ஆணிப்பொன்னம்பலக் காட்சி
1. ஆணிப்பொன் னம்பலத் தேகண்ட காட்சிகள்
அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி - அம்மா
அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி.
2. ஜோதி மலைஒன்று தோன்றிற் றதில்ஒரு
வீதிஉண் டாச்சுத டி - அம்மா
வீதிஉண் டாச்சுத டி.
3. வீதியில் சென்றேன்அவ் வீதி நடுஒரு
மேடை இருந்தத டி - அம்மா
மேடை இருந்தத டி.
4. மேடைமேல் ஏறினேன் மேடைமேல் அங்கொரு
கூடம் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா
கூடம் இருந்தத டி.
5. கூடத்தை நாடஅக் கூடமேல் ஏழ்நிலை
மாடம் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா
மாடம் இருந்தத டி.
6. ஏழ்நிலைக் குள்ளும் இருந்த அதிசயம்
என்னென்று சொல்வன டி - அம்மா
என்னென்று சொல்வன டி.
7. ஓர்நிலை தன்னில் ஒளிர்முத்து வெண்மணி
சீர்நீலம் ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா
சீர்நீலம் ஆச்சுத டி.
8. பாரோர் நிலையில் கருநீலம் செய்ய
பவளம தாச்சுத டி - அம்மா
பவளம தாச்சுத டி.
9. மற்றோர் நிலையில் மரகதப் பச்சைசெம்
மாணிக்கம் ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா
மாணிக்கம் ஆச்சுத டி.
10. பின்னோர் நிலையில் பெருமுத்து வச்சிரப்
பேர்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா
பேர்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.
11. வேறோர் நிலையில் மிகும்பவ ளத்திரள்
வெண்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா
வெண்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.
12. புகலோர் நிலையில் பொருந்திய பன்மணி
பொன்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா
பொன்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.
13. பதியோர் நிலையில் பகர்மணி எல்லாம்
படிகம தாச்சுத டி - அம்மா
படிகம தாச்சுத டி.
14. ஏழ்நிலை மேலே இருந்ததோர் தம்பம்
இசைந்தபொற் றம்பம டி - அம்மா
இசைந்தபொற் றம்பம டி.
15. பொற்றம்பம் கண்டேறும் போதுநான் கண்ட
புதுமைஎன் சொல்வன டி - அம்மா
புதுமைஎன் சொல்வன டி.
16. ஏறும்போ தங்கே எதிர்ந்த வகைசொல
என்னள வல்லவ டி - அம்மா
என்னள வல்லவ டி.
17. ஆங்காங்கே சத்திகள் ஆயிரம் ஆயிரம்
ஆகவந் தார்கள டி - அம்மா
ஆகவந் தார்கள டி.
18. வந்து மயக்க மயங்காமல் நான்அருள்
வல்லபம் பெற்றன டி - அம்மா
வல்லபம் பெற்றன டி.
19. வல்லபத் தால்அந்த மாதம்பத் தேறி
மணிமுடி கண்டேன டி - அம்மா
மணிமுடி கண்டேன டி.
20. மணிமுடி மேலோர் கொடுமுடி நின்றது
மற்றது கண்டேன டி - அம்மா
மற்றது கண்டேன டி.
21. கொடுமுடி மேல்ஆயி ரத்தெட்டு மாற்றுப்பொற்
கோயில் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா
கோயில் இருந்தத டி.
22. கோயிலைக் கண்டங்கே கோபுர வாயிலில்
கூசாது சென்றன டி - அம்மா
கூசாது சென்றன டி.
23. கோபுர வாயிலுள் சத்திகள் சத்தர்கள்
கோடிபல் கோடிய டி - அம்மா
கோடிபல் கோடிய டி.
24. ஆங்கவர் வண்ணம்வெள் வண்ணம்செவ் வண்ணமுன்
ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி - அம்மா
ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி.
25. அங்கவ ரெல்லாம்இங் கார்இவர் என்னவும்
அப்பாலே சென்றன டி - அம்மா
அப்பாலே சென்றன டி.
26. அப்பாலே சென்றேன்அங் கோர்திரு வாயிலில்
ஐவர் இருந்தார டி - அம்மா
ஐவர் இருந்தார டி.
27. மற்றவர் நின்று வழிகாட்ட மேலோர்
மணிவாயில் உற்றேன டி - அம்மா
மணிவாயில் உற்றேன டி.
28. எண்ணும்அவ் வாயிலில் பெண்ணோ டாணாக
இருவர் இருந்தார டி - அம்மா
இருவர் இருந்தார டி.
