The psalm begins with the Litany of a Good Life, leading to the goal of supreme wisdom, the Home of the Realised Seers--“Jnana Veedu Namaku Elithaame.” At the close of the lyric, Swami affirms that Mukti, the firmament of the abode of the Self-realised Seers, that Beyond which is in the lotus of the heart, that locus of space in itself, is the award of a Good Life--'Mukti Nalhume'
--Natchintanai. 86.
Man's life on earth, from beginningless births to endless deaths is a liturgy of worship of the Supreme One who is within and without, and this unique experience of self realisation can only be declared by those who have gained the Self. The Gita says, “that those who have gained the Self are illumined within, rejoice within and enjoy eternal felicity.” Bhagavad Gita V. 24-25. Swami is one such realised Yogi, who having attained the highest wisdom points the WAY to the beatitude of God.
In recording his experience of self-realisation in the Natchintanai, Swami has reported insights which came to him in the hours of Siva-Dhyanam. Therefore we find that emphasis at all points is not upon parts, but upon wholes--upon brief, comprehensive and coherent yet unanalysed utterances. The study of these sacred songs of high import according to Hindu tradition requires the guidance of a Guru.
We read in the Upanishad that, “to many it is not given to hear of the Self. Many though they hear of it, do not understand it. Wonderful is he who speaks of it. Intelligent is he who learns of it. Blessed is he who taught by a good teacher is able to understand it.” (Quoted from 'The Upanishads' Indroduction XI. by Swami Prabhavananda). So did Christ asert in the Parable of the Sower, the selfsame truth:
“Ye that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
St. Matthew, XIII.
One of the pre-eminent traits of Swami's teachings was to have stirred the people who flocked to him in blind faith, to regain their discrimination and understanding. He guided his aspirants to concentrate on one step at a time, and would imperceptibly lead them to master it fully, before proceeding to the next step. Significantly enough, Swami always reiterated the need to conform to established code of ethical and moral excellence, and the value of discipline as the only way to freedom at all levels of existence.
What is important to remember is the fact that he taught the meaning of Natchintanai Songs by his daily acts, by his most casual words, and sometimes even by his silence. Only to be near him, only to serve and obey him in humility and in reverence, was to be quickened with a vitality which not only informs the intellect, but also purifies and enriches the soul.
“He who engages in these things gains in concentration,
And is no longer a slave to his passions;
Devout, self controlled, disciplined in spirit,
He rises to fame and is a blessing to mankind.”
Outside Swami's hermitage, his votaries were used to an individualistic approach to life, where the veiled ego asserted its authority; but once they entered his hut, everyone learnt to be quiet and listen to his inner voice. The Gurunathan invariably would reverse the pivot God-ward so effortlessly that in the axis of the Divine Will, the attention of all gathered in his presence would be focussed on the Anma-Jnanam, the realisation of the Self by the self; and all other problems and passing vexations that weighed on the seekers, when they entered his Ashram will flee hastily, leaving them absorbed in a conception of wholeness. Meanwhile Swami would sing that song of St. Appar and rock himself in laughter.
“A rogue I was who wasted life's precious days in useless service, till I began the search; and then lo, I saw Him
who bade me know the wisdom, that inseparable is He
within the seeker's heart. So amazed I was that I burst
into peals of laughter.”
St. Appar. IV. 75.3
It so happened that in the tempestuous days that followed the communal riots of 1958, people who were deeply involved in the suffering of these unhappy events came to him in large numbers, seeking the solace of his Grace. The Guru who had him-Self realised the truths of that Maha-Vaakiam--“Oru Pollappumillai,” would remind all of them with great clarity that no harm can ever befall a man of God. He would sing the song:
“Oh Thangam dear, write out a testamentary Deed,
That there is no intrinsic evil at all--(to a knower of Truth).
--Natchintanai. 273.
Thus did Swami teach a new way of approach to realise the Self, and brought to the fore an experience of intimate relationship. It may be that his song, just that particular song that he sings as you enter his presence, will stir in you the passion for goodwill and dissolve all the pent up malignity against that 'other.' This act of “Sitting near devotedly”, which is the true meaning of the term Upanishad has been our sanctified source to unravel ever so dimly even, the quintessence of Natchintanai which contains the knowledge that destroys the bonds of ignorance; and leads to the supreme goal of Freedom--Mukti Nalhume, as enjoined in Swami's Psalm--86, as well as in the Jnana-Kural by the great woman-saint, St. Auvaiyar:
“Beyond begining, beyond ending
is the substance rare,
That is the light of wisdom beautiful.
