VEDICRELIGION INSTITUTE FOR VEDIC RESEACH AND PUBLICATIONS

The Sumerian Hymn of

the Paradise
A Study in the Light of the Agama and Tantric
Tradition

Andreas Leitz
01.10.2019

Interpretation of the Sumerian Hymn, based on the insight in the Sumerian religion as a form of
Agama and Tantric tradition and on the understanding given by the Tamil version of the Sumerian
text.
Publications

1. Astronomy in Indian Vedic Period, Sumer and Babylon

2. Sumerian and classical Tamil language – Morphology of the Verb
3. Exaltation of In – Anna & the Hymns from the Temple of Keš. Interpretation in philosophical
view of these ancient Sumerian poems
4. Lamentation over the destruction of Ur
5. Suruppak Nari
6. Words of Wisdom – The beginning of Philosophy; the Nari of Suruppak in the light of
Tolkappiyam
7. Sumerian Recitations
8. The cylinder of Gudea – Temple building in Sumerian Period; study of the Sumerian text with
comparison to the Agama texts of ancient India
9. The Cuneiform Tablet of King Warad Sin from Larsa; A remarkable document for the worship
of the Mother Goddess. Worship of Sakti in Old Babylonian Period
10. The Sumerian Temple hymns – The ancestor of the classical Tamil Sangam Poems. Volume 1
to 6
11. Manu and the story of the Flood
12. King Anga a historical person
13. Sumerian Temple Hymns and the classical Tamil Poems of the Sangam Period; a remarkable
similarity in the structural construction..
14. Konku Velir`s Perunkatai – a short study
15. Early Religion in Europe and the ancient Greek world
16. Nergal – The Sumerian God in the Fire; the worship of Siva in ancient Sumerian Period
17. Karaikkalammaiyar – The 12 fellows of the Lord of Tiru – Alangadu
18. The Curse of Agade – Naram Sin`s fight with the Gods
19. Sumerian Religion – Agama and Tantric tradition 2300 b. C.
20. Gilgamesh Epic Tablet XII – Sumerian Cosmology in the light of Agama and Tantric Scriptures

Andreas Leitz , Vedic Religion Institute for Vedic Research and Publications,

Lange Furche 4, D – 70736Fellbach

Academia.edu.

murugan2003@web.de

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The Sumerian Hymn of the Paradise – A
study in the light of the Agama and
Tantric Tradition

Introduction:

This hymn is devoted to the Sumerian Paradise in Dilmun and of deep metaphysical meaning. The
place and the location of Dilmun is the subject various discussions and we can take the place for to
possess two different meanings. This place does not only give the idea of the paradise in the
Sumerian thoughts, it can be understood as the place, where the origin of the humans and the entire
creation of the Earth took place. The word Dilmun and the entire understanding of the Sumerian text
will give sense if we understand the name Dilmun, which we find taken with the names Tilmun and
Telmun as well, for to be Tamil and the Sumerian language for to be an early form of the Tamil
language. We discussed the relation of Sumerian and Tamil language in various previous publications
and ask our readers for to look there for more details, which are based on scientific reasons. We
further have shown in a previous publication the relation of the Sumerian religion and the Agama
and Tantric tradition of the scriptures found in ancient Sanskrit and Tamil scriptures of ancient India.
We will not discuss them here newly in details. But we will discuss this hymn in details, with
Sumerian text, Tamil variant and English translation. We will give an interpretation of this hymn
based on the insight in the Sumerian religion, which we identified as a form of Agama and Tantric
tradition and the possibilities opened to us by the Tamil version of the Sumerian text.

The meaning of Dilmun / Tilmun

The word Dilmun in Sumerian and Tilmun (vÀ•ß) in Tamil we can understand as the place of
origin. The word is made of two different words and we can it take from view of grammar as a
compound word. The words are til (vÀ) and mun (•ß). Both words we find in classical Tamil of
the Sangam Period and also in the Tamil of the present day. The word til (vÀ) we find in classical
Tamil in connected expressions like vaazka til (ÁõÌPvÀ), where the meaning of vaaz (ÁõÌ) is to
live well and is implied for the word til (vÀ). We find in Tamil further the word tin (vß), which
means to eat and also in the form of tiini (wÛ) with the meaning of food, or that which was eaten.
Therefore we can take the word vaazka til (ÁõÌP vÀ) as meaning live healthily. The word mun
(•ß) is an adverb of place, which the meaning in front and it is also an adverb of time, which
means before or earlier. Therefore we can translate the complete word tilmun (vÀ•ß) as the

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place of earlier sustenance of living. In present day Tamil we find the expression tai naadu (øu
|õk), which has the meaning of the mother country or the place of origin. In an analogue way we
can here understand the word Tilmun, which we take here for to be of metaphysical meaning. The
Sumerian hymn of the Paradise is also the root for the story of the Paradise in the Bible, which some
people try to locate on the Earth without any satisfying result, therefore we deny the existence of the
Paradise of the Earth and take it for to be of metaphysical thought.

