Vinayagar-agaval – A synthesis of two traditions

India is one of the most unique countries in the world for two basic reasons – Its diversity of culture and languages, and conversely, the underlying unity in the diversity. To its detriment, however, the unity has been incorrectly overlooked and has fallen due to agenda-driven culture-sensitive arguments, which stem on the cultural parameters such as ancientness, versatility, and inadequacy; and thereby, is led away from cherishing the diversity of the nation. Political agenda has historically ingrained a wedge between the north and the south of India, and the little understanding of history and the nature of polity has allowed for this illness to persist. Not embracing the diversity, which has resulted in a nuanced flavour of each tradition, the Bhāratīya(s), like other nations of the world, are fighting over the supremacy of their traditions. A reflection of this pernicious thought can be observed in discourses that pit Tamil against Sanskrit, and the impending argument valuing one over the other. An apt analogy to this would be to ignorantly fight over the grandeur of pearls over corals. This polemic stems from one basic point of contention – the need to substantiate the superiority of the language’s ancientness. In essence, the argument rests on the erroneous notion that the more ancient of the languages must be prominent. As Kālidāsa states in his historical play, Mālavikāgnimitram, an object can neither be deemed to be of higher quality, owing to its antiqueness nor can it be dismissed as insignificant, on account of its novelty. The discernment on the worthiness of an object should, devoid of prejudice, be objective. Essentially, the arguments on the hoariness of a language, attesting to its significance, is seemingly illogical. Instead of arguing on the idiosyncratic opinions of native languages; observing the inter between the languages, the unique flavour, and the mutual growth, would undoubtedly leave us the richer, as no language or culture can grow in isolation. Their growth assimilates from diversity, and the same is the case with Tamil and Sanskrit. Without a doubt, similar concepts, sentiments, and literary tools exist in both languages. Instead of proclaiming over the source of the aforementioned similarity and its pale reflections, it is wise to observe how the unique flavours of languages and inter-mingling of culture offer a global experience. The classical text Vināyagar-agaval1, written by Auvaiyyār, is an ideal example of a fine synthesis between the Tamil and the Sanskritic tradition. The ongoing research on the work concentrates on its evident Tamil background, on the Śaiva basis of the work, known as Śaiva-siddhānta. Not much has been done to analyse the hymn in the light of the Gāṇāpatya texts of the Sanskrit corpus, or the Gāṇāpatya faith, at large. The scholars point out that the Vināyagar-agaval is a rather heterodox text in the corpus of Tamil Bhakti literature, as it leans more towards the esoteric harnessing of the Kuṇḍalinī-śakti or the life force of a human being. Parallels have been drawn with the leanings exuded by the Tamil mystic Tirumūlar, but the work has been categorised largely as a unique one, which speaks of liberation more in terms of the harnessing of energy. 1 The name Vināyaka is spelled Vināyaga in Tamil as the consonant-sounds of ‘ka’ and ‘ga’ are represented by the same written consonant in Tamil. Upon closer examination against the background of the Gāṇāpatya faith of the Sanskritic framework, Vināyagar-agaval may be derived as a unique blend of the Tamil and Sanskritic traditions. The hymn is an exquisite synthesis of Tantra – central to Gāṇāpatya faith, Bhakti – a characteristic of both the Gāṇāpatya faith, and the Tamil spiritual tradition, and Yogic practices and tenets that find explicit expression in the Sanskritic tradition (particularly the Gāṇāpatya faith). The information available regarding the author of the hymn is limited. The hymn is attributed to Auvaiyyār III, the third of the three Auvaiyyārs accepted in the history of Tamil literature. Evidence points to her having lived somewhere in the 14th century during the reign of the Chola monarch and was the contemporary of the great Tiruvalluvar. Inadequate evidence points her to have Brāhmanical roots, which makes her hymn fascinating from a historical, social, religious, and cultural perspective. To date, there exist arguments that Yogic and Tāntric practices are allegedly the safeguards of the Sanskritic tradition and thus, championed by brāhmaṇas. This hymn, however, is starkly anomalous to this notion. It is, at once, an outpour of Bhakti touted to be the safeguard of the Tamil Bhakti movement; and a manual explicating the nuanced ascension of a mystic through esoteric practices, accepted as the central tenet of the school of Tantra and Yoga of the Sanskritic tradition. With the fact that Auvaiyyār is not associated with Brāhmanical roots, it seems