29. அங்கவர் காட்ட அணுக்கத் திருவாயில்
அன்பொடு கண்டேன டி - அம்மா
அன்பொடு கண்டேன டி.
30. அத்திரு வாயிலில் ஆனந்த வல்லிஎன்
அம்மை இருந்தாள டி - அம்மா
அம்மை இருந்தாள டி.
31. அம்மையைக் கண்டேன் அவளருள் கொண்டேன்
அமுதமும் உண்டேன டி - அம்மா
அமுதமும் உண்டேன டி.
32. தாங்கும் அவளரு ளாலே நடராஜர்
சந்நிதி கண்டேன டி - அம்மா
சந்நிதி கண்டேன டி.
33. சந்நிதி யில்சென்று நான்பெற்ற பேறது
சாமி அறிவார டி - அம்மா
சாமி அறிவார டி.
34. ஆணிப்பொன் னம்பலத் தேகண்ட காட்சிகள்
அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி - அம்மா
அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி.
Listen to Thavathiru Dharmalinga Swamigal's beautiful rendition of Adigal's song at http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T344/tm/aanipponnampalak_kaatsi and at http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T344/romanized1/aanipponnampalak_kaatsi
Literally speaking, the verses from his song "Anipon Ambalathey Kanda Thiru Kaatchi Yellam... Arputha Kaatchi Yadi... Amma" though seems to describe a journey that Adigal took on the physical plane initially but later it traverses onto a mystical plane. 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 yet another tier, the Emerald (Maragatham) became Ruby (Maanikkam). Further up in another tier, it became a Pearl, and back to Coral in another. Then on another tier, the gems became Gold. All these gems became Spadigams in yet another tier. Above these 7 tiers, there was a staff. Climbing the staff, what can I say of that which I saw? There were thousands of Sakthi's 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 were 1008 Temples. As I entered through the Arch at the Temple without hesitating, within the Entrance there stood both Sakthi's and Sakta's in millions. They began to question as to who this trespasser was, 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" published by Sahitya Akademi, S. Vanmikanathan provides an introduction to his translation.
It is the aani-p-ponnambalaththe kanda kaatchikal, the visions he 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 onto that platform and on that platform, there was a hall. When I approached the hall, on top of that hall I saw a seven-storied 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, Shakthi-s, in thousands and thousands, came, They came and tried to bewitch me, but, that I may not be bewitched, I gained the power of grace. By that power, I climbed up that pillar and spied the jeweled 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 Sakthi's-s and Saktha'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 beheld 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.
He 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!"
Ramalinga Adigal's journey reminds us of the mystical doors that give way to the abode of the Gods and Goddesses in the Purana movies. 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 visualize all that they went through. Agathiyar tells us singing their praise is not sufficient. We have to imbibe the words into our souls. He asked us to stop singing the songs of praise and instead sing the songs of these saints so that we can understand what they had seen and gone through. Traveling on this path, adopting these renditions of their Anubhuti and singing them, we can sense and visualize the sensations and visions that took place in them and that which they saw, respectively to a small extent. In order to truly experience it, we too have to take a walk in their footsteps. Hence we find a need to sing or read these songs of experience or Anubhuti so that we too can feel, experience, and be elevated to the states of these saints and Siddhas.
I can imagine Ramalinga Adigal's bliss in stepping into Lord Nadarajah's chamber. I too had a mesmerizing and uplifting experience that cannot be put into words as I accidentally came upon his chamber and was invited within by a young priest. Though it seemed to have taken place in this physical plane could I have stepped into portal or a different time frame and somewhere else or another realm and space?
When I was at the Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram, frustrated at not having a moment with the Lord as the space immediately before his inner sanctum was utilized by a noisy family conducting some rituals that intruded into an otherwise serene and peaceful atmosphere at most temples, I walked away seeking an alternative Sannadhi where I could fulfill performing an Archana as asked of Agathiyar in the Nadi. I was mysteriously invited and led into the inner chambers of Lord Nadarajah by this young priest who went ahead and showed the Arati and did the Archana without me asking. As there was no one except the priest and me, I asked myself later, if I was on the physical plane or in another space. As He majestically stood before me and looked down on me I could only cry. I shed tears of joy that came on seeing the majesty and beauty of my Lord. Words cannot possibly describe my joy, happiness, and bliss. This is unlike the joy and fun we have in the company of family and friends. The next best thing that could happen to us is in the company of children, infants, toddlers, and children who are growing up.
