SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

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"
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2O
THE HOUSE OF GOD.
rooted in beings, my Atma is their efficient
cause ;
as rooted in
the Akasa, the mighty air moves everywhere, so, all things
rest, rooted in me." This Supporter, Permitter, Spectator and
Enjoyer, is styled Mahesvara, Paramatman and Parama-
Purusha, in verse 22, chapter XIII. Another verse in the Chh&ndogya
says that Ga^atri is the body and the heart, because
in it all the spirits are established. No wonder, therefore, that
in almost every page of the Tamil Veda, and the writings of the*
later Tamil Saints, God s truest dwelling place, His house,
His palace, His seat, is universally
heart.
referred to as the human
rSttevruuGuir iLGtjrQtA QdstTvSl6utT<$(o)<$rT6BorL-<GuiT" And SO it IS that
the famous Shrine we are speaking of, is, by preeminence called
"$(V)3;Q<sEiTu$(M" t
* "The beautiful House," inasmuch as it is also
called the "Pundarika Vidu"
L/awi-ifaaS ", "the House of
lotus", or "Dahara Vidu" also. And, to-day, we will stop, after
identifying
this Golden Palace in Chidambaram with the
"Human Heart"
spoken of in the most ancient writings, and
we will speak of the Great King and Lord, Who is the Dweller
in this Palace and His characteristics, in a future issue.
*
[* It is interesting to note that the chief Temple in Mecca is called
al Caaba, literally meaning, The House and the Hebrew word for the
The House, The House
great Temple at Jerusalem also meant simply, *
of God."]
LOTUS OF THE HEART.
If the real nature of the Lotus of the Heart is examined, its stalk
will be the 24 tattvas, beginning with earth its ; petals, vidya-tattvas anc
suddha-vidya its ; pollen, the 64 kalas of Isvara and Sadasiva its ;
ovary,
Sakti, the essence of kalas; its seeds, the 51 forms of nadam ;
and the
aru]-sakti of the Lord Siva rests on it
(as fragrance).
(Sivajnanabodham IX. 3. c )