The path of Jnana is to experience both the ordinary and the extraordinary and to share it with those keen to pursue the same path. It is an accumulation of all the earlier paths namely Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam that one has tread upon, gaining insights and knowledge, and gaining experiences and reaping its benefits, finally standing at the threshold of Jnana. He becomes wiser and more settled, having lived out his ambitions, desires, likings, etc and dropping the grabbing, the exploitation, the miserliness, etc, now standing void and empty to receive what the divine desires to gift him. The scores of experiences have molded him into a better person, more compassionate and kind, losing selfishness and replacing it with thoughts about the welfare of others. He now pleads with the divine for the welfare of others rather than seeking that his individual desires materialize.
He is a Jeevan Mukta, one who has accomplished all that he desired and has devoted his life henceforth to do the work of Erai. He has built a rapport with the divine, that of a companion now. If earlier he had to rap hard and loud on the door to be heard, now he gives a gentle tap and it opens up for him to enter anytime. Soon the door will forever be ajar to facilitate his movement between both worlds. He does not need to visibly engage in activities of the world but only needs to place a prayer for the well being of one and all. His prayer is heard by the divine and the divine responds accordingly. Many a saint have engaged with the divine and shared their divine miracles not at large assemblies but in the midst of devotees as and when required. Through their writings that took the form of hymns and songs, they appealed to the divine for the benefit of others and shared their experiences.
He is a Jeevan Mukta, one who has accomplished all that he desired and has devoted his life henceforth to do the work of Erai. He has built a rapport with the divine, that of a companion now. If earlier he had to rap hard and loud on the door to be heard, now he gives a gentle tap and it opens up for him to enter anytime. Soon the door will forever be ajar to facilitate his movement between both worlds. He does not need to visibly engage in activities of the world but only needs to place a prayer for the well being of one and all. His prayer is heard by the divine and the divine responds accordingly. Many a saint have engaged with the divine and shared their divine miracles not at large assemblies but in the midst of devotees as and when required. Through their writings that took the form of hymns and songs, they appealed to the divine for the benefit of others and shared their experiences.
These experiences stand as proof of divine existence. If these songs were merely sweet to the ears initially, these days it brings a deeper understanding and does something within the self bringing unexplained tears of joy and bliss to the soul that resides within. Occasionally sudden outbursts of cries accompany bodily movements that are beyond the control of one. That is how it is with songs of Ramalinga Adigal too. His Arutpa brings his experience to us and we can associate with his mystical experiences to a certain extent. We understand him better after having a glimpse of these experiences too. In the chapter, "Arunachala Honoured by Thirumurais", from "Ramana's Arunachala - Ocean of Grace Divine", by Sri Bhagavan's devotees, Sri Ramanasramam, 2000, it is written, "There are faith, love, and surrender, and whoever sings his songs is affected with the same feeling", on Jnanasambandar's composition and rendition of songs in praise of Arunachala. We continue,
In Appars hymns we see his deep love and piety for Arunachala; in these hymns he professes again and again his unswerving love and his unceasing meditation on Arunachala. With great gratitude he discloses the immense bliss and grace that Arunachala has bestowed upon him. In "Thiruthandagam" Appar describes Arunachala as the fiery bodied supreme.
Supramania Swami told me that all he saw towards his last days, was a fiery hill. Hence he closed up the only window that opened up to a full view of Arunachala. As he sat at his bed place next to the door of his kudil, he saw siddhas, munis and rishis going about their daily chores and rituals on the slopes of the hill, all of which might sound absurd and unbelievable to us common people. He even saw into the future and named several others who in present times were elsewhere living a normal life, live and walk amongst the divine sages on the Holy hill.
In "Thirukkurunthokai", Appar with melting gratitude praises Arunachala as the lord who absolved him of all his karmas. In the next "Kurunthokai", Appar invites the whole world to participate in his good fortunes.
Sundarar regarded the divine as his friend singing praises on him too.
Bhagavan Ramana would listen with rapt attention to selections from Manikavachakar's "Tiruvachakam" recited by devotees. His whole frame would melt with tears gushing down his cheeks, standing as the very embodiment of devotion and surprising those who only saw him as a jnani immersed in deep samadhi.
