Saint Arunagiri was told "Summa eru Sol Are" to be quiet by Lord Murugan and he sat for 12 long years. Agathiyar and Lord Murugan tell me the same and I cannot even sit for 12 minutes. I guess I will never make it into their good books. Lord Muruga came yesterday to remind me again. What should I do? Nothing. That is what he and Agathiyar have told me numerous times. When he told me this, I wondered how was I to achieve this. As I tried to digest these words he continued, "Is that puzzling?" புதிராக இருக்கிறதா? and added, "Well go research it"ஆராய்ச்சி செய்.
What happened to Arunagiri when he sat quietly? He too sings that ‘சும்மா இரு சொல்லற என்றலுமே அம்மா பொருள் ஒன்றுமறிந்திலனே..’ that he knows not the meaning of keeping quiet.
We come to know that Saint Pathinathar too was told the same from https://tamilhindu.com
“சும்மா இருக்க வைத்தான் சூத்திரத்தை நானறியேன் அம்மா பொருளிதென அடைய விழுங்கினனடி”
Tayumanavar too was asked to remain such by his guru Mauna Guru, "Be silent. Rest in peace. Keep quiet (Summa Eru). Have faith. You will reach the supreme state of Bliss." The Saint sings the same.
“சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம் ஒன்றறியேன் பராபரமே”
Stating all the Siddhis that one gains he praises the Lord.
சிந்தையை அடக்கியே சும்மா இருக்கிறதிறமது சத்தாகியென்
சித்தமிசை குடி கொண்ட அறிவான தெய்வமே
தேசோமயானந்தமே!
"(Thayumanavar's) search for a teacher ultimately led him to a man called Arul Nandi Sivachariar, who was also known as ‘Mauna Guru’. This teacher could trace his lineage back to the famous saint Tirumular, whose book, Tirumantiram, written well over a thousand years ago, became one of the canonical works of Saivism. When Thayumanavar approached him and asked if he could become his disciple, Mauna Guru nodded his head, thereby giving his consent. Thayumanavar then asked if he could follow him wherever he went. Mauna Guru responded by telling him ‘Summa iru,’ which can mean ‘Be still,’ ‘Be quiet,’ and also ‘Remain as you are’. This one phrase apparently brought about a major spiritual transformation in Thayumanavar. In later years, when he began to write ecstatic devotional poetry, he frequently mentioned this event, this phrase, and the effect it had on him. He frequently called it ‘the unique word’ in his verses."
Ramalinga Adigal laments about his impatience in reaching this state.
இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ
அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ
அறியேன் எங்கோவே
துன்று மல வெம்மாயை அற்று
வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து
சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம்.
Tavayogi also sought this state where there is only non-participation bliss (Summa Eru). He would sing Ramalinga Adigal's plea to God too at every Sannadhi or holy spot we arrived and sat at.
Saint Nakkirar prayed to Lord Vinayagar to create a state of complete silence whereby the disciple could see Sivam in its completeness, upon merging with and merging in the guru.
மோனா ஞான முழுதும் அளித்து
சிற்பரிப் பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண
நற்சிவ நிட்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து
குருவுஞ் சீடனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து
இருவரும் ஒரு தனியிடந் தனிற் சேர்ந்து
தானந்தமாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்
ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து
ஈசனிைணயடியிருத்தி
மனத்தே நீயே நானாய்
நானே நீயாய்க்
காயா புரியைக் கனவெனவுணா்ந்து
எல்லாமுன் செயலென்ேற உணர
நல்லா உன்னருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்
காரண குருவே கற்பகத் களிேற
வாரணமுகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி
We learn that it is to experience the Self by
- "Just Be".
- "Cease Thinking"
where the Self abides in itself.
- "In this state, it is aware of and has an experience of itself to the exclusion of all other things."
- "This is a state of self-realization Prajnanam which ultimately leads to Jeevanmukti or Kevala Avastha."
- These are "mystic experiences which one cannot express or explain to others. Nor can they be understood by others unless such others themselves go through such experiences."
We understand that being quiet is not about not speaking but quieting the thoughts. It is a thoughtless state. What then is a thoughtless state? The author https://tamilhindu.com says that only each person's experience can answer this. Dr. S.R. Jayavelu too writes at https://murugan.org/research/jayavelu.htm that it "denotes the highest state of conscious ‘being' which could be understood only as a mystical experience."
