects snppoit he sought before Sorrow that clings shall cease and cling to him no more. Commentary. ‘ conduct or practice’ here means practice of Yoga. This Yoga is of 8 kinds: Yama, Niyama, A sana, PraDayama Pratiyakara, Dharaua, Pbyana, and Samadhi. Their explanations are too long to be given here. See them in the books on Yoya. ‘The sorrows that cling to us ’ are the fruits of Karma which have yet to be experienced, which are the result of inunite Karma performed in births dating from eternity, and which give rise to fruits already eaten in past biiths and in the present birth. ‘‘Shall cease and cling no more,” as they will vanish befoie Yoga and Gnana like darkness before Light. This Jains call ‘a .eiiruy,’ As even Good Karma is the seed of birth, it is called a ‘disease.’ The author holds that births will cease when the supreme is perceived by the above-mentioned three means. When the-births cease, what c^d all the ills do, as they canDot cling to these gnauis well practised iu Y'oga, and there being no support, they will die. This is the purport of the stanza. Note., The word 'a a in’ in this verse aud ‘up j»’ in the pre- vious chapter mean a support or hold. The soul has two such supports, one in Bandha and one in Moksha aud without such supporfs it cannot stand. This may be compared to a piece of iron held between two magnetic poles one positive, and one negative, or betterstill .o a fruit growing on a tree. The fruit is held up by the tree so .long and so long only as it is raw and immatnre (undeve- loped) but so soon as it is ripe it reaches the ground (Force of gravity) fruit as such oe ubited to the tree or the ground. Wbat happens is, as the fruit grows riper and riper, the sap of the tree does not rise up to the twig and the twig dies, and it falls off. So too as man rises higher, and bis desire of the world decreases, and the bond? are sundered, he drops into the Feet of theLofd. uirfisiftptm (tpjbuftijdS— The author of p piu 4 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH or SIDDUANTA DEEP1KA. uq Lu*r explains as Dhyanft, and mu Samadhi, the highest Gnaua Yoga practices. In the next verse this Paaatohaya is farther explained. It). *1 uu> ! iDHiiaiSaxto Qparp qldbQsi— £ QaQiQma a.' Covivmntary. The eternal Ignorance, atidya, the consequent achnnkarn, the feeling of T and 'mine,’ the hankering which desiies this or that, the excellent desire of tins or that object, and dislike or hate arising fron unsatis- fied desire, these five faults are enumerated by Sans- critists. The author enumerates ooly three, a6 ‘Ahankara’ can be brought under ‘Avidya’ and ‘hankering’ can be comprised under 'Desire.’ As these faults are burnt up before Gnana Yoga practices, like cotton before a wildfire, so tbe author speaks of the disappearance of the very names of these three faults. As those who do not commit these faults, will not commit good or bad Ksima caused by them, the author states accordingly in this verse that they suffer no pain therefrom. As a result of the attainment of True Knowledge, the ills of past births and of future births are destroyed, and thus these two verses find a place in this chapter. We learn from this also, that what remains to those who have perceived the truth is the present body and ills attaching thereto. Note. Apd the next chanter discusses the means of even get- ting rid of this bare bodily infirmity and of guarding against what is called Vnsana Mala. THE light of truth o R Siddhanta Deepika. MADRAS JUNE AND -JUbY 1 DO! . OURSELVES. It must be a sincere source of pleasure to our readers that we have*been able to complete the fourth year, and to begin a new year of usefulness and activity j especially when they remember against what great odds we have been struggling to carry on this magazine, Of course, it has been a labour of love with us and with the few devoted friends who have stood by us, to whom our best thanks are due. Still the difficulties of what our people call @(_d, Q.s forced to admit that in the Tamil at least existed “ original indigenous elements of great beauty and of great, importance for historical purposes.” And a Veteran Tamil scholar like the Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, is clearly of opinion that Tamil possesses rare and original elements ir. religion and ethics and literature. Whatever' may bs said nbout the rest, the originality of the stories iu Silajipudikaruni, Munimekalui and C hint a- niaiii cannot be denied. They have a distinct bvo.h and the writers were pure Tntnilians and were almost contemporaneous with the date of the stories they are relating. The heroine of the first story is now worshipped only in the extjeme south of the Penin- sula and in Ceylon. And these works hold the highest rank in the classical literature of Southern India. For chasieness - of expression, elevation of thought, and simple beauty of imagery and extreme pathos, these works are unrivalled. And Prof. Vinson has done c. -’rent s.ivice to the Tamil Language by bringing these treasures to the notice of the European sax-ants. THE LIGHT O Y TRUTH on SiDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 17 THE SVhTASVATARA UPANI8HAD II Before we enter into the discussion of the philoso- phic import of this Upniiislnx], we have to'note the great difficulty felt nearly by nil European scholars who are brought op solely it! the school of Sanksrain interpreting this Upanishad, a difficulty which has cqinlly been felt with regard to the Philosophy of the Different scholars have taken it as expounding variously Sankhya and Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta, Dualism and nor, -Dualism ; and Professor Max Muller agrees with Mr. Gough in taking it ns fully expound- ing the Indian school of Vedanta or Idealism. Pro- fessors Garbe and Macdonnell characterise the philo- sophy ns eclectic. Says the latter, (p. 405, History of Sanskrit Literature): “Of thee eclectic movement combining Sankhya, Yoga and Vedanta doctrines, the oldest literary lepresentative is the Sretancntara •upanishad. t More famous is the Bhagavad Gita. if ever there*w»B sach an eclectic school, have these scholars paused to enquire who their modern representatives are ? Or is it that there are no such representatives to-day ? The real fact is thttt this was the only true Philosophic creed of the majority of the people, and this philosophy has subsisted untarnished during the last 3000 years or more. During the Upanishad period, the schools whose distinct existence can be distinctly marked are the Lokayata or Nastika, Kapila’ s Sankhya , Mimamsa of Jaimini, Nyaya and T aiseshika and Yoga. The first three were Atheistical and the latter Theistic And of course all these were professed Hindus* and none would have devintt-d fvoin he rituuls and practices prescribed for the Hindu, though academically speaking, he would have he'd to this or that view of philosophy. And this in- consistency is whet strikes a foreigner even now in the character of the modern Hindu. Mrs. Besant apfly describes this as “ the Hindu’s principle of rigidity of conduct and freedom of thought ’’ All these schools were based on a certain number of tattias or categories. The Nastika postulate*! four and only four tattvas, namely, earth, air. fire and water and would not even believe in Aka? or ether. Kapila increased the number of categories he believed in, to 10 vrtiich he grouped under Purusha and Prvdana. T%e Mitnam- • The Majority of every people and nation are virtnally afheiati 0 at^fl materialUtic, though professing n belief in God nnd conforming to the oeagee of society. 6 suka believed piactically in nothing M.ore, tin ugh bn laid stress on the authority and elerm lity of this Vedas. The next three theistic schools lelirvsd iif 24 or 25 tatvas which they grouped nnder Purusha Pradhana and Ishvara or G«td. As all these schools bnsed their theoretical philosophy on a certain number of tuttvas* Sankhya, the theoretic Philosophy, edme^o be called Sanlchya as distinguished from the practical Keligion andcodeof Morality. And duringtheUpanishad period and even in the times of the Mahabharata the word had not lost its general significatnce. A D( f if will be noticed when ascertaining what these various cate* gories are, that, with the exception of the Nastika, alt the other five schools believed in almost the game things, though the enumerations were various, except as regards the postulating of God. And even in this idea of God, there was practically very little diffe- rence between Kapila and Patanjali, To both of them, the freed Purusha was equal to Ishvara, only Kapila believed that no Ishwara was Pecessarv for the origination and sustenance, Ac , of the worlds ; but that according to Patanjali there existed an eternally freed Being who created these worlds and resolved them again into their original components. Afbd in the Upanishad period, the Yoga school was the dominant cult and these Upanishads including the Svetasvatara and Kaivalya, Sfc., were all books of the yoga school. And the theoretical or argumenta- tive port of the philosophy or creed was called by the name of Sankhya and tlje practical part, Yoga. As this yoga postulated the highest end achieved by a study of the Vedas, which were set forth in these Upanishads, it was also coning slowly to be called Fcdanfa. That’ tho, word Upanishad was actuatly used as a synonym for yoga, we have ' an example in Chandog, (1-1-10.) “The sacrifice which a man performs with knowledge, faith, and the Upanishad is more powerful.” ‘ Knowledge ’ op gnon here meaut the knowledge of the vateguries Mid their relation, which accoruing to Kapila was alone sufficient to bring about man's freedom. TIms, the Ffdautri held to be insufficient unless it was accom- panied by earnestness and love and by the contem- plate o a Supreme lleicg. This contemplation • Tiruinnlar, a Tamil S»*‘ ot about the Drat century A. C. thus dietiuguishes the schools existing in his time. *' The 9b taiva* or categories are common to all. 36 categories are special to the Saivas. 2ft are the categories of the Vedanti, 24 categories belong to Vaithnavaa. categories are those of the Mavavadi.” The particular thing to be noted here is the distinction drawn betweec Vedanti and Mnvaiadu 18 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH or S1DDHANTA DEEPJKA. brought the thinker nearer and nearer to the object of bis thoughts, till all distinctions of object and subject were thoroughly merged (distinction of 1 and Mine) »ud the union or uhc-hcm was reached and all banda or pasa vanished. This is the root-idea in Loth words ‘Upanishad’ and ‘ Yoga.’ Yt>ya means ui.ioi'., union of tic" things held apart and brought t get her. when the bowls or fat Ins which separated fell off or perished. And Upanishad is also derived from l j.u near, ni qnite, sad to perish. Here also tin; nearing oj tico things, and the per inking of something is rlairly nua\it. Of course, the two things brought together are the •Soul aud God, and the perishable thiug is certainly the rasa ; and the Soul when bound by Pasa is called Pasu accordingly. This was the condition of the Philosophic thought down to the days of the Mahabharat. and we bold this was anterior to the rise of Buddhism and continued for sotne centuries after Gautama Buddha and till the time of B«darayana. It was during this time that the philosophy of India spread into and permeated the thought of Europe, and Professor Garbe has lucidly proved io his short History of “The Philosophy of Ancient India,” that the inHuence received by the Greeks down to the neo Platonic school was almost Sankhyan in its character. It was during this time again, that the blending of the Aryan and Tamilian in art aud civilization and Philosophy took place (and we could not here consider how much was common to both, and how much each gained from the othei’), We have an exactly parallel word in Tamil to the word ‘ Sankhyi ’ ,and this word is straw on) which means both ‘number’ and ‘ to think/ and both Auvayar and Tiruvalluvcr use the word to mean logic amd metaphysics : the primary science, on which all tbouyh£ was built, being mathematics or the science of number. A systematic aud historical sindy of the Tamil wujks will make good our ‘position ; and even to-day tigs mbst dominant cult in the Tamil is the Sankhya and Yoga as represented in the Upanishads nr Veuat'ta. This system must have been thoroughly established in the Tamil ln::guage and literature before the time of Christ and before Badarayana’a composition of the Sariraka Sutras, So much so when Badarayana’s system came into vogue in Southern India, it was recognized as a distinct school. As Badarayaoa professed expressly to interpret tb 0 Upanishad or Vedanta texts, his school of Philosophy was stereotyped by the phrase * Vedanta ‘ and by collecting all the texts in Tamil down even to the time of Tayumannvar ( 16th ceutury, containing rt-fe- ret ces to \rclaiita, we could prove what the special view of Badnrnyatm was. This will also show that the exposition of Batlnruyaua contained in the earliest Blinshy a or commentary we possess in Sanskrit., namely, that of Sriksmta. which was later on adopted almost bodily t>y Ramanuja. the true view <’f Badarayami, This view we may sum up in Dr. Tliibntit’s o n words: — *• If, now, l s.m shortly to sum up >l u r :ults of the preceding enquiry as to the teaching ot the Sutras, I must give it as my opinion that they do not set forth the distinction of a higher and lower knowledge of Brahman ; that they do not acknowledge the distinction of Brahman and Iswura in Sankara’s sense ; that they do not hold the doctrine of the un- reality of the world ; and that they do not with Sankara proclaim the absolute identity of the indivi- dual aud the highest self.” ( loe.cit Introduction to the Vedanta Sutras). And he proves also that this was consistent with the teachings of the Upanishads themselves. What gave it its special mark, however, is the peculiar relation which Hadaruvana postulated bet- ween God and the world, the product of 3fo;/a or Prakrit/. Though he held on to the distinction of the supreme and the Human Spirit, he stoutly' fought against the old Sankhyan view (comprising nearly all the six schools we enumerated above) that Matter was an independent entity from spirit, thong h liko Leibnitz, he never denied its reality. He held God was both the efficient and material cause of the Universe. J Ids doctrine received accord indy its name of Pnrinomu 1 ado or Niinittojuidanakarano Ynda while toe Theistic Sankhyan systems stoutly main- tained that God was only the efficient cause, tbon g h He was immament in Ail Nature. As there was nothing inherently vicious and destructive to nil true religion aiid morality in this system of Badarayana, the Tamil Philosophers welcomed this view also and declared they did not see much difference in the two views aud ends postulated by bub the old and now school And both iSrikanta SaiiV Tirumnlar and ex- pressly make this declaration. But there was one other view which was gaimusr ground ever since the days of Gautama Buddha am? which was connected with the peculiar theory of Maya or illusion. Buddha declared that a!) existence was THE LIGHT OF TKUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. Id momentary, that then? was no world, no mind, n > soul and no God, and that what really existed were the Bkaadlias, and wlieu this truth whs perceived, all desire and birth aud suffering would cease und then there would be cessation of all existence, yin- ana. And the Buddhists were accordingly called tfuyuvadi*. Hut a- the Buddhist theory destroyed the very' core of the Indian national beliefs, ar.d as it also afforded no stable ground for a national existence based on oiorulity and religion, thi« was pronounced heterodox, but the seeds sown by him were not in vain, and a Hi ml ii school of ilayavsda slowly raided its head on the dviug embers of this old effete philosophy. And its greatest exponeiK was Sankara. This Hindu school of Muyavada was in existence for several centuries before Sankara, but this was later than the time of St. Municka Vachaku and earliar than Tirnmular though both of them were interior to Sankara. Sankara’s system is referred to as Mayavada in all the other Hindu prominent schools prevalent since the days of Sr.nkara, and though South Indian followers o. Sankara seem to entertain tome prejudice against the word, owing to the abuse made of it by their opponents, followers of Sankara in the North even to-day call it the Mayavada. And in some of its extreme form*, it was also called “ Prachckanna Baud- dhnm.’’ The great learning and the towering intellect, accompan-ed by the austere life led by fiaukara, created a great following among the Brahmans of the Saiva faith, and it made great strides in the time of his illustrious follower Sayana or Vidyaranya who combined in himself both temporal and spiritual power. And the first interpreters of Hinduism happening to be mostly Brahmans of this > persuasion, during the rentary when Sauskrit oriental scholarship came into being, this view of Hindu Philosophy has gained most currency among European scholars. Bet there were not wanting scholars in # the p .Kt like Colebrook and Wilson, and like Col. Jacob, Prof. Kunte, and Dr- Thibaot in the present gene- ration. who hold that Mayavada is not the real and true exposition of the Veda or the Vedanta. Prof. Max Muller than whom a more learned or earnest student of Indian Philosophy never existed, though he held very stoutly to the other view, slowly -gave iu, and has accepted Dr. Thibaut’s conclusions as correct. Wo may add that Professor Mscdonnell reiterates the old view, and Prof. Deasaen is the greatest adherent of fiaukara at the present day. There is one other great factor in the growth of Indian Religion and Philosophy which we have taken' no note of, all this time ; and which receives no notice' at all in the hands of European scholars. And thm is the bearing of the Agamas or Tantras. Such a well informed person as Rwami Vivekananda baa declared, “ as to their iuflnence, apart from the St out* ■ and Smurta rituals, all other forms of ritual observed from the Himalayas to the Comorin have been taken from the Tantras, and they direct the worship of the §aktas, Saivas and Vaisbnavaa and all others alike." Bnt who were the nutbors of theee works and when did they Dome into vogue, and what great power had they to monopolize the Religion of the whole of India * The eime Swatni observes. *• The Tantras, ss we have sajd, represent the Vedic rituals in a modified form, and before any one jumps into the most absnrd con- clusions about them, 1 will advise him to read the Tantras in connection with the Brahman as , especially of the A dhtcarya portion. And most of the . Mantras used in the Tantras will be found taken verbattm from these Brahmanas." But it could be noted at the same time, that whereas the Brahmanas direct the use of these mantras in connection with the yagnas or sacrifices, these Tantras direct their use in connec- tion with the worship of some diety or aa other. And the object of Vedic sacrifices being'well known to he only the first three Furuskartkas, by the worship oF the various Powers of Nature, the object of Tantric or Agamic worship was the attainment of the fourth Pnruskarta or Moksh i By the time we get into She Upanishad period, we could see hew a new and spiritual interpretation was pnt Jipou the old Vedie sacrifices and the uselessness of sacrifice as an end in itself was strongly declared. Says II Barth: “ Sacrifice is only an act df preparation It is the best of acts, but it is an act and its frmt consequently perishable. Arcoediogly although whole sections of theee treatises (Upamahads) are taken op 'exclusively with speculations on the ntes, what they teach ay be summed up in the 'Words of Muudaka Cgpmthad. dtnow the Atman oujy and away with every iliiug else ; it alone is the bridge to immortality." The Veda Itself and thmwhoio circle of sacred science are quite ns sweeping!/ con» : _ t^phLf in St. Sekkilar’s Periapurana, sum Q^smi-npiCo LypjS—pOp 11.1^1; stsa ttytfi&p QsrppQuiiup jBQfiQpiami-p QpteasQiusiru Oupp tpujdaih Op 1 ipuOu pppirti. “pip OioiLiuufisp pp. tut irssn ,T« put p^S) JU5l 9 m of St. Sundarar and the i.ipafl of Nambiandar Nambi we are driven to the conclusion that St. Sekkilar lived in the time of king Anabaya. And from Nambi- andar’s life, we learn that the image of St. Gnana Sam- bantha had been set up eveu in his time. So that, we have it that St.Sambantha is referred to in Gt-Sundara’a PqjpQpm** t-pOpim*, which formed the original for the 6hort history drawn up by Nambiandar Nambi ; St. Sekkilar wrote bis materials from all these sources, and St. Uuiapati wrote Sekkilar's life and Nambiandar Nambi’s life. In Nambi’s time, the Devaram Hymns had been lost and were rediscovered by him. We know for certain also from St. Umapathi’s work itself, wheu he lived. Itwasaboat 1300. A.D. W&know for certain also from a copper plate, the age of Gandaraditya, one of the authors of fiQjdlmsuuiT (10th Veda or collec- tion of Nambi). It was about 950 A.D. (Vide C M. Duff’s chronology of India p. 203). And St. Sundara lived before him. So that between St. SambaDtha and St. Umapathi there was at lerst a difference of 5 or 6 centuries. And 4 yet if ouririend’s story is true, St. Sambantha, .Sundara, Gandaruditya, Pattinattar, Nambiandar Nambi, and Sekkilar and Meikandan, Arul Nandi, Maraignana Sambantha and Umapathi, in fact nearly all the Saints of the Saivite calendar, should have lived at abont the same time ! A contin- gency never likely to be true unless History itself is going to ruu mad !! The ^QipOpnsm i^pOnssoo itself cdh tains the names of many of the contemporaries and followers and disciples of St. Gnanasambantha, and iti is^a pity our Vallalar’s name is conspicuous by its absence in this long list O n “ thing more, P<5 Oemn.r or Pattinattar referred to by onr Vallalar has himself sung the praises of St. Sambantha and others in the following lines, " s$ ppsuum-jj Qppfipap C./AO uSjD QuQIS glCN pUiSt* 24 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok B1DDHANTA DEEPIKA. The fact is, oar Vallalar is qnite a modern author, y bis modernity apparent from his praising fi—Qseuit in the same stanza) who thought, of course, he derived his inspiration from St. GD&na Sambantha. This is a common practice with Religious people, to pay bf-age to some Saint and invoke him as their Guru. Aod of all the Saints, St. Gnana Sambantha has bad the largest number of such votaries and disciples, the fact that he was considered as an Avatar of God Subhramanyagiving p.dditioDalstimulus to the worship 1 More famous than our Sivagnana Vallalar, among such pupils of St. Sambantha, was another Vallalar called Kannudaya Vallalar, the author of Ozhivi- lodukkam ( 5 >( ytHQeo* Garth ), a book which the late Prof. P Sundram Pillai, characterised as brimming with intellectual similes. And the first verse devoted to the praise of Guru >) is the following, G&ptMiDuuajifl fS&Ki&BTC f £Sa> visi o QmijbiS&iS Gi—slc — Gutpp, Srfc eSQedQfLjtr Gpi Qsj&frG^a itQdsmQurryS ss«. In it, the author praises the uplifted finger ‘ Divine Child,’ which pointed to the if Patents f « %he World’ ‘ fihuvanesa Pitaram,' as * Qu&>ioa*Mtum*mrGp ' “ This fore-finger is that of the Dancer when it pointed to the Lord of the Lords in the Hall of the Vedagamns. This is the crown which T6BtB on the top of the six Adaras. This is the Sun which rises to dispel my mental darkhess. This is the Rain cloud Bhowering his gracious Bliss when I lost my * I.’ ” The verse is a sublime one, both sound and sense befitting the subject. There are a number of other verses in which the author directly sets forth how St, Sambantha taught him this or that ; and a typical verse is the following as it sets forth the highest doctrine of the Advaita-Siddhantat — _• & aw (CTj Saar 6? gp gp Saar Qiuev uj gi)LDp •frtiiiD'r nsp t€0)sa: &&rry$/sirL—6vr j» 6 tt rr errarr 0frer aSQg/rpor . j *' Thi s >s my command ! This is my command ! ! This is my command 1 ! 1 1 ?"«r say it is one or two and be still. So said myTimgnanaSaiobartba.of Sbeerkali. The gracions Lord, wondrously wise." We may state the latest votary and pupil of our saint was the late lamented Sri la-Sri S. Somasnndara Nayagar who composed also many poems in a similar strain in praise oj Gnana Sambantha. In Prof. Sandram Pillai’s own time, his theories wei 3 fully corroborated by the discoveries of Dr. Hnitszch and Mr. Venkayya.and to-day his conclujions are only receiving greater corroboration. Nay, the evidence brought forward by Mr. T. Veerabhadra Mudaliar, based on metrical tests, goes to show that the upper limit fixed by the Professor was too high. If the metres used by Sambantha had become obsolete even in Sekkilar’s time and was not understood, ap^ later grammarians had rejected them as (o.(^6li«bc:, 6) instead of knowing the ancient character of the metre and its great beauty, then is it too mncb to say that the upper limit was the 6th century. J, M. N. THE PROBLEM OF EVIL. [Continued from page 205, Vol. IV.) 63. As constituting a difference between good and evil, the former and latter are respectively made the interests of Heaver and Earth. What is permanent only can be ultimately good, for whatever good has necessarily to terminate, not the termination alone but the very thought of an approaching termination condemns it at once as no good per se. All good then of an ephemeral character, can but be of the earth earthy and of other spheres of earth-character, but higher in tht scales of progressive being. Heaven, Moksha, liberation Ac. are words which but express a state where happiness will be abiding, and never pall on the senses. The difference then between good and evil, or Heaven and Earth is contrasted in this manner by Rev. J. A. Baxter : — “How often does worldly wisdom prove the height of human folly, when its dictates are substituted for God’s word and will! And in general, however ini porta n. a knowledge of the world, prudence and circumspect ion in our engagements, deliberation in forming and vigour ii. executing our schemes may be, if they be not directed by that fear of God, that love to onr fellow-men, and that due estimation of temporal things, which true religion alone can impart, our scheme w ; ll all begin and centre and ter- minate in self ; our hearts, our homes, our country will he ‘ like the troubled sea which bath no rest.’ Heaven m. earth then to those who act in this spirit, and Heaven in Heaven efter death.” 434. WitLout a God-ideal, and such an ideal of God as has for ages been before the mind of maD, which has suc- cessfully survived all the ravages vf “‘heisticand nihilistic attempts to overthrow it, it is hopeless to find a solution for the riddle of our ills. The way to God lies through THE LHJHT OF TRUTH o* SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 25 tha soul, and the soul is reachable by a proper exami- nation of what constitutes self in the environment of matter. Now what is prayer? A petition to God? For wbat P For something which yon desire to have or something which yoa desire shonld depart from you. When petitioniqg, are you sure that by God not granting it. He is either not merciful or not just ? Neither. For, we have assumed, say, the God-ideal dor a solution of our evil question. Whatever perfection we may not be pre- pared to invest Him with, He is, we must grant, our Greater. Being greater knowB better. In the words of Rev. J. Bean, then, “ we may ask for improper things; things which may not be good for us — things which though perhaps good for ns at some futme period, may not be fit for us at present. We may pray for deliverance from a cer- tain trial ; yet that trial may he intended for our benefit. We may pray for a certain comfort, yet that comfort may be a snare to us. In all that we ask, the wisdom of God is to be honored. His promises of^ranting onr petitions are to be taken with this qualification, — that God will grant the thing desired, if it be for onr good to have it; but that otherwise it will be refosed. And, indeed, in the lat^r ease, it is mercy to us to refnse what we ask.” 65. Look, onr Bhagavad Gita says: — which means Gcd gives wisdom and wipes it. Could good God efface a good thing ? Here is the difficulty. Where is wisdom or where is intelligence when in sleep? Yet is not that effacement — a reflection cf almost non* entity — wisdom ? Giving is birth, taking away is death. Both have meaning* in God’s sight and both are good in their own seasons. Thus if He is good, what He does is good. This is the way our elders argued in their spiritual* treatises. In cousonance with the Gita quotation, this Sruti may be remembered : — This means that He alone causes virtuous acts being performed, and He uplifts him ; again it is He alone who causes vicious actB being done, and He down-treads theip. This appareut puzzle necessarily commits the Deity to responsibility for good and evil, but the key of explana- tion lies in Karma. For, read Bhagavad Gita XVI. 19.. Those that harbour hatred for Me, I cast into satanic wombs. It means that those whose thoughts are astray, thoughts scattered over all subjects except Hifn, are those that are objects of the second sentence of the above quoted Sruti, and who when they begin to change their character by taming round towards him at once become subject to 7 the 1st law, and to whojn will take them to Him. Gita : — will be given that wisdom which In the words of the Bhagavad B , cr , &>*»jgSBr*?Co0o JD «5 || The 1st half of the Srnti is cognate with • rfjrfbdr-cJSj' cS>60gdSn Bh. G. Ch. 7 — 14. Equivalent to Sri Parasara Bhattar’s "3 A 0 jl, Xs. 6. The phenomenal and noumen&l are here figuratively ex- pressed as the enticing female, end the substrate of the un- changing saving male power in the cosmos respectively. And the 2nd half of the Srnti iB cognate with the 2nd half of the Gita ae quoted above, viz. 3j*“A>;S88o|S53JSg “3 Sj-dST-Aa «T*oS{S' $1? II 66. Not only that without a God-ideal, it is an every day and every body’s perceptive proof that agreeable and disagreeable are both found in one and the same object either due to a change in the substance, the object, change in the person, the object, or a predicative change viz., change in time, or change in place Ac- A Tamil Saint had expressed this beautifully in this language : — Qjir04 i.e., I am partial to all, (Bh. G.) and ( VT'Sj?IXOfr. S,S, i. e., the learned look on a Biahman, a cow, an elepoant. a dog, and an unrighteous person as of equal status ; How ? Because they have their god-ideal, and without God mrthidg can exist. 67. The readers can now pursue all the thoughts presented on this giand question in a desultory way (like Pascal’s Pensees) ; and draw their own conclusions and consolations. Here we give Appendix No. 1, (promised in para 20 No. IV. vide Siddhanta Deepika, for June 1900). A. Oovinbachakta. *6 THE LIGHT OP TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEP1KA. APPENDIX TO HHE PROBLEM OF EVIL. What is called evil is attributed by oar Indian sages to Ignorance. This is known ns avidyd, ajn&na, m&ya, prakriti and other analogues. How does this arise P one answer _ is riven in the verse: — AnatmsDy-atms-buddhir ya Aave avam iti ya matih || Avidya-tarn-sambhutitbtjHin etnd dvidhn sthitam || “ The tiee of avidya (ignorance) springs forth from the seed of a two-fold aspect. The one aspect of rtiis ,seed is the mistaking or misapprehending what iB sot-self for self and the other the mistaking or misapre* bending of what is not one's own as one's own.” The first mistake arises from reducing the nniverse to one category, viz., matter ; and the second mistake arises from the reduction of the universe into one’s own possession, or property. # The first misconception is of the material plane, the second of the mental plane. In relation to the material plane, the terms like pradh&na and prakriti are ‘applicable. In relation to the mental (which includes mord and emotional), avidya and ajn&na are applicable. In relation to both, maya is applicable. From these definition of terms, our general inference, as regards the •abject-matter nnder discussion, is that ignoiance — which is at the root of all onr evil — arises from a two-fold misconception, the one of mistaking the non-self for the eelf, and the other the misconstruction of what .is not one’s own property as one’s own property. So far we Lave some clear conception of terms, and onr ground is cleared for further &dvnn<$. 2. Now, in the statement, 1 mistaking non-self for self,’ are involved twfl tyrris, non-self and self. By the terra non-self is understood that category in the nniverse which is devoid of intelligence, aud ; thus self, its opposite, denotes a category which is of intelligence. The former or noi.