Harmony of Religions: Vedānta Siddhānta Samarasam of TāyumānavarThe present work is an in-depth study of Tayumanavar, a seventeenth century poet-philosopher, mystic and saint of Tamil Nadu. His profoundly philosophical humns were the poet`s creative response to the contesting creeds of his time, reflecting his own intimate religious and mystical experience of God, Siva (Sivanubhava).The present study of Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasam as God-experienced by Dr. Thomas Manninezhath will no doubt, awaken a new interest in the hymns of Tayumanavar and the legacy of religious experience they bequeath to us. Religious experience (anubhava), supported by reason and enriched by reflection, has to be the meeting ground for the followers of World Religions today.It is fascinating to see how Tayumanavar sought to bring about the harmony of two opposed traditions through a re-reading of his own tradition and a re-interpretation of the scholastic Advaita in favour of a more religiously inspiring popular Advaita.The work illustrates how many of our contemporary concerns enshrined in such concepts as Comparative Religion, Ecumenism Religious Dialogue etc. were also a concern within the `household` of Hinduism even as early as seventeenth century A.D. The author`s interpretation of Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasam of Tayumanavar offers a unique basis for religious tolerance and co-existence even in our present-day context of plurality of religions and creeds. That, indeed, speaks volumes for the actuality and relevance of the work. |
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according Advaita Advaita Vedanta Agamas āṇava mala anubhava arul attain attuvita Bliss bondage Brahman called camaraca century A.D. cittar consciousness devotee Dharmapuram dikṣā disciple Divine Divine grace doctrine edition eternal following hymn goal God-experience grace guru hymns hymns of Tayumanavar impurity India inseparable jñāna karma king knowledge kriyā Lord Madras matha mauna maunaguru mauni māyā mind mokṣa Mudaliyar mukti Muthu Veerappa mystical nature Nayak non-dual number of hymns Oh Thou op.cit pāśa paśu path philosophical Pillai poet poet-saint praise Ramakrishna Tapovanam Rāmānuja Reality realization refers religions religious saint Saiva Śaiva Siddhanta Śaivism Saivite samarasam Sanskrit Scripture sects sense Siddhars Silent Teacher Śiva Śivam soul soul's spiritual Sriranga II Sundarar Supreme Tamil Tayumanavar temple themes Thou preceptor thought Tiruchirappalli Tirukkural Tirumantiram Tirumūlar tradition transcendent truth union unitive experience Upanisads Vaiṣṇavites Vedanta and Siddhanta Vedanta Siddhanta Vedas verse word yoga