In this final set of verses, Bhagavan prays, on our behalf, for Arunachala to accept his humble offering of sadhana, and bless him (us) with the knowledge of the one reality.
101 – அம்புவில் ஆலிபோல் அன்பு உரு எனில் எனை
அன்பாக் கரைத்து அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
Like ice melts in water, let me melt in you - you who
are of the form of bliss.
Ice and water are not essentially different.
Ice is basically water in a different form. Similarly the jeeva and Ishvara are
essentially sat-chit-ananda svarupam. The jeeva-bhava arises from, sustains in
and dissolves in Brahman – the jeeva merely appears as an individual entity due
to our ignorance of our true nature. Like how heat melts ice, leaving behind
only water, the fire of knowledge (of the self) burns this individuality and
then only Brahman remains.
102 – அருணை என்று எண்ண யான் அருள் கண்ணி பட்டேன்
உன் அருள்வலை தப்புமோ அருணாசலா (அ)
As soon as I thought of you as Arunachala, I
was caught in your net (of grace). Can your grace ever fail?
The mere thought of Arunachala gives moksha.
Bhagavan says in his translation from Skanda Puranam - கருணார்ணவமாய் கருத கதிநல்கும் அருணாசல சிவமீதாம் – this is Arunachala Shiva, who grants liberation when one thinks of it. It
is Arunachala’s limitless compassion which draws the seeker to it, and without
which one would not even remember Arunachala.
103 – சிந்தித்து அருள்படச் சிலந்தி போல் கட்டிச்
சிறையிட்டு உண்டனை அருணாசலா (அ)
Like a spider which spins its web and traps
insects and then feeds on them, you decided that I should be trapped in your
web (of grace), laid out the trap, imprisoned me and then fed upon me.
The individuality / ego is imprisoned and
swallowed by knowledge, after which only the self-luminous reality remains. In
Sri Arunachala Pancharatnam, Bhagavan calls Arunachala the कबलितघनविश्वरूप - the one who swallows the manifested world by spreading its rays of knowledge.
This is the feeding that is referred to here as well. For the jnani, the world continues to be experienced but not as a separate reality apart from the self.
104 – அன்பொடு உன் நாமம் கேள் அன்பர்தம் அன்பருக்கு
அன்பன் ஆயிட அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
Bestow me with your grace so that I become a
devotee of devotees who hear your name with love and devotion.
In reality, the lord and his name are one. In
this verse, Bhagavan makes a reference to the greatness of Arunachala’s
devotees. They are also not different from Arunachala, and they experience bliss
when they merely hear his name. This also brings out the role of satsanga in
one’s spiritual journey. Associating with bhaktas, is the same as associating with the divine.
105 – என்போலும் தீனரை இன்புறக் காத்து நீ
எந்நாளும் வாழ்ந்து அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
Graciously live for ever (as the Guru),
protecting helpless devotees like me, so that they can attain bliss.
Here, Bhagavan clearly makes a plea to Arunachala
to protect the devotees on the one hand and blesses Arunachala to live for
ever, on the other. Smt. T.R Kanakammal uses a beautiful word ‘jnana-deshika’
in her commentary. Bhagavan requests Arunachala to be the guiding light of
knowledge which alone is capable of taking the devotee to Brahmananda. She adds
that continuous contemplation on this verse, will surely bring the devotee
under the compassionate gaze of Arunachala.
106 – என்புருகு அன்பர்தம் இன் சொற்கொள் செவியும் என்
புன்மொழி கொள அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
May your ears which have heard the sweet words
of your devotees whose literally bones melted (due to their love for you), also accept these
unworthy words of mine, and bless me.
Bhagavan refers to some of the great Nayanmars
like Manivachakar and Tirujnanasambandar, who sang hyms like the Tiruvachakam and Tevaram, in
praise of the lord. They had so much bhakti that Bhagavan says not only did
their hearts melt, but their bones also melted with emotion. To ordinary
seekers and devotees like us, who are not capable of such exalted poetry, and whose
prayers may be filled with flaws, isn’t the compassionate Ishvara capable of understanding
the bhavana behind the words and accepting them? This plea to Arunachala on our
behalf, seems to be the intent of this verse.
107 – பொறுமையாம் பூதர புன்சொலை நன்சொலாப்
பொறுத்து அருள் இஷ்டம் பின் அருணாசலா (அ)
O Arunachala, the embodiment of forbearance,
bear with my unworthy words taking them as praise, and bestow upon me whatever
you deem fit.
Bhagavan conveys his attitude of surrender
here. In Sri Arunachala Padigam he says ‘nin ishtam en ishtam’ – I have
no wish of my own, your wish is mine. Bhagavan understood that Arunachala is
not only a Drishya vastu, being in the physical form of a hill, but also, as Shiva-svarupam, the Drik vastu – the Shuddha-chaitanya svarupam. Hence he calls
Arunachala as ‘bhudhara’ – the one who sustains the world. (the word also means
‘hill’). He is the substratum on which the world resides.
108 – மாலையளித்து அருணாசல ரமண என்
மாலை அணிந்து அருள் அருணாசலா (அ)
Arunachala Ramana! Having bestowed on me, your grace by which I have
deep yearning and love for you, accept this garland of aksharas as my offering
to you.
We understand that Ishvara’s grace is upon us
when we start yearning for him. This makes us seek him inside us, and choose
the path of shreyas. Aksharamana malai is a garland which sybmolises the union
of the jeeva and Ishvara, which leads to supreme bliss. By giving us his grace,
Ishvara communicates his acceptance of this union, which is complete when we
sincerely do sadhana to reach the state. Hence Bhagavan aptly refers to Arunachala
as Ramana - the one who gives happiness.
அருணாசலசிவ அருணாசலசிவ
அருணாசலசிவ அருணாசலா !
அருணாசலசிவ அருணாசலசிவ
அருணாசலசிவ அருணாசலா !
அருணாசலம் வாழி அன்பர்களும் வாழி
அக்ஷர மணமாலை வாழி.
Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva
Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva Arunachala Siva
Glory to Arunachala, who is the supreme goal. Glory to his devotees. Glory to Aksharamana malai, which has been instrumental in enabling this devotion.
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥
सर्वं श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु
Read Aksharamanamalai - Conclusion https://vedantalearning.blogspot.com/2026/02/sri-arunachala-aksharamanamalai.html
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