139 JNANAMIRTHAM, Jnanamlrtham/ by Vagisa Pandita is an Interesting work on Salva cannon, which was in probabllty wrlttwi In the middle of 12th century A.D# MGISA, Vagisa Pandita, iiriio originally was a resident of Kodanbakkam, a part of the present Madras city learnt at the feet of a master Paramananda Mmii also called Arulnandi and then went to Thiruvorriyur (now a suburb of Madras) and became an exponent of Salva doctrine."^ In the Siva temple of Thiruvorriyur, a matha was established by a Chaturanana Pandita In the 10th century A .D ,, which became an Important seat of learning. At the instance of one of the Chaturanana Pandltas, the present structure of the temple was rebuilt of stone by the Chola Emperor, Rajendra in 11th century. MGISA^^_OMASIDDHANTI W > An inscription in the temple dated in the reign of the Chola ruler, Rajadhiraja I I , (crica 117S AD) gives an interesting information. During the Pangunl festival in the temple, the emperor himself was present on the sixth day of the festival. The deity Padampakka deva was taken out in procession and stationed under the Mahlsa tree. At that time, Aludainambi Sripurana was expounded. Along with the Chola ruler, Chaturanana Pandita and Vagisa Pandita were present on that occasion. The signator's to an endowment recorded in the Inscription In the same temple, Include Chaturana Pandita and Vagisa Pandita, the exponent of Somaslddhanta^' We will discuss Somaslddhanta elsewhere, but suffice it to say that this Vagisa Pandita Is held Identical with the author of Jnanamirtham. 140 H* Is said to have later vent to Thiruvallswaram and became the head of the Golaki matha. Inscriptions in the temple, refer to his successors as belonging to the Santana of the Jnanamirtha Acarya of Golaki matha. 'From the above identification we may conclude that Vaglsa was a follower of the Somasiddhanta school of which he became a great exponent. His tittle Pandlta also suggests the same. We therefore conclude that this work Jnanamirtha Is an exposition of the Somasiddhanta school and not the Saiva Siddhanta school* It is perhaps the reason why this good work has not been Included among the 14 Saiva Siddhanta texts. In the succeeding paragraphs we nay examine the concept of Sakti according to this tejrt. EIGHT SECTIONS. The work has been divided into eight sections by later commentators under the following headings, 1) Samyak Jnana^ 2) Saayak darsana^ 3) Pasabandha, 4) Dehantara^ 5) Pasa anadi. 6) Pasa cheda^ 7) Pati Unmaiy and 8) Pasa moeana> The Invocatory verse is dedicated to Siva as Ardhanarl* Sakti is said to be emerald-green in colour, and is grace Incarnate* She is the very abode of dharma aravol and her very personality is revealed In her captivating smile* The work also has a verse dedicated to Saraswatl, lAo is described as Adlnavaki> the prlmordeal Goddess. She Is seated on a white lotus, adored by the pair of Klnnaras, vlpras and divine damsels* Her adorers renounced even svargabhoga and other pleasures as Kama sukha (earnal desires)* She by her illtminating grace, dispels their ignorance and bestows bliss* It Is Interesting to see Saraswatl being praised as 141 the Primordeal Goddess, Adtaayakl. In a Salva text« We have seen that Mahalakshmi| Mahadevi and Maha Sarasvatl were consi­ dered the msuilfestations of the same 3akti, in Devi Bhagavata. This verse reflects that idea by the term Adinavakl. In section on Patiniscaya, the greatness of Siva is enunciated wherein he is called the Lord of Sri, Sarasvati and Kali (vlrva aadhu) ^ i c h again shows the devi bhagavata cult of Maha K aliy Maha Sarasvati and Maha Lakshmi> Three mayas namely Suddhamayay Asuddhanava and Prakritimava are recognised, These are also called BlndUy Mohini and Man. S B i s m . By the Sankalpa of Sakti, inherent in Siva, the universe comes into being in Hindu avastha^ Suddhamaya is in sentient; Srishti is of two kinds; Sankalpa Srisflti and karana srishti^ Parasiva activates Bindu by his meare will (Sankalpa) and not by any seperate act* (This is also given in Paushkara as Paramasiva In v^om the merciful Sakti inheres, is the creato* of this universe. He can be visualised only by knowledge* He resides in all perceptible objects but beyond perception. He is beyond forms and is not the direct agent of the five action but does the five acts through his Icca Sakti# Siva is nishkala. Sadasiva is Nlshka' a sakala and Mahesvara is gakalA» Paramasiva, though creates the entire universe through his Sakti, is unaffected himself, like the stm which makes the lotus flowers to blossom but is unaffected by its action* It is only when the individtial soul enters the body and enjoys the pains and pleasures, the mala will be removed and it is for this reason the inseperable eka sakti, of Paramasiva, binds and releases the individual soul by her creation (405)* 142 SIVA SAKTI, Siva