I surrender to the almighty and find great joy and bliss in praising his grace. Greetings to all, I thank god for bringing us together.
I feel great joy in sharing this with you. “Saivam is The Ultimate Truth”
It is natural to think that Saivam is being over-praised and compared to other belief systems and philosophies.
My humble request is, to allow me to express my feelings on this before any conclusions.
I wish to clarify a few terms. Saivam is the Tamil pronunciation of Shaivism, and Samayam means belief system or philosophy.
A belief system is a collective term for all the religions in the world, all the philosophies and ideologies.
To start with I like sharing with you my daily prayers
Daily I pray three things to God. First. Dear God, if I am going to be born again…, No doubt about it, definitely I am going to be born again. My first request to you is, I wish to be born as a Tamilan in my next life also. My second request is I also wish to be reborn as a Saivan. And my last wish is to be reborn in my beloved Yalpanam in Srilanka again. I am sharing this to express my love for Tamil, Saivam, and my native Yalpanam.
Some may get a question What is so great about Saivam? Some may even ask that if Saivam is the Ultimate path to truth then what about other belief systems?
My question is, what is wrong for a child to feel and say that his mother is the Greatest Mother in the world?
For any child, his mother is the greatest and has to be the greatest.
Nothing wrong with a child saying that his mother is the greatest of all mothers. It is the expression of his love for his mother and the love of his mother on him.
I definitely have the right to claim that my mother is the BEST.
In no sense, it means that other mothers are not good, it is just an expression of love.
Likewise, I have boundless love for Saivam on which I can promise you that nothing is beyond Saivam and Saivam is the Ultimate Truth.
My beloved teachers, my Gurus, and my God made me experience and realize the true dimension of Saivam. It is my great blessing.
Any Philosophy, Science, or belief system should help one liberate from all miseries and sorrows.
Liberation is the main purpose of a belief system.
A belief system should help one to be free from all of his attachments. But, on the opposite, we get attached to the tool that is supposed to help with self-liberation and we create limitations not only for ourselves and also for the belief system.
Some even go a step further and define limits for the Almighty also.
Saiva Samayam is beyond all these limitations.
I wish to ask you this, a student of engineering will graduate as an Engineer likewise a medical student will become a doctor, a law student will become a lawyer, and so on.
What is the use of studying Saivam? Will he get graduated as a priest in some temple? Definitely not.
What is the use and purpose in studying any belief system is a big question that has to be asked
The usefulness of studying a belief system is FREEDOM
Freedom from the SELF
The path to Truth should liberate one from the self and help in achieving Freedom from all attachments and experience bliss.
Any belief system that helps one in liberating from worldly attachments and achieving freedom is a good path to truth.
The path to truth should not create worldly attachments and should not enslave one to worldly desires. It should liberate the self from all these miseries of worldly attachments. It should bestow the ultimate freedom of the Self.
A good belief system should help the soul in achieving ultimate freedom.
The Conscious Soul, not realizing the SELF becomes a slave to the EGO and suffers in the ignorant ocean of desires. It becomes more unconscious from relating its true SELF which is LOVE.
Any belief system that helps the soul to become more aware, become Conscious from its Unconscious ignorant state, and realize the Self is a good belief system.
I am repeating again, A belief system should get Freedom to the Soul from the Ego
I am asking you, the belief systems which are supposed to get us Freedom, are they allowing us to live freely? or even to think free? One should think and ask yourself.
Today the belief systems that are supposed to get us freedom, in the name of the belief system itself are enslaving us as prisoners. This is what happening across the world.
What a belief system should do? It should liberate the soul and get freedom to the soul, and a good belief system should never try to control and limit the soul.
A belief system should be the road to the freedom of the soul. If it succeeds in this then it is a good path.
Is Saiva Samayam successful in this aspect???
Does Saiva Samayam allow us to think freely and act freely?
As a Saivan we should feel extremely proud that Saivam stands next to none in giving freedom to the soul to freely think, live and act.
I assure you that almost freedom has been given by Saiva Samayam.
The Freedom that Saivam has given us can never be imagined in any other belief system.
I wish to share one of the many examples of the freedom that Saivam has given us.
Periyapuranam is one of the main literatures of Saiva Samayam. One of the stories in Periyapuranam is about Viralminda Nayanar. Viralminda Nayanar is a bit short-tempered. If we read Periyapuranam with the intention to know the ultimate truth, we will definitely realize the greatness of Saiva Samayam. Periyapuranam is a book about the life history of 63 Saiva Naynmars. Saiva Nayanmars are a selected few of the many great souls who lived as we live and followed the Saiva Samayam path and achieved liberation and freedom from rebirth.
I wish to ask, why do we need 63 life history? Cant it has been done with just one Nayanars life history? All followed Saiva Samayam then why 63 life history?
And from a literature perspective also it is difficult to tell 63 history in one book. The author, Sekkilhar would have suffered in shrinking all the histories to fit in one book. Then why attempt to tell 63 Nayanmar life history to express the greatness of Saiva Samayam in one piece of literature?
