Guru-in-physical form

There was a practice earlier for capturing the animals wandering here and there to tame and domesticate them. A trained elephant is sent into the herds of wandering elephants in order to catch them. The trained elephant merges with the herds and slowly entices them into enclaves where huge pits are dug and covered with fresh foliage and earth. The herds pass through them and fall in the pits thereby getting trapped. Thus they are caught, tamed and trained. Umapati Shivam likens the above in such a way that Shiva, out of His Grace, sends the Guru in physical form so that through him other men may be imparted pure wisdom.^[1] Just like animals are caught for training, Shiva also catches the selves by sending the Guru in physical form.^[2] Umapati Shivam in his ‘Nenju Vidu Tudu’ says that God is coming to the self under the disguise of Guru . He uses the word ‘seizing’, meaning that He, out of Grace, overpowers and takes possession of the person with anavamala . This is nothing but momentous manoevure of the Lord effecting the decisive reorientation in the interior of the self thereby controlling its desires, actions and mystical union. It is beyond doubt that Shiva, Himself being invisible, comes forth as Guru in a perceptible sign and takes hold of the person ripe for renunciation.^[3] This way of Lord comingin embodied condition to Grace the self may be considered lowering His form^[4] out of His Greatness of mercy.

Thus Umapati Shivam shows the uniqueness and indispensable nature of the way of coming of the Lord. His coming is not for imparting final sweet Bliss experience but it is for another role of guiding the ripened self to jnana . Umapati Shivam classifies the selves into three categories:—(i) Selves having anava only within—‘Vijnanakalar ’ (ii) Selves having two malas—anava and karma -‘pralayakalar ’and (iii) Selves having three malas anava , karma , and maya—‘sakalar ’. The all merciful Lord initiates the first two categories of selves from within or from without directly by descending two types of Grace—quick and quicker—destroying their mala . The third category is initiated by Him indirectly in the guise of a preceptor on earth when they attain equanimous attitude with regard to good and evil. Umapati Shivam says in Tiruvarutpayan that God would grant the selves the removal of anava and imbue them with ‘Arul ’; He would also purge them of their karma . To sakalar selves, he would come in person and bestow Grace. He removes anava from ‘Vijnanakalar ’ selves by His Grace within and He purges of karma alsofrom ‘pralayakalars ’.^[5] He removes their mala through four modes of Descent of Grace (the slower, slow, quick and quicker types).^[6]

The maturation of mala in the selves will not be alike for everyone. Hence the preceptor’s mode of initiation with a view to exterminate all bonds is different for different persons. These modes of initiation are by offering the Grace through (i) sight (ii) touch (iii) words (iv)thought (v) books (vi) yoga and (vii) hautri . The hautri diksha includes the rest as its part and admits of two subdivisions: initiation by knowledge jnanavathi and initiation by action kriyavathi . Initiation by knowledge is done mentally by imagining the sacrificial sanctrum , fire etc., and performing the rites. Kriyavathi is done by erecting the sacrificial sanctum.^[7]

When the evil effects of mala are fit for removal, the tirodhayi , concealing Shakti of God, modifies itself into ArulShakti and enables the self to get released from bondages by bestowal of Divine Grace. Maya and karma are used as instruments by tirodhayi for forging the bonds, thereby ripening the maturity slowly. When the concealing Shakti of God converts into ArulShakti , the same maya and karma are enabled to help the self by the Divine bestowal. Umapati Shivam very significantly says that when the self is under the influence of anava , the impure maya and its effect mayeya on the one hand and the inexorable karma (which would not leave the self unless it is experienced) function as elements of darkness; thus maya and mayeya and karma bind the self because the self is defiled by anava . When the self comes under the influence of the Divine Grace, the latter dispels the darkness of the bond. Now, the so-called bonds also function as elements of light.^[8] When anava dominates the self, the self does not realize the Bliss of Shiva. When the mala is removed, the self comes under the influence of the Bliss of Shiva.^[9] We may compare the sun to Shiva,sunlight to the Grace of God, eye to the self, and darkness to mala . The eye which is encircled by darkness gets light through the rays of the sun and attains visibility under the influence of the sunlight. In the same way, when the self enjoys the Bliss of Shiva, the mala subsides under the Grace of Shiva.

Shivajnana Munivar’s commentary on Shivajnana bodam speaks highly of the originality of Umapati Shivam regarding the functionality of anava , the impure maya with mayeya on the one hand and the inexorable karma not deceasing without its fruit being experienced on the other hand. As long as the self is under the sphere of darkness, they serve to blind the self rather than revealing. Sakala stage is a constituent of bondage. But when the self comes under the light of Divine Grace dispelling the darkness of the bonds, the so-called bonds start functioning as elements of light. When the Divine Wisdom dawns on the individual self in due dissolution of bondage, the external attachment or appendages of mala become the medium of transparency of revelation of Divine Grace within. According to Shivagnana Munivar, the functions of maya,mayeya and karma depend on the nature of the self. If the self is bound by anava , then all these three bind the self with the initiative provided by the concealing Shakti—Tirodhayi . If the self is freed from the evil effects of anava , then maya , mayeya and karma help the self as Arul Shakti.

