श्रीः
ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय
Sri Arunachala Aksharamanamalai – Verses 21 - 30
When the ahankara (ego) subsides in the aatma-svarupam and the world as well ceases to be a separate entity, it is the state of Nirvana – state of extinguishment of the ego. It is similar to how the dream world vanishes when we wake up. For Bhagavan, Arunachala was the kabalita-ghana-vishvarupam - the swallower of the universe as a separate entity. In Arunachala Pancharatnam, he addresses Arunachala with a plea to shine as the sun of knowledge which will make the heart-lotus bloom. Only you remain, swallow me - this is the plea. In Arunachala Padigam as well he says ஏகனா வாழி நீடூழி (#3) - Arunachala, live eternally as the only one. This is also explored in some of the verses that follow.
# 21 – கெஞ்சியும் வஞ்சியாய்க் கொஞ்சமும் இரங்கிலை
அஞ்சல் என்றே அருள் அருணசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Although I humbly implore you, you do not show mercy. Bestow your grace on me, saying ‘Do not fear!’
Arunachala seems to be looking away without bestowing his grace but in reality he is waiting for the seeker to become ready to perceive his self-luminous nature. We have to keep at our sadhana until he turns to us and showers his grace. The result of this grace and realisation is also brought out in the verse - abhayam.
Rishi Yagnyavalkya says to Janaka in the Brihadarnyaka Upanishad – अभयं वै जनक प्राप्तोऽसि – O Janaka ! You have reached the state of ‘no fear’. Fearlessness is the sign of a realised person. Bhagavan asks for Arunachala’s grace to attain the state of fearlessness.
# 22 – கேளாது அளிக்கும் உன் கேடு இல் புகழைக்
கேடு செய்யாது அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Bestow your grace on me, without tarnishing your unblemished reputation for granting without being asked.
Ishvara knows what the devotee wants, without him specifically asking for it.
All I ask for is your anugraha, so give it to me, is the plea. Ishvara seats
himself in the devotee’s heart as the sakshi, understands his needs and fulfils
them. If he does not do that now, his reputation falls apart and he must take
the blame for not rescuing his devotee.
# 23 – கையினில் கனி உன் மெய்ரசம் கொண்டு
உவகைவெறி கொள அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Grant me your grace that I may become intoxicated with joy experiencing you (as one with me), as a fruit on the palm of one’s hand.
Bhagavan talks of Brahmananda, which is experienced when one’s true self is known. This is the svarupa-rasa, which is experienced as intoxicating joy.
‘Hastamalaka’ means something that can be fitted into one’s palm. For the person who understands the aatma and experiences it directly, this limitless object fits into his experience, because he has become one with it. He realises his true self, which is the most intimate to him.
In Vivekachudamani, Bhagavan Shankaracharya explains the meaning of tattvamasi in 10 shlokas, and then summarizes
the upadesha as –
उक्तमर्थमिममात्मनि
स्वयं भावयेत्प्रथितयुक्तिभिर्धिया ।
संशयादिरहितं
कराम्बुवत् तेन तत्त्वनिगमो भविष्यति ॥ VC 264॥
One must meditate on the Truth, using the intellect and
well-established logic. Then one will clearly realise the truth free from
doubt, like water in the palm of one’s hand.
It is as clear as the hastamalaka because the jnani sees only what is really
there – the aatma alone truly exists. Ajnanis see many objects apart from the self, which are given names and forms, and they develop likes and dislikes towards them.
What exactly does the jnani see? Bhagavan Sri Krishna gives the
highest teaching of the Gita in shloka # 2.16 –
नासतो विद्यते भावः नाभावो विद्यते सतः | उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥
The unreal does not exist. The real never lapses into ‘not being’. Jnanis
perceive this truth which distinguishes the real from the unreal.
# 24 – கொடியிட்டு அடியரைக் கொல் உனைக் கட்டிக்
கொண்டு எஙன் வாழ்வேன் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Determined as you are to kill your devotees (you have announced it by hoisting a flag at the spot) — how am I to survive (as a jeeva) after embracing you?
The flag symbolises the signboard held by Arunachala to indicate where one has reached – the place where the jeeva’s abhimanam and ahankara are removed – he is the कबलितघनविश्वरूपम् (the entire universe has been swallowed up by Him – Arunachala Pancharatnam # 1). The commentator Muruganar Swami here compares this to a sugarcane being swallowed by an elephant and a deer swallowed by a tiger – the devotee’s individuality is done away when he constantly meditates upon Him.
The emotion of ninda-stuti is depicted in this verse. Reaching God means
losing one’s identity by removing abhimanam and ahankara. Mahabali, Krishna’s gopikas,
etc, - they all merged with their lords, they lost their identities. This is
the destruction that the seeker seeks. Lord Shiva is called Samharamurthy for
the very reason that the universe merges with him at each pralaya. This is the ‘destruction’
he performs. Hence Bhagavan asks how he can continue to live in the world, as a jeeva independent of Ishvara, after he became the subject of his grace.
# 25 – கோபம் இல் குணத்தோய் குறியாய் எனைக்கொளக்
குறை என் செய்தேன் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! You have no anger by nature. For you to accept me as your target (of grace), what penance have I done?
The emotion of ninda-stuti is depicted here as well – praise in the form of seeming reproach. Amongst your countless devotees, you have singled me out for your grace. What qualification do I even have?
It is worthwhile to understand that any form of attention from
Ishvara (including anger) is an anugraha. This anugraha leads to vichara, which
culminates in destroying the devotee’s ego. Bhagavan did not actively seek Arunachala
in the early part of his life. But when he found his way to Him, Arunachala
guided him inwards. The target of his grace, was the ahankara which had been superimposed on the self.
