#Tiru_manthiram_of_Tirumūlar

This monumental work of a Siddha poet called ‘Tirumūlar’ consists of 3000 verses under 9 ‘tantras’.The verses have a deep meaning to those who delve into them,& a plain meaning with alliterative words to a lay reader.
This Siddha is said to have come

down from the Himālayās to the Vindhyādri which the great Sage, Agastya had adopted as his abode to learn Tamizh.
“ என்னை நன்றாக இறைவன் படைத்தன-ன்
தன்னை நன்றாகத் தமிழ் செய்யுமாறே”"
“God created me well-endowed
So I sing his glory in Tamizh loud”
- Here God refers to Śiva & the

purpose of the poet’s creation is to explain the Śivāgamas in a work that is intelligible to those immersed in it.
-
Why the title which can be translated as ‘Śrīmantra’?
‘Tolkāppiyam’ says:

நிறைமொழி மாந்தர் ஆணையிற் கிளந்த
மறைமொழி தானே மந்திரம் என்ப”

Mantrās are those cryptic

.words acknowledged
As are commended by bards of
mystic knowledge,
Culled out from the hidden treasure of Vedas & Scriptures.
-
Let us savour a few gems from this work in a language most of us are condemned to be familiar with!

#Tiru_manthiram

|The game of dice played by God|

காயம் பலகை கவறைந்து கண் மூன்று
ஆயம் பொருவது ஓர் ஐம்பத்தோரக்கரம்
ஏய பெருமான் இருந்து பொருகின்ற
மாயக் கவற்றின் மறைப்பு அறியேனே
~
Plain meaning:

Seen clearly are the game board,
The chessmen five, three are the places coveted,

..Places there are fifty-one
And the man is playing alone with his partner (God) seen nowhere!
And he loses the game & doesn’t understand the reason for his defeat!
—
Hidden meaning:
Life is a game for any creation, but is governed by the ‘five’ acts of God (creation,nurturing

Concealing, destruction & liberation)
The five elements making up the human body are the chessmen.
The three states - wakefulness, dream & sleep are the three places (states).
The fifty-one letters of the (Sanskrit) alphabet are the basis of all scriptures & mantras with which

..one can elevate oneself!

God has given all these tools for the human beings to elevate themselves, but they choose a game of dice and find themselves losing.

Concealed, God wins the game!

And liberates the soul of human beings, performing his fifth function!

#Tirumanthiram
தூறு படரந்து கிடந்தது தூநெறி
மாறிக் கிடக்கும் வகை அறிவார் இல்லை
மாறிக் கிடக்கும் வகை அறிவாளருக்கு
ஊறிக் கிடக்கும் என் உள்ளன்பு தானே!
~
Plain meaning:

The good path to the town is now infested with bushes toxic
No one knows how to make it clean again
Very few

..who may know the ways & means
As to clear the bushes
Let’s love & follow them!
-
Inner meaning:

The path to Śiva’s abode
Is clear from the Śiva-Āgamas,
But the path is obstructed
By false precepts& stories in PurāNas.
Those who only hear them find the true way blocked.
Better

.. to follow the true path,
which only the Śaiva-Āgama preceptors know,
Love to follow their true knowledge & reach Śiva’s abode!

#Tirumanthiram

Four Palms At the Crossroads!
-
ஆறு தெருவில் அகப்பட்ட சந்தியில்
சாறு படுவன நான்கு பனைஉள
ஏறற்கு அரியதோர் ஏணியிட்டு அப்பனை
ஏறலுற்றேன் கடல்ஏழு கண்டேனே!

Plain meaning:

At the meeting point of the six paths to a town
Found four palm trees with ripe fruit hanging down

Placing a high ladder to slant on
two of those palms,
Saw the seven seas calm!
-
Inner meaning:

Six faiths lead one to the spiritual path
At their convergence are the greatest of them, Śaiva-Siddhānta & a competent Guru (Ladders)
Charyā,Kriyā, Yoga & Jnāna are the four palms

+to go up in life
Reaching the top of palms with the help of these ladders,
One crosses the ocean of birth & merges in the great ocean of Śiva-Ānanda!