Bestowal of Grace implies, according to Umapati Shivam, the dawning of Divine Wisdom or pure Divine knowledge—God knowledge. The individual avails the help of his senses which reveal the objects and identifies them in a partial manner. Without senses, he may not be able to do any cognition or conation. It should also be taken into consideration that in the kevala state, the individual self has no experience of objects at all since it is deprived of body, instruments, world and conation. All the above four are available to the self in its sakala state. But it is pertinent that the self in its sakala state with senses that partially manifest knowledge, conation and emotion cannot have access to the reality of God. The query comes to the mind as to how the individual self will have access to this Wisdom that is not partial but complete pure knowledge. Umapati Shivam answers that the wisdom of Divine knowledge is communicated to the individual self by God Himself, not within, but graciously descending and coming as preceptor. This event happens as a consequence of penance of a long time, thereby showing the way to sever connections from the instruments of knowledge and pasha and reach His feet. Thus His concealing Shakti eventually hastens a state of ripeness for mala itself which becomes fit for removal. When such ripeness of the mala inherent in the self takes place, God appears as the preceptor and effects the purification of tattvas by means of adhva-codanai . This leads to severance from the finitising effect of tattvas. Hence the individual self in sakala avastha attains a state of knowledge and life in which its knowledge, action and feeling, being unconstricted,attains a change in due conformity with the infinitude of ShivaShakti. The symbolism of attaining the ‘Divine feet’ or ‘His feet’ is nothing but the above mentioned new state of knowledge.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Parvai yena makkalai mun pattrippidittharkam
Porvai yenak kanap puvi .—Tiruvarutpayan 45.

[2]:

The action of Shiva is akin to stealing the heart of a ripened devotee.
Pollark kurambaip pugundhu purappadum
Kallatthalaivan karutthariyargale .—Tirumandiram 1505.

[3]:

Arulnandi Shivam says that Lord Shiva appeared before him as Meikandar in physical form.
Urum perum uruvam konden
Urum perum uruvam keduttha—Iruba irubadhu, lines 14–15.—Do guide me
Each its own way, and do become, My very self, and not allowed To have my own way oh my Lord.—Nallasamy Pillai, J. M.,Iruba Irubathu commentary ,(Dharmapuram Adhinam, 1947), 10.

[4]:

Aruparatthoruvan avaniyil vandhu
Gurubaranagi yarulia perumaiyaich
Chirumaiyendru yigazhadhe.—Potri Thiru Agaval, Tiruvacakam
Alarndhameik karunaiyum niyum
Avaniyir pugundhemaiatkolla vallai
Aramu dhepalli yezhundharu laye.—TV.Thiruppalli ezhucchi.
Dhanundhan thaiyalum thazhsadaiyon andilanel—TV.Thirukotthumbi.

[5]:

Agalath tharumarulai; yarkkum vinainikkum ;
Sagalarkku vandharulun dhan.—Tiruvarutpayan 48.

[6]:

Uraidharumip pasuvarkkam unarin mundram
Uyarum vigngnana kalar pralayakalar sakalar
Niraiyinmalam malamkanmam malamkanmam mayai
Nirkum mudhal iruvarkkum niradharam agi
Karaiyil arul paranthuvidha satthini padhatthal
Kazhippanmalam sagalarkkuk kanma oppil
Tharaiyil asanmurthi adhara magith
Tharitthu ozhippanmalam sadurttha satthinipadhatthal .—Shivajnana-Siddhiyar-Supakkam 254.

[7]:

Dhirunokkal bharisatthal thigazhum vakkal
Bhavanaiyal migunulal yogap panbhal
Paravi varum avutthiriyal pasa nasam
Meva arul udhavum avutthiri yirandu dhiranam
Viyankiriyai gnanam ena vilambu mare .—Sivaprakasam 08.
Virumbiya manthira adhigaram archchana adhigaram
Mevum yoga adhigaram enach chamaya visedam
Varumboru vilniruvanam mandhirangal padhangal
Vannangalbhuvanangal thatthuvangal kalaigal
Irangu adaivilthogai pathinondru enbatthondru, aimbatthondru
Irunuttrodu irubatthunalu, araru, aindhil
Parandhaneri aruvagaiyum oruvi ninaivu, aridham
Parabatthul uyirviravap payittrum andre .—Sivaprakasam 09.
Arivikka andri ariya ulangal
Seriyumam munpin kuraigal–neriyin
Kuraiyudaiya sorkollar kolpavatthin vidu yen
Kuraivil sagan suzhkol bavarkku .—Shivajnana-Bodam 08.2.
It is established that the Lord appearing as Guru will teach the selves, as not being separate from the selves; He shines in the light of the selves as His body. Illustrations.–(a) God imparts Gnanam to Vigngnanakalars as they dwell in Himself; to Pralayakalars, He appears as Guru in His Divine form and imparts Gnanam; and to Sakalars, He appears as Guru concealing himself in human form and imparts Gnanam. (b) The self will not attain Gnanam unless imparted by God in order. Those (Pralayakalar and Sakalar) who are instructed by the Perfect Lord of the world, receive such instructions in the 2nd and 3rd persons respectively. Those (Vigngnana Kalar) who do not receive such instruction attain Moksha Gnanam from God by intuition.—Nallaswami Pillai J. M., commentary on SB , (Tripatur,1895),105.

[8]:

Mayai mamayai mayavarum iruvinaiyin vaimai
Ayaar uyirin mevum marulinal irulai nirkum
Mayai mamayai maya varum iruvinaiyin vaimai
Ayaar uyirin mevum arulinal oliyai nirkum .—Sivaprakasam 70.
When the self is bound up with anavam , the dark bond, it is the nature of the pure and impure maya and the great karma to be elements of darkness, and when the self is filled with the light of Divine Grace, these will also be elements of light.—Subramania Pillai K., SP English commentary , 64.

[9]:

Thitthikkum Paldhanum kaikkum dhirundhidunap
Pitthatthin thanthavirndha bhin .—Tiruvarutpayan 62.