-self is matter, the latter, self, is spirit. Thus, the first misconception, viz., of taking non-self for self, is abased on the one hand of conceiving the nniverse as constituted of qne category, matter; and that if the other category bfe admitted even hypothetically, the misconcep- tion arises from looking on this spirit (or self) as matter- If this misconception is to disappear, the fact of a tavo- lold constitution of the nnivers.3, by spirit and matteri most be clear to our mind. Secondly, in the statement nr., ‘ the misapprehending of property which is not one’s own aa one’s own,’ aye involved iwo terms, property, and one’s own ; and the term one's own, is implication of another Being or Category— God we shall call it — different from the category to which what one knows as himself belongs. Thus we have involved in this statement three terms, 4 property,’ one ’ and ‘ another.' By the term 1 one,’ ia meant self, or the embodied self, or the compound of individnal aonl and the body with which it iB fti conjunc- tion. When one says : “ this thing belongs to me,” he is— without othe% proof — intuitively convinced that 4 me * is not his body, but the spirit dwelling in it, but which is embodied. To one in this stage, the first misconception of Reducing the nniverse to matter or body has already disappeared. The term property applies to whether tie property be matter qr spirit. The lelative teim ’another’ as required by the statemanl: “ what is another's as one’s own " points to another spirit or self — a third term-y- to which both matter aod the first spirit (or sonl) mns3 belong as property, in older that a misconception may arise, viz., of the misappropriating of that other spirit’s property to one’s self. Let ns now fix onr terms to definite significations. By the term matter, we mean the non-self, or non-intelligent category ; by the term self, we mean the intelligent category, which let us call by the name of soul; by the tei m spirit, let ns understand the universal sonl, God. J We have thus matter, soul (or the individual spirit), and God (or the Universal Spirit), Now let us proceed 3. Ignorance is due to a two-fold misapprehension, it was said. In the firBt misapprehension, the kosmos is composed of but one staff, the matter-stuff. In the second misapp, ehensioD, that it (kosmoB) is a compound of matter and soul is clearly seen, and therefore only two categories are admitted, but God ia absent. Thus, for the first mis- apprehension to disappear, we must believe in matter and soul, and for the second misapprehension to disappear, we meat believe in matter, sonl and»God. The question for us now to Bettle is, not whether sonl exists as distinguished from matter, not whether God exists as distinguished from both. These three archetypal constituents of the kosmos must be taken for granted before proceeding to show what our scriptuies tell os as to how to get rid of ignorance, the root of onr evil. Bnt let ns in the mean- while consider what the term misconception or misappre- hension implies. 4. In that term is implied a dualism, ctz; a conceiver ajid a conceived. The conceiver implies conception. Con- ception implies intelligence. The conceived ia the object of conception. It may he an object of intelligence or no- intelligence. If we put soul in the place of the conceiver, the conceived may be either matter, the conceiver itself, or God. Now the first misconception or misapprehension that is the one aspect of the seed, avidya — or the mistaking of non-self (or self, — is thos clearly a self-deception. For the venj act of mistaking is an act of intelligence ; and if kosmos is all non-self, or unintelligent matter-staff, how can there be any act involving intelligence ? This ratiom* native process alone is a proof of sonl, and it is not onr present task to formulate other kinds of proofs for the existence of this category. From this kind of lessoning THE LIGHT OF TRUTH oh SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 27 •lone, we may get rid of the first kind of misconception, of mistaking non-self for self. Bnt as long ab this miscon- ception persists, we are nnder ignorttnce, and this igno- rance is caused, as we aie taught by our Vedanta sages, by the alliance brought about between son! and matter, where the sight of the soul : s blinded by matter, so far and in such proportions as the intelligent acts of the sonl — born of its free-will — have brought about the said alliance (fdtusnru). Tnis is >n- idya on the material plane, so to say. We shall now consider- the other aspect of this ignorance, on the mental plane, so to say 5. The mental avidya is only more subtle than the material avidya , for in both are both, but in each, one is vastly more predomiaant than the other. For mental or that which relates to the mind is according to oar Vedanta is also material. For, mind according to ns is material, for mind according to us is not soul. The prime intelli- gence of soul working with the sqjitle matter — our mind — or intelligence functioning on a subtle material organ, is our mind. And we may consistently with this train o i reasoning also say that intelligence functioning on gross material ergans is our matter. To U9 intelligence and flpn-intelligence, or self and non-self are never dissociated ; and that we think and define and speak of them as distinct categories, is for a mere mental grasp of the thing. We stated before that this mental avidya is that which gives rise to the misappropriation of what is not one’s own as own, and we showed that this involved three terms : matter, sonl and God. If matter and sonl are God’s property, bnt if the soul looked on matter as its property, and looked npon itself as an independent existence, and God as non- existent, here comes the mental Avidya inclusive, (as said above,) of the moral and emotional elements of the mental plane. Perhaps, to call this ab the spiritual avidya in contradistinction to the material avidya. viz. the first misconception, would render our ideas clearer. But so long as we manage to understand what we mean, we need not trouble ourselves about what terms we ORe to convey our meaning. C. So long then as soul is not clearly perceive^ as apart from matter, the material avidya (ignorance) must persist ; and so long as God is not clearly perceived as apart from matter and soul, the spiritual avidya (a queer expression) must persist. And, as shown already, the cause of both these misconceptions lies in the alliance of soul with matter. This is tbe meaning of the verse in Gita: “ Kuranarn Gnna-Suugo Asya Sad-asad-yoni-ja nmasu . ” X 1 1 1-2fi . and the Brahma-Sutra : — Veka-yogcldv& sopi. JII-2-6. It is this misconception, or ignorance, which — when we read different treatises on Vedanta, — is called delusion, deception,^ illusion, mtlyft, tbe seeming, the passive, .the phenomenal &c. Here a word is necessary as to tj-c differences of opinion on this matter between monists and dualists, or idealists and realists as we Bay. To tbe monist, maya is illusion, or a mental haliucinatioif, and no category therefore as matter-stuff exists, and on tbe other bund an sonl itBelf is God, no separate God exists- Not so isntbe position of the dualistic philosopher- To him matter is a real entity, and God is a of oar saiqte, Sri Parasara Bliattarya, into 5 claeses, viz. — (i) The error of independence ( svSiantry-dndho j (ii) The e: ror of transferred allegiance, {itara- seshatva-dhtk) (iii) Tlie error of 6elf-preservatjon. * (d tma-trinon mukhah ) (iv) The error of misplaced friendship. ( bandhavd - bhAsa-lolatvam ) (v) The error of sense^-deligbte. ( vishaya-chapala - dhitvam) As was already stated, these errors are errors of the mental plane, and are committed ,with respect to thfc third category, God. Let ns consider each of these sub- divisions : — (i) The error of independence consists in tbe soul thinking itself as independent in being, thought' deed and enjoyment, and not. recognizing a God on whom all th%ie things depend. (ii) The error of transferred allegiance, implies the recognition of God, 'bilt the error consists in payiog Homage to others than the one God, be they beast or men, trees or Devas ; Or philosophically stated nearly the error of polytheism £8 against monotheism. (iii) The error of self-preserra‘ T - '"-Hists in the soul thinking that it itself is its protector, both in the embodied state of existence here and transcendental states which may hereafter be attained ; but not God. (iv) The error of misplaced friendship consists in looking cm bodily relations and others as oar well-wishers, or as those who would help us in the salvation of our souls, and not God. 28 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH on SIDDHANTA DEfcPIKA. (v) The error of tense.- delights consists in the thought #'»t all enjoyment is derived through the senses, and that it is the ODly enjoyment in the kosmos ; and not Gtod. These 5 kinds of errors comprise the second mis-concep- tion or ignorance of the mental kind, — the knot of evil; f He first misconception is of the material kind already statfla. 8. How to get rid of this ignorance, which has persisted from aeons as stated in the Mandukyopanisbad “ Ar.idi-mS.yayh suptah," and which the Saiva Siddhantis call by the name, Anai a-mala ; or mdyd or mala comprised of Ahankara and Mamakara in other words. Ahankdra and MamakS.ro are but again expressing in a different way, f!he two- fold aspects of ignorance. Ahankdra and Mamakara constitute in the present-day terminology, the individuality and personality accreting round the 801 ) 1 . The more the ideas of “the individual, " and “the- personal" persist, the more is the sonl fettered. The more these ideas vaporize, the more the freedom, the less the binding. The secret of the Prapatti S&stra, or renuncia- tion to God, consists in reducing one’s self to nothing; or to pst it happily, resolving one’s own self into God. Of self, as individual , as -personal , nothing must be left. They, must vanish, and God recognized as complete. “ What I am, and what mine is, is Thou and Thine ’’ (Mamanatha &c.,) declared Sri Yamuna-chary a. How to get rid is the question.- It has been breiflv answered ; thus by the said sage Bhattarya. (A) When thou thickest thou art the body, think thou art the soul. (B) (i) When thon thinkest thou art independent, think thou art dependent on God. (ii) When thou Beemest other than God, think that that is fornicatiofi,*nd transfer thy allegiance to Him, and Him alone, the One Go9 to whom and whom alone thou art bound by ties of allegiance, and other ties. (iiij When thou thinkest thou art thy care-taker, think tbfttihou art not, but God is really they Care-taker. * (iv) ■ When thou thinkest that Athens than God aie thy friends„and can help thee in thy salvation, it is a mistake. Think that thy only true, relative and friend is God— Who alone is thy Saviour. (v) When thon thinkest that thy delights are sense delights, think they are ultimately but poison, and cause thy ruin, nor are they lasting. They die. Think that God alone is thy .-cal and lasting delight, as says the Srnti : Basovai Sah "—He is all delight. 9. To ourcross ignorance, the above is a brief state- ment of the means. And that means is as you will have seen, bnt the education of the mind ; the education of the mind spiritually There are ways chalked out for the spiritual education of the bodily organs, for speech and for miod. There ere ways, called by the several names of Kprma, Juana, Bhakti, Prapatti, Acharyabhimana, and these are suited to men of various tastee, various stages and various capacities, and suited to the circum- stances of the country, the times and conditions. These are fo^nd iD the Sastras, or those treatises which under- take to lay down the Dharmas or rules of conduct tor alt kinds of met). But mind-training and mind-control are the chief. When the mind is controlled, Bpeecb and body are controlled. Thought is potent. Form comes after thought. Speech ib form, and body the more so, and thought itself has its images. Regulate thonght, in other words train the mind and let its images be of the heavenly kind ; and then speech and deed will be formed after that model. This is tersely expressed by the Sanskrit “ Yad-bhdvam tadbhavati 10. Out of a multitude of the rules of conduct laid down for a spiritually, progressing sonl, the rules of thought laid down for the mind in the Gita — which followed by the disappearance of ignorance and dawning of enlightenment — are to be found in the XHIth Adhyaya, from verse 7 to 11, which we shall briefly state, below t 0 make the subject-matter of our present dismission complete : — (а) Cultivation of the feelings of respect and humility towards the good and the great, (amdnitram) (б) Doing works of charity unostentatiously (adam- bhitvam) (c) Doing not injury to others in deed, spe4ch or thought, (ahiinsa) (d) Preserving one’s temper against others' assaults ( ksh&ntir ) (e) Uprightness, or oneness of mind, speech and act towards others, (drjaiam) (/) Service ("reverence Ac.), to instructors (Achdry- vpasanam) ( g ) Cleanliness, external and internal as aids to spiritual progress, (sanctum) , (/,) Courage of convictions as regards matters spiritual. , ( sthairyam ) (i) Abstraction of mind from subjects not relating to spirit-. (.(Uma-vinigraha) . (j ) Repugnance to objects of sense. ( indriydrtlieshu vairdgyam) , (k) Discriminating sonl from body. ( an-ahankdra ) (l) Constantly dwelling on the miseries and afflictions connected with birth, death, old age, disease aod pain. (Janma-mrityu-jard-vyddhi-dukha dosh&nii-darsanam ) (in) Placing no affections on things non-spiritual. ( asakti ) («) Keeping the heart from undue or inordinate attachment to wife, children, home Ac. (an- abhishvangah) THE LIGHT OF TKUTH 01 8LDDHANTA DKEPIKA. 29 (o) Ever preserving the mind's balance, when disturbed by events, of good or bad import, (mtyam »ama-chittatvam). (p) Of whet is of the foi 3mest importance, cultivation of pure and unswerving love ( bhakti 1 for Me (God) (Mayi ananya-yogena bhaktir aiyahhi- ch&rini), (g) Spending time in retired spots. (. vivikta-dem - mvitvam) V) Absence of wish to mingle with the crowd. ( aratir tana eamsadi) Here is an epitome of morals bj the cultivation of which, we may get rid of avidya, and realize vidya. In Ibis epitome, one cannot fail to see that its adoption or rejection depends upon the granting or tbe denial of the three main postntat£s concerned in tbe making of tbe Life- Problem, viz., matter, eonl and God. What is sonl, what is God, and what are tbe proofs f'r their existence are matters which must form separate lines of investigation, and must therefore be left to independent treatment. 8. Ignorance, thus, is the fact of oor mind and heart set on things below. Ignorance is a fact, not an illusion. Knowledge is soul's intrinsic virtue. This is obscured by ignorance. Ignorance is determind by karma or actions of the sonl which is free. Karma attracts the material, or matter whioh is tbe material came of ignorance. Soul is thus tbe efficient cause of ignorance, and matter the ■material cause. By sonls’ karma again or acts of virtue, worship of God and the like, the attraction for matter ceases. Man thrives, and God comes with His grace (see Engl. Tran Sri Bhashya Intr. pp.) To put in another way, a change of heart has to be brought about before this ignorauce will cease ; and to bring about that change are the rules or articles of one's belief — or as we would put, the Tat van or categories of the kosmos. Ignorance is what also is called by the term moha. It will be seen on reflection that it means attachment or attraction for material objects begot from desire inhering in the soul- When there is desire, there is attachment, there is bondage ; and bondage is sorrow. Tbe teachings of out Scriptures — of which our Bhsgavad Gita is a compendium — show how to conduct oneself in this world, in other words how to act, i.e., act without tying down the heart and mind to the results thereof. The way to do it is by adopting the code of morals, lard down, of which an illustration from the xlllth Book was given. When the heart or the affection is set upon the spirit and all eternal concerns, gradually a withdrawal from or repugnance , to, material and ephemeral concerns iB felt. This is called vairdgya, or dislike. This is a concomitant condition of jn&na or spiritual wisdom. When this has dawned, ignorance has vanished. Says the 52nd verse of Bk. II of Gita, thus ‘‘When thy intellect shall have transcended the confu- sion of illosion, then shall tho»e Tadi te tnohakalilam , . . buddkir vyalitarishyati; * ttaln t0 tbe ot t’dl r%a, tadi gantati nirredam, or desirelessneae for things expe- irotuvyatyii srutasyacka. . ,,, . . , , . , . nenced (terrestrial here) or things to be experienced celestial, hereafter)." 11 And those who know the secret of how to act withort “ Karmajam buddki- yu kt& hi, p ha lam tyak- t to maniehinah, janma- bandha - vinir -mulct ah, paclam gacchunty an d- mayam.” desire, shall be freed from the fetter- of bondage and paas on to the state of peace and bliss,” says the 57th verse of the same book, “ The conclnsions of the Gita are the conclusions of the nineteeth century, after all tbe experience of its civiliza- tion. I quote from an article “ Tbe search for happiness,” from “ Tbe Herald of the Golden Age.” Happiness and contentment are fonnd in the elimination of desire (or tyaga) ; or to express it more correctly in the transference of desire from tbe * transitory’ to the ‘ permanent.’ Lay not np for yonrselves treasures upon earth, where mirth and rest doth dorrupt. 9. Now, who did not follow these rules and theiefore he remained in ignorance P Who followed these roles and trancended mayaP If a few examples be cited, that will give a practical value to our deliberation, and besides carry conviction home. Tbe Demon HiranyakaBipn did not follow the roles. He remained in igpoi ance and met destruction at the hands of Kara- ban. The sage Prahlada followed rales, and he overcame ignorance, and reached God and bliss. Havana went against tbe spiritual law, and was there- fore ignorant. He was in tbe end mined, wheieas Vibhf- sbana was a follower of the law, and was therefore wise and was blessed both here and after., Sisupala hated Lord Krishna, and be bad therefore to give his bead as the price for his ignorance, whereas Arjuna was the blessed man to receive tbe Holy Instruc- tions of Gita direct from t^e lips of God. Sukracbarya lost bis eye, whereas'Bali gained tbe kingdom of Patala. Generally, those wbo belong to tbe avidyk class are the Asuri-prakritdyah , and those who belong to the vidya class are the T)aiv i-pra hit ay o h, or those who follcw the spiritual law, and those who do not respectively. This is exhaustively treated in the XVIth adhyayaof the Gita. 12 Tlie blessed Sa^int Paranknsa (Nammezhai) there- fore sang thus : (Yaue yecnai-yariyakilade) 3 3 ^6“ ( Yane yeDdanade yen oirunden) ni yetinitdaimaiyuvunye) Ajfc'SoKvr'jia ^Tsti (Vine yettum ern t fSnacarere.) 