THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE GURU

    A person, after examining the hair, skin, flesh, nerves, bone, pus, blood, phlegm and a host of others of which his body is composed of and not finding what he is, arrives at the knowledge that he must understand with some other intelligence; and unless he understands his God and his ownself with the aid of Hara, he will end in discerning nothing.  Four paths have been divulged in Saiva Siddhanta to attain that Divine Intelligence, viz., Sariya, Kiriya, Yoga and Gnanam.  These are the four-fold means of attaining salvation.  Sariya consists in worshipping God-in-form in a temple, i.e., the objective worship of Siva in His Sakala form.  This is worship by external actions. Kiriya consists in worshipping Siva with rites and ceremonies prescribed in the Agamas, by internal and external actions.  This is worship of Siva in his Sakala-Nishkala state.  This is the with-and-without form of Siva, His Forms and formless state or His gross and subtle nature and this requires some deeper knowledge. This includes internal meditation accompanied with external or objective worship also.  The third is Yoga which consists in the mental worship of God in His subtler form.  This is pure internal meditation without any external actions.  The Yogi keeps in mind only the Nishkala aspect of God.  The last is the path of Gnanam or Wisdom which consists in the realisation of God as transcending form and formlessness.

    The first three are but the stepping stones to reach the fourth.  Sariya and Kiriya include all kinds of altruistic, moral and religious practices.  The practices of Yoga also are observed to obtain self-control and it is not an end by itself.  The constant practice of these Sadanas purifies the soul and makes it fit to receive Divine knowledge.  They are but mere preparatory stages, engendering love and devotion in the soul for God.  Then Hara will appear as the Divine Guru and impart true wisdom to the soul.  Sariya, Kiriya, Yoga and Gnanam are like the bud, blossom, unripe fruit and the ripe fruit.  Saint Tayumnavar says:-

"Å¢ÕõÒõ ºÃ¢¨ÂÓ¾ø ¦Áöï»¡É ¿¡ýÌõ
 «ÕõÒÁÄ÷ ¸¡ö¸É¢ §À¡Äý§È¡ ÀáÀçÁ."

     "O my Lord! are not the Four Paths, from the much desired Sariya to the Gnanam, like the unopened flower, the blossom, the unripe fruit and the ripe fruit!"

    These four paths yield their four fruits also; and they are Iruvinaiyoppu, Malaparipakam, Sarguru Darsana and Sattinipatha respectively.  Iruvinaiyoppu is that state of the soul in which it takes an attitude of perfect equanimity towards righteous and sinful deeds.  Even good deeds are productive of results undesired by the soul which seeks liberation, and are in that sense opposed to liberation.  Malaparipakam is the attainment by the soul of that stage when its triple dirt or Malas meet with the causes of their removal.  God Siva appearing as spiritual perceptor and imparting divine knowledge is Sargurudarsana.  Sattinipatha is the settling of the Divine Grace in the soul when it is ripe.

    Sarguru Darsana is thus described in Sivagnana Siddhiar:-

"ÁýÉÅý ¾ýÁ¸ý §Å¼Ã¢¼ò§¾ ¾í¸¢
    ÅÇ÷ó(Ð) «Å¨É «È¢Â¡Ð ÁÂí¸¢ ¿¢üÀô
 À¢ýÉÅÛõ ±ýÁ¸ý ¿£ ±ýÈÅâü À¢Ã¢òÐô
    ¦ÀÕ¨Á¦Â¡Îõ ¾¡É¡ì¸¢ô §ÀÏÁ¡ §À¡ø
 Ðýɢ ³õ Òħż÷ ÍÆÄ¢üÀðÎò
    Ш½Å¨ÉÔõ «È¢Â¡Ð ÐÂÕÚõ ¦¾¡øÖ¢¨Ã
 ÁýÛõ «Õð ÌÕÅ¡¸¢ ÅóÐ «Åâý ¿£ì¸¢
    ÁÄõ «¸üÈ¢ò ¾¡É¡ì¸¢ ÁÄÃÊì ¸£ú¨ÅôÀý."

    "As when a royal prince, from infancy left in the company of wild hunters, grows quite ignorant of his glorious pedigree, his Kingly father appears and reclaims him, saying "you  are my son," and restores him to his royal state; when the eternal soul languishes in the whirl of the deluding five senses, ignorant of its real Protector, the Gracious Siva appears as its Sarguru at the proper time, lifts it from the company of the savage senses, removes its Mala, bestows His own Wisdom and state and places it under the Blissful shade of His flowery feet."

