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Bhagavadgita Pages, Chapters 1 to 18

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Author: Manavaachakam Kadantaan (13th century)

Language: Tamil

Subject: Basis of Saiva Siddhanta

Related articles and links: Primer in Saiva Siddhanta    TATTVAS-36

Translation: V.Krishnaraj

Unmai Vilakkam =  உண்மை விளக்கம் = Truth Elucidation or Explication
Truth is eternal and this treatise explains the Truth or the principles of Saiva Siddhanta whose triad is Pati-Pasu-pasa (The Lord-souls-impurities). The impurities that shroud the soul are Anavam, Mayai and Kanmam (ஆணவம், மாயை, கன்மம்). Meykantaar was the preceptor of Kadantaan, who dutifully rendered his teachings into verses.
The first verse is invocation of and homage to Lord Vinaayaka, the Lord of beginnings.

Invocation of Ganesa

வண்மைதரும் ஆகமநூல் வைத்த பொருள் வழுவா
உண்மை விளக்கம் உரைசெய்யத் -- திண்மதம்சேர்
அந்திநிறத் தந்திமுகத் தொந்திவயிற்று ஐங்கரனைப்
பந்தம் அறப் புந்தியுள் வைப்பாம் --01

வண்மை = Truth. திண்மதம் = strong musth or must. அந்தி = twilight. தந்தி = male elephant. தொந்தி = large belly. ஐங்கரன் = five hands = proboscis plus four legs. பந்தம் = bondage. புந்தி = Buddhi or knowledge
Agamas explicate the Truth. Without deviating from its principles, elucidation of Truth will be presented here. Let us embrace Vinayaka who is of the color of twilight, who is of the face of the elephant in strong musth, who sports a large belly, and who owns five hands. Let us abide in His knowledge to remove the bondage.
Any endeavor begins with homage and invocation of the Lord of beginnings, Vinayaka (விநாயகன்), who removes all obstacles and facilitates success.

Eulogy of Guru Meykanda and supplication to him

பொய்காட்டிப் பொய் அகற்றிப் போதானந்தப் பொருளாம்
மெய்காட்டும் மெய்கண்டாய்! விண்ணப்பம் -- பொய்காட்டா
மெய்யா! திருவெண்ணை வித்தகா! சுத்தவினா
ஐயா நீ தான் கேட்டு அருள். (02)

பொய் = untruth, falsity, lie. போதானந்தம் = wisdom + beatitude (bliss). பொருள் = essence. மெய் = Truth. விண்ணப்பம் = supplication, petition, recitation. வித்தகன். = wise person, (Bhairava, Siva).
He showed me the falsity and removed it. He is the embodiment and essence of wisdom and Bliss. He is the revealer of Truth; He is Meykandan himself. This is my supplication. O wise man of Tiruvennai, the suppressor of falsity and revealer of Truth. Please listen to me in grace and shower me with Grace.
Kadantan is offering his thanks to his Guru Meykandan for revealing the falsity of doctrines, removing them, and offering him Bliss-wisdom. Commentators point to Falsity (பொய்) as Paasam (பாசம் = bondage). It is important first to show what darkness, falsity and ignorance are and then reveal light, Truth and knowledge.
ஆறாறு தத்துவம் ஏது? ஆணவம் ஏது? அன்றே தான்
மாறா வினை ஏது? மற்று இவற்றின் -- வேறு ஆகா
நான் ஏது? நீ ஏது? நடம் அஞ்செழுத்துத்
தான் ஏது? தேசிகனே! சாற்று (3)
ஆறாறு = 6x6 = 36. தத்துவம் = Tattvas = Truth, reality, substance, categories, building blocks. ஆணவம் = Anava Malam = the impurity of Egotism. வினை = Karma. அஞ்செழுத்து = five syllables, Five syllable mantra, Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya. தேசிகன் = spiritual teacher.
What are the 36 Tattvas? What is Egotism? What is changeless Karma since then? From any of these, am I any different? Who are you? What are the Lord's dance and the five syllables? O my spiritual teacher, elucidate (and declare) these for me.
These are the five questions he poses to his Guru. Tattvas 36 in number are the building blocks of the universe of beings and matter. Sankhya Tattvas have only 25 Tattvas.
Question 1: The Tattvas. There is a table that shows the Tattvas.
Question 2: Anava Malam is a recalcitrant impurity of the soul. It is Egotism. It is the physical feeling of I-ness, and mineness. It is body consciousness and not soul consciousness. Anava Malam is like a cataract in the eye and prevents the soul from seeing the light of spiritual wisdom. Anava Malam makes the man believe that he is the body and not the soul. This body consciousness prevents the soul from obtaining Sattinipatam (சத்திநிபாதம்), descent of Sakti into the soul. As long as the soul is impure and laden with Anava and other malas, it cannot merge with Siva-Sakti.
In order to function in Sakala state, naturally man is endowed with Tattvas (building blocks, body). Don't be disheartened; even gods, celestials, and worms are in Sakala state, according to Mular. Soul has the susceptibility to accumulate surface impurities, when it comes into contact with Malas (literally feces, here it means impurities). Anava Mala is compared to verdigris on the surface of copper vessel. Anava is recalcitrant surface impurity burrowing deeper into the soul of a vessel. Anava is the first Mala of the soul and the last Mala to leave the soul, when Siva confers Grace. Some students of Saiva Siddhanta wonder why the soul, which is or should be a pure entity, is affected by corrosive verdigris. Another common analogy given is that the soul is like a crystal which takes on the color of the object next to it. The soul has to graduate from its Sakala state to Suddha (pure) state. Now it is important to scrub and remove the verdigris before it attains liberation; it is removed completely only by the grace of God. The newly embodied soul, which is a magnet for this and that, cannot remain in isolation, and must take qualities from God before it can obtain Bliss. Let me give you an example to illustrate the stickiness of the soul to anything that passes by. Calcium is good for the bone, but lead is not. When a child eats lead paint chip, the child gets lead poisoning and lead deposits in the bone, which over time releases lead into the bloodstream causing anemia and brain damage. The lead in the bone and blood is like impurities (Malas) sticking on the soul. How do you get rid of the lead from the bone? It is done by use of therapeutic modality of competitive binding and substitution. EDTA likes to combine with calcium and lead; but it likes lead more than it likes calcium. If you give Calcium EDTA to a child, the lead in the bone leaches out into the blood, kicks out the calcium from calcium EDTA and takes its place. Then the lead EDTA circulating in the blood is excreted in urine; the child gets the calcium, gets rid of the lead EDTA in the urine and gets better. In the same manner, Sivaness (calcium EDTA) likes to replace Malas (lead) by competitive binding and substitution, thereby making the soul pure (suddha).
Siddhantist says that soul and Mala coexist; Mala in its turn associates with Maya and Karma, the latter two are compared to inner and outer sheaths (husk) enveloping the grain of rice. Intermittently, the soul is subject to Maya and Karma during life, while Anava Mala binds the soul constantly; Grace of Siva removes the fetter of Anava Mala and facilitates merger of the soul with Him. Though the soul is subject to Maya intermittently, the soul has Maya as its baggage (or monkey on the back, a burden) throughout its sojourn in the body, heaven, hell, birth and rebirth until the soul is released. Let me give you a simple example with explanation. Maya gives man its products to build a body, organs and functions around the soul in the phenomenal world. Soul exists in Sukshma (subtle) state without the body in heaven, hell and other Mandalas. In this Sukshma state, the soul moves around free of body but not free of Maya, which the soul needs at short notice for building its body for life on this planet. Maya is like tent and stuff nomadic people carry on their back; whenever there is an urge to stay in one place for a short time, the poles, frames, ropes and pegs are laid out and the canvas is spread over the frames and poles. Release of the soul means that the soul is divested of its body, Maya, and Malas (impurities like Anava Mala).
As said earlier, dissolution of the world does not mean that the soul is free to merge with Siva. You may call this as a sleep state for the soul; when creation takes place again, the soul with its burdensome erstwhile sleepy companions Karma, Anava Mala and Maya come together to give the soul a body. Remember that the soul carries a chronology of its karma.
Maya and its products are Asat and Acit and Siva is Sat and Cit. Sat = Being; eternal; changeless. Asat = not Being; susceptible to change. Acit = insentient. Maya is unconscious and insentient, while Siva is Supreme Consciousness and existent. Siva is Sat and Cit because he is eternal and does not acquire knowledge by observation or from somebody else. The material world appears, stays for a while and disappears, all beyond its control, and that is Asat and Acit; matter is impermanent, analyzable, knowable by its gunas or qualities and changeable; that is Asat and Acit. The world is visible in its gross form (Sthula); it is invisible in its subtle form (when it involutes, Sukshma); therefore, it is Asat. Sat = Being; eternal; changeless. Asat = not Being; susceptible to change. Acit = insentient.
God is eternal, unknowable, immutable, unanalyzable, and superconscious and therefore, Sat and Cit. Sat is Being and Asat is non-being. Sat is real, while Asat is mirage. Sat exists on its own, while Asat exists because of Sat (Sat dependence). The world, Anavamala, karma, and Maya are changeable and so, Asat.
Maya is not part of Cit or Superconsciousness of Siva; Maya is apart from him and is subject to his Will. Siva Sakti activates Maya but has no control over its compass. Once Maya evolves into building blocks of the universe and beings, Siva does not alter its expansion, contraction, limitation, extent, variability, complexity, or direction --those of matter. The matter has its own guna (quality); its evolution, variability and variety are intrinsic to it; its compass is under the direction of Karma, which is also external to Siva. Siva is Sat and Cit and therefore, Maya, which is Asat and Acit (Changeable and unconscious matter) cannot be traced back to him. They all stop with Mayeya and Sakti which straddles the chasm between matter and Siva. Living entities which evolve from Maya are subject to Karma and Anava Malas (impurities); that being the case, Siva cannot contain in his constitution (mass of Bliss) Maya, which can be traced back to him. That is the argument of the Siddhantist.