Saktl, is tmparalleled, self luminoary; Omnipresenti by itself tmaffected or unchanged, Nitya, not covered by any other object. It by itself has nojt likes or dislikes* This is the Svarupa lakshana of this Sakti# (406). Siva Saktl has two aspects Kriya and Jnana, through Jnanasakti it visualises and activates through kriya saktl* Mahamaya is the upadhana cause of the five elements, she unites with the Bindu and remains in the pancakrltyas and is devoid of any other desire; without a beginnlmg middle or end, remains as illuminating light everywhere; without any binding remains as the very end of all padarthas culminating at the nada. PARASAKtl* The Parasakti, in the company of Siva, enters the Bindu alias Suddhamaya and by producing the four vaks (speeches) vaikari, Madhyama, Baisanti and Sukshma, actuates the Bindu at the time of creation* Sakti, the aspect of Siva is one and the same but by its varied functions it is called by various names* Kriya Sakti, without seperation from Siva, though is without action, actuates the universe says the treatises* Krlyasakti Is a jata, devoid of knowledge. It is the Jnana Sakti of Siva, that bestows bhoga and moksha to the individual soul, through Kriya Sakti* Sakti nioata is another important concept of the Saiva school* This is explained in the following way* When suddenly a stone falls in the midst of people, they are shaken and hurriedly resort to safer places, so also at the appropriate time Siva makes his Sakti fall on the individual soul, who attains the lotus feet of the Jnancharya realising the useless­ ness of the samsara* By Sakti nipata, the individual soul will get diksha* 143 T ^ . N : 1, Jnanamirtham with commentory, E d , Avval S , DuralEnirRmy pilloi« Annamalal UaiTersity, 1954« 2 , History ofTociH Literature (Tamil) byU* Arunachalam, 12th Centiry. Madras, 1973, Page 725. 3, S,1.1* Volume V (1358) THIRUVUNDIYAR. THE ATJTHCffi The Tamil tradition has grouped fourteen Sastric texts in Tamil as representing the Salva Siddhanta cannon among \^ich Meikandadeva's Sivagnanabodham is considered the basic treatise of this aohool* Heikandadeva Is assigned to 13th century However there are two works written earlier to this period vhich are also included In this fourteen texts and they are 1) Thlruvundivar ^ bv ThiriivisalTir Uyyavandadeva and the 2) Thirukkalirrupadlyar by Thirukkadavtar TJyyavandadeva* Recorded tradition assigns the composition of the works to Saka 1070 (1148 AD) and to Saka 1100 (1178) respectively.^ UNTIYAR TJntiyar (’Tkiru* is an auspicious prefix) consisting of 45 verses, in the poetic convention of a sport, recalling the flight of butterflies. The last verse of the composition gives the name of the author as Uyyavantan. It Is placed at the head of the fourteen Siddhanta texts* It is so close to Thlrunandlram In Its exposition and content, we are tempted to hold this as a text, belonging to Thirumandiram school, Trfiich we have Identified with the Natha school of the North* This is equally corroborated by the tradition which state TJyyavantadeva came originally fro* Northern India and after preaching this doctrine at Thlruvlsalur, attained Salvation, If Thlruvlsalur TJyyavantadeva was realy a northerner (which some scholars dispute) his mastery over Tamil language is remarkable which bespeaks of the missionary zeal of these great saints* Since this Is a short work, the references to Saktl cult are meagre. However the author refers to Siva as Afabikai bhaga> 145 THE DOCTRIWB The Lord Is akala but manifest* himself as sakala for the benefit of the llvln^^ beings* The ashtanga path will lead to liberation (24)* By control'’ Ing the prana and changing Its directions one gets the ability to realise (2 2 )i^ By raising Ktmdallnl (called the lying old lady) one attains bliss (1 4 )/ A sotmd resembling the glngllng sotind of anklets, that would be heard will lead to the realisation of the Dancing God (17)*^ One is led to niradhara from adhara by following this path MAITHUNA AND MAPflH In addition to the above concepts, Thlruvuntlyar also refers to two important acts of the sadhaka* The first one relates to ^althuna (slrrinba) which will Itself lead to great bliss. (iTfe-*? U0. 33* It also refers to drinking Intoxicating llcquors. However the author mentions these two forms of observances In their esoteric sense and not in their ordinary sense* In fact, the author says that it is only the fools, who will take to these ordinary or lower course without realising their real estorlc meanings; for example drinking does not mean the drinking of ordinary licquor but the llcquor of knowledge* He calls the followers of lower paths as ( «[jL.C() !jtjsr i,:.' ) human beings* NATHA Another Important aspect, is the reference to the 14b supreme Lord as Natha* The God, the ruler of our souls^ Is one (Eka) and many aneka^ vho becomes Natha.