In my days of searching, it was frustrating when masters talk and authors write about the results of spiritual endeavors over and over again but never did show the way. They paint a rosy picture of the fruits of labour in spiritualism only to stop there. Ramalinga Adigal brings to us both the results and the way. The Arutpa of his is all about his endeavors and experiences put into words in simple terms and language so that the reader, captivated by the results and the means, would be enticed to walk his path. His path is that of compassion, love and divine knowledge or gnana, easily available and can be easily adhered too.
Before he came to reveal the higher states, he too had started out with the basic form of worship of idols, both at his home and at the temples. Slowly he progressed on. With the blessings of Erai in many forms, he attained siddhis. With Erai instructing him from within he set out to bring the divine knowledge to the grasp of all. Today his teachings have taken on the world and spread like wild fire. All these was possible only because he chose to reveal. If he and the saints before him had chosen to keep their experiences within them, we would not have the Thiruarutpa, Thirupugazh, Thevaram and many other devotional texts and scriptures.
Before he came to reveal the higher states, he too had started out with the basic form of worship of idols, both at his home and at the temples. Slowly he progressed on. With the blessings of Erai in many forms, he attained siddhis. With Erai instructing him from within he set out to bring the divine knowledge to the grasp of all. Today his teachings have taken on the world and spread like wild fire. All these was possible only because he chose to reveal. If he and the saints before him had chosen to keep their experiences within them, we would not have the Thiruarutpa, Thirupugazh, Thevaram and many other devotional texts and scriptures.
Ramalinga Adigal freed death. Death that clings on to us at every birth was given a reprieve and released; depriving it of a new lease. And so was he freed from the coils of death. Going a step further, Sivam, knowing it, he is said to have brought the dead back to life too.
If saints refrained from mentioning too much or revealing the secrets in the past, hiding them under the cover of paripaasai or code words, Ramalinga Adigal opened up the dam and drenched us with the flood waters of ambrosia and its corresponding bliss. He tells us that the kingdom of Erai is our birth right and everyone is eligible to attain the wisdom of Erai. He calls all to join him in Suddha Sanmarga. Being steadfast and devoted to one cause has brought results. We have begun to understand and experience the states mentioned by Ramalinga Adigal and other saints.
By breaking me the very first time I jumped at having Tavayogi in my home, he brought me not to worship him but the light and energy in each one of us. I am grateful to him for lashing out at me that day. Today I have learnt first to worship Erai with a form, then worship him as the light within others too, and finally beginning to worship the light within me. Agathiyar made us travel a memorable journey, from external worship to internal worship, that has brought us to just sit in silence in his presence, devoid of any activities and worship nor chanting of mantras. Not observing the thoughts, letting them go by without attaching to them; not having any ritual to be done or observed, we sit with ease and contemplate on the divine before us, bringing him within.
While the devotion or bakti that raptures from within us brings immense joy within the body and self, his presence brings bliss to the soul. Sudden outburst of joy and tears that rapture and flow to drench the body, cooling it down as it flows unhindered, bringing us to a state of inaction, are a common thing these days. Ecstasy is touched by the mere mention and thought of the divine. Tears of extreme joy flow down the cheeks just by listening to the expositions of the saints in the form of these songs. Ramalinga Adigal brings before us the divine, bringing with it his experience at receiving the divine's darshan. Bringing his experience to us, his experience becomes ours. We become him that moment.
After his appeals are heard, and the curtains are removed one after another, Ramalinga Adigal goes into a spontaneous outburst of ecstasy and spiritual delight, calling upon others to join him in receiving the nectar of bliss. Here are some songs of that nature that Ramalinga Adigal had composed at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uaJSlbQ3-XDxbB13wJ9mAsA6lilwWqE_/view?usp=sharing
By breaking me the very first time I jumped at having Tavayogi in my home, he brought me not to worship him but the light and energy in each one of us. I am grateful to him for lashing out at me that day. Today I have learnt first to worship Erai with a form, then worship him as the light within others too, and finally beginning to worship the light within me. Agathiyar made us travel a memorable journey, from external worship to internal worship, that has brought us to just sit in silence in his presence, devoid of any activities and worship nor chanting of mantras. Not observing the thoughts, letting them go by without attaching to them; not having any ritual to be done or observed, we sit with ease and contemplate on the divine before us, bringing him within.
While the devotion or bakti that raptures from within us brings immense joy within the body and self, his presence brings bliss to the soul. Sudden outburst of joy and tears that rapture and flow to drench the body, cooling it down as it flows unhindered, bringing us to a state of inaction, are a common thing these days. Ecstasy is touched by the mere mention and thought of the divine. Tears of extreme joy flow down the cheeks just by listening to the expositions of the saints in the form of these songs. Ramalinga Adigal brings before us the divine, bringing with it his experience at receiving the divine's darshan. Bringing his experience to us, his experience becomes ours. We become him that moment.