Tag: sivagnanabotham in english by J.M.Nallaswami Pillai

1. அவன் அவள் அதுவெனும் அவை மூவினை மையின்,
தோற்றிய திதியே யொடுங்கி மலத்துளதாம்,
அந்தம் ஆதி என்மனார் புலவர்.

2. அவையே தானே யாயிரு வினையின்
போக்குவரவுபுரிய ஆணையின்
நீக்கமின்றி நிற்குமன்றே.

3. உளது, இலதென்றலின், எனதுடலென்றலின்
ஐம்புலன், ஒடுக்கம் அறிதலின், கண்படில்
உண்டிவினையின்மையின், உண்ர்த்த உணர்தலின்,
மாயாவியந்திரனுவினுள் ஆன்மா.

4. அந்தக்கரணம் அவற்றின் ஒன்றன்று,
சந்தித்தது ஆன்மா, சகசமலத்துணராது
அமைச்சு அரசு ஏய்ப்பநின்று அஞ்சவத்தைத்தே.

5. விளம்பிய உள்ளத்து மெய்வாய் கண் மூக்கு
அளந்தளந்தறியா ஆங்கவைபோலத்
தாம்தம் உணர்வின் தமியருள்
காந்தம் கண்ட பசாசத்தவையே.

6. உணர் உரு அசத்தெனின், உணராது இன்மையின்
இருதிறன் அல்லது சிவசத்தாமென
இரண்டு வகையின் இசைக்குமன் னுலகே.

7. யாவையும் சூனியம் சத்தெதிராதலின்,
சத்தேயறியாது, அசத்திலது அறியாது
இருதிறன் அறிவுளது இரண்டலா ஆன்மா.

8. ஐம்புலவேடரின் அயர்ந்தனை வளர்ந்தெனத்
தம்முதல் குருவுமாய்த் தவத்தினி லுணர்த்தவிட்டு
அந்நிய மின்மையின் அரன் கழல் செலுமே.

9. ஊனக்கண்பாசம் உண்ராப்பதியை
ஞானக் கண்ணினிற் சிந்தை நாடி
யுராத் துனைத்தேர்த்தனப் பாசம் ஒருவத்
தண்ணிழலாம் பதி விதி
எண்ணும் அஞ்செழுத்தே.

10. அவனே தானே யாகிய அந்நெறி
யேகனாகி யிறைபணி நிற்க,
மலமாயை தன்னொடும் வல்வினையின்றே.

11. காணும் கண்ணுக்குக் காட்டும் உளம் போல்
காணவுளத்தைக்கண்டு காட்டலின்,
அயரா அன்பின் அரன் கழல்செலுமே.

12. செம்மலர் நோன்றாள் சேரல் ஒட்டா
அம்மலங்கழிஇயன் பரொடுமரீ இ,
மாலறநேயம் மலிந்தவர் வேடமும்
ஆலயம் தானும் அரனெனத்தொழுமே.

“He who translated and commented on Sivagnana  Botham, whose knowledge was imparted by Nandi and his disciples, for the purpose of obtaining Salvation, by pointing out the way to proceed from the knowledge of the body full of sorrow, to the knowledge of the soul, and thence to the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit, enshrined in the Maha Vakya, just as the glorious sun, enables our sight by dispelling the deep darkness from the vast surface of this earth.”

“He, who under the name of Swethavana lived in Thiruvennainallur, surrounded by the waters of the Pennar.”

“He, who left all false knowledge knowing it to be such and was therefore called Meikanda Deva.

“He is the Lord whose feet form the flower worn on the heads of even the holiest sages.”

Such is the brief Sirappu Patiram which is usually affixed to the Tamil edition of the book, giving particulars of the name and place of the author and the merit of his work.

The author who translated in Tamil, Sivagnana  Botham and commented on it was called in early life Swethavana and after he attained spiritual eminence was called Meikanda Deva (meaning Truth finder) and he lived in Thiruvennainallur situated on the banks of the lower Pennar, about 20 miles from Panruti on the S. I. R. line. To this brief account tradition adds the following particulars. One Atchuthan of Pennagadam Village near Thiruvenkadu or Swethavana in Tanjore District, was long childless and he prayed incessantly to Swethavana Ishwara for the boon of a child.

One morning he went early to the temple tank and bathed in the tank and when he got up finishing his prayers, he discovered lying on the steps of the tank a new born babe whom he at once pressed to his bosom, and praising God for his mercy to him, took it home and gave it to his wife. And these two were bringing it up. Being the gift of Swethavana Ishwara, the child was named Swethavana. In course of time, however, his caste people began to murmur against Atchutha, saying that he is bringing up a low born foundling. The parents were in very deep sorrow on this account, and when Atchutana’s brother-in-law had come to him on a visit from Thiruvennainallur and he offered to take the boy with him and bring him up, they glady consented and the babe’s home became Thiruvennainallur from its 3rd year.