All Saiva Siddhanta Tattvas of Pure and Impure category are derived from MāyA6, which is under the aegis of Sakti2 (Sakti Tattva). Siva1, Sakti2,  Sadasiva3,  Isvara4,  Sadvidya5 are the Suddha Tattvas (Pure Tattvas); MāyA6,  Kāla7, Niyati8, Kalā9, Vidya10, Rāga11, Purusa12  are the Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas (Pure-Impure);  Prakrti Tattva13Buddhi14, Ahamkara15, Manas16, hearing17 tactile sense18, vision and color19, tasting20, smell21, speech22, grasp23, ambulation24, evacuation25, procreation26, sound27, palpation28, form29, taste30, odor31,  ether32, air33, fire34, water35 Earth36 are the Asuddha Tattvas (Impure).

TATTVAS-36:  These are the Saiva Tattvas, 36 in number as compared to 25 Samkhya Tattvas.

Siva1, Sakti2,  Sadasiva3,  Isvara4,  Sadvidya5, MāyA6,  Kāla7, Niyati8, Kalā9, Vidya10, Rāga11, Purusa12 Prakrti Tattva13Buddhi14, Ahamkara15, Manas16, hearing17 tactile sense18, vision and color19, tasting20, smell21, speech22, grasp23, ambulation24, evacuation25, procreation26, sound27, palpation28, form29, taste30, odor31,  ether32, air33, fire34, water35 Earth36.

Samkhya Tattvas do not have Siva1, Sakti2,  Sadasiva3,  Isvara4,  Sadvidya5, MāyA6,  Kāla7, Niyati8, Kalā9, Vidya10, Rāga11

Question 3: Changeless Karma. Karma is thought, word, and deed and their fruits. Karma is a dogged pursuer and hounds a soul even after death, thus making it subject to rebirth and death and the endless cycle. The best solution is Malaparipakam (மலபரிபாகம்) equable resolution of punyam and papam, which means that both are brought to a null state. The karma slate is wiped clean, thus making the soul ready for merger.

Question 4: From any of these, am I any different? Who are you? 'These' indicates the Anava, Karma and Maya Malas besieging the soul. You are the afflicted soul.

Question 5: What are the Lord's dance and the five syllables? Siva is the Guru and appears as Guru on earth for the benefit of the spiritual aspirant. Siva is the Dancer; His dance is Ananda Tandavam (Bliss Dance) involved in five acts of Siva: Sristi, Sthiti, Samhara, Tirobhava and Anugraha (Creation, maintenance, destruction, concealment and Grace). The Five Syllables: Na Ma Si Va Ya. it is the Mantra for salvation.

 Tattvas and their different numerical placements in Samkhya and Saiva Tattvas.

Tattva Samkhya (25) Saiva Tattvas (36)
Purusha Purusha1 Purusa12
Prakrti Prakrti 2  Prakrti Tattva13
Buddhi Buddhi3 Buddhi14
Ahamkara Ahamkara4 Ahamkara15
Mind Mind 5 Manas16
Hearing

Touching

Seeing

Tasting

Smelling

Hearing6

Touching
7

Seeing
8

Tasting
9

Smelling
10
hearing17

tactile sense18

 vision and color19

tasting20

smell21

Speech

Grasp

Walk

Excretion

Generation
Speech11

Grasp
12

Walk
13

Excretion
14

Generation
15
speech22

grasp23

ambulation24 (walk)

evacuation25 (Excretion)

procreation26 (Generation)

Sound

Touch

Form

Taste

Smell
Sound16

Touch
17

Form
18

Taste
19

Smell
20
Sound27

palpation28

form29

taste30

odor31

Space

Air

Fire

Water

 Earth
Space 21

Air
22

Fire
23

Water
24

Earth
25
 ether32  (Space)

air33

fire34

water35

Earth36

There are 36 Saiva Tattvas (building blocks or principles). Buddhi is the 14th Tattva. The first five are Suddha or Pure Tattvas (1-5). The second 7 Tattvas are Suddha-Asuddha  or Pure-Impure Tattvas (6-12). The Third category of Tattvas are Asuddha or Impure Tattvas (13-36).  

உள்ளபடி இத்தை உரைக்கக் கேள் உன் தனக்கு
வள்ளல் அருளால் அன்று வாய்மலர்ந்து -- தெள்ளியசீர்
ஆகமங்கள் சொன்ன அடைவிலே ஆனந்த
யோகம் நிகழ் புதல்வா! உற்று (4)


உள்ளபடி = As it is. வள்ளல் அருளால் = Liberal donor, Benefactor grace = Siva's Grace. தெள்ளியசீர் = clear Grace, beauty, fame. ஆனந்த யோகம் நிகழ் புதல்வா: O son, abiding in Yoga of Bliss.
O son abiding in Yoga of Bliss. The Great Benefactor (Siva) uttered from his floral lips with grace the Agamas brimming with abundant grace. Told (Expounded by me) as it is, listen to this. --4
Meykandar calls Kadantar as his son abiding in Yoga of Bliss. In Saiva tradition, an aspirant engages in Chariyai, Kriyai, yogam and Jnanam (சரியை, கிரியை, யோகம், ஞானம்) as paths to Siva.