8 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SIDDHANTA DEEPIJKA. 31 origins. They are only to one another ■what a cocoa- tree would be to a carrot-plant. 2. I willingly agree with those who think the Tamil literature must be older than it is generally admitted, but, however, I cannot suppose the first. Tamil books have been composed before the 5th or 6th century of the Christian Era. Writing was introduced in South India towards tne middle ->f the 3rd century A. D., and we are not aware of any Tamil inscription prior to the 6th century and moreover the literary and religious part ir those documents.is always Sanskrit, and Tamil appears only in the purely official part directed to common people and public officers. Believe me Sir, With my Lest compliments. Yours very truly JULIEN VINSON. Professor of Tamil ana Hindustani at the Living Oriental Language’s School, Paris. Pr«f. Julien Yioeon'a Review of the Siddhanta Movement. At present there is taking place in India and especially in the central parts, a religious movement or rather a philosopic one, extremely important which may be called the renaissance of Civaism, that is, if that religion can ever be said to have ceased to be the predominant one in these regions. A a active propoganda is being made in favour of the Saiva Slddhanta Doctrine by certain exceedingly distin- guished Hindu gentlemen who have been educated almost according to European ideas. In the month of June 1897, s. special journal was even started at Madras with the object of ptomoting the Siva Siddhanta doctrine and it is at present in full prosperity. It is known that Sivaism reposes entirely on the conception of three beings (entities) : — Pati “ The Chief, God, the Great, the Whole, Pasi. (the, sonl, the individual being) and Pusan i “the lien’’ that is to say, the totality of the causes which differentiate Paste from Pati. The supreme object cf life is the libera- tion of the yoke of Pasam, and the absorption of the individual entities in the Great Whole. The Jdctrine is set out chiefly in 14 Tamil works of which the guiding spirits of the movement in question ha T -» published a complete edition. The learned Munsif of Nanclynl, Mr, Nallaswami IMie.i has already translated into English three of the.-o works the Tirunaoasittyar (San, Pr ;J j_.»- siddbi), the publication of which is being made in the Siddhanta Dipika and the two others which I notice below. The Sivajanabotham ^Civadjnana- bodha) is considered to be the principal work. It ie believed to have been composed probably at the com- mencement of ‘he 13th century A D., by an ascetic of Tiruvinnainallar, who was aurnarned Maikandadeva (the divine who has seen the truth). Hu is supposed to havo translated it from Sanskrit, and added explana- tions ind a common I ary. The text includes 12 Sutras which contain io all 41 Tamil verses of four feet, in the Agaval metre. Mr. Nallaswami gives us a close transla- tion in English as well as a translation of the com- mentary, and he adds numerous explanatory nctes. An American Missionary>the 1’ev. Mr. H N. Hoisingioa had published in 1850 a summary in 18 pages in an American review. If may be interesting to compare the two tn i natations. The lltli sutra is translated as. fultows by Mr. Hoisington “ When the soul has escaped from the influence of the body and become pure, Siva will look upon it and show himself to it, just as the soul acta as the cause or the power of vision to the eye Therefore Siva, by thus revealing himself, will show bis sacred foot to the soul with a love which it never forgets tc exercise.” Here is the new translation : “ As the soul enables the eye to see and itself sees, SoHara enables the soul to know and itself knows. And this adwaita (non-dualistic) knowledge and .-undying love will unite it to His feet.” The text is worded as follows : kanum kdnnukku kattum ulampol kana ulottei Jcaudu kKdttalin ’ oyard an'bin’ arati ko jal relume, which literally means : who sees by-the--ye,who shows the deepest meaning as, ia order to see, the interne! idea having been se.n by the action of shoving, unforgettable in-the-affection of Haran, the acklet-of- tbe-ioot C , will reach. It is evident that the translation made in 1895 is better than the translation of 1850. The book by Nallasatni is very well-written and its perusal is highly instructive. In addition to the text the book contains, translation and and notes, with a learned introduction and a preface regarding the author. 32 THE Ll'GfiT* OF TRUTH o* 8IDDHANTA OBEPIKA. There are also given a list of ths AgamaB, a list of she pnncipil Caivite .works in Tamil, the text of the Sankrit slokas in Devanagici and Telugu obaracter, and also a glossary of 'special Sanskr’t and Tamil -—■ds The Tiruvarutpayan, “Benefit of the holy grace, '’is a dogmatic treatise in 100 dictichB ef which Dr. Pope has added a tranlatfan as well as a commentary in his edition of his Tirnvacagam. All these works are .indispensible to IhosfKwho wish to have an exact knowledge of the Civite philosophy.— Translated from " Revue de Linguistique.” TEE AGE OF GNANA SAMBANTHA. A NOTE. Tamil scholars of the modern ".chool seem to live in an almost painfully sensitive frame of mind ; and especially when the antiquity ot religious teachers and saints is touched upon, though but in a passing reference, they are apt to lash themselves into a fury, which in saner moments, might seem, even to them, as somewhat disproportions te to its original cailse. I am nfraid that a variety of this peculiar affection has run away with the better part of our friend, Mr. J. M. N’s discretion. If be Lad but looked nt my Query ” in the May number of the Deepika, cooly and collectedly, he would have seen that my object has been to show the curious conclusion one has to arrive at, if the traditional account were to be believed, iitid .he query was^hieant to poiDt out this anomaly and ask for ah explanation. It is a little amusing to see our friend lecturing me. elaborately upon the Ir i ding facts in the chronology of the Saivite saints. He evidently makes a gratuitous assumption that I lia/e not -ad the very book I refer to in the begin- ning of my query, 112 ., Prof. Sondram Pillai’s tract on the Age of Sambantha, and very charitably attri- butes to me an utter lack of historical perspective and knowledge of Tamil literature. Perhaps it did not occur to him that it was just the possession of the former that led me to perceive the anomaly and pro- found my query And he might snrely’have credited "me vith a knowledge of < he well-known factBtohe found in the preface to the printed edition oi the Devaram hymns, that. Abaya Knlesekara Chela, caused the images of Appar, Suudarar and Sambanthar to be brought before the room in the Chidambaram temple in which the hymns were preserved, and thus forced the Tillai three thousand, whe had refused open the room unless the- three persons who had first closed it came again, to defer to his wishes and allow the room to be opened for the inspection of Nambi Andar Nambi who was requested by the king to arrange and classify the hymns. Our friend may take it that lovers of Sanskrit, need not of necessity dislike Tamil and thu,t they have no interest, in belit- tling or post-dating Tamil works and authors. I may also mention that Brahmin Sanskrit scholars are as a class wonderfully patient and tolerant compared with, our Tamil friends. I need cite no other instance than the spirit in which Pundit Savariroyan’s articles on “the Admixture of Aryan with Tamilian ” has been received, in spite of their evident intense dislike of Brahmans and the very grave charges they bring against them on the flimsiest materials, such that the very word “ historical ” would be a misnomer if applied to these articles. The explanation is as curious as the point I adver- ted to iD my note. It seems it is the habit with Saivites to claim to have been taught directly by a saint, dead perhaps a thousand years back ; aDd our friend points to the late Som.isundara Nayagar ns the latest votary and disciple of Sambantha. Perhaps our friend will allow me to say that “lack of historical perspective” rests more with gentlemen of this ilk and with our orthodox Tamil scholars, one of whom seriously assured me that Sivagnana Vallalar was in fact living at the time of Samorntha and did in faot learn from him. M. N. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH — OR — SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA A Monthly Journal, Devoted to Religion, Philosophy, Literature , Science, &c. Commenced on the Queen’s Commemoration Day , 1897 < ■ ■■ — — — — 1 - VOL. V £ MADRAS, AUGUST igoi. j No. 3. T BAN8I1A T IONS. THE VEDA’NTA-SU’TRAS WITH S'RI’KANTHA- BHA’SHYA. [Continued from page 8 Pol. F.) Adhlkarana. 4 . Contemplation of Brahman (in the symbol is msant.) because of His supremacy. (IV. 16) lu regard to the contemplation of symbols, a doubt arises as to whether the devotee should regard fce symbols, - such as the mind, the sun etc.,— as Brahman, or he should regard Brahman as ihe mind, etc. ( Purvapaksha ): — We should regard Brahman as the mind, etc., and thus contemplate.Brahman, inasmuch sb He alone is the cKs*penser of fruits. {Siddhdnta): — A3 against the foregoing we hold as follows : “ Superior to the universe is feudra ; * in these words the sruti speaks of Brahman as the supreme; and therefore we should regard the mind and the like inferior objects as Brahman! In the or- dinary world, indeed, one regards a man of inferior # rank, snch as a king’s servant, as the king himself, and serves him as though he were the king himself. None, on the other hand, selves a king regarding him as a servant. Propriety indeed requires that all should bow down before that Being only w^ofs Soperior to all others. Accordingly, we understand that the Suprema* Brahman is the Being “befcye whom all should bow down, verily hecauae, He is superior to all others. In the Mah vna ray ana-Up. 12, it is said that all worship should be directed to Him alone who informs. all, to that Sup- reme Brahman whd6e attributes are mentioned in ttf“e Mantra, and to none else nnder any* circumstances whatsoever. •Moreover, this Supreme Brahman (ParabAhman) has been defined to bf the Being who is woishipped as the Supreme. To explain. ThqTiiittinya says: He. to whom all bow, is tht '• - J JJharma is the forehead; Brahma is ihe upper jaw, sacrifice is the lower jaw, Vishnu is the . heart; Samvatsara (Prajapati) is the organ of generation:,” * and so on. • Mahanar, 10-19 • Tai. Aranyaka ?-l9. 34 THE LIGHT OF XKUT’iH or SIDDHANTA DEEITKA. In tuis description ot Simsumara, the Parubrabman jr Liva is distinguished from Vishnu, the heart, and other members, simply because Siva is superior to all others, and He is designated as the head, the principal member, by an expression which embodies His — 'ntial character as the object of all worship. Even at' the end of that section, the sruti speaks of Him alone as the Lord of all bings and as superior to all beings, and concludes by saying that He is the Being to whom all worship is ultimately due, because, He 4 s superior to all: ' My others, bow is to Thee, my bow is to Thee, all bow is to Thee.” In the passages like “Bow to Thee, to Rndra, to Anger,” * He is again and again referred to as the object of all worship, for the very reason that He is superior to all others. In the ordinary world, indeed, people worship him most who :s great in power, and so on. Thus, the Supreme Brahman is the Beidg that is superior to all others, as the object of all worship, associated with Uma, possessed of divers eyes, the One Being who can be designated by the term 'Isvara.' All symbols such as the mind become objects of worship because they are found pervaded by Him wb© is superior to all others, who is worthy of being worshipped by all. Hence the sruti speaking of such extremely low animals as dogs and kings of dogs, as the objects of worship, simply in view of their being pervaded by Brahman who is superior to all others. Wherefore, inasmuch as lower beings are found to Command our regard in virtue of their relation to the higher beings, we conclude that in contemplating the mind, etc., we siioydd regard them as Brahman who transcends all. Adhfkarana 5. And the ideas of Adltya, etc , (should he contemplated) in the member, becauee it 9tande to reae’on. (iv. i. 6). In the preceding Adhikarana it has been said that, because of Brahman’s superioi'itj', A'ditva, and others should be regarded as Brahman, in our contemplation (upasana) of them. Now, a doubt aiises as to whether, in such contemplations of menjLier# of sacrifices (Ka’-_..'.„ e „o) as are enjoined in the words ‘He who burns here, upon Him 1st a man meditate as odgltha,’# we should contemplate Aditya, etc., a£ udgitha, or in the reyerse order. •Tftit. Sam.^6. •Chb. 1-3-1. (PUrvopaksha): — What would at first sight appear? It v 0 uld appear that, inasmuch as udgitha, etc., aud Adilya, etc., are both alike factors of sacrificial :ites, and both alike manifested forms of Brahman, no fixed rule can be laid down as to the one way or the other. ( Siddhantn ) : — As against the foregoing, we hold as follows: Since A'ditya and others are the objects of worship in sacrificial rites and aro therefore superior, udgitha and the like which are mere members of saci iftcial rites should be regarded as A'ditya, etc., for, it is possible that the udgitha and other factors of sacrificial rites produce greater results, when improved by our contemplation of them as A'ditya, etc. Indeed, the passage of the s'ruti— “ Whatever cne performs with knowledge becomes more powerful,”* gives us to understand that the very tiling which, when performed by itself, is possessed of power, is productive of greater results by way of becoming more powerful, when improved by knowledge- Thus, notwithstanding that both are alike essentially one with Brahman, and so on, still, because udgitha, etc., are enjoined as sacrificial acts, because udgitha, etc., are acts to be done and are, as such, means to ends, and because Aditya, etc., are things already existing and are, as such, of a different nature from udgitha, et£., and do not consti- tute means to ends, we conclude that udgitha and the like factors of sacrificial rites should be contemplated as A'ditya and so on. Adhikarana 6- (One should bo) seated, because of the possibility. (IV. i. 7 ) It has been explained in wbBt particular way ohe should practise contemplation. Now. a doubt aiises as ; to whether one should be necessarily seated during contemplation, or not. (Piirvapaksha ) Because the S'ruti has nowhere laid down the rule tha^ one should be seated during contemplation, and because contemplation, which is a mental process, is possible ir? ijl postures, there is no necessity for the upasaka to be seated. i Siddhanta) One should contemplate Brahman only when * seated ; for, to such a man alone one- pointedness of mind is possible. And the S'ruti does enjoin that the upasaka should be seated : * Ibid l-l-io. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 95 " At a retired spot, seated in an easy posture, pure, erect of neck, the head and the body ; ^ “ Leading the highest order of life, restraining all the sense-organs, and having saluted his own Gnru in devotion, regarding the heart-lotus un- stained and quite pure, and in its centre contem- plating Him who is free from all taint and grief ; “ The Unthinkable, the Unrnanifest, whose forms are endless ; S'iva who is tranquil, immortal ; who is the womb of BrahnvV, and who is devoid of a beginning, middle, or end ; the one, who is Intelligence andBlis=;the Formless, theWonderful; " Him whose help-mate is Uma : who is the Supreme Lord, Mighty, Three-eyed; Dark-necked and Serene. Having meditated thus, the sage reaches Him who is the wninb of all beings, the Witness of all, transcending darkness. ”+ So says the Kaivalya-Upanishad. Wherefore, one Bhould coikeroplate Brahman only while seated. and because of meditation. (IV. i. s.) And because by the following passages we are given to understand that Up3sana, which brings about the break of the bond, is the same as Dhynna or Meditation : “ Having meditated thus, the sage reaches Him who is the womb of all beings. ”* " It is the Cause that should be meditated upbn in the middle of ether (nk\sa), He who is endued with all powers, who is the Lord of all, the source of all Good (Sambhu).”t “ Only by the churning of meditation.” And the verb Dhyai is used ill the case of persons whose bodily members are inactive, whose eye-si^bt is steadily fixed, whose mind is directed towardss (foe object alone, as when we say ” the crane meditates," * Kinsmen meditate upon the absent person.” More- over, one-pointedness of mind is quite necessary for Dhyana, which is an unbroken .current of thought like the current t>f oil, interrupted liy no alien thought of a different kind. Wherefore we should necessarily observe the rule concerning tHfe sitting posture for success in Dhyana. J K&ivalya-Dp. 4, 5, 6 and 7. • Kaivalya-Up. t Afchairafiikha. And (the word Is used) with reference to the motionleeaneie. (iv. 1. 