“This is the path of liberation as testified
In the parchment by the Guru-- Behold.”
Auvai-Kural. VIII 9-10.
The essence of this key Natchintanai, which happened to be one of our favourite and oft-sung song in Swami's presence was understood without any direct explanation, by our temporary absorption in the recitation of the Taittiriya Upanishad, which he made us read intensely in Sanskrit, Tamil and English.
In the Taittiriya Upanishad in the eleventh Anuvaaka of Sikshavalli is a valedictory exhortation, on the Way to a Good Life by the Guru to his disciple who is about to step out into the world. His last Upadesh bears a strong similarity to Swami's Psalm, and hence we cite that illustrious passage:
“Let your conduct be marked by right action;
by truthfulness in word, deed and thought;
by self denial and the practice of austerity;
by poise and self control; by performance
of the everyday duties of life with a cheerful
heart and an unattached mind.
Speak the Truth. Do your duty. Do not neglect
the study of the scriptures. Do not cut the thread
of progeny. Swerve not from truth. Deviate
not from the path of good. Revere greatness.
Let your mother and father be a God to you;
Let your teacher be a God to you.........
Do only such actions as are blameless and
Always show reverence to the great.........
This is the injunction; this is the teaching;
this is the command of the scriptures.”
--The Upanishads,--54.
Tr. Swami Prabhavananda.
The Master SivaThondan of the twentieth century validated the teaching of the Upanishad Seer on the First Principles of Good Living at the dawn of man's history, some three thousand years ago, through the medium of his own unique experience--Anma Jnanam--embalmed in the Psalm of Good Living.
We shall now briefly recount the genesis of this song. In our childhood, Swami flashed past our lives as a phantom of delight, adored by our parents and held in profound veneration by them; and a sense of mystic fragrance surrounded his meteoric appearances at home. The wooden bench on which he sat and the chair he reclined were kept apart, cleaned, and perfumed-incense added to our mystery. The songs written by him on card boards and odd bits of paper to our devoted father were treasured by him, and committed to memory by us and sung on Fridays at home, to the accompaniment of the Harmonium before the 'Pater Noster.'
“This body's a temple and the mind's a votary of love.”
--Natchintanai. 298.
'The Invocation of All art Thou,' --313, and the 'Psalm of Good Living' --86, written in Ahaval metre and heroic couplets respectively, were some of the songs memorised by us and revered as Mantras or thought-forms, that evoked great devotion and awakening. In these ways, Swami became a symbol of mysterious power, protection and piety. Sometimes we would be filled with awe at his august presence, and the vibration of his voice animated our heart beat. For one score years of our life, he was but a dim reflection to our angle of vision, even though he remained the polar star in the parental firmament of love. My father revolved in the orbit of this robust luminous constellation till the very end of his days in 1939. He was “One in whom persuasion and belief had ripened into faith, and faith become a passionate intuition.”
This Psalm of Good Living has been sung by the Gurunathan at Haputale in the year 1930, in answer to an ardent aspirant's supplication to show him the Way to Live. The great hymn opens with the potency of chanting the Name of the Immanent Siva, the mantra of Namasivaya--
In this song, Swami conjures a life in perfect consonance with God's will, a life of worship and faith in His endless Grace, seeking Him through knowledge alone as the only aim in life. Man's feee will consists only in a freedom not to will, a freedom to return to the centre of his being, to identify his own will with His Will--
“Whoso hath surrendered his will wholly,
God will protect him tenderly like a mother.”
V.5-86.
The individual is responsible for what he gets in life--the good and bad that befalls him. According to man's works which are actuated by his will, good or evil, he gets his deserts in the begotten existences.
“He only who is without desire, whose desire is God reaches Him-Self. There neither good nor evil, sorrow or happiness affects him-- V. 13--87. Wisdom lies in the knowledge that it is not I, not self that acts.” “I do not know; I do not do anything. It is all Siva's Will”.
V. 9--87.
Therefore he who is unattached and acts willingly, but not from will knows me -- He is liberated from pairs of opposites, and freed from bondage; He lives in self restraint and attains everlasting felicity.
V. 7--86.
The Will of God connoted by Tiruvadi, Malaradi, Sevadi and the Lotus Feet, implies the submission to His Will, which alone can lead man to God. He is the omnipotent power which rules the macrocosm and the microcosm through time and space. It is by His Supreme Will that souls are drawn to His Light. The aspirant who submits to His Will by constantly remembering and invoking his name realises his limitations and finitude, and the root of his miseries. He also becomes aware by the gift of discernment, that his own small self has no power to do anything other than prostrate before the majestic Siva. Then his conceit, vanity, pride, and egoity shall wither out of sight. The Will of God is infinite, ineffable and transcending thought.
