Jodhiye vadivaai nindru soNama sailan thannil
Vedhiye uruvinodu virupaksha gugaiyin mevum
Aadiye anaadhi vaippe amalane ramaNa ennai
Sodhiyai dhaandu koLvai sirpara soruba neeye
Word meaning
Jodhi = Flame; soNama saiam = Aruncahala; aadhi = beginning; vaippu = savings/treasure;
Meaning
Oh Ramana, the beginning (root) of all, shining as one who knows the Brahman in Virupaksha Cave of the Golden Hill of Light,! Lord who has no beginning, Pure One, please don’t test me any longer and take over me with your grace, Form of wisdom!
Arunachala assumed four different forms in the four different yugas (the 4 yugas or periods of time are, Krita Yuga also Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga). Arunachala stood as a pillar of fire in Krita Yuga, as a hill of gems in Treta Yuga, as a golden hill in dwapara Yuga and as a stone hill in Kali Yuga. Which is one of the reasons it’s also referred to as Sonagiri meaning golden hill. It’s ‘Jodhi vadivu’ that is ‘Form of Fire’ as it represents the fire element, and it is the Agni sthala (there are five sacred places where Shiva is represented by the five elements).
Bhagavan, praised as shining as Brahman here, had no idea what it was, as he had not read any of the scriptures when he had the death experience. In his own words to Viswanatha Swami (From ‘Devotees’ book):
Before I came here I knew nothing and had learned nothing. Some mysterious power took possession of me and effected a thorough transformation. It was only years later that I came across the term ‘Brahman’ when I happened to look into some books on Vedanta which had been brought to me. I was amused and said to myself, ‘Is this [experience or state] known as ‘Brahman’?
‘Adi’ and ‘anadi’ mean beginning and without a beginning. It refers to a state of eternal being or Brahman (also represented by OM, the primordial sound reverberating through the creation). It could also mean Arunachala himself as he has no beginning or end, since Bhagavan and Arunachala are one and the same, it applies to both.
‘Vaippu’ means savings, wealth. SV calls Bhagavan as wealth that’s eternal. It is a wealth that does not diminish no matter how many draw from it, much like the Upanishadic sloka:
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih || Meaning: Om, That is Wholeness, This Wholeness From Wholeness comes Wholeness
Though this Wholeness is taken from that Wholness
This Wholeness remains Whole
Om Peace, peace, peace
Further, SV pleads with Bhagavan not to test him (and the devotees reading the song) any longer and to come and take over/rule him. A sentiment reflected in Aksharamanamalai verse 32:
soodhu seidhennai soadhiyadhini yun
sodhi urukkaattu Arunachala
Meaning
Arunachala! Please do not deceive and cheat and test me by making mega through various forms of sorrow like you have done all this while, and reveal your natural form (swaroopam) to me.
Vedhiye uruvinodu virupaksha gugaiyin mevum
Aadiye anaadhi vaippe amalane ramaNa ennai
Sodhiyai dhaandu koLvai sirpara soruba neeye
Word meaning
Jodhi = Flame; soNama saiam = Aruncahala; aadhi = beginning; vaippu = savings/treasure;
Meaning
Oh Ramana, the beginning (root) of all, shining as one who knows the Brahman in Virupaksha Cave of the Golden Hill of Light,! Lord who has no beginning, Pure One, please don’t test me any longer and take over me with your grace, Form of wisdom!
Arunachala assumed four different forms in the four different yugas (the 4 yugas or periods of time are, Krita Yuga also Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga). Arunachala stood as a pillar of fire in Krita Yuga, as a hill of gems in Treta Yuga, as a golden hill in dwapara Yuga and as a stone hill in Kali Yuga. Which is one of the reasons it’s also referred to as Sonagiri meaning golden hill. It’s ‘Jodhi vadivu’ that is ‘Form of Fire’ as it represents the fire element, and it is the Agni sthala (there are five sacred places where Shiva is represented by the five elements).
Bhagavan, praised as shining as Brahman here, had no idea what it was, as he had not read any of the scriptures when he had the death experience. In his own words to Viswanatha Swami (From ‘Devotees’ book):
Before I came here I knew nothing and had learned nothing. Some mysterious power took possession of me and effected a thorough transformation. It was only years later that I came across the term ‘Brahman’ when I happened to look into some books on Vedanta which had been brought to me. I was amused and said to myself, ‘Is this [experience or state] known as ‘Brahman’?
‘Adi’ and ‘anadi’ mean beginning and without a beginning. It refers to a state of eternal being or Brahman (also represented by OM, the primordial sound reverberating through the creation). It could also mean Arunachala himself as he has no beginning or end, since Bhagavan and Arunachala are one and the same, it applies to both.
‘Vaippu’ means savings, wealth. SV calls Bhagavan as wealth that’s eternal. It is a wealth that does not diminish no matter how many draw from it, much like the Upanishadic sloka:
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih || Meaning: Om, That is Wholeness, This Wholeness From Wholeness comes Wholeness
Though this Wholeness is taken from that Wholness
This Wholeness remains Whole
Om Peace, peace, peace
Further, SV pleads with Bhagavan not to test him (and the devotees reading the song) any longer and to come and take over/rule him. A sentiment reflected in Aksharamanamalai verse 32:
soodhu seidhennai soadhiyadhini yun
sodhi urukkaattu Arunachala
Meaning
Arunachala! Please do not deceive and cheat and test me by making mega through various forms of sorrow like you have done all this while, and reveal your natural form (swaroopam) to me.