It happened, however, that the child was dumb from its birth, but the bent of its mind was discovered in its very play which consisted in making Sivalingam of sand and becoming absorbed in its contemplation. One day, a Siddha, a Jivan Mukta, passing by that way, saw the child in its play and was at once attracted towards it, and observing the child’s advanced spiritual condition, he touched it with Grace, altered its name to that of Meikanda Deva, and instructed the child with the Divine Philosophy contained in Sivagnana  Botham, and ordered it to translate the same in Tamil and let the world know its truth. The sage, however, retained his silence till his fifth year was past, during which interval it is stated he was receiving further instruction from God Ganesha of Thiruvennainallur, who was called Polla Pillayar, and the abstract of the Sutrams and the various arguments called Churnika is said to have been imparted to Meikanda Deva by Polla Pillayar.

However, after his fifth year, he began to speak out and preach his Sivagnana  Botham and he attracted a very large body of disciples. In those days, there lived in Thiruthoraiyur, a famous pundit and Philosopher named Arulnanthi Sivachariar, well versed in all the Vedas and Agamas, and hence called Sakala Agama Pundit. He, with his disciples, came on a visit to Thiruvennainallur; and while there, his disciples became attracted by the teaching of Meikanda Deva and gradually began to desert their former teacher. Arulnanthi Sivachariar came to know of the cause of the desertion of his pupils and went to meet and vanquish Meikanda Deva, face to face. He went there, and the moment the eye of Grace of Meikanda Deva fell on him, he felt his Ahankara or Agnana leave him and feeling vanquished fell at his feet and sought his grace and from thence became his most prominent and devoted disciple.

Here a fact has to be noted. Meikanda Deva was a Vellalah; at least his foster parents were so, and yet Arulnanthi Sivachariar occupying the highest position even among Brahmans did not scruple to become his disciple. Under Meikanda Deva’s inspiration Arulnanthi Sivachariar composed a philosophical treatise called Irupa Irupakthu (இருபா இருபஃது). Under his direction again, Arulnanthi Sivachariar composed Sivagnana  Siddhi, as an authorized commentary on Sivagnana  Botham, two works which have been rarely paralleled even in Sanskrit.

If the genius of Thiruvalluvar gave to the Tamil language all the teachings to be found in the Vedas, Agamas, Upanishads and Dharma Sastras, on the first three Purusharthams, Dharma, Artha and Kamia or Aram, Porul and Inbam, in a thoroughly systematized form, the genius of Meikanda Deva and Arulnanthi Sivacharyar gave to the Tamil language, all the teachings of these books on the last Purushartha namely, Moksha or Veedu, in a similarly condensed and systematized form. The plan of the first work is this. The twelve Sutras are divided into 2 Chapters of 6 Sutras each, general and special. These chapters are divided into two ‘Iyals’ each. Making a total division of the book into four, of three Sutras each. I have, however, divided the work into four chapters, indicating at the same time whether each belongs to the general or the special division.

The first chapter treats of the proof of the three entities or Padarthas, the second dealing with their further attributes or relationship, the third dealing with Sadana or modes of attaining the benefit of the knowledge of the three Padarthas, and the last dealing with the True End sought after by all mankind. The reader of Vyasa’s Sariraka Sutra or Vedanta Sutra will observe that the divisions adopted in the latter work are the same as in Sivagnana  Botham. Further each Sutra is divided into separate theses or arguments and Meikanda Deva has added his commentary called Varthika to each of these theses or arguments or Adhikarana as it is called.

This Varthika commentary is in very terse prose and is the most difficult portion of the work. Meikanda Deva has added Udarana or analogies in verses of Venba Metre to each of the Adhikaranas. These Udarana are not similes of rhetoric but are logical analogies used as a method of proof. The reader’s attention is particularly drawn to these analogies and he is requested to test these analogies with any rule of Western logic, and at the same time test the analogies ordinarily set forth in works on Hindu Philosophy published in English. Sivagnana  Siddhi is divided into two books, Parupaksham and Sapaksham. In the Parapaksham, all the Hindu systems from Charvaka Philosophy to Mayavadam are stated and criticised and it is similar to Sayana’s Sarva Darsana Sangraha, and yet a cursory comparison will show the superior treatment of the former.

The subject which Sayana or as he is better known in Southern India, Vidyaranyar has compressed in one chapter in a few pages, under the heading of Saiva Darsan, is treated by Arulnanthi Sivachariar in his Supaksham in 300 and odd stanzas, and the printed works with commentaries comprise about 2,000 and odd pages. The ground plan of this work is the same as that of Sivagnana  Botham but it contains in addition a chapter on ‘Alavei’ or Logic, an abstract of which has been also translated by Rev. H. R. Hoisington and published in the American Oriental Journal, Vol, iv. Though this is based on Sanskrit works on logic, yet an advance is made in a new classification of logical methods, predicates, &c. And this I might say of the genius of Tamil writers generally, though they have borrowed largely from Sanskrit, the subject receives altogether an independent and original treatment. As my old teacher used to observe, no doubt Gold from Sanskrit source is taken but before it becomes current coin, it receives the stamp or impress of the Tamil writer’s genius.

Then about the date of these works, there is no data available to fix the exact time of these works. But that they must have been very old in manifest from the fact that they have supplied the form and even the language for nearly all the Tamil writers on philosophy and religion, excepting in Thevaram and Thiruvachakam and other works included in the Saiva Thirumurai. And there are also clear data to show that these works were anterior to the establishment of any of the great Saiva Adhinams or Mutts in Southern India and the great Namasivaya Desikar, who founded the Thiruvavaduthurai Adhinam about 600 years ago claimed to be the fifth or sixth in succession from Meikanda Deva and the disciples of this Mutt and Saivas generally call themselves as belonging to Meikandan Santhathi.

