Once the chakras are activated in one by the divine hand who having worked on it through efforts placed on the practices given by the Siddhas themselves there is little one can do further but to immerse in the bliss and at times the pain and agony that comes with it too. The chakras on opening up further to the brilliance of the Light that descends within receive the full splendor of the Light that enhances the inherent fire within and beauty unfolds. Energy flows from beyond to complement the inherent energies within. The topmost chakra then is in constant touch with the Prapanjam. All the senses are heightened. One feels an action or word done and said onto another in himself. He begins to relate with another feeling his joy and pain equally. This extends to all other creations too eventually. He is one will all around him. He is indeed then a saint in all manner.
From http://www.ramalinga.com we learn further that,
"These great saints saw a Column of Light rising above the Sahasrara up to the Divinity. The Column of Light starts to be formed in the states previous to the full Realization of the Golden Body. 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 to ascend to the Divinity, later having to descend again to the physical level, nevertheless on having been settled in the Column of Light one does not need to continue doing this effort, but from this time the Divinity descends on oneself. The one in whom the Column of Light is settled enjoys the continual experience of 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 aftereffect in the physical body and that's why He is alternating the intensity to manifest Himself as Divine Light. Sometimes His resplendence is very soft whereas on other occasions It becomes the most intense, seeming that one is going to be melted in It. This experience of God fills the Self with Divine Love and Compassion, which overflow from the Heart like a river flowing endlessly toward 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 on 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 beings. This is the Full God's Manifestation in the Earth."
"There was no longer the body, no longer any sensation; there was only a Column of Light rising from the place where is ordinarily the base of the body up to the place where is ordinarily the head, to form there a disk of Light like that of the moon; then from there, the Column went on rising up to very far above the head to break into an immense Sun, dazzling and multi-colored, from which fell a rain of Golden Light covering the whole earth."
"Then slowly the Column of Light descended forming an oval of living Light, awakening and setting in motion, each in a particular way, according to a special mode of vibration, the centers which were above the head, at the place of the head, the throat, the heart, in the middle of the belly, at the base of the spine and still lower. At the height of the knees, the ascending and the descending currents joined together and the circulation thus became in a way uninterrupted enveloping the whole being in an immense oval of living Light."
Ramalinga Adigal shares his experience in his songs compiled as the Thiruarutpa. The translation, to my best ability, of one such lovely song, goes as follows:
As night became day, I was shown the Holy Feet, I embraced it, and I partook in the divine nectar.As dawn broke, I was delivered the Holy Feet, I touched and offered my salutations to it, and I became cleansed.
Sleep left me, the Sun appeared, the yearning wilted, and I partook in the ambrosia.
Sorrow wilted, sleep was eradicated, joy came upon me, and the yearning was fulfilled.
Gnanam arose, the divine music was heard, false knowledge wilted, and I saw Sirsabai.
The veils were thorn away asunder, I beheld the Light, Parai Oli shown with all its luminosity, and my prayers were answered.
The darkness within me left, and the light from within me shone brightly, I tasted the nectar, to my heart's content.
I saw my Father, all obstacles were removed, I rejoiced, and I received Siddhis.
I saw my Father, I received the gift of Deathlessness, I rejoiced, and I conquered the Siddhis.
I achieved Mukthi, and with this Mukthi I attained Gnana Siddhi, Taking on these Siddhis, I became a Siddha.
- Humans who lead a mundane life without even a thought of its transient nature. They might pass by a place of worship but will never think of entering. He would not have the urge to even explore what is behind the high walls. He is disinterested to know his true purpose here and never gives a thought towards his creator and creation. He is satisfied to enjoy the pleasures of the world. Tavayogi terms them as souls who come to fulfill their desires, wishes, and likes.
- Then one moves up the rung by becoming aware of the momentary nature of life. He becomes conscious of the world and its external objects. He takes his first step, coming into Sariyai.
- Then wanting to see the Lord, the seeking starts. He steps into Kriyai. He feels inseparable from the divine.
- Coming to Yogam, he wants only God. Once this desire is set aflame and burning in him the various veils covering the soul for generations are shed one after the other. The divine comes to cleanse the soul. A spontaneous love for God is felt at all times.
- Next, the Grace of the Lord befalls him and he enters a state of ecstasy. If earlier he chose to see God with forms and had gained earthly experiences, beyond this stage, he begins to have heavenly experiences. He knows God to be beyond manifestation. He has gained Atma Balam or Soul Power.
- Then he moves to "taste" God. His Soul, charged with Divine Grace, attains self-realization or Atma Darisanam.
- Next follows the state where he perceives God in the form of Light. The Soul becomes saturated with compassion and love. He experiences the divinity within (Uyir Anubhavam) by the grace of Arutperunjhoti. Dr. C.Srinivasan explains further that "This is the preliminary state in which the soul is to enjoy in full the real and natural happiness it is entitled to without any restraint."
- He then moves on to enjoy Supreme Grace (Arul Anubhavam). The higher stages according to Ramalinga Adigal are heavenly stages and beyond human perception where the mind fails to conceive and all senses cease to function.
- Then the descent of divinity into the individual takes place. In the complete realization of the God Supreme (Sivanubavam), the sublime achievement of the aspirant culminates in the complete union with the Lord Supreme for the eternal enjoyment of Supreme Bliss forever and ever after. Swami Saravanananda writes in his English transliteration of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval” published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, that 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."
- It is not over yet for the Supreme Grace flows and prepares the aspirant for the next stage. The body transforms into the Pranava Deham or the body of Grace. Swami Saravanananda writes that with the advent of the 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 the Omkar or Pranava body. With the functioning of the third eye, the transformation of the Pranava body is completed and the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana Deham) starts."
- Merging with Arutperunjhoti, the state of deathlessness or conquest of death is achieved. Hold the horses for the journey is still not over yet. There are still higher stages that Ramalinga Adigal hesitates to express.