Comparative understanding of
Thirumoolar’s Thirumandiram &
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra
Anybody following the path of yoga, who calls himself/herself a yogi, would have heard about the Ashtanga yoga in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra (PYS), written in Sanskrit. But apart from the PYS, the ashtanga yoga is given in Thirumoolar’s thirumandiram, (TM) also. Thirumandiram is written in Tamil, literally means “Sacred mantra”. This article gives an overview of the comparative study of these great ancient sacred texts, with little more information on Thirumandiram, as it is not popular. Hope this will prompt you to start reading other great texts including the Thirumandiram.
Both the great texts written in different languages, give very similar names to the limbs of Astanga Yoga & also the definitions.. It could be because both Thirumoolar & Patanjali were contemporaries studied under the same guru Nandi Bhagavan. In the 3.67 shloka of the Thirumandiram, the list of other great contemporaries is mentioned. Thirumandiram is recognized as the tenth great book in the list of twelve great books (Thirumurai) in Shaivism (worshipping Shiva). Thirumandiram is a huge text with 3047 shlokas covering various aspects of life, including vasi, Mantra, Tantra yoga in nine thandirams (chapters). Each thandiram is split into further sub chapters. The Patanjali Yoga Sutra contains 196 sutras, spread across four chapters namely Samadhi, Sadhana, Vibhuthi, Kaivalyam. Thirumandiram is written in Tamil slokas which are very poetic and beautiful, involving Lord Shiva in many places so that the common man can get connected emotionally. The bhakti yoga is very predominant in it, where the purpose of doing the Ashtanga Yoga practices is to attain the Shiva. Yoga Sutra does not emphasize on having Bhakti, though it is inbuilt in it, where Patanjali recognizes the need to surrender (Iswara Pranidhana) to a higher power called Ishwara. The Yoga Sutra is majestic without the beauty of the shlokas, as it's written in Sutra format, and it requires intellectual understanding. Sutra for the definition of the Sutra is अल्पाक्षरम् असन्दिग्धम् सारवत् विश्वतो मुखम् । अस्तोभम् अनवद्यम् च सूत्र: सूत्रविदो विदु: ॥ alpAkSharam asandigdham sAravat vishvato mukham | astobham anavadyam cha sUtra: sUtravido vidu: || It means the sutra should be as mentioned above. Very little words, unambiguous, meaningful, applicable to all, devoid of fillers, irrefutable. Maybe because of the nature of the sutra, there are various commentaries on the Yoga Sutra, including by the great Sage Vyasa (though many scholars disagree on it), Adi Shankara & various others great philosophers & authors in ancient, medieval & modern times. Whereas as the Thirumandiram itself is very well explained there are no famous commentaries apart from few by modern authors. In Thirumandiram’s attanga yogam, one of the benefits, which is mentioned many times, is keeping the body alive, without the death approaching it. Thirumoolar is considered to be alive for 3000+ years. By keeping the body healthy for a long time, practicing the yoga techniques, then body attains its purpose of aiding the Atma/soul to reach great heights.| உடம்பார் அழியின் உயிரார் அழிவர் திடம்பட மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் சேரவும் மாட்டார் உடம்பை வளர்க்கும் உபாயம் அறிந்தே உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன் உயிர் வளர்த்தேனே |
- Happy Yogi