TIRUMANTIRAM: A Tamil Scriptural Classic Tirumular

Tirumantiram is the seminal text of Saiva – Siddhanta which has produced a galaxy of saints and has powerfully influenced the day-to-day life of millions in South India, generation after generation. Its author Tirumular was, according to legend, a yogi who took compassion on a herd of cattle that had lost their shepherd and entering the body of the shepherd by his yogic power, continued to look after the flock. So when we find in this great classic such splendid gems as 'anbe Sivam' – God is Love – we realize that the Ultimate Reality is One and all of us belong to the same family has special relevance to us moderns, who have lost our moorings of faith and are 'wandering between two worlds, one dead, the other powerless to be born.'

Apart from its literary merits, Tirumantiram blazes a number of spiritual trails any of which the aspirant can follow with the full confidence that the Goal Supreme is within his reach.

Very little is known of the legendary Tirumular who is traditionally considered to be a Siva Yogi hailing from the North and settled down in the south at Thiruvavaduthurai. We do not know how and when the 3000 verses were recorded but it is acknowledged that they form the nucleus for the Saiva Siddhanta that developed in Tamil Nadu. Besides the tenets found in Saiva Siddhanta, we find in Tirumantiram doctrines common to Tantras. On the whole, the vision of Tirumantiram is liberal and is as relevant today as when the work was first composed. It equated Love with Godhead in the famous Mantra 'Anbe Sivam'. It preaches that God is one and so is mankind too. This is a splendid echo of the Rig Vedic dictum Ekam sat vipra bahudha Vadanti- Reality is one, though the sages speak of it variously. This non-sectarian approach to the Ultimate Reality I happily the tradition of the South as much as the North.

The English translation and part o the notes are by the late Dr. B. Natarajan who was not only a profound Tamil Scholar, but also a noted economist. Sri M. Sudararaj IRAS has furnished a running commentary on the verses which we have incorporated in the Introduction he has also supplied critical notes in addition to those written by Dr. Natarajan.

We are very thankful to Dr. N. Mahalingam, the generous industrialist and Tamil-lover, who has not only functioned a the General editor of this book but has also substantially subsidized the publication.

We hope that this great scriptural text well enable the readers to feel the touch of the One in the play of the many. 

Article Courtesy of Publisher

Sri Ramakrishna Math

March 1991.

The Content

CONTENTS

	Publisher's Note	iii
	Introduction	vii
	Prologue	1
	In praise of God	3
	Special Introduction	3
	Greatness of Vedas	9
	The Greatness of the Agamas	10
	The Guru Hierarchy	11
	History of Tirumular	12
	In Humility	15
	The Glory of the Holy Hymns Three thousand	15
	The Spiritual Hierarchy	16
	The Three Gods	16
1	TANTRA ONE	18
2	TANTRA TWO	52
3	TANTRA THREE	86
4	TANTRA FOUR	141
5	TANTRA FIVE	219
6	TANTRA SIX	246
7	TANTRA SEVEN	267
8	TAsNTRA EIGHT	332
9	TANTRA NINE	410

Om - An Inquiry into its Aesthetics, Mysticism, and Philosophy

In the Chandogya Upanishad it is said:

The essence of all beings is the earth.

The essence of the earth is water.

The essence of water is the plant.

The essence of the plant is man.

The essence of man is speech. 

The essence of speech is the Rigveda. 

The essence of Rigveda is the Samveda. 

The essence of Samveda is OM.

Thus OM is the best of all essences, deserving the highest place. Visually, OM is represented by a stylized pictograph.

A deeper insight into this mystic symbol reveals that it is composed of three syllables combined into one, not like a physical mixture but more like a chemical combination. Indeed in Sanskrit the vowel 'o' is constitutionally a diphthong compound of a + u; hence OM is representatively written as AUM.

Fittingly, the symbol of AUM consists of three curves (curves 1, 2, and 3), one semicircle (curve 4), and a dot.

The large lower curve 1 symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common ('majority') state of the human consciousness.

The upper curve 2 denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream.

The middle curve 3 (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds an enthralling view of the world behind the lids of the eyes.

These are the three states of an individual's consciousness, and since Indian mystic thought believes the entire manifested reality to spring from this consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon.

The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence This utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states. ( Article by Nitin Kumar 2011)

Evolution of Buddha

 

Evolution of Buddha

Under the benevolent patronage and inspiration of the Gupta rulers (320 - 646 AD), the art of sculpture attained its all-time height. The Buddha images of Mathura and Gandhara phases were definitely magnificent and gorgeous, but the Gupta images were not only different but also without a parallel before and after. In accordance with the artistic perception of a spiritual image and of the era, these Buddha images of the subsequent period have enshrining on their faces a kind of celestial calm, serenity, a gentle smile, divine glow and unique composure. (illus) With a distinction of its own, there developed at Sarnath a great center of Buddhism and Buddhist art. Sarnath came out with its own image of Buddha, unique in its spiritual perception and enchanting in aesthetic glow. 

There enshrines upon the lips of Sarnath Buddha image a gentle celestial smile and on the calm oval face the lyrical tenderness of a full blooming rose. It has retained the long earlobes of the Mathura image but its massive physiognomy has been replaced by a tender slender figure with long arms and fine delicate long fingers. The robe has greater transparency as has a wet silk garment. The image has greater thematic thrust and is more expressive. Embellishment becomes more pronounced and the earlier halo has now a more decorative character.(Article courtesy exoticindiaart.com/article/lordbuddha

The Buddha Face (Carved In Relief) Wall Hanging
Wood
32 inch X 24 inch X 1 inch
8.6 kg
Item Code: XP42
Price: $595.00
Further details click here

Contact: exoticasianart@gmail.com

Krishna Batik Art

The Fortunate Flute

 Here we have an authentic looking Krishna and his flute artwork called 'The Fortunate Flute' that depicts the fine and delicate features of Batik on Cotton.