The love of God is the safest and surest pathway to liberation. Man's sacramental rites are of little value, unless these can ignite the flame of love within his heart, and stir in him an intense devotion to His Feet. Submission to His will is his prerogative to win the Lord's grace. He is immanent in every particle of the greatest as well as the minutest of beings.
V. 53--90.
Therefore chant His Name with love and devotion. Thereby the mortal attains immortality, the mind gains power to dive into the source of true wisdom. The heart learns to penetrate the secrets of love; and resignation to His Will with love transmutes man to divine stature, and bestows on him eternal bliss.
All functions of life if undertaken with fortitude, forbearance, unselfish gains and serenity, are ways of enlightenment. “Thou biddest me but be” This is the victorious way to a transformation of one's life. “Ye must be born again.” In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna reiterates this truth. “Others pour out as their sacrifice all the functioning of the senses and all those of life in the fire of the discipline of self restraint which is lit by wisdom ............Better than the sacrifice of any objects (by way of works) is that of wisdom; therewith are works undone in gnosis, naught remaining over.” Bhagavad Gita. IV. 27, 32, & 33. St. Tayumanavar too echoes the same sentiments:
“Nay Heaven itself is reached, the Home of Good,
where never comes an ill.”
--449.
“Oh Thou that holdest all creation
Within the hollow of thy hand!
Thy will Thou canst perform that makest
The smallest magnified to stand.”
--593.
St. Appar portrays vividly the man of the world launching in the voyage of life so confidently, till he strikes against the rocks of desire and pride. Then in utter helplessness, he abandons all efforts to row the raft, and prays for the shelter of the Lord's Grace:
“When on life's angry waves I launch,
My heart's the raft I take with me.
My mind's the pole I lean upon,
Vexations freight I bear to sea.
Alas, I strike upon the rock of desire.
Then, I become so dazed and witless,
That I pray to grant me, Lord of Vottiyur
The will to pine for thy sustaining Grace.”
St. Appar. IV. 46.2.
How can one praise God whose Essence far transcends our deepest perception of Him? There is nothing man can do to increase His majestic glory? He has only to bask in the radiance of His Grace and delight in meditation on His Infinity which is incommensurable with the totality of things finite.
V. 54--90.
“He alone is, beyond all time and space; That is the One transcending knowing and unknowing, gnosis and ignorance.”
V. 60.--91.
As Eckhart in Book of Love Says:
“There where void shines into void,
Deep answers unto Deep,
Unattainable by thought
But all contained in the Lotus of the heart--
There is the Supreme Identity,
The source and end of life.”
In this Litany of Anma-Jnanam is conveyed the unique experience of Self-realisation that He Is in the innermost Empyrean, the lotus of the heart.
“In the unimpeachable faith in the word of the Guru, dissolve all doubts, and live like a spectator in the stage of life”--This was Swami's counsel.
Sang St. Tayumanavar in his ode on Perfect Bliss!
“Let go what doth not come and come what may,
Thy grace hath taught me live spectator-like...
Thy grace hath set me too on wisdom's path.”
“The continual rembrance of His Name, even when engaged in selfless service is the secret of the joy of liberation:”
A man may so do his duties without attachment and fulfil the obligations of earthly ties, “though never so implicated in those relations as to forget for a moment the grace of God.” It is not merely to remember God's grace at all times, but to realize its sustaining power, and such realization would exclude pleasures which vitiate the soul. Swami's counsel is simple and clear indeed:
“Look equally on foe and friend and come by liberation.
Enmity and opposition are removed from the heart of him
who knows himSelf and who adores the gracious Feet.
He is within and hence do not utter one unpleasant word.
Forbearance, endurance, sweet speech, humility, restraint
and equanimity are your greatest possessions. the True
Owner is in all. Give no pain to others, for all are inheritors of His inner Effulgence. Give up egoistic pride and live well and amicably with all. Where the 'I” is not, there is He--He caresseth us all.”
The ascription of human actions to Divine impulses, indeed the identification of man's deeds with God's, finds parallels in Islamic mysticism:
“My servant draws nigh unto Me, and I love him. When
I love him I am his ear so that he hears by Me; and his
eyes so that he sees by Me; and his tongue so that he speaks by Me.”
--Nicholson's Mystics of Islam,--100.
