Thiruvonum's Weblog

Numbers and Creation

Introduction

Tirumazhisai azhvar, born in the month of thai in makha nakshatram, is revered for his innovative and sharp style of presentation. Let us enjoy the number game in his work Tiruchanda viruttam. Azhvar unveils the process of creation by Brahmam in the 1st and 3rd verse.

Tiruchanda viruttam – 1st Verse

Poonilaya aindumai punarkan ninra naangumai

Teenilaya moonrumai siranda kaal irandumai

Meenilayadu onrumagi veru veru tanmayai

Neenilaya vanna ninnai yaar ninaikka vallare !! (1)

Translation

O Bhagavan! You are beyond comprehension. You are the material cause and effect of this universe. You are the five qualities in Earth, four qualities in water, three qualities in fire, two qualities in air and one quality in ether. You are the antaratma in all the devatas.

Tiruchanda viruttam – 3rd Verse

Aindum aindum aindumaagi allavatrulaayumaAindum moonrum onrumaagi ninra adi devane

Aindum aindum aindumaagi andarattu anaindu ninru

Aindum aindumaaya ninnai yaar kaana vallare !! (3)

Translation

O Adi Deva! Can any one visualize you! You are the five gross elements of creation, you are the five senses of knowledge and five senses of action, you are the five subtle elements of creation, and the three material causes viz prakrti mahaan and ahankaaram and finally the unique manas (mind). Present in every atman during deluge, you control them. Creation and absorption of this material world is a playful pastime for you. Further you dwell in the permanent Srivaikuntham. There you are the controller of five divine saktis, five divine senses of knowledge and five divine senses of action. There you enjoy the five divine objects of pleasure in the divine places of entertainment using the divine instruments of pleasure along with amaras and munis.

The Process of Creation

Readers would enjoy the beauty of these pasurams and numbers once I explain the process of creation as said in Vedanta and puranas. Kindly concentrate while reading as it is a deep concept. Moola prakrti (non sentient-acit) is the material used for creation. Brahmam itself is the material cause for creation as this prakrti is an inseparable body of Brahmam. The progressive steps in creation are:

1. Moola Prakriti transforms to Mahaan (the representative of buddhi)

2. Mahaan transforms to ahankaram

3. Ahankaram gets classified as saatvika raajasa and taamasa ahankaram

4. Five senses of knowledge (eyes, ears, touch skin, nose, tongue) five senses of action (speech, hands, legs, genitals, and anal opening) along with their master Manas (mind) are born from saatvika ahankaram ((total 11)

5. Five gross elements (prthvi, ap, tejas, vayu and akasam) and five subtle elements (sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa and gandha) (total 10) are born from taamasa ahankaram. (raajasa ahankaram behaves as an overseer). The five gross elements are known as panca bhoota and five subtle elements are known as panca tanmaatra. Each subtle element is a quality of a gross element. Sabda for akasa, sparsa for vayu, rupa for agni, rasa for jalam, gandha for prthvi.

The order of creation here is: First sabda tanmaatra is created from tamaasa ahankara. In turn it expands as akasa and also gives birth to sparsa tanmaatra. Sparsa tanmaatra expands as vayu and also gives birth to rupa tanmaaatra. Rupa tanmaatra expands to agni and also gives birth to rasa tanmaatra. Rasa tanmaatra expands to jalam and also gives birth to gandha tanmaatra. Gandha tanmaatra expands to prthvi. (try drawing this with pictures and arrows for easy remembrance)

6. A process called pancheekaranam takes place i.e. the five gross elements earth, water, fire, air and ether are alloyed. One half of each element (50%) is divided into four parts (12.5%) and each part is mixed with the other four elements. For example earth is divided into two – one half is left to remain as earth and the other half is further divided into four parts and added to water, fire, air and ether. A similar action happens with the other four elements.

7. This mixed prime material is made as andam comprising of 14 worlds. A punya atma caturmukha brahma gets created in the naabhi (naval) of Brahmam. Till this point of creation it is known as samasti srsti which is handled by Parabrahmam Sriman Narayana Himself.

