Deepest Love

 Deepest Love ❤️❤️❤️

The Saivites classify Bhakti (பக்தி) (devotion) in four main categories. Namely, Sariyai (சரியை), Kiriyai (கிரியை), Yogam (யோகம்) and Nyanam (ஞானம்). I have also covered some of these aspects of Bhakti in my previous articles and recordings. 

At a high level, 

Sariyai is defined as Daasa Margam (தாச மார்க்கம்), i.e. to consider the Lord as our leader and we are the slaves. It is also considered worshipping the Lord externally, without any form ‘internalization’ (inward reflection). A good example will be when we train our kids to do their daily Sadhana / prayers. They do it merely for the sake of it, or out of fear that parents will punish them if they do not pray. 

Kiriyai is defined as Satputhra Margam (சட்புத்திர மார்க்கம்), i.e. to consider the Lord as a father or mother. It is also considered worshiping the Lord with some inward reflections, however, there is a mixture of Sariyai. A good example will be the pujas and rituals that we perform at home or what we witness in the temples. Our worship isn’t forceful like Sariyai, there is slightly more affection and gratitude being demonstrated. 

As we progress, we arrive at Yogam. Yogam is defined as Saha Margam (சக மார்க்கம்). Here the devotee considers the Lord to be his friend. There’s more involvement, affection and also arguments. Similar to how one treats a friend. This is more ‘internalized’, personal and inward inflection of Bhakti. At this stage, no one forces us to pray, it comes naturally like hunger, thirst, blinking of eyes, etc.

The final stage is Nyanam or defined as San Margam (சன்மார்க்கம்). At this stage, it is pure bliss, there is no inward neither outward reflection, it is above and beyond all descriptions, it is as though one has merged in totality with the Lord. If we loosely define Nyanam, then it is as though the love between husband and wife. One considers the Lord to be his / her husband. In Saiva Sidhantham (சைவ சித்தாந்தம்), we consider the only male or Purusha is the Lord. All the souls and living beings are females. To elaborate further, even by gender one is a male, when it comes to Bhakti and relating back to the Lord, one is still a female. In those lines, there are several instances where our great saints (Nayanmargal) (நாயன்மார்கள்) have reflected themselves as females or wives of the Lord. At the age of 16, during adolescence, Thirunyanasambandhar (திருஞானசம்பந்தர்) once visited the abode in Thirutonipuram (திரு தோணிபுரம்). Upon the sight of Toniappar (தோணியப்பர்), Thirunyanasambandar was in so much of love with the Lord. He was like a young girl who was shy with the presence of her lover / husband that he hesitated to look up and face the Lord. He was fidgeting, sort of nervous. During those days, at the age adolescence, it is rare for girls to mingle with boys and girls would run and hide when a boy passes by. Upon marriage, there was so much respect for husbands, that wives never uttered their names. It was believed that if a wife calls her husband’s name, the husband’s lifespan would decrease. Well, most of what I described seems out of fashion and not applicable in the world we live today. I was just describing the norms during Thirunyanasambandhar’s era. Similarly, Thirunyasambandar hesitated to utter the Lord’s name as though He was his husband. Somehow, he yearned to hear the Lord’s name. At that moment, a beautiful parrot flew by. Thirunyanasambandar called the parrot and requested the parrot to say the Lord’s name out loud. Probably the parrot expected something in return for the favor and so Thirunyanasambandar offered the parrot milk with honey.

This Thevaram (தேவாரம்) appears in Thirumurai 1 (முதல் திருமுறை):

சிறையாரு மடக்கிளியே யிங்கேவா தேனொடுபால்

முறையாலே யுணத்தருவன் மொய்பவளத் தொடுதரளந்

துறையாருங் கடற்றோணி புரத்தீசன் றுளங்குமிளம்

பிறையாளன் திருநாமம் எனக்கொருகாற் பேசாயே.

Siraiyaaru madakkiliyae yingkaevaa thaenodupaal

Muraiyaalae yunaththaruvan moypavalath thodutharalan

Thuraiyaarung kadarroani puraththeesan rulangkumilam

Piraiyaalan thirunaamam enakkorukaar paesaayae.

Oh, young parrot with full grown wings! Come here!

I shall treat you honey with milk with due respect and order.

Sivaṉ (Easan) who is in Toṇipuram, where near the sea, the ghat is filled with corals and pearls in abundance.

Will you not tell me once the name of the Lord who adorns a young and luminous crescent moon?

The beauty of Saiva Samayam (சைவ சமயம்) is that, it gives freedom and the opportunity for all souls to express their Bhakti towards the Lord the way one desires. Although there are four broad categories of Bhakti as described in the earlier paragraphs, they are further multiplied and there could be 100s or 1000s of forms of Bhakti coming out of these main four categories. Example, Within Sariyai, we have Unmai Sariyai (உண்மை சரியை ) and Ubaaya Sariyai (உபாய சரியை), Within Kiriyai, we have Unmai Kiriyai (உண்மை கிரியை), Ubaaya Kiriyai (உபாய கிரியை) , and so on, Then, we have Sariyai within Sariyai, Sariyai within Kiriyai, Sariyai within Yogam, Sariyai within Nyanam. Then, Kiriyai within Sariyai, Kiriyai within Kiriyai and so on and so forth. All our expression of Bhakti somehow or rather will fall under one of these categories and as long as it gives us soulful satisfaction, we are in the right path! That shows how broadminded our teachings are, and we do not confine to one method as there is no one method or one path that will suit all walks of lives.

Hence, when Sekizhar (சேக்கிழார்) wrote the Periyapuranam (பெரியபுராணம்), he cited 63 stories of 63 different Nayanmars (நாயன்மார்கள்). Each Nayanmar had their own unique way of expressing Bhakti. Sekizhar could have just picked one Nayanmar and give us a full detailed history of that one Nayanmar, however, that would have restricted us to believe and conclude that path to liberation is only one. For example, if Sekizhar only wrote about Kannappa Nayanar (கண்ணப்ப நாயனார்), we would all believe that only path to liberation is dig out our eyes and offer to the Lord! Hence, today we recognize Nayanmars who:

called the Lord a Lunatic – Sundaramoorthy Nayanar (சுந்தரமூர்த்தி நாயனார்) (Through his hymn, Pitta Pirai Soodi (பித்தா பிறை சூடி)), 

declared that Lord Shiva himself isn’t fit to be worshipped as the main lord of Saiva Samayam – Viranmindar Nayanar (விறன்மிண்டர் நாயனார்),

chopped his own son and cooked the meat for the Lord – Siruthondar Nayanar (சிறுத்தொண்டர் நாயனார்),

was a Bhuddist - Sakkiya Nayanar (சாக்கிய நாயனார்)

தென்னாடுடைய சிவனே போற்றி!

எந்நாட்டவர்க்கும் இறைவா போற்றி!

Thennaadudaiya Sivane Potri! 

Ennaatavarkkum Iraivaa Potri!

🙏🙏🙏