We can understand the Sumerian place of the Paradise in Dilmun as the Tillai ManRu (vÀø»
©ßÖ) of the Saivism, where the God Siva dance with his Divine female consort Sakti the Dance of
Bliss. The evidence for to take the Sumerian Paradise Dilmun and its Tamil version as Tilmun
(vÀ•ß) as the Tillai ManRu (vÀø» ©ßÖ) of Saivism is found in the text of the hymn.

Picture 1 Enki and his female Consort Ninsikilla in Sumerian iconography

We take for our work the book of Dr. C. J. Gadd “A Sumerian Reading Book” published 1924. We give
his version of the Sumerian text with his translation of the verses and add our Tamil version with our
translation. We give and explanation of our re – interpretation of the meaning, where it is needed.

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The text of the Sumerian Hymn of the Paradise

1. They, to whom is given they to whom is given are ye.

In Sumerian: e – ne ba – am e- ne ba – am me – en – ze – en

In Tamil: D@Ú¨ £õ¯õ® D@Ú¨ £õ¯õ® ©õß @Œö¯ß

We translate: “Those, who are given, yes those who are given are indeed people, who are safe.”

2. The land of Dilmun is pure

In Sumerian: kur – dil – min ki ku – ga – am

In Tamil: SßÖ vÀ•ß @PõPÁõ®

We translate: “The country Tilmun is indeed divine.”

3. A pure place to whom is given

In Sumerian: ki – ku – ga e – ne ba – am me – en – ze – en

In Tamil: RÌ@PõP D@Ú¨ £õÁõ® ©õß @Œö¯ß

We translate: „Those given this place are indeed blessed.”

4. The Land of Dilmun is pure

In Sumerian: kur – dil – mun – ki ku – ga – am

In Tamil: SßÖ vÀ•ß @PõPÁõ®

We translate: “The place of Tilmun is indeed divine.”

5. The land of Dilmun is pure, the land of Dilmun is clean

In Sumerian: kur – dilmun – ki ku – ga – am kur – dil – mun sikil – am

In Tamil: SßÖ vÀ•ß @PõPÁõ® SßÖ vÀ•ß ”UQ»õ®

We translate: “The place of Tilmun is indeed divine. The land of Tilmun is indeed pure

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 6. The land of Dilmun clean, the land of Dilmun is bright

In Sumerian: kur – dilmun – sikil – am kur – dilmun zalag – zalag – ga – am

In Tamil SßÖ vÀ•ß ”UQ»õ® SßÖ vÀ•ß Œ»[PŒ»[PÁõ®

We translate: “The land Tilmun is pure, the land Tilmun if full of dance music.”

Notes:

The Sumerian word “zalag” will become in Tamil salanka (Œ»[P). The word salankai (Œ»[øP)
is the name of a chain of small bells worn at the feet while dancing. The Sumerian word “kur” will
become in Tamil kuuRu (TÖ) or kunRu (SßÖ). Both words mean hill an also country as well.

Picture 2 Salankai called chain of small bells for the feet

7. Alone in Dilmun they lay

In Sumerian: as – ni – ne dilmun ki – a u – ne – in – nad

In Tamil: BaÛ@Ú vÀ•Ú F@Ú |i°ß

We translate: „Alone in Tilmun they danced.”

8. The place, where Enki with his wife laid himself down

In Sumerian: ki en – ki dam – an – ni – da ba – an – da – nad – a – ba

In Tamil: RÌ Hs R u©ÛuöÁõk £sok |i AÆÁ

We translate: “There Enki with his wife executed the Dance of Bliss.”

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 9. That place is clean, that place is bright

In Sumerian: ki – bi sikil – am ki – bi zalag – zalag – ga – am

In Tamil: R̤a ”UQ»õ® R̤a Œ»[Pa Œ»[Põ®

We translate: “The place is pure and full of musical sounds.”

10. The place, where Enki with Ninsikilla laid himself down

In Sumerian: ki en – ki nin – sikil – la ba –an – da – nad – a – ba

In Tamil: RÌ Hs R {ß ”UQÀ»õ £sok |h® AÆÁ

We translate: “The place is so, when Enki and his consort, the Pure Woman, executed the Dance.”

Note:

The Sumerian word “a – ba” will be in Tamil avva (AÆÁ) and means there.

Picture 3 the Divine couple Enki and his consort Ninsikilla in Dilmun in Sumerian iconography

11. In Dilmun the crow a cry uttered not

In Sumerian: dilmun – ki uga dug – dug nu – mu – ni – bi

In Tamil: vÀ•ÞP yUyUS |õ •Û¨@£

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We translate: „In Tilmun the monkeys didn´t make noise”.

