CONCEPTS OF YOGA BY THIRUMOOLAR In Thirumanthiram, Thirumoolar emphazise a new type of yoga called Siva Yogam. Siva yogam deals with individual soul with the removal of ignorance, once the wisdom dawns. It is also a method by which athma identifies itself with Siva. It is process of drinking the ambrosial juice oozing from the sahasaram. Siva yogam can be referred as kundalini yoga.
He mentioned Sun (Pingalai), moon (Idakalai) and fire (Sulumunai) through which he reaches cranium (Sahasaram). Thirumoolar does not used the term Kundalini yoga, but the above steps clearly indicate the kundalini yoga itself. 3.1 Aspects of Yoga by Thirumoolar Thirumoolar explained the following aspects of yoga Attanga Yogam Kesari Yogam Chandhira Yogam Pariyanga Yogam Attanga Yogam “Eyamam Niyamam and Asanam numberless, Pranayamam whole some and prathiyakaram alike Tharanai, Thyanam and Samathi to triumph, these eight are the steely limbs of Yoga” Eyamam: The ten eyamams are non-violence, truth, honesty, sexual continence, forbearance, attitude, kindness, straight forwardness, bodily cleansing. Making a habit of constantly practising eyamam purifies words, thoughts and deeds. Niyamam: The ten niyamam are austerity, contentment, belief in God, charity, worship of God, listening to explanation of doctrines, scriptures, modesty, having a discerning mind, repetition of prayers and sacrifice. Asanam: Thirumoolar described that asanas are countless; however he emphasised few asanas to attain Yoga Siddhi. Pathirasanam, Veerasanam, Padhumasanam, Kukkudasanam, Komugasanam. Prathiyakaram: It is the restraint of the senses and the withdrawal of the mind from external things. It maintains an inner focus and avoidance of dispersion and distraction. Tharanai: It means to retain the mind and keep it steadfast inside, which has been obtained by prathiyakaram. Thiyanam: It is consistent, uninterrupted meditation. Samathi: It is the final goal of AttangaYogam. It is attainment of tranquillity. It is an eight limbed yoga. Pranayamam: It is a practice of ordered breathing. The process of pranayamam consists of three acts, namely Pooragam (inspiration) Kumbakam (retention) and Resagam (expiration). The above terms are used by Tantrics and Siddhars and not by Patanjali. The inspiration should be of twelve mathirai and expiration should be of eight mathirai and retention should be of four mathirai. In second section of Thanthiram– 3, Thirumoolar deals with measurement of life span and breath rhythm in days of week. If one knows the rhythm of breadth, one is aware of “Nadai”. The Nadai and God are one in consciousness. The breathing occurs through the nostrils alternatively. The air passing through the left nostril is called Idakalai, while the air passing through the right nostril is called Pingalai. The left one is also known as Chandhira Naadi while the right one is known as SuriyaNaadi. Persons who have obtained mastery over Pranayamam, his/her breathing through middle one is called Sulumunai Naadi. A person who attained mastery over Pranayamam is physically, mentally healthy and ready for higher spiritual practices. Bandham and Muthirai Along with Asanam, Bandham and Muthirai plays a vital role in spiritual practices. Bandhamis special bodily manipulation to confine the life force within the trunk and thereby stimulate it. Thirumoolar deals with Moola bandham, Ottiyana Bandham, Jalanthara Bandham. Moola Bandham is executed by contracting the perineum and Vaginal muscles. Ottiyanabandham is performed by drawing back the abdominal muscles. Jalantharabandham is executed by pressing chin and the chest together tightly. These bandhams are performed to withdraw the pranan from the idakalai and pingalai. The extracted pranan enters the sulumunainaadi and travels upwards towards sahasaram. Muthirai are psycho energetic gestures involving the hands, fingers, eyes or tongue while performing meditation or breathing practices. Thirumoolar explains the Yoni muthirai, Sambhavimuthirai and Kesarimuthirai for rousing the kundalini. 