TEMPTATIONS

G.Valmikanathan in his book ‘Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingam’, published by Sahitya Akademi (e-book at http://www.vallalar.org) traces Ramalinga Adigal’s brilliant journey on the pathway to God dividing it into three major portions beginning with 

• "the purgative way, purging himself of all desires and attachments, of all imperfections, 
• the illuminative way, in which he gains illumination, knowledge, and gnosis, and finally, 
• the unitive way where he gallops on with increasing tempo towards the beckoning smile and the outstretched arms, and is soon locked in an eternal embrace with the beloved, the eternal being, the Godhead, the ground of all being. It is composed of several experiences of recollection, quietness and contemplation, ecstasy, and rapture among others".

Somewhere in 2022, in helping me to journey further, Agathiyar broke the bunds that held back the energy that was activated with the opening of the Muladhara in 2007 but which had somewhat stagnated and pooled at Svadhishthana. Within days the energy began to pool again this time at the Sahasrara or Crown Chakra and has remained there since. The battle is not over yet. After evading the potholes on the path and finally breathing a sigh of relief at having arrived, one has to look out for sinkholes that could appear right on our steps. Agathiyar cautions me of losing my temper which would see me fall from this state of bliss back into the lower regions. In coming to know the Self, and in watching the Self I have come to become aware of the shadow image SELF - sex, ego, lies, and falsehood that follows us closely. This is the downfall of many an apparently holy man. Even one sitting on the throne and doing God's work is faced with temptations. Temptations lurk around us trying to pull us back into the vicious circle of the dark side of life. We have to die to all these temptations and be resurrected from this dust anew. Burying them would do no good. It has to be burnt in the fire of rituals, austerities, Tapas, and Tavam. Hence the reason for bringing us through the four phases of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam, and Gnanam. It looks like it will be a lifelong battle. Arriving at the state of a Jeevan Mukta is truly trying and one of numerous tests. 

G.Vanmikanathan tracing Ramalinga Adigal's life in his book, "Pathway to God Trod by Saint Ramalingar", Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, arrives at the juncture where Ramalinga attains the state of Jeevan Mukti. 

"Here ends our Swaamikal’s journey on the Pathway to God. He has arrived. He has become a Jeevan Muktha, a seeker who has gained what be sought, who has reached the end of his quest. Swaamikal had indeed arrived at his goal, at his journey’s end, and he has nothing more to do on earth than to spend the remaining years prescribed for him by Praarabdha-Karma in adoring contemplation of the Godhead and in loving service to all creatures. The point of utmost importance in Advaita is that every seeker after deliverance may hopefully aim at the goal of Jeevanmukthi …This state of continued life in the body on the part of a knower of Brahman. A Jeevanmuktha does not act on his own volition. God acts through him, and speaks through him."

In "Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhantam - Sivagnana Boodham by Thiruvilankar Canagarayar, l96l, we read that,

"The soul, at this stage, through introspective reflection, arrives at a point where a ray of light falls on the soul in the form of an inspiration. Then the soul discovers the vanity or metamorphosis of the physical world, (the Asat) and is led into meditation. By the Grace of God, the soul becomes blind to the world and attains knowledge of God by His Grace. This is the spiritual truth called Pati Jnanam. The soul which has realized God through  divine knowledge Pati Jnanam, after it had renounced the worlds as changing or Asat, is called Jivan Mukta. The Jivan Mukta should now become one with Siva, just as Siva was one with him in his fettered state. When Jivan Mukta is one with Siva, what he does, would not be his acts, but would be the acts of Siva. For the Ichcha, Jnana, and Kriya states of Jivan Mukta are identical with those of Siva. Whatever Jivan Mukta does is done according to the will of Siva, for Jivan Mukta is in Advaita relation with God, Siva. Jivan Mukta is one living in a body ever after his purification, till he exhausts his residual Karma."

But having attained the state of Jeevan Mukthi Ramalinga Adigal yearned for everlasting evanescent bliss and eternal union. He yearns for Videha Mukthi, release from the body, longs for death, evanescent bliss, and everlasting and eternal union.

"Liable as it is to disease and decay, to pain and putrefaction, the Jeevan-muktha now longs for release from the body, longs for death. The body which was an asset so long has become a liability as soon as the Jeevan-muktha state has been attained, as soon as the mystic union with God has been achieved. The mystic lives with a dread for his companion, the dread of losing the bliss, the ecstatic union with God. So the Jeevan-muktha now longs for death, for release from the human body, for eternal bliss and union everlasting. He has obtained, it is true, supreme bliss, but still not evanescent bliss; he has obtained union with God, but still not eternal union. On having these beatific visions, wisdom and peace descend on the mutinously impatient Jeevan-muktha, impatient for death, impatient to shed the human body, impatient to gain videha mukthi - disembodied release from the cycle of death and birth."