12. The speckled bird, the cry of the speckled bird uttered not

In Sumerian: dar – e dug – dar – ri nu – muni – ib – bi

In Tamil: uõ@µ yUS uõøµ |õ •Û°¨@£

We translate: „The kautari birds did not utter their loud noise.”

13. The lion slew not

In Sumerian: ur – gu – la sag – gis – nu – ub – ra – ra

In Tamil: FºöPõÀ»a Œõ[Q |õ AÖ AÖ°¨¦

We translate: “The killing animals did not cut of heads of other animals.”

14. The leopard the lamb carried not away

In Sumerian: ur – bar – ra – ge sil nu – ub – kar – ri

In Tamil: Fº £›¯U@Pa ]À |õ Pøµ°¨¦

We translate: “The tiger did not carry away the young animals.”

15. The dog the crouching kids knew not

In Sumerian: ur – ku mas – gam – gam nu – ub – zu

In Tamil: K› TÆ ©õß P®P® |õ áü°¨¦

We translate: “The wailing fox didn´t know deer clustered into herds.”

16. The ox to eat the corn know not

In Sumerian: dun se – ku – ku – e nu – ub – zu (a missing word)

In Tamil: xº^ TT@¯ |õ áü°¨ö£

We translate: „The horse did not graze upon the wheat.”

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 17. The dove did not settle there

In Sumerian: tu sag – nu – mu – un – da – sub – e

In Tamil: @uõøPa ŒõßÚõ •ß°k TÆ@Á

We translate: „The peacock did not call out and make noise.”

Notes:

The names of the animals here in this hymn are of great interest. The Sumerian word “uga” will
become in Tamil uukam (FP®) and denotes a specific kind of monkeys. The Sumerian word “dar –
e” will become in Tamil taarai (uõøµ), which gives a bird kautaari (öPÍuõv). We remark here
the word taarai (uõøµ) means brilliant stripes and the word taarakai (uõµøP) means stars. The
Sumerian word “ur – gu – la” will be in Tamil uur kolla (Fº öPõÀ») and means the killing
animal. We remark here the word uur kula (Fº S») a large animal or a large beast. The Sumerian
word “ur – bar – ra – ge” will be in Tamil uur parakkee (Fº £µU@P) from which we can derive
uur varikkee (Fº Á›U@P), a stripped animal. The word uur (Fº) means that which moves.
Therefore we understand the stripped animal for to denote the tiger. The Sumerian word “ur – ku”
will become in Tamil uur kuuv (Fº TÆ) and denotes animals, which howl like dog or jackal. The
Sumerian word “mas gam – gam” denotes animals, which hides themselves. This we can understand
from the Tamil version of this word maa kam kammu (©õ P® P®•). The Sumerian word in verse
16 was read by Dr. Gadd as “dun”, which can be “dur” as well and which we find in Tamil by the word
tur (xº) from which we get the word turakam (xµP®) the horse. The Sumerian word “tu” we find
in the Sumerian literature also in the form of “tug”, which will become in Tamil tookai (@uõøP)
and denotes the peacock.

Picture 4 beasts depicted in Sumerian art found in the Royal Cemetery of Ur 2600 – 2400 b. C.

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We find various animals depicted in the Sumerian art and they play an important part in the life of
the Sumerian inhabitants. The poet could only talk and write on animals he saw and knew from his
place of settlement. We will discuss this later in more details.

18. Eye disease, I am eye disease did not say

In Sumerian: igi – igi – e igi – igi – me – en nu – mu – ni – bi

In Tamil: Cø© øPU@P Cø© øPUS ©õßÚõ •Û°¨@£

We translate: “With respect to eye disease no one said I am suffering an eye disease.”

19. Headache, I am headache did not say

In Sumerian: sag – gig – gi sag – gig –gi – me – en

In Tamil: Œõ[øPU@P Œõ[øPUS©õßÚõ •Û°¨@£

We translate: “With respect to headache no one said: “I am suffering headache.”

20. An old woman there said not, I am an old woman. An old man there said not, I am an old
man

In Sumerian: um – ma – bi um – ma – me – en nu – mu – ni – bi ab – ba – bi ab – ba – me – en – nu

In Tamil: E®©õ¤ ¦®©õ ©õßÚõ A¨£õ¤ A¨£õ ©õßÚõ •Û°¨@£

We translate: “The old woman didn`t say I am an old woman. The old man didn`t say I am old.”

21. A maiden, whose water was not poured out in the city was not given in marriage

In Sumerian: ki – sikil a – nu – tu – a – ni uru – a nu – mu – ni – ib – si – gi

In Tamil: Ra ”US»õ |õ yÁÛ F¸ÁÚõ •Û°¨¦ Œ[Q

We translate: “The young girl in the city, those who didn`t reached their puberty, were not given
over into marriage.”

