Sudha Sanmarga (Pure Gathering) teaching is mainly
spread in the South India. One of those, who carry
significant share in the fact that Sudha Sanmarga
teaching is still living, is Tamil saint Vallalar,
who lived in Tamil Nadu in 19th century.
Vallalar belongs to a line of Tamil saints known as
"gnana siddhars" (gnana means higher wisdom). The
Suddha Sanmarga was spread and passed on by him not
only in theory but mainly in practice by his own way
of living which was itself inspiration for his
followers. According to Suddha Sanmarga, the prime
aspects of human life should be love connected with
charity and spritual practice leading to achievement
of pure knowledge. Both of these aspects were
embodied by Valallar into two buildings in small
South Indian town Vadalur.
The first building is called Dharumachalai. The food
has been served there daily to the hungry and needy
people since its opening in 1867. The service is
still running thanks to voluntary donations of
Vallalarīs followers upto these days. It thus serves
a meaningful purpose and at the same time inspires
other Vallalarīs followers to start similar
activities at other places.
GNANA SABAI - THE HALL OF WISDOM
The
second building is Gnana Sabai - Hall of Wisdom.
This building symbolizes the human body and it is an
inspiration and signpost for those who want to
practically follow Suddha Sanmarga. The second
picture shows the central point of Gnana Sabai where
just light is placed. Contrary to Hindu temples or
Christian churches there are no statues or any other
images of god or deities.
While
the first building, Dharumachalai, represents the
fulfillment of bodily needs, then Gnana Sabai
symbolizes the fulfillment of spiritual needs of a
man. Both buildings together refer to the both
aspects of a human being, physical and spiritual,
and to their mutual relations.
We
have come accross Suddha Sanmarga teaching in person
during our stay in Tamil Nadu in 1998. There are
still some people who understood that Suddha
Sanmarga is not only the philosophy but first and
foremost the practice of every single moment of
human life. One of such a rare persons has
introduced us into Suddha Sanmarga teaching without
asking for any reward. Thanks to such a people
Suddha Sanmarga teaching has been preserved in
original, pure and noncommercial form.
-oOo-
TAMIL SIDDHARS TRADITION
The tradition of Tamil siddhars dates back to the
long history of the mankind. It continues to live
both in the oral tradition and in siddhars'
manuscripts written in their mother tong - Tamil.
The manuscripts contain spiritual, philosophical,
social or scientific essays both in prose and
poetry. These essays are usually written on the palm
leafs and just small part of them have been
published up to now.
The
Tamil siddhars philosophy is most alive in Tamil
Nadu in southern India and never has been spread
more significantly to northern parts of India or
abroad. There is some awareness about it in Tamil
Nadu but even here it has not become the issue of
the general public. There exist several reasons for
this fact:
Siddhars are well aware of the fact that spiritual
knowledge can not be transmitted verbally in full
breadth. That is why they do not seek to do so.
Their manuscripts are first of all source of
inspiration and show how to reach oneīs own
spiritual knowledge and experience. Siddhars use in
their manuscripts rich symbolic language which
enables them at the same time address both a casual
listener as well as an adept of great spiritual
awareness who can see a deep meaning in them.
The
siddhars manuscripts are a closed treasure-box
locked by the lock of ignorance. The key to this
treasure-box is nothing but practical following of
their message in daily life. In this way the message
of the siddhars is protected against misusage and
deformation by the people of superficial and
acquisitive motives. For those who are seriously
interested in it the message remains preserved in
its original, pure and noncommercialised form.
Next
reason, besides the language barrier, why the
siddhars message remains concentrated in Tamil Nadu,
is the fact that their philosophy is the contrary of
the official Hindu philosophy represented in the
literature of Vedas. In their manuscripts siddhars
point out the absurdity of the caste system,
denounce the privileged status of Brahmins and
downgrade the importance of the religious rites.
Due to the difficulties in understanding the
symbolic texts and also because of the opposition of
the caste system advocates, the vast majority of
siddhars' manuscripts has not been published yet.
However, the knowledge of these manuscripts is not
necessary for one's spiritual practice.
Besides the philosophical and spiritual texts the
siddhars' manuscripts contain also essays on
biology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry or
astronomy. The complex knowledge of these subjects
is the result of the integration of spiritual and
scientific approach to the cognition of the world
and the human being.
Through the systematic observation and the study of
the nature siddhars have also developed the compact
system of the medicine. The records of this system
which is written on the palm leaves date to the pre-vedic
period, it means before 1200 B.C. It is obvious from
the siddhars' manuscripts that their medicine system
pays attention to both body and mind.
Siddhar Thirumoolar have defined the siddha medicine
by these words:
Medicine is that which treats the disorders of
the physical body;
Medicine is that which treats the disorders of the
mind;
Medicine is that which prevents illness;
Medicine is that which enables immortality.
The sacred Mantra of Vallalar-
Arut Perum Jyothi (Supreme
Grace Light)
Arut Perum Jyothi (Supreme
Grace Light)
Tanip Perung Karunai (Pour
down upon us)
Arut Perum Jyothi (Supreme
Grace Light)
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