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