Dating back to 5000 BC, there existed a well developed classical civilisation were people lived united in harmony. This is well proved through the excavatory findings of the Harappa and Mohan ja daro done in various periods so as to get a detailed sketch about the most ancient civilization. This civilization is the Dravidian civilisation or the Tamil civilisation , well known for highlighting the religious scriptures called as Agamas. Agamas constitute the ancient Tamil literary works which shows the true importance and divinity of Saivism.
The Tamil Saivism formulated by Siddhars which is rich in its poetic flavours (Siddhar padalkal) is considered to be the most ancient civilisation. This religion in brief describes Self Realization explained as “Realization of knowing the Truth or the preciosity of getting birth to do Karmas and finally attaining mukti or Salvation so as to get rid from the cycles of births“.
This precious religion is pre-vedic and pre Aryan and is not supporting or dominating the concepts of any particular religion prevailing in present world. It was a way of life practised in those period by the people so as to keep peace, unity and equality among themselves. At that time there was no such discrimination in race, caste, colour or creed but discrimination occurred in temperament , emotional and mental built-up of a person. So, it was considered as a period where only spirituality and harmony ruled.
The people believed in one God or Supreme power, that is the concept of Saiva Siddhantham. This religion also doesn’t stress that other religions are false .In other words, it can be said to be comprised of the best views of all the six religion.
The ideas of this religion is very simple.The ultimate supreme power or Sivam is responsible of even movement of the smallest particle called an atom. He is other wise known as Satchitananda which can explained as Sat meaning existing , Chit meaning the absolute knowledge and Anandam meaning the ultimate Bliss.He is otherwise called Pati. The soul of an individual is called Pasu which is connected to the Almighty as well as the body and the bondage by which this soul is connected to the both is Pasam.
Hence Pati- pasu- pasam is interconnected.It should also be well understood that the Ultimate power or Sivam is not the one we come through Hindu Mythology. The functions of this Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Absolute, One in all comprise of Creation, Perseverance, Destruction, Obscuration, and Bestowal of grace and wisdom.
The individual soul experiences the luxuries in this materialistic world, happiness, sorrows etc by the grace of pati or Almighty. Hence this materialistic cause is nothing but Mayai or illusion. This Mayai is the false interpretation of the soul throughout the life cycle. Anavam or moola malam means ignorance. Kanmam is the good and bad deeds of the soul. Hence Anavam, Kanmam and Mayai are Mum- malams or three impurities of soul. Thus the individual undergoes a cycle of births so as to attain salvation, but this is only possible by the grace of Almighty, Who liberates the soul from the three impurities described above and thus salvation is attained.
Five-fold act of Sivam or God
In present , the most important secret, hidden mystery, a true ancient history is the Five fold acts of Sivam or God or Lord Natarajan , otherwise called Chidambaram Secrets or Rahasyam. This became a secret because of the fear that it was the most important evidence of existence of Saivism and would endanger the upcoming of other religions and culture including vedic culture. Hence, Dravidian civilization got abolished as the literatures which were in Tamil were intentionally suppressed so as to give a way for expansion of wide spreading Aryans in North India.
The figure of Natarajan when taken to mind gives us a dancing picture . This dance is nothing but all the cosmic movements in universe played by God. Also the purpose of this dance is to make free those countless souls which are arrested within the three impurities and cycle of births.
The arch under which Lord Natarajan rest is the Universe where cosmic movements take place. The drum held in the right upper hand cause creation as the drum symbolizes production of Nadam or sound and shows evolution.
The raised right upper limb shows preservation or perseverance and protection from any fear. The fire in the left upper limb shows destruction.
One foot pressed over the demon shows obscurance that is liberating the soul from Anavam malam or ignorance. Other leg raised shows the deliverance or making the soul free from cycle of births. This symbolizes bestowal of grace by God.
Hence realization of this truth and praying this power is the ultimate self-Realization as it fulfils the need of birth and Salvation.
But, today the statues of Lord Natarajan is rarely seen in any temples or religious place. It has become an item of decoration and symbolized as the most angry state of God. This misconception was started by people who are against this civilization and due to migration of people in and and around different parts of India has almost made this preaching rare and a part of mythology. Especially in North India, it is said that keeping the idol of Lord Natarajan in prayer place can bring bad fortune . It is only a false myth and done so as to misguide people.
The escavations of Harappa and Mohenjo daro had brought the discovery of figure of Lord Natarajan in many places which is the evidence of existence of this truth.
Today, one of the most interesting fact is that, Tamil civilization is still preserved in many parts of Tamil Nadu. It is evident in the most famous temple of South India, Chidambaram which is the temple of one of the pancha bhootham, space and where Lord Natarajan is worshipped.
Many of the Gurus of the present generation also realized this truth and stressed on one- God concept. Swami Vivekananda, Thiruvalluvar , Sree Narayana Guru , Swami Sankaracharya were among those. But their realization though became historically evident but never happened to remove the snare of illusion from the eyes of people. This is the reason why though India is a single country but consists of multi religion, multi caste , different creed discrimination today also.
Hence not only India, if the world undergoes this Self realization and accept Saiva Siddhamtham as a Civilisation then we can expect a healthy body, a peaceful mind and a pure soul.