One other fact which fixes this much more approximately, I must mention. Umapathi Sivachariar who is fourth in succession from Meikanda Deva, gives the date of his work, Sankarpanirakaranam in the preface of the work itself as 1235 of Salivahana Era. This will make the work therefore 582 or 583 years old and giving a period of 25 or 30 years for each of the Acharyas, the date of Meikanda Deva will be about A. D. 1192 or 1212 or say about A. D. 1200. These facts therefore furnish us with a positive data that these works could not have been at least less than 650 years old. I have not been however able to investigate the matter with all the available sources of information, for want of time and opportunity and I must leave the subject here.

A few words about the commentators on these works are also necessary. There are two short commentaries published on Sivagnana  Botham. One is by Pandi Perumal and it is a very clear and useful commentary for the beginner and nothing is known about the writer and about his life except his mere name; but from the way he describes himself, he must have lived very near the time of Meikanda Deva. The other commentator is a well-known person, Sivagnana  Yogi or Muniver who died in the year Visuvavasu before last, 1785 A. D. The famous Adhinam at Thiruvavaduthurai has produced very many great sages, poets and writers in its days but it produced none equal to Sivagnana  Yogi. The Tamil writers do not think that any praise is too lavish when bestowed upon him; and I have heard pundits of even other faiths speak in awe and respect of his mighty genius. He was a great Poet, and Rhetorician, a keen Logician and Philosopher, and commentator and a great Sanskrit Scholar. He with his pupil composed Kanchipuram which in the opinion of many surpasses many of the Epics in the Tamil language, so far as the imagery of its description and its great originality and the difficulty of its style and diction are concerned. He is the author of several commentaries and works on Tamil Grammar and Rhetoric. He has translated into Tamil the Sanskrit Tarka Sangraha and his commentaries on Sivagnana  Botham and Sivagnana  Siddhi have been rarely equaled for the depth of perception and clearness of exposition and the vastness of erudition displayed by him. His short commentary on Sivagnana  Botham is the one now published, and his other commentary called the Dravida Bhashya has not been published yet.

The original manuscripts are in the possession of His Holiness the Pandara Sannadhigal of Thiruvavaduthurai and very many attempts were made during the lifetime of His Holiness the late Pandara Sannadhigal to induce him to publish this work but without success. I have interviewed His Holiness the Present Pandara Sannadhigal, and he appeared to me to be very enlightened in his views and sentiment and I have every hope that His Holiness will have no objection to publish the work provided he sees that the people are really earnest about its publication. A few glimpses that have been obtained of the work here and there fully justify the great expectations entertained of it as a work of very rare merit. Sivagnana  Yogi has fully followed in his dialectics the dictum laid down by the author of Sivaprakasam that everything old is not necessarily true and that everything new is not necessarily false. This view accounts generally for the greater freedom of thought displayed by Tamil Siddhantha Philosophers in the treatment of their subject without being tied down too narrowly by any Vedic Text, &c., than Sanskrit writers.

In these days of boasted toleration, and the proclamation of universal truths and universal religions from every little house top, it will be interesting to note what an ideal of toleration and universal religion the Siddhanta writers generally had.

The gist of this is contained in the phrase ‘எல்லாமாய் அல்லவுமாய்’ “all and not all or above all” which again is the Lakshana of Adwaitham, as I have elsewhere explained. In India, at the present day, certain phrases or forms of Idealism are put forward as expressing universal Truth and a large body of ignorant and credulous people are misled by it. Idealism is being exploded and discredited in Europe, and as M. Barth truly observes, Idealism when pushed to its logical conclusions leads one to Nihilism.

The Siddhanta Sastras are 14 in number. The first is Sivagnana  Botham of Meikanda Deva; and two works of Arulnanthi Sivachariar I have already mentioned. Another of Meikanda Deva’s pupils by name Manavasakam Kandanthar composed a treatise called ‘Unmai Vilakkam’ ‘Light of truth’ and this little work contains an explanation of many a profound truth in Hindu Philosophy. Two works, Thiru Unthiar (திருவுந்தியார்) and Thiru Kalitrupadiar (திருக்களிற்றுபடியார்) are ascribed to a Sage Uyavantha Daver, who is said to have come from the north; and eight works were composed by Umapathi Sivachariar, the principal of which Sivaprakasam has been also translated by Rev. H. R. Hoisington.

The authors of these treatises together with Maraignana Sambanthar are regarded by Saivas as their Santhana Acharyas, expounders of their Philosophy and Fathers of the Church as distinguished from their Samaya Acharyas, Thirugnana Sambanthar, Vakisar, Sundarar, and Manickavachakar who were authors of devotional works, and maintained the supremacy of their Vedic faith and Religion against Buddhism and Jainism, and but for whom the modern Hindus would be reading the Thripitaka and Jataka tales instead of our Vedas and Upanishads and works founded on them, and would be one with the Atheistical Siamese or the highly idolatrous and superstitious Chinee.

