We are co-creators with the divine to a certain extent. The saint goes a step further.
Swami Saravanananda in his English transliteration of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval” published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras wrote,
"As explained by Vallalar, the person whose third eye is active is verily God Himself because he can raise the dead into life and perform the fivefold primordial functions."
With the advent of the opening of the third eye,
This third eye enabled him to gain knowledge of the whole universe and all the individual beings contained in it. He asserts that his knowledge penetrated and pervaded layer upon layer of the varied types of universes. With the advent of this eye, the body sheds whatever subtle impurities it possesses; consequently, it becomes nearly invisible. The third eye enabled Vallalar to have tier upon tier of divine experiences.
With the functioning of the third eye, the transformation of the light body or Pranava Deham is completed and the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body or Gnana Deham starts. The transformation of the Pranava body into a Gnostic body begins with the functioning of the third eye.
Slowly his body through the intensity of concentration of the mind begins to generate the flame of lapses, popularly known as psychic heat. Slowly the quantity of psychic heat is increased due to intense meditation and concentration on the universal effulgence. The extreme heat generated in the body produces smoke at first; this smoke gathers up in volume and escapes through the junction of the parietal bones of the skull (Brahma Randhra). During this period, the body and mind undergo untold stress. Vallalar often mentions about the sufferings that he had undergone since he was twelve years old. The psychic smoke clears off and enhanced illumination results. This light (Tegas) is also called as the aura or nimbus.
But even before one can attain the Pranava and later the Gnana Deham, he has to undergo untold misery in transforming his physical body to that of the perfect body or Suddha Deham and Pranava Deham.
Marshall Govindan in his book “Babaji and the 18 Siddhars Kriya Yoga Tradition” Kriya Yoga Publications, reproduced with permission via e-mail, wrote,
The transformation of the mortal human body into the perfect body (Suddha Deham), is achieved by universal spiritual communion and devotion to God.
In many verses (of the Thiru Arutpa) Ramalinga sings of how his ‘impure body’ of ‘impure elements’ was transformed into a pure body of pure elements, called a golden body of immeasurable carats (Swarna Deham). He sings that one has to think incessantly, until he feels and melts with love for god. In such a melting mood one bursts into tears and sings praise of god and soothing warmth is produced in the aspirant. When this universal love and sacred warmth develops, the body as well as the soul became prepared for the descent of the grace, in the form of light. When this occurs, the material body of impure elements is transformed into a ‘body of pure light’, emitting a golden hue.
Swami Saravanananda wrote,This ‘golden body’ appears to be about twelve years of age. The body of grace (Pranava Deham) according to him can be seen visually but it cannot be touched. It appears to be a heavenly child of about five to eight years of age. The ultimate and greatest transformation in human evolution: a transmutation into the godhead, which he referred to as merging with the body of supreme wisdom - the body of god supreme (Gnana Deham).
At whatever age the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body-frame. The Divine Light seems to change the very cell of the body, with the result, that they seem to function in the opposite direction. Consequently, the old body becomes middle aged, then to youth of eighteen years, to twelve years (pure body), to eight years and finally five years (Pranava body). After five years the body grows to the size of the universe to become casual body or a body of gnosis (Gnana deham) which is the natural abode of the soul.
In the foreword to “An Introduction to the Philosophy of Saint Ramalingam” by Dr. C. Srinivasan, Rao Saheb K. Kothandapani Pillai BA wrote about these transformations,
These transformations occur in the body of the aspirant according to the intensity of spiritual warmth produced in him. The body is deprived of all its dross or impurities and made pure, fit for divine absorption (Sudha Deham). These are the practical transformation, which came over the body of the Swami stage by stage on the way to union with the absolute. Conquest of death by imbibing supreme grace is the quintessence of his philosophy. The more he ascended in his holy pursuit the more was the descent of divinity in him.In an interesting article in the net, the author of the article says,
As an individual begins to be liberated from the influence of the mind-stuff, the divine attributes of the atman or self manifest in the very subtle sheath of bliss (Anandamaya Kosham) that surrounds the soul (atman.). When the transformation of that very subtle part of the being has been given fully to the divine, the individual becomes literally a beacon of bliss-light. Simply being in the presence of such a being is uplifting.
Anyone whose spiritual practices have thus resulted in the awareness of the divine working through them has already begun the transformational process and surrendering of the sheath of the intellect (Vinjnanamaya Kosham). Here the analytical or intellectual component of the being is fully informed by the divine light attributes.
As the intellect undergoes this transformation, the mental sheath (Manomaya Kosham), associated with the senses, and is similarly transformed. Of course, this individual is fully aware of the divine as the prime mover. Since the ego has been given to the divine, every action related to the senses is observed and understood to be none other than the indwelling god or goddess doing the experiencing and enjoying. Such a Buddha can enjoy all the senses without fear of confusion or being lost spiritually in them. For the great tantric who have attained to this state, conventional rules which guide and provide stability, safety, and structure are irrelevant.
As the divine light descends into the sheath of energy (Pranayama Kosham) the entity becomes a Siddha in the truest sense of the word. As defined in the Upanishads, a Siddha is one who has progressed from the exalted ‘state of freed while living’ (Jivanmukta) to ‘supremely free with full power over death’ (Paramukta).Swami Saravanananda wrote,
With the descent of sufficient Divine Light the psychic head begins to emerge. According to Vallalar, this psychic head (a crown or diadem of light) is made up of a special and highly refined type of brain called Omkar brain. As soon as it emerges, it draws more cosmic light; the more the light the greater the growth of the psychic head.
With the advent of psychic head, more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever prospering body, is called the subtle body or the body of Omkar or Pranava body.
By showering love to others and all of Erai's creation, Erai comes within us bringing us to the state of Bliss. In http://www.ramalinga.com, Ramalinga Adigal state of bliss and his experience or anubhuti is shared.
I have seen and realized Him here in the world and enjoy the Bliss. I have happily partaken of Amrita (of Bliss) in the Realm.From http://www.ramalinga.com we learn more,
... the full Union with God in body and soul (deathless body) takes place when the Most High Lord accepts the absolute surrender of the disciple. These great saints saw a Column of Light rising above the Sahasrara up to the Divinity. In one who realizes the Golden Deathless Body an indissoluble bond is established with the Divinity through this Column of Light. Till this moment, one must make an effort ascending to the Divinity, later having to descend again to the physical level, nevertheless on having been settled the Column of Light one does not need to continue doing this effort, but from this time the Divinity descends on oneself.
The Column of Light starts to be formed in the states previous to the full Realization of Golden Body. The one in whom the Column of Light is settled enjoy the continual experience on the Divinity, who, on having descended, resides in one's own Heart (as shining Sun) and fills with Himself the whole Being gradually, even the physical body (which, cell by cell, is completely transmuted up to becoming divine). At first the above mentioned experience has not the same intensity all the time. Moved by His great Compassion, God takes the maximum care of the possible after effect in the physical body and that's why He is alternating the intensity to manifest Himself as Divine Light. Some times His resplendence is very soft whereas in other occasions It becomes the most intense, seeming that one is going to be melted in It. This experience on God fills the Self with Divine Love and Compassion, which overflow from the Heart as a river flowing endlessly towards the other beings.
Little by little, God is increasing by degrees the intensity of Light and one is becoming accustomed to it, until the time comes when God manifests Himself wholly. Then the Column of Light shines from beginning to end with Its entire splendor. It isn’t visible, except in very rare occasions. This Column of Light is truly the embodied Divine Jothi, which burns constantly so that the Divine Light radiates coming to all the beings. This is the Full God's Manifestation in the Earth.