The Supreme is adored as the Creator, Hara; as Protector, Sankara; as Destroyer, or Reproducer, Rudra; and as Bliss-giver, Siva. God is called 3 as possessing

' The word 'Veli' in Tamil means a ' void space ' aud corresponds to the Telugu word 'Bayilu' which sage Vemana is very fond of using.

* St. Tiruvalluvar:

Like the senses not enjoying the proper sensations

Is useless the head, not bowing to the Lord with eight attributes.

The Commentator Parimelalagar says, these eight are defined in the Saivagamas. They are frequently mentioned in the Puranas also. Srikantha Sivacharya comments on them as follows in his Bhashya on I. i. 2. quoting the Vedic sources of these attributes.

"Admitted that birth etc., as attributes inhering in the universe, do not pertain to Brahman ; still, they rightly constitute the defining marks' of Brahman as one closely connected with the universe. The Entity called Siva, possessed of the attribute of omniscience and so on and right attributes and they are as follow: - Self-dependence, Purity, Self knowledge, Omniscience, Being Ever Free from Sin, Supreme Graciousness, Unlimited Bliss.

denoted by the eight appellations, is said to be Brahman, the cause of the universe: and to that Entity alone, Bliss and all other like attributes point. The attributes referred to are Omniscience (Sarvajnata), Ever-contentedness (nityatriptata), Beginningless Wisdom (Anadibodhata), Independence (Svatantrata), Never-failing Potency (NityaluptaSaktita), and Infinite Potency (AnantaSaktita).

Omniscience (Sarvajnata) consists in all things becoming objects of direct perception - of stainless intuitive experience - independent of all external organs of sensation. It is known to inhere in Brahman, from such passages as: "Who perceives all and who knows all, whose essence consists of knowledge." (Mundaka-Upanishat. I. i. 4). Thus the cause (of the universe) is Brahman who knows the appropriate ways and means of building up the several bodies suited to all sentient beings for the reaping of the fruits of their multifarious acts.

Ever-contentedness (nityatriptata) consists in being replete with unsurpassed Bliss, wherein there is not the slightest trace of distress. Hence the revelation "Bliss is Brahman" (Tait. Up. iii. 6). That Bliss (ananda) which - introduced in the words "There is yet another Atman who is composed of Bliss," (Tait. Up. ii. 5), and carried to the culminating point of unsurpassed Bliss by repeated multiplication in the passages beginning with "Here follows the measuring of Bliss" and ending with "that is the unit of Brahman's Bliss" (Tait. Up. ii. 8), is the attribute of Para-Brahman is figuratively spoken of as Brahman Himself in the passage " Bliss is Brahman," because of the abundance of Bliss in Him. Brahman who delights in enjoying such a Bliss is said to be ever-contended. The enjoyment of this mighty Bliss on the part of Brahman is effected through manas only, not through external organs of sensation. Hence the passage, "There is Brahman who is akaSa-Sarira (whose body is light), satyutman (Himself the existent) pranarama (whose joy is life), maha-ananda (delighted in the mind), santi-samriddha (perfect in peace), and amrita (immortal)." Tait. Up. i. 6. Here by akasa - literally, that which shines all round, the Light - is meant the chit-ambava, the ether of spirit, the spirit-light; but not the material akasa or ether, because the latter can mark no distinction (i. e., the latter cannot serve to distinguish Brahman from other things in nature). The chit-ambara here referred to is that Supreme Power (Parama-Sakti), that highest cause, that ocean, as it were, from which spring up all the hosts of bubbles, the mundane eggs of all groups.

Brahman, whose form is that supreme light, is spoken of in the sruti as "akaSa-sarira." That chid-akaSa is the highest cause is known from such passages as the following:

Then follow questions whether God should be said to possess form or no form, whether He should be regarded as Saguna or Nirguna, Personal or Impersonal, and so on.

"All these beings take their rise from Akasa and return into

Akasa." (Chha. Up. III. ix. I). "He who is called Akasa is the revealer of all forms and names"

(Chha. Up. VIII. xiv. I).

Satyatman: He who is the Satta or existence. Pranarama, He who delights in Prana, the chit-ambara-Sakti, the Power of Spiritual light, the Basis of all, constituting Brahman's own essential nature. Mana-ananda : He whose joy is in Manas (mind), not in the external organs of sensation. Here, too, "ananda" refers to the spirit-light, the chit-ambara, the Prakriti or cause. Accordingly the Sruti says;

"Who could breathe if that Bliss, that Light, exsited not." (Tait. Up. III. vii, I). Santi-$amriddha : He who has attained to Sivata, to Siva's condition. Amrita : He who has been free from time without beginning.

Thus, it is seen that Brahman who is essentially Existence, Intelligence and Bliss, and whose essential nature is the Supreme Light, enjoys the Bliss of His essential nature by mind alone, independent of external organs of sensation, as implied by the epithet "Mana-ananda." This epithet also implies that the emancipated souls who have attained to the state of Brahman are possessed of the antah-karana or mind, the organ which acts independently of external organs, and by which they, experience the unsurpassed bliss of their essential nature. Wherefore, nityatripta or ever-contented is Brahman, enjoying the infinite Bliss of His essential nature by manas which is pure bodha-Sakti itself the faculty of knowledge which can act independently of external organs. That is to say, for Him there is no necessity for the slightest joy of the world (sam-sara) external to Himself.