22. No man to change the course of the canal commanded

In Sumerian: lu id – da bal – e – mi – de nu – mu – ni – be

In Tamil: EÐ DøhÁ¼ªz@u |õ •Û°¨@£

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We translate: „The man, who would redirect the river didn`t speaks out.”

23. No prince his side turned away

In Sumerian: ligir – e zag – ga – na nu – um – nigin

In Tamil: C¼Rº@µ ŒõøPßÚ |õ }[Q°ß

We translate: “The writers didn´t transgress their assorted duties.”

24. The liar lies no man said

In Sumerian: lul – e e – lu – lum nu – mu – ni – bi

In Tamil: FÇÀ» H@»õ»® |õ•Û°¨@£

We translate: „The place is filled with falsities, no one said.”

25. Beside the city no one utters lamentation

In Sumerian: zag – uru – ka i – lu – nu – mu – ni – bi

In Tamil: ŒõUS F¸ÁP® CÊÚõ •Û°¨@£

We translate: „ In the parts of the city no one uttered lamentation.”

Notes:

In these verses we find some exciting words. The Sumerian word “um – ma” will become in Tamil
ummaa, ammaa (E®©õ, A®©õ) and means mother or an old lady. The Sumerian word “ab –
ba” we find in Tamil in the form of appaa (A¨£õ) and has the meaning of father. We find it used
for a respectful address towards a man. The Sumerian word “si – gi”, where it has the meaning of
marriage, will become in Tamil sanki (Œ[Q), where it has the meaning to unite and to join together.
The Sumerian phrase “a – nu – tu – a” will become in Tamil aan naa tuuva (Bß |õ yÁ) and
means literally do not sprinkle water. Here it has the sense of not letting go the menstruation blood.
The Sumerian word “zag” will become in Tamil saakai (ŒõøP) and means branch. The Sumerian
word “ligir – ra” will become in Tamil ilipi kiira (C¼¤
Rµ), which means the scratching of letters
and writers. We can derive from this word the Tamil word kiiran (Rµß), which we find used in the
classical Tamil of the Sangam Period with the meaning of writer and inscriber. By this verse 25 the
Sumerian hymn of the Paradise is completed. We will now give a study of some aspects found in the
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text. Before we will do this, we will give for comparison here the description of the abode of Visnu or
Krisna as we find it given in the ancient Indian texts. We see a remarkable correspondence between
them.

Vaikuntha and Goloka

We find the description of Vaikuntha (d¡Hw$ÊR>) and Goloka (JmobmoH$) in various ancient Indian scriptures
and we find both words used in a synonymously way. The place of Vaikuntha (d¡Hw$ÊR>) is also known by
the names Vaikunthaloka (d¡H$w ÊR>bmoH$), Visnuloka ({dîUwbmoH$), Paramam Padam (na‘‘ nX‘), Nitya
Vibhuti ({Z˶ {d^w{V) and Vaikuntha Sagar (d¡Hw$ÊR> gJa). It is the celestial abode of Visnu, the highest
God of the world, the Supreme Being in the Veda and in the Vaisnavism of the Agama tradition.
Vaikuntha is an abode presided over on highly exclusive by the God Visnu and his female consort
Goddess Laksmi. We find other expansions as well, which are represented by Balarama or his
brother, further a plurality of offspring by these relationship to him, but they are the same as him.
They are mother, father, sister, lover, consort, wife, attractor, sage and scribes. We read on 10 008
palaces and on the size of Vaikuntha, which for our purpose here is not important. The scholar
Ramanuja says clearly the locations Parama Padam or Nitya Vibhuti are eternal heavenly realms.
They are not located on the Earth.

Picture 5 Lord Visnu and his consort Goddess Laksmi in ancient Indian iconography

The Goloka is also called Goloka Vrindavana (JmobmoH$d¥ÝXdZ)1, Krisnaloka (H¥$îUbmoH$) or Goluka (JmobwH$)
and is the eternal abode of Lord Krisna and his female consort Radha. All the Vaikuntha lokas are said

1
Vrindavan is another name of Lord Krisna
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to be like petals of the lotus flower and the centre is called Goloka, Krisnaloka or Goloka Vrindavan.
This is the highest of all the lokas and the souls, which are allowed to go there, are very rare. We find
the Goloka described in various texts of the Vaisnavism tradition. Texts are for example the Garga
Samhita, Brahma Samhita, Brahmavaivarta Purana and many others. We find also the Goloka
described in size and many other details in these texts. In the Skanda Purana we read on Krisna,
Goloka and Vaikunta the following words:

“Ed§~hþ{dY¡ én¡íMa{‘… dewÝÕaå~«÷bmoH$‘ M H$m¡ÝVo¶ JmobmoH$‘ M gZVZ‘“. I move about in many forms on
Earth, in Vaikuntha and in eternal Goloka O Kaunteya.” These words are spoken from Lord Krisna to
Arjuna.