Though the four poet saints have sung about the lord residing at various shrines yet when they praise Arunachala they reach the summit of devotion and take the reader along with them.
"Bhakti begins in wonder a sense of awe in the presence of God's beauteous creation", writes P.Thirugnanasambandhan in his "The Concept of Bhakti", University of Madras, 1971. He beautifully charts the awesome journey.
The sense of awe and wonder gradually develops into emotions of admiration, gratitude, and reverence. Gripped with a sense of wonder, the devout man views with inexpressible delight the handywork of God in Nature and is filled with adoring reverence for its mighty author on whose commands the heaven and the earth stand poised in their respective orbits.
"The concept of bhakti is as ancient as the Rg Veda", we are told, "with passages indicative of devotional feelings in it." "Religion is concerned very much with the personality of God", writes P.Thirugnanasambandhan, "whereas pure mysticism is concerned with the inward enjoyment of God in essence."
The religious mysticism of the Alvars and Nayanmars is deeply devotional. The saints are soaked in love with the personality of God and his superhuman deeds. Wonder, awe, love, and faith mingle with one another to work up an alembic of the purest intensity of self-giving and seeking God for its own sake.
How does this take place?
P.Thirugnanasambandhan quotes Madhusudanasarasvati from his "Bhakti Rasayana", "As a result of various religious observances, the mind becomes supple and flows like a stream into God. Bhakti gradually rises from a state of sadhana or means on to sentiment and love."
The author refers to Sri Rupagosvami while tracing the development of Bhakti in aspirants.
First arises faith; then follows attraction and after that adoration. Adoration leads to suppression of worldly desires, and the result is singlemindedness and satisfaction. The grows attachment which results in an ebullition of sentiments. After this love comes to play.
Narada shows us a way out of Maya that is the source of an endless cycle of birth and death says P.Thirugnanasambandhan. Avoid unholy association, seek the company of men of large hearts and become selfless. Develop an uninterrupted flow of love towards God. Being invoked thus he at once reveals himself and fills his devotees with his grace. When there arises Sraddha or belief that there is a moral governor of the world who regulates the destinies of souls according to the immutable laws of karma, gradually he ceases to perform prohibited acts and begins to perform more and more acts prescribed. Even the acts that he performs, Karmayoga, he learns to do without attachment to the fruit which they may produce but in a spirit of dedication. He then adopts certain sadhanas. The companionship of pious men produces a transformation in one's attitude to things of the world. Next follows occasional contemplation alternated with worship. Constancy in worship leads to Ruci or a feeling of enjoyment of the life of devotion. Guna mahatmaya asakti and rupa asakti is then followed by puja asakti, various forms of attachments, to his majesty; grace and beauty and worship respectively. In these forms of attachment the devotee is possessed with the sentiment of awe and wonder and stands as it were at some distance from the lord giving expression to his insignificance and sinfulness on the one hand and the majesty and holiness of the lord on the other. This is followed by smarana asakti or attachment to the memories of the lord. By listening to the glories of God or Sravanam; praising and chanting his glories or Kirtanam; constant reflection on his glory or smaranam; resorting to and paying obeisance to his feet or padasevanam; worship or arcanam; offer obeisance or vandanam;
What follows is dasya asakti or dedicated and deep sense of service at the feet of the lord; sakhya asakti or invoking the lord as a friend; vatsalya asakti or yearning of a child for the moon, and kanta asakti or that of a lover as displayed by Appar, Sundarar, Jnanasambandar and Manikkavacakar respectively. Complete consecration of the self in service or self-surrender or Atmanivedanasakti results then. When the devotee completely identifies with the will of his lord, he loses his separate existence in the wider existence oof his lord. He attains the state of tanmaya asakti. This is the sprouting stage of divine love growing into the state of parama viraha asakti, as in lovers separated. This culminates in the devotees' realization of divine presence in himself as well as outside him and verily lives, moves, and has his being in Him. This state cannot be described but only experienced.