THE HISTORY OP MANIKKA-VACAGAK. 147 



Com. — Though this "darkness" pervades and interpenetrates all souls, 

 3'et to the soul in which it dwells the energy of ignorance reveals not 

 herself. 



Sum. — This teaches the mysterious power of Anavam. 



[Anavam is one, though pervading an infinity of souls. 



There is a personification here, as in the next. In Tiruvagagam 4 ■, 



43-45, 



' Soou as I tbought of that Being, free from hate, luiique, 

 Delusive powers in evor-ehanging millions swarmed, 

 And straight began their ever-varj-ing, delusive play.' 



In Manikka Vagagar's days the theory of Anavam had not been fully 

 worked out.] 



Q. 6. — How can one come to know this Anavam ? 



No need of many words ! This ignorance of all that souls ought 

 to know is the gift of the ' sons of darkness.' (26.) 



Com. — What good can come from using many words ? The condition 

 that is ignorant of the difference between temporal and eternal things 

 must be caused by the powers of black darkness. Anavam is the parent 

 of innumerable active energies of unwisdom. 



Stim.—We learn here that this root impurity is the cause of a mighty 

 power of darkness, and so is known by its effects. 



Q. 7. — If any one denied the existence of Anavam,* what would you 

 reply 1 



If there be no darkness, why is there embodiment, and the joys 

 and sorrows of earthly life ? If you define it to be nothing 

 else than the soul's essence, when it departs the soul must 

 perish with it. (27.) 



Com. — If you deny the concrete existence of this darkness of ignorance, 

 why was the soul subjected to this sorrow of embodiment, which is the 

 source of the life of sense ? If you say that it is merely the natural con- 

 dition of the soul, then if divine mystic wisdom be given, this ignorance 



• The AihUija-vdthi school. See Qiva-piragajam, 22. This school is the second 

 in the ' refutatii>n of heresies ' by our author. 