 

Agama = Acquisition of knowledge, science. Saiva Agamas glorify Siva and form the basis of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy. Vaishnava Agamas glorify Vishnu and Sakta Agamas, the mother goddess. There are many things common with Vedas but Agamas derive authority from their respective Gods, Siva, Vishnu, and Mother Goddess.

Agamas are egalitarian, intellectual, yogic, exoteric and esoteric Manual of Philosophy, Means and Realization, covering all possible devotional, inclinational and intellectual bent.  Transmission of Tantras (Agamas and Nigamas) from Guru to Sisya was witnessed, approved and blessed by Vasudeva (Krishna). It is called Agama because it emanated from the mouth of Sambhu (Siva) and went to Girija; it is called Nigama, because it emanated from the mouth of Girija (Parvati, daughter of Mountain, Himavat) and went to Girisa (the Lord of the mountain, Siva). Âgata = come from (mouth of Siva). ta = going into (ears of Girija, Uma or Parvati). Abhi-mata = longed for, approved (by Vasudeva or Vishnu). Âgata + ta + Abhi-mata = ÂgamaAgama is acronym for Agata Gata Abhimata. Nigama = Ni + ga + ma = Nirgata + gata + sammata = go out (of the mouth of Girija, Uma or Parvati) + going into (Siva) + being of the same opinion, agreed to, approved by Vasudeva)    

Prakrti Tattva13 (Asuddha Tattva) gives rise to all distal Tattvas ranging from Buddhi14  to Earth 36.  The Tattvas and TAtvikas (தாத்துவிகம்)= That which is connected with tattva) are fourfold:  Tanu = தனு = body; Karanam = கரணம் =  Instruments of the body, organs of sense; Bhuvanam = புவனம் = World; Bhogam = போக்கியம்=  objects of enjoyment.  Purusa12 the soul is the overlord or enjoyer of all these Tattvas from Prakrti Tattva13 to Earth36.  The Tattvas are called BhogyakAndam (போக்கியகாண்டம்= a class of categories under Suddha-Asuddhatattvam and Asuddha Tattvam)

The soul enjoys this body and the world made of Tattvas. All Tattvas distal to Purusha have three qualities: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (Virtue; motion and passion; darkness). SAttva is white; Rajas is red; Tamas is black. Take water: water in liquid state at room temperature is Sattva; Steam is Rajas; Ice is Tamas. These three Gunas account for the plethora and panoply of personalities and behavior patterns of people in the world.

நாற்கோணம் பூமி; புனல் நண்ணும் மதியின்பாதி
ஏற்கும் அனல் முக்கோணம் எப்போதும் -- ஆக்கும்
அறுகோணம் கால்; வட்டம் ஆகாயம்; ஆன்மா
உறுகாயம் ஆம் இவற்றால் உற்று --5

நாற்கோணம் பூமி = Four-angle Earth = Square earth. In India, the icon for earth is a Square, (yellow in color). புனல் நண்ணும் மதியின்பாதி = Water like the half-moon = the icon of water is half-moon. ஏற்கும் அனல் முக்கோணம் =  destructive Fire is a Triangle; ஆக்கும் அறுகோணம் கால் = moving wind is a Hexagon. வட்டம் ஆகாயம் =  Ether (space) is round. ஆன்மா உறுகாயம் ஆம் இவற்றால் உற்று = The soul obtains a body made of these as aid above.

The earth is yellow square; water is half-moon; Fire is a triangle; wind is a Hexagon (round in the picture); Ether is round (oval in the picture). The soul has a body made of these elements.

These are the shapes of the five Tattvas in the body. Compare this to the Chakras and the resident elements in each of the Kundalini Chakras.

There are minor variations in the portrayal of colors and shapes of these elements. Body has six centers: one at the uro-genital triangle (Muladhara Chakra); one at the genitals (Svadhistana); one at the navel (Manipura); one at the heart (Anahata); one at the throat (Visiddha); and one at the forehead middle (Ajna).

Click here >>>>Kundalini Power

 

பொன்பார் புனல்வெண்மை பொங்கும் அனல்சிவப்பு
வன்கால் கருமை வளர் வான்தூமம் -- என்பார்
எழுத்து லவரய அப்பாராதிக்கு என்றும்
அழுத்தமதாய் நிற்கும் அது.--6

பொன்பார் =  Earth is golden. புனல்வெண்மை = Water is white.  பொங்கும் அனல்சிவப்பு = boiling (blazing) Fire is red. வன்கால் கருமை = strong wind is black. வளர் வான்தூமம் = Expanding space is smoke-colored. என்பார் = thus they say.  எழுத்து ல-வ-ர-ய-அ பாராதிக்கு என்றும் அழுத்தமதாய் நிற்கும் அது. =  The letters (syllables) ல-வ-ர-ய-அ = La, Va, Ra, Ya, Ha = Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham in Sanskrit are associated with Earth and other elements: these root-letters (Bija letters in Sanskrit) are firmly established in them. --6

Bija Mantras are based on Syllables (Tamil and Sanskrit). This is the Natural Sound that an object makes whether the human ear hears or not. Take the fire; it makes the sound Ra. This sound is heard by the Absolute Ear of the Absolute Lord. He passes the sound to the Yogi who has with his relative ear.  More on this below the diagram.

Arul Nanthi Sivanar in his composition Sivagnana Siddhiyar, verse 157 says the following.

மண் புனல், அனல், கால், வான், பால் வடிவு நாற்கோணம் ஆகும்
தண்பிறை மூன்று கோணம் தகும் அறுகோணம் வட்டம்
வண்பொன்மை வெண்மை செம்மை கறுப்போடு தூமம் வன்னம்
எந்தரும் எழுத்துத் தானும் ல, வ, ர, ய அவ்வுமாமே. --157 Sivagnana Siddhiyar

 

 

குறி குலிசம் கோகனதம் கொள்சுவத்தி குன்றா
அறுபுள்ளி ஆர் அமுத விந்து -- பிறிவு இன்றி
மண் புனல் தீககால் வானம் மன்னும் அடைவே என்று
ஒண் புதல்வா! ஆகமம் ஓதும்.--7

குறி =  symbol.  குலிசம் = Indra's Thunderbolt.  சுவத்தி =   Swastika. அறுபுள்ள = six dots.  அமுத விந்து = Amirta Bindu. மண் புனல் தீககால் வானம் = Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether. ஒண் புதல்வா! = Wonderful son. ஆகமம் ஓதும். = Agamas declare.

The symbol of Earth is Thunderbolt, of Water is lotus, of Fire is Swastika, of air is six dots, and of space is Amrta-Bindu. O wonderful son! The Agamas declare this.

Earth = Thunderbolt.  Water = Lotus.  Fire = Swastika.  Wind = 6 dots.  Ether (AkAsa) = Amrta Bindu.

பார் ஆதி ஐந்தும் பன்னும் அதி தெய்வங்கள்
ஆர் ஆர் அயன் ஆதி ஐவராம் -- ஓர் ஓர்
தொழில் அவர்க்குச் சொல்லுங்கால் தோற்றம் முதல் ஐந்தும்
பழுதறவே பண்ணுவர்கள் பார்--8

The words in this verse are very simple and common and strung together beautifully.

Beginning with Earth, the presiding deities of the five elements are five beginning with Brahma. Enumerating their functions individually, they are five beginning with Creation. Behold, their performance will be flawless.