    The Lord appearing as Guru to the soul, which had advanced in Tapas, instructs it that it has wasted itself by living among the savages of the five senses; and on this the soul, understanding its real nature, leaves its former associates, and not being different from Him, becomes united to His feet.

    Thus strings Saint Manickavacakar his gem -- like words in praise of Siva who appeared to him as Sarguru:-

"¦Áö§Â Ôý ¦À¡ýÉʸû ¸ñÊýÚ Å£Îü§Èý
 ¯ö ±ý ¯ûÇòÐû µí¸¡ÃÁ¡ö ¿¢ýÈ
 ¦Áö¡ Å¢ÁÄ¡ Å¢¨¼ôÀ¡¸¡ §Å¾í¸û
 ³Â¡ ±É µí¸¢ ¬úó¾¸ýÈ Ññ½¢Â§É

 ¦Åö¡ö ¾½¢Â¡ö ­ÂÁ¡É ¿¡õ Å¢ÁÄ¡
 ¦À¡ö¡ ¢ɦÅøÄ¡õ §À¡Â¸Ä Åó¾ÕÇ¢
 ¦Áö¡ÉÁ¡¸¢ Á¢Ç¢÷¸¢ýÈ ¦Áöîͼ§Ã
 ±ï»¡Éõ ­øÄ¡§¾ý ­ýÀô ¦ÀÕÁ¡§Ç
 «ï»¡Éõ ¾ý¨É «¸øÅ¢ìÌõ ¿øÄÈ¢§Å"

"Truly, seeing Thy golden feet this day, I 've gained release.
 O Truth! as the Onkaram dwelling in my soul,
 That I may 'scape.  O spotless One! O Master of the Bull!
 Lord of the Vedas! Rising, sinking, spreading, subtile One!
 Thou art the heat! and thou the cold! the Master Thou, O spotless One!
 Thou cam'st in grace, that all things false might flee,
 True Wisdom, gleaming bright in splendour true,
 To me, void of all wisdom, blissful Lord!
 O Wisdom fair, causing unwisdom's self to flee far off!"

    The way- lost and forlorn soul, the true child of God, son of Siva, forgetting its princely prerogatives and regal resplendence, had been wasting its precious time all this while.  No doubt from eternity, it had been yearning towards God, but it had been way- laid by the five senses, due to its Karma, eating out the fruits of its desires, mistaught to it by those wily five.  Its real light dimmed and tarnished, it had been led in pursuit of the Willo-the-Wisp; it had been indulging in a senseless search for sensual pleasures all this time.  The soul had been side- tracked and wheedled into mire and filth.  Ailing from a mental aberration, the only gift of the Anava Mala it had been entirely depending on the five senses which had been hoodwinking the soul all these days.  Very often than not, the soul had lost its aim and purpose and was caught in the iron grips of the fleeting and wild senses.  Saint Appar says:-

"ÒûÙÅ ¨ÃÅ÷ ¸ûÅ÷ ÒÉò¾¢¨¼ô ÒÌóÐ ¿¢ýÚ
 ÐûÙÅ÷ Ý¨È ¦¸¡ûÅ÷ িȢ Å¢¨Ç ¦Å¡ð¼¡÷
 ÓûÙ¨¼ ÂÅ÷¸û ¾õ¨Á Ó츽¡ý À¡¾¿£Æø
 ¯ûÇ¢¨¼ Á¨ÈóÐ ¿¢ýÈí ̽÷Ţɡ ¦ÄöÂÄ¡§Á."

    "The five bandit senses have jumped into the forest of my life and have robbed me of my all; they dart and pounce, those thorny brigands and they hamper and block my chastened progress.  I must take refuge in the shade of the feet of the Triple-eyed Shiva and shoot those thieves with the shaft of Wisdom Divine."