Picture 6 Lord Krisna and Radha in Indian iconography

Important for our purpose here is both Goloka and Vaikuntha are said to be Nitya Dhama ({Z˶ Y‘)
eternal realms of existence, which are not prone to the destruction of the entire cosmos. Lord Krisna
in his two armed form resides eternally in the realm of Goloka and in his four armed form as Lord
Visnu he resides eternally in the realms of Vaikuntha. We read also on the structure of these lokas,
which for our purpose here is not of interest, because in the Sumerian Hymn of the Paradise we
didn`t get any information of the structure or size. All we get to know it is a place in harmony and
free of any calamities for the inhabitants. The Paradise of the Sumerian is obviously an eternal place,
where the blessed souls are going. The same we read on the abodes of Vaikuntha and Goloka in the
ancient Indian texts.

Now we give the description of Goloka as we find it in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, 2nd chapter:

“dÝXo Jwao… nmÙ§ ì¶mgñ¶m{‘VVoOg…& h[a¨ XodmpÝÛOmÞËdm Y‘m©Ýdú¶o gZmVZmZ&& ¶ÀNw>V§ ì¶mgd³ÌoU ~«÷IÊS>‘ZwÎm‘‘&
AkmZmÝYV‘moÜd§{g kmZdË‘©àXrnH$‘&& Á¶mo{V… g‘yh§ àb¶o nwamgrËHo$db§ {ÛO& gy¶©H$mo{Q>à^§ {Z˶‘g§»¶m§ {dídH$maU‘&&
ñdoÀN>‘¶ñ¶ M {d^moñVOÁ¶mo{VéO Ádb§ ‘hV& Á¶mo{Vaä¶ÝVao bmoH$̶‘od ‘Zmoha‘&& Vofm‘wn[a JmobmoH$§
{Z˶‘rídadÔ{dO& {ÌH$mo{Q>¶moOZm¶m‘§ {dñVrUª ‘ÊS>bmH¥${V&& VoO… ñdê$n§ gw‘hÐËZ^y{‘‘¶§ na‘& AÑí¶¶mo{J{^… ñdßZo
Ñí¶§ J嶧 M d¡îUd¡…&& ¶moJZo Y¥V‘reoZ MmÝV[ajpñWV§ da‘& Am{Yì¶m{YOam‘¥Ë¶wemoH$^r{V{dd{O©V‘&&
‘ÐËZa{MVmg§»¶‘pÝXa¡… n[aemo{^V‘& b¶o H¥$ñU¶wV§ g¥ï>m¡ JmonJmonr{^amd¥V‘&&“ (Brahama Vaivarta Purana 2. 2 - 9)
We translate:

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“Sauti said: I bow in reverence at the feet of the glorious teacher Vyasa. Than after bowing at the
feet of Visnu, the Brahmanas, I am going to narrate the ancient religions, the sacred Brahmakhanda,
which was recited to me by Vyasa. It destroys the darkness of the ignorance and leads to the bright
path of knowledge. O Brahmana, there was a ball of light in the beginning after the dissolution. The
lustre of which resembles millions of suns. The same ball of light was quite vast and had been the
cause of the universe. The light of the self born Lord is full of lustre. All the three worlds are
enshrined in this ball of light quite pleasantly. The Goloka is located above all the three worlds, which
is eternal like the lord himself o Brahmana. It is spread into millions of yojana2. It exists in the form of
a globe. It is quite illustrious and its land is stubbed with gems. The Yogis can`t visualise it even in
dreams, while the Vaisnava not only visualise it, but can also achieve it. The great soul has held the
best of the lokas with his meditation practices. The Goloka is free from bodily ailments, mental
ailments, death, grief and terror. Its grandeur it increased by innumerable gem stubbed vast
mansions. At the time of dissolution Lord Krisna resides there alone. During the normal time the
place is crowded with the cowherds and female cowherds.”

In a later verse of this chapter we read on Lord Krisna to have a flute in his hands, which implies the
existence of divine music in this abode. “H$mo{Q>H$ÝXn©bmdʶ§ brbY‘ ‘Zmoa‘‘& {Û^wO§ ‘wabrhñV§ gpñ‘V§
nrVdmgg‘&& “ His beauty resembles millions of Kamadevas. His beautiful form is the abode of divine
plays. He has two arms and holds a flute.