And here I might take the liberty of addressing a few words to my Hindu countrymen, at least to those whose mother tongue is Tamil and who are born in the Tamil country and are able to read the Tamil language. It is not everybody who has the desire to study Philosophy or can become a Philosopher. To these, I would recommend the devotional works of our Saints, whether Saiva or Vaishnava. Unlike the Hindus of other parts of this vast Peninsula, it is the peculiar pride of the Tamilian, that he possesses a Tamil Veda, which consist of his Thevaram, Thiruvachakam and Thiruvaimozhi, and this is not an empty boast. As Swami Vivekananda observes, Vedas are eternal, as truths are eternal, and truths are not confined to the Sanskrit language alone. The authors of the Tamil Veda are regarded as avatars and even if not so; they were at any rate Jivan Muktas or Gnanis.

And as I have explained in my notes to the Eleventh Sutra, these Jivan Muktas are true Bhaktas and they are all Love. And the Tamil Veda is the outpouring of their great Love. My old Christian teacher used to observe that the Dravidian is essentially and naturally a devotional man; and is this not so, because they had early received and imbibed the Great outpourings of Love of our Divine Saints? To the student or enquirer who is more ambitious and wishes to fathom the mysteries of nature, I cannot do better than recommend these very books as a first course and the conviction will surely dawn upon his mind as he advances in his study of Philosophy and compares what is contained in the Tamil Veda with the bare bones of Philosophy that he has nothing better for his last course than what he had for his first course; and as the Divine Tiruvalluvar says, what is the use of all philosophy and knowledge if it does not lead one to the worship of his Maker in all truth and in all love? However, as a course of philosophical study, the Siddhanta works contain the most highly developed and logically systematized thinking of the Hindus. And if it is thought necessary, a study of the Vedas and Upanishads may follow. Without this preliminary course, a study of the latter will only end one in chaos and confusion. I address these remarks as a student to a student, as one enquirer to another and I claim no more weight to my words.

I give below a stanza which shows in what high estimation, Tamilians hold the present work and other works referred to above.

The system of Hindu Philosophy which is expounded in the following pages, and its name will be altogether new to many an English educated Hindu who is content to learn his religion and philosophy from English books and translations and from such scraps as turn up in newspapers and magazines and from such scraps as turn up in newspapers and magazines. Yet it is the Philosophy of the Religion in which at least every Tamil speaking Hindu is more or less brought up and the one Philosophy which obtains predominance in the Tamil Languages.

This Philosophy is called The Siddhanta Philosophy and is the special Philosophy of the Saiva Religion. The word means True End, and as used in logic, it means the proposition or theory proved as distinguished from the proposition or theory refuted, which becomes the Purvapaksham. The Saiva Philosophy is so called as it establishes the True End, or the only Truth and all other systems are merely Purvapakshams. The system is based primarily on the Saiva Agamas. But the authority of the Vedas is equally accepted, and the system is then called Vedanta Philosophy or Vedanta Siddhantha Philosophy or Vaithika Philosophy.

“வேதாந்த சித்தாந்த சமரச நன்னிலை பெற்ற,
வித்தகச் சித்தர் கணமே.”
“ராஜாங்கத்தில் அமர்ந்தது வைதிக சைவ மழகிதந்தோ.”

ThayuManavar). This Philosophy is also spoken of as Adwaitha Philosophy in all the Tamil works and it will be seen from the very large use of the word and its exposition in almost every page of this work what important part it plays; and it strikes, in fact, the key not of the whole system. Meikanda Devar who translated and commented on Sivagnana Botham is called “Adwaitha Meikandan” (அத்துவித மெய்கண்டான், one who saw the Truth of Adwaitha) by ThayuManavar.

However, it is the Agama which gives the Philosophy its form and language. Very absurd notions are entertained of the Agamas or Tantras, specially derived from the low practices of the Right-hand followers or Vamabahinis of Bengal and proceeding from ignorance of the real works, through want of published books and translations. The books followed by the Left-hand Section or South Indian Sects are altogether different and I give a list of them below. Very little notice is taken of them by Oriental Scholars and of the existing works the Karma Kanda are alone preserved to us.

There are several of these works in the great Mutt at Thiruvavaduthurai ; and an excellent commentary on one of the Upagamas, Paushkara, by Umapathisivacharya is also preserved there. Like the Veda or Mantra, the Agama or Tantra is divided into Karma Kanda and Gnana Kanda and there were a large number of Upagamas corresponding to Upanishads, of which Mrigendra is very largely quoted by Sayanacharya in his Sarvadarsana Sangraha. The true relation of the Agama to the Veda is pointed out by Swami Vivekananda in his address to the Madras people and I quote his observations below. “The Tantras as we have said, represent the ‘Vedic rituals’ in a modified form, and before anyone jumps into the most absurd conclusions about them, I will advise him to read the Tantras portion. And most of the ‘Mantras’ used in the ‘Tantras’ will be found taken verbatim from these ‘Brahmanas.’ As to their influence, apart from the ‘Srouta’ and ‘Smarta’ 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 Saktas, the Saivas, the Vaishnavas and all others alike.”

I am also informed that the sources of the rules for the rituals followed by Smartas and which are now taken from some manuals and compilations of very recent origin are really found in the Agamas or Tantras. However, the Agamas are held in very high repute by the Non-Smartha populations of Southern India; and the Agama is as much held to be the word of the Deity as the Veda, the word literally meaning “The Revealed Word.”