படைப்பன் அயன்; அளிப்பன் பங்கயக்கண் மாயன்;
துடைப்பன் உருத்திரனும்; சொல்லில் -- திடப்பெறவே
என்றும் திரோபவிப்பர் ஈசர்; சதாசிவரும்
அன்றே அநுக்கிரகர் ஆம்.--9

The words in this verse have the breeze of ease and simplicity.

The Creator is Ayan (அயன்= Brahma); the Sustainer is lotus-eyed MAyan (மாயன் = Vishnu); The destroyer துடைப்பன் ) is Rudra;  Isa (ஈசர்  =  Mahesvara) exercises Tirobhava (திரோபவம் = Veiling); Sadasiva confers Anugraha (அநுக்கிரகம்  = Grace before liberation). Primer in Saiva Siddhanta

Continued

படைப்பன் அயன்; அளிப்பன் பங்கயக்கண் மாயன்;
துடைப்பன் உருத்திரனும்; சொல்லில் -- திடப்பெறவே
என்றும் திரோபவிப்பர் ஈசர்; சதாசிவரும்
அன்றே அநுக்கிரகர் ஆம்.--9

The soul exists in three states: Kevala Avastha, Sakala Avastha, and Suddha Avastha.

Before Birth: Kevala Avastha = Kevala-k-kitai = கேவலக்கிடை kēvala-k-kiţai   kēvala +. (Šaiva.) Disembodied inactive condition of the soul enveloped in ānava (ஆணவம்), the inherent darkness;

During life on Earth: Sakala Avastha = சகலாவத்தை cakalāvattai: Condition of the soul in the phenomenal world in Jagrat, Sopanam, Susupti, Turiyam and Turiyatitam (Awake, Dream, Deep Sleep, 4th, and end of 4th state). The soul in embodied state (We the people with soul and body) are in 5 sub-states: We are awake and walk around: that is awake state. We dream; we have deep sleep; very few of us go into the state of Turiya, transcendental Consciousness; very few of us go into Turiyatitia, wherein the Yogi becomes one with the Lord. Awake, dream sleep and deep sleep states are ordinary states of every person. Yogis only attain Turiya and Turiyatita states.

After death and liberation: Suddha Avastha. = சுத்தாவத்தை   cuttāvattai   (Šaiva.) A condition of the soul in which it is purified and freed from birth. Suddha Avastha state is fit for merger with the Lord.

The soul is laden with Anava Mala, the I-factor in Kevala state before birth and Sakala state during life. It must be removed before the soul can become one with Siva, because Siva is pure and stainless. To remove this impurity one needs detergent, which comes in the form of Maya Mala. The question is why Siva Sakti uses Maya Mala to shed some light on the soul and also partially remove Anava Mala. Why does Siva Sakti use one Mala (Maya) to remove another Mala (Anava)? The argument goes as follows: Washerman uses soap or detergent (compared to Maya Mala) to remove a more ingrained dirt (compared to Anava Mala) from the clothes. Thus by partial cleansing, Maya prepares the soul ingrained with Anava Mala for greater purification by Siva Sakti. (Remember the washer man beats the clothes on a flat slab of stone to remove the dirt along with the detergent.) In modern parlance, the soul in Sakala state attends the school of hard knocks in this phenomenal world; hard knocks of daily living mature and "ripen" the Malas, which when completely ripened, fall off and the soul goes to the next state, Suddha Avastha (pure state). The soul goes through spiritual evolution of this kind over many human births and this progress is proportional to the attenuation of Anava Mala (ஆணவ மலம்), which, when expunged with the Grace of God, results in liberation.  That is Suddha Avastha.

மண் கடினமாய்த் தரிக்கும் ;  வாரிகுளிர்ந்தே பதம் ஆம்
ஒண்கனல் சுட்டு ஒன்றுவிக்கும் ஓவாமல் -- வண்கால்
பரந்து சலித்துத் திரட்டும் பார்க்கில் ஆகாயம்
நிரந்தரமாய் நிற்கும் நிறைந்து.--10

The Hard Earth supports and sustains; Water is cool and gentle. Brilliant Fire burns and renders all into one: ash; Ceaseless (restless) strong Wind heaves, shakes and gathers things. If you look into it, the space stands for ever in plenitude. சலித்து To move, to shake.

உள்ளபடி மாபூதம் ஓதினோம் உன்றனக்குக்
கள்ளம்மிகும் ஐம்புலனும் கட்டுரைக்கில் -- மெள்ளவே
ஓசை பரிசம் உருவம் சுவை நாற்றம்
ஆசை தரும் ஐம்புலனே ஆம் --11

கள்ளம்மிகும = full of sly.

The Sly Five

We spoke of the true nature of the Great Elements (Maha Bhutas = மாபூதம் ) to you. The sly five sense organs of Sound, Touch, Form, Taste and Odor ( Ear, Skin, Eyes, Tongue and Nose) engender desire.

ஞானேந்திரியங்கள் நன்றாய்க் உரைக்கக்கேள்
ஊனம் மிகுபூதம் உற்றிடமா -- ஈனமாம்
சத்தாதியை அறியும் தானம் செவி தோல் கண்
அத்தாலு மூக்கு என்று அறி. --12

Listen well  the explication of Janendriyas. The Bhutas have their intrinsic loci, which apprehend the sound and the like. Understand that the ears, skin, eyes and nose apprehend.

The ears, the skin, the eyes the tongue and the nose are the sense-organs known as Janendriyas.

வானிடமாய் நின்று செவி மன்னும் ஒலியதனை
ஈனமிகும் தோல் கால் இடமாக -- ஊனப்
பரிசம் தனை அறியும் பார்வையில் கண் அங்கி
விரவி உருவம் காணுமே.--13

The ear perceives sound abiding in space. Wind aids perception of touch by the skin. Fire aids perception of form by the eye.

நன்றாக நீர் இடமாக நா இரதம் தான் அறியும்
பொன்றா மணம் மூக்கும் பூ இடமா -- நின்று அறியும்
என்று ஓதும் அன்றே இறை ஆகமம் இதனை
வென்றார் சென்றார் இன்ப வீடு.-14.

இன்ப வீடு. = House of Bliss.

By water, the tongue perceives taste well. By Earth, the nose apprehends the smell. Thus, the Agamas of gods declare. They who conquered this, will go to the House of Bliss. --14

Tanmatras namely sound, touch, color, taste, and smell are the subtle, supersensible, rudimentary and nonspecific particles from which the gross elements namely akasa, air, fire, water, and earth evolve respectively. There are two divisions in the gross (great) elements (Mahabhutas): Amurtta and Murtta, the formless and the formed. Akasa and air are formless elements, while fire, water and earth formed. 

            Panchadasi (2.88) says that Akasa is the most extensive element compared to the rest. Quantitatively starting from air each element is 10% of the former element. It attributes this statement to Puranas.

            The tanmatras (merely that) are nonspecific in the sense that they lack qualities (according to Samkhya philosophy) such as Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas or calmness, turbulence and delusion. When the transformation takes place from the subtle to the gross, the gross elements acquire qualities. These gross elements again in turn are responsible for products downstream such as hearing, tactile sense, vision, taste, and smell collectively called sensory functions. The latter have corresponding peripheral organs to receive the respective sensations, namely the ear, the skin, the eyes, the tongue, and the nose, which again have their own respective brain centers.