It is laid down by a high Islamic authority:
“Those who inculcate the doctrine of Fana mean the passing
away of regarding one's own actions and works of devotion through the continuance of regarding God as the doer of these actions on behalf of His servant.”
--Luma, 151 (a), Risalat, translated by Dr. Nicholson in J.R.A.S. 1913,--57, 60.
The many acts of submission to His will point the way to a disciplined life of virtuous living.
“Not my will, oh Lord but thine
Prevails everywhere--Thus do I realise.”
V. 49--90.
Swami, like Sri Krishna in the concluding verses of the Bhagavad Gita, bids each one of us by complete absorption in the performance of Sivathondu, to win perfection. by devotion to one's duty in a spirit of serenity, self restraint, austerity, purity, uprightness, discriminative knowledge and faith in God, can one attain perfection--the eternal haven of Supreme Peace.
This is the Anma Jnanam of this great and glorious magnificat--The Psalm of Good Living.
1. The abode of Wisdom (JnanaVeedu) shall be our gain,
If the discipline of charity and austerity, we espouse.
2. Remember the Lord who's like fragrance in the flower,
And thy tongue shall repeat the name of Namasivaya.
3. Serve Him who is Purity and Life of life
And thou shalt realise Siva's grace.
4. The ignorant know not the flowery Feet of God,
Invoke Him aloud, before the call of Death.
5. If you surrender yourself entirely at His Feet,
He will shelter you like the sweet mother.
6. 'Tis folly to speak of great men and small men,
To apprehend the truth of non-duality is hard indeed.
7. The wayward mind pursues sensual pleasures,
'Tis bliss to chasten it by the power of wisdom.
8. Those who know That shall be That.
The ignoble ones gropingly say this or that.
9. Whate'er is, is Siva's Will: So declare the Wise ones.
Live in the light of the Indweller of every heart.
10. The virtuous know the certainty of the unspoken word.
Thus they pursue the path of liberation.
11. Devas and asuras fail to know even by worship,
But those illumined by wisdom will know ME.
12. Divest the mind from bewailing o'er past events
And anchor the heart in the calm awareness of Serenity.
13. Even if heaven and earth shall perish,
The realised Self shall not suffer pain or sorrow.
14. He who is pure with peace in his heart,
He'll not harbour lust, nor rage nor malice.
15. A man of conceit is not free from debasing meaness;
And vain are his accomplishments in arts and sciences.
16. Endurance, forbearance, and sublime serenity,
these shall endow lasting bliss on earth.
17. The stealthy mind spreads its tentacles afar--
do thou gain mastery o'er it, step by step.
18. None can fathom the true perspectives
Of Him who transcends day and night.
19. It is sweet indeed to taste the love of God,
Equally sweet is it to discard ire and desire.
20. They shall not be fettered by delusion,
If they forget not the Feet of the eternal Lord.
21. He who is not moderate in the habits of food,
He will forfeit the claim to bliss supreme.
22. Divinity radiates around him who has realised
That all living beings live in him and he in them.
23. Truth dawns in the mind that is restrained--
A fitting reward of those who are detached.
24. He who knows the secret of self mastery,
To him is assured the sovereignty of the Gods.
25. He who lights the flame of constant remembrance,
Verily such a devotee is very dear to me.
26. Know thou the secret of the incoming and outgoing breath,
Surely will ye gain invincible strength.
27. The gnostics who transcend social distinctions,
His roseate Feet shall they inherit on earth.
28. Those who know not the art of living in harmony,
Though skilled in other arts shall miss the mark.
29. Of what avail is the mastery of the eight fold yoga,
If ye fail to perceive that God is Love?
30. How futile is it to accuse and bemoan at Him
Who is beyond the cycle of mortality?
31. That absolute Being who neither comes or goes,
He has freed me from pangs of birth and death.
32. Can the honied sweetness that wells up in the heart
Be known by the confused fanatics? Oh tell me!
33. Day by day the hours sweep past,
In useless toil with no ultimate gain.
34. In the Letters Five I beheld everything,
Bereft of sorrows, I enjoyed peace, perfect peace.
35. Brahma and Vishnu failed to see by devotion
The glory of Siva who sucked the poison.
36. The Indwelling One, the treasure of contemplation,
Cannot be known by ones who commit heinous wrongs.
37. Meditate for ever on That art Thou
And attain bliss like bees sipping honey.
38. There can be no separation from the Supreme One
Who in diversity is unaffected by differentiation.
39. Let's chant the Lord's Name, Namasivaya
Stainless is He, who eludes the Vedas and Agamas.
