श्रीः
ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय
Sri Arunachala Aksharamanamalai – Verses 81 - 90
Surrender of the mind:
In Arunachala Pancharatnam #5, Bhagavan says त्वय्यर्पितमनसा त्वां पश्यन् सर्वं तवाकृतितया सततं भजतेऽनन्यप्रीत्या स जयत्यरुणाचल त्वयि सुखे मग्नः - Arunachala, seen outside as the world, dances in my heart as I. This is perceived when I turn inwards and seek the source of the I thought. When the mind is given up to him, when all karma is done for him, when everything is seen as forms of him, when he is worshipped with ananya-preeti (love not as for another, but as one’s own self) that is spiritual victory - all sadhana reaches fruition. In this state, the gunas do not obstruct the state of complete bliss, devoid of fear.
He has realised that the aatma is the greatest teertham – the eternal purity. Lord Shiva says in Devi Bhagavatam - इदं तीर्थम् इदं तीर्थं भ्राम्यन्ति तामसा जनाः। स्वात्मतीर्थं न जानन्ति कथं मोक्षं शॄणु प्रिये॥ Tamasik people seek teertha-kshetrams (outside of the self). They do not know the aatma-teertham, how will they become free? The one who resides in the self, is always pure, complete, secure, and blissful.
81 – மூக்கிலன் முன்காட்டும் முகுரம் ஆகாது எனைத்
தூக்கி அணைந்து அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
Graciously lift and embrace me. Do not hold up a mirror to the face of a man who does not have a nose, O Arunachala. (Do not show
me only my flaws)
When we approach the enlightened guru, seeking his grace., he embraces us and accepts us wholeheartedly, blesses us, and converts us
into himself - स्वीयं साम्यं विधत्ते. Rather than show us our flaws, he elevates us to his level.
82 – மெய்யகத்தின் மனமென் மலரணையில் நாம்
மெய்கலந்திட அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
In the house which is the body, on the floral
bed called the mind (heart), let me unite with you.
This union is like that of salt in water. When
the mind merges in the self, it does not arise again. The individuality has
been extinguished and Ishvara alone exists.
83 – மேன்மேல் தாழ்ந்திடும் மெல்லியர்ச் சேர்ந்து நீ
மேன்மை உற்றனை என் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala, who attracts tender and humble
devotees, you have attained greatness this way!
This verse contains the greatness of
Arunachala and for the sadhaka, it points to the means to reach him.
Jnanis are Arunachala’s wealth. They are also
the greatest bhaktas. They have no individuality and they experience that only
Paramatma exists.
Annamalaiyar is called ஆண்டி
பெறுத்த அண்ணாமலை – Annamalai who collects ‘aandi’, which means
sanyasis. The word sanyasi itself means the one who has placed his mind in the
right place, ie, in the aatma. These are people who have completely
extinguished their ego. The Lord here attracts jeevan-muktas to take refuge in
him. In turn they add to his greatness. They see Ishvara everywhere, and this makes them respect everyone. The most endearing quality that devotees found in Bhagavan, was also this humility and tenderness.
84 – மைமயல் நீத்து அருள்மையினால் உனது உண்மை
வசம் ஆக்கினை அருணாசலா (அ)
Removing my ignorance with the magic ointment (anjana/ collyrium)
of your grace, you have brought me under your sway.
This verse is reminiscent of the shloka - अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः॥ The sadguru applies the ointment of
knowledge and opens the shishya’s eyes. This is his anugraha. When ignorance is
removed, the aatma manifests.
85 – மொட்டை அடித்தெனை வெட்ட வெளியில் நீ
நட்டம் ஆடினை என் அருணாசலா (அ)
Having shaved my head, you danced in the open (manifested in my
heart as my own self), O Arunachala!
The shaving of the head here refers to destruction of vasanas and
removal of ignorance. In Yakshaprashna, the yaksha asks Yudhishtira what snanam
means. The reply is स्नानं मनोमलत्यागः – it is the removal of impurities in the
mind. This is the shave that Bhagavan refers to – the removal of doshas.
86 – மோகம் தவிர்த்து உன் மோகமா வைத்து என்
மோகம் தீராய் என் அருணசலா (அ)
Having removed my desire for worldly objects, and drawn me towards you
(giving me bhakti for you, manifesting as my desire for Ishvara), why do you not fulfil that desire, O Arunachala!
Bhagavan Sri Krishna says – अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय (12.9)
– Desire to reach me by constant practice of fixing the mind on me. One has to have a desire for attaining Ishvara. But this is not the final goal. Knowledge of the non-difference between my own self and Ishvara's svarupam, is the goal.
When I realise that
only Ishvara exists in all, I no longer exist apart from him. In Chapter 6 of
the Gita, Bhagavan Sri Krishna says
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र
समदर्शनः॥ (6.29)
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति। तस्याहं न प्रणाश्यामि स च
मे न प्रणश्यति॥ (6.30)
The person who has his mind fully integrated (in the self), who
sees the same self everywhere (from the creator Brahma, down to a blade of
grass), who sees Vasudeva as the self of all, and sees all created things in
Vasudeva, never loses me (Vasudeva). Sri Shankaracharya clarifies this to mean that
Vasudeva never becomes anything other than a direct experience (aparoksha) to
him. This is the fruit of all sadhana. When one desires Ishvara above
all else, this is where his sadhana takes him. It is a state of non-difference, which is both the highest bhakti (para bhakti) and firm abidance in knowledge (jnana nishta)
87 – மௌனியாய்க் கல்போல் மலராது இருந்தால்
மௌனம் இது ஆமோ அருணசலா (அ)
O Arunachala, if I remain externally inactive and silent (like a stone), but without spiritual maturiy, is it true silence!
Silence is a divine force which enters the sincere seeker, carrying
the knowledge and anubhava from the guru. It is the jnani’s language, devoid of
I and mine. Muruganar Swamy says – true silence is when the Hridaya-granthi
(ignorance of the self, desire and action driven by desire) is destroyed, and
the limited individuality is removed, and the limitless shivaanubhava state is
reached - is the state of eternal peace. Due to peace, there are no sankalpas in the mind.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna says one is a hypocrite if one merely silences the organs of action but remembers sense-objects. (Gita # 3.6). Mere absence of speech is not silence, if the mind, senses, and ego
are still active. Absence of agency (kartrutvam), absence of sankalpas and
vikalpas in the mind, maintaining inner poise irrespective of external
circumstances, is true silence.
Paul Brunton writes about his first experience
in Bhagavan’s presence – “Does this man, the Maharishee, emanate the perfume of
spiritual peace as the flower emanates fragrance from its petals?’” (A search
in secret India) This silence negated the need for any type of conversation.
This is the way the experience is transmitted.
88 – யவன் என் வாயில் மன்ணினை அட்டி
என் பிழைப்பு ஒழித்தது அருணசலா (அ)
Who was it (who else could it have been but you) who ruined by ability to earn my living?
89 – யாரும் அறியாது என் மதியினை மருட்டி
எவர் கொளை கொண்டது அருணசலா (அ)
Was it you who, unknown to anyone, enchanted me and stole my mind?
Bhagavan refers to removal of the jeeva bhava as the destruction of the ability to earn a living in the world.
This does not mean that one cannot continue to live in the world. It means a change in attitude and outlook. If karma, bhakti and jnanam do not become yoga, they become
problems. Merely performing
karma or bhakti, and acquiring knowledge with the body, mind and intellect as anchors, makes the ego stronger. The way to
peace is to convert these into yoga (abidance in the self) and remain poised inwardly. The strong
presence of the I-sense and the my-sense, propels us into selfish karma. In the
88th verse, Bhagavan says in the absence of the ego, it was no longer possible
for him to work for a living - it was a situation of complete surrender.
In the 89th verse, Bhagavan accuses Arunachala of
stealing his mind - this is the shower of grace on the seeker who is ready to
surrender at the feet of the divine force.
90 – ரமணன் என்று உரைத்தேன் ரோசம் கொளாது
எனை ரமித்திடச் செயவா அருணசலா (அ)
O Arunachala, I declared you to be my Ramana - Do not take offence,
but come and make me happy.
Ramana means that which give us bliss. It is another word for the
aatma. This is the reason why Bhagavan was given this name by Kavyakantha
Ganapati muni. Ramana also means one who revels in the self.
In this verse, Bhagavan declares that Arunachala is Ramana – this means
Arunachala is the self. He did not look at Arunachala as a separate entity
apart from himself. Only Paramatma exists, I no longer do - this is the conclusion
of the jnani.
In the translation of Vivekachudamani into Tamil, Bhagavan writes a
beautiful mangala shloka, which sums up the entire teaching and the supreme
goal of this human life.
அகமெனு மூல அவித்தை அகன்றிட அகமகமாக அல்லும் பகலற அகமொளிர் ஆத்மதேவன் பதத்தினில் அகமகிழ்வாக அனிஷம் ரமிக்கவே. This means –
அகமெனு மூல அவித்தை அகன்றிட - for primordial
ignorance (the I notion) to be removed;
அகமகமாக அல்லும் பகலற – seeking the throb
of the I continuously (day and night)
அகமொளிர்
ஆத்மதேவன் பதத்தினில் – the deva called aatma which is inside us as the true meaning of
I
அகமகிழ்வாக
அனிஷம் ரமிக்கவே – for us to delight in this joy (of the aatma)
It is for this purpose that we have taken birth - for this
experience of aatmananda by removing the notion of a jeeva apart from
Paramatma.
When the I and mine are vanquished, individuality
is lost – this is Advaita. I do not exist, only He does, is the living reality
of a jnani. Aham brahma asmi does not mean that the meaning of the word I is
Brahman. This feeling enhances the ego. Aham brahma asmi means that the true
svarupam of I, is the one supreme reality, not the jeeva. It is the akhanda
svarupam which shines through the jeeva. Brahman cannot be limited by anything
like the jeeva’s body. If we limited it (either by thinking of the jeeva as a
yogi or a bhakta), then our individuality enhances. The goal is to transcend it
and let it be swallowed by the one reality which alone exists. This bhava is
seen right through Aksharamanamalai – the relentless prayer that you alone remain,
let me no longer exist as a separate person.
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥
सर्वं श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु
Read Verses 91 to 100 https://vedantalearning.blogspot.com/2026/01/aksharamanamalai-verses-91-to-100.html
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