Ramana Nool Thirattu Urai - Guru's writing

aksharamana malai 78

4/12/2020

minjidil kenjidum konjavar ivaniyaan
vanjiyaadharuL enai Arunachala

Meaning

Arunachala, I am a lowly being that begs and cowers when I encounter someone stronger than me. Please forgive this lowly quality of mine, and don’t it take into account, and shower your grace on me.

Explanation

Arunachala, I am an insignificant person, if you start deceiving/short changing me because of my faults, I do not have the strength to tolerate it or change it. So please be generous in your grace towards me.

Arunachala, unlike those mature souls who constantly worship you by looking upon the good and the bad, success and failure with equanimity, I pray to you only when I am in sorrow or distress (minjidir = when in excess, kenjidum = supplicating/pleading).

You who can turn a mute into an orator can easily transform my lowly qualities into noble ones, so please don’t shortchange me of your grace, says Bhagavan.

aksharamana malai 77

4/12/2020

Maanam kondurubavar abhimaanathai azithabhi
Maanamilladhu oLir Arunachala

Meaning

Arunachala! To those devotees who come to you (with affection) led by their ego, you eliminate their body-identification, and you seem indifferent to their affection while shining in their heart as the Self.

Note: Abhimaanam usually means affection as between parents and children for instance. Maanam roughly means honour or sense of shame etc. These are related to body-mind identification.

Explanation

Arunachala is determined to destroy those who think of him affectionately. He destroys the honour (maanam) of devotees who come to him with the sense of honour, not only that, but he now stands as someone who is indifferent to them.

The reason being: it is the dualistic and outward-going nature of atma, whose identification with the body-mind that results in emotions and feelings such as honour/shame etc. This stands in the way of non-dual experience of the Self which is attained by looking inward and destroying the ‘I am the body-mind’ identification., and finally merging with the Self.
Arunachala’s seeming indifference is to make those who come him realise the Self that shines as One in all.

TRK refers to a stanza by Guhai Namachivayar ‘nallaruNAi naadhar …’ where a section roughly means: ‘the washerman beats the clothes on the stone not to punish it but to whiten it and remove the stains it has gathered’.
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aksharamana malai 76

3/12/2020

malai marundhida nee malaithida vovaruN
Malaimarundhaai oLir Arunachala

Meaning
Oh Arunachala, who stands tall and shines as a mountain of grace, once the stupefied ignorance resulting from ‘I am the body’ identification is wiped out by your “mountain medicine”, will I be subject to it again? (No I won’t, is implied).

Explanation
Arunachala, you who are the mountain of medicine [malai means both mountain and the state of stupefaction/awe/consternation], once you compassionately administered the medicine to remove my identification with the body (dhegathma bhavam) and the awe/stupefication from it, will I get deluded by this world?

‘Malai marundhu’ (mountain medicine), like medicine for bodily ailments, is medicine for body-identification. Applying this medicine is to eliminate the identification with the body and administering wisdom of experience, gnana anubhavam’.

Another meaning
Why are you standing in awe (malaippu), when you are the medicine for my consternation (malaippu)? Arunachala, you are immortal wisdom (gnana sanjivi - where sanjivi is someone who is immortal, like Lord Hanuman who is said to be blessed with eternal life), please give me the medicine to cure my consternation, it is because of delusion that such consternation occurs. Do come quickly and give me the medicine (malai marundhu).

When you, with Parvati Devi on your left side, shine as mountain medicine in my heart, will I be stupefied/awed by material life of this world? (No, I won’t be, is implied.)

aksharamana malai 75

2/12/2020

bowdhigamam uudar patratru naaLumun
bavisu kandu uravaruL Arunachala

Meaning
Arunachala, may the notion that this body which is made of five elements is ‘I’ be removed so I can see the magnificent grandeur of your form without interruption by your grace.

Explanation
Whether you say I am this body or this body is mine, both are expressions of the ego and its external attachments. Together it is called ‘udal patru’ (literally, body attachment).

To destroy this attachment, one needs to reach the source of the identification though enquiry or meditation. Since the body is inert it cannot say I. The reflected self in between (in the mind-consciousness) does not have a separate existence. Hence it seeks to anchor itself in an external body or soul (atma).

When it is attached to the body, it is tangled up in the bonds of samsara. When it reaches the source of identification, it is established in the state of liberation. Bhagavan is saying, bless me with the sight of your splendorous form without any interruption.

aksharamana malai 74

1/12/2020

poakum varavum ill podhu veLiyil arut
Poarattam kaat Arunachala

Meaning
Once a person becomes Self realised, for him or her there is no appearance and disappearance of the material world that is samsara (poakkum varavum literally means goings and comings), Saint Manickavasagar says ‘poakkum varavum illa puNNiyane’ about Siva). In such an expanse of chidakasa (bliss consciousness) destroy the army of my ego with your immeasurable grace Arunachala, says Bhagavan.

Explanation
The constant battle (from time immemorial) between divine grace and ego consciousness (between good and evil, or devas and asuras - the representatives of the good and the bad, respectively) is called devasura battle. In the fight between the grace-personified Siva bodham and delusion-filled ego consciousness, it is the divine force that wins in the end, hence it’s called aruL poarattam = divine battle/struggle.

This battle which takes place in the heart space is an interesting spectacle. Desiring to witness it, Bhagavan, like a person who climbs to the top of a hill to watch elephants fighting below so he doesn’t get hurt in the process, wants to watch it from the peak of of Arunachala, the hill of wisdom, and prays to the lord to show him the spectacle. Such a way of seeing, from the edge of gnana (wisdom) is called ‘saatchi vruthi’ by ancient seers.

aksharamana malai 73

30/11/2020

Podiyaan mayakki yen bodhathai parithu un
Bodhathai kaatinai Arunachala

Meaning
Arunachala! Like a black magician who uses special powder (podi) to cast a spell to hypnotise and attract his victims, you also attracted me with the powder of your pure grace, and removed my body consciousness (knowledge limited to bodily senses) and blessed me with siva bodham (knowledge of Siva).