40. It's the luminous Eye that illumines the seeing eye
It assumes male, female and neutral states of being.
41. 'Tis sweet to surrender at His Lotus Feet;
He's life's excellence as well as its substratum.
42. In the heart that's filled with ecstatic bliss,
The imortal Self abides in ethereal silence.
43. Before the body sheds its mortal coils, realise
The priceless treasure and be illumined.
44. When you experience the joy of oneness with Siva,
Then will ye know the futility of wordly enjoyments.
45. Ponder and imbibe the truth of supreme sacrifice,
Which moved the Absolute One to become the many.
46. There's none who has experienced It in totality;
Neither can any exult in having attained fullness.
47. No more do they take on births on earth who have
Relished the grace of the Lord of Thillai.
48. Everything you see around of which ye are witness,
Doubt not but know that it's His sport.
49. Fully do I discern that nothing moves to my will:
But that everything pulsates to Thy Will.
50. The ill effects of past deeds have all been consumed,
And I'm free from the genesis of any future ills.
51. No longer is there any urge for acts of charity,
For I've seen and realised the Truth.
52. Oh! I've seen the universal cosmic Being,
And all my aching cares have been cast off.
53. It's all-pervading in the macrocosm and microcosm;
Sorrow will not stain the joy of realised saints.
54. I've crowned my head with His lotus Feet,
For which e'en the Gods do pine. Oh wonder of wonders!
55. Fled far and away are my dubious acts of yore,
And now my refuge be Thy tinkling Feet!
56. Arise at dawn and after ablution repair with devotion
To the temple, and offer thy oblation at His Feet.
57. 'Tis righteous conduct. 'Tis also a sacred rite;
And everlasting will be thy award on this earth.
58. Time will not taint thee nor will actions mar thee.
It's the will of Him who sucked the poison in grace.
59. Know the gross, the subtle and the causal states.
Then'll meek Sakti bestow Her beauteous grace.
60. Learned savants with keen intellects do not know.
Even Brahma, Vishnu and other gods do not know.
61. Transcending birth and death art Thou oh Self!
Meditate on this daily without ever forgetting.
62. This is excelsis; This is wealth most rare;
This is virtue. This is grace.
63. This is love This is Truth;
This is greatness. This is power supernal.
64. Ponder ponder, and meditate on the grace of Siva,
And cherish dearly this incantation sweet.
65. This utterance of Yoganathan shall free thee from
Delusion's snares and lead to the pleroma of Peace.
Natchintanai--86-91.
In this psalm, the guiding principles and practices for a Good Life of purity, desirelessness, love and harmony are denoted step by step, leading to the supreme End of Self-Realisation, in other words the citadel of illumined Wisdom.
In sweet simplicity, the Gurunathan unfolds the aura of Good Living, the counsel and the command.
Herein is brought to the fore, virtuosity and spontaneity in action, rather than obedience to rules externally imposed. The sun shines only because of its nature and not for any other end. Such a virtuosity and spontaneity can only be realised to the extent that man abandons desires and let the divine nature work in him. Swami's oft repeated maxim, 'Let go the rope,' must be understood in the light of this Psalm. Eckhart too refers to this attitude in 1.308. “Let go thyself and let God work in Thee,” and this is the principle of Wu Wei, Chung Tzu's, “Do nothing and all things shall be done.”
This is also the doctrine of the Bhagavad Gita in respect to works. It is the resignation of the will, resulting in a grace which robs the ego of self-willing and self-thinking and substitutes His Will, who is without potentiality. It is the prerogative of the Guru's Grace that impels man to bide by the Will of Siva in willing submission, through internal renunciation of the ego in all its emotional responses and operational acts, and to invoke the pleroma of Siva's Name at all times. This in essence is the wondrous truth communicated by Swami in this Beatific calculus.
In Chidambara Rahasya canzones, St. Tayumanavar sings in a similar octave of experience, and Swami's Jnana-Veedu is described as the temple of Grace in whose sanctum sanctorum is enshrined the Periya Param Pathi--the Supreme Immaculate Lord who dissolves the darksome ignorance, and commingles in everything as its innermost core.
--149.
“Freed from the bondage of the relative,
Do thou realise luminous Felicity
From everlasting to everlasting.”
Swami's Psalm is fraught with the power of the Word of the Guru, who signifies in the last two forceful couplets, that it is a mantra of great potency and hence to be meditated upon intensely.