9-i " The Earth meditates as it were, the mid-region medit&teB as it were.”* In such passages as these the word " meditate” is used because the earth, etc. are motionless ; wherefore one should contemplate only when seated. Indeed, the current of meditation is possible only to him who is seated, as he is then motiouleas like the earth, etc. And the Smritl says the same. (17. i. 10). “ Having in a cleanly 6pot established a firm seat, neither too high nor too low, with cloth, skid, and kiisa grass thereon ; “ Making the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind«and the senses controlled, let him, seated there on the seat, practise yoga for the purification of the self.”f In such passages as these, the Smriti enjoins that * the upasakas should be seated ; wherefore, one should contemplate Brahman ouly when seated. Adhikarana— 7. Where concentration (is possible), there (meditation may be car- ried on), owing to the absence of any difference (IV. i. U) It has been said above that it is necessary that the Upasaka should be seated (during meditation). Now, a doubt arises as to whether.as in the foregoing case, there is any rule, or noue as to time and place. (Purvapa^sha) : — It is bun ptoper that there, should be (a fixed rule). Jqst its a particular direc- tion, a particular place, and a particular time are en- joined in the sruti with reference to sacrificial rites — “ He who iB going to engage in Brnhma-Yajfia shall do so in the easte/n direction;” J “ Let him sacrifice by Vaisvadeva in a place sloping to the east;” ‘’They sacrifice by Pinda-Pitriyajna in the afternoon ; ’ — so also, it is bat proper that, in this case also, tlier should be a rule as to the direction, etc.; for, tfffe prac- tice of Upasana is an act enjoined in the sruti. (9idd%anta) : — T^ere is no fixed rule as to the direction, etc., in the case of Upasana .-"Concentration is indeed the primary requisite for meditation. Cer- tainly this does not require a particular direction, time. • Cahh .Up. 7-C-l. f B hag’ll pad Gita. 11. 1? X Taitt, Ara. 2-11. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH oh SIDDHANTX DEEPIKA. or place. Where there akas should mediti '.o, ....'.iout intermission, upon the Sup- reme Brahman, who is omuiscieat, ever-satisfied, self- luminous, self-reliant, whose powers never fail, whose t Kaivalya-Up. • Ghhft S-3-3. t Ibid. S-lJ-1. potencies are infinite. Accordingly the srnti says that Brahman’s nature manifests itself iu the Upusakas : “In that most blessed form of Thine, O Rudra, which is gracious and attractive, which manifests itself in the sinless ones, do Thou, O Lord, that dost pour Tby blessings from the mountain top, shine in Thy fu)l splendour to us.”* To explain: Rudra is so called because. He expels (or cauwt to run away) from the Upasakns the intole- rable misery of samsiira which arises from various causes abiding in oneself as well as outside, and which has been running iu a continuous stream of attachment for the body of Devas and the like, so that it has been firmly ingrained in one’s nature by the begin- ningless sin (mala), karma and impressions (vasa- nas) of past experience. The supreme Brahman. Siva the Supreme Lord (F-aramesvava), is here addressed as Rudra. Rudra has a form which is gracious ; i. e. a form which is eternal, devoid of sin, and therefore supremely pure, most beneficent, the Highest Bliss itself. Because, it is gracious, it attracts the heart of all. Jt manifests itself in the sinless ones, i e.. iu those persons whose acts, both good and evil, have all been consumed in the fire of wisdom, — ‘sin’ standing for virtue as well. This form is also the most blessed one, because it is noDe other than the unsurpassed supreme Bliss spoken of in the sruti, That is the unit of Brail man’s Bliss. ”t The Uapsakas *pra.y .- “In that most blissful form, do Thou remove all good and evil acts of ours which have brought about our samsara, and manifest Thyself in Thy full splendour in our own essential nature." i*i. Wherefore, inasmuch as Brahman’s nature mani- fests itself iu the nature of the worshippers (Upasa-> kus). t lie meditation of Brahman which causes sifch manifestation, should be practised till death. There should be no break in it at any time whatever. Adhikarana 9. From the attainment theraof (accrue) non-contact of the subse- quent sins and destruction of the previous ones, because of the nfention thereof, (IV. i. 13 .) » In the preceding section it has been explained with resysons how iu the Upasakas, who are free from sins, the essential nature of Brahman • clearly mani- fests itself. Now, a doubt arises aa to whether, in # Tali. Sam. 4-5-1. t Tni. Op- 2-8, THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob 8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 87 the ca c e of an Upasaks, a destruction of bids ■ akeg plaice or not. (Pdrvapakaha ) It would appear at first sight that even in the case of Upasakas no destruction of Bins can take place without the enjoyment of their fruits, since it is said that no action is exhausted even in hundreds of crores of ages (Kalpas), without its Iruits being enjoyed. On the attainment of a body for the enjoyment of their fruits, further accumula- tion of Karma is inevitable ; so that, there is no occa- sion for moksha. ( Biddhanta ) : — As against the foregoing we hold as follows: In the case of Upasakas, all sin is destroyed. —-How ? — As soon as the Upasana is commenced, destruction of previons sins and non-contact with the subsequent ones follow as a result of the Upasana itself. So indeed is it declared in the sruti : '‘As the soft fibres of the Ishika reed, when thrown into the fire, are burnt, thus all his Bins are burnt.’ 1 * “Ac water does not cling to a lotus leaf, so no evil deed clings to one who knows it.”t Therefore, destruction of the previous sius and non-contact with the subsequent ones do accrue to the np&sakas. As to the assertion that so sins can be exhausted without their fruits being enjoyed, it applies only to the unenlightened, and hence no con- tradiction. Adhlkarana 10. or til* othsr also M previous not* whose effects have not yet begun, beonnae of Its being marked ns the limit, (IV. 1. IS). In the preceeding adbikarana, it has been shewu that in the case of the enlightened one there is a Don- contact with the subsequent acts of merit and demerit and a destruction of the previous oneB. Now a doubt arises as to the continuance or otherwise of those acta of merit and demerit which have already begun their effects. ( Piirvapaksha — In the words'‘a]l his siosare burnt” the sruti speaks of all sine without distinction. There- fore, as even the acts in question are among those done prior to entering on the path of Vidya, they, also must undergo destruction. ( Biddhanta ) . — As against the foregoing, we hold as follows : It is only such of the acts of merit and demerit done before entering on the path of Vidya as have not yet begun their effects, that undergo des- truction ; for, the sruti speaks of the death of the body as the limit : “For him, there is only delay sc long as he is not delivered (from the'body) ; then he will be per- fect.”* Hence no destruction of the Prarabdha-K j,rrna, of the acts, which have already begun their effects. Adjhikarana 12. But the Agnlhotn and otters (contribute) only to tbw effect thereof sieeen ( that the sins which are op; osed to the knowledge undergo destruction. The recitation of S'atarudriya is here said to bring about destruction of all sins, on the ground that it comprises the names of Siva who L immortal ..nd free, through time without a beginning — as declared in the words “ these indeed are the names of the immortal.” From this it will be seen that even the recitation of t.he Dimes of the Parames'vara. — such as ‘Siva,’ — conduces to the destruction of all sins that may stand in the way of knowledge. The Sruti savs ; ..n 1-22. “If even a chandala, if he shoald utter the word ‘Siva’, one may talk with him, dwell with hinj, eat with him ” Here indeed we are given to understand that the greatest sinner who is most impure attains highest purity by a mere utterance of the word ‘SivA* denoting Brahman. Elsewhere also the sruti, after saying that in the case of the Brahmana who recit:~ daily the Atbarvasiras all sins are extinguished^ declares also that he attains moksha, in the following words : “Once reciting, be becomes clean, pure, and fit for sacrificial ritual. Keciting a second time,he attains the state of Ganapati ; reciting it a third time he enters the Deva Himself.” And that the recitation of the Pranava. canses the break of the bond (Pasa-vichchheda) is taught in passages like the following “Having made Atman the arani, and F/anava the upper arani, by practice of knowledge, by repeat- ed churning, the wise man burns up the bond.”* So also elsewhere. Accordingly, since we are given to understand that the Vedic mantras treating of Paramesvara constitute the means to Moksha by way of conducing to the knowledge of the Supreme,tnrough destruction of a11 sins, the recitation of those mantras should be practised throughout life even by the en- lightened sage. So also it is necessary to perform Agnihotra and such other sucrificial acts, dedicating their fruits to Paramesvara inasmuch as they are things commanded by him and constitute His worship. So, too, the observance of the injunction regarding gifts, etc., is necessaiy. Hence the conclusion that even for the enlightened sages it is necessary to per- form Agnihotra and the like with a view to bring ab iut the perfection of knowledge (Vidya). The worship of the Lord (Isvara-upasana) takes the form of ritual (karma), austerity (tapas), recitation (japa), meditatiqn (dhyana) and knowledge (jnanal. Ritual (karma) comprises Agnihotra, etc; austerity (tapas) means niyama. or self-imposed religious observance, or it may be Kiiya-soshana, physical mortification ; recitation (japa) means repetition of Pran»va and the like mentioned above. These form the means to moksha, by bringing about the extinction of sins. But knowledge and meditation are the direct means to moksha, as they cause the attainment of the condi- * Kaii-alya Up. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob 8IDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 99 tion of Brahman. * Wherefore the observance of all thes6 is necessary. (Objection) . — If the good deeds such >13 Agnihotra are intended for the development of knowledge, and if good deeds other than these, done in the past, have been destroyed on entering the path of Vidyd, then what are those goods which, as said in the sruti, the iriends of the sage inherit on his death ? (Answer) — The Sutrakara aays : (Thsre an als a dssis) ether than theie,— of which some speak of both kinds. (IV. 1 17 ) Some, i. e , the students of Saty&yana recension of the Veda, read as followB : "His sons. inherit the property, his friends the good deeds, Lis foes the evil deeds.” The good deeds hero spoken of are other than those — Agnihotra and the like — whioh are intended for the perfection of knowledge ; they are the deeds whose frnition is obstructed by other and stronger deeds, and which, as capable of producing food, health, mental purity and the like which are conso- nant with knowledge, conduce to results favourable to knowledge and have not therefore been destroyed even by knowledge. These are the deeds spoken of — deeds of both kinds which precede and succeed knowledge. It 1* Indeed (said! " Whatever le done with knowledge.” he., (iv. 1 18 ) ‘•Whatever is done with knowledge, that alone becomes more powerful.”* Here the sruti says that the purpose of the Udgliha-Yidya is the removal of obstruction in the path of the fruition of the aot. Thereby the sruti implies the existence of obstruc- tion, the fruition of some acts by other and stronger deeds. Hence the meaning of the sutra is that Agni- hotra and the like should be performed with a view to the removal of the obstacles that obstruct the fruition of those acts which are favourable to knowledge. Adhikarana 13. After exhausting the others by enjoyment, be then becomes blest, (iv. 1 19) Now we have to enquire whether those who, while possessing Vidya, hold certain responsible offices (in the administration of the universe', are entitled or not to Moksha, — as the result of their Vidvfi, — over and above the offices they hold. • Ctilia 1-1- to. { Pvrvapaksha ) : — If plurality of births be postula- ted for the enjoyment of the fruits of the prhrabdha,— of the karma which has begun its effects, — then the knowledge attained in one birth disappears in the succeeding birth, so that whatever karma is done m the latter birth leads to enjoyment of fruits. Where- fore, owing to this possibil'ty of a series of births, they (i,e., the office-holders) do not attain liberation. (BiddhAnta) : — As against the foregoing we argue as follows : The prarabdba-karma can but lead to enjoyment of its own fruits. They cannot also lead to the extinction of Vidya acquired in the past, fo that they (those office-holders) do attain liberation. They will not be subjected to an (endleBs) series of births; for, there is no cause. The interval of birth and death is like that of sleep : they do not bring about extinc- tion of Vidya. A. Mahadeva Sabthy, b.a, (To be continued.) SIVAGNANA SIDDHIYAR OF AKUL NANDI SIVA ACHARYA. (Continued from page I.) Sutba IX. PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL. Adhikarana I. Meditate on Sri Panchakshara , 1. Him, who cannot be understood by the Pasn and Pasugnana if you cannot* reach, not. possessing sufficient Pathiguana and love in your heart, and are separated from his Divine foot, you can reach Him, if you regard the alluring world as a mirage and get free from its clatches If you again meditate constantly according to law on the Sri- Panchakshara, The Supreme will graciously enter your heart, driving away yonr darkness. Pasa and Pasugnana defined. 2. Pasugnana consists of the knowledge of the Vedas, Sastras, Smritis, Puranes and Arts, and of the Mantras from Aatrbh ai Vaikar* to Nada ; these have the effect of inducing future births- The Ahal >* Knowledge is Pasugnana as the Paso becomes bound in a body, has to learn and know from otherB, and ong by one. The Supre- me Siva knows alone without extraneous aid. Extinction of senses is no Moksha. 3 If you hold that the extinction of the senses is alone Mukti, then we may as well hold that the eggs of fishes and'fowii, and seeds, and perBonB dead and in a swoo” 40 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. sleep sad in yogs, and while bitten by a serpent are all in Mulcti condition ! If you wonld compare this Saniadbi condition to the condition of light, when one’s shadow gradually lessens and disappears under one at noon, even then the darkness will not vanish and this gnana is also Pasugnana. Know then, without knowing the feet of Him who bnmt the Tripura and then yon will burn yoor faults away. The Necessity for Divine Grace. 4. Why we say that God can be reached only by the aid of HisWisdom Foot, is becanse,He can never be reached by our human speech, thought, or action, because His Foot represents The Light of His Wisdom, and because it is by the aid of His Foot Grace, the soul is freed from the doubt whether he is one with his bodily organs or senses, and is shown his real self. Bow God vianifests Himself, a fix is- ® ® n east phased a s an tracin' (g») anas* a fen panto a a * get) Qj uS (rfM a u go; , (j^aSnpa gi/s pdt&adfn^^ jguSsd^uSn a Own (Teenies nj it « 7 ® ^ ScVN i— tdsufiir flfarr&gn lLi}. iLfaS^KS/nLi^^ (5BB) &&S JJ Gca BM6TT SC (6B3)LDed $ JDlj &P y Os i testae ion tLjeir p fdps-sm t—tp sf-p-punfit a*.L-n£t&.ig.tp.gtLD (^fiuuapuSleSt gspG p . 5. The eye that sees all cannot see itself nor the inter' nal sense that guides it. These internal Benses cannot know themselves nor the soul. The soul itself which enjoys . cannot know itself nor the One who is the soul of his soul. Hence, Siva, the All-seer, manifests Himself to the soul, and shows him his own self, and though unseen by the senses stands as thj eye of all. If yon know Him thns, and see Him in your heart and join His Foot, the Pass will drop off. Even if the Pasa joins you, stand fast in His Foot, Adhlkarana 2. How Bliss is conferred. 