Did the Gayatri mantra vanish? Or it was hidden? -Thirumoolar

Mostly all of must be aware of this gayatri mantra. But this post is not about it, please read the title once again.

         

When we keep on repeating the same words or letters in a particular sequence continuously for many number of times then it turns into a power and protects the body and life of the one who chants it. This is the fundamental criteria of mantras.    

Out of such mantras gayatri mantra is the superior one. The one who chants it will attain all good only. Also no bad things will come to them is the belief.

It is also told that those who chants the gayathri mantra, they will be relieved from all the sins they did through mind, speech and body and they will attain the supreme being. As it lead us to reach the most higher state of wisdom i.e., reaching the supreme being (Brahmam), this gayatri mantra is called as ‘Brahmopadhesam'.

Another example to quote about the greatness of the gayatri manta is that the situation in Bagavat Gita where Lord Krishna has told the following:“In Vedas, I am living as the gayathri”.

Such a great gayatri mantra has been given to the world by Saint Viswamitra. He is the one with a great fame. In Gayatri mantra, kaayam (Gaya) refers to body, thiri (tri) refers to the tip of a lamp which means he has attained a body that brightly looks like a lamp. Due to the gayatri mantra and by worshipping of the Lordess Gayatri, mother of Vedas, Viswamitra attained all the theurgies and got the title as Brahmarishi. This is the gayatri mantra told by Viswamitra and it is told in Sanskrit.

"ஓம் பூர்: புவ: ஸுவ:

om poor: buva: suva:

தத் ஸவிதுர் வரேண்யம்

thath savithur varaenyam

பர்கோ தேவஸ்ய தீமஹி

pargo devasya theemahi

தியோ: யோந: ப்ரசோதயாத்

thiyo: yoana: prasoathayaath"

 Thirumoolar has told about this gayatri mantra in Tamil.

"காயத்திரியே கருது சாவித்திரி

kaayaththiriyae karuthu saaviththiri

ஆய்தற்க்குவப்பவர் மந்திரமாங்குன்னி

aaitharkuvappavar manthiramaangunni

நேயத்தேர்ரேறி நினைவுற்று நேயத்தாய்

naeyaththaerraeri ninaivutru naeyaththaai

மாயத்துள் தோயா மறையோர்கள் தாமே!

maayaththul thoayaa maraiyoarkal thaamae!"

- திருமூலர் (Thirumoolar)

Here begins the controversy. Almost all the Siththars have told all the mantras in Tamil. If that is the case, the gayatri mantra told by Thirumoolar is the one told in sanskrit? Did Siththars define a different gayatri mantra for themselves? For further details wait till the next post.

Mantra Yoga - "Panchatcharam" -Thirumoolar

Panchatcharam means made of five letters. It is the "Namasivaya (na-ma-si-va-ya)". 

In that word, Na refers to the earth, Ma refers to the water, Si refers to the fire, Va refers to the air, Ya refers to the sky.

Swathishtana, Manipuraga, Anagadha, Visuthi, Agnjai all these are dynamic centres which are nerve-plexuses in the body. All these corresponds to the panchapoothas* says Thirumoolar.

He also says the Namasivaya as Na refers to Swathishtana, Ma refers to Manipuraga, Si refers to Anagadha, Va refers to Visuthi, Ya refers to Agnjai.

Thirugnana Samandhar says that the word "Namasivaya" is the sole meaning of all the four vedas and is the supreme name for everything.

"காதலாகிக் கசிந்து கண்ணீர் மல்கி

kaathalaagik kasinthu kanneer malki

ஓதுவார்தமை நன்னெறிக்கு உய்ப்பது

oathuvaarthamai nannerikku uyppathu

வேதம் நான்கினும் மெய்ப்பொருளாவது

vaetham naankinum meypporulaavathu

நாதன் நாமம் நமசிவயவே 

naathan naamam Namasivayavae"

- திருஞான சம்பந்தர் (Thirugnana Sambandhar)

"நானேயோ தவம் செய்தேன் சிவயநம எனப் பெற்றேன் 

naanaeyoa thavam seythaen Sivayanama enap petraen"

says Manicka vaasagar about the greatness of panchatcharam.

"அஞ்சுக அஞ்செழுத்து உண்மை அறிந்தபின்

anjuga anjezhuththu unmai arinthapin

நெஞ்சுகத்து உள்ளே நிலையும் பராபரம்

nenjagaththu ullae nilaiyum paraaparam

வஞ்சகம் இல்லை மனைக்கும் அழிவில்லை

vanjagam illai manaikkum azivillai

தஞ்சம் இதுவென்று சாற்றுகின் றேனே

thanjam ithuvenru saatrukin raenae"

- திருமூலர் (Thirumoolar)

"சிவாயவொடு அவ்வே தெளிந்துஉளத்து ஓதச்

sivaayavodu avvae thelinthuulaththu oathach

சிவாயவொடு அவ்வே சிவனுரு வாகும்

sivaayavodu avvae sivanuru vaagum

சிவாயவொடு அவ்வும் தெளியவல் லார்கள்

sivaayavodu avvum theliyaval laarkal

சிவாயவொடு அவ்வே தெளிந்திருந் தாரே

sivaayavodu avvae thelinthirun thaarae"

- திருமூலர் (Thirumoolar)

says Thirumoolar about the greatness of panchatcharam.

"சிவாய மென்ற அக்கரம் சிவனிருக்கும் அக்கரம்

sivaaya menra akkaram sivanirukkum akkaram

உபாயம் என்று நம்புதற் குண்மை யான அக்கரம்

ubaayam enru nambuthar kunmai yaana akkaram

கபாடம் அற்ற வாசலைக் கடந்து போன வாயுவை

kabaadam atra vaasalaik kadanthu poana vaayuvai

உபாயம் இல்ல ழைக்கும் சிவய அஞ்செ ழுத்துமே

ubaayam illa zhaikkum sivaya anje zhuththumae"

- சிவவாக்கியார் (Sivavaakkiyar)

says Sivavaakkiyar about the greatness of panchatcharam.

In the next post we shall see about the sakthi mantra.

*Panjapootham - the five elements viz., earth, air, fire, water and sky.