    Thus the soul must first realise that it is engaged in a life and death struggle with the five senses which are its deadly foes.  It is associated with bodies which are necessarily assumed to work out the consequences of Karma which is beginningless.  Some reflection in the light of scriptural teaching will convince us that the soul cannot be intrinsically impure, though there may be beginningless association with Anavamala or impurity.  Release for the soul is not impossible as impurity is not an essential characteristic of it.  The soul is indestructible but not incorrigible.  The soul which has got the potential merits of assuming celestial bodies to enjoy the fruits of ethereal paradise, as Devas and Devendras, must feel that all those pleasures derived through the senses, both in Heaven and Earth, are but ephemeral and perishable; that all those sensual pleasures are specious and will end in pain; that they will cause the soul to undergo endless births and deaths and keep it aloof from the Light of Divine knowledge, i.e., Sivagnanam. Then the soul will engage actively in the path of attaining Sivagnanam.  The knowledge of the transitoriness of terrestrial and heavenly pleasures alone will interest the soul in the path of moral virtues, and the company of true devotees, the consumation of which is the attainment of Sivagnanam.  Saint Manickavacakar speaks about this:-

"¦¸¡û§Çý ÒÃó¾¡ýÁ¡ø «ÂýÅ¡ú×; Ìʦ¸ÊÛõ
 ¿û§ÇÉ¢ý ¾Ê¡¦Ã¡¼øÄ¡ý ¿Ã¸õÒ¸¢Ûõ
 ±û§Çý ¾¢ÕÅÕÇ¡§Ä þÕì¸ô¦ÀÈ¢ý, þ¨ÈÅ¡
 ¯û§Çý À¢È¦¾öÅõ ¯ý¨ÉÂøÄ¡ ¦¾í¸û ¯ò¾Á§É."

"I ask not bliss of Indra, Mal or Ayan:-
    though my house and home
 Be ruin'd, friendship form I none 'save with
    Thine own;-though hell's abyss
 I enter, I unmumering go,
    if grace divine appoint my lot;-
 O King; no other god save Thee I ponder,
    our Transcendent Good!"

    "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."  The ways of Maya and other Malas will lead us to bewildering darkness and hectic Hell, seething with sulphurous fire.  We must turn our backs on those mundane pleasures and have fellowship with Siva.  "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.  But if we walk in the light we have fellowship one with another and the Grace or Arul of Siva cleanseth us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  To become one with God who is All Good and All Love, we must have nothing to do with evil and we must love Him.  To love Him is to tread the path of light and righteousness.  This is called 'Arul-vali-nirral' in Saiva Siddhanta.  This is what we call 'Formation of character' in ordinary parlance.  Character is more than life to the eternal soul.  It is called 'Olukkam' in Tamil.    Saint Tiruvalluvar says in his sacred Tirrukkural:-

"´Øì¸õ Å¢ØôÀõ ¾ÃÄ¡ý ´Øì¸õ
 ¯Â¢Ã¢Ûõ µõÀô ÀÎõ."

"Decorum gives special excellence; with greater care
  Decorum should men guard than life, which all men share."

    The Siddhantin cautions the soul to be strong and as the word and love of Sivam abideth in it, it can overcome the wicked Anava with the Arul of Siva, by following the path of love and devotion.  The Siddhantin also reiterates in unmistakable terms to the soul, hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, - "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man loves the world, the love of the Father, (Siva), is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will"  of Siva, attains everlasting bliss. He must try to find Siva in anything, everything and everywhere.  Without this practical knowledge, all other penances, pilgrimages, ablutions and fastings will become useless.  This is very well explained in the Pavanasa Tirukkuruntogai of Saint Appar.  I shall cite one stanza from that Patigam:-

"¸í¨¸ ¡ʦÄý ¸¡Å¢Ã¢ ¡ʦÄý
 ¦¸¡íÌ ¾ñÌÁ âòÐ¨È Â¡Ê¦Äý
 ´íÌ Á¡¸¼ §Ä¡¾¿£ áʦÄý
 ±íÌ Á£º ¦ÉÉ¡¾Å÷ì ¸¢ø¨Ä§Â."

