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My dear murugappan,

THE COMPARISON OF      SYMBOLISM IN FREUDIAN SCHOOLS AND SAIVA SIDDHANTHAM:

SIDHANTHA OF SIVAGNANABODHAM:
The pati qualities as mentioned in the first two sutras of the Sivagnana bodham are highest qualities. They are analogous to the super ego in psychoanalysis.

The pasu has five states of existence, transient knowledge, a transient life and transient thought(memory) as mentioned in the third sutra of sivagnana bodham. The pasu is analogous to ego.

Life is bonded with(pasa) and hence contaminated by dirt(mala) and it prevents the acquisition of knowledge. The pati is responsible for the knowledge, but it is destroyed by dirt and hence becomes transient .  The pasa are analogous to the id.

In the seventh sutra of sivagnanabodham the pasa and pati antagonism is clearly demonstrated as they never unite. The process or the method of pasu(body) reaching the pati are explained in all the rest of sutras. The pathi-pasu-pasa relationship forms the core of the siddhantham ontology.

The Freudian theory is the study of physical matter-mind. In fact he is a biologist of mind. The description, the language and the symbols he has used to profound it are the one which are very pertinent.

The Saiva doctrine is the study of metaphysical one. The relationship between the body and soul is dual one. While the body is physical the Siva is beyond physical mode. The body relieves from material bonding and reaches the soul(Siva). The symbols here are namely lingam, bull and the sacrificial pedestal as seen in all saivite shrines.

The pedestal stands for severance of bonds. The bull(Nandi) for the body+mind. The lingam is the almighty.
The symbolism in Saiva school and Freudian school are similar.
Pati=lingam=superego.
Pasu=Nandi=ego.
Pasa(mala)=pedestal(for sacrifice)=id(primitive drives).

Like the Nandi moving towards the lingam severing the pasa -mala, the ego regulates itself with superego and minimizes the id drives to achieve higher social ideals.

It is needless to say the meanings in both theories are aimed at different perspectives. But the superego qualities desired in saivite society are the one desired in the sutras. The symbolism in the two schools should be cross matched against each other. It should not be taken in the literal sense and also not in the core metaphysical sense. The core metaphysical sense of siddhantha does not deal with the physical mind or ego. The object studied in each are different –materialistic (Freud) and spiritual(Saiva).

The pathi-pasu-pasam and superego-ego-id trilogies are central to both schools. In fact the core metaphysics of siddhantham is called ontogenic triadism. The comparisons starts when we observe the pattern of the temples in Cauvery delta are watched keenly. The worshiper in the temple and the person who goes for psycho-analysis are put in the same light the comparison becomes more obviously closer to the reader.


Symbolism is a mental process and Saiva schools have used it liberally. Mental processes are studied by Freud but with materialistic- worldly approach.
There is need for study in this area in the post modern context where there is a revival of   a dialogue between spiritual and materialistic schools.

Affectionately,
Gandhibabu

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