Says Saint Thirumular:-

“வேதமொடு ஆகமம் மெய்யாம் இறைவனூல்
ஓதும் பொதுவும் சிறப்பு மென்றுன்னுக
நாதன் உரையிவை நாடில் இரண்டந்தம்
பேதம தென்னில் பெரியோர்க்க பேதமே.”

“The Vedas and Agamas are both of them true, both being the word of the Lord. Think that the first is a general treatise and the latter a special one. Both form the word of God. When examined, and where difference is perceived between Vedanta and Siddhanta, the great will perceive no such difference.”

Says Sri NilakantaCharya:-

“Vayanthu VedaSivagamayorbhedam,
Napasyamaha VedopiSivagamaha.”

(I don’t perceive any difference between the Veda and the Sivagama. The Veda itself is the Sivagama.)

It is needless to observe that Sri Nilakanta or Sri Kanta Charya belongs to the Saiva School; and it is no less surprising to see so little notice taken of him and his works by Oriental Scholars in their general account of Hindu Religious and Philosophies. And strange it is that even the learned Swami whom I have quoted above does not mention his name, though he mentions Sri Sankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madvacharya and a host of other names small and great.

Sri Kanta was a friend and contemporary of Govinda Yogi, the Guru of Sri Sankara and his Bhashya of Vyasa Sariraka Sutras according to most accounts was anterior to that of Sri Sankara’s Bashya itself. And though he does not call his Vedanta Bashya as such, it is popularly known as Visishtadwaitha Bashya or Sutta Adwaita Bashya. And the work is published in parts in the Pandit Vols. 6 and 7. This commentary of Sri Kanta Charya, the learned translator of the Vedanta Sutras, Mr. George Thibaut does not seem to have come across, and he nowhere alludes to it by name; and yet the results arrived at by him as to the teachings of the Sutras after a lengthy discussion and comparison of the respective interpretations of the texts by Sri Sankara and Sri Ramanuja, exactly fall in with the interpretation of the Sutras by Sri Kanta Charya.

The learned translator observes (Introduction p. c.) “If, now, I am shortly to sum up the results of the preceding enquiry, as to the teaching of 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 Isvara in Sankara’s sense; that they do not hold the doctrine of the unreality of the world; that they do not, with Sankara, proclaim the absolute identity of the individual and the highest self.” These are exactly the points where Sankara and Sri Kanta differ.

The translator further remarks that he agrees with Ramanuja’s mode of interpretation in some important details, for instance, in regard to the doctrine of Parinama Vada and interpretation of fourth Adhyaya. These are also the points where Ramanuja agrees with Sri Kanta. But Sri Kanta differs from both in their interpretations of the passages referring to Nirguna and Saguna Brahm and follows the doctrine of the Siddhantha School. And the doctrine of Parinama Vada is the only distinguishing mark of Sri Kanta’s Vedanta Philosophy as opposed to the Siddhantha Philosophy; and it is this Vedanta and not Sankara’s Vedanta, that is referred to approvingly by all Tamil writers and Sagas, as in the passage of Thirumular and ThayuManavar above quoted.

The ground work of Sivagnana Botham is the one adopted by Sri Kanta for the Vedanta Sutras, and as far as I have been able to compare, they exactly tally, except where Sankara’s forced explanations enter; and the passages will certainly lose their meaning unless it is viewed in its proper place, as for instance, in regard to the purport of the 2nd Sutra of the first Adhyaya, the objection of the translator (p. xcii), which is perfectly cogent, will lose its point, if it is not taken as a definition of God but as involving the proof of the existence of God. The Sutra, “Brahman is that whence the origination and so on (i.e. the sustentation and reabsorption) of this world proceed,” is exactly the same as the first Sutra of Sivagnana Botham and the same meaning is conveyed by the first Kural of Thiruvalluvar also.

In passing, I may refer the render to the Swetaswatara Upanishad, translated by Dr. Roer, the philosophy of which is exactly the same as herein expounded, though the learned doctor puzzles himself as to what this philosophy could be which is neither Vedanta, nor Sankhya nor Yoga and yet reconciles or attempts to reconcile all these doctrines.

Coming back to the Agamas, very little is known regarding its antiquity from the point of view of the European Scholar. The Nyayikas use the word Agama Pramana, where we would now say Sruti Pramana, meaning Revealed Word, the word of God or of the highest authority. So that the Agamas should go back for behind their time. As the popular phrase runs, Vedagama Purana Itikasa Smritis, its period should be fixed after the Vedas and before the rest of the group. Observes Rev. Hoisington, the first translator into English of Sivagnana Botham, “the Agamam which contains the doctrinal treatise given in this work, may safely be ascribed to what I would term the Philosophical Period of Hinduism, the period between the Vedic and Puranic Eras.

These doctrines can be traced in the earlier works of the Puranic period, in the Ramayana, the Bhagavat Gita, and the Manava Dharma Sastra. They are so alluded to and involved in those works, as to evince that they were already systematized and established. We have the evidence or some Tamil works that the Agama doctrines were revived in the south of India before Brahminism by which I mean Mythological Hinduism obtained any prominent place there. From some statements in the Ramayana, it would appear that they were adopted in the South before Rama’s time. This would fix their date at more than a thousand years before the Christian Era, certainly as early as that of the Ramayanam.”