    The paths of Sairya, Kiriya, Yoga will endow the soul and moral integrity, honesty, truth and love and enable it to shed all its unwanted cruelty, hatred, jealousy, dishonesty, hypocricy and selfishness.  Love will reign supreme in the soul.  It will obtain the lead and guidance also of other matured souls who are far advanced in spiritual enlightenment.  There are ways of religious purification or Suddhi and initiation of a disciple by his spiritual guru into the mysteries of the Saiva religion.  These initiations are called Dikshas and they are of three stages, viz., Samaya Dikshai, Viceda Dikshai and Nirvana Dikshai.  They are also said to be of seven kinds, viz., Nayana Dikshai, Sparisa Dikshai, Manasa Dikshai, Vacaka Dikshai, Sastra Dikshai, Yoga Dikshai, and Aoutri Dikshai.  Elaborate ritualistic and ceremonial processes also are adopted for these Dikshas.  These processes of initiation are also dovetailed with those of the Purification of Attuvas, i.e., annihilation, by the guru while initiating, of all the Karmas which remain stored as Sanchitam in the six Attuvas, leading to the sundering of the bonds Mayai and Anavam and eventually to liberation.  Attuvas are paths to emancipation, as well as means of acquiring Karma, for the soul.  They are six in number, viz, Mantiram, Patam, Vannam, Bhuvanam, Tattuvam and Kalai, each of which in initiation is shown to be absorbed by the next one, till the last is absorbed by the Tirothana Sakti, and this in its turn by Siva.  By these initiatory and purificatory processes, the subject initiated will also realise and understand the import and significance of Guru, Linga, and Sangama, i.e., the aggregate of the spiritual guru, Siva's emblem and the devotees of Siva.

    Sariya is treated as Tatha Marga, in which the souls stands to God in the relation of servant and master and its fruit is Salokam.  Saint Appar, also known as Tirunavukkarasar, is the exponent of this idea. Kiriya is said to be Sarputra Marga, in which the soul stands to God in the relation of son and father and its fruit is Samipam.  Tirugnana Sambandar is cited as an instance for this idea.  Yoga is Saka Marga where the soul stands to God in the relation of a friend and its fruit is Sarupam.  Sundaramurthi Nayanar is an outstanding illustration to vivify this idea.  The Siddhantin considered Gnanam as Sanmargam which will yield Sayucciam and Saint Manickavacakar is an example for this.  Salokam, Samipam and Sarupam are regarded as Apara Mukti, and Sayucciam as Para Mukti.  Only by attaining Gnanam one can gain Vidu or the Supreme Bliss.  These ideas are narrated in Sivagnana Siddhiar as follows:-

"ºýÁ¡÷ì¸õ º¸Á¡÷ì¸õ ºüÒòÃÁ¡÷ì¸õ
    ¾¡¾Á¡÷ì¸õ ¦ÁýÚï ºí¸Ã¨É ¨¼Ôõ
  ¿ýÁ¡÷ì¸õ ¿¡Ä¨Å¾¡õ »¡É§Â¡¸õ
    ¿ü¸¢Ã¢Â¡ ºÃ¢¨Â¦ÂÉ ¿Å¢üÚÅÐõ ¦ºöÅ¡
 ºýÁ¡÷ì¸ Óò¾¢¸û º¡§Ä¡ì¸¢Â º¡Á£ôÀ¢Â
    º¡åôÀ¢Â º¡Ô ¦ÁýÚ ºÐ÷Å¢¾Á¡õ
 ÓýÁ¡÷ì¸ »¡Éò¾¡ø ±öÐ Óò¾¢
    ÓʦÅýÀ÷ ãýÈ¢ÛìÌõ Óò¾¢ À¾¦ÁýÀ÷."

    By its being called Sanmargam, we can understand the importance and supremacy given to Gnana Marga in the spiritual practices or Sadanas, prescribed by Saiva Siddhanta.  It occupies the highest pedestal for it forms the spring-board that finally wafts the soul to the feet of Almighty Siva, where it becomes united to them.  Sivagnana Siddhiar calls this Gnana as ±Æ¢ø »¡É ⨺ or the Grand worship of Gnanam.  It is also called Gnana Velvi or pure sacrifice by Intelligence which directly leads unto God.  The other paths are followed and the observance of fasting, penances, sacrifice, yogic practices, rituals and meditations are undertaken only to enjoy Heavenly pleasures, which are by nature evanescent and fleeting.  They are four in number, Kanma Velvi, Tapa Velvi, Japa Velvi and Dhyana Velvi.  But the superiority of Gnana lies in its bringing the soul into direct rapport with Hara and eternal Bliss.  Gnana consists of five activities.  They are; - studying works on Gnanam, teaching them to others, making others hear about them, hearing from others and lastly, reflecting, meditating or pondering about them, i.e., Sindittal.  With the performance of these five-fold activities, one can worship Siva and attain  final Bliss.  These facts can be found in the following stanza of Sivagnana Siddhiar;-

