TIRUMANTIRAM - TANTRA SEVEN - Verses 1017 – 2043 of 2121

TIRUMANTIRAM

English translation of the Tamil Spiritual Classic by Saint Tirumular

 

 

TANTRA SEVEN - Verses  1017 – 2043 of 2121

 

 

4 BODHAN (LORD AS GIVER OF LIGHT OF JNANA)

 

2017 Jiva and Siva are One

 

Jiva and Siva

Separate are not;

Jiva knows not Siva;

When Jiva knows Siva;

Jiva becomes Siva.

 

 

2018 Lord is Light

 

The Dancing Lord is the Light Benevolent,

He is the Joyous Light for Creation all;

He adorns the many hooded serpent with gemlike shining eyes

He is the Cluster of Lights that oversees all.

 

 

2019 Lord is Knowledge and Knower

 

He is all Knowledge, immune from Ignorance,

Without aid of sensory organs, He is self-Illumined,

Himself as Knowledge and Himself as the Knower too

He is the Jiva as well,

He stands pervasive all.

 

 

2020 He is Beyond Tattvas Thirty-Six

 

To me that knew not the truth of Tattvas six times six,

He taught the truth of Tattvas six times six

He, Nandi Famed;

And when by His Grace I learned the truth of Tattvas six times six

He stood beyond the Tattvas six times six.

 

 

2021 Lord is Truth

 

They know Him not as Grace that is Siva,

They know not the Malas (Impurities) Five to rid of,

They perform penance diverse,

And are in distraction lost,

They seek not the Tattva (Truth),

That is ever New.

 

 

2022 Lord Bestows His Grace on the Good

 

They think not of divine acts, Lord daily performs

They think not of the ministering acts, Lord daily performs;

The Lord daily bestows His Grace on the good,

They who know this not, daily seek Him not--

Entangled in their work-a-day Karmas interminable.

 

 

4 IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLING THE FIVE INDRIYAS (SENSES)

 

2023 Do Not Delay to Control Senses

 

Five are the elephants (Senses)

That are in MAST

Their MAST increasing

They do not to the (Divine) Post remain tied;

As the mahout (Jiva) tires,

And the elephants (Senses) too, get their energy exhausted,

Then they turn to Yoga;

Why this way (they delayed) we know not!

 

 

2024 Difficulty of Training Senses

 

Attentively learning holy lore

And coursing breath in Yogic way,

Unless the rider (Jiva) thus trains,

The restless steed (Senses),

Its wayward course it takes;

Firm may the rider on its neck sit

And hard the punishment he administers,

Yet the animal forward moves not.

 

 

2025 Harassing Senses Bring Sorrow

 

Five the Sense Organs,

Five the Sense-birds, (Jnanendriyas)

Five the Fields (Tanmatras)

The Sense-birds seek to feed,

Five the waters (Kanmendriyas),

Five their functions,

Yet are they of one lineage;

And one the hunter (Jiva)

That herds them together;

Nine the exits of body

Where he in sorrow wanders.

 

 

2026 Senses are Like Roaming Lions

 

Five the lions, that roam the forest

The Five seeking their prey, get filled;

And to their caves the Five return;

If the claws and teeth of the Five you pull,

You shall sure the Lord reach.

 

 

2027 Senses are Like Ministers that Seek to Usurp the Body-Kingdom

 

Five are the ministers,

Ninety six (Tattvas) are within they,

The Five and their brood of sons within

Seek you to rule;

If the Five in their fiery passion stand,

Endless indeed is the tribute

That to the Five we are to pay.

 

 

2028 Without Sense Control Jiva is Like a Murderous Steed

 

I praise not daily

The Holy Light;

I speak not of Sakti

That is within there;

I conquer not the senses Five;

Unto a murderous steed headlong that races

Verily, am I.

 

 

2029 Control Desires, and Attain Bliss

 

Countless the holes

In this body's chamber dark;

If with the countless holes (desires) I run,

Faulty will my lot be;

If you run not

With the countless holes of desires,

Countless indeed the bliss you attain.

 

 

2030 Strength of Wisdom Leads to Higher Life

 

Of their Karma's strength is life here below,

Of their prayers' strength is life in heaven above,

Of their wisdom's strength is men's higher life;

Verily, of their strength of Grace

Is their way of life.

 

 

4 HOW TO CONTROL SENSES (WAY OF SUBLIMATION)

 

2031 Lord is a Fisher of Desires

 

One cubit its depth,

Half cubit its diameter,

Thus shaped round is the body pond;

The Fisherman (Lord) His net spreads;

Many the fish (of desires) He caught;

No more--the troubles I encounter.

 

 

2032 Control Senses and Become Immortal

 

The stirring Indriyas within the body dwell,

He who controls them is immortal verily;

If your thoughts seek the pleasure twain--

Food and sex,

Only that far will they last,

Until your breath lasts.

 

 

2033 Not Control But Sublimation of Senses is Wisdom's Way

 

"Control, control the senses Five,"

--Thus say those who know not;

None, not even the Immortals

The senses Five control;

When you the senses Five control

Verily are you an inert mass;

(There is a way alternate open)

Sublimate them toward the Lord

That Wisdom's Way, I learned.

 

 

2034 Mere Control Does Not Avail 7Loud they roar, the elephants in MAST triple, (Pasas)

 

I applied the goad of knowledge to them control;

But they romped about and in fury escaped,

They fat became, causing destruction in their train,

And sweet fields of sugarcane (goodly qualities) devastating.

 

 

2035 Sublimation is the Way to Grace

 

If the senses Five you sublimate

Then all worlds are yours;

That is tapas rare;

That is the Lord's Feet too;

That indeed is the way to Grace receive.

 

 

2036 Control of Thought is the Key to Control of Senses

 

Why drivel at length?

Why the mirage think of?

The thought is the seed

Of things all;

Expand your thought

The things too expand;

Contract your thought;

That is all there is to it,

For those who think about it.

 

 

2037 Control the Serpentine Thought in the Yoga Way of Kundalini

 

Knowing well how spent away you are

The Lord comes to dwell in the body

For the soul to lean on;

And He of blemishless fame

To aubdue the five-headed serpent

That in Pasa coiled lay,

Provides the fluted Sushumna

That central stands.

 

 

2038 Control Senses By Jnana Yoga

 

Tie the prancing senses five

To the post of Jnana that illumines;

Thus you attain Grace that is Bliss;

This the Way of Yore, high and true.

 

 

2039 Control Thought and Make it a Temple

 

Daily think of the Living Nandi

Gently control your thoughts distracting,

Course your thoughts through Muladhara,

Then your thoughts a temple become,

From north to south extending.

 

 

2040 Control Senses and Bear Your Troubles Gently

 

The hours sped,

The days many passed away;

Unto the writing on the water

Transitory your possessions are;

Conquer the senses,

Quickly give them up;

Then even if as mountain,

Your troubles roll on you

Well may you bear them, gently indeed.

 

 

2041 Redeem the Senses By Intelligence and Prayer

 

Praise the Holy Form

Of the Pure One;

Praise Him,

The Senses redeeming by intelligence;

In your heart welling up in love,

You shall become one with Him,

--He the Lord of directions four

And of beings, in others all.

 

 

2042 Senses Are Very Powerful

 

None knows that the senses Five,

Within body thoughts engrossing,

Slowly eat you away;

Do not take them lightly

And talk away;

They are verily unto a mountain range

That are by dark clouds capped.

 

 

2043 Give Up Nothing; But Sublimate Your Thought Towards God

 

There is nothing, you need give up;

The Five senses are organs false

That the five cravings to meet arose;

Reach to Him in your thoughts

And praise Him in songs sweet.