Tanmātras ― Subtle Elements

Sound

Touch

Color

Taste

Smell

Gross Elements

Ākāsa (Ether)

Air

Fire

Water

Earth

Sensations

Hearing

Tactile sense

Vision

Taste

Smell

Peripheral sensory receivers

Ears

Skin

Eyes

Tongue

Nose

Brain centers

Auditory center

Sensory cortex

Visual cortex

Gustatory center

Olfactory center

   

            The Tanmatras have specific names: Sabda Tanmatra (sound), Sparsa Tanmatra (touch), Rupa Tanmatra (color and form), Rasa Tanmatra (taste), and Gandha Tanmatra (smell). Sound abides in Sabda Tanmatra; same premise applies to all Tanmatras.

 

These Tanmātras are the subtle physical counterparts of sense perceptions: hearing, tactile sense, vision, taste, and smell. The subtle element that travels from the flower to the nose is tanmātra. The five bhūtas (the gross elements), ether, air, fire, water, earth evolve from Tamasic tanmātras. The dominant element's space or compartment consists of half  (50%) of the dominant element and one eighth (12.5%) each of the other four elements. None of the reconstituted gross elements is pure in each compartment. We know now the gross elements developed from the subtle elements and so it is reasonable to deduce the gross elements exude subtle elements. For the gross elements to acquire the gunas (qualities), Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas (calmness, turbulence, and delusion) during the transformation from the subtle elements, the gross elements had to become compounds representing one dominant element and four other contaminants.

 

Compartment one, Ether: 50% is Ether and 12.5% each of air, fire, water, and earth.

Compartment two, Air: 50% is Air and 12.5% each of ether, fire, water, and earth.

Compartment three, Fire: 50%  is fire and 12.5% each of ether, air, water, and earth.

Compartment four, Water: 50% is water and 12.5% each of ether, air, fire, and earth.

Compartment five, Earth: 50% is earth and 12.5% each of ether, air, fire, and water.

 

Compartment four, Water: 50% is water and 12.5% each of ether, air, fire, and earth.

Let us take water: 50% is water; Water is Hydrogen and oxygen; if you take the atoms, there is space. It is  mixed with air (think of fish extracting oxygen from water). Water has Fire in it, meaning there is heat in water. When you remove heat from water it becomes ice. It has earth in it meaning it has minerals, which contributes to the taste of the water.

 

Table13.06 table: From the subtle and the finer elements, to the gross, to the sensory, to the Command and Control Center (Buddhi and Purusa), and to the motor organs: Chain of events go from the top to the bottom.

One example: Sound becomes Ether, which upon its gross manifestation becomes hearing; the latter needs an organ to receive the hearing. The peripheral organ needs pathways, central processing organ and organ of response to the sound -- Vestibulocochlear pathway, going to auditory region (Temporal lobe), Mind, Buddhi and Purusa, Mind, Motor cortex and actions.

 

Subtle and nonspecific

Subtle and nonspecific

Subtle and nonspecific

Subtle and nonspecific

Subtle and nonspecific

SOUND

TOUCH

COLOR

TASTE

SMELL

Air 12.5%

Fire  12.5%

water 12.5%

Earth 12.5%

 

Ether 50%

 

Ether 12.5%

Fire 12.5%

Water 12.5%

Earth 12.5%

 

Air 50%

 

Ether 12.5%

Air 12.5%

Water 12.5%

Earth 12.5%

 

Fire 50%

Ether 12.5%

Air 12.5%

Fire 12.5%

Earth 12.5%

 

Water 50%

Ether 12.5%

Air 12.5%

Fire 12.5%

Water 12.5%

 

Earth 50%

 

ETHER

AIR

FIRE

WATER

EARTH

Gross and Specific

Gross and Specific

Gross and Specific

Gross and Specific

Gross and Specific

Hearing

Tactile Sense

Vision

Tasting

Smelling

Ears

Skin

Eyes

Tongue

Nose

Vestibulocochlear

Sensory Pathways

Visual Pathways

Taste Pathways

Olfactory Path.

Auditory region of  the cerebral cortex

Somatic sensory region of the cortex

Visual region of cerebral cortex

Gustatory region of cerebral cortex

Olfactory region of cerebral cortex

Mind

Mind

Mind

Mind

Mind

Buddhi & Purusa

Buddhi & Purusa

Buddhi & Purusa

Buddhi & Purusa

Buddhi & Purusa

Mind

Mind

Mind

Mind

Mind

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex

Motor Organs-Karmendriya

Motor Organs-Karmendriya

Motor Organs-Karmendriya

Motor Organs-Karmendriya

Motor Organs-Karmendriya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanmātras is special to the Sankhya system, one of its greatest contributions. Mātra-Tan means "merely that". All objects and beings emanate tanmātras, subtle, supersensible and fine elements all the time. Let me give you an easily understood phenomenon. All warm-blooded beings emanate heat; that heat is fire, which traces its origin to the Rupa Tanmātra "Color and Form." All of us can detect that heat without any problem. We also emanate many other tanmātras, which only yogis can detect. You know that a shark can detect the tanmātra that emanates from a minute amount of blood spilled in the ocean within the range of its special sense. We do not have that ability. Likewise a bitch (a female dog) exudes pheromones in the urine during estrus, which is detected by the male dog many miles away. The proof is that the male dog goes out looking for the female dog. That is Tanmatra. We don't have that ability. Now you see how yogis can detect tanmātras that  we miss. You can see the same phenomenon in the psychics. The dead bodies exude tanmātras that a psychic can sense, which we cannot detect. Vivekananda says the temples and places of worship emanate good tanmātras, which augment and strengthen the Sattvic quality in the devotees. When Sattvic yogis go to these temples of worship, the place acquires more beneficial tanmātras. You may call these tanmātras as vibrations.

Ether comes from elemental sound. Sound is primal. OM is primal. Akāsa is ether, the stem substance. Ether is perceived as sound.

Air comes from elemental sound and touch, and is primarily perceived as touch.

Fire comes from elemental sound, touch, and color, and is perceived primarily as color and form or shape.

Water comes from elemental sound, touch, color, and taste, and is perceived primarily as taste.

Earth comes from elemental sound, touch, taste and color, and is primarily perceived as smell.

Each gross element, as you see, becomes a compound when it is combined with other elements.

 

The gross elements, gross body, and their connection:

 

Table:

Earth

Water

Fire

Ether

The Cranium

The Skin

The Intestines

The Bones

The Flesh

The Nails

 

Body Fluids 

Blood

Urine

Saliva

Sweat

Other Fluids

 

Hunger

Thirst

Body Heat

Swoon-Syncope

Libido

 

Anger

Lust

 

   

            As ether, air, fire, water and earth gather mass (transformational change of Ether into gross substances) and become progressively grosser, they acquire progressively more qualities. Ether has five forms of motion. Ether moves everywhere unobstructed and makes it possible for other forces to work in its realm. When motion into space takes place, Vayu (air) is born and being heavier than ether, it propagates sound. When motion and expansion take place upwards, it becomes fire and is seen and felt. When motion takes place downward giving rise to contraction (precipitation) it becomes water that is seen, touched and tasted in space.  When there is obstruction in motion, cohesion, agglutination, aggregation or sedimentation take place giving rise to earth in space which is seen, touched, tasted and smelled. These are the five forms of matter: etheric (sarva vyapi, all- pervading; Nirupa, formless), aerial (Vayava), fiery (Prakasa and Tapa), fluid (Tarala and Calanasila) and solid (Ghana, Drdha, Samghata and Kaathinya--dense, fastened, joined and hard).  When primordial clouds condense, they become matter, stars, planets that we see, says the modern science.

