I wrote in an earlier post "Having seen the many possible meanings to the instruction given to me by Agathiyar and Lord Murugan to do nothing and just be, "Summa Iru" in a previous post at Siddha Heartbeat: BE QUIET (SUMMA IRU) (agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com) so what do I do now?" Do I just sit? Do I sit still? Can I get up to have my food? Can I take a walk? Can I read a book? Can I blog? Can I watch something? Should I shut my eyes and ears? Can I speak? Can I have visitors over? Or can I go over to their place?
It is said that as long as there was a question-answer session none of Lord Dakshinamurti's four students attained Gnanam. It was only when he kept his silence that Gnanam dawned on them. In "Sri Ramana Darsanam" by Sadhu Natanananda, published by Sri Ramanasramam, 2002, we read that first among Lord Siva's human forms was that of Sri Dakshinamurthi, the primal guru. Bhagawan Ramana who came later is said to "indicate through his silence that the state of Mauna is the aim of human birth."
This is truly earth-shattering for we are told to take up an ambition, a must in everybody's life walking the material plane. Later walking the spiritual plane, we are told to find our purpose here. Now Bhagawan shatters all these telling us that the aim of human birth is to arrive at the state of Mauna(m).
Doing nothing. I see the picture now. I understand why Agathiyar and Tavayogi had me carry out all the dictates and tasks they gave me stage by stage, leading me through the numerous phases, and finally, Agathiyar had me drop all and go within. Today he and Lord Muruga ask me to do nothing, "Summa Iru".
In doing nothing silence prevails, both in speech and thought. In silence, we arrive at achieving our purpose here. This is the biggest blow that they could give me, going by the many blows I received at each step I took. All these blows were to wake me up from my deep slumber, the sleep of ignorance. It was to pull me out in the nick of time before I drowned in the waters of the very actions and activities that they had me start for want of those experiences and a learning.
Bhagawan Ramana who "remained in the meditative state of Self-abidance", tells us "This state cannot be described except by silence. Remaining still, having realized the truth as it is, is the Guru's grace." No wonder Agathiyar told us that Gnanam was not gifted nor to expect to be spoon-fed but one has to experience it traveling each Chakra within oneself to arrive at this realization.
When Bhagawan pointed out that the cow Lakshmi was in "Nirvikalpa Samadhi", I wonder what states my grandchildren enter without effort amid all the activity and play.
Agathiyar had mapped out a mandate and purpose for mankind in coming to the Tamil Sangam in the past. Giving mankind the five tenets that lead one to know his purpose here, we mistook it to be some form of action and the fruits of these actions that we left for mankind. There seems to be a higher purpose in coming here. The truth is that there is nothing to achieve nor to leave behind except to realize the silence within. This is only made known to us after we had done the day's work and not any sooner. This is like Donkey asking Shrek "Are we there yet?" at each juncture. We think this is it. We have arrived. But it appears to be another mirage. Then we ask if this is it again. It is yet another mirage. I guess this is what is referred to as the world being a handiwork of Maya. The grace or Arul of the guru has brought us to know this truth. This realization is impossible without the grace of the guru. The guru has brought us this far. Now the ball is in our court.