We learn that "Full awareness and absolute stillness of mind are very elusive."
Could it also denote "a state of being happy". Is this then "losing oneself in the presence of the Absolute", for each time Agathiyar and Lord Muruga come they keep asking me if I am going through and enjoying the state of happiness that comes with doing nothing and being quiet. சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகத்தை அறிகிறாயா? காண்கிறாயா?
Dr. S.R. Jayavelu writes that "The states of Mauna, Nishtai, Tavam, Santham, and Ananda are all associated with and allied to "Summa Iru". He writes further that,
"The cycle of births and deaths is due to karma classified under ‘sanjita', ‘prarabda' and ‘āgāmya' karmas. But every karma becomes functional only through the medium of the mind and its ancillaries. If, therefore, the mind and its ancillaries are stilled into a state of inaction, karma is rendered functionless. It follows that so long as the mind and its ancillaries are stilled into a state of inaction, karma is rendered functionless. It follows that so long as the mind and its ancillaries remain perfectly still and the soul or self is just aware, that is in the state of ‘asmi' or ‘asi' or ‘Summa Iru' without any reference to Tat' or ‘twain' or ‘aham' or ‘ayam', it is in a karmaless state. In that state it is subject to neither birth nor death. But the moment the soul or self reverts to any other state (even the state of Godhood of which state it is cognizant or aware) it gets bound at once by karma even as the moss on the water surface of a pond quickly covers up the small visible patch of water when a person withdraws his hand. It will be clear that in the state of ‘asi' or ‘summa iru' there can be no death. This is referred to as ‘deathlessness' (immortality) or ‘the great living in deathlessness' or ‘maranamila peruvazhvu' as saint Ramalinga Swami would put it. Tayumanavar, Tirumoolar and many other saints refer to the ‘summa iru' state. Most of the Hindu saints from Tirugnana Sambandhar down to Ramalinga Swamigal have attained suddha avastha and Siva mukti as the prasāda of their ‘here and now' state of ‘Summa Iru'".
Indeed only one's own experience can fully justify these states. Although the word 'Summa iru' uttered by a Guru can bring "immediate and liberating impact on those who are in a highly mature state", Bhagawan Ramana says "conscious deliberate effort is required to attain that mauna state or the state of being quiet", the reason being, "All the age-long vasanas carry the mind outward and turn it to external objects. All such thoughts have to be given up and the mind turned inward. For that, effort is necessary for most people."
Bhagawan Ramana adds that the exception is for those who have placed the necessary effort in their previous life. For them, it is possible to "achieve the Mauna or supreme state indicated by ‘Summa iru’" at once."
Thayumanavar in 1742 withdrew into his hut leaving a message pinned to the outside of the door. The message read (translated) :
Dear friends, Withdraw the mind from the senses and fix it in meditation. Control the thought current. Find out the thought centre and fix yourself there. Then you will be conscious of the divine Self; you will see it dancing in ecstasy. Live in that delight. That delight-consciousness is the God in you. He is in every heart. You need not go anywhere to find Him. Find your own core and feel Him there. Peace, bliss, felicity, health – everything is in you. Trust in the divine in you. Entrust yourself to His Grace. Be as you are. Off with past impressions! He who lives from within an ingathered soul is a real sage, even though he may be a householder. He who allows his mind to wander with the senses is an ignoramus, though he is learned. See as a witness, without the burden of seeing. See the world just as you see a drama. See without attachment. Look within. Look at the inner light unshaken by mental impressions. Then, floods of conscious bliss shall come pouring in and around you from all directions. This is the supreme Knowledge; realize! Aum! Aum.
(Based on "Bhagavan and Thayumanavar" by Robert Butler, T. V. Venkatasubramanian, and David Godman.)
This was his final message.
Devi Amma of Bangalore quotes Bhagawan Ramana as follows,
"Bhagavan would say - “Submit to me and I will strike down the mind.” Or, “Only be still and I will do the rest.”
When the dormant energies in the Muladhara were awakened unknowingly in 2010, as I practiced the Yoga techniques that Tavayogi showed me since 2007, and when these energies pooled and stagnated at the Manipuraka, and were apparently released in 2022, I asked Agathiyar what should I do further or if there were more practices to adopt. He replied the same as Bhagawan said - Do nothing. It shall do its work.
And he has been telling me not to let my guard down on anger as the energies currently assembled at the crown of the head would head back to lower chakras which would be a wasted effort as he had put in so much work into it.