God is said to be in a form, formless, and also can take whatever form befitting. God with form can come as the myriad of images we have of him, as a painting and statue, or through you and me. God without form is which is seen in nature as the air, our breath, the breeze and wind, the storm, water, sunlight, heat, warmth, etc. The last is that when God takes the form of the vessel he comes into as water in a glass, cup, bottle, jar, in the river, and stream, the air in a balloon, the air in our lungs, etc. As they all seem to overlap, God then is in all matter, beings, and energy.
In "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami" by Dr.C.Srinivasan we read that, "Such a unique and only God is resplendent in the universal arena of Nature. He is in all living things and in Him, all the living are found."
In this post, we see Light from the perspective of Ramalinga Adigal.
Dr.C.Srinivasan writes, "The philosophy of Saint Ramalingaswami can safely be said to be that of achieving the Light of Grace. He has pointed out that it is a progressive evolution of the speck of light manifested in the human being into the greatest light - the Supreme Grace Light. The analogy of the Swami is that of developing the greatest fire from the smallest spark of a flame."
"In this philosophy, the Swami has perceived a cult of Light. From the meek and insignificant creatures to the highly evolved human beings and super-human beings, all living things are simply manifestations of the Light of God. The Light of God supreme is present in everything and more so in human beings. The human being is embellished with a higher sixth sense with which the fraction of light in him should be developed more and more for the complete realization of the God Supreme. The contention of the Swami is that the spiritual light of human beings should be gradually developed into the most effulgent light and ultimately merged with the Supreme Grace Light."
On 14 March 2020 when Ramalinga Adigal came, he coined a song for us. A verse goes as follows, "From the smallest speck to the largest Effulgence." சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது...
Dr.C.Srinivasan writes, "Supreme Grace Light is referred to as Suddhasivam, the perfect auspicious Being. This is the most sublime and transcendent plane of Suddha Siva Thuriyaadeetham where alone the divine souls can merge with the Supreme God. The Swami has explained how he evolved into this supremely beatific plane."
Dr.C.Srinivasan continues, "In expounding this theory he has explained his own experiences, how he was picked up by God, how he was tried, how he stood the test, how the Light of Grace was infused in him, and finally how he became blazed with the Supreme Grace Light."
Hence it is no wonder that Ramalinga Adigal in coming to us through devotees always asked that we bring the flame in us to burn brighter. Similarly, we were asked to light and kindle the flame in the oil lamp to burn bright too. We are asked to initially light an oil lamp. Then the Siddhas come to ask us to kindle the lamp to burn big and bright. Soon they get us to kindle the light within each one of us by fanning it with our breath. That is about as much as our effort goes. After that, the magic happens within. Prapanjam showers its grace on us paving the way for unison with the larger flame, Arutperunjothi.
"Sincere devotion to God, persistent austerity, enduring penance, real love and affection for all fellow beings, and a kind and compassionate attitude to all live creatures will certainly demand the flow of God’s Grace in human beings. By this descent of Divinity, the curtains veiling the greatness and power of the spiritual light in the human individual gradually begin to fall. With the aid of this universal compassion and ardent meditation, the aspirant is able to visualize the beatific brilliance of his soul."
"Sanmarga Philosophy may be said to be the path of Light. The soul is veiled by several kinds of lust and shackles. They have to be removed and conquered one after another. Then the brilliant light of the soul will be realized. Gnanasabai, the Temple of Wisdom, can be brought nearer home so as to descend in the individual if only he becomes cleansed from all the lust and shackles of all kinds. The God Supreme is so merciful and so near to the soul of the perfected aspirant that He is delighted to make it His abode – the arena for His Cosmic Dance."
In describing the Jothi to us, Ramalinga Adigal says that it comes to us by Divine Grace. Layers upon layers of Jothi are shown by his Grace. "It is forever rising in me, drawing back the veil in each instance."
என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது....என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது.... திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது....என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது... ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது...என்னுள் அது ஏறும்போது திரை அது விலகியது...என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...
He went on to show us the way to bring the effulgence within and keep it burning. Ramalinga Adigal comes to ask us to kindle the flame within to burn with such intensity that it shall draw aside the veil or curtain that stands between us and Erai. There is a need to shed the veil or curtain. The means is to light the Jhoti or light or flame in us. "Our Father Agathiyan will come within you to draw the curtain aside. That is the meaning of the song. My Father Agathiyar is in all of you bidding his will. Follow in his path. He shall assist you to drop the veil. Arutjhothi blesses you. Arutjhoti Aandavar blesses you. You are on the right track. Agathiyan shall lead you to Arutjhothi", hails Ramalinga Adigal.
திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் இருந்து வழி நடத்தி வருகிறார். அவன் வழியிலே நடந்து வாருங்கள். அத்திரை விலக்குவதற்க்கு அவன் அருள் புரிவான். அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான்.
Ramalinga Adigal sings in his The Thiru Unthiyar (திரு உந்தியார்), Kaliththaazisai (கலித்தாழிசை), that at the break of dawn, it dawned on him that his puja bore fruition. The veil dropped, the light shone, and Parai Oli came within, bringing fruition to his puja.
திரையற்று விட்டது செஞ்சுடர் தோன்றிற்று
பரைஒளி ஓங்கிற்றென்று உந்தீபற
பலித்தது பூசையென்று உந்தீபற.
Devotion (Sariyai), Action (Kriyai), Meditation (Yogam), and Wisdom (Gnanam) are the four steps to arrive there.
"The changes that take place in the human body externally and internally illustrate the gradual conversion. What is this light which converts this mortal body into a body of light? It is only the Light of Grace Supreme that can transform this human body into a purified body of light. The principle of Light alone can save this body from decay."
In telling a devotee that it was possible to achieve the state, Ramalinga Adigal stated that first, she had to rid the body of accumulated kalivu or waste. Agathiyar worked on Jnana Jothiamma. He worked on me too.
"This impure body of impure elements can be and will be converted into a pure body of pure elements. The atoms of the impure elements which constitute the body are alchemized into pure and perfect atoms resulting in a body of love. In short, matter is converted into energy. Then the Suddha deham will again be transformed into Pranava deham or body of Grace and Light. By further concentration, this body of Grace and Light will be transformed into the body of Wisdom i.e. evolve into the body of the God Supreme or Immanence."
"The achievement of the soul, therefore, rests upon the conquest of the shackles one by one. The first step is to remove the bonds one by one. They are estimated to be ninety-six although they are generally known to be briefly thirty-six. It is said that the Lord Supreme brought down all the bonds under the control of the Swami and consoled him by granting the boon of deathlessness. The bondages of human beings are according to the Swami, with regard to the body, to the soul, and to the enjoyment which one expects in these. The moment the bondages and shackles are removed, there is the dawn of the Grace of God in the individual which alone can put down once and for all the miseries of life."