4. DISCUSSION Yoga sutras which was written in Sanskrit is familiar with yoga students, but there are number of extraordinary works on Yoga composed in languages other than Sanskrit. Thirumoolar's Thirumanthiram in Tamil language is one of the extraordinary work on Yoga. Yoga may be associated with religion per se, but It is distinctly distinguishable from religion and religious practices. Religions deals with God realization; Yoga emphasizes self- realization. Tamil Siddhars insisted the vital importance of Gnanam in attaining realization. They are against the fundamentalist attitude of religion. The Siddhars are against any institutionalised religion, which produces habits, customs and ritualistic practices which prevent one from being spiritually alert and fully conscious. Thirumoolar's Thirumanthiram explains the spiritual and the material dimensions of life. It deals with all the aspects of life, which makes life worth living by dealing with Dharmam (Charity), Artha (prosperity), Kamam (sensual love), Mukthi (freedom from suffering), Thavam (intensive practice), Yoga Jnana (wisdom), Siddhi (perfection), Buddhi (the intellect), the art of breathing, manthiram, thanthiram, meditation, medicine, etc. In short, it is a Tamil encyclopedia of philosophical and spiritual wisdom rendered into verse form. Thirumoolar's concept on yoga as bodily practice can be viewed as a way of exploring, cultivating, observing, transforming, and knowing all aspects of oneself as expressed through the body. The primary techniques of Thirumoolar's concept on yoga -asana (postures), pranayamam (breath extension), (focused gaze), bandhams (containment of internal energy), manthiram (sound), and self- observation are the means for achieving self- realization. The awareness developed through the techniques of Thirumoolar's concept extends throughout the body from the surface into the interior. The practice of Thirumoolar's concept can thus be seen as a practice of embodiment that permeates the body with consciousness. That embodied consciousness is cultivated during the practice as a tool for self- awareness in everyday life. Thirumoolar also quoted the person who does not know the way to realise the ultimate spiritual truth as an illiterate. He emphasises that education is knowing the purpose of union of body and soul. It urges each and everybody to liberation. 287. Time periods for pranayama Verse 287 பாரப்பா மாத்திரைதான் முப்பத்திரண்டு பரிவாக பூரிப்பாய் மூலத்துள்ளே சாரப்பா மாத்திரைதான் அறுபத்தினாலு சங்கையுடன் கும்பித்துப் பாரு பாரு காரப்பா மாத்திரைதான் பதினாறாக கனிவாக ரேசிப்பாய் தவுட்டாமல் நேரப்பா இம்முரையைப் பதனம்பண்ணி நேர்மையுடன் பிரம்மதல மறிந்து ஓதே Translation: See son, the time is thirty two (time to snap a finger) Perform pooraka in the muladhara The time is sixty four Remain in kumbaka and see The time is sixteen You may perform rechaka for this time By practicing this method Learn about the locus of brahma truthfully and recite Commentary: Agatthiyar is describing the method for pranayama in this verse. He mentions the time period for inhalation, exhalation and cessation of breath. They are done in the order 32 (inhalation)-64 (cessation) and 16 (exhalation). This order 32-64-16 is the right method to reach the locus of Brahman or the point where limited consciousness meets supreme consciousness. Tirumular describes pranayama in his Tirumandiram verse 5 tantiram 3 section 5 titled pranayama. There the time periods he has given for rechakam and poorakam are reversed. To understand this contradiction one has to understand the word “vaamam” in that verse. It means reverse or opposite. Thus, the timescale that Tirumular describes is the same as Agatthiyar’s. இப்பாடலில் அகத்தியர் பிராணாயாமத்தின் அளவுகளை விளக்குகிறார். பூரகம் அல்லது உள்மூச்சு முப்பத்திரண்டு மாத்திரைகளுக்கும் கும்பகம் அறுபத்து நான்கு மாத்திரைகளுக்கும் ரேசகம் பதினாறு மாத்திரைகளுக்கும் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்கிறார் அகத்தியர். இந்தப் பாடல் திருமந்திரப்பாடல் எண் 5 தந்திரம் 3 பகுதி 5 பாடலை நினைவுக்குக் கொண்டுவருகிறது. அப்பாடலில் திருமூலர் பூரகம் ரேசகம் ஆகியவற்றின் கால அளவுகளை மாற்றித் தந்துள்ளார். அதாவது பூரகம் பதினாறு மாத்திரை அளவுகளும் ரேசகம் முப்பத்திரண்டு மாத்திரை அளவுகளும் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்றும் அவர் கூறுகிறார். இந்த வேறு பட்டைப் புரிந்துகொள்ள ஒருவர் அப்பாடலில் உள்ள “வாமம்” என்ற சொல்லைப் பார்க்க வேண்டும். இந்தச் சொல் எதிர்மறை என்று பொருள்படும். இவ்வாறு அகத்தியரும் திருமூலரும் பிராணாயாமத்துக்கு ஒரே கால அளவுகளைத்தான் கூறியுள்ளனர் . * K Rajaram IRS 25925* ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Venkatachalam Subramanian <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 25 Sept 2025 at 12:44 Subject: கும்பகம் என்றால் என்னt To: thathapatti-google <[email protected]> https://www.perplexity.ai/search/kumpkm-ennnrraal-ennnnnn-YbsdjeD4TCCIr93cggNxYw -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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