கண்நுதல் நூல் ஓதியிடும் கன்மேந்திரியங்கள்
எண்ணும் வசனாதிக்கு இடமாக -- நண்ணியிடும்
வாக்குப் பாதம்பாணி மன்னு குதம் உபத்த
ஆக்கருதும் நாளும் அது. --15

  வாக்கு =  mouth. குதம் = Anus  உபத்தம் = generative organ.

The Sacred Texts declared by the Lord, who  has an eye in his forehead, says of the Karmendriyas: mouth talks; feet ambulate; hands give and receive; anus expels; genitals give pleasure. --15

வாக்கு ஆகாயம் இடமா வந்து வசனிக்கும்;   கால்
போக்கு ஆரும் காற்று இடமாப் புல்கி அனல் - ஏற்கும்
இடும் 
கை  முகம் நீர் இடமா மலாதி
விடும்; பார் இடம் உபத்தம் விந்து. - 16

Word associated with Ether brings about articulation; Feet ambulate the way of the wind; hands in connection with Fire receive and give; excretory organs connected with water expel feces and urine; genitals associated with the Earth ejaculate seminal fluid. --16

 

Karmendriyas or Motor organs are the following five: their functions and associated Gross Elements

Motor Organ Element Function Central organ
Mouth (larynx) Space Speech Brain & Speech Center
Feet Air Ambulation Brain & Motor Cortex
Hands Fire Motion Brain & Motor Cortex
Anus & Bladder water Evacuation & Excretion Brain & Spinal Cord
Genitals Earth Ejaculation Brain & Spinal cord

அந்தக் கரணம் அடைவே உரைக்க  கேள்
அந்தமனம் புத்தியுடன் ஆங்காரம் -- சிந்தை இவை
பற்றியது நிச்சயித்துப் பல்கால் எழுந்திருந்து அங்கு
உற்றது சிந்திக்கும் உணர்.--17 

Listen, as I explain Antakarna which is made of Manam, Buddhi, Ahamkaram, and Chittam. Manam grasps; Buddhi resolves; Ahamkaran ascends; Chittam reflects. Thus know them.

Antakarana = அந்தக்கரணம்  Inner seat of thought, feeling and volition, consisting of four aspects, viz., ñùñ¢, ¹î¢î¤, ê¤î¢îñ¢, Üèé¢è£óñ¢.

Manam, Buddhi, Ahamkaram, and Chittam =  மனம், புத்தி, அகங்காரம், சித்தம்  ; Manas, Intellect, Egoism and Determinative Faculty.

Listen, as I explain Antakarna which is made of Manam, Buddhi, Ahamkaram, and Chittam. Manam grasps; Buddhi resolves; Ahamkaran ascends; Chittam reflects. Thus know them.

For successful meditation you need a fully functional "Inner Organ' made of Mind, Buddhi, Ego and Chitta. Find out what they mean. Mind is a mechanical meditator; Buddhi is a fickle meditator; Chitta is a serene meditator. Buddhi and Chitta have no equivalent terms in English. Put them all together you got a successful meditator with the soul being the top of the heap or the center.

The following meanings of the words are close approximations. The Inner Organ (Antahkarana = அந்தக்கரணம்) is made of four entities as follows.

Buddhi = புத்தி = Intellect. Reason, power of discernment or judgment

Ahamkaram = அகங்காரம் = Egoism

Manas = மனம் = Mind

Chitta = சித்தம் = Determinative Faculty

In the diagram above, you will notice that the Soul occupies the center; Mind, Ego, and Intellect serve Chitta or Determinative Faculty, which serves the central Soul.  Sense organs report to the Mind, which submits the mental impressions to Ego, which analyses them from selfish point of view of the experiencer and forwards ego-colored impressions to Buddhi (Intellect).

Manas = Mind. Buddhi = Intellect. Chitta = Citta = Determinative faculty.

When Buddhi is churning, you call the function Buddhi-Vritti. Same is true of Manas-Vritti and Chitta-Virrti. Manas-Vritti, Buddhi-Vritti and Chitta-Virrti are controlled by a three-way switch, a case of reciprocal inhibition; only one switch is operative at a time. When Manas is churning, Buddhi and Chitta stop churning. Manas is a gatherer of information; Buddhi is a sifter, a sorter, an analyzer, a collator, and a processor of knowledge. It is like gathering intell (intelligence) by Manas, the field agents, and the analyzer of 'intell' is the Buddhi. Buddhi is intelligence, reason, power of discernment or judgment. Its intrinsic memory is evanescent (has only short-term memory like RAM.). Antahkarana is the inner organ or the repository of Manas, Ego, Buddhi and Chitta. Chitta is a shuttle that moves knowledge back and forth from the front burner of consciousness or Buddhi to back burner and vice versa. When knowledge shuttles via the shuttle-express (Chitta) to the front of consciousness, you call it Smrti or remembrance; when knowledge is put in storage and not remembered, it is called Apohana (loss or forgetting); but it is available upon demand. Impressions; analytical interpretation; and storage and recall are the respective functions of Manas, Buddhi and Chitta, which work like gears in the car; when one gear is on, the other two gears are disabled. Ego or Ahamkaram is the 'I-doer', which looks at its own important self from the self of others and the world and is a mediator between the id and the world of objects and beings.

Vritti or vrtti in this context is churning of the mind, Buddhi and Chitta, meaning they are engaged in their respective activities. Yoga is to turn off this churning of the restless entities, so that he can abide in his self (svarupa) with ablation of mind, Ego and Buddhi and subside in Tranquil Chitta-Atma. Only Chitta communes with the effulgent Soul.

Mind, Buddhi, and Chitta are one entity with three different functions and so named individually based on its function at that moment in time; Chitta is hierarchically the most superior element of the three and has the privilege of communicating with the Self or the Soul which occupies the center of a human being (and the diagram). When Chitta communes with the Soul, Mind, Ego and Buddhi vanish (autolysis); peace and quiet prevail; communion with the Soul is effective.

Soul, the King presides over, directs, and benefits from Mind, Buddhi, Ego and Chitta. When they all go to battle for the king, they all die with Chitta merging with the Soul. What it means is mind the mechanical meditator, Buddhi the fickle meditator and Ego the I-maker have to die for the Chittam to meditate and find oneness with the soul. Manas-Nasa = destruction of mind; Buddhi-Nasa = destruction of Buddhi; Ahamkara-Nasa = destruction of Ahankara. When there is destruction of ego, mind, and intellect, there is tranquility, there is no egotistical 'I' factor, there is no propagation of  thought waves from the mind, and there is no intellection giving rise to extraneous concepts and notions. Under theses circumstances there is only one EGO, that of God. An aspirant can appraoach God only when his ego is destroyed. Your ego is no match to God's EGO. you say, 'You Go' to your ego before you face God. Under these ideal conditions, Chittam can go to work and meditate on the Indivisible Oneness and merge with it.

It is indicated that Inner Organ is endowed with functional polymorphism, the constituent names based on their functions. When it emotes (Manasa-Vrtti) it is called Manas or mind; when it thinks (Buddhi-Vrrti) it Buddhi; When it is in memory mode (Chitta Vrrti), it is Chittam. Thus Manas-Buddhi-Ahamkara-Chitta is one entity with multiple functions. Each function in the active mode inhibits the other functions.

 

Soul's intellect, when at work, goes after the objects. It uses the five sensory organs like the eyes. Its perception is based on and limited by the organs. Indriya KAtchi (Sense Perception) perceives without the stain of doubt and erroneous apprehension the object's general quality without knowing its name and genus. This is known as sense-knowledge. The first knowledge engendered by and associated with the five sense-organs takes a foothold in Chitta (Determinative Faculty) and remains in memory; later Buddhi (Intuitive Intellect) assigns a name, genus and such attributes to the object and thus establishes a clear comprehension of the object. This is known as MAnatha KAtchi (Intellectual Perception), மானதக்காட்சி, Intellectual perception by the soul through the functioning of the intellect. 

