AGAMA AND NIGAMASHRII SHRII ANANDAMURTI30 September 1978, Patna, INDIA

Atmajinanamidam devii param moksaekasadhanam.Sukrtaer manavo bhutva jinanii cenmoksamapnuyat.

You know, in Tantra Shastra there are two wings – one wing of Tantra is called Agama and the other wing is known as Nigama. Tantra, you know, there are two interpretations of the term Tantra, it has, two derivatived meanings.

One meaning is “Tam jadyat tarayet yastu sah Tantrah parikiirttitah”.

“Tan” means “dullness”, “lethargy” and “tra” means liberator. That which liberates you from spiritual dullness, spiritual lethargy is Tantra.

Another interpretation of the term Tantra is – “Tan” is a root verb, Samskrta root verb, it means “to expand”. “Tra” means liberator, root verb “trae” + suffix “da” = “tra”. “Tra” means liberator; “trae” means “to liberate”.

Tantra means the science that helps you in all-round expansion, rather that helps you in liberation by your all-round expansion. “Tan” means “to expand”.

A little boy’s body always expands - daily, weekly, monthly. So, the body of a man up to the age of 39 is called “Tanu”, in Samskrta, “tanu” means “expanding”. And after 39 the body of a man is called shariira. Shariira means, waning, that undergoes wanes.

There are two wings of Tantra – one is Agama and the other Nigama. A prefix – root verb gam + al suffix, and ni prefix – root verb gam + al suffix, Agama and Nigama.

It is said that,Agatam shivavaktrebhyah gatam ca Girijashrutao.Matam ca vasudevasya Tasmat A ga ma ucyate.

Agatam Shivavaktrebhyah – it came out from the “vaktr” that is the lips of

Shiva, What is the first letter of Agatam Shivavaktrebhyah, “A”, Agatam shivavaktrebhyah and Gatam ca Girijashrutao, Gatam ca Girijashrutao went into the ears of “Girija”, that is Parvatii, Gatam ca Girijashrutao,

What is the first letter, “Ga”? A, Ga, and Matam ca vasudevasya and it is the view or rather it is the science of Vasudeva.

“Vasudeva mana Krsna”.

Hence it is A, Ga, Ma. Matam ca Vasudevasya, first letter is Ma.

A, Ga, Ma.

Tasmat A ga ma ucyate and another portion is Nigama,

In Agama portion what did happen. Parvatii, the spouse of Shiva was Parvatii, Parvatii placed several questions before Shiva, and Shiva gave the replies?

This replies are, these questions are known as “Nigama”. And replies are known as “ Agama”.

Both are important. Here the question placed before Shiva by Parvatii was,

“What is the minimum qualification for becoming a spiritual aspirant?”She asked Lord Shiva, Oh Lord ! What are the minimum qualifications for a spiritual aspirant?

The Shiva's reply was the minimum qualification is that he should have a human body. This much.

The qualification, you know these minimum qualification, this chance can be availed by each and every human being, because each and every human being has got a human body.

He says, Lord Shiva says:Atmajinanamidam devi param Moksa eka SadhanamOh Devi, Devi means here Parvatii, Atmajinanam idam, idam Atmajinanam

param Moksa eka Sadhanam.

Whenever one acquires Atmajinanam, that is, whenever one knows, one gets the chance to realize what one is, then what does happen? One acquires Moksa.

And, for this purpose, that is, to know ones “One's Self” the minimum qualification is “Sukrtaer manavo bhutva”.

Passing through so many animal lives in the phase of Pratisaincara , when one acquires a human body then one is eligible or we may say one has acquired the minimum qualification of Spiritual Sadhana.

Sukrtaer manavo bhutva jinanii cenmoksamapnuyat.

“Manavo bhutva.” I will explain, “Manavo bhutva”.

Now first thing “Sukrtaer manavo bhutva”.

Now in the phase of Pratisaincara , through clashes and cohesions, when one acquires the human frame work, human structure then “Sukrtaeh”, it has been said “Sukrtaeh”, “Sukrtaeh” means, in old language, in older language, “Sukrtaeh” means “Sakrteaeh”, that is passing through so many forms of so many animals and so many clashes and so many cohesions, one gets the human form and that is when one may become a spiritual aspirant and not before that.

While one is in the body of an animal one cannot do any spiritual practice. After getting a human body, if one does not utilize that body in spiritual pursuits, one is surely a fool, because he is not utilizing his potentialities. He is not utilizing one’s potentialities.

When one becomes jinanii then one attains Moksa. Also, in the first portion it is said, “Atmajinanam” and in the last portion also it has been said “Jinanii cenmoksamapnuyat.”

“Atmajinanam is Jinanam”.

What is Atmajinanam? What is Self-knowledge? What is Self-Realization? You see, it is the natural wont, you may say natural wont, of each and every living being to see others, not to see himself. That is, whenever one becomes a Subjective entity, one takes others as one's objective counterpart, but never the self is taken as the Objective counterpart. That is “Subjectivity never merges with Objectivity”, and that's the trouble.

You want to know so many things but you never want to know Yourself. But Your “self” is your nearest entity but you never want to know yourself.

That is the pity, that is the trouble.

“Atmajinanam” means a stage of “Objectlessness”.

Seeing one’s one Self within oneself and not guiding any Cognitive or Psychic faculty towards any objectivity.

You have got so many Psychic faculties.

You have got so many cognitive faculties, too but without, you always try to goad your psychic and cognitive faculties to other objects.

But, if you withdraw all your psychic propensities and cognitive faculties and goad these faculties towards yourself and be at Peace without coming in contact with any Objective world that phase of your mind and spirit; that stance of non-relativity, is Atmajinanam.

It is the true Jinanam because all other knowledges are contaminated by relativity This Jinanam, because of its non-dependence on any second objectivity is what? of absolute character and it is Atmajinanam.

For acquiring this Atmajinanam one need not go through volumes of books. One should develop sincere urge to attain this Atmajinanam and develop Love for the Supreme. This is the Sadhana.

And after Self-realization in this process, one attains Salvation. This is the reply of Shiva. So it is, it may be treated as a portion of Agama.