A similar magical moment happened at Palani too. Walking in line with other devotees, the moment I came before Lord Murugan I lost all sense of my presence. The last thing I remembered was the priest snatching the bag of goodies I had bought for the Lord asking if it was for his Archana. I was lost in space. I regained my senses only when he came before me again and stuffed the bag back into my hands and told me there was the sandalwood paste from the mornings Abhisegam. Only then I realized I was all alone. What happened to the long queue of devotees before me and after me? I stepped out into a dark corridor and took a few steps. Observing a door on my right I looked within to see an elderly priest at the doorway. I asked him if it was Bhogar's Sannadhi. He answered yes and began showing the Arati. There was another young priest seated on the floor and attending to matters at his desk. Another young priest at the exit door was watching us. The moment the elderly priest finished the short Arati as there was no one around besides us I took the opportunity to sit down and close my eyes for a while. Upon opening them the young priest who stood his distance was right before me and placed some prasad in my hands. He reached for the top of a wooden cabinet and handed me a tumbler telling me "Abhisegam milk." I drank it and passed the empty tumbler to him. I got up to leave. I thanked him through the gesture of my eyes and a nod of my head and left. The moment I stepped out of the exit door, I was floating literally. My feet did not sense the ground. I was swiftly moved to circumambulate the temple grounds. As Ramalinga Adigal sang "Who could possibly understand the Gift I was showered by my father Lord Nadarajah", I too cannot possibly share that moment through mere words for words cannot possibly justify the divine act. Though it seemed to have taken place in this physical plane could I have stepped into portal or a different time frame and somewhere else or another realm and space?
If those were tears of joy, while at the Tiruvanaikaval temple in Trichy, when the priest from Utamar temple who volunteered to accompany me there, brought me to Lord Dhakshanamurthy's Sannadhi, I broke down and cried and cried and cried my heart out uncontrollably not knowing why I did that. An elderly priest who was taking his break as it was lunchtime and the doors to the Sannadhi were closed, was hauled up by the visiting priest who accompanied us. He called over to him, "Mama, come you must do this for us" "மாமா வாங்க இதை நீங்கதான் செய்யனும்" and led all of us to Lord Dhakshanamurthy's Sannadhi. Once the Arati was over and the old man turned to me with the flame, I saw a fatherly figure before me and I fell to his feet immediately. Surprisingly the priest from Utamar temple told all those from the entourage, assembled timely and ad hoc for the arising occasion that included my driver Deva, the caretaker of the temple who had the keys to all the Sannadhi and opened them up for us, and the old priest who conducted the Arati or waving the flame to step back, giving me the space to cry. He asked none to stop me from crying, "Let him cry his heart out" "விடுங்க! தடை பண்ணாதீங்க! நன்றாக அழுவதும்." His words rang out and echoed off the temple walls. It was as if my soul was asking for forgiveness.
Coming unknowingly into the presence of my guru Supramania Swami in his village home in Tiruvannamalai, a year later, I wept silently for the whole duration of our sitting, some 5 solid hours till dusk, as he revealed about me without charting my horoscope though he was an astrologer. This time it was tears of gratefulness to the divine in seeing me through all these years and all the blessings he showered on me and my family till that very moment of revelation. If a year earlier, Agathiyar came to bring a revelation too through the Nadi reading, though I sat in awe and amazement thinking how could he know so much about me, my family, my life, my past, present, and future, the messages he conveyed to me were sober in nature for he was talking about my past wrongs and what to do about it.
Two years later in 2005, as I bid farewell to Tavayogi, after meeting him for the first time in Malaysia, as it was customary, I fell at Tavayogi's feet. He moved back and told me never to do that again. Instead, he pointed me to a pair of wooden sandals or Padhugai, telling me to fall only at Agathiyar's feet. Can you imagine, just as I was not aware of my surroundings as the young priest led me into Lord Nadarajah's chamber and I was mesmerized by His brilliance, only when Tavayogi pointed out, that I saw the sandals and the painting of Agathiyar in the meditation room of his local affiliate Peedham in Batu Caves. The moment I touched the wooden sandal, I broke into tears and began crying aloud for reasons I could not comprehend. It was not that I wanted to cry but it happened suddenly and spontaneously. The cry came from within without my control or me initiating it. I cried my heart out. I guess my soul got connected with Him recognizing him finally after staying away for some 43 years in this birth and who knows the many other births in the past too.