External Sense Organs: They are the eyes, the nose, the tongue, the ears and the skin, which serve to collect disparate sensations from the outer world. They are outside of the Inner Organ.

Mind = मनस् = Manas = மனம். Mind is also called Lower mind. Mind is made of thoughts when it is active (Manas-Vritti). Mind captures the images and sensory impressions from the sense organs, which perceive the external world. There is a continuous assault of the external world on the mind during waking hours. That creates thought waves in the mind lake. In dream sleep, mind is active though there is no contact with the external world. These are thought bubbles in the form of audiovisual presentation rising from the subconscious mind. Mind suffers from  five afflictions. Five Klesas: avidya1 (ignorance), asmita2 (egoism), raga3 (desire), abhinivesa4 (tenacity of mundane existence) and dvesha5 (aversion). These entities arise in a cascade fashion starting from Ignorance giving rise to Egoism and so on.  Avidya is not knowing that we take the non-eternal as the Eternal,  Impure as pure, pain as pleasure, desire sprouting from egoism and aversion as real, and not identifying oneself with the Soul. Now you know why the mind has to die so that the soul has no impediments and thus can merge with the Universal Consciousness (God).

Buddhi: बुद्धि = புத்தி. Reason, power of discernment or judgment, rational faculty, decision maker, director of Manas or mind, one of the four species of antakarana. Antakarana = அந்தக்கரணம் = Inner seat of thought, feeling, and volition, consisting of four aspects: புத்தி, அகங்காரம், மனம்,  சித்தம், (Buddhi or Intellect, Egoism , Mind, Determinative Faculty. உட்கருவி = utkaruvu = Inner Organ = Antakarana = அந்தக்கரணம். Buddhi is also called Higher Mind. Buddhi has filters: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas (Virtue and goodness-its color is white; Motion and passion - its color is red; Darkness and sluggishness - its color is black. Buddhi is the faculty that determines the course of action, when one is faced with a contingency: trivial, ordinary, extraordinary, or life-threatening. When Buddhi is churning, you call the function Buddhi-Vritti. Same is true of Manas-Vritti. Manas-Vritti, Buddhi-Vritti and Chitta-Virrti are controlled by a three-way switch, a case of reciprocal inhibition; only one switch is operative at a time. It is like the gears in the car; we use only one gear at a time. Ego hums in the background and goes silent with others when Chitta is active. When Manas is churning, Buddhi and Chitta stop churning. Manas is a gatherer of information; Buddhi is a sifter, a sorter, an analyzer, a collator, and a processor of knowledge. It is like gathering intell (intelligence) by Manas, the field agents, and the analyzer of 'intell' is the Buddhi.

Ego: अहंकार  = அகங்காரம் = Ahamkaram. It is the I-doer or I-maker.  It is all about I, Me, Mine, and Mineness. It is generally possessive and selfish. Ahamkara identifies itself with the body as if it is one's own self; it mistakes the body for the self or soul. Body awareness eclipses, sacrifices and destroys soul awareness. One can quell the ego or modify it. Ahamkara also has three filters: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. One can quell Rajas and Tamas as Yogis do and exhibit Sattvika Ahamkara. Manas sends its impressions through Ahamkara and its filters to Buddhi, which is the penultimate arbitrator. But Chitta supersedes Buddhi and the Soul reigns Supreme.

Chittam (= சித்தம் = चित्त ): Chitta in Sanskrit. Chittam is a chronicler and repository of mental impressions and experiences. It is said to be a seat of consciousness, sub-consciousness and superconsciousness. Since there is no equivalent word in English, Chittam is variously called Consciousness, Soul, Memory Bank, Contemplative faculty, Inner man, Repository of Experiences, Storehouse of Vasanas, Samskaras and Gunas. One source tells when Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (Virtue, Motion and passion, and darkness) are in equilibrium, it is Chittam; when they are in disequilibrium it is Buddhi. Chittam is the corporeal equivalent (what is in our living body) of Cosmic Witness. Vasana means fragrance, that clings to the clothes; Vasanas are the impression of anything remaining unconsciously in the mind, the present consciousness of past perceptions, and knowledge derived from memory. It is the fragrance left from the past life that clings on to our psyche in this birth. Samskaras are impression on the mind of acts done in a former existence. At present, we are made of Vasanas and Samskaras meaning that our present life and behavior are a continuum from the past life remaining true to our past-life behavior. Our body, mind, soul and psyche follow the script written by Vasanas and Samskaras. Consider your DNA inherited from your parents; likewise you inherit your Vasanas, Samskaras and Gunas (behavior) from your past life. In the dream sleep, Buddhi, Ego and Mind are in abeyance because there is no external world but Chittam is functional and draws images and experiences from its own memory bank; it is a subjective world; the senses do not perceive; the organs do not respond; Buddhi does not churn; that is dream. (Sleepwalking or somnambulism is a sign of CNS immaturity in children.)  If one experiences a dream that is not of this world, it is the memory from previous life ( Pūrva Janma Smaranam). Chittam is man in his essence. Chittam makes the Inner Man. It is said that one should keep one's Chittam squeaky clean. Chittam is the radiating light of the soul of man. Chittam is Sum of man. You are what Chittam is. When you see an apple, your Inner Organ (Chittam) has to morph itself to the shape, size, color, odor, taste... of an apple; then only you see an apple in its completeness. You see an apple; you (your Chittam) become an apple; you hear music, you become the music. All that happens in your Chittam. Chittam is the seat of deep contemplation (meditation). Whatever is contemplated in depth in Chittam, that it becomes; that a man becomes. Chittam becomes the repository of Sattva, Rajas and or Tamas in one mode or any of its combinations, one becoming more dominant than others. Chittam is a sage, a warrior, a killer.... If Chittam becomes the repository of malignant behavior such as murder, extreme greed etc, they leave a permanent imprint and never leave a person. Chittam is what makes a man a Buddha, a Jesus Christ, a Sankaracharya, a Lincoln, a Gandhi, a Hitler, a Madoff.... (Jan 18, 2009). Sattva (Virtue) is in the dominant mode in the first five people; Tamas or darkness is in the dominant mode in the last two persons. If you don't give in to the onslaught of distracting thoughts and keep Siva constantly in your Chittam, Sivam you become or Jesus you become in Christian tradition. Thence all your actions are His. Chittam is Sukshma Sarira or subtle body. 

Chittam is not listed as one of the Tattvas TATTVAS-36 along with Buddhi14, Ahamkara15, Manas16. It is said that Chittam is part of Prakrti Tattva13 .     Vedanta considers Anatahkarana as fourfold, while Sankhya and and Yoga Sastras consider it as threefold; Siddha Siddhanta, one of the Inner Religions in Saivism considers Antahkarana as  fivefold: Chaitanya (Higher Consciousness), Chitta, Buddhi, Ahamkara, and Manas.  There are deities who preside over these faculties: Vishnu-Achuta over Chitta; Brahman over Buddhi; Siva over Ahamkara; Moon over the Manas.