# 26 – கௌதமர் போற்றும் கருணை மாமலையே
கடைக்கணித்து ஆள்வாய் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! O Hill of Grace praised by Gautama! Save me by directing your gracious glance toward me.
It is believed that Gautama Maharshi did tapas in Arunachala.
Legend goes that when Parvati Devi closed Parameshvara’s eyes once in
a playful gesture, many brahmaandas were destroyed, and many yugas passed by in
darkness. Repenting her act, she wanted to do compensate (prayaschitta), and
so Ishvara advised her to go to Kashi, where she manifested as Annapurneshvari
and served the people by giving them food.
Thereafter she performed tapas as Kamakshi, as a Yogini in Kanchi.
Ishvara manifested and summoned her to Arunachala. Gautama
maharshi gave her upadesha in the location now known as Pachaiamman temple. She
did Pradakshina of Arunachala and became one with Ishvara. So Arunachala is worshipped
as the place where Shakti became one with Ishvara – शिवशक्त्यैक्यरूपिणी.
# 27 – சகலமும் விழுங்கும் கதிர் ஒளியினமன
சலசம் மலர்த்தியிடு அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! The bright Sun that swallows up all the universe by your rays! Do open the lotus of my mind.
The universe mentioned here is the dvaita-prapancha that the
devotee sees – this is swallowed by knowledge of oneness. Knowledge removes
ignorance by destroying vasanas and desires for impermanent objects. When Arunachala’s
grace falls on the devotee, he blooms like a lotus which blooms by the rays of
the sun.
# 28 – சாப்பாடு உன்னைச் சார்ந்து உணவாயான்
சாந்தமாய்ப் போவன் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! I sought you to experience you, but I have become your food / have been swallowed by you, by merging with you. Give me the highest state of peace.
Bhagavan brings out the aspect of peace, which is the final goal of every person. Peace is our real nature. When oneness with brahman is experienced, svarupa-shanti results. this is the Shivaanubhava.
The word சார்ந்து means by
merging – only by knowledge of oneness, this state is reached. Hence knowledge
is the means to reaching the goal.
Kathopanishad talks about this in #1.2.25
यस्य ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च उभे भवत ओदनः |
The aatma, to whom the brahmana and kshatriya become food and death
itself becomes a pickle – this is the supreme truth that envelops the world.
The might of this knowledge has been described as that which swallows everything.
In the Arunachala pancharatnam # 1 – Bhagavan says –
करुणापूर्णसुधाब्धे कबलितघनविश्वरूप किरणावल्या अरुणाचलपरमात्मन् अरुणो
भव चित्तकञ्जसुविकासाय |
(அருள்நிரைவான
அமுதக்கடலே விரிகதிரால் யாவும் விழுங்கும் அருணைகிரி பரமாமான்மாவே கிளர் உள பூ நன்றாய்
விரி பரிதியாக விளங்கு)
O ocean of amrita, which is full of grace! The supreme Arunachala
who swallows everything by spreading the rays of knowledge! Shine as the sun of
self-knowledge which will make my mind (lotus) bloom.
# 29 – சித்தம் குளிரக் கதிர் ஹஸ்தம் வைத்து அமுத
வாயைத்திற அருண்மதி அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Moon of Grace! My mind is distressed by miseries due to the ego. Make my mind cool by placing your hands (which are like the moon’s rays) on me and bless me by opening the gate of immortality (by giving me the upadesha by which I can attain immortality).
In the previous verse, Arunachala's grace was compared to the fire of the sun. Now it is compared to the coolness of the moon.
சித்தம் குளிர - अन्तःशीतलता / coolness is experienced by his anugraha. Bhagavan always displayed this coolness and peace through his very presence. The nectar of brahmananda lies inside the heart but the gate is closed. Our sadhana and Ishvara's grace takes us there by opening the gate.
In # 27 and in this, Bhagavan has spoken about the destruction of granthibheda
which leads to immortality / state of deathlessness.
Ignorance, leading to desire and action in pursuit of desire
are the 3 granthibhedas / knots of the heart. When these are gotten rid of, the
sadhaka becomes immortal / attains moksha.
Towards the end of the Kathopanishad 2.6.15, Lord Yama says -
यदा सर्वे प्रभिद्यन्ते हृदयस्येह ग्रन्थयः । तदा मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्येतावद्ध्यनुशासनम्
॥
When the knots are destroyed, the mortal becomes immortal. This is
the instruction of all Upanishads.
# 30 – சீரை அழித்து நிர்வாணமாச் செய்து அருள்-
சீரை அளித்து அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala! Destroy my worldly aspects (upadhis, aavaranam), give me the clothing of grace (which is devoid of upadhis) and establish me in Nirvana.
The prayer is to remove the ignorance (superimposition of the 5 koshas such as the body and mind on the aatma) and cover the devotee with His grace by which his true self can be realised.
The message is ‘chumma iru’. Do not this or that, just be as you are – said Bhagavan in the simplest of languages – இருந்தபடிக்கே இரு. (Just be as you are). Once we trace the ego to its source, it vanishes, the aatma manifests. After that, simply remain there, free from mistaken identities!
Many of the shlokas have explained the core teaching of Advaita. Only Paramatma exists. I do not exist independent of him. The world is also a manifestation of Paramatma. The root cause of grief is our identification with what we are not. By negating what I am not, by allowing the grace of Ishvara to grant me knowledge by which I realise who I truly am - Brahman, I no longer suffer.
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र
श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥
सर्वं श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु
Read verses 31 to 40 - https://vedantalearning.blogspot.com/2024/09/aksharamanamalai-verses-31-to-40.html