Adopting another method, it can be very easily shown that they go far behind the date of Buddha, and though it is said that the religion of the Hindus at that time was Hinduism (a meaningless word from the stand point of the Hindu) the only religion which stood against Buddhism and Jainism in their palmist days and into which they finally merged themselves, without leaving a single vestige in India, was the Saiva Religion.

The struggles between Buddhism and Jainism and Saivaism are celebrated in the annals of our saints, Upamanya Bhakta Vilasa and the Tamil Peria Purana, and of these saints the great Manickavachaka, the famous author of Thiruvachakam belonged to the Buddhist period and the great Gnana Sambantha and Vakisa, the authors of ‘Thevaram,’ belonged to the Jain period, though our learned Swami Vivekananda seems to know very little of them, in spite of the fact that all our temples in Southern India and not a few in the utmost bounds of Mysore Province contain their images and all the principal festivals in Madras and in the mofussil are celebrated in their honor,

I refer to the Makiladi feast in Thiruvottiyur, Aruvathumuvar feast in Mylapore, Aruthra feast in Chidambaram and Avanimula feast in Madura, not to speak of innumerable other feasts connected with every other temple. Such is the paucity of knowledge possessed by foreigners and conveyed in the English language regarding south Indian Chronology, language, religion and Philosophy, chiefly through want of patriotism and enthusiasm on the part of Tamil speaking Indians of the South. Regarding the antiquity of the Saiva Religion itself, M. Barth after observing that the genesis of the Religion is involved in extreme obscurity says that “the Vedic writings chance upon them and as it were go along side of them, during the very period of their formation.”

Of course the difficulty will appear to those who study these writings and the Philosophy contained in them apart from the Religion and Religious beliefs of the people and the religion and beliefs of the people apart from the writings and the Philosophy contained therein, and the difficulty will certainly vanish when the two are studied together and it is perceived how intimately the two are connected together and how the one enters into the very whoof and warp of the other. Coming now to the work in question, the twelve Sanskrit Sutras in Anushtup meter form part of Rourava Agama and have been separately styled and handed down as ‘Sivagnana Botham.’ The Saivas believe that this is the very book which was in the hands of the Divine Guru, Dhakshanamurthi and these were the very doctrines which He taught to the Great Vedic Rishis, Sanaka, Sanathara, Sanantana and Sanatkumara.

The Sariraka Sutras of Vyasa, which contain the same four divisions as the present work, consist of 555 Sutras. There can be no doubt that the Tamilians, having very early secured a translation of this work through Meikanda Deva with his invaluable commentary, cared to possess no translation of any other work on Philosophy from the Sanskrit, and in spite of the great praise that is bestowed on the Bhagavat Gita, the Tamil reader knows nothing about it, and it is only recently a Tamil translation has been got out.

Of the merits of this Philosophy, which is discussed here as the Adwaitha Philosophy, the word Visishtadwaitha having never come into use with the Tamil writers, I need say nothing here following the example of the first translator Rev. H. R. Hoisington who neither says a word in blame nor in praise of it, leaving the readers themselves to form their opinions. It is more than 40 years since he published his translation of this work and of two other works in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. No. IV. And I am not in a position to know what criticism it elicited then. Probably it was shelved as offering no points of attack. The objections usually taken by Missionaries and Oriental Scholars against Vedantism fall flat if urged against this theory, as herein expounded.

Of the Rev. H. R. Hoisington and his translation, I must say a few words. He was an American Missionary attached to the Batticotta Seminary in Ceylon. He came to know of the work early and it is almost pathetic now to read after 40 years, what difficulties he had to contend with, before he was able to master the subject and complete the translation and no meed of praise is sufficient for this and other disinterested seekers after the truth, wherever it may be found. Nor are these difficulties even vanished to-day. Consequent on the extreme terseness of diction and brevity of expression employed in the work, even the ordinary Pundits are not able to understand without proper commentaries; and very few Pundits could be found in Southern India who are able to expound the text properly even now.

For several years, it was in my thoughts to attempt a translation of this work, and time and place not permitting, I was only able to begin it about the middle of last year and when I had fairly begun my translation, I learnt from a note in Trubner’s Sarva Darsana Sangraha that a previous translation of this work existed and hunting out for this book, I chanced upon an old catalogue of Bishop Caldwell and I subsequently traced out the possession of Bishop Caldwell’s book to Rev. J. Lazarus, B. A., of Madras who very courteously lent me the use of the book and to whom my best thanks are due. I have used the book to see that I do not go wrong in essential points and in the language of the translation. Rev. Hoisington’s translation is not literal and is very free and was evidently made from a very free paraphrase given of the text by the pundits. I do not find anything corresponding to the Varthika commentary of Meikanda Deva in his translation; and in the elucidation of the text and original commentary, I have followed the excellent commentary of Sivagnana Yogi, which I think was not available to Mr. Hoisington, in print then. I must say here that it gave me very great encouragement and pleasure to proceed in the task to hear from a well-known Professor of the South, who wrote to say, “It gives me very great pleasure that the Saiva Siddhanta Philosophy is after all, to be written in English. I should myself have undertaken the work gladly, if my health had permitted the task. As it is, I am happy you have found time to undertake the difficult though laudable task of translating into English, the Philosophic teachings of our Siddhanta Sastras.”