This utterance of Guru Yoganathan taps the centres of energy within the inner chambers of man (Mantra Sakti), and constitutes a means of reunion with the source of Pure Being; footprints to be followed on a home-ward course to transcendental consciousness.
Taittiriya Upanishad declares in Brahmananda-Valli--Bliss of Brahman:--
“Aum, brahma-vid âpnoti param, tad esâbhyuktâ, satyam
jnânam anantam brahma, yo veda nihitam guhâyâm
parame vyoman so' s'nute sarvân kâmân saha brahmanâ”
vipaßcitâ, iti.”
“He who realises Brahman attains the Supreme. Brahman
is Existence, Intelligence and Infinitude. He who realises
Him treasured in the cave of the heart and in the highest
heaven, fulfils all wants along with Brahman the omni-
scient.”
11.2.
The significance of Anma-Jnanam is brought out in this slokam. Swami would make us read the Sikshavalli, Brahmanandavalli and Bhrguvalli of the Taittiriya Upanishad in Sanskrit, English and Tamil daily for over two years from 1959, the date of the publication of Natchintanai. Reflection on Natchintanai and Taittiriya lead us to perceive the close identity in thought and integral experience between these two great works on God-Realisation. Pathi-Jnanam and Anma Jnanam, Brahma vidya and Atma vidya came to be integrated in Natchintanai, with the central pivot on the great Mahavaakiam of Tat Tvam Asi of the ancient seers transfused into Swami's Muluthum Unmai. It is the symphony embodied in Sivam art Unmai, and Brahman art Satyam. “Satyam or Unmai” is used to denote True Being. Thus the True Being is Truth, Satyasya Satyam.
The reality we experience through the senses and the mind assumes the form of variety; but great seers declare that there is unity in the midst of multiplicity; and this Supreme One is called Brahman in the Upanishads and Sivam by Swami.
This is the ultimate Reality which appears as the empirical pheno-
mena and self of man, and in Itself transends all phenomena. This background is not subjected to the loom of time or space. It is the substratum of all consciousness, of the external universe as well as the individual self veiled by the forces of Karma, the outcome of good and evil deeds, deluding ignorance and the gloom of Anavam. Against the background of Sivo-Sarvam, the universal and the individual self merge in oneness. He who has realised this Truth is an Atma-jnani or Jivan Muktar.
In the Natchintanai, Swami reveals the path of liberation from the pangs of duality, from the limitations of repeated births and deaths, from the afflictions of change and decay, and from the ephemeral activities generated by ignorance and desire, to the bliss of realisation of Siva. He who has realised Siva attains supreme perfection. Knowledge of the Self leads to the goal of the attainment of Sivam.
“You and I, He and It,
Fire and water, air and ether,
Corporeal and ethereal beings and all
In dissolution become one with Him.”
--Natchintanai. 216.
Siva is the Supreme One, beyond duality, beyond manifestation, and yet its knowledge through identity is the attainment of perfection--
Therefore the call is for liberation, liberation from the triple bonds of darkness, from the fiends of ignorance and desire. The realisation of Siva is a profound experience.
In many a gem in Natchintanai as in the lofty Devarams and Tiruvacagam, Tirumantram, and songs of Tayumanavar Swami, and Ramalinga Adigal, Swami reveals that man's consciousness gets purified by the grace of the Guru.
Thus the anma transcends the subject-object relationships in the domain of time and space, and attains the realm of everlasting bliss--
The attainment of Siva is the realisation of the Divine Unity and leads to the possession of eternal Blessedness.
The essence of Sivam cannot be known. It is the very core of the knowing subject, and so cannot be made an object of knowledge. The constitutive essence of Sivam is Existence, Consciousness and infinitude of Bliss.
Existence is the substratum of all entities, and hence never apart from consciousness. It is a conscious being that gives value to existence and the very perception of phenomena is the proof of Sivam. The existence or reality connoted by the things perceived as real by all is the Reality of Sivam. The experience of Reality is made possible by the consciousness underlying all things. Existence and Consciousness--Sat and Chit--constitute the Essence of Reality.
However Consciousness is non-material, and what is made conscious matter, which is cognised in space-time relation is material, and whatever is material is thus limited. Hence unlimited consciousness is infinitude. This is the full import of the maxim Muluthum Unmai--Reality denoting true being is Satyasya Satyam. This Reality which is indicated as Sivam is realised in the cave of the heart, the seat of intellect where Siva is intuited as the immediate Self, the Witness of all the actions of the capricious mind.
In the most revealing poem in Natchintanai, Swami lays bare the secret of the Realisation of Siva. “Worship the Power that is hidden within you, that which is the axis of your Life.”-268.