As my moments with the guru became more frequent, later in 2010, when I was with Tavayogi at an affiliate Peedham of his in Seri Gombak, and as I stood in line with the other devotees to get his blessings, just as I got on my knees in front of him, there was a sudden burst of laughter and joy that overcame me. Simultaneously Tavayogi went into a state of laughter and cry too. I did not understand neither of our actions. Surprisingly nobody took notice of what had just happened. It is indeed amazing to realize that these moments where we connect with God and guru are often not seen or visible to others. It is as if it is shielded from others' views be it in the midst of a festival or a busy marketplace or in public. Later as I drove him to Bukit Rotan to visit a new temple that was under construction, I asked him what had taken place that day. He immediately hushed me looking back to the guide who was drowsing off in the back seat. I never got to know the answer.
These spontaneous and unintentional cries become quite a regular affair in the places of worship that I visited. As I stood with my family at the Sri Jeganathar Sivalayam in Tapah, I was overcome by emotion and cried for reasons I do not know. Again surprisingly none of the disciples of a Swamiji who was residing in the temple with his entourage took notice of what was taking place. My family was always the sole witness. When I was with my family at the Siva Subramaniam Alayam, Kampung Kepayang that is inside a cave, I was again overcome by emotion. When my family and I had prayed at the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Penang, and stepped out, a man mending to his flower shop pointed us to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, atop the hill where its temple tower was visible from where we stood, as we asked for direction to go over there next. I went into a state of joy and laughter on looking in the direction he pointed. He told my family, "He is in bliss."
Then the highlight and pinnacle or grand finale of all these shows of energy happened in the silent inner caves of the Sri Siva Shanmugar Temple in Sungai Siput. When the priest or Gurukul who had taken us on a tour of the cave stopped at a spot and revealed to me and my family that that was the spot where our Paramaguru Chitra Muthu Adigal had meditated for years, I went into a spin, and fell on my back in a depression in the ground, missing the boulders by inches. As my daughter started to record our tracking into the deep caves of the temple, this was the only instance caught on video just short of some distance from a particular spot where the priest who allowed us to do so, told us not to record further.
But I never prodded or investigated these happenings. I took it in my stride and moved one. Only my family stood witness to all these strange happenings until others began to notice these strange phenomena too at our puja at AVM. But none questioned me. It was only when another devotee who was used by them to come within, shared his prior experiences that I could understand the phenomena better. We exchanged notes. Although deities came through him he had the veto power whether to allow them to do so or otherwise. I slowly began to learn the ways of the deities. If once I was fearful of them and stood my distance I began to learn that they were the gentlest of deities. Initially, they came to pay respect to Agathiyar. That is when we began to realize the greatness of Agathiyar. They would spend time in silent communion with Agathiyar. Goddess Ma came to perform a dance before Agathiyar. What we figured to be a peacock danced before Agathiyar too. Agathiyar and Anjaneya too came to share their food with us. Ma came again to perform Abhisegam for him too. Bhogar came to bathe him too. Lord Shiva said that he had come because Agathiyar was there. Lord Murugan came as a gust of wind and toppled a couple of devotees down. Lord Murugan, Agathiyar, and Dhanvantri came to heal. But amidst all these none of our neighbors knew what prevailed within the walls.
Many are the stories that we cherish close to our hearts. These unexplained turn of events continued. When the AVM family went on a tour of spiritual places in Malaysia, I found myself crying in joy at Lord Murugan's Sannadhi at the Siva Subramaniam Alayam, Kampung Kepayang again.
Revisiting Tiruvanaikaval again, this time with my family and Jnana Jhotiamma in 2013, again I was overcome by an emotional outbreak of cry and joy. As Jnana Jhotiamma, Dr. Ram Subramaniam of Tirunelveli, and my family assembled at His Sannadhi, I hit the floor crying my heart out again. Jnana Jhotiamma was trying to pacify me. When I came to get hold of myself, a young priest came along and opened the grilled gate to the Sannadhi and went about the puja. Jnana Jhotiamma prompted me to leave some money on his tray as he finished showing the Arati tray. I walked up to him, he suddenly asked me "Did you see?" "பார்த்தாயா?" Immediately my glance went to Lord Dhakshanamurthy and back to the priest. I saw the priest take the posture of Lord Murugan in the form of Lord Dhandapani of Palani. I fell at his feet immediately and began to cry out loud asking if others saw him too?
In 2016 as the AVM family made its way to join the festivities for Agathiyar's Guru Puja in Kallar, we stopped over at the Mayuranathar temple in Mayiladuturai. As we sat in the presence of Lord Dhakshanamurthy, Lord Ganesh, and Kuthambai Siddhar, I was overcome by profuse energy that went through me and left me crying in joy. It refused to settle for a long time. Later at the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple, Madurai, I was overcome by emotion sitting at the Sundarananthar Vallabha Siddhar Sannadhi as we recited the names of the Siddhas.