What exactly is the secret of Chidambaram (Chidambara rahasyam)?

[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on January 16, 2021, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]

[Smt. Suganya Raman asked: My question is about the pañcabhūta sthalas of Lord Śiva. These are five temples dedicated to Lord Śiva, representing each of the five elements. Out of these temples, the space-element is represented by the temple at Chidambaram. There is a special significance or a mystery associated with this temple, known as the Cidambara rahasyam or the Secret of Cidambaram. It is said that after the main pūjā is done to the idol of Lord Śiva, a dark curtain is opened nearby, where there are five golden bilva leaves hanging and there is just an empty space behind it for people to see. I knew about this temple before, and I used to think that, that empty space represents the unimaginable God. Now after learning about parama vyoma from Dr. Nikhil, I have made the following correlations:

1. This temple is the only place where Lord Śiva is worshipped in the form of Lord Naṭarāja i.e., Lord with a specific human form. I believe that this form of Lord Śiva represents the Saguṇa Brahman (God-in-a-form).
2. After the pūjā is performed, the curtain is raised and the empty space shows up. This act of making us focus on that empty space is teaching us that God is nirguna (unimaginable). The space behind the golden leaves depicts the parama vyoma.

There are so many explanations about the temple. One of them is that Lord Śiva in the form of Naṭarāja is performing cosmic dance etc. This is what my understanding is for now. If my correlation is logical, why is it called a secret?]

Swāmi replied: Space is not unimaginable. It is imaginable, but very very subtle (sūkṣma). Of course, the subtle item can be thought to be very close to the unimaginable item. Space is one of the five elements and is an imaginable item, which is very subtle. The unimaginable entity is beyond space because it does not have spatial coordinates. Space is absent in the unimaginable item. Of course, space is the best item to represent the unimaginable concept, even though space itself is imaginable and is a part of the imaginable creation. Ambaram means space. Cit means knowledge. Hence, cidambaram means the knowledge of space. Space is subtle energy and is called ākāśa. Gross energy is called agni (fire). Energy in general is called tejas. The Veda says that the unimaginable God created tejas or general energy. This energy, in its first state, appeared as the most subtle form of energy called space. Hence, the two Vedic statements stating that, in the beginning, God created space (ākāśa) and that God created general energy (tejas), do not contradict each other (Ātmanaḥ ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ; Tat tejo’sṛtaja—Veda). The knowledge of the unimaginable God is impossible. The only possible knowledge of the unimaginable God that can be obtained is that He exists (Astītyevopalabhdhavyaḥ—Veda). Of course, knowing His existence does not mean that His nature is known. All this is the knowledge of the unknowable, unimaginable God and the knowable space, which appears as if it is unimaginable.

An unimaginable item cannot be a secret, since it can never be known. Only an imaginable item that can be understood with great difficulty can be called a secret. Space is understood to be subtle energy, with difficulty. It is generally misunderstood to be nothing. It is now known that space is not ‘nothing’, but ‘something’ (energy). Space, which is very subtle energy is understood to be ‘something’, with great difficulty upon very sharp analysis. Even Einstein thought that space is nothing. He felt that space is simply geometrical and that it is relatively real with reference to matter. According to him, if matter disappeared, space would also disappear. That is not correct. Both matter and energy may disappear, yet space need not disappear because it is not ‘nothing’ and it is not relatively-real with respect to matter and energy. It is as real as both matter and energy and hence, absolutely real with respect to both. Of course, all the five elements are relatively-real with reference to the absolute reality, which is the unimaginable God. What I am saying here is that space is relatively-real only with reference to the absolutely-real unimaginable God, just like any of the other four elements. It is wrong to say that space is relatively-real with reference to the other relatively-real four elements. If you have understood this entire analysis, do you not feel that the analysis of space is the secret knowledge, which is that space is as real as any other item of the world?

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