“Open wide thy eyes, my dear Thangam
That deepen your insight into Truth Supreme.
Give up ephemeral objects and contact the Real,
Be a witness and attain felicity.”
--Natchintanai. 269.
Swami is the fount of felicity. Fragmentary delights flee at his touch. Malignant forces lose their spell. 'Oru Pollappumillai'; and to one who has realised his true Being in Truth--Muluthum Unmai--there is nothing lacking. All his wants are fulfilled--282. It is a simultaneous experience of the infinite Bliss in an eternal Now. This is the beatitude that Swami holds out as the Summum Bonum of life.
Whoever knows Him in His proximate, immanent (apara) aspect knows Him also in His ultimate transcendent (para) aspect. The Self in our heart is also the light of light in the sun, whom all see but a few only know with the mind. He is the universal Self--Atman from the root an--to breathe, and is primarily the spiritus--the luminous first Principle of Pure Consciousness, being the ultimate essence in all things. Over against our real Self, there is the self of which we speak of as I, you or he. There is an external self and and an internal self in us; the first is born of woman and the second of the divine womb, the sacrificial fire. It is the import of Guru Dikshai or initiation by a guru according to the Hindu Tradition, and “ye must be born again,' in the words of Christ.
The fundamental question put by Chellappa Swami to Siva Yoga Swami his disciple was, 'Who art thou' The question implied: by which self was immortality attainable? The answer of Swami demonstrated by his life being only by that Self that is immortal.
Thus Sivam is the background of all that we conceive and perceive, and is Pure Consciousness, Existence and Infinitude. From this Principle emanates space embodying the subtle rudiment of matter known as ether along with time. The quality of sound is associated with spatial ether - and then is evolved air and fire and water and finally earth, the last constituent of the universe. When we say that the body of man constituted of the five elements is the Temple where Anma abides, it implies that It is its substratum. Swami elucidates it in a lucid poem called 'Behold The Temple of Thyself'.
“The experience of realisation is nothing mysterious”, said Swami. It is the intense awareness that we live, move and have our being in the Will of the Lord. The sensuous experiences come to an end only through the reality of one's own self in a state of purity, love and chastened continence. The human body is the beautiful temple of Siva, more magnificent than any other temple built by man. It is through discerning contemplation that the Lord dwelling within the heart can be known, loved and realised.
This subtle Essence is to be worshipped by the petals of true knowledge--Mey Jnanam. Such worship implies pure contemplation. In the inmost core of the heart, the Lord abides. The mind reflects even though dimly the radiance of the heart, and the human body is the projection of the mind for the Indweller to reside. Thus the truth of the body as the sanctuary of the Lord has been sung by many a Hindu Saint.
The Self of self, the Soul of soul has to be realised by the purification of the mind which is effected by the cultivation of noble virtues, remembrance of the Divine Name kept aglow through association with virtuous and wise men, and above all through the ineffable grace of the SatGuru. This in short is the theme of Swami's song--“Kaayame Koil, Kadimanam adimai.”
Ever vigilant in the welfare of the devotees, our Guru shows them the efficacy of the proper Sadhana that will take them to the city of Sivanagar, which is the luminous void of the heart. “The body is thy temple” is a song that was written by Swami, and handed to my father in the Tea-Kiosk in the early Twenties. It is a lyric of Love, whose life-giving water can quench the thirst of the soul for a drink divine. My father meditated on it morn and night and imbibed great strength, and it was passed on to us as the Guru's Kripavachanam. Whenever we sang this song in the Guru's Ashram in latter years, we saw his benign countenance light up the temple of our hearts:
“Mano Vak Kaaya Karmaanime Sudhyantaam Jyothi Aham,
Virajaa Vipaapma Bhujahsam Svaha.”
In purity and continence, in meditation and worship, can one gain the insight of the nearness of God abiding deep within each one, as well as pervading the whole universe. Thus did St. Appar link his thoughts to Him, in a Devaram where he hails the body as the temple of God, and offers the worship of love:
“This body is the temple and the wayward mind a bondsman,
Truth is the incantation and the heart chimes the peals,
Vibrating in praise of the symbolic form in formless Lingam;
Immersed in milk and ghee and the waters of devotion,
Thus do we offer our soulful worship to the Lord within.”
St. Appar IV. 76.4.
Swami again and again reiterates that by chanting Siva's Name, we can invoke Him who is seated in the lotus of the heart. He is sure to heed our call and guide us even as He, dwelling in the high, guides the planets and the stars. That the Indweler inspires all our righteous desires, and guides the anma to its plenum of realisation is the quintessence of this song.