6 . If one stands.steadfast in the path, leaving the acqui- sition of the eight attributes and eight powers, (siddbis) Ac. the worlds of Brahma and other Gods; and passing the bounds of the six adhwas and rejects all these as the veriest lie, then will He who has neither ups nor downs who has no limiting qualities and is not conceivable by »ny person, who has "o desires of his own, enter your heart Himself, filling it with boundless love, and bless yon with the rarest joy. Adhlkarana 3. The True emplanalion of * Tatvamasi 7 . aesut-nSenat tuiiGei^Qat or p e ess jptaa^Sfd ayblutTQpie sat enGev G2arandf(n ) £ida&ip l Qairsm ip-Qg)® Qperrppateirfnp alias paeouunGec GfeaOwanuuseSdfp Op neb jpevoiC tvpsirf), < 4 l«»i_«JI»cc«>Pisi« 06 Tr 6 V»iii fQ-— fH lunar pfiser a9i_<2to sy$t4LO ^gtdunec udhseatt to an p 1 4 jrjj to ffl ss ein jp us sSs*fOff ev&eiifdu utaip anpdanGaa. Seeing ourselveB different from the seen world, and from the unseen God, and loving Him in all humility, and from His intimate connection with ns, if we medi‘_ie that ‘I am He’, then will He appear to us, as one with ns. As the poison leaves one by the snake-charmer's medita- tion of Garuda , so will onr sins fall off and purity be attained This is the reason whv the old Vedas teach ub to practice the Mantra ' I am He.’ Note. Soham=Sa + Abam, meaning ‘I am That’ or ‘I am He’. Hamsa is another form of it (.Ahara -u Sa); This Sohani is regarded as a mantra, based on the Mahavakyas for prac- tice or Bhavana or Sadhana A not for proof. The pritraple is based on that formulated by western psycholo- gists to the effect that, by practice and some mental disor- ders, the idea itself becomes an actuality. The principle enunciated by St. Meikandan is * j&si gi^peo'-, (be soul or mind becomes that which identifies with itself. It becomes pure matter, body, when it identifies itself as body and when it identifies itself as Parani, it becomes the Param. Oh! for the day, when I shall become one (advaita) with the everlasting Truth and Wisdom as I am one (admits) with Ana to. ^esseupQpsup^ieSp we or uipQwii. ^Qnesrp p n gaoSCig)!—^ jpo9 p G ones gpCsFir. The Paiichahshai>a. 8. Knowing in the Light of Sri PanchakBhara, hia subordination to God, and seeing His Form also in the Pan- ebakshara, and doing the Anga lcara Nyasa (touching the parts of the body with the hand) with the PancLak- shara, and worshipping God in the heart of the soul with Panchaksljara, and raising the fire in the Kundalini with ti e Pauchakshara, and reaching the Frontal Brow which is difficult of reach, and pronouncing the Pauchakshara accor- ding to law, the Lord will appear to the soul, even as the invisible planets Ragu and Ketu appear in the sun nnd the moon. ’ Note. The mysteries and details of this have to be learnt through the Guru. Another Satlana. 9. As regards the lotus of the heart, its root is the navel, its stalk are the tatvas from the earth, its calyx is the Mohinior lower maya,theeigl;t petals are the Snddha Vidya, the markings ic these petals are the eight Aksharas, the stamens are the bwara Sadasiva nnd their Saktis. The THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 41 pistil and ovary is the Saktifatva. And above this Sakti is seated the Supreme Sivs. And worship Him knowing this Supreme condition. ^ The effect of this internal wore hip. 10. This internal worship or yagnais regarded ps Mukti- eadana, becanse it pui-ifies the soul, nsing sandal, flowers, T)upa and Dcepa, and Maujana and food with esoteric mean- ing, and worshipping Him in the heart. And as one thinks and thinks of Him with gnana, he will gradually enter ypnr heart, as does the light when the mirror is cle&ied t_nd cleaned. Then the impurities will all disappear. Notes. The sandal symbolises Vairagya ; flowers, the eight external virtues such as ( abstaining from killing Ac., being the control of the external senses; — Dupa, incense is pride, which has to be offered up; Dcepa , light is one’s intelligence the Tirtmanjana, water is contentedDess, food is one's egoism. Another means : External worship. If one desires to worship God externally, let him take the flowers fallen under the tree and worship and praise the Supreme ‘Siva in some visible symbol iu the same manner as in internal worship. Let him be resigned, thinking that he himself is not responsible for good and evil, and let him see God in everything without making distinction of internal or external worship, and remain steadfast in such worship. This will constitute the great merit of superior Bhaktas. The offer.' of such Worship. 12. God will show* His grace removing one's mala, if one worship* and sees God present everywhere aa firo in wood, ghee in milk, juice in fruit and oil in seeds ; each worship will dispose God to enter his heart and remove his mala and convert him into His own Form and dwell in him in all His glory, just as the iron is converted into the form of tfce fire itself. J. M. N. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH 0 R Siddhanta Deepika, MADRAS, AUGUST 1901. THE LIFE AND LEGENDS OF 8DNDAKA-MtTHTTI The Saiva devotee, adapted from the Periya Puranam. §•1 . — Sundarar’ s origin. The great Sages of the Caiva sect in the South of India are fonr in numher. Of these Manikka-Vacagar is the oldest and incomparably the greatest. At an interval of probably a cento ry arose Nana Samban- ahar, Sundarar and Appamflrtti. These three lived in the time of the great struggle between the Jains and the Caivites, which ended in favour of the latter*. There was a great dissimilarity between the three sages of this later period ; Sambandhar being a youth, almost a child, full of enthusiasm, gifted with a truly poetic faculty, and passing away in bis earliest man- hood, innocent and uncorrnpted. He beams npon ns in the legends as a lovely character. The next, Sun- darar, was of a very different type. He seems to havew been remarkable for beanty of person, — Jiis very name, which is also one of the names, or epithets of Civan, meaning the ‘beautiful’. H e ' w ? 9 addicted to pleasure, — an accomplished courtienr’ and man of the world. There seems indeed nothing whatever of the ascetic about him from first to last. His hymns, 100 in ndmber, are not it seems to n^e of any peculiar value. Like those of Sambandar and Appamurtti thgy are decads of verses in honour of the idol worsbipprti at each shrine visited by the sigfi, as a sacred bard. We may say, once for all, that the circumstances and traditions connected with the great collection called the De'varam do not jmjjpess us witfc any conviction of the genuine- ness of the great majority of the £9. About a score of them are striking hymns. The story of Sundarar begins before his appearance in 8onth India. He was one of th# host of Civa in Kailasam,— (on the silver hill ) — his name being HAl&la-Sundara (an epithet of Siva; Tirn*Vacagam, 11 42 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SIDDHANTA DKEPIKA. hi, 9), and waB ODe c\f the especial favourites of Siva. One day aa he was walking in the flowir garden be- longing to the goddess, he saw two maidens, atten- dants upon Parvathi, or Uraa, who were plucking flowers for : her garland. He immediately became enamoured of the lovely damsels, and in a state of great bewilderment presented himself before his mas- ter, who at once recognised the fact that evil desires and passions were alive in ''.is servant’s soul. He ac- cordingly told hitn that, because it was so, he must descend to earth and be born a man in the southern land, where he can in due time marry the girls with whom he is in love, they having also been sent down to sojourn on earth. Sundarar adores his master and says, ‘our Lord, since I have yielded to evil impulses that must for a time separate me . from Thy sacred feet, wheu I am ou earth deign at times to appear to me, and make me and keep me ever Thy faithful ser- vant and devotee.’ This Sivan promises to do, — and so Sundarar quits for. a time the bliss of Paradise, to expiate (very strangely) his sin. § 2. — His birth and early history. There is a district in the Southern Tamil conntry named Tinumunai-padi, and a town in it called Naval- ur. In this village lived a Caiva devotee whose name was Cadai-vanar, and his wife, a most virtuous and saintly woman, was called Icai-nanivar. He was born as the son of this worthy pair. When but a child he attracted by his beauty the attention of the king of the district, who begged him from his father and brought him np as his own son. This did not however prevent him from observing.- all Brahmunical usage®, and from reading the Bacred Vedas. He thus grew up both an accomplished courtier and n learned sage. When the time came for his m irriage his parents arranged for his uuion with an lyiexceptionable bride, and on the appointed day in great state he repaired to the lady’s house for the performance of the mar- ria«-° ceremonies. At that' time Civan, ever mindful of his servant, and cognizant of all deeds and of nil events, catne down from Kailasam to fulfil his promise, and presenting himself in the marriage-hall disguised as a poor mendicant, addressed the brahman ministrant with the words : *This marriage cannot proceed, for I have a complaint to make, and a claim to urge. The bridegroom is my slave, and waB sold to me by bis grandsires. The deed of sale with sig- nature is* here.’ To this Sundarer naturally replied. ‘ Was it ever known that a brahman wi>s sold as a slave to another brahman ? Go, m*dman.’ The disgui- sed god replies } : 'Whether I be a madman or a demon matters not. Abuse me to thy heart’s content; but the suit is not so settled, nor my claim refuted.’ It may be observed that, Madman is the phrase continually applied to Civan as the wandering mendicant This occurs frequently iD the Sacred Songs of tho ascetics (Cf. note I to Tiru-Vacagam and 5). A great dispute hereupon arose, in the course of which the nnku'/rn mendicant exhibited a document purporting to be a deed executed by Sundarar’s grandfather making over himself with his entire clan to the Bralunan as his ab- solute slaves. This deed Sundarar indignantly pro- nounces to be au absurd forgery, for 'no Brahman can ever be a slave’ ; and tears up the document. The claimaut now appeals to the village council, and Sun- darar is compelled to accompany the disguised god thither to defend the suit. After much talk, tho original document is produced, and the signature of the grandfather verified ! The bond ^ran thus ‘I, Arfiran, a Caivite of the original^ stock dwellirg in Tiru-Navalur, make this agreement with the ‘ Mad- man”, who resides in Vennai-Nallitr ; myself and ray posterity agree to give ourselves up to him, inwardly and outwardly, as his hereditary bondsmen.’ Upon the exhibition of this bond the question arises whether the claimant was really a householder in tfie village, for no one seemed to know either kirn or bis dwelling place. When the question was propounded to him h® bade them follow him, and conducted them to the celebrated Civa temple in the neighbourhood, entering which he was finally lost to view. The astounded brahmans now perceive that the claimant was their god, and that the document simply asserted what every true Caivaite would gladly acknowledge, ,that outwardly and inwardly he and all his race belong to Civa, the Supreme Blessedness ! It is in every deed' Sandaiar’s divine master who has come down from Kailicam, has assumed this form, and resorted to this stratagem to assert and make manifest his eternal sovereignty over his aervant Sundarar now understands* all, and rushes into the temple where stands the image of Civa with Parvathi his bride coujoined. Addressing this he says ‘I re- cognise Thee, aod acknowledge Thy claim, 0 my Master.’ The god replies : 'Before, whilst thou wfirt my servant on the silver hill, thou didst permit thy Boul to swerve from its fidelity to me, and I sent r*hee THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 43 down to earth to rid thee of the rtxin. I have now interfered to prevent thee from entering into bonds which would entangle thy soul, and make three Cnore and more of the earth earthly.’ The extatic rapture of Sundarar here finds expression in the poet's flow- ing verses, which are more copious than < mteresting j or (to us) edifying. Civan replies, ‘in the dispntb thou hast used mighty words against, me, even calling me ‘Madman’ and ‘Deceiver’ : thou shalt hence-forth be called ‘the mighty devotee', and shalt mightily praise and serve me in these Tamil lands. Go forth therefore, and sing my praises in ever loving and lovely song. Song shall be thy worship.’ Thus commissioned, the sage goes forth to one of the four great Saiva psal- mists- We humbly confess after long study an utter inability to admire bis poetry, the contrast between which and tbe powerful and pathetic verses of MA- nikka Yachngar is striking. § 3 — Sundarar’ e Pilgrimages It would be tedious and unprofitable to trace all the various pilgrimages which henceforward occupied She time of our sage. He visited every Saivu shrine from Cithambaram to Sheally, arid it is mentioned that he refrained from entering the latter town be- cause it was the birthplace of the renowned ffdna Sambandhar. This certainly is an odd rea«on for avoi- ding it, and seems to indicate a fear of being consi- dered a rival of Sr.mbandhar. I infer too that his date was some little time after the two other saints, Sambandhar and Appa Murtti Some of his experi- ences are sufficiently grotesque : for example, he once came to a place called Tiru-Y athigai, where he laid himself down tosleep in the adjoining monastery porch. Soou nn old brahman came in and stretched himself by Sundarar’s side. Some time afterwards the sage was aroused from slumber by feeling this old brah- man's feet pressing his head. He accordingly arose, rearranged his pallette, and again resigned himst’f to slumber ; but again was roused by feeling the feet of his pertinacious old neighbour resting on his bead ! He now again arose and planted himself at right angles to the restless stranger and resigned himself once more to repose. Still however, whatever position he took up, in a little while his slumbers were surely distur- bed by the intrusive feet. On rising at length t? ex- postulate, he heard a voice Bay ‘ Sundarar ! knowest thou me not?” But the old brahman had disappeared, and the sage knew now that his Master was fulfilling . tbe promise he made to him ou his quitting Kailasam. § 4 . — His first marriage. Meanwhile one of the two damsels with whom 'he had been enamoured in Civan’B paradise, and whot_ name was Kamalini, was sent down by Sivan to Arflr, where she whs born as a dancing girl, atfd received the name of Paravaivar. She there grew np to be a young maiden of exceeding beauty and accof'plis.u-; merits, and was in the habit of visiting the temple daily’ with her companions, there to sing the praises of the god. On one of these occasions she was seen Jby Sundarar, and although they did not /ecognise one another, the ‘ancient flame’ whs felt by both of them. In order to arrnnge for their anion, it is said that Civan himself came down and negotiated the marriage, such as it was. •This is not,a very edifying episode in the Periya Puranam !. At this period Sundarar settled dofcn to % quiet domestic life with Paravaiyar, and obtained great re- nown in all the neighbourhood as a devotee whose prayers and benediction were of exceeding value. Some of the neighbouring villagers were in the habit of filling Pnravaiyar's storehonses with paddy and pulse of every description, and she was evidently a thrifty housewife. But famine came. The chief patron, if we may call him so, of Sundarar was a pet- ty chieftain of Gundai, who on the failure of then crops appealed to Civa especially on behalf of the Saint to whom he could no longer send the accusto- med largesses. In a dreafb the god promised reljef, and next morning the town and adjacent hamlets were filled with piles of grain rising mountain-higlj. The difficulty now w^s hn\y to convey them to Arur where Sundarar lived. When information reached him of the vast heaps of grain ready for him in Gun- dai he went to the temple and sang one of his cele- brated decads, the refrain of which is : ' Bid these be lavishly poured fortji for us’.