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பரமசிவனின் அட்டவீரட்டானம் (paramasivanin aṭṭavīraṭṭānam – eight-fold valors of Supreme Shiva)

 

Again, according to शैवमत संप्रदाय (śaivamata saṃpradāya – shaiva theological tradition), there are famous legends around அட்ட வீரட்டானம் (aṭṭa vīraṭṭānam – eight-fold manifestation of valor) viz. संहार (brahma sahāra), काल संहार (kāla sahāra), गजासुर संहार (gajāsura sahāra), जलन्धरासुर संहार (jalandharāsura sahāra) & अन्धकासुर संहार (andhakāsura sahāra) also highlights similar accounts of forceful correction of the defaulting souls by Lord परमशिव (paramaśiva) and each of them has a deeper esoteric significance as summarized in the following table.

#வீரட்டானம் (vīraṭṭānam - manifestation of valour)Esoteric Meaningசிவதாண்டவம் (sivatāṇḍavam– Dance of Siva)சிவாலயம் (sivālayam – Shiva Temple)
1ब्रह्म संहार (brahma saṁhāra)बिन्धु जय (bindhu jaya) by arousing the मूलाग्नि (mūlāgni – root fire)கபால தாண்டவம் (kabāla tāṇḍavam)கண்டியூர் (kaṇḍiyūr)
2काल संहार (kāla saṁhāra)அங்கி யோகம் (aṅgi yogam)கால சம்மார தாண்டவம் (kālasammāra tāṇḍavam)திருக்கடவூர் (tirukkaḍavūr)
3त्रिपुर संहार (tripura saṁhāra)மலபரிபாகம் (malaparibāgam – ripening of fetter)திரிபுர சம்மார தாண்டவம் (tiripura sammāra tāṇḍavam)திருவதிகை (tiruvadigai)
4गजासुर संहार (gajāsura saṁhāra)முத்தீ சிறப்பு (muttī ciṛappu – glory of triple fires)கஜ சம்மார தாண்டவம் (gajasammāra tāṇḍavam)திருவழுவூர் (tiruvazhuvūr)
5जलन्धरासुर संहार (jalandharāsura saṁhāra)वायु योग साधन (vāyu yoga sādhana)ஜலந்தர சம்மார தாண்டவம் (jalandara sammāra tāṇḍavam)திருவிற்குடி (tiruviṛkuḍi)
6दक्ष संहार (dakṣa saṁhāra)शिवराज योग (śivarāja yoga)தக்கன் சம்மார தாண்டவம் (dakkan sammāra tāṇḍavam)திருப்பறியலூர் (tiruppaṛiyalūr)
7अन्धकासुर संहार (andhakāsura saṁhāra)अज्ञान बाधन (ajñāna bādhana – ignorance removal)அந்தகாசுரவத தாண்டவம் (andakāsuravada tāṇḍavam)திருக்கோவலூர் (tirukkOvalūr)
8काम संहार (kāma saṁhāra)ब्रह्म संहार (brahma saṁhāra)கொறுக்கை சாந்த தாண்டவம் (koṛukkai sānta tāṇḍavam)बिन्धु जय (bindhu jaya – semen victory) by arousing the मूलाग्नि (mūlāgni – root fire)

We may not be going through each of them in great detail. However we will deep dive into some of these stories in order to understand its esoteric secrets. 

दक्ष संहार (dakṣa saṁhāra – killing of Daksha)

According to the legend of दक्ष संहार (daka sahāra), दक्ष (daka) who is the son of Lord ब्रह्म देव (brahma deva) had once insulted his daughter Goddess सती /दाक्षायणी (dākṣāyaṇī / satī) and her husband शिव (śiva) by not formally inviting them to the महा यज्ञ  (mahā yajña – great sacrifice) that he was performing, although he had invited everyone else including ब्रह्म (brahma), विष्णु (viṣṇu). इन्द्र (indra) etc.

Upset by her father’s attitude, सती (satī) questioned him about his disrespect towards Her beloved husband - शिव (śiva),  who was none other than Absolute Divinity. Unfortunately instead of repenting his mistake, दक्ष (daka) had even more openly ridiculed his son-in-law as an uncouth, ill-deserving and uncivilised personality. Naturally, सती (satī) could not take the insults about Her husband and thus self-immolated herself into Yogic Fire and ended Herself to unite with Her Lord again as Goddess श्री पार्वती देवी (śrī pārvatī devī). In occult terms this corresponds to arousal of the कुण्डलिनी शक्ति  (kuṇḍalinī śakti – biomagnetic energy) across various आधार चक्राः (ādhāra cakrāḥ - base centres).  The following verses in the सती खाण्ड (satī khāṇḍa) of the रुद्र संहिता (rudra saṃhitā) from the शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa) provides a very detailed account of the same

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
॥ब्रह्मोवाच॥
मौनी भूता सती देवी समृत्वा स्वपतिमादरात्।
क्षितवुदीच्यां सहसा निषसाद् प्रशांतदीः॥
जलमाचम्य विधिवत् संवृता वाससा शुचिः।
दृङ्निमील्य पतिं स्मृत्वा योगमार्गं समाविशत्॥
कृत्वासमानावनिलौ प्राणापनौ सितानना।
उत्थाप्योदानमथ च यत्थात्सा नाभिचक्रत्ः॥
हृदि स्थाप्योरसि धिया स्थितं कंठाद् भ्रुवोस्सती।
अनिंदितान्यन्मध्यं शंकरप्राणवल्लभा॥
एवं स्वदेहं सहसा दक्षकोपाज्जिहासती।
दग्धे गात्रे वायुशुचिधारणं योगमार्गतः॥

॥brahmovāca॥
maunī bhūtā satī devī samṛtvā svapatimādarāt।
kṣitavudīcyāṃ sahasā niṣasād praśāṃtadīḥ॥
jalamācamya vidhivat saṃvṛtā vāsasā śuciḥ।
dṛṅnimīlya patiṃ smṛtvā yogamārgaṃ samāviśat॥
kṛtvāsamānāvanilau prāṇāpanau sitānanā।
utthāpyodānamatha ca yatthātsā nābhicakratḥ॥
hṛdi sthāpyorasi dhiyā sthitaṃ kaṃṭhād bhruvossatī।
aniṃditānyanmadhyaṃ śaṃkaraprāṇavallabhā॥
evaṃ svadehaṃ sahasā dakṣakopājjihāsatī।
dagdhe gātre vāyuśucidhāraṇaṃ yogamārgataḥ॥
Brahma said,
Observing silence and remembering her lord with great respect, Sati the goddess calmed down and sat on the ground in the northern wing.
Having sipped water duly, covering up her body entirely with her cloth she closed her eyes and remembered her lord. She then entered yogic trance.
Keeping her face steady she balanced the winds Prana and Apana. She then lifted up the wind Udana from the umblical region, stabilized it in the cardiac region took it through the throat and finally fixed it in the middle of the eyebrows.
She desired to cast-off her body due to her anger with Daksha. She desired to burn off the body and retain the pure wind by yogic means. In this posture she remembered the feet of her lord and nothing else.
Her body divested of its sins fell in the yogic fire and was reduced to ashes, O excellent sage, in accordance with her own wish

-Translation by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Sanskrit Reference: शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa) (30.2-8)


When शिव (śiva) heard about this tragedy, He threw few strands of his hair against a mountain which split the mountain into two halves and from each of which emerged two fierce deities - श्री वीरभद्र (śrī vīrabhadra) & श्री भद्रकाली (śrī bhadrakālī). And as instructed by His Master शिव (śiva), श्री वीरभद्र (śrī vīrabhadra) destroyed the ongoing ego-centric  दक्ष यज्ञ (dakṣa yajña) and finally beheaded him


Later the all-merciful सर्व दयालु महा शिव (śiva – all merciful supreme shiva), took pity on दक्ष (daka) and revived him back to life by joining the अजस्य शीर्ष  (ajasya śīrṣa - head of a goat) with his body after which दक्ष (daka)  was a spiritually transformed soul.  

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
इदम् अद्य मया लब्धम् इमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।
इदम् अस्तीदम् अपि मे भविष्यति पुनर् धनम्॥
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर् हनिष्ये चापरानपि।
ईश्वरोऽहं अहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान् सुखी॥
आḍह्योऽभिजनवान् अस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृइषो मया।
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्य् अज्ञान-विमोहिताः॥
अनेक-चित्त-विभ्रान्ता मोह-जाल-समावृताः।
प्रसक्ताः काम-भोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ॥
आत्म-सम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धन-मान-मदान्विताः।
यजन्ते न्āम-यज्ञैस् ते दम्भेनाविधि-पूर्वकम्॥
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च सन्ष्रिताः।
माम् आत्म-पर-देहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः॥
तान् अहं द्विषतḥ क्रूरान् सन्सारेषु नराधमन्।
क्षिपाम्यजस्रम् अशुभान् आसुर्īष्व् एव योनिषु॥
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूḍहा जन्मनि जन्मनि।
माम् अप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्य् अधमां गतिम्॥
- श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता (16.13-20)
idam adya mayā labdham imaṃ prāpsye manoratham।
idam astīdam api me bhaviṣhyati punar dhanam॥
asau mayā hataḥ śhatrur haniṣhye chāparān api।
īśhvaro ’ham ahaṃ bhogī siddho ’haṃ balavān sukhī॥
āḍhyo ’bhijanavān asmi ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛiśho mayā।
yakṣhye dāsyāmi modiṣhya ity ajñāna-vimohitāḥ॥
aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ।
prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣu patanti narake'śucau॥
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ।
yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam॥
ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca sanṣritāḥ।
mām ātma-para-deheṣu pradviṣanto'bhyasūyakāḥ॥
tān ahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrān sansāreṣu narādhaman।
kṣipāmyajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu॥
āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani।
mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṃ gatim॥
The demoniac persons think, “I have gained so much wealth today, and I shall now fulfill this desire of mine. This is mine, and tomorrow I shall have even more. That enemy has been destroyed by me, and I shall destroy the others too! I am like God himself, I am the enjoyer, I am powerful, and I am happy. I am wealthy and I have highly placed relatives. Who else is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifices (to the celestial gods); I shall give alms; I shall rejoice.” In this way, they are deluded by ignorance.
Possessed and led astray by such imaginings, enveloped in a mesh of delusion, and addicted to the gratification of sensuous pleasures, they descend to the murkiest hell.
Such self-conceited and stubborn people, full of pride and arrogant in their wealth, perform ostentatious sacrifices in name only, with no regard to the rules of the scriptures.
Blinded by egotism, strength, arrogance, desire, and anger, the demonic abuse my presence within their own body and in the bodies of others..
These cruel and hateful persons, the vile and vicious of humankind, I constantly hurl into the wombs of those with similar demoniac natures in the cycle of rebirth in the material world. These ignorant souls take birth again and again in demoniac wombs. Failing to reach me, O Arjun, they gradually sink to the most abominable type of existence.


Translation by Swami Mukundananda
Sanskrit Reference : श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता (śrīmadbhagavadgītā) (16.13-20)


This main crux of this incident, of course with some minor varioations, is referred in various orthdox Hindu scriptures including महाभारत (mahābhārata), श्रीमद्भागवतपुराण (śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇa), विष्णुपुराण (viṣṇupurāṇa), वायुपुराण (vāyupurāṇa), स्कन्दपुराण (skandapurāṇa) and also in various Tamil scriptures including தேவாரம் (dEvāram), திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram) etc. For example, திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram)  recalls the event thus. 

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
கொலையிற் பிழைத்த பிரசா பதியைத்
தலையைத் தடிந்திட்டுத் தானங்கி யிட்டு
நிலையுல குக்கிவன் வேண்டுமென் றெண்ணித்
தலையை யரிந்திட்டுச் சந்திசெய் தானே
kolayiṛ pihaitta pirsāpadiyait
talaiyait taḍintiṭṭut tān aṅgiyiṭṭu
nilaiyulagukkivan vEṇḍumenṛṇṇit
talayai yarinṭṭiṭuc sandiseitānE
Daksha, the son of Brahma fatally erred;
Deadly was his sin
To defy the Lord's primacy;
And the Lord smote his head
And consigned it to flames
And then bethought;
"Such like are needed for this world
An object lesson to serve"
And so, fixing a sheep's head to the trunk
Thus let him be..
-translation by B.Natarajan
Tamil Reference: திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram) (2.2 (340))


One might wonder, as to why
दक्ष (daka)  was given a such a terrible punishment. For afterall, he was without doubt a महा तपस्विन् (mahā tapasvin – great ascetic) who was performing the महा यज्ञ  (mahā yajña – great sacrifice). In fact, that is why even महा विष्णु  (mahā viṣṇu) initially renderd His support to दक्ष (daka)  when श्री वीरभद्र (śrī vīrabhadra) tried to destroy the दक्ष यज्ञ (dakṣa yajña – Daksha’s sacrifice). However, please be informed that this does not mean that महा विष्णु  (mahā viṣṇu) endorsed all the acts of दक्ष (daka). The former very categorically called ‘a spade a spade’ by warning  दक्ष (daka) that he had done a grave mistake (sin) by not inviting Lord परमशिव (paramaśiva) who is the परब्रह्म (parabrahma – absolute divinity) to the यज्ञ (yajña – sacrifice).

Yet, at the same time, as सर्व दयालु महा विष्णु  (sarva dayālu  mahā viṣṇu – all mercful supreme Vishnu) was playing the role of the सार्वत्रिक रक्षक (sārvatrika rakṣaka  - Universal Protector), wanted to give (even) the devil its (rightful) due and therefore as committed by Him, tried to protect the दक्ष यज्ञ (dakṣa yajña – Daksha’s sacrifice) against the attack of श्री वीरभद्र (śrī vīrabhadra) - who is none other than an शिवस्य अंश (śivasya aṃśa – aspect of Shiva).

Just because महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu) had confronted श्री वीरभद्र (śrī vīrabhadra), please do not fall easy prey to sectarian misinterpretations that महा विष्णु (mahā viṣṇu) was antagonistic to परमशिव (paramaśiva). Both are afterall relative aspects of the same Absolute Divinity.This fact is very categorically testified by none other than Lord परमशिव (paramaśiva) in the शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa)

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
सर्वभूतात्मनामेकभावनां यो न पश्यति।
त्रिसुराणां भिदाम् दक्ष स शान्तिमथिगच्छति॥
यः करोति त्र्देवेषु भेदवृद्धिः नरघमः।
नरके स वसेत्रूनं यवदाचन्द्रतारकम्॥
sarvabhūtātmanāmekabhāvanāṃ yo na paśyati।
trisurāṇāṃ bhidām dakṣa sa śāntimathigacchati॥
yaḥ karoti trdeveṣu bhedavṛddhiḥ naraghamaḥ।
narake sa vasetrūnaṃ yavadācandratārakam॥
He attains peace, who does not seeany difference among the three deities who constitute the soul of all living-beings and who have the same innate properties, O Daksha.
The base man who differntiates the deities of the Trinity certainly stays in hell as long as the moon and the stars shine.,

-Translation by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers

Sanskrit Reference: शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa) (43.16-17)

Please remember here that from a spiritual perspective, performing any यज्ञ (yajña – sacrifice)  without contemplating on देवत्व (devatva - divinity) reduces to mere mechanical gymnastics of the egoistic mind without arousing the higher realms of अन्तर्यामि परब्रह्म (antaryāmi parabrahma – indwelling supreme divinity). This is exactly what both सती (satī) & विष्णु  (viṣṇu) in their respective roles had pointed out to दक्ष (daka). In fact, this is the main moral of the episode which शिव (śiva) also reiterates thus after reviving दक्ष (daka) back to life:

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
ज्ञानगम्योऽहमात्मन्यो वेदान्तश्रुतिपारगैः।
विना ज्ञानेमां प्राप्तुं यतन्ते जात्यबुद्धयः॥
न वेदैश्च न यज्ञैश्च न दानैस्तपसा क्रिचित् ।
न शकुवन्ति मां प्राप्तु मूठाः कर्मवज्ञा नगः॥
केवलं कर्मणा त्वं स्म संसारं तर्तुमिच्छसि।
अत एवाभवं रुष्टो यज्ञविध्वंसकारकः॥
इतः प्रभ्ति भो दक्ष! मत्वा मा परमेश्वरम्।
बुध्यो ज्ञानपरो भूत्वा कुरुकर्म समाहितः॥

jñānagamyo'hamātmanyo vedāntaśrutipāragaiḥ।
vinā jñānemāṃ prāptuṃ yatante jātyabuddhayaḥ॥
na vedaiśca na yajñaiśca na dānaistapasā kricit ।
na śakuvanti māṃ prāptu mūṭhāḥ karmavajñā nagaḥ॥
kevalaṃ karmaṇā tvaṃ sma saṃsāraṃ tartumicchasi।
ata evābhavaṃ ruṣṭo yajñavidhvaṃsakārakaḥ॥
itaḥ prabhti bho dakṣa! matvā mā parameśvaram।
budhyo jñānaparo bhūtvā kurukarma samāhitaḥ॥

I am the knower of the self. I can be known through knowledge by those who have mastered Vedanta and the Vedas.
Deluded men engrossed in rituals alone cannot attain me through the Vedas, sacrifices, gifts or austerities,
You wished to cross the ocean of worldly existence by observance of rituals alone. That is why I became angry and caused the destruction of the sacrifice.
Hereafter O Daksha, thinking upon me as the great Lord and giving more importance to knowledge you carry on rituals with care and attention.

-Translation by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Sanskrit Reference: शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa) (43.16-17)


The same esoteric moral is also reiterated by திருமூலர் (tirumūlar) in his magnum opus  திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram)  wherein he advises thus: 

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
செவிமந் திரஞஂசொல்லுஞஂ செயஂதவத் தேவர்
அவிமந் திரத்தினஂ அடுக்களை கோலிச்
செவிமந் திரஞஂசெயஂது தாமுற நோகுஙஂ
குவிமந் திரஙஂகொலஂ கொடியது வாமே

ceviman tiranjollunj seitavat tevar
aviman tirattin aḍukkaḻai kOlic
seviman tiranjeitu tāmua nOkun
kuviman tiraṅkol koḍiyadu vāmE
Who should Upadesa mantra chant,
Instead in self-seeking power evoke
Sacrificial mantras in Japas numberless
That verily will spell
Their own deadly end.

-translation by B.Natarajan
Tamil Reference: திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram) (2.21 (359))

    The important moral to understand here is that although दक्ष (daka) was performing the महा यज्ञ साधन (mahā yajña sādhana – great sacrificial rite), yet was driven by his साहङ्कारता (sāhaṅkāratā – self-conceit) that he is performing the entire rite with his own दक्षता / योग्यता (dakṣatā / yogyatā – ability/competence), विद्या (vidyā - knowledge) and शक्ति (śakti - power) without realizing the fact that அவனின்றி ஒரு அணுவும் அசையாது (avaninṛi or aṇuvum asaiyādu – even an atom cannot move without Him).  In epistemological terms दक्ष (daka) due to the dominance of आणव मल (āṇava mala – finitude fetter) failed to realize that परमशिव (paramaśiva – supreme divinity) is the अन्तिम आधार (antima ādhāra – ultimate foundation) and the subject as well as the object of knowledge.  Beheading दक्ष (daka) i.e. severing of his head, corresponds to crushing of such a egoistic delusion.  

 In fact, the famous saint கண்ணுடய வள்ளல் (kaṇṇuḍaya vaḻlal) in the following verse from his famous masterpiece  ஒழிவில் ஒடுக்கம் (ozhivil oḍukkam – subsiding through elimination)  very categorically reiterates thus:

OriginalTransliterationTranslation
தம்மால் அறிந்ததெலஂலாம் தாமல்ல வெனஂறுறைத்தாற்
சும்மா விருப்பதுவாய்த் தோன்றாதோ - விம்மி
யரிந்தலை வாய் அடங்கு மவ்வளவே யல்லாற்
றெரிந்திடுமோ நீயே தெளி.
மறவாத தம்மை யார்யார் மருளோ
வருவோ விடயம் போலாகி - லறிவை
யறிவதரி வாகையினா லாராருங் தாத்தா
மரிவையறி எப்போ லாரி .
ஊன்றி நிலாமசையி நாட்டை மொழிந்த சிவன்
டொன்ராட் துனியுனக்குத் தோன்றுமோ - தோன்றின்
வீரனுடியட் தீண்டுவது போல் வாய்முகத்தை னென்று
சிரிப்பதுபோற் பார்த்துத் தெளி.
பற்றியது தானாம் பதிகநீ பற்றுவிடப்
பற்றை யெதிரிட்டுப் பார்தாலென் - சற்றும்
பிறியாச் சிவனைப் பிறித்தறியத் தேடு
மறியாமை காணா ணவம்.
tammāl aṛindhadhellām thāmalla venṛuṛaiththāṛ
cummā viruppadhuvāith thonṛyādho vimmi
yarindhalai vāi adaṇgu mavvaḻave yallā
ṛerindhidumO nīyE theḻi.
maṛavāda tammai yaṛiyār maruḻo
vaṛivo viḍayam polāgi - lṛivai
yaṛivataṛi vāgayinā lāṛāṛun tattha
maṛivaiyai yāpo laṛi.
ūnṛi nilamasaiyi nāta moindha civan
tonṛāt tuṇiayunakkut toṇṛumo - tonṛin
viranutiyat tīṇḍuvatu pol vāymugattai nenṛu
ciripadhupoṛ pārttuth theḻi.
paṛyadu tānām paḍiganī pauvidap
paai yetiriṭṭu pārttālen - caum
piiyāc civanaip piittaiyat tEḍu
maiyāmai kāṇā ṇavam.

Since it is said [in the Vedas and Agamas] that all that one knows is not oneself, is it not evident that simply remaining still is to dwell as That (i.e. the Self, Brahman or Sivam)? Although its mouth may open and close, does a severed head know anything? Ascertain the truth for yourself.
If the Self, which neither knows nor forgets, is regarded as an object by those who would know it, is this delusion, or is it knowledge? To know consciousness is simply to remain as consciousness. Therefore know that, in one sense, consciousness is like the thirty-six tattvas, each of which, respectively, is not aware of its own knowledge (i.e. does not possess self-consciousness).
Will Sivam, your unseen support, which is beyond even the nada tattva, ever be known objectively by you? It would be as if you could lift the earth itself using a lever. If it did appear to you, it would be like a finger touching its own tip, or a mouth eating its own face and laughing about it. Consider and know.
You are like a clear crystal that takes on the colour of its background. Why then, in order to be free of attachment, do you attempt to know objectively the [true] attachment, [which is Sivam]? Know that the ignorance which attempts to know Sivam as an object separate from itself is known as anavam.

-translation by Robert Butler

Tamil Reference: ஒழிவில் ஒடுக்கம் (ozhivil oḍukkam) (37 - 40)


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