I hope the notes which I have added will be found of use to the ordinary reader in understanding the text and I have also added a Glossary of most Sanskrit names and words used in the work. Contrary to the usual practice I have indulged in Tamil quotations, for which, I hope the reader will excuse me. I have largely drawn on ‘ThayuManavar,’ for the simple reason that he is read by all alike and there is no one in Southern India who does not know him. It is also my object to show how the Philosophy herein expounded has passed into the current thought of the people and their common language, for it might be taken as true that no religion of Philosophy is entitled to be called a living one which does not enter into the common thought of the people and their language. I may also say that my explanation of the text has the full approval of several Orthodox Pundits, of whom I can mention Sri la Sri S. Somasundara Nayagar of Madras, to whom I am largely indebted by means of his lectures and books and pamphlets, for the little knowledge of Saiva religion and Philosophy which I may possess. Of course, I must not omit to mention my obligations to Brahma Sri Mathakandana Venkatagiri Sastrigal, the great Saivite Preacher of Malabar who is a Siddhanthi and a follower of Sri Kanta Charya.

His Holiness the Pandara Sannadhigal of Thiruvavaduthorai Mutt and His Holiness, Rai Bahadur, Thirugnana Sambantha Pandara Sannadhigal of Madura Mutt have also been pleased to go through portions of the work and to express their great satisfaction.

In the next note, I will refer briefly to the life of Meikanda Daver who translated the Sutras into Tamil and added his commentary to it and that of some of his followers and commentators

INTRODUCTION
NOTE ON THE AUTHOR
SIVAGNANABOTHAM SUTRA IN TAMIL
SIVAGNANABOTHAM TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH
INVOCATION TO GANESHA
AUTHOR’S APOLOGY

CHAPTER – I – PRAMANAVIYAL OR PROOF
First Sutra. On the Existence of God
Second Sutra. The relation of God to the world and to the Souls
Third Sutra. On the Existence of the Soul

CHAPTER II. – LAKSHANAVIAL
Fourth Sutra. Of the soul in its relation to the Andhakarana
Fifth Sutra. On the relation of God, Soul, and body
Sixth Sutra. On the nature of God and the world

CHAPTER III. – SATHANAVIAL
Seventh Sutra. Respecting the Soul
Eight Sutra. The way in which Souls obtain Wisdom
Ninth Sutra. On the Purification of the Soul

CHAPTER IV. – PAYANIAL
Tenth Sutra. The way of destroying Pasa
Eleventh Sutra. The way by which the Soul unites with God
Twelfth Sutra. On the mode of worship of God who surpasses
Powers of Thought and Speech

IN PRAISE OF MEYKANDA DEVA

A few words will suffice to introduce the book to the public. The original work is regarded as the Muthal Nul, Revealed book of the Saiva Religion and Siddhanta Philosophy. When I first began the translation, I was rather diffident about the sort of reception it will meet with in the hands of the public; but, since, I have been able to discuss some of the subjects herein contained with many intelligent persons, belonging to all shades of opinion, Hindu and Christian and all of them have spoken appreciatively of the work. I have also received assurances from several valued friends about the importance of the work. Besides, from the facts I set out below, I am led to believe that the time of appearance of this book is quite opportune. Within the last two or three weeks I have come across three important publications, which have prepared the public mind, here and in England, for an appreciative study of the Tamil, Moral, Religious and Philosophical writings.

I refer to the Rev. Doctor G. U. Pope’s paper on ‘Ethics of Modern Hinduism’, Professor P. Sundram Pillai’s ‘some milestones in the History of Tamil Literature’ or ‘The age of Tirugnana Sambantha’ and the recent article of the Rev. G. M. Cobban in the Contemporary Review, entitled ‘Latent Religion of India’. Of these, ‘Some milestone’ contain an elaborate critical resume of the History of the Saiva Literature in Tamil from the 5th century down to the 13th century ; and the other contributions contain a review of the Saiva Ethics and Religion and Philosophy of about the same period. Doctor Pope in referring to the Tamil Kural observes, “In this great and ancient language, there exists among much else, that is interesting and valuable, an ethical treatise, not surpassed (as far as I know) by anything of the kind in any literature”. And in pages 3 and 4 of his paper, he discusses the Siddhanta doctrine of the three Padarthas, Pathi, Pasu and Pasa, on which this Ethics is based.

And in the end, the Rev. Doctor is forced to confess, ii even after making all sorts of reservations and qualifications that “it is evident from what has been said above, we have in Southern India, the outlines at least of a doctrine of ethics, which in a Christian point of view is nearly unexceptionable”. And he is good enough to add, ‘to meet thoughtful Hindus in a spirit of dogmatic antagonism, or to treat them with contempt or to speak of them as the perishing heathen is absolutely unfitting. We have even something to learn from Hinduism’. But the deeply implanted prejudice lingers, and it leads him to say that truth found in the Kural must have been derived from a Christian source.