The body is a temple,
The mind is a votary,
And love is worship.
Know this and walk intently.
Thou lacketh nothing. So the Vedas declare.
The Lord, inseparable e'en for a second,
The crafty ones cannot see.
Thy inmost core, His sanctum,
And the life force is the Lamp.
Ponder till the truth dawns within.
The distinction of friend and foe
Eschew and repeat Siva-Siva,
And be immersed in joy.
So excellent is this goal
That it's worth your constant pursuit.
Strive steadily and know thyself
And shed the dual consciousness by His Grace.
This life being evanescent,
Seek to serve thy fellow brethren.
This indeed is virtuous conduct.
By service meek will evil recede,
By service will super powers flow in,
Sickness shall flee and fearless you become.
Such beatific bliss inexpressible
In felicity sweet be thine.
To see the soul in all as Sivam
And do good is to seek His Feet.
Sorrow shall not touch them,
And joy everlasting be their reward.
Truly shall they attain the Lord of Thillai.
In steadfast faith do thou consecrate
Thy body, spirit and all thou art,
And in that instant shall thou be blessed
With the radiant feet of Nataraj.
This indeed is Truth.
Sweep not unresisting,
Ne'er madly insisting
Sing not, serve not,
Seek not, dream not.
The Feet of the Cosmic Dancer adorns thy crown.
Treasure rectitude dearer than life.
This sacred utterance do the wise affirm,
And the deeper you press it to your heart,
The more will you be infused with His joy.
Live nobly adoring His fragrant Feet.
--Natchintanai. 298-299.
In this poem, we hear the inner voice of the Guru: 'Arise from the stupor of illusion; Arise, Awake and See God: Do not search for Him.' In the Chandogya Upanishad is a dialogue between the Guru and the disciple which brings out the truth of this Natchintanai song, that the body is the temple of the Lord:
“Within the city of Brahman which is the body, there is the
heart, and within the heart, there is a little house. This
house has the shape of a lotus and within it dwells that
which is to be sought after, inquired about, and realised.”
“What is in the macrocosm is in this microcosm. All things
that exist, all beings and all desires are in the city of Brahman. When the body dissolves in death, the lotus of
the heart where Brahman exists in all his glory, that and
not the body, is the true city of Brahman. Brahman
dwelling within is untouched by any deed and is deathless.
His desires are right desires and are fulfilled. Those who have realised the Self and its right desires find permanent
happiness everywhere.”
Chandogya Upanishad--VIII. 1.1.
Upakosala and Svetaketu came to realise the truth of the Self from their revered teachers:
“Lo, to him who knows It shall no evil cling, even as drops
of water cling not to the leaf of the Lotus.
All beings have their self in HIm alone. He is the Truth.
He is the subtle essence of all. He is the Self. And that,
Svetaketu, That art Thou.
That which is the subtle essence--in that have all beings
their existence. That is the Truth. And that, Svetaketu,
That art Thou.”
In 'The Body, Thy Temple,' Swami enjoins us to dive deep within, even to the lotus of the heart, where dwells the Lord. Though all beings live every moment in the city of Siva, yet they never find Him, because of the veil of impurity. Knowing that the Self resides within the lotus of the heart, and devoted to the Self, the sage enters daily that holy sanctuary. He is freed from identity with the body and lives in blissful consciousness.
The Self is immortal and fearless. The Self is Siva and He is THAT--the Eternal Truth. All evil shuns That. For That is free from impurity, and this world of Siva is reached by those who practise continence. The knower of eternal truth knows it through continence; and what is known as worship, that also is continence, for a man worships the Lord by continence and thus attains Him.
“If the mind becomes spotless and pure,
you can realise the Lord within the body.”
Auvaiyar-Jnana Kural. 11.4.
Symbology only interprets the Truth. In this void of the heart there is everything that we see outside. The Kingdom of Sivoham is there--immutable and eternal. One who realises this Truth is an Atma Jnani. Seek inward. Do not cherish any desire or attachment. Then thou shall see God within, in purity. 'Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.'. This is the virtue of a true Yogi or Jnani.
Swami quoted Christ's Sermon form the New Testament,
“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God within you and all other
treasures shall be added unto you,”
and added that all things that man desires are in his possession and well stored in his heart. Why search for it in vain in the outer world? Once a man experiences His Presence within his self, then all other things take their places in the right perspective in his life.
“The object of this body formed of food