Mapadiyam - Thalaimaiyurai

Saiva Siddhanta

Though for learned persons this may not seem a good introduction to shaiva sidhdhantha, this page is out of the wish to talk about that. This is similar to a kinder garden boy trying to explain the construction of a nuclear reactor. Still there will be persons who enjoy the efforts of a kid to act matured.

In shaiva sidhdhantham God is called pathi, all the souls (creatures, all lives except pathi) which take birth and die are called pachu(pashu)s, the bondage is calledpAcham (pAsam). The pAcham can be classified into three - ANavam, kanamam, and mAyai (ego, deed and effects, illusion). Only these three things exist. Now the relation between them. It is the pAcham that brings suffering to the affiliated things. Due to the affiliation with pAcham the pachu suffers, and the affiliation is without origin. (that is by nature pachu is impure with pAcham). The pathi is never affected by pAcham. (pathi never gets affiliated to it). When pathi approaches pachu (blessing the pachu) the pAcham that binds the pachu making it suffer, is driven off. It is like a leaf loaded with snow. Due to the weight the leaf is pushed down (to suffer). When the sun, pathi comes the snow of pAcham escapes with the leaf coming up and smiling with the sigh of relief. In the presence of pathi pAcham won't stay with pachu. (like in the presence of sun snow disappears from the leaf). The thirumandhiram, which is one of the very old scripture that talks in detail about the sidhdhantham, explains further,

Translation:

Among the three things of pathi, pachu, pAcham, like the pathi pachu and pAcham are without origin. pAcham which affect the pachus will not affect the pathi. If pathi approaches (the pachu) then the pAcham of pachu won't stay (with pachu).