शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

SIXTH SUTRA. 71
"குலமிலான் குணங்குறி யிலான்,"
"சுருதியே சிவாகமங்களே யுங்களாற் சொல்லும்
ஒருதனிப்பொருள் அளவையீதென்னவா யுண்டோ
பொருதிரைக்கடலெண்ணினும் புகல
கருதவெட்டிடா நிறைபொருள் அளவையார் காண்பார்.”
Cf. with verse (d).
"அறியுந்தரமோ நானுன்னை, அறிவுக்கறிவாய் நிற்பதனால்
பிரியுந் தரமோ நீ யென்னைப் பெம்மானே—பேரின்பமதாய்
செறியும் பொருள் நீ நின்னையன்றிச் செறியாப் பொருள்
நான்.”
Having said so much, it might reasonably be asked, how is
it, that the Saiva Religion whose Temples are more numerous
than that of any other faith and are spread out from the Hima-
layas to Cape Comorin and the Islands beyond and from the
caves of Elephanta to the Rock cut Temples of Mahabalipuram,
tolerates these practices? This is the subject of the next chapter
on Sadana and the reason is found there. This symbolic worship
(sensory and mental) is required as Sadana for the human
soul and these are not Sadhia i. e., the means to attain an end,
the knowledge of Sat, and not the end itself; or in the words of
the extract quoted above, these are acts of preparation. The
human mind, if it must progress in Spirituality, must withdraw
more and more from its own self and rest itself on what it
considers, the Highest, the Holiest and Loveliest and bestow
upon it all its deeds, riches, and thoughts (உடல், பொருள்,
ஆவி). By such continued practice of Altruism and love of
Sivam, who is All Love, will reach true Bhakti or Pathi
Gnanam, described in the last chapter on Payan. Besides when we
must worship God, we must worship in that body in which He
is present, and we have before shown that the whole universe,