Wednesday 30 August 2017

ANUBHUTI

I was driving Tavayogi, who had an invitation from Siva Sri AP Muthukumara Sivachariyar, to Bukit Rotan to view the Sakthi temple ( https://www.facebook.com/shaktitemple/videos/10154115348987841/ ) which was under construction then and to identify if there was the presence of Siddhas at the temple grounds.

As we drove along, I played several songs from the Thiruarutpa by Ramalinga Adigal in the car. Tavayogi was listening intently and finally told me that just by listening to these songs one can attain Jnana. Then he went on to sing the "Aaniponnambala Kaatchi". It went "Anipon Ambalathey Kanda Thiru Kaatchi Yellam... Arputha Kaatchi Yadi... Amma".

Literally, the verses describe a journey that Adigal took on the physical and mystical planes. He describes coming upon a Hill, and a Path opening up to it. "As I walked on the Path, there was a Platform. I climbed the Platform. There was a Room. As I approached the Room, there was a 7 tier Hall above it. I cannot bring myself to narrate what I saw in these 7 tiers. In one tier, the silver Pearl transformed into Blue Sapphire (Neelam), in another tier, the Blue Sapphire became Coral (Pavalam). In another tier, the Emerald (Maragatham) became Ruby (Maanikkam). Yet in another tier, it became a Pearl, and back to Coral in another tier. Then on another tier the gems became Gold. All these gems became Spadigams in yet another tier. Above this 7 tiers there was a staff. Climbing the staff, what can I say of that which I saw. There were thousands of Sakthis everywhere, who came to enticed me but I remained undeterred and strong due to the Divine Grace. Due to his Grace I saw the Jewel of the Crown. I saw a Peak atop the Crown, above this there was 1008 Temples. As I entered through the Arch at the Temple without hesitation, within the Entrance there stood both Sakthis and Saktas in millions. They began to question who was this trespasser, as I moved on. At another Entrance there stood Five, the others showed the Way, yet to another Doorway. As I entered, a male and a female showed me to yet another Doorway. At the Doorway my Mother the Goddess Anandha Valli stood to welcome me. I saw her and submitted to her Grace, and partook the Divine Nectar. With her grace I saw my father's Abode. I stepped into his Abode. Who could possibly understand the Gift I was showered by my father Lord Nadarajah."

From "Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingar" by S Vanmikanathan published by Sahitya Akademi, the author describes the finale very beautifully.
"At that sacred door, stood Aanandhavalli, my Mother, I beheld the Mother, Her grace I received, and ambrosia I partook of. By Her grace which held me up, I saw the presence of Natarajar; 
O mother, I saw the presence of Natarajar! The boon I received on going into His presence, God knows it, O mother, God knows it!"
The Presence Ramalingar saw in the Hall was Natarajar, the Godhead, the Brahman. He who knew the boon, which Ramalingar received, was God in time. God who becomes and dis-becomes.
Adigal's journey reminds us of the mystical doors that give way to the abode of the Gods and Goddesses in the Purana films. Buddha too was wooed by Mara with all kinds of distractions. About this journey, Tavayogi told me it was an inner journey. He told me it was a journey through the Chakras and stopped at that.

We soon realized the truth in Tavayogi's words, that these songs of anubhuti or personal spiritual experiences of saints do trigger a similar effect on us, bringing us to experience all that they went through. Traveling on this path, adopting these renditions of their anubhutis and singing them, we too sense and visualize the sensations and visions that took place in them and that which they saw, respectively.

More from S Vanmikanathan's translation of "Aani-p-ponnambalaththe kanda kaatchikal."
It is the aani-p-ponnambalaththe kanda kaatchikal, the visions I saw on the magnificent golden hall, the 109th decad of the VI th Book. He sings in 32 stanzas of jubilant verse,all of which end with the refrain: 

The sights I saw in the Hall of Prime Gold are wonderful sights, O mother, wonderful sights are they!

He goes on to describe in detail the sights he saw. I omit the repetitions and refrains and give, in his own words of course, the details of the sights which met his eyes. The refrains are evidence of the irrepressible joy bubbling in his heart.

He says:

There appeared a mountain of effulgence
and on that was a street.
I went along that street
and in its center there was a platform.
I climbed on to that platform
and on that platform there was a hall.
When I approached the hall,
on top of that hall I saw a seven-storeyed tower.
What shall I say of the wonders
that were on the seven storeys?
On top of the seven storeys
there was a golden pillar.
When I beheld the pillar and climbed on it,
what shall I say of the novelties I saw !
It is not within my capacity to describe
what met me as I climbed on.
At the several stages,
Sakthi-s, in thousands and thousands, came,
They came and tried to bewitch me,
but, that I may not be bewitched,
I gained a power of grace.
By that power I climbed up that pillar
and spied the jewelled crest.
On top of the crest there stood a dome, that I saw.
On top of that dome there was a temple
of one thousand and eight carat gold.
On seeing the temple,
I went unhesitatingly inside the portal
in the tower.
At the portal in the tower,
there were Sakthis-s and Saakthaa-s in crores.
Their hues were white, red, and scarlet.
There, all of them asked, “Who is this man?”,
but I went past them. 
I went past them,
and there, at a sacred doorway,
were five persons.
With them showing me the way,
I went to a jeweled doorway farther up.
At that doorway, which I remember well,
there stood two, a man and a woman.
With them pointing it out to me,
I be held with love welling up in me
the private sacred entrance
(which leads to the sacred presence of Lord Civan).
At that sacred door,
stood Aanandhavalli, my Mother.
I beheld the Mother, Her grace I received,
and ambrosia I partook of.
By Her Grace which held me up,
I saw the presence of Natarajar,
O mother, I saw the presence of Natarajar!
The boon I received
on going into His presence,
God knows it,
O mother, God knows it.
In the Hall of prime gold,
the sights I saw ,
wonderful sights they are,
O mother, wonderful sights they are. 
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