Picture 7 Lord Krisna with flute in Indian iconography

Tillai Manru ( vÀø» ©ßÖ ) in the description of Lord Siva

Like in ancient Sumer, the Agama tradition takes the centre of the village or the city to be the temple.
We get a description of the place Tillai Manru (vÀø» ©ßÖ) in the words of Lord Sive, who
explains the place Citamparam (]u®£µ®) to his disciple, the cosmic serpent Adisesa
(BiöŒŒ):

2
An ancient measurement on the Indian Subcontinent.
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“That day I danced in the forest, while Visnu looked on. I saw that the spot could not support me, but
there is a site (©ßÖ), which sustains the dance. The world is analogue to the body
(Aø»ßzvk® ¤sh® Ash® Œ©®). The left channel of the subtle body (Cøh
|õi) goes straight to Lanka and the right channel (¤[Pø» |õi) pierces the Himalaya. The
central channal goes directly through great Tillai, the site of the original Linga (‰»USÔ).” Tillai is
the old Tamil name for the place Citamparam, the site of Siva´s dance of Bliss. The word Tillai refers
back to the public worship halls of the Sangam Period, which we find called manru (©ßÖ) and
potiyil (ö£õv°À) in the Sangam literature.

In the great work Tiruvacagam (v¸ÁŒP®) by the scholar Manikkar Vacagar (©ÛUPº ÁŒPº)
we read on Siva`s dance “the Lord of Tillai´s court perfoms a mystic dance, what is that my dear ?
@uߦUP us£øn ‹Ì vÀø»a ]Ø Ó®£»Áß uõߦUS |mu® £°¾®
Ax Gß Gj. “ The name of Lord Siva, Nataraja, Lord of the Dancers or King of Actors, is one of
his most famous names. The cosmos is his theatre, there are various different steps in his dance and
he himself is actor and audience. We read in this word on various kinds of dances performed by Lord
Siva, which we will not go on to give here. The dance of Lord Siva was in the mind of the ancient
people, who danced in worship of this God of great antiquity. We see him depicted in the Indus
Valley in form of a Yogi.

Picture 8 icon of a Yogi from the Indus Valley. An anthropomorphic figure, which we can identify as Siva, even we didn`t
know the name of this God in the Indus Valley society.

The Sage Tirumular wrote the perceptual dance of Siva is his play. In the Tiruvasagam we find a part,
where the soul reached the glourious Tillai, and which is described as the place of uninterrupted
enjoyment. The hymn is long and made up of 10 stanzas. We just give here a few of them.

15
“The potsherd and the skull I deemed my skin, my soul dissolved. Wealth to be thought was Siva`s
foot alone, I clearly saw with sould and body to the earth in worship bent, a slave I reached him,
where he dances, Lord of Tillai`s home of joy.

Jk[PÁ¢v²@© EØöÁsÔmxÒP]¢x @uk® ö£õ¸Ðg ]ÁßPÇ@»

GÚzöu΢x Tk® E²¸[S©sh°hUSÛzui@¯ß Am[
S»õzvÀø» BshõøÚU öPõshß@Ó.“
“Through fond desire of those to slender form and gentle words, how many deeds so ever guilt
increasing I have done, no death, not birth I dread. He caused me to embrace his feet, a slave, I have
reached him, who bears rule in Tillai´s home of joy.

yi Hº CkQøhz yö©õȯõº öuõsøŒ¯õÀ öŒi HÖ wø©PÒ

GzuøÚ²göŒ#viÝ® •i@¯ß GøÚzuÚuõs •¯[SÂzu
Ai@¯ß S»õzvÀø» BshõøÚU öPõshß@Ó.“
“Melting my inmost frame, he killed the germ of twofold deeds. Plucked out my rooted grieves made
purely one the manifold. So that all former things might be perish quite. He entered in. I have
reached him, who in love bears rule in Tillai´s home of joy.

GߦÒиUQ C¸ÂøÚø¯ DhÈzxz xߣ[PÀøÍ ßx

xÁ¢xÁ[Pl#ø© öŒ#x •ß¦Ò»ÁØøÓ •Êuȯ EÒ¦S¢u Aߤß
S»õzvÀø» BshõøÚU öPõshß@Ó. “
“Who serves not himself from those, whose minds are served the will. From vain assemblies’ void of
sign, way and temper meet. The goal of bliss, ambrosia`s mighty flow, to chastened thought
revealed. I have reached him, who bears rule in Tillai´s home of joy.

SÔ² ö|Ô²[ Sn•® C»õº SÇõ[Phø©¨ ¤Ô²©Úzuõº ¤ÔÁ›¯

ö£ØÔ¯øÚa öŒÔ²[P¸zvÀ E¸zu•uõg ]Á£uzøu AÔ²[
S»õzvÀø» BshõøÚU öPõshß@Ó .”
“Bud on the bough, then rounded flower, next fruit unripe, then fruit matured. My frame thus
formed he made his own, no hence departs. That trusting thought may cling to him, as it clings now. I
have reached him, who bears rule in Tillai`s golden home of joy.

