Way to Attain Lord Siva

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Way to Attain Lord Siva

Tirumular’s Tirumantram is a poetical work, said to be composed in the course of three
thousand years. It deals with the practical and theoretical aspects of Saiva religion and philosophy.
The treatment of Pati (Lord Siva), Pasu (the individual soul) and Pasa (attachment) in the old
method, is found in this book. The following is Tirumular’s exposition in his Tirumantram.
God alone is the Guru or the spiritual teacher. He shows Siva or Sat. Sat-Guru is Ambalam
or Chidakasa Siva. You will have to search the Guru in your own heart. Knowledge, devotion,
purity and Siddhis are obtained through the grace of the Guru. The grace descends in virtuous
aspirants who have purity, dispassion, etc.
The thirsting aspirant should get help from Guru Param. Guru Param imparts spiritual
instructions to the aspirant. Then Suddha Guru confers upon him Divine Grace. When the aspirant
obtains the Divine Grace, he gets several powers, purity, the power to know the Mantras, higher
Siddhis, etc. Then the Sat-Guru reveals himself in the Chidakasa, breaks the three bonds, viz.,
Anava (egoism), Karma (action) and Maya (illusion) and helps him to enter the illimitable domain
of Moksha or supreme abode of eternal bliss. Siva Guru presents himself later on and manifests Sat,
Asat and Sadasat. When the Jiva attains this final knowledge, he becomes Siva himself. The Guru
who presents himself in the earlier and later stages, is Siva himself.
The devotee attains the grace of the Lord when he meditates on Him in the chambers of his
heart, in the space between the two eyebrows and in the head. The holy feet of the Lord are highly
eulogised. Tirumular says: “The holy feet of my Lord are Mantra, beauty and truth.”

Jneya or that which is to be known, is Siva Ananda which is a product of Siva and His grace,
Sakti. The Jnata (knower) is the individual soul or Jiva. He knows Siva by abiding in Siva Ananda
and obtains Jnana or knowledge.
Moksha is the attainment of Siva Ananda. He who attains Moksha will attain supreme
knowledge of Siva. He who gets established in Siva Ananda will attain knowledge and Moksha (the
final emancipation). The Jiva who knows Siva Ananda dwells for ever in it. He attains Siva and
Sakti in Siva Ananda. He is endowed with true knowledge which is really union of Siva and Sakti.
Lord Siva shows the path which leads on to Moksha, to the aspirant who is endowed with
dispassion, non-attachment, renunciation, who praises Him always and performs regular worship.
The devotee of Lord Siva gets strength to resist the temptations of the world and of Indra,
through his Tapas or austerity. He does not care at all for the celestial pleasures offered by Indra. He
is quite contented with the supreme bliss attained through union with Lord Siva.
When the Sadhaka does rigorous austerities and practises concentration, he attains several
powers. Indra and other Devas get terribly afraid that they will lose their position. Hence, they put
several obstacles on his path and tempt him in a variety of ways by offering celestial car, damsels
and various sorts of celestial pleasures. But the firm Sadhaka stands adamant. He never yields and
marches direct to the goal, viz., Siva-Pada or the Immortal seat of eternal Bliss. He who yields gets a
downfall. Visvamitra had a downfall.
Sage Tirumular says: “Abandon pride of learning. Introspect. Look within. You will be
firmly established in Siva. Nothing will shake you. You will be freed from the trammels of births
and deaths.”
Saiva Siddhanta teaches Advaita only. It is Siva Advaita.