Tattvas: Siva1, Sakti2, Sadasiva 3, Isvara4, Sadvidya5, MayA6, Kala7, Niyati8, Kala9, Vidya10, Raga11, Purusa12 Prakrti Tattva13, Buddhi14, Ahamkara15, Manas16,  hearing--Ears17, touch--Skin18, vision and color--Eyes19 , tasting--Tongue or mouth20, smell--Nose21,  speech-Larynx22, grasp-Hands23, ambulation--Feet24, evacuation--Anus25, procreation-Genitals26, sound27, palpation28, form29, taste30 , odor31,  ether32, air33, fire34, water35, earth36.

Saiva Siddhantist says, soul is the ever-awake knowing entity in wakefulness, deep sleep and dream sleep. The sense organs receive their respective stimuli (eyes perceive color and form, ears receive sound.) and pass them on to Antahkarana, the inner organ which consists hierarchically of Chitta (consciousness), Buddhi (Intellect), Ahamkara (Ego), and Manas (the Mind) and Chitta supersedes Buddhi, Ahamkara, and Manas. Perception received by the inner organ reaches the soul, as the wave rolls to the shore.

Antahkarana is the expression of Saksin (Atman, Soul, Witness) and is compared to a ray which radiates from the Witness, God, Atman or Self. This emanation is called Vrttis or ripples. Perceptions are compared to the waves reaching the Self. Thus the waves travel to and from the Witness. Chitta (Chitta) is like the RAM memory, remembering and forgetting; The forgetting is called Apohana and recall is known as Smrti. Chitta obtains knowledge from Buddhi and keeps it in storage. Apohana or forgetting is to move the knowledge to the back burner from the front of consciousness. It is not really forgetting; it is in storage. Smrti or remembering or recollection is to move the knowledge from the back to the front. Thus Chitta is the shuttle moving memory from the forefront to the back and vice versa. In practical sense, Apohana is storage and Smrti is recollection.

More on Apohana and Smrti. Antahkarana is the inner organ or the repository of Manas, Buddhi and Chitta. Chitta is a shuttle and moves knowledge back and forth from the front burner of consciousness or Buddhi to back burner and vice versa. When knowledge shuttles via the shuttle-express (Chitta) to the front of consciousness, you call it Smrti or remembrance; when knowledge is put in storage and not remembered, it is called Apohana (loss or forgetting); but it is available upon demand. Impressions; analytical interpretation; and storage and recall are the respective functions of Manas, Buddhi and Chitta, which work like gears in the car; when one gear is on, the other two gears are disabled.

The Buddhi is less subtle than Chitta, makes decisions and instructs the Mind which works in collaboration with the five Janendriyas (sense organs = eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin). Mind serves as the blackboard whereon the sense organs register their impressions, which are converted as concepts by the mind and presented to Buddhi, which rejects most of them and keeps some as nuggets of knowledge. Buddhi-Chitta keeps moving the knowledge back and forth between the front and back of the consciousness as Smrti and Apohana with the help of Chitta. Remember that Chitta, Buddhi, Ego, Mind are one entity with different functions (Functional Polymorphism); thus the name is according to its function. Example. Father is a son, a husband, an uncle, a grand father, a father-in-law.... He is one person; his function is according to his title; he cannot mix his roles; when he plays one role, the other roles are switched off.

Antakarana (Inner Organ as depicted below) is operational in two modes: External knowledge Acquisition (Abhijna) and internal Self-Knowledge (Pratyabhijna) acquisition. In Abhijna knowledge acquisition, knowledge proceeds from the gross to the subtle, from the sense organs to Chitta via Mind, Ego, and Buddhi. Sense organs report to Mind which reports to Ahamkara, which reports to Buddhi, which reports to Chitta. As we proceed from Sense Organs to Witness, we are moving from a world of matter via the Mind, Ego,  Buddhi and Chitta to a world of Self, Pure Consciousness or Witness. Mind and others are matter, while Witness is Spirit. We are moving from matter to Spirit. In this centripetal movement, the perfected one realizes that he (the individual self) is one with the Witness or Self. Tat Tvam Asi = That Thou Art = That you are. That Knowledge is Pratyabhijna (Spontaneous Recognition). We need the Mind, Ego, Buddhi and Chitta to arrive at Saksin or Witness. These are aids or way stations. Each entity churns and propels knowledge from one to the next. This churning is called Vritti. Once all entities have performed their functions, they undergo autolysis, self-destruction, immolation, a sort of psychic apoptosis (programmed death). By the way, these four entities are functional and not anatomical entities. You cannot have matter enter the realm of Spirit. The matter has to die; Mind has to die; Ego has to die; Buddhi has to die. The flesh dies and Spirit rises. Chitta has the remembrance power (smrti). All Vrittis dissolve and matter is reabsorbed by Kundali as the Kundalini Sakti rises through the Chakras. This is the power needed for the Yogis to dissolve in the Witness and become one with It. As Sakti moves from one matter to the next to go to Spirit, each encounter with matter evokes a response, 'Neti Neti, Not this, Not this. Once each entity is studied and rejected, Sakti arrives at the Real Thing, Witness or Self. This is It.  In Pratyabhijna mode, it turns itself inward and obtains Self-Knowledge. Abhijna is outbound, while Pratyabhijna is inbound.

Abhijna is know God exists by knowledge; Pratyabhijna is to know Him by direct experience and knowing, Tat Tvam Asi. I am that Siva.  It is realization of the ever-present Reality. It is finding Anuttara, the One not having a superior or the Ultimate Reality.

In Pratyabhijna mode, it turns itself inward and obtains Self-Knowledge. Abhijna is outbound, while Pratyabhijna is inbound. Abhijna is to know external objects; Pratyabhijna is to know oneself as the Self, Witness or the Universal Soul.

In Kashmir Saivism, Pratyabhijna means Spontaneous Recognition. You are in spiritual search; your Guru says what you are searching is you; you and the object of your search are one; you and Self are one; Individual self and the Universal Self are one; You and Siva are one. One's true self is nothing but Siva.

What is the purpose of all this discussion? It is all about meditation. It is becoming one with the object of your meditation.

In successful Mantra meditation, Mind dissolves in Buddhi and Buddhi dissolves in Chitta. Chitta dissolves in the Self or Witness. This is essential for proper meditation. This sequential process has four parts to it: meditation by the mind, chanting of mantra by Buddhi, contemplation by Chitta, eventual dissolution in the Self. It goes from thought-initiation to application to contemplation to dissolution. Chitta keeps you in the 'groove' . You need Chitta to keep meditation, concentration and contemplation in sync. Mind is a mechanical meditator; Buddhi is a fickle meditator; Chitta is a serene meditator. Your aim is to graduate to and dissolve in Chitta meditation and the self. Mind meditation and Buddhi meditation are out-bound meaning the thoughts are out-bound in the world of happenings; you are in the world of Nama and Rupa, names and forms. Chitta meditation is inbound in the sense it is in step with the Atman, the Inner Soul, the Witness. At this juncture the Chitta goes into Smrti mode (remembrance) and engages in deep contemplation. What does it remember? What do you mean by re-cognition (Pratyabhijna)?  Chitta remembers its organic connection to the Universal soul, the Self.... From before, Chitta knew the Self, the Universal Soul and in meditation is re-cognizing the Soul.

For successful Mantra Meditation, an aspirant must have the following qualities.

Santi = Serenity. Mind must be brought under control and trained not to chase after sense-objects under the false belief that they provide happiness.

Dantah = Control of Sense-organs. One must strive to prevent the sense organs from exploring the world of sense objects and impinging on the mind with sensual experiences.

Param uparatah = Withdrawal  of mind. Mind is trained to forget the sense enjoyments of the past and desist from fancied sensual imageries.

Shanti Yuktah = forbearance. One should train oneself not to be disturbed and distracted by frustrations of daily living.