I received one whatsapp Tamil message (see in the notes) in which one Sri Pon Lazarus giving explanation (of course to the naive Christians in the church and not to the Saiva Siddhanta scholars) to the first sutra of Sivajnana Bodam by Maikkanda Thevar which has 12 sutras. He says that ‘Peruman’ (definitely here means god) created ‘avan’ ‘aval’ and ‘adhu’ viz., he, she and it which respectively means ‘Adam, Eve and the world’ through ‘vinai [karma]’. According to Lazarus this we see in Viviliam (Bible). The same story alone is told in this Sivajnana Bodam in which ‘Adam, Eve and the world’ ‘APPEARED’ [thondriyadu] because of these three ‘vinai’ [karma]. Lazarus also says that this ‘aadi sivan’ and ‘lohamatha’ viz. The first man and woman or the first Sivan and Mother of this world (loha(m) =world + matha =mother) lost their status because of ‘odungudhal’ which according to him means fall because of sin.
I am not a scholar like Lazarus in Saiva Siddhanta or even in Tamil. But according to my superficial and elementary knowledge the following are the few questions that I would like to ask him:
- What are the three ‘vinai’ or karmas through which god created he, she and world about which Siva Jnana Bodam talks.
- Does the Muktiveda talks about such creation of he, she and the world through these karmas or through their karmas?
- First he says that ‘peruman’ (god) created them; further he says they ‘thondrinar’ ‘appeared’ because of these three karmas.
- Finally does the word ‘odungudal’ which he uses means committed sin or biblical fall anywhere in Saiva Siddhanta and particularly in Sivajnana Bodam?
- Lazarus also talks that god never created human beings like a machine but with complete free will.
- He also uses ‘Sivan’ for Adam and ‘Lohamatha’ viz., mother of the world. Sivan and Parvathi are called as Peruman and Lohamatha by Saivites. And according to Saiva Siddhanta it is the very same SIVAN who created the world. Then who is the ‘PERUMAN’ or god who created this ‘Sivan’ and ‘Lohamatha’? Does this resonate with the concept of god and creation in Saiva Siddhanta? If Adam and Eve were the Sivan and Lohamatha, then who is this Peruman or god? Does it means that the Trinitarian Father is that Peruman, Adam and Even as Sivan and Lohamatha? Then who is Muktinath (Jesus) and Holy Spirit? Ganapati and Shanmugam (Murugan or Kumaran)? I already received few pictures of Muktinath with peacocks comparing with Murugan whose mount (vahana) is peacock. Several years before another Christian of this brand said: Ganapati is also called ‘pilliar’ in Tamil. This Pilliar has two words Pillai and Yar. Pillai means Son and Yar means who. So who is this son? It is none but Jesus who is also called Kumaran in Tamil bible. Now comparing the picture of Muktinath with peacocks he is compared with Murugan, a Tamil deity who is also called Kumaran.
He also talks about ‘anavam’ ‘kanmam’ and ‘maya’. Anavam is ego or ‘I’ and ‘kanmam’ is the Tamil word for Sanskrit karma and ‘maya’ is illusion. Where in Muktiveda one could find these words with exact meaning as we find in Saiva Siddhanta?
I may be wrong in my interpretation and I stand corrected if these Christians correct me. According to me there is no creation theology in Muktiveda where it says that god created or he, she or they appeared because of the three karmas. As Saiva Siddhanta is part of Hinduism and its theology of creation he, she and it were either created by god or appeared because of their three kinds of karma. They are ‘sancita, prarabdha and kriyamana karmas’. And let us see what Prof P. V. Kane a leading authority on Dharmasastras says:
…Karma is put in three groups viz. sancita, prarabdha and kriyamana (or sanciyamana). The first is the total accumulated deeds of all past existences, the fruits of which have not been experienced. The prarabdha Karma is that which was the strongest among the group of sancita deeds just before the present existence of a person begins and which is supposed to determine one’s present existence. What a person accumulates during the present existence is called kriyamana (or sanciyamana, being collected) and the next existence is determined by the strongest (or the earliest according to some) among the sancita and kriyamana deeds put together…The objection is raised that freedom of will is the basis of all ethical values and that if a man’s Karma in past lives determines the present life, then a man in the present life is merely a toy in the power of Karma and has no power to do as he sees best. The question about a man’s freedom of will is a most thorny one, on which the greatest thinkers from ancient times to the present day have differed and no (p.1574) satisfactory reply can be given… So far as the Indian doctrine of Karma is concerned, it appears that freedom of will is postulated for a man during the present existence to lead a good moral life and perform meritorious acts subject to the limitations caused by the environment in which the present existence is cast. The important working belief is that one has free will and that one is free in the present existence to mould the future (so far as he is concerned) by means of meritorious works. This is the message of the Santiparva (280.3) (vide Gita VI.5)…It is possible to accept, on the ancient Indian doctrine, both predestination and free will, the first so far as one’s being born in a certain environment is concerned and the 2nd so far as one’s actions in the present life are concerned (Gita VI.5-6; II.40)…
Though the general drift of the Gita is in favour of Free Will, there are a few passages that seem to savour of determinism e.g. II.5,33; XVIII.59-60. –Kane, Panduranga Vamana (1968). History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India). 5 vols. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Vol.V.Part.II. Vol.V.Part.II. p p.1574-75.
