Existence of Anavamala with the Self

The big question is with respect to the admissibility of and also the existence of anavamala or the innate impurity with the self. It is explained that if there were noanavamala or defilement of the self, then there will be only two entities, i.e., maya and karma only. When there is no defilement, what is the necessity to embody the self by maya and karma and thereby provide the self with mind, world and substances? Also, if God gives body, mind and world to the self in accordance with its past two-fold karmas , then the self runs through the cycle of birth and death. When all karmas are balanced in a single birth, God by His Grace puts an end to all bonds so that no bond can subsequently affect the free self shining in its own splendor. Umapati Shivam asks why at all the free self was initially affected by maya and karma and also as to the guarantee that this free self after going through the cycle of birth and death shall not again be affected by these two bonds.^[1] The argument goes further. If the free self may be affected by maya and karma again, it is possible that a freed self in mukti may also be affected by these two malas and hence it makes no sense at all. If it is presumed that the self shall be affected by these two malas only once, then it becomes quite reasonable to believe that initially there should be some reason for the self to get affected by the two malas so as to get body, instruments, world and substances. Hence one has to conclude in certainty that the reason is nothing but the defilement and ignorance of the self at initial stage of kevalaavastha . This defilement is known as anavamalain Shaiva Siddhanta.^[2]

Establishing the admissibility ofanavamala and kevala avastha , Umapati Shivam says that the two malas (maya and karma) affect the self in kevala avastha , thereby terminating this state of solitary existence of the individual self. But termination of this state does not lead to the termination or removal of the defilement of the anavamala. What follows the kevala avastha is the empirical life of the self, endowed with body, mind etc. This wakeful life also does not result in removal of the defilement or ignorance. This defilement continues to shadow the discursive knowledge of wakeful life of the self. Umapati Shivam says that this defilement misguides the self to mistake unworthy objects to be worthy objects. In this process, the non-dual light within remains unknown to the self till light itself makes it possible for the self to know it at an appropriate time.^[3] Hence it is also to be inferred that this defilement is not a quality/guna of the self. The self is freed from this defilement and comes to have knowledge of God. Hence one can conclude that ignorance is not intrinsic to the nature of the self.

Thus, the solitary state of kevala avastha of the self is disturbed by maya and karma ; but the anavamala is not disturbed. Instead, these former two malas again add to the delusive knowledge of the self due to which the self undergoes sufferings and pain along with pleasures and happiness. This continuous process leads to the anavamala getting matured and becoming fit for removal. The empirical life of the self repeats itself. Thus kevala avastha and sakala avastha make the anavamala to get matured and later removed on final termination in shuddha avastha .

Still a question arises as to why mala remains as a prerequisite basis in Shaiva Siddhantabut not established by perceptual evidence or otherwise. Umapati Shivam paints the true colour of the mala . He says that the mala hides the in-dwelling Grace of God by veiling the knowledge of the self. Also the self is not allowed by anavamala to feel the presence of Grace within. A cover may spread over many things underneath it whereby the things may remain hidden and invisible. But, certainly the presence of the cover hiding the things becomes visible. In the same way the cover of physical darkness shall not show anything but indication of the presence of the darkness may clearly be understood. The paradox is this: defilement or spiritual darkness of the self hides everything from the self and in addition it does not reveal its own existence to the self.^[4] The self will come to know of the existence of mala only upon the termination of pashu jnana due to the Grace of God.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kanmamelam neraga neradhal maruvak
Kadavul arulal evaiyum kazhitthiduvan adhanal
Bhinmalama navaiyanuga perukoli munbu uladhe
Petridum endru ithiram en pesu mare .—Sivaprakasam 34.

[2]:

Mayai mudhal enavinaiyin panmai mudhal enave
Mannupanai vidhaimarabin mayangum malam shuddharku
Eyuneri enkol? Adhan iyalbayin mutthi Enbathu en?
Mattrivai nirka irungaladhi unarvai
Meyapinarth thannuruvam vilangamai vilakkum
Migum ulagam dhanil ennil ivai vidungal unarvul
Thoyuneri ilathathal ariyamai ena ni
solliyathu malam enbar thunindhulore .—Sivaprakasam 35.

[3]:

Anniyamanavaiyunartthi ananniyamai niraintha
Arivu ariyamaiyinalum, arul nilavum kalam
Thannil avane yavumai nindradonmai .—Sivaprakasam 36.

[4]:

Oruporulung katta dhiruluruvam kattum
Iruporulum gatta dhidhu . —Tiruvarutpayan 23.

[5]:

Unnariya thiruvarulai ozhiya ulathendru
Unarvaritham adhanunmai therivaritham unakke .—Sivaprakasam 36.