öPõ®¤À A¸®£õ#U S©»µõ#U Põ¯õQ Á®¦ £Êzxh»©õsk

C[Vß @£õPõ@© |®¦® Gß]¢øu |qS® Ásn® Úõß AqS®
A®ö£õß S»õz vÀø» BshõøÚU öPõshß@Ó .”
The hymn is going on for some stanzas more, but for our purpose here it is enough. We read in
another work, in the Tirumantram of the Sage Tirumalar on the dance of the Lord and his female
consort Sakti:

“Our Lord dances his eternal dance. The form of the Sakti is all delight. This united delight is Uma´s
body. This form of Sakti arising in time and uniting the twain is the dance.”

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In the same work we read:

“The dancing foot, the sound of the tinkling bells and the songs that are sung and while the various
steps are done. The form assumed by our dancing Gurupara. Find these within yourself, then your
fetters shall fall away.

Picture 9 the famous iconography of Lord Siva in his form of Nataraja

From the above verses of the Tiruvasagam it is clear the abode of Lord Siva in Tillai Manru can also be
understood as paradise.

In our word on Nergal, the Sumerian God in the Fire, which is a form of Siva as well, we saw his
dances in the fire, here we see other dances. By this in mind we can now discuss the Sumerian hymn
of the Paradise.

Discussion of the Sumerian Hymn of the Paradise

We saw in the introduction to this work the two meanings of the word Dilmun in Sumerian and of
Tilmun in Tamil. One is the place of origin, which many people understand for to be the origin of the
Sumerians and search for to locate the place on the Earth. From the works and the description of the
Paradise found in the Sanskrit works on Vaikuntha, Goloka and of Tillai Manru as we see it in the
Tiruvasagam and other Tamil works is not located on the Earth. The same we need to understand for
the place Dilmun of the Sumerian Paradise, but of course the poets needed to base their descriptions
on what they saw in their surroundings. The animals given in the verses 11 to 17 from this hymn are
clearly taken from a location on the Earth. We need therefore a place, where these animals were at
home and for this we find different places, not only Harappa, the Indus Valley or other locations on
the Indian Subcontinent. Some of these animals, if not all were also available at the new settlements

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of the Sumerians in Mesopotamia. The Sumerian hymn speaks of a place, where the people live free
and without any suffering of diseases or the suffering of the age. This is comparable to what we read
in the descriptions on Vaikuntha, Goloka and of Tillai, the home of joy. The words pure and clean
mean here clean and pure in the sense of rituals, not of clean roads and villages. The condition of
clean and pure had to be received by purification at the time of death. The description of TIllai, the
home of joy speaks in the first verse clearly of leaving the body before the place could be reached.
There the person is safe before any evil influence and this we can understand from the first verse of
the Sumerian hymn of the Paradise as well. The verses of the Tiruvasagam speak of the need of Siva´s
mercy for to reach this place Tillai, the home of joy. This we find in the verse 3 of the Sumerian hymn
is we translate the Tamil version of the Sumerian words. “Those given this divine place are indeed
blessed.” We read in the Land of Dilmun in the Sumerian hymn on a divine land, where Enki and his
female consort Ninsikilla are alone. This corresponds to all the versions of Vaikuntha, Goloka and
Tillai Manru as we saw above. The land of Dilmun is therefore not located on the Earth and of
metaphysical nature.

From the words in the Sumerian hymn we can understand the young girls were not married before
they reached their puberty, which is indicated by the phrase “a – nu – tu -a – ni” in Sumerian, which
we translated in Tamil as aan naa tuuva (BßÚõ yÁ). do not sprinkle water. This verse suggests
the existence of a ritual of purification for a young girl, which reached the time of her puberty. This
practice we still find alive among the Tamils. The Sumerians understood the temple as the house of
the God and the household of the God as a copy of the human household. The God was king of the
heaven like the human king ruled the city or in very early times the eldest of the clan leaded the clan.
In the same ways they understood the city and the occupation of the people as a mirrow of the
heavenly order. There existed different groups of occupation and no quarrel or falsity were between
them. This we can conclude from the verse 24 of the hymn, where the Sumerian word “e – lu – lum”
will become in Tamil eloolam (G@»õ»®) and indicated the meaning of anarchy, social disorder,
betraying and so forth. This is again in consent with the description of the places of Goloka, where all
is in union with the rule of Krisna or Visnu.

Exciting is the mentioned scribes, the “ligir” in Sumerian and the ilipi kiira (C¼¤ Rµ) in Tamil. This
implies writing was a well established profession at this time. We read on scribes in Vaikuntha as
well. They didn`t cheat the people, who where not be able to write and read as we read in the
Sumerian hymn, what shows clearly there were scribes, who cheated the illiterate people with their
knowledge. From this verse we can further conclude on the existence of a division of the society in
people of different occupations, which we find in the later Tamil texts called KaraNasrama
(Pµnaµ©). Later this became known as varnasrama (Áºnaµ©) as we can read in Sanskrit
texts like the Manu Smriti, which is dated around 200 b. C.