According to my understanding Saiva Siddhanta comes closer to advaita Vedanta and liberally takes points and theological terms from several Advaita Vedanta texts from Sanskrit sources. The word ‘odungudal’ means pulling back or drawing within in viz., either meditation or realizing the self knowledge that atman is Brahman. For example in the Siva Jnana Bodam in stanza three the same word ‘odukkam’ (aimpulan odukkam) is used for drawing or controlling the five senses. But nowhere has it meant sin or fall about which Muktiveda talks. The main and over simplified siddhanta (theology) of Saiva Siddhanta is the relationship between ‘Pati (Lord), pasu (atman) and pasam (bondage)’ and how to get rid of this pasam which binds the atman because of three fetters known as ‘anavam, kanman and maya’. With the help and grace of Sivan, with proper initiation by a proper guru an initiated one will remove these fetters and realize the Sivahood ultimately. One can search internet for elaborate details on Saiva Siddhanta.
If we expect others to remain honest in their interpretation on Muktiveda not taking the verses out of context and giving their own interpretation by superimposing their doctrine by twisting the text, we too should do the same with their Scriptures. One may disagree with others’ understanding about god, creation, world, atman and salvation. But no one has the right to distort others’ scripture or theology to bend to suit to one’s own point of view. However one tries according to my understanding there exists no ‘HIDDEN; UNKNOWN; UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC CHRIST’ anywhere in Hinduism. Muktinath is unique and Muktiveda is unique. Don’t dilute the ‘GOOD NEWS’ in order to make a living among the naive Christians inside the church as most of them neither know their bible properly nor know anything about Hinduism. There are many ways to make a living. This way is not correct one.
My aim is not to attack or condemn anyone and particularly great Saiva Siddhanta scholars like Pon Lazarus. My request is to remain true both to your particular theology and respectful to others theology and Scriptures. If a person like Lazarus calls a meeting of true Saiva Siddhanta and Tamil scholars and proves his interpretation then I will welcome such endeavour and dialogue. But going church after church and conducting these kinds of ‘gospel or revival’ meeting they have no right to distort not only others Scriptures but also truth and common sense.
I beg the pardon if my message hurt Sri Lazarus or any such Christians who continue his legacy. There is no point of engaging with these kinds of Christians. They will distort all kinds of facts to prove their brand of Christianity. There is no point in wasting my time with them and better leave them to do what they believe is correct. But by these kinds of evangelism they will continue to irritate Hindus and will keep them away further from them. But one consoling point is that no Hindu is going to listen to them or pay any attention to them. They completely ignore such people and evangelism. But this brand of Christianity and this kind of evangelism makes Christianity and evangelism as a laughing stock before any sincere and serious scholars of religious studies. Of course I am not worried about their image in public. However this will help every Hindu bhakta of Bhagavan Muktinath to keep a safe distance from such Christianity.
Dayanand Bharati
22-10-2019
We all know well that 1600 years before the Apostle creed was written by White Christians.
But how many of us know the Creed written by Adi {Former or ancient} Indian Christians in Tamil some 1100 years before?
That is the Siva Jnan Bodam by Maikkandar
We all know that name of Jesus in Hebrew is Sheeba.
Therefore Siva Jnana Bodam means the Jnana Bodam [teaching of knowledge] of Jesus.
This Siva Jnana Bodam has twelve verse which are given in the PDF.
*அப்போஸ்தலர் விசுவாசப் பிரமாணம்* 1600 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு வெள்ளைக்கார கிறிஸ்தவர்களால் எழுதப்பட்டதை நாம் அனைவரும் அறிவோம்.
1100 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பதாக *ஆதி இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவர்களால்* தமிழில் எழுதப்பட்ட விசுவாசப்பிரமாணம் நம் எத்தனைப்பேருக்கு தெரியும்?
அதுதான் மெய்கண்டார் எழுதிய சிவஞான போதம்.
எபிரேய மொழியில் இயேசுவின் பெயர் ஷீவா என்பதை நாம் அனைவரும் அறிவோம்.
அப்படியானால் சிவஞான போதம் என்றால் இயேசுவின் ஞான போதம் என்று பொருள்.
இந்த சிவஞான போதத்தில் 12 வசனங்கள் உள்ளது. அவை கீழேயுள்ள pdf யில் உள்ளது.
ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பதாக எழுதப்பட்ட இந்த விசுவாசப் பிரமாணத்தில் 12 வசனங்க்க்கள் உள்ளது (உள்ளன). அதில் முதல் வசனத்தை பொன் இலாசாரகு ஐயா அவர்கள் 35 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பதாக விளக்குவதை கவனிக்கவும்