श्रीः
ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय
Sri Arunachala Navamanimalai
1. அசலனேயாயினும் அச்சவைதன்னில்;
அசலையாம் அம்மையெதிராடும்;
அசலவுருவில் அச்சத்தி ஒடுங்கிட ஓங்கும்;
அருணாசலமென்றறி.
Know that, despite being achalam, he dances in front of the mother (shakti) and where she subsides in his motionless form, he shines above all else, as Arunachala.
Being motionless by nature, he still dances in Chidambaram. Shakti represents his power of Maya, which causes the birth of all beings, both moving and non-moving. When the mind finds it source and abides there, the dance comes to an end. She withdraws into his non-moving self, in Arunachala. This is the uniqueness of Arunachala kshetram.
How does one dance without motion? Ishvasyopanishad says तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके । तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः (1.5)
It moves and does not; It is nearby and far away, inside everyone and outside. This is the satya-vastu.
Lord Nataraja appears as if dancing before Shakti, in the universe. It is in association with shakti, that he appears to be dancing. Shiva and shakti are indeed only one.
As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in the Gita -
मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्। हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते। (#9.10)
Due to me, the adhyaksha, Prakriti gives birth to the world. All the worldly experiences occur due to this, while the substratum of all, who is hidden in all beings as the all-pervading witness of all, the real nature of all, remains unaffected by what is superimposed on it. In reality the substratum (aatma) is achala but due to adhyasa / superimposition, actions of the body and mind are attributed to the aatma.
On knowledge of one's real nature, the superimposed subsides in the substratum and pure consciousness alone shines forth as the real self of all. The jnani - the one who has this knowledge, is what Bhagavan Sri Krishna describes in the Gita as the one who sees inaction in action - कर्मणि अकर्म. He no longer identifies with action as the doer but is merely an instrument through which action passes. He remains Arunachala svarupam.
There is an interesting incident which led to Bhagavan writing this verse, as recounted by Smt. T.R.Kanakammal. There was a devotee (a dikshitar) who had travelled from Chidambaram to meet Bhagavan when he was residing in Virupaksha cave. He repeatedly suggested to Bhagavan that he should visit Chidambaram atleast once since darshan of Lord Nataraja (akasha-lingam, amongst the panchabhuta kshetrams) is said to be special. Hence Bhagavan wrote this verse, to explain to him, the greatness of Arunachala. This was added as the first verse to the Navamanimalai later.
அர்த்தவத் தத்-த்வமசி அருணபொருளாம்; அசலத்து
அர்த்தம் கனம் அதுவாகும் செவ்வாடக ஆரொளியாம்;
முத்தி நினைக்க அருள் அருணாசலம் உன்னிடவே.
When one considers the meaning of the name Arunachala (which is is lustrous like red gold), the act (of remembering it) by itself bestows moksha. Aruna means not only sat-cit-ananda but also the meaning of the mahavakyam Tattvamasi, which indicates oneness of the jeeva and Paramatma. Achala means 'ghana' - dense and complete.
This verse explains the physical form and the gunas of Arunachala - it is self-luminous and stands for the meaning of the guru's upadesha Tat tvam asi.
3. அருணாசலத்திலுறு கருணாகரபரமன் அருணாரவிந்த பதமே;
பொருள்நாடு சுற்றமொடு வருணாதி பற்றி உளமருள் நாடலற்று நிதமும்;
தெருள்நாடுளத்தினில் நல்லருள் நாடி நிற்கும் அவர் இருள் நாசமுற்று புவிமேல்;
தருணாருணகதிரின் அருள் நாளுமுற்று சுக வருணாலயத்தில் இழிவார்.
Those who seek the supreme truth, having given up the delusion of being identified with wealth, relatives, caste, etc, and steadfastly seek true knowledge at the lotus feet of the Lord, will have their ignorance removed and be liberated even while living, and subside in the ocean of bliss, having attained his grace, which is like the rays of the rising sun (which dispel darkness).
Such a person has won over the vasanas for anything other than knowledge of the self. Only Brahma-vasana remains in him. So when he reaches it, he is in the state of bliss - as ananda-svarupam.
4. அண்ணாமலையுனை எண்ணான் எனவெனை அண்ணாந்தேங்கிட எண்ணாதே;
மண்ணாம் மல உடல் எண்ணா அஹமென மண்ணா மாய்ந்திட ஒண்ணாதே;
தண்ணார் அளிசெறி கண் நாடொரு கிரி பண்ணாது என்னிரு கண்ணாளா;
பெண்ணாணலி உரு நண்ணா ஒளி உரு அண்ணாலென்னஹம் நண்ணாயே.
O Annamalai. Do not think of leaving me to pine away for you, looking up at you with longing, merely because I am a person who has not thought of you. Do not allow me to perish thinking that this body is 'I'. Look at me, without deceiving me, with your cool, compassionate eyes, O Lord who is jyoti-svarupam and who transcends differences like male, female and neuter, may you abide in my heart.
Here the plea is for his grace to help the sadhaka transcend the identification with the body, and communicating the sadhaka's yearning and helplessness in trying to perceive the imperceivable.
The reference to the look of grace, can be equally applied to Bhagavan himself, whose look of grace could deliver many seekers to the goal.
5. சீரான சோணகிரி சிறக்க வாழும் சித்ஸ்வரூபனாமிறையே சிறியனேன் தன்;
பேரான பிழையெல்லாம் பொறுத்து காத்து பின்னுமிவன் பாழிதனில் வீழாவண்ணம்;
காரான கருணைவிழி கொடுப்பாயின்றேல் கடும் பவத்தில் நின்று கரையேற மாட்டேன்;
நேரானதுண்டோ தாய் சிசுவுக்காற்றும் நிகரற்ற நலனுக்கு நிகழ்த்துவாயே.
O Lord, who is cit-svarupam, shining gloriously as the Red hill, Shonagiri! Forgive the follies of this petty person and protect me from falling again into samsara. Bestow your look of grace which is like a rain-bearing dark cloud. If you do not, I will not be able to reach the shore (rescue myself from the cycle of birth and death). Tell me, is there anything that compares to the good that the mother performs for her child? (Similarly, may you protect and bless me).
The greatest folly is identifying with the body - dehaatma-bhava. Bhagavan seeks forgiveness on our behalf, for committing this folly. Jnanis like Bhagavan and Sri Ramakrishna, demonstrated how to maintain inner poise despite diseases ravaging the body. This was because they had destroyed the notion "I am the body".
6. காமாரி என்று நீ அன்பரால் என்றுமே கதித்திட படுகின்றாய்;
ஆமாமெய் உனக்கிது ஆமா என்று ஐ உறும் அருணாசலரேச்சுரனே;
ஆமாயின் எங்ஙனம் தீரனே சூரனே ஆயினும் வல்லநங்கன்;
காமாரியாகுமும் காலரண் சரண் புகு கருத்தினுள் புகவலனே.
You are always described by devotees as Kamaari - the slayer of lust. That is true but a doubt arises as to whether this suits you. If true, how can that kama / ananga (the one without a body), even though he is brave and valiant, enter a mind which has taken refuge at your feet?
Lord Shiva is the destroyer of Manmatha. Being so, how would Manmatha enter the mind of a devotee who has surrendered to Lord Shiva and who is under his protection? This is the question raised here.
7. அண்ணாமலையாய் அடியேனை ஆண்ட அன்றே ஆவியுடல்;
கொண்டாய் எனக்கோர் குறையுண்டோ? குறையும் குணமும் நீயல்லால்;
எண்ணேன் இவற்றை என்னுயிரே எண்ணமெதுவோ அது செவாய்;
கண்ணே உந்தன் கழலிணையில் காதல் பெறுக்கே தருவாயே.
O Annamalai, The very day you took charge me, you possessed my body and soul. Can I, then, have any grievance? Any flaws and good qualities are you - they cannot exist independent of you, I do not think of them. My beloved! Whatever your intend, do that, just bless me with love for you.
This incredibly beautiful verse, communicates the total and unconditional surrender by Bhagavan. How else does one experience a complete absence of discontentment in his mind? As Bhagavan Sri Krishna says - the jnani is यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टः (# 4.22, Gita) - He is absolutely happy and contented with whatever comes his way.
'Tripti' and 'santosham' were amongst the words frequently expressed by Bhagavan.
8. புவிக்குள் பொங்கிடும் புவிச்சொல் புங்கவன் புரிக்குள்; புண்ணியன் சுழிக்குள் சுந்தரன்;
தவற்கு சுந்தரம் சதிக்குற்பன்னனம்; தலத்தில் புன்புலம் சழக்கில் துன்புரும்
தவிக்கு துஞ்சிடும் படிக்கு; தன்னுளம் தழைக்க; தன்பதம் எனக்குத் தந்தனன்;
சிவக்க சின்மயம் செழிக்க தன்மயம் ஜெகத்தில் துன்னு செம்பொருப்பு செம்மலே.
I was born to the virtuous Sundaram (Sundaram Iyer) and his faithful wife - the tapasvi Sundaram (Azhagammai) in Tiruchuzhi, which, among the holy places (புங்கவன் புரி - Shiva kshetram), is known as the 'pongidum bhuvi' or the land of surging holy water. The Lord of the red hill who stands tall in this world, so that cin-mayam (pure awareness) shines, and tan-mayam (the supreme self-luminous reality, which is Brahman) flourishes, gave to me his own state, with his heart overflowing with joy, so that the miseries in this world arising out of the sense organs, can come to an end and I attain supreme bliss.
(Tiruchizhi is called the pongidum bhuvi because of the surging waters which occur in the temple of Lord Bhuminatheshwara on the day of Masi Maham)
9. அம்மையும் அப்பனுமாய் எனை பூமியில் ஆக்கி அளித்து;
அம்மகிமாயை என்னாழ்கடல் வீழ்ந்து யான் ஆழ்ந்திடும் முன்;
என் மனம் மன்னி இழுத்து உன் பதத்தில் இருத்தினையால்;
சின்மயனாம் அருணாசல நின் அருள் சித்ரம் என்னே.
Having borne me and tended to me like a mother and father, before I fell and drowned in the deep ocean of maya, you entered my mind, pulled at me and established me in your own state. O Arunachala, who is pure chaitanyam, what a wonder your grace is !
In almost every verse, Bhagavan recounts how he was saved by Arunachala, by being given Arunachala's own state - the state of sayujyam. Arunachala alone shines tall, his devotee's individuality is vanquished. This is the way to unalloyed bliss, free from limitations of the individual personality.
सर्वं श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु
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