The Sumerian hymn talks on the non – violence between the different animals, which suggests the
existence of non – violence among all the inhabitants of the place called Dilmun. The non – violence
in the form of ahimsa (Aqhg) we find as a characteristic of the abodes of Vaikuntha, Goloka and Tillai
Manru as well. The idea of non – violence we find in the religion of Jainism and Buddhism as well. We
read on man in the Sumerian hymn, who were the controller of the temple tanks and present in the
Sumerian cities. The text suggests they controlled the pure drinking water, but we can also suggest
that they controlled the consecrated water for the religious rituals in and outside the temple. The

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Jaina scholars are called tiirtankara (wºu[Pµ) and the word tiirttam (wºzu®) in Tamil denotes
drinking water.

The most exciting and important part of the Sumerian hymn is of course the Dance of Bliss
performed by Siva and Sakti, who were called in Sumerian times Enki and Ninsikilla. We wrote
already in another of our publications on this, but we give it here again as it is a main part of this
Sumerian hymn. We will give the verses in Sumerian and in Tamil again.

7. Alone in Dilmun they lay.

In Sumerian: as – ni – ne dulmun ki – a u – ne – in – nad

In Tamil: BaÛ@Ú vÀ•Ú F@Ú Úi°ß

We translate: „Alone in Tilmun they danced.”

8. The place, where Enki with his wife laid himself down

In Sumerian: ki en – ki dam – an – ni – da ba – an – da – nad – a – ba

In Tamil: RÌ HßR u©Ûuö¯õk £sok |i A¨£

We translate: “When Enki with his wife executed the Dance of Bliss.”

9. That place is clean, that place is bright

In Sumerian: ki – bi sikil – am ki – bi zalag – zalag – ga – am

In Tamil: R̤a ”UQ»õ® R̤a Œ»[PŒ»[Põ®

We translate: “The place is pure and full of musical sounds.”

10. The place, where Enki with Ninsikilla laid himself down

In Sumerian: ki en – ki nin – sikil – la ba – an – da – nad – a – ba

In Tamil: RÌ GßR {ß”UQÀ»¨ £sok |h® A¨£

We translate: “The place is so when Enki with his consort, the Pure Woman executes the Dance.”

Here we need to understand the problem for Dr. Gadd, who had translated the phrase “ ba – an -da
– nad” without taking care of the words in the Tamil version and the possibility for to take Sumerian
language as an early form of Tamil. The Sumerian phrase will become in Tamil paNNidu nadam
(£sok |h®), where the word nadam (|h®) means dance and the word paNNidu
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(£sok) is an auxiliary verb and means to do. We find the word “nad” and “nadi” very often in
the Sumerian literature, like we have it in the expression “ki – e – nedi” which will become in Tamil
kiiz ee nadi (RÌ H |i) and means the place for dancing.
We can understand from these verses, the Dance of the Lord Enki and his consort the Goddess of
Purity is the reason, why in Dilmun all the good aspects of life are present. There is music, which
comes from the small bells of the chain at the feet, which are called salanki (Œ»[Q) in Tamil and
which the God Siva wears at his feet. They are the reason for the paradise like conditions. The land of
origin as the meaning is of the word Tilmun is seen in the metaphysical notion of Tillai, which is the
place of origin of the entire universe, where the universe has all features because of the dance of
Siva and his female consort Sakti. The consort of Sakti we find in the ancient Agama tradition with
different names, Uma, Parvati and others. The name of the God at Sumerian time was Enki and his
female consort was Ninsikilla, the Woman of Purity, who perform together the Dance of Bliss.

Picture 10 the Dance of Bliss from Lord Siva and Sakti in ancient Indian iconography

If we keep the meaning of the verse 8 “That place is clean, that place is bright” then it will match
nicely with the description of Goloka as we have it in the above mentioned version of the Brahma
Vaivarta Purana, where we read the abode is shining like millions of suns. It is bright and light. The
words pure and clean refer always to the purity for the performance of religious rituals.

We can have less doubt on to have in the Sumerian period the same religion as we find it in the
Agama and Tantric tradition. We wrote on this in a treatise before and this Sumerian Hymn on the
Paradise supports this understanding very much. The icon worship of Sumer is the first, where we
have written texts, which we can compare with the later Agama and Tantric scriptures, but we will
get more if the script of the Indus Valley and Harappan culture is deciphered and we can read the
seals, where we find depicted stories, which we can read in later Purana texts. The icon worship of
Sumer is of course not the earliest form of icon and temple worship, we find icons of a much earlier
time. The Sumerian Period and the Indus Valley civilization are not only contemporary; they are
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related by intense trade and connections, which is testified by archaeological discoveries. Here more
research has to be done.

Picture 11 anthropomorphic figure in Yoga posture on an Indus Valley seal. Possible we see here Pasupati, which is
another name of Lord Siva

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