"»¡É áø ¾¨É§Â¡¾ø µÐÅ¢ò¾ø
    ¿ü¦À¡Õ¨Çì §¸ðÀ¢ò¾ø ¾¡ý§¸ð¼ø ¿ýÈ¡
 ®ÉÁ¢Ä¡ô ¦À¡ÕǾ¨Éî º¢ó¾¢ò¾ø ³óÐõ
    þ¨ÈÅÉÊ «¨¼Å¢ìÌõ ±Æ¢ø»¡É ⨺
 °ÉÁ¢Ä¡ì ¸ýÁí¸û ¾Àõ ¦ºÀí¸û ¾¢Â¡Éõ
    ´ýÚ즸¡ýÚ ÂÕÁ¢¨Å °ðÎÅÐ §À¡¸õ
 ¬É¨Å¡ý §ÁÄ¡É »¡Éò¾¡ø «Ã¨É
    «ÕôÀ÷ Å£¦¼ö¾ «È¢ó§¾¡ ¦ÃøÄ¡õ."

    Thus we will find Siddhanta holding out a high and ennobling ideal which will rid the soul of its self-stultifying crude parochialisms and under its broadening effects the soul will find final emancipation.  The plastic vacillating mind of the soul can be lifted, steadily sustained and set on the right track by feeding it with the right ideals.  It is a ghastly spectacle  to see the life of a soul going to the dogs for want of an ideal.  "ÌȢ째¡Ç¢Ä¡Ð ¦¸ð§¼ý" says Saint Appar.  The soul should be fed with such ideals as would enable it to think for itself, preserve the integrity of its own nature and not make it a kind of sacrifice at the altar of hatred, evil, greed and self-aggrandisement.  Its whole natural outlook should be changed to give it a new pattern of life.  The soul should not fritter away its energies in intellectual indiscipline and moral anarchy.

    As we have seen before, realising that the treasures of earth will crumble down, that sceptre and crown must tumble down as the wordly pleasures of earth are built on stairs of sand only, the soul must betake itself to the rosy paths of Sariya, Kiriya, and Yoga which will ultimately bring it face to face with the golden gate of Gnanam.  One must not stop with Yoga but must march on to Gnanam which alone will vouchsafe Bliss or Moksha.  The author of Olivilodukkam, Kannudaivallal, who was an ardent Siddhantin, has well exposed the iniquities and malpractices of impostors, false prophets and Pharisees, who, coming into possession of the transient fruits of Yoga, which would enable them to perform marvels and miracles, have deceived the world and deceived themselves.

    The Siddhantic school does not admit the doctrine of atonement or the doctrine of meditation.  According to the genuine concepts of Siddhanta, the ordinary observances and beliefs of almost every religion, including the Hindu Saivite schools are mere mockery and sham.  The Saiva religion does not tolerate hierarchy in any form.  The soul should shake off its mortal cravings and carnal desires and become devoted to God.  This love and devotion will work out its abject surrender to Lord Shiva.  It must shed its ego.  It is a servant of the Divine Master and Service is its badge.  A total self-abnegation should be achieved.  There ends the province of the soul.  The rest is left to God.

    Saint Appar says:-

"¾ý ¸¼ý «Ê§Â¨ÉÔõ ¾¡í̾ø
 ±ý ¸¼ý À½¢¦ºöÐ ¸¢¼ôÀ§¾."

    "It is His duty to sustain me.  To serve alone is my duty."

    The soul is master, as far as performance of its duty is concerned.  Performance of duty is open to every soul.  The field of service is immense.  The soul should think only in terms of its duties, and rights will follow as surely as day follows night.  Its rights really spring from duties properly performed.  If man usurped the powers of God, sacrificed his humility and looked upon the world as something to minister to his enjoyment, then surely he is heading for a fall.  He has everything to give and nothing to take.  Giving will make and taking will mar the happiness in this life.  Our ancestors have praised the giving man alone as '¾Éì¦¸É Å¡Æ¡ô À¢È÷ìÌâ¡Çý', 'The man who lives not for himself but for others'.  He is the man of real service and sacrifice.  'He is the real Saviour of the World', says Purananuru.  Thanks to such men alone, the world exists.  God is pleased with such a man only.  His love and devotion alone will win the key to the gates of Heaven.  The soul should cultivate Love, Humility, Service and Sacrifice.  He whose thoughts are always centred on his own navel is actually smothering and stifling the divinity in him.

