Thirumoolar’s Source of Work and 8 Limbs of Yoga

Source of Work

Thirumoolar was from the state of Tamil Nadi, and Tamil is the state’s language.  Chennai, where our founder studied, is in Tamil Nadi. Let’s continue our studies of the Tirumandiram, which Thirumoolar left us as a guide and is, therefore, a large part of our lineage.

There are 3 types of work classified in Tamil grammar. The first is supportive, which means a body of work(s) are sometimes slightly altered to suit the needs of the time, keeping the central theme intact. The Tirumandiram. It is agreed upon by scholars that Thirumoolar’s work was not supportive.

The next type of work is called secondary work. It attempts to write or translate another primary work without making changes or distortions but adding commentary and clarity. Some scholars believe Thirumoolar was creating a secondary work by attempting to write about or translate the Agamas from Sanskrit to Tamil.  However, most scholars feel they have discredited this theory and believe it is a primary work.

A primary work is written from the author’s own reflections. It is, however, accepted that the Saiva Agamas influenced Thirumoolar’s work. The word “Agama” comes from the root “gam,” meaning to draw near or approach.  Thirumoolar said this about the Vedas and Agamas:

Veda and Agama alike
Are revelations of God,
That is Truth;
The one is general
The other special;
Their goals two, they say;
Search them both.
For the truly learned,
There is difference none.

Thirumoolar and the 8 Limbs

As we’ve stated in earlier posts, our lineage is 8-limbed (we teach Thirumoolar’s Ashtanga, meaning “8 limbed” Therapeutic Yoga”). This means we include Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga as part of our yoga philosophy. Patanjali was a colleague of Thirumoolar’s. We can see Patanjali’s influence in the third tantra (third book of the nine that make up the Tirumandiram), which, in essence, covers the 8 limbs, where Thirumoolar adds his personal experience and insight.

Learn more about our Thirumoolar’s Yoga Teacher Training Courses.

Sources: Workshop notes from training in Chennai, India and The Yoga of Siddha Tirumular