8. Further the Four Headed Brahma who is also a jivatma continues creation of all other beings such as deva , manushya, animals, flora and fauna. This creation is known as vyasti srsti

9. It is natural that a child imbibes the quality of its parents and ancestors. Similarly owing to the order of creation (and pancheekaranam) ether born first has one quality – sabda (sound). Born second, Air carries its own quality sparsa (touch feel) and also sabda. Likewise born third Fire has three qualities sabda, sparsa and rupa (colour), born fourth Water carries four qualities sabda, sparsa, rupa and rasa (taste) and born last Earth carries all five qualities sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa and gandha (odour).

A Quick Recap

To recapitulate the steps in creation – By the will of Brahmam , the body of Brahmam prakrti (1) – transforms to mahaan (2) then ahankaram (3) – senses of knowledge (4-8) – senses of action (9-13) – manas (14) – subtle elements (15-19) – gross elements (20-24). The total number of non sentient elements is thus 24 collectively known as acit. Body is the common example for acit tatvam. We find innumerable jivas (cit) inside acit. Paramatma permeates into acit and cit. In line with Vedanta, Ramanuja siddhantam recognizes three true elements, viz. cit, acit and Isvara.

The missing link – 1st Verse

With this background let us get back to Tirumazhisai azhvar’s 1st pasuram. As per vaidika siddhanta as explained by Sri Ramanuja, Sriman Narayana is all the three causes for creation – Upaadaana, nimitta and sahakari causes. Clay to a pot is upaadaana (material) cause. Potter to a pot is the nimitta (instrumental) cause. The wheel and stick used to make a pot is the sahakari (helping) cause. Brahmam is the upaadana cause, as moola prakrti (which manifested to all the 24 tatvams) is an inseparable part of Brahmam. Brahmam is the nimitta cause as He is the one who took a vow to create this world similar to a potter taking a vow to make a pot. Brahmam is also the sahakari cause as it is His divine attributes like gnana and sakti that helps in creation. It is established by Vedanta that Brahmam is the cause (kaarana) for all creation.

Now let us realize that Brahmam is also the effect of all creation. It is Brahmam’s body Moola prakrti that manisfests as 24 tatvams and this universe. Which are the created elements? All the 24 tatvams and their products (this entire universe). As moola prakrti is inseparable these created ones are also inseparable part of Brahmam. So it is established that Brahmam is also the effect (kaarya) of creation.

We can now simplify the whole concept as:

Brahmam (with the subtle moola prakrti as its body) during deluge is Kaarana Brahmam. The same Brahmam (with all the expanded 24 tatvams and universe as its body) after creation is Kaarya Brahmam. Thus Sriman Narayana is the cause and effect.

The missing link – 3rd Verse

In the 3rd pasuram azhvar unveils the supremacy of Brahmam in a higher plane. All the 23 elements like mahaan, ahankara, Ether, air, fire etc are known as praakrtam as they are the products of prakrti. It is astonishing to note that the five gross elements, subtle elements, senses of knowledge and action are all found in Srivaikuntham also, but are not products of prakrti. They are divine and apraakrtam. They neither deteriorate nor perish. Srivaikuntham itself is hailed as apraakrta mandalam and Nitya vibhooti which is also inseparable body of Brahmam who controls and enjoys it. It would be interesting to note the difference between the acit in our material universe and the divine Srivaikuntham. While the acit in our world is misra satvam i.e. a mixture of satvam rajas and tamas, the acit in Srivaikuntham is suddha satvam i.e. pure satvam alone. Bhagavan’s divine body is made up of five saktis termed as parameshti, pumaan, visva:, nivritta:,sarva:. Srivaikuntha natha is in eternal pleasure with all these wealth. Being the owner of Srivaikuntham (nitya vibhooti) and material universe (leela vibhooti) He is glorified as Ubhaya vibhooti naatha. Can our finite senses comprehend the Infinite Brahmam?

Let us all be grateful to Tirumazhisai Azhvar who has explained this concept of creation and Supremacy of Brahmam

This entry was posted on February 9, 2008 at 2:49 am and is filed under Prabandha Amudhu, Sri Vaishna Concepts, Thirumazlisai Aazlvaar. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.