The Rev. G. M. Cobban is more generous in this respect. He says, “First I think we should insist on the cordial recognition of these truths, and cheerfully acknowledge their kinship to Christianity, for all truth is akin. The Hindu poet knows what to say of it. He says ‘the heart is made pure by the truth’. If I am asked whence these truths came, I would say from Heaven, from Him who is the Truth. But, whether they are the direct gifts of God to the Hindus, or whether as boulders, they have drifted and have travelled to India, I cannot tell; the evidence on this point is incomplete. If any urge that, although Hindus recognize their authority, they are uninspired, and not really authoritative, I would say truth is authoritative, because it is truth, not because it came in a particular way. And all truth is from God”. The Siddhantis not only believe that ‘the heart is made pure by truth’, but that no truth should be thought as faulty, even if it is found in an alien book.

“அய   யேராதேம, உேன பெதள”

The article in question, after reviewing briefly the attitude of Missionaries towards Hinduism from time to time proceeds to state, “we find much truth both in books and men; so Christian teacher”. The article gives a brief summary of the Siddhanta doctrines and quotations from nearly all the Siddhanta Sastras and other works iii referred to by me in the body of the work. After these quotations, follow a remark, “If we give to the truths enumerated and illustrated above, our careful consideration, we shall admit that they indicate a clear advance on the teaching of the Vedas or the Pantheism of the Upanishads”. But that is an issue raised between Siddhantis and other Vedantists as to what the Vedas and Upanishads really teach, which I explain further in my introduction.

I am afraid that Hinduism has lost more than what it has gained by an one sided representation from within and from without; by translating and publishing such works and interpretations only as accord with the Idealistic School of Hindu Philosophy. No doubt the truth is here, but not in the latent condition as the Rev. Gentleman supposes. This is the truth which has been taught to me and which I have learned from my earliest years; and neither my parents nor my teachers have ever taught me to mistake a stock or a stone for God. The truth is here and it is not kept concealed as is supposed; and the words have gone forth, thrice,

(1) “ஒறா ! பலவா $%&'(%ரா , ஆ+,க.ைண! பர1ேசா ய.ைள! ெபத&( அ3ைல, ேத+4 ப.வ5 க67& ேசரவா.4 சக8ேர.”

(2) “ெபா வ ழ<4 சமயெந> 3(த ேவ6டா4 @ த.4 ெத வ சைபைய’ கா6பதA(B ேசரவா.4 சக8ேர.”

(3) “அக6டாகாரDவ ேபாக ெமE4 ேபFப ெவGள4 ெபா,H த4I! Jரணமா , ஏக$.வா ‘ Hட'(ைதேயா, 3A>ட நாெம+த ேதக4 @ 3D!பதA(B ேசரவா.4 சக8ேர.”

and let them who have ears to hear, hear.

The worst feature of modern Hinduism is pointed out to be its idolatry; and the Rev. Gentleman would persist in calling it the substitute for truth and not iv truth’s symbol. I have discussed the pros and cons of this question in my notes to the Sixth Sutra; and so much prejudice and ignorance prevail in regard to this question, that all that I would crave for, is a fair and patient hearing. I refer the reader also to an excellent Tamil book brought out by Sri la Sri Somasundara Nayagar Avergal of Madras entitled ‘Archadipam’ in which this question is also more fully treated.

(1) O! Come Ye together from all parts of this world! See, this is the time for finding that condition of Love which will secure us the Arul (Grace) of that Gracious, and Supreme Light, which is One, which is All, and which is the Life of life.

(2) O! Come Ye together, to see the Divine Presence, which will give Moksha; and don’t enter the paths of those religions which wallow in untruth.

(3) Oh! That Great Flood of Joy of Limitless Sivabhoga is rising and flowing over; and It is filling everything and yet remains One! Come Ye together to partake of It, and obtain bliss, before ever our bodies perish!

Before concluding, I cannot resist the temptation of indulging in one more extract from the valuable article of the Rev. G. M. Cobban, the appropriateness of which the readers will easily perceive.

“I once spent a few days with a fakir on his way to Rameswaram as a pilgrim. We travelled together and having come to be friends, he told me how he had spent four years in the jungle as the disciple of a celebrated religious teacher (Guru) and Saint. ‘And what did he teach yu during your first year,’ I asked. ‘The Sacredness of truth,’ was the reply. ‘How did he teach it?’ By teaching me nothing during the year. He was testing me to see if I was worthy to receive the truth.’ ‘And what did he teach you in the succeeding years.’ ‘He spoke to me seldom, and taught me in all twelve Sanskrit Slokas.’ (24 lines).

The instruments of the disciples culture were few and simple, and its area small. Half a page of Sanskrit does not seem an exhaustive College Course. But the slokas stretched to infinity as the student gazed on them with the inner eye, and in a narrow space, and on the strong food of this small curriculam, he had grown to be an acute and strong thinker. But had he failed to show himself worthy to receive the truth, the Guru would not have taught him.” The twelve slokas, the Hindu fakir referred to may or may not be the twelve Sutras of Sivagnanabotha, but nevertheless, the above remarks are equally appropriate. Compare the words of Thayumanavar in praise of the author of Sivagnana Siddhi,

In conclusion, I have to tender my thanks to Pandit Murugesam Pillai Avergal, who assisted me in my study of the Tamil Commentaries and to M. R. Ry. Tandalam Balasundram Mudaliar Avergal, who rendered invaluable help by his suggestions etc., while these sheets were passing through the Press and to Messrs. G. Ramaswamy Chetty & Co., who have displayed very great care and taste in the get up of the book.

Tripatur 6th July 1895 TRIPATUR J. M. N