Tirumantiram - TANTRA ONE - 20 LEARNING

Tirumantiram

English translation of the Tamil Spiritual Classic by Saint Tirumular

 

TANTRA ONE

20 LEARNING

 

290: True Learning Leads to Liberation

 

The meaning I knew of life and body in union knit;

In the depth of my being I knew of the Lord of Devas untold;

Denying naught, He stept straight into my yearning heart;

Thus I gained the Learning Great, freeing us from fleshly fold.

 

 

291: Illumined Souls Get the Inner Eye

 

When the Learned-wise in deep meditation sat,

In their deep, illumined souls was as Inner Eye;

What in contemplation they saw and spoke,

In turn opened others' eyes leading to Wisdom high.

 

 

292: Learning Purifies

 

While yet life subsists, the Lord of existence adore;

In action prove what you learn, all sins to clear;

In accents unfaltering worship the Lord, and thus wise,

A jewelled lamp It'll be, beyond compare.

 

 

293: Learning Leads to Renunciation

 

Men of Learning abandon the fettering, worldly ways;

The firm of mind flourish high on coiling snake-like Kundalini

Night and day, unremitting, praise the Lord,

And so your body, as on herbs alchemised, with glow of youth will be.

 

 

294: Pure Knowledge is Guardian Angel

 

As our Guardian Angel comes the pure Light from high,

As our Guardian Angel, the Pure word in beauty drest,

As our Guardian Angel comes the Pure Fragrance rich,

As our Guardian Angel comes the Pure Knowledge best.

 

 

295: Holy Books Help Scale Spiritual Heights

 

Those who fail to scale the heights with holy books to guide,

If to outer things of life they yield, fruitless is all their lore;

On rod of Vairagya lean, and away fly the Birds of Desire;

And yet, men to Ignorance clinging, in stupor ever lie.

 

 

296: Hara Stands Revealed to Truly Learned

 

To them that search the Holy Books, Hara stands revealed;

Out of the sublimed Fire, sparks of pure knowledge fly;

Those who, thus, the Samadhi's Moon can reach,

To them it'll be a ladder leading to Wisdom high.

 

 

297: Lord is No Support to the Ignorant

 

In life's journey a Support and Elixir rare was He,

An unfailing Guide--but to the ignorant of mind,

No support He--in all the seven Heavenly globes,

Sure prop was He, the Mighty being, Great and Kind.

 

 

298: The Truly Learned Attain Bliss

 

If desire you must, the Lord in desire seize,

If the lord's Grace you get, all things are obtained;

Like the deep-skilled Devas of flaming Light;

The truly learned Heavenly Bliss attained.

 

 

299: He Resides in Learned Devotees Hearts

 

The seas He owns and the mountains high;

His Body shaped of the elements five;

The Lord of Immortals who, through endless ages,

Mounts the fierce Bull, at devotees' heart to arrive.