— • Civan accordingly sent his hosts at nightfall (r«- juinding one of Robin Goodfellow .') who sooujirought grain enough to filj the granaries not of tne sage only but of all the people of Arur ; and Paravaiyar made ftie distribution with great eclat. $ 5. — Golden gifts. A devotee of his is celebrated, under the mime of Kol-puli- Niiyanar. At his earnest request Sundarar visited him and was received with extraordinary pomp, the chieftain bringing onl his two daughters, whom he 44 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ofi SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. presents to him to be his slaves. The saint receives tfiem with the words ‘They shall be my daughters’, and in the kindliest manner conversed with thorn and nod gave them presents. The incident throws light upon the- habits and feelings of the time. From thence Sundarar returned home, and found that Ppravaiyar was, as usual, in want of supplies, and tb<* more so as a great feast wss at hand. Accordingly he set out to the town of Pugal-flr and going to the temple implored the assistance of the god, and after- wards retiring to the neighbouring monastery (or choultry), gathered together some bricks which had been brought in for repairs, and piled them up as a kind of pillow, spreading over them his upper gar- ment. He thus went to sleep, and when he awoke, behold ! the bricks were gold, a wonderful circum- stance which he commemorated in a ’ suitable ode. After this he made a circuit through the towns in the neighbourhood of the Kaveri. During this cir- cuit the kings of Urraiyur lost a very precious breastplate inlaid with gems ; but in answer to the prayer of the saint it was restored, and put into a vessel of water used for bathing the idol. Thus, when the servant poured water upon the image the preci- ous jewel fell out, and arranged itself around the neck of the idol, plainly indicating the god’s agency in its restoration. Sometime after this he again sup- plicated the god (perhaps at the instigation of Para- vaiyar) for another gift of money, and received what the history calls ‘ a pile of gold,’ but itB nature and value are not further Specified. He then went on to 'visit the Konkanad, and after a great round came to Citbainbaram/ One night wheu trying to fiud his way to Yriddachalatn»he met an aged brahman from whom he asked directions for the way. The brahman, really Civan himself, showed it, and disappeared. Thus was the roaster the ever ready guide and companion of his servaht. At that time the god spoke to him in a voice which he heard, but saw no form, bidding him cast (he gold that he was carrying about with him into the Manimuttam riverj assuring him that when he requited it he should find it in a certain spot in the tank in the temple of Arur. Accordingly o'-- ”“ 0 J returning home told his spouse that there was money given hin*bythe god, now lying on the western aide of the tank in the temple enclosure. She laughed him to scorn, but he replied ‘ bv the grace of our god I will give it to thee’ and led her to the place ; where having performed all re- verential ceremonies he went down into the tank to seek the gold ; but the god desiious 10 try him, r.nd male the circumstance the occasion of the production of the sacred hymn, withdrew the gold from the tank ; so the sage was disappointed, yet he sang a soDg to be found ib the Devaram. Instantly the gold was restored, but on examining it, it was found to be of inferior quality. This also was a trial, and after he had devoutly sung another song, lie received the gold in all its purity, Paravaiyar’s mouth was stopped. her inordinate desire of money satisfied. After this the sage and his wife lived together for sometime in great comfort and peace. § 6. — At various shrines. He now set out on a new circuit, in the course of which he came to Cirkari where he venerated the feet of Gnana Sambhandar but whether this means that he there mpt that sage, or paid veneration to some image of him, is uot quite clear In the course of this jour- ney a remarkable circumstance happened j the sage worn out with fatigue and suffering frqrn hunger an 1 thirst was fainting by the way when his ever watchful master in the shape of a brahman appeared to him under a pavilion in which everything necessary for the sage’s refreshment was provided. He and all his retinue probably numbering some hundreds were fed, and after that retired to rest ; but* when they awoke the brahman and the pavilion had both disappeared. This is commemorated in the Devaram. He then went on toCithambaram and there worshipped Siva ‘the head of the assembly.' Afterwards his wanderings led him to a place called Tiru-Kachur, which is a few miles from Chingleput. There again nightfall found him under the outer wall of the town exhausted and fami- shed. Civan, the Supreme, however appears and with his mendicant bowl in his hand says, ‘Remain here ( and dismiss all snxietj-. I will go and ask alms for you and speedily return.’ Accordingly the disguised god went to all the brahman houses round and begg- ed for curry and rice, and bringing these back to the famished sage placed them before him. So Snndarar praised tfie unknown brahman’s love, while he and his retinue ate and were refreshed. Forthwith the brahman disappeared. Another hymn commemorates this. THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 45 His next journey was to Kanji, where he worship- ped the god under the name ol Egambarnr 1 . * Here he remained for some time, and then weut to 4fln. -Kalatti, the monntain where Kannappa-Naya- Aar’s * image stands and there he offered !iis adora- tion and sang his hymn (Devaram, p. 1041). §■ 7. — His entanglement with Sangiliyay. After this he returned to Tira-Otti-ur. We now come to what is the most cnrions episode in the sage’s (?) history. At the oatset of the story we tied Snudarar in relation to two of the ladies of Kailaaam. One of these under the name of Paravai- yar*has been born On earth, and, hHs become his wife; the other Aninthithai (= the Irreproachable) also was no* born upon earth, in a family of the yeoman class (Yaiaiar) under the name of Sangiliyar (‘She of the chain' On earth she grew up thoroughly devoted to the worship of her mistress Uma. In due time her parents prepared to give her in marriage to a suit- table person of the tribe ; but she Bteadily refnsed ( saying that she was destined to belong to none but a devotee of Civa. At length after much suffering, she finds herself installed in the temple of Tiru-otti-ur in a suitable dwelling as a nun, or pledged devotee of the goddess, her mistress. In this retirement three times every day she visited the temple to behold the deity ; and, behind a veil in nn appropriate recess, she employed herself in weaving garlands of flowers to adorn the sacred images. Thus it happened one day that when Sundara-Murthi came to the temple and looked ronnd upon the various worshippers he went into the recess where the garlands were pre- pared. There, led by the hand of fate he beheld Car.giliyar, fell in love with her, and going forth en- quired her name and learnt that she was s devotee in the service of the temple. He straightway offered his petition to his master, who in things good ( ',nd Lad is represented here iis being the unscrupulous friend and confidant rather than the lord of his devo- tee. The god replied to the sage's prayer, ‘ She whom yon ask for is the most ardently devoted asce- tic of the temple ; but fear not, I will give her to thee’. Accordingly at midnight when she was asleep in her cell the god appeared to her in a dream.. This ap- pearance threw her into ecstasies, and f-vlling at his feet she cried ‘ Lord, what meritorious deeds have 1. Tirn-Vacagam, II, 16; XIV, 4. 2. For this legend aee Tirn-Vacagam, X, 16, and XV, B-1J. e I done in former embodiments that for my Salvation thon shou’dst thus appear ?’ To this Civan the supre- me replies, ‘ All in Tint Venney-nallur - know how I made a certain bard my servant and my companion. It is he, my friend, that. prays that thon 'rnayest be given to him as his wife. Joyously cousent fhou to his request !’ She replies ‘ Thy servant, O lord, will obey thy command, and bechme.tbe wife of this thy devoted servant; but be now lives in Art)r in--grgat^ joy and prosperity. Cause him to swear an oath that he will never desert me after our marriage.’ Accordiugly it was arranged that the sage should swear unalterable fidelity, which considering that Paravaiyar was still alive, seemed a difficult matter ; and, in fact both he and his master knew that the oath would not and could not be kept; but, since Sangiliyar would listen to no compromise, it was agreed at the suggestion of * the god that the oath should be sworn not in the shrine before the sacred image, in which case it would be binding, but under a tree in the precincts, in which case it would not be a binding oath ! The 'god himself having suggested this, she accepted it, and according- ly the pretended oath was sworn. The next day the god appeared to the devotees of the temole in a dream, and commanded them to give Sangiliyar in marriage to his servant Sundarar, which was done accordingly. Thus a new life begins for the sage, who is now in fact attached to Cithambaram, of which Tiru-votti- ur is a suburb ; yet he has tiot forgotten the lord of Arnr; and after that, breaking his oath, leaves Tiru- votti-ur to return to his first loves, both spiritual and earthly. But it is said that his eyes became blinded as a punishment for breaking his oath, and thus blind, but still singing with devotion the praises of the master who had, as it would seem, betrryed him into this sin of perjury, he makes his way towards Arnr. On the road he visited several shrines special- ly, Alamhadu, wehre he saw the temple of ‘the Lady of Karikal’L He then went to Kanji where iD nswer to his fervent snpplications his left eye was tutored. After this he went onwardB from village to village, but it seems that c as a farther punishment he was afflicted with what would appee r to have been a kind of leprosy covering the whole of his body. This however was removed in answer to his prayers, Rt the village of Tiru avadu-tvrrai, where he was direct- ed by the god to bathe in the tank on the north side 1. See her legend ip Tiru-v»ceg»m, W, ver. Xt 46 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA- DEEPIKA. of the temple. This was the occasion for further hymns of thanksgiving. Still he was afflicted by the loss of his right eye, especially because the glory of bis master in each shrine could scarce be beheld even by both eyes, and one was obviously insufficient. However, in answer to his prayers, this also was grantea him, and in transports of joy, perfectly res- tored to himself, he re-enters Arur. Meanwhile Para- vaiyar, his first wife had heai J of his infidelities, and mock-marriage, and was of course exceedingly indig- nant, so that when our devotee wished to return to his dwelling she refused to permit any messengers of his to enter the dwelling. In vain was the help of various mediators sought. She declared that she ■world die lather than be reunited to him, In this extremity the sage has recourse to his master, whem he sought again to employ in what certainly seems to ns to be a most undignified occupation. It is difficult indeed to fancy 'Civa Peruman' acting in the capacity of Sir Pandarus of Troy ! However there seems to have been in this case no limit to the kindly indulgence of the master who treated the devotee, invariably as a spoiled child. He accordingly paid two visits to the lady, one in the guise of a devotee, and again in his own glorious form ; and she is at length appeased, Sundarar being readmitted to his home. So thoroughly has the god performed his task that when Sundarar arrive she finds his dwelling in festive array, lights gleaming and beautiful flowers shedding light and beauty, and diffusing a heavenly radiance around’ After this, for along period he and Paravaiyar lived in all the luxury of simplest wealth : the sanctity being apparently in abeyane'e ! § 8 . — Healing of Eyar-Kcn. At this time a distinguished devotee of Sivan, called Eyar-Kon Kali-Kama-Nayanar, hearing that Sundarar had actually dared to employ his Master as a vile pandar ; wa^ naturally very angry and gave expression to his wrath in words of contemptuous indignation against both the servant and the Master ! Sivan, the supreme, hearing of this, sent a dreadful colic as a punishment to the presumptuous uevotee, Mil when the sufferer appealed to his compassion said to him “ Only by the hand of my servant Sundarar can’st thou be healed.” The impetuous devotee in- dignantly refused the services of one whose conduct he had so loudly condemned, declaring that he would rather be branded with the three-pronged spear of Sivan made red hot, than allow one who had employed the god on such an unworthy errand to approach hifn. However, the sage came, and was denied access to the sick man ; but forcing his way iD, declared that ire- had come to heal. The patient, in a fury drew his sword and slew himself, rather than be healed by un- worthy hands. The sage horrified took the sword, and was about to kill himself, when Sivan restored the dead man to life, and filled his mind with heavenly light, the result of which was that he sprang up and wrested the weapon from Sundarar's hand. A full explanation and reconciliation took place aud from that time Eyar-kon became the attached friend of the sage, who paid him a long visit and then returned to Arfir. § 9. — His frie'id, Seramun Perumcd. After this a new friend comes into the life of the sage. This person is called Seranmn-Perumal-Nayanar, who was the chieftain of Kodunkol. This petty king was a very remarkable devotee, and his history ij related at great length. We shall only note the parti- culars connected with his intimacy with our 6age. The first place of importance which they visited together was Vedaraniyam, celebrated in the history of Nana Sambandhar. This chief seems to have been himself a poet. They then went to Madura, and travelled round the Pandiyan kingdom, while the sage composed aud saDg lyrics at every sacred shrine. After many days spent in ArCir, the two friends took a journey westward, and having to cross the Kaveri, which was swollen by the rains, the sage sang one of his celebrated songs, the consequence of which was that the river divided, aud standing on either side like walls of crystal permitted them to pass over dry-shod. After they had sung praises to the god, the river quietly returned ti its usual ohaunel. After this Sun- dai i-Murtti accompanied his friend to Kodunkol where he was received with royal pomp, and made a splendid progress round the little state, singing his sacred lyrics everywhere. After some time he felt an irresistible impulse to retsrn to Arur, but his friend aud patron resisted his departure, and only consented on the understanding that immense piles of gold, jewels, costly garments and perfumes should be sent with the sage, carried by a little army of porters. When they were on the way the hosts of Civan dis- guised as robbers came and carried off all the trea- sure : but the sage went to the nearest temple, and THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEE PIKA. 47 Bang a lyric which hud puch an effect that the robbers brought back the whole of their spoil and piled it n p at the gate of the temple : so the weal.h reached Aiar in safety, no doubt to the great satisfaction ef Para- vaiysr, who was of an avaricious disposition it may be inferred. On a later occasion when Sundarar relum- ed to visit his friend, it is said that in a certain vill- age he heard sounds of rejoicing proceeding from one bouse and of iponrning from the opposite one. On enquiring the reason he wa9 told that in the house mourning a boy of five years of age had gone to bathe in the tank with another boy about his own age ; and that one of these boys had been swallowed by an alli- gator,* while the other had escaped. The mourning in the one house was for the child carried away in such, a terrible manner ; while the rejoicing in the other bouse was for the child that had returned safe, whom they were investing with the sacred thread ! The saint was filled with compassion for the mourners, who came crowding to worship at his feet, imploring him to accept their hospitality and feeling that bis presence was mo-e than a compensation for their be. reavement, and sang one of his sacred lyrics, praying that the child might be restored. Accordingly the dreaded king of death brought back the spirit of the child, reunited it to the body, and caused the alligator to bring the child thus rescued to the bank. This wonderful resurrection filled the whole countryside with wonder, aod rich presents poured in, while the land rang with the praises of the illustrious visitor. Many days after this the sage, while his host had gone to bathe, went to the temple of Tiruvaojsikklam and having performed his worship with due devotion, prostrated himself before the image in an ecstasy of rystic fervour, praying in language, that might have been adapted from tbe song of Simeon, that he might at length be released from the bonds of earthly life and permitted again to worship at tbe sacred feet on tbe Holy hill. No sooner had he offered this prayer than Siva-Peruman, addressing ail the gods, bade them in glad procession proceed to earth, and placing Sundarar on a white elephant conduct him to Paradise. This was accordingly done. All the heavenly hosts surrounded him. He was mounted upon an elephant; and with the sound of all kinds of music, apiid the praises of all the gods, and showers of flqwers from tie sky, he was conducted along the celestial way to Kailssam. Meanwhile the chief his friend returning • The alligator is not known to occur in India. What we get here are only crocodiles and gaviale. — Fd. saw the wondrous procession making its way through the sky, ana immediately mounting his royal charger breathed into its ear, the ‘mystic five syllables”* Forthwith the charger sprang into the Bkies overtook the elephant on whi< - h the saint was riding, add led tbe way to the ‘silver hill.’ All the choice warriors of the kingdom seeing their master taken from their sight fell upon their swords, and leaving their earthly bodies at once received the heavenly shapes of heroes and so preceding their master waited at the gate of Paradke to welcome him and do him service So the whole company went on, the saint still chanting his inspired song. At length at the sacred gates the sage w&s admitted, but his friend and attendants re- mained outside. Sivan received -his faithful devotee and friend with warm welcome. The sage, bowing &h his feet, said “ Tbe fault which banished me from hence and consigned me to an embodied existence is forgiven, and once more thou dost admit me to share thy joy with thee !” He then represented the case of the Nayanar who was waiting without the gate. The order was given at once for his admission, and our sage under the old title of Halala sundarar was mads the chief of Sivan’s hosts, with his friend as his seoond in command. Afterwards, Par&vaiyar and Saugiliyar, restored to their old names and positions, were gathered with the servants of Parvathi. So they nil entered into tha joy of an eternal rest. To the king of the sea it wan moreover given in charge that be should carry down, to the Southern land the hymn which the sage bad sung on the way. Thus ends the legend of the third of the Siva saints, or if we include’ Manikka-Vasagar, the fourth it will be seen that they were very diveraa in character and history. By the readers of the four histories of Manikka- Vasagar, Satnbandhar, Navukkarasar and Sundara- Murtti, who closes the Beries, it will be seen that these “ saints ” had many peculiarities and even vices which to the western mind seem most repulsive, and unsaint- ly. For example Sundarar in his poems uses the most unseemly familiarity in bis addresses to his mae- ter.- Before coming down from Kajlast he had ear- nestly implored the god not to forsake him in his new position ; and we have seen that Sivan wa* continually with his faithful devotee, who calls him ‘Madman* ‘Deceiver’, ‘Companion’ and even* ‘Servant*. Some- thing of this is seen in Maoikka-Vasagir’e verse, bat 1 See Tifu Vasagum p. XXXIX, note II. 18 THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ok SIDDHAMTA DEEPIKA. Sun dare avails himself of the liberty of a spoiled child in a struDge way. We may notice too an in- consistency in the history of this devotee not discer- nible in the others. Sondara was sent down to earth to rid himself of the dominion of the senses and to make atonement for the indnlgence of undisciplined thoughts and desires. The god also appears to break off Sundara's marribge by claiming the young ^ride" groom as his slave ; and t/Le design of this is to pre- vent 'him fro m b eE mn iDg a drudge to the world. Yet afterwards, the selfsame Sundarar is actually permit- ted to employ his master to arrange lor his union with Paravaiyar, and afterwards to bring about a reconcili- ation when she was justly offended. Moreover Sivan was employed to arrange a second end clandestine marriage with Aninthaiyar (or San- giliyar) ; and this was accomplished by a gross decep- tion, Sundarar swearing Dever to desert her, which he however did soon, with the connivance of Siva I He swore What seemed to her a binding oath, but was not really so, because not sworn in the temple, bnt merely nnder the shade of a consecrated tree. We note these things, because the tone here is decidedly lower than that of the two former histories. Manikka-Vaca- gar laments bitterly hie imperfections and falls, but gives the idea of a devout-minded man struggling to- wards purity and light. Sambandhar presents an ex- quisite picture of youthful devotion, reminding ns of what we are familiar with in connection with the names of Samuel, Daniel and S. John the Apostle. We •ay this, because the character of their saints must, one would suppose, affect the conduct of the votaries of the system. G. U. Pope. A KEY TO SIVAGNAN’A-BODHA. Stanza I. Transl : Since the Kosmos — a„ Effect — indicates That in which all that are * he,’ ‘she,’ ‘it’ Ac., are involved (or implicated), That CatfSe is. Because That, after withdraw- ing, projects again, That ie-the Lord — the Mover (or the Primitm Mobile) = Hera, Stanza II. TrausI ■ Different, yet identical by reason of imperva- sion.J He is the Maker (or DiapenBer) according to Karma. By means of His will Indissoluble, He ordains eools’ union with matter. Stanza III. jriciHt, wfcsi?, TOmftiftra: I Transl : Because (1) of negation, because (2) of the dawn of ‘ my-ness ’ (=self-consciousne68), because (3) pf wisdom derived from suppressing the senses, because (4} of cessation of experience in sleep, because (5) of presence of consciousness during waking, the subtle (soul) dwells in the body. Stanza IV Transl: Albeit different from the inner organ ( autah • karana), the soul is yet in correlation with it, as a king with his minister. Implanted in five-fold conditions (of beiug), self-luminosity and freedom of will are curbed by rin {mala). Stanza V., Transl : Neither the senses, nor the soul itself, perceive the objects (of search };but it (the sonl) perceiveth through the Grace-ful Lord*, Who, Himself not undergoing modi- fication, actuates the soul, like magnet the iron. Stanza VI. Transl : If it be non-existent, because of invisibility,— and non-intelligent(or inert = jadimA) because of visibi- lity, the wise declare that the Graceful Lord* is to be known as differing from both. t The translator evidently meant to say 'pervasion,’ judging from the meaning of the Sanskrit verse. Bnt, happier renderings might still be suggested. — Ed. § With all Jeference to the sense of accuracy of the translator ire must demur to the uee of the word ' Graceful’ to bring ont the meaning of the word ‘ Spmbhu.' • Gracious' would he more appro- priate, and certainly more in -reordance with good English usage. — Ed. m Sambhu =The Oraet'ful ■ Sivo=the Blist-fnl THE LIGHT OF TRUTH on SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA. 49 Stanza VII. Trantl: Not, with matter (achit) and soul (chit) ; cor do these (the latter) understand each other ; Who knows, the objective (prapuucha) and the (Subject) Graceful (Lord), He is the Self (soul) different from both. Stanza VIII. T ramsl : Captured ic the net of the netting senses, by 'Thou uDderstandetb (Him) not,' is he (the soul) en- lightened by the (Holy) Teacher; The soul dismissing them (senses) and becoming blest, strives to attain to His (the Lord's) estate. Stanza IX. 3WITKtfa*T | ‘ wntris^TerffavjT: n Trautl: Having, by the eye of intelligence, perceived the Lord in the self (soul), and abandoning (all) illusive wandering, the cool shade of the Bliss-ful's feet is r eached ; the sage shall (then) meditate on the five-lettered Holy Formula (Mantra.) Stanza X. *Tv5«?m(*rwj£i ii Trautl : The victor ( siddha ) entered into perfect nnion with tbe Bliss-ful (Lord), hath all his will (thence) of, and after, Him ; assoiled of sin and infatuation, he become tb the possessor of (eternal, spiritual) beatitude. Stanza XI. Ctflft[farTOe'4r, ere..n. Stanza V, next, takes up the thread of the argnment and shows the part God has been playing all the while during llie conjoint concerns of soul and matter. In this concourse — or objective concerns ( Samsarah ), is their any subo.dioate and a final purpose latent ? Yes is the answer. What are they ? Pnmsartha (vide stanza) or Puru~ short h< 4 . This is of four kinds, dhar.ua. (1) art/ui, (2) kama (3) and m ukska (4). liharma aud art ha are means for kama and moksha, the ends. Dhannu, Artha and /vauia, pertain to the materia! kingdom, whereas Moksha pertains to the spiritual kingdom. In its search for these several ambitions of life, helped by the senses (called the'Horses by the V pan is ii ads), the soul is unable independently to realise THE LIGHT OF TRUTH ob SIDDHANTA DEEPIKA, 51 any Of them. Unless God line always been with the soul — the soal being the House of God — , the soal cannot even exist. In Stanza II, above, the immanency of God vaa mentioned, — this is the proper sense of Pantheism, as ex* pounded by the F»«wMlaief, whose influence is constant and saprerae, and whose movements are followed by the iron , — His universe. But in the reciprocal action set up between the Magnet and the Iron, the Iron is magnetized, not the Magnet ironized. Hence the stanza says : ‘ Him- el f, not undergoing modification.’ Stanza VI. The refractory iron is gradually influenced by the constant presence of the Magnet. The iron is • In oar view, the term Pantheism is tho least satisfactory to describe Ramanuja’ a theology, much less Sankara’s philosophy. — 4M. § The Moniata never say that God's world is false, but cmly loan's vision is blurred. — Ed. ♦ Now, this is the burden of the monist, again '—Ed. beginning to divest itself of its rusl, and beginning to get magnetized. The soul mnst learn its influence!-, God. Doubts arise as to visibles and non-visiblee. ‘The visible is not God', the Advaitin idealists cry on the one baud, ‘the invisible does not exist at all’, the Positivists ory on the other hand ; but if we should tell both; 'Find God in the visible existent', the scientific materialist, or atomicist might turn round and say, : — l: Yes, the visible, I admit, is existent, but it is the work of the non-intelligent atoms, their spontaneous, heedless, design-leBs movement; and therefore where can be God, where it seems all non-intelli- gent." The wise men come to the rescue, and teach the doub- ting iron soul thus: — ‘Because a thing is invisible, it is absurd to call a thing non-intelligent, if its existence is admitted on the score of visibility. Understand that viei- ble and invisible are both existent, and their existence and ail work contingent on such existence, is due to Intelligence interiorly and exteriorly directing all towards a definite purpose. If you so understand God, you ai-e installed on to the first rung of contemplation. This contemplation is called the Para-Mvariipa contemplation, the begininng of spiritual enligbtment for the soul. Stanza VII teaches the Sva-svaripa contemplation, or what one’s own soul is like with reference, and in relation to matter on one side, and God on the other. The expres- sion nadchit — eh't — sannidhau =‘Not, — with matter and . Boul' (see Transl) is susceptible of two interpretations. The 1st is that God is forgotten or bidden from view, when sool is In conjuction with matter. The 2nd is that God (It vara) is neither sool (chit), nor matter (achit). When soul and matter are in conjunction, ‘ they under- stand each other not.’ For if soul understood theDature of matter, it (soul) would reject it (matter); and if matter un- derstood soul’s inklings (sic !) towards Divinity, it (matter) would desert it (soul). Time comes, when tbe soul under- stauds matter, and understands God, and understands it- self as different from both; the soul to renounce its old attachments to matter and re-establish relations wiih God, Stanzas VI and Vlf put together mean the mode of medi- tation to be practised by the soul, viz meditation of God's nature(para svarupa) as the base, to which meditation of soul's natme ( sra-svarupa is adjunct.) Here it might be asked why Staoza VII, teaching sonl-cont^iplatioo, should not have preceded Stanza VI, teaching God-con- templation. The reply is that it would have been so, if the Goal of the spiri'ua! Pilgrim had been Kaivaly-anu- bhava — soul -realization — instead of Jhrat >- dnnbhava — God- realization. Iiaiialyc is isolation from Brahman (God), and as such belonging to the fifth conditioned state — the turiy-atita, mentioned in stanza IV (supra). The liuroa- ditioned Goal is God ; and Sivsjnana-Bodha, dealing as it does with the Aspirant soul for this Goal, rightly do the Stanzas VI and VII stand as they are. The epithet ' Grace-fo' ’ for God occurs in each of the verses V, VI and VII. This is with reference to salva- tion by Grace. On this subject a Bhort note will be found appended at the end of this Treatise. Stanza V (iupra) refers to the secret influence of the Holy Spirit over the soul, acting from eternity. Stanza VI, then refers to the wise men or the already God-ripe (Budha), showing the way to the struggling soul, whose beginnings of enlightement a.; seen in stanza V. Stanza V II refers to soul being then made to reflect on itself and as correlated to matter and God. And now, Stanza VIII. ■hows God as coming more forward to the Soul s help, •s Teacher. In Stanza IV, God acted without Soul’s knowledge. In Stanza V, He acted through His messen- gers and ministers. In staozas VI and VII, the Soul was beiog prepared to meet Him directly ; aDd here in Stanza Vm, He is seen face to face. He teaches him by show- ing the snares of the senses by which he is trapped. Forth- with the Soul’s face is turned against its capturers, and turned towards the Liberator (God). After contemplation, there is Divine Revelation; and now the Path is entered .Stanza IX tells us how when the Pilgrim-Soul has passed the sharp boundary between earth and Heaven, all the tendencies and proclivities for the former gradually drop off. These tendencies are com- pared to the deception caused by mirage. The soul has ceased to run after them after entering the Path, but though the ohaBe has been given up bodily, the mental impressions or traces (t -rittis) remain ; and these get obli- terated, when the an tary&min, or the Teacher alluded to iu Stanza VIII, has been : fouud, by one's introspective faculty developed by contemplation, to be dwelling in one’s own heart. Iu this stanza IX, devotional religion, or the religion of the heart begins. Indeed does it truly begin when the cool shade' of Gcd’s feet comes to refresh the soul, parched and bakiog in the fires of worldliness, hithertofore ( sic\ ). That devotion is embodied in the Five- lettered Mantra, the repetition of which and musing on its meaning, serving as the beacon-light to guide the God- ward soul. He becomes now the sage ( sudhih ). God is here named-.as ‘ the Bliss-ful.’ After ‘ the Grace-ful,’ ‘The B1 iss-fu^’ of conrse Contemplation comes frum G.ace, and devotion or love from Bliss. 1. The meaning of rhie Holy Term nla is briefly this : ‘‘Not for me or mine I am, but for Thee atul Thine,” implying nn bartered love and non •reu’ard^ble service for Him. Further stage ou the Path. The notion of separation from God, the feeling of distance from God, these begin to wane, as Stanza X points out. God-intoxication produces self- for. getfulness. Intense devotion to an object, leaves the ob- ject alone, the devotee seeming to have entered into the object and identifying himself with it. All the Alvars exclaimed like this. Even in our own matter-of-faol (!)■ days, Sri Paramahamsa Ramakrishua Deva laved like a ma' 1 mau when or Tied away by ravishing visions flitting across his God^onsciousness. This attitude of the en- tranced devotee is known by the phrase : ‘ Bhramara-Kifa- nydya' or the chrysalis developing into a winged creators by intensely absorbed attention*. Devotion is concentration with love, or such deep thought strong enough to materia- lize, like the stigmata on the person of the Roman Catho- lic Saint. Fiom sage, the eonl is now become saint <«r from sudhih of Stanza IX to " tiddha of Stanza X). The sage is still the Fighter on the Field, but the saint is Victor. After the victory won, what on the battle-field is his own. He is now becbme the king’s own son. The son’s orders carry weight as if they emanated from the King Himself. The son’s acts are after the King. The soul has entered into God (during devotion), his will is harmonized with God’s will for the time being His feel- ing is one of complete deliverance from all contamination and illusion ; and tastes for the first time what the halcyon of bliss is. This is the porport of Stanza X. Now then to Stanza XI. Stanza X showed the beginning of love to God (or God-love). This love has many stag js # grouped under para-bhahti, para-judna, and parama-bhoktu Sight of God is para-bhakti ; joining Him is para-juana; and fear of separation from him characterizes paramtt bkakti. This last is what the phrase ‘ pa ram Bhaktim' in Stanza, signifies. God is here again the Bliss-fal ; for out of his inordinate (sic!) love, He shows to the soul the Highest spiritual Truth, that he is the llluruiner of which the soul is the co-inhetent illumination, just as light co-exists with the sun and disappears with his disappearance, and appears with his appearauce, and just as intelligence co-exists with soul (the Intelligent), departing with its departure and existing with its (soul’s) existence. Soul in its freed state, not only co-exists with God, hut co-acts, and co-shines with him. The divine will and human will are harmoni- zed, the two strings of the cosmic harp are attuned ; and cosmic work is one concord of Divine music. Is cot God the Benefactor ’< We must ever sing to him Hallelujahs, sa/s the Upanishat ‘ E tat Sumo gdyau dele.’ The bene- faction consists in the allaying, by God, of the fear of separation, the soul may feel, by pointing out to it the groundlessness of the fear by the illustration of Illuniiner and illumination, which can never exist in separation. 1 So I and thou,’ says God. In Staza XII, the Goal is reached. Hitherto, it was only the three aspects of Moksha, viz: Sdmipya, S&lub/a, and SAnipya. Now it is sdyujya, or union with God, not transient union during moments of devotion. The Snynlya here, i9 meant for the complete disappearance of * The larval metamorphosis of Hexapods was unfortunately never present to.the inner coociousness of oar wise ancestors !— Ed.