fair-minded to conclude that she must have imbibed the understanding of the Yogic and Tāntric practices from other sources in the society, which in turn draws down to diverse flavour extant in that society. Essentially, the hymn seems to reflect a catholic society, where traditions were not distinguished as strictly Sanskritic or Tamil. It suggests a more hybridised society, where myriad traditional and religious practices were joyfully accommodated, and more importantly, a society where divergent practices converged to be assimilated into existing practices readily. The literal meaning of the title of the hymn, ‘Vināyagar-agaval’ is a plea or a cry out to lord Vināyaka. The hymn is comprised of 72 verses of stunning poetic outburst; some verses exhibiting grandeur, others endearing in tenderness, and even others awe-inspiring in profundity. The hymn begins with physical description of Lord Vināyaka, who is portrayed as the traditional Elephant-faced One. The attributes of the physical form can also be interpreted as a juxtaposition to the esoteric representation of the same divine potential, which rests as Kuṇḍalinī-śakti in the microcosmic representations of creation, namely the human body. Auvaiyyār describes the endearing form of the lord in rapturous terms and then cries in awe thus: சொற்பதம்-கடந்த துரியமெய்ஞ்-ஞான-அற்புதம் நிறைந்த கற்பகக் களிறே! sorpadam-kaḍanda turiya-meijñāna-arpudam nirainda karpaga kaḻire! O’ will-yielding Tusker who stand the very embodiment of the turiya state2, a state of Supreme wisdom that defies expression! - Vināyagar-agaval 2 A state of consciousness defined as the most elated; a state beyond the waking, dream and sleeping states of existence. This reflects the basic tenet of the Gāṇāpatya faith, where lord Gaṇeśa is both, the manifestation of elephant-faced incarnation and the endearing son of lord Śiva, and the eternal embodiment of wisdom and consciousness, which can only be experienced and not explicated. Auvaiyyār further describes Vināyaka as the one, who reveals the secret to activate the Kuṇḍalinī-śakti that rests in the mūlādhāra-cakra, located at the base of the spine. A few Tamil scholars describe this aspect of Vināyaka’s conception and methodology to liberation as heterodox to the overtly devotion-oriented school of Śaiva-siddhānta thought, which they believe to be the basis for Auvaiyyār’s hymn. The conception and methodology, however, bear no anomaly when seen in the light of Lord's conception in the Sanskritic framework. The Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa Upanisad explicitly states Gaṇapati as the reveller in the mūlādhāra-cakra, and can thus easily be accepted as one who could and would lead a devotee to liberation through the medium of Kuṇḍalinī-yoga. त्वं मूलाधारस्थितोऽसि नित्यम्॥ tvaṁ mūlādhārasthito'si nityam|| Eternally do you reside in the mūlādhāra-cakra - Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa It is interesting to note that the reflection of Oneness in the Vināyagar-agaval that is derived from the evident dualistic philosophy of Śaiva-siddhānta. Auvaiyyār states that Vināyaka revealed the essence of Sadāśiva (the Supreme) within the word (pañcākṣarī) and the embodied Supreme of the Śivaliṅga within her heart, thus identifying the Supreme within her. She states further, தத்துவ நிலையைத் தந்தெனை யாண்ட வித்தக விநாயக விரைகழல் சரணே! tattuva nilaiyai tandenai yāṇḍa vittaga-vināyaga-viraikazhal caraṇe! The feet of the adept Vināyaka, who bestowed upon me the state of ‘tattva’ and won me over, is indeed the (sole) refuge! - Vināyagar-agaval The term ‘tattva’ is very significant here. Most Tamil scholars interpret this word to mean a state of true existence, with references to the tenets of Śaiva-siddhānta. While this interpretation is certainly acceptable in the light of the Kuṇḍalinī-yoga practice (which Auvaiyyār cites as the pathway to her liberation), there exists an alternative view-point as per Advaita-siddhānta, with references to the state of realisation expounded in the statements like ‘tat tvam asi’ (That Art Thou). The state of Auvaiyyār in this case can be referred to as the non-dualistic realisation of herself verily as the object of her adulation. The Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa states, त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं तत्त्वमसि॥ tvameva pratyakṣam tattvamasi|| You are the very embodiment of (the tenet) ‘tat tvam asi’. - Gaṇapati-atharvaśīrṣa The Śaiva-siddhānta school of Bhakti makes its entry yet again when Auvaiyyār concludes with the surrender unto the embodied Supreme. The Vināyagar-agaval thus stands out as a unique amalgamation of certain aspects of the Tamil tradition and Sanskritic tradition; and verily a testimony to the seamless flow of spiritual thoughts from the one to the other, in the mind of a Catholic society Auvaiyyār can be seen as a representative of.

Vinayagar-agaval – A synthesis of two traditions

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