    As the soul is strictly enjoined to put an end to all its desires, it has nothing more to ask of God, no boons or favours.  The Lord knows what is good for the soul and is administering all necessary things at the proper time, like the remembering mother, who suckles her babe at the needful hour, even without the asking of the child.  It is good to remember here the much instructive stanza of Tiruvacakam:-

"«ý§È ±ýÈÉ¡Å¢Ô Ó¼ÖÓ¨¼¨Á ¦ÂøÄ¡Óí
 Ìý§È ¨É¡ö ±ý¨É ¡𦸡ñ¼ §À¡§¾ ¦¸¡ñʨħ¡
 þý§È¡ â¨¼ä ¦ÈÉìÌñ§¼¡ ±ñ§¼¡ý Ó츦½õÁ¡§É
 ¿ý§È ¦ºöÅ¡ö À¢¨Æ¦ºöÅ¡ö ¿¡§É¡ þ¾üÌ ¿¡Â¸§Á."

"That very day my soul, my body, all to me
    pertaining didst Thou not take as Thine own,
 Thou like a mountain strong! when me
    Thou mad'st Thy slave?
 And this day is there any hindrance found in me?
    Our mighty One! Eight-armed and Triple-eyed
 Do Thou to me what is good alone, or do Thou ill,
    To all resigned, I'm Thine and wholly Thine!"

    The soul is not dust and to dust shall it not return.  The body that the soul inhabits is a dirty mansion, a dingy citadel, a dusty tabernacle, filled with dreadful diseases and direful drivels.  But this is not the eternal abode of the soul.  Even into this filthy fold, Hara, in His Boundless Grace, enters to reclaim the soul.  This earthly house should be cleansed of its sins and purified for the Light of God to shine within God is in man and can appear to him as man but cannot become man.  Siva has no births and deaths. He has no avatars.  He reveals Himself to the matured souls.  He may appear from within or from without; either in divine of human form.  Siva imparts Gnanam to Vignanakalar, i.e., souls of the highest class, possessing only the two Malas, Anavam and Kanmam, He appears as Guru in His divine form and imparts Gnanam; and to the Sakalar, i.e., souls of the lowest class, subject to the three Malas, Anavam, Kanmam and Mayai, He appears as Guru, concealing Himself in human form and imparts Gnanam.  Saint Manickavacakar says:-

"§¾ýÀÆî §º¡¨ÄÀ¢Öõ º¢ÚÌ¢§Ä þЧ¸û¿£
 Å¡ýÀÆ¢ò ¾¢õÁñ ÒÌóÐ ÁÉ¢¾¨Ã ¬ð¦¸¡ñ¼ ÅûÇø
 °ýÀÆ¢ò ÐûÇõ ÒÌó¦¾ýÛ½÷ ÅÐÅ¡Â ´Õò¾ý
 Á¡ýÀÆ¢ò ¾¡ñ¼ ¦Áý§É¡ì¸¢ Á½¡Ç¨É ¿£ÅÃìÜÅ¡ö."
 

"Thou Kuyil small, that dost frequent the
    grove with sweet fruit rich, hear this!
 The Gracious One Who left the heavens,
    enter'd this earth, made men His own;
 The only One, despised the flesh,
    entered my soul, and fills my thought;-
 The Bridegroom of the Fawn-eyed-one that
    gently rules,-go hither call!"

    Without His succouring Grace, we can not attain Divine knowledge.  Saint Appar has pithily said that:-

"¸¡ñÀ¡÷¡÷ ¸ñϾġöì ¸¡ð¼¡ì¸¡§Ä."

"Who can see, if not shown by Him, Whose forehead gleams with an eye?"

    In another place he says:-

"¿¢ý «Õð¸ñ½¡ø §¿¡ì¸¡¾¡÷ «øÄ¡¾¡§Ã."

"He sees nothing who does not see with the Gracious eye of the Lord."

    Saint Manickavacakar says:-

"«Åý «ÕÇ¡§Ä «Åý ¾¡û Å½í¸¢."

So, even to bow before His feet, His Grace is essential.