Sekkilhar purposefully avoided telling just One Nayanmars life history. To worship God is not enough to just tell about one of his devotee’s life history? and Sekkilhar should have felt NO. If only one Nayanmar life history is told then the world will try to live like that one Nayanmar thinking that there is only one way to attain God. Is this possible?
Each one of us is unique and different from each other in multi-dimensional aspects. Each individual has different emotions different feelings and different physicalities.
How can one God be the God for all in this world?
A general habit in belief systems is everyone tries to become like the one famous person in the system. If a famous person does something, then everyone repeats the same without any question. No one knows why he is even doing that. My father followed my father’s father followed so I am also following
Saying this a story comes to mind, In an ashram a great guru used to live. A great saint and highly knowledgeable. One day he sat for mediation. There was a cat in that Ashram. The cat saw that his favorite guru is sitting and meditating. Cat has a tendency, on seeing its owner it will get affection and due to the affection it will scratch its back on its owner. People who have a cat will know this. This cat after seeing the guru, went and scratched its back on the guru’s back. The guru’s mediation went for a toss. The sage saw the cat and felt its affection, pet the cat in return, shooed him away, and sat for meditation again. Once again the cat came and scratched once again the mediation got obstructed. He decided to end the mediation for the day and went inside the ashram.
The next day the Sage sat for mediation, again the cat came, and the same drama. The same story continues for three days, after thinking about it on the fourth day the sage tied the cat to a pillar nearby before sitting for meditation. That day he was able to do mediation without any problems. The guru was happy, From that day, before sitting for meditation the guru used to tie the cat to the pillar, and all the students in the ashram used to see this. It was going on for some time and the students does not know why the guru was tieing the cat to the pillar before sitting for meditation and no one had the courage to ask the reason behind it to their guru.
One day the Guru attained samadhi. Now one of the students became the next Guru. After becoming the Guru the 1st command he gave to students was before meditation everyone should catch a cat from somewhere and tie it to a nearby pillar. Only then one should meditate. Why the former Guru tied the cat? Because it was causing disturbance for the meditation. But the current guru thought if we tie a cat to the pillar only then will be able to meditate
Likewise, there is no limit to the ignorance of the people.
That is why Sekkilar thinks that if we write about only one Nayanars life history then all will try to be like one which is not possible.
The world is diversified. Allow everyone to worship God in their own way.
No other belief system gave this freedom like Saivam did valuing each individual’s emotions.
Saivam divided worship into four categories.
Sariyai, Kiriyai, Yogam and Gnanam
What is the Sariyai way of worshiping?
Kiriyai way of worshiping?
Yogam way of worshiping?
Gnanam way of worshiping?
These four are called Saiva Narpadham in Saiva Siddhantam
Sariyai worship is worshiping God through external means, for example, Idol worship. Initially, it is only possible to do external worship of God. It cannot be related to the inside and worship God in mind. This is a custom and local tradition-based worship. It is not connected to one’s emotions. My father did, and my father’s father did so I am also doing this way of worship. Is this worship wrong? definitely not because initially only this way of worship is only possible for most.
Saiva Samayam acknowledges this way of worship and gives freedom to worship God externally in the world without any connection with the mind and emotion.
People used to ask me, there is no regulation in your Saivam. See other belief systems, they practice strict uniformity and rules, and everything is regulated. There is only one rule in Saivam. Having no rule is the only rule.
This is the absolute truth about Saivam that there are no rules in worshiping God.
Your relationship with God is your personal matter, and you are free to be yourself.
In fact, no limitation can be established in worship. In three things each individual should act as per their will.
One, In food. One should eat what is right for him. Next is education. One should learn according to his interest. Next is Worship.
There is no need to eat the same food just because everyone is eating. If we eat based on others’ interests it is a self-told lie.
One should not learn what the majority learns or based on job openings. One should learn based on his true interest.
Imposing education will spoil the child. Likewise, worship should be based on personal interest and belief.
Imagine a school with only one classroom and the same syllabus for students of all grades. Can justice be done to all the students in such a system? Likewise, worship cannot be the same for all and should be based on individual interests and capacity.
Each individual is unique and has diverged interests. Some wish to worship Karupanna Swamy, some wish to worship Sabari Malai Ayappa Swamy, some wish to worship Rama some wish to worship Tirupati Venkatachalbadhi. Allow them to worship the way they want to Saiva Samayam did that.
Because diverged individuals with diverged emotions cannot do the same kind of worship, allow him to worship as per his self-interest.
Is this indiscipline, no this is the best discipline for that soul. How one should eat food according to his hunger and not others, one should worship as per his interest.
A carefree person will not pray with emotion or devotion. Father is praying, Mother is praying, so let me also pray, don’t want to risk being punished by God. In most cases, worship has become like an insurance policy. Let’s take and keep it.
Children are being raised in fear of God. There is absolutely no need for fear in God and worship.
When the time and situation come, the external worship will get related to the internal self. In my locality, I know a guy. He does not go to the temple or will he pray, he was living a carefree life as a youth. He got married, 1st pregnancy for the couple. His wife got admitted to the hospital for delivery. The doctor informed the case is critical and that only either the mother or the child can be saved. The guy who never prayed kneeled on the ground with eyes closed, hands folded, and did not move from that place till the doctor came with the good news both mother and the child are in good health.
Where did he learn this worship?? Until that incident, he has never learned any worship or gone to temples. When the time and situation came the emotions got connected and the prayers started to happen on the inside which is Kiriyai. Kiriyai is worship done both externally and internally with devotion.
Yogam is worship done only on the inside. Great sages and saints were worshiping only on the inside with their minds. Siddhar’s path is the Yogam way of worshiping. A saint asks, you fools, you cut a big rock into two, and from one you make the idol of the god, and with the other half, you make the stairs. To one stone you are praying and stamping the other stone. What is the truth in this?
In another story, An old man entered a temple and was resting lying on the floor. His feet for facing the sanctum of the temple. People in the temple got angry that the old man insulted their god by facing his feet in the direction of their god. The old man apologized and asked the people, please tell me in which direction your god is not there I will keep my feet facing that direction.
Gnanam is worship and also the fruit of worship. The final stage of all worship is Gnana which is becoming realizing the self and self-conscious.
Saivam did not stop here, it further classified worship into 32 categories which can be further divided. Each person is diversified emotionally in so many ways and Saivam identified and acknowledged it and did not suppress individuality.
That is why Seykilar did not stop with one Nayanars life history.
If you look for any similarities between the lives of the 63 Nayamars, each one is different. Each Nayanmar worshiped God in their own way and attained liberation.
Viralmindar is one of the 63 nayanmars. I am going to tell the peak of the freedom that Saivam has given. Sundara is also one of the 63 Nayanmars.
Sundarar is like a friend to Shiva. Shiva also happily accepted the friendship of Sundarar. The troubles that Sundarar gave to Shiva know no bounds. Shiva was the messenger for Sundarar’s love and used to carry love letters for him. “Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar” who is another Saiva Adiyar gets angry at Sundarar on hearing this, Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar is so furious that how can Sundar make Shiva do such silly things? Shiva is the God of Love, and out of his love, he will do whatever anyone asks, for that how can Sundarar use Shiva for his personal affairs like a servant? Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar said I will never even see the face of Sundarar. Shiva struggled a lot to console the fight between his two devotees. Shiva wanted to resolve the conflict between the two of his devotees and planned for a drama. Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar got a severe ulcer and stomach pain, Shiva told Eyarkon that his illnesses will be cured only if Sundarar come and give him medication. Eyarkon Kalikam Nayanar said, no need I am happy with the stomach pain. After this Shiva went to Sundarar, “Sundara he is very stubborn at least you go and help him”. Knowing that Sundarar is on the way to meet him, Eyarkon stabbed himself with a knife and died for his word. Shiva resurrected Eyarkon and resolved their conflicts and both hugged each other.
The beauty is both are Saiva Adiyars. Sundarar is supporting a thing and Eyarkon is dead opposing the same thing and both are in Saivam. They both co-exist without changing their individuality and ideologies within Saivam and Saivam allows for an individual to be himself.
It is like both the home team and the away team are playing from the same club.
Another incident, Once Sundarar was visiting the temple where Viralmindar and other Saiva Adiyars were singing about the greatness of Shiva. Sundarar in the intention not to disturb the devotees went straight to the temple sanctum without greeting the Sivan Adiyars. Shiva also welcomed Sundarar and accepted his greetings. When Viranmindar came to know about this, he boycotted both Sundarar Shiva from Saivam for ignoring the Sivan Adiyars.
Saivam gave the freedom for a devotee to boycott even the main deity of Saiva Samayam. I am asking you now, is there any other belief system that gives this much freedom to the soul?
Let me share another incident, the original name that Sekilar gave for Periyapuranam is ThiruThondar Puranam. But the Saiva devotees did not accept it. The title given by the author is changed by the reader only in Saiva Samayam. It is the devotees who named the Thiruthondar Puranam Periyapuranam which has the stories of boycotting Shiva and making Shiva a Love messenger. What more freedom any belief system can possibly give?
The greatness of Periyapuranam is in the truths that it holds. In Periyapuranam Sundarar says that he bows to all the liberated souls following the Saivism path and also to the liberated souls from other belief systems and countries. Saivam knows no discrimination and accepts all.
Any soul which liberates following any path or belief system is also praised and accepted as Saiva Adiyars.
Saivam knows nothing but Love.
Love is God and God is Love and that is Saivam
In Saivam god has two states. A state that has form and a formless state. The god who cannot be perceived using our mind is the formless state of the almighty. God takes three forms in the state perceivable by our mind. It is called Aruvam which is Nothingness, AruUruvam is a form that does not have a definite shape and structure like the lingam, and Uruvam has a definite form mostly resembling humans.
The formless state of the god is called Sorubam which cannot be perceived or imagined by our mind, he is formless and nameless. He will take any form that the devotee is wishing for. No belief system has the courage to say that god is one and who has no shape or form or name.
The Almighty who is beyond the 36 Thathuvam or Principles cannot be perceived by our mind.