Ashuddha maya (Material cause of impure order of Creation)

The material cause of the universe–the impure order of creation is known as Ashuddha-maya . The individual self whose karma has fructified and consumed by it takes refuge in maya –the cosmic substratum as a resting locus. This individual self take birth again and the process repeats till theanavamala of theindividual self matures. The function of maya is similar to that of karma and tirodhayito enable the individual self to mature. The ‘anavamala ’ is a form of dirt on the individual self. Removal of this dirt requires a through wash by using some other appropriatedirt. This is similar to removal of dirt on a cloth with the help of another dirt or foreign particle like clay or soap. So, it can be appreciated that maya helps the concealing power of God for removal of ‘anavamala ’.

Umapati Shivam distinguishes between maya in its causal form and mayeya in its effective manifested form. Maya in its causal form functions as bond whereas mayeya , the manifested form does the function of spiritual light for the individual self to get rid of ‘anavamala,’ w hich is spiritual darkness of the individual self. Though maya is as eternal as God, it is God who is the master who wields it to create any form He pleases and so maya cannot be said to invest God with His lordship.^[1]

It may be asked why God Himself cannot spurt out the universe instead of taking recourse to maya . Shaiva Siddhantha explains this with elementary first principle. A clay pot is made out of clay using a wheel by the potter. The potter himself cannot make out a pot without the primal material clay. So also, the material universe requires material substratum maya and the former cannot manifest from an intelligent entity - The God (The pot cannot emerge from the potter, the intelligent cause). In addition, the clay may not be able to develop itself into a pot without the potter. So also, maya may not be able to develop into universe without the intelligent cause–God. It may also be understood that the clay cannot dictate to the potter, so also the maya cannot dictate to God.^[2] Primacy is not derived from the material cause,it is indeed derived from the agent. The causal function of the material world is also derived from the agency who is none other than God. Also it may be noted that Umapati Shivam further explains that maya and its evolutes body, sense,world and objects of enjoyment become free media of manifestation of Divine light in the case of freed self.

Ashuddha maya is formless, motionless, unintelligent and eternal entity. Tattvas of diverse qualities and functions are evolved from the Ashuddhamaya . Body, organs, world and objects of enjoyment spring from the combination of tattvas of Ashuddhamaya . It endows every individual self with all the above tattvas . During this process, it deludes the individual self. It also becomes the basic resort of all individual selves when the final dissolution of all tattvas occurs. Since the emanation and dissolution of the universe is from maya , it may be doubted whether God is not a free agent and not independent. Umapati Shivam explains that the maya is eternal and it is an assumptive power of God Himself. The Supremacy of maya that is implied by being the material cause of the world does not arise from the cause but the supremacy is derived from God.^[3] Madurai Shivaprakasar says that God creates the world which have form from formless maya . So also He can create the world without maya . Moreover, God’s supremacy manifests in bestowal of Grace when maya and karma no longer function as bond but enables the light of Grace to do the revelatory function for individual self.^[4] Umapati Shivam also says that maya and its evolutes -body, senses, world and objects -become free media of manifestation of divine light in the case of freed individual selves.

The above aspect of Divine light of God manifesting in the body, senses, world and objects is well stressed in ‘Tirukkalitrupadiyar ’.^[5] Jivan mukta [muktha]—the liberated individual self always concentrates at the lotus feet of God. Hence all actions of jivan muktha [mukta], though appearing to be similar to ours, are really actions of God.

Umapati Shivam further proceeds to clarify the doubt that may arise regarding the reason for providing different bodies to different individual selves of unripened mala . Umapati Shivam says that there are reasons for diversity of creation like birds, animals, reptiles, trees, plants, human beings etc., for being as such. Thus creation of world is occasioned by the precosmic state of the impure individual self. The diversity of birth is due to the differences of “previous deeds” of different individual selves. (The substance of the second sutra of ‘Shivajnana bodam ’ says that we know about the subsequent creation. It is silent about first (initial) creation.)Umapati Shivam says in Pottripahrodai that the level of ignorance in Kevala state is not same for all the individual selves and these different levels of ignorance decide the different types of birth for first creation for each individual self. There are two kinds of previous deeds. One is merit or Punya and the other is demerit or Papa . Merit means doing a right thing in thought, action and speech. Demerit implies doing a wrong thing either in thought, or in action or in speech. So, it may be seen that karma or deed is the auxiliary cause–original deed or ‘mulavinai ’ and later it is an occasioning cause, i.e., a subsequent deed.^[6]

It may be seen that God is the absolute cause. The priority of agency pertains to God alone. God is the intelligent cause for forming the universe out ofmaya , the material cause.This is made very clear beyond doubt when Umapati Shivam says that mala , maya and karma are non-intelligent and their functions are conceivable as conditions in the service of a cause. They are always at the disposal of God without any strings, conditions or restrictions so as to shower His Grace on the individual selves. It may be noted that neither the individual selves nor the instruments which are incapable of knowing independently without material accessories, can themselves come together and result in the cosmic creation.^[7]

When we accept this postulate, a question arises as to whether maya enveloped the individual self first or whether the karma did so. Umapati Shivam states that this question cannot be answered so long as a basic state of bondage is not accepted. Suppose that either maya or karma binds the individual self in its pure and free state, and then even after the maya and karma are terminated by the individual self’s efforts through the Grace of God, then it becomes quite logical to conclude that this maya and karma may again bind it. So, maya and karma bind theindividual self when that self isbonded by ‘anavamala ’ only. They do not bind a free entity like a freed individual self or God Himself.

Umapati Shivam explains further, “the individual self is beginningless, so is the ‘anavamala ’ binding the individual self”. This is a very distinctive aspect of Siddhantha Philosophy. While the individual self exists, the defilement caused by ignorance also coexists with it just like husk is always there with paddy. Maya and karma are the consequential bonds of ‘anavamala ’ and they are also beginningless in their function just like bran and sprout of the paddy-seed itself.

These three bonds seem to be an inseparable part of the individual self. These are not the real attributes of the individual self but they are the flaw or impurity of evil forces going along with the individual self. A flaw like verdigris in copper may be removed. Similarly, flaw or defilement with the individual self may be removed. Umapati Shivam uses the analogy of sprout, bran and husk of the rice grain to bring out the inter-relation between the three bonds.

Shivajnana Munivar compares this analogy in a detailed manner which is in agreement with many other commentators of Shivaprakasham . The sprout is compared to karmamala , bran to mayamala and husk ‘anavamala ’. These three entities are always there with the seed without any distinction as to which is prior or posterior. Karma causes the experience of pleasure and pain–Bhogya . Maya is the cause for the state of embodiment–Bhandam . ‘Anavamala ’ is the cause for the state of the individual self experiencing the same–Bhoktritva .

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vidivamalavum vilakkanaiya mayai
Vadivathi kanmathu vandhu .—Tiruvarutpayan 30.
Coming to man bodily frame and all, In karma’s wake, is mayai Which is just like a lamp till the dawn breaks.
—Joseph Jaswant Raj sdb, Op.Cit., 454.

[2]:

Ennaiyithu enil ulahukku upathanam illai
Yiraivan aladhu enil asithuch cithinidathu udhiyadhu
Manniyulathel muthalvan enkol?
Ennin Mayaithan asithu uruvai maruvamattathu
Annavanum ithuvozhiya akka mattan
Asathanam enil athuvum avan pol nitham
Minnavan avacithai virithu evaiyum akkum
Muthanmaiyathu koduthathu ena mozhinthidare .—Sivaprakasam 23.
Unintelligent world cannot spring from Supreme Intelligence. The question arises as what the need is for a God. If maya itself evolves into the world, for which rejoinder is that being unintelligent, maya cannot itself develop into forms and substances. Then one may say that it detracts from God’s omnipotence not to be able to create without maya .
—Subramania Pillai.K, SP commentary , (Dharmapuram Adhinam, 1945), 23.

[3]:

Ibid.

[4]:

Mayai mamayai mayavarumiru vinaiyin vaymai
Aya aruyirin mevum marulinil irulai nirkum
Mayai mamayai mayavarumiru vinaiyin vaymai
Aya aruyirin mevum arulinal oliyai nirkum .—Sivaprakasam 70.

[5]:

Atral alaikadarke painthanir annirmai
Matri avvatran maritharpol-thotrip
Pulangalenap potham purampozhiyum nantham
Malangalara matruvikkum vanthu.—Tirukkalitrupadiyar 11.
—Muthappan PL, Saiva Siddhhanta Satthirangal , (Chennai, Uma Pathippakam, 2009), 51.

[6]:

Shivaprakasham says that the deed is eternal because it originates in its destruction (Shivaprakasham-16). It means that the three kinds of deeds, namely, that which is done (agamiya), that which is accumulated (sancita) and that which is fructified (prarabhda ) are respectively the cause and effect of one another as one has its origin in the destruction of the previous one. Also the fructified deed leads to future deed agamiya . So the eternity of the deeds is one similar to the continuity of floods and not like the eternity of the Prime Being or the individual selves.The eternity consists in its continuous existence as in the flow of the floods.
On the other hand, there are also scriptural expressions such as follows: Thiruvarutpayan says, “The Prime Being, the individual selves, the spiritual darkness, the deed and the two kinds of maya , these six are eternal entities. Jnanamritam says, “the deed is eternal as the spiritual darkness and material cause maya ”. Also any effect should have necessarily three causes, namely, the material, the instrumental and the efficient one. So there is another enlightened opinion that the original cause which is called root deeds (mula karma ) should be eternal even like the other eternal varieties.
—Vajiravelu Mudaliar.K, Shivajnana Mapadiyam (Madurai, Madurai Kamaraj University, 1985,) 155.

[7]:

Sada tthiralum agarthavay arivondrillath
thanmaiyanum kodaoru sangaiyindre .—Sivaprakasam 24.
There is no ground to infer that such individual self and the sum of unintelligent entities duly come together without a God to unite them.