[Note: ‘podi podudhal’ is a term in local use, certain unsavoury characters are believed to have the power to cast a spell on their victims and bring them under their control by sprinkling a special powder. ]

Explanation
Siva bodham and jiva bodham (body/ego consciousness and Self knowledge) cannot exist at the same time. When one is present, the other will be hidden. Siva bodham will shine forth in the compete absence of jiva bodham. Former is real, latter is illusory.

I was so hardened by the cover of my ego-consciousness that you had to use this special means (of casting a spell with ‘podi’) to remove my false identity and make my real self shine forth, says Bhagavan. The fact that both the states of being cannot co-exist is explained beautifully in a Tirumandiram verse (by the saint Tirumular):

maraththai maRaiththathu mAmatha yAnai
maraththin maRain^thathu mAmatha yAnai
paraththai maRaiththathu pAr muthal bUtham
paraththin maRain^thathu pAr muthal bUthamE.
thirucciRRambalam

Meaning (the verse is about a wooden elephant and its metaphysical meaning):
The wood was hidden by the great elephant
The wood in it contained the great elephant
The Supreme was hidden by the play of five elements
The Supreme is hidden in the play of elements

Explanation: If you see the elephant wood, the elephant is hidden, if you see the elephant, the wood from which it’s made is hidden.

aksharamana malai 72

28/11/2020

paiyngodiya naan patridindri vaadamal
Patrukodai ka Arunachala

Meaning
Arunachala! I’m like a young creeper looking for a strong branch to hold on to and grow. Please make sure that I don’t wilt away without any grip, and offer me a strong pole to support me and protect me.

Explanation
Bhagavan imagines himself to be a young girl with no means of support by likening the condition to a young creeper plant looking for the branch of a tree to spread itself on. Likening himself to a helpless lass deluded by the illusory nature of the material world with its snares and traps, he is pleading with Arunachala to support and protect him as a rightful groom (who would stand by the side of his bride). To remove the stain of ego resulting from its mistaken identity with the body (as I), Bhagavan is pleading for the light of wisdom from Arunachala, he expresses a similar sentiment in another place (verse 79 meegaman illamal …).

aksharamana malai 71

27/11/2020

paeythanam vida vidaa paeyai pidhithenai
Paeyanakkinai en Arunachala

Meaning
Arunachala! From time immemorial, the ghost of the ego was possessing me. To chase that demon away, you possessed me as Brahma- paei (brahma ghost) even more strongly, thus making me a ghost, what a great wonder is that? How great is your power/strength?

[Note: Paei means ghost, demon, apparition, other-worldly force usually malefic, that possesses human beings.]

Explanation
The ego consciousness that makes one think of the body as self is referred to as ‘paei’ that is ghost or ghostly force. And the pure Self form that shines as ‘I’ or Brahman is called ‘vidaa paei’ (vidaa is not letting go, and paei is ghost, so the ghost that doesn’t let go of its grip). Since the ego has no form of its own, it attaches itself to other forms and lives, and is called ego-ghost or agandhai paei.

To help me escape from the powerful shackles of this ego ghost, you possessed me as brahma-paei (Self/Brahman ghost) without leaving me even for a second, and thus transformed me into a ‘paeyan’ (ghostly person). What a wonder, marvels Bhagavan.

Your immeasurable grace chased away my ego-ghost and took over as brahman-ghost and made me very much like it, which Bhagavan says ‘paeyan’.

aksharamana malai 70

27/11/2020

peyar ninaithidave pidith izhuthanai
Un perumai yaar arivaar Arunachala

Meaning
Arunachala! The moment I thought of you, you tied me with the rope of your grace and brought me here towards you. Who can comprehend the measure of your grace that defies reason and definition?

Explanation
Unless you yourself explain the reason for your grace that draws people towards you, it cannot be understood. You are the hill of magnet that immediately attracts souls that think of you. Who can understand your grace and power?

Bhagavan says that the immeasurable grace of Arunachala is the sole reason for drawing him towards the Hill, it was as if Arunachala was waiting for Bhagavan to think of Him so He could pull him towards Him. He also refers to this in his padhigam. Bhagavan wonders how Arunachala drew him towards Him (with his single-minded thought on Him) like a magnet draws iron.

aksharamana malai 69

26/11/2020

Bhu maNam mamanam poorana maNamKoLa
pooraNa maNamarul Arunchala

Meaning

My mind/heart is tainted with the vasanas (tendencies) of this material world, please wipe them out completely Arunachala, and bless it with pure brahma vasana, so it can merge (be wed with) with the whole/complete Brahman. (maNam in Tamil means both fragrance and wedding/state of being wed.)

Explanation

Brahmanubhavam which is the experience of Brahman will not be attained unless one is merged with Brahman. So Bhagavan says ‘pooraNa maNang koLa pooraNa maNam aruL’. It is implied that the ‘akshara maNa malai’ part of this song, merges/weds with the indestructible (akshara) form of Arunachala.

TRK says this sloka is one of the three most important slokas in aksharamana malai. First is the phrase ‘Arunachala vararku’, in kappu cheyyul in the beginning, then this ‘Bhu maNam maamaNam’ and in the end ‘maalayai aLiththu’ . These phrases form the reason for the name ‘akshara maNa maalai’.

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