" The rivers, which like a mother, nourished the bamboo of which the flute is made, and thus partook in the latter's pleasure, express their ecstasy with the blooming of lotuses (like hair standing on their ends with joy). The bamboos (parents of the flute), shed drops of dew, like elderly people shedding tears of joy to find a great devotee born in their lineage". (Bhagavata Purana 10.21.9)

Subject: The Fortunate Flute
Material : Batik On Cotton

Size: 2.9 ft x 2.8 ft

Availability: Only One Piece

For more details contact exoticasianart@gmail.com

Theory is that  Batik art went from the Coromandel Coast in India to Southeast Asia which in turn developed its own designs and really came to be known to the world from Indonesia. In fact “batik” is a Javanese word meaning wax painting. Batik later came to be revived in Shantiniketan, near Calcutta, and has now gone to many parts of India, including Calcutta. 

The best materials for batik paintings are cotton, silk and rayon. Among these, cotton is the best suited. The surface of the material should be as smooth as possible. The choice of fabric depends on what one is going to do with the batik piece. The material should be free of starch and properly ironed. The dyes for batik are called ‘naphthol dyes’. They are also known as cold or ice dyes. (Description by exoticindiaart.com/paintings/Batik/).

Batik Abstract Paintings

Elephanta

Batik is a form of artwork that depicts various vibrant and delightful colours. Today Batik is famous worldwide. Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are found in (particularly) in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Japan, China, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Senegal, Nigeria and more. Now, not only is batik used as a material to clothe the human body, its uses also include furnishing fabrics, heavy canvas wall hangings, tablecloths and household accessories. Batik techniques are used by famous artists to create batik paintings, which grace many homes and offices. Depending on the quality of the art work, craftsmanship, and fabric quality, batik can be priced from several dollars (for fake poor quality batik) to several thousand dollars (for the finest batik tulis halus which probably took several months to make). Batik tulis has both sides of the cloth ornamented.

For special occasions, batik was formerly decorated with gold leaf or dust. This cloth is known as prada (a Javanese word for gold) cloth. Gold decorated cloth is still made today; however, gold paint has replaced gold dust and leaf. The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from indigenous designs, Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks. Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, or wax recipes with different resist values. They may work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper, or even wood and ceramics. (Cited wikipedia.org/wiki/Batik).

Here we have the Wild Horse Batik painting on Cotton. The artwork depicts the horse majectically  as it may look. The are also various art piece of such as shown below. 

The Wild Horse

Do contact exoticasianart@gmail.com for further inquiry. 

Nadaraja

             
                           

Royal Elephant

The performers

Goddess Lakshmi Painting

One of its kind artwork, Lakshmi, thy name represents the goddess as manifesting abundance, fertility and accomplishment – her main attributes in scriptures.  Richly bejeweled in heavy gold ornaments embedded with precious gems carrying in one hand a pot of gold believed to be filled with riches, and holding in the other a rich treasure as ornaments, the goddess is abundance incarnate. From the sacred pot in her left hand – symbolic of the earth, there shower the grains, the fertility defined, and the lotus she rises along as also the pot itself stand for accomplishment. 

Specifications:

Category: Fine Art (Code OT63)

Type: Painting
Subject: Lakshmi, The Goddess of Abundance

Material: Oil on Canvas

Style: Realist
Size: 35 inch X 59 inch (Without Frame)

        43 inch X 66.6 (With Frame)
Availability: One piece only
Contact exoticasianart@gmail.com for further details about this artwork.

Essentially auspicious the goddess has behind her a form of an elephant with a coiled hind part. Auspicious in tradition it is symbolic also of the elephant god Ganesha. The source of all energies, even dormant and concealed lying coiled within, the goddess has behind her in the form of the elephant’s hind part a ‘kundalini’ form – the graphic representation of coiled energies. When kindled this ‘kundalini’ endows the being with immeasurable energies.

The figure of the normal two-armed goddess, rare in lustre and unsurpassed in beauty, has been conceived with an oval roundish face, well fed cheeks, large lampblack-coloured eyes that inspire reverence, broad forehead affording due contrast to ornaments worn around, fine features, trimmed eyebrows, cute small lips, and well defined neck with a choker inlaid with precious stones covering its entire rise and a series of various artistically designed pendants suspending along lying on breast that a garland consisting of large flowers of gold frames. The artist has displayed great ingenuity in representing the background which, otherwise a flat perspective, obtains the effect of three dimensions merely by varying the levels of the colours’ depth that he has used, especially the tones of black, which added, the scarlet zones appear to be moving and with such moves the canvas seems to recede backwards creating dimensional effect. (Description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain)

Contact exoticasianart@gmail.com for further details about this artwork . Click on image below for enlargement.

Lakshmi Goddess of Abundance

Batik Painting of Ganesha

Lord Ganesha The Auspicious

Ganesha revered as the Lord of Auspicious in Hindu religion.He the son of father Shiva and mother Parvathi, is the obstacle remover and is worshipped first prior to any events including poojas, weddings and etc. His huge belly, containing the world, is surmounted by his elephant head, signifying the world beyond, the metaphysical reality. The head is maimed; it has only one tusk, thus signifying the power of the number one, whence all numbers have their beginning. Installation of Ganesha is vital to prevent any mishaps during any auspicious event. Here the batik painting of Ganesha on cotton resembled as an Art. 

Contact us at exoticasianart@gmail.com for further inquiries.

Specifications;

Category / Type: Fine Arts / Paintings

Subject: Lord Ganesha The Auspicious  

Size: 2.5 ft x 3.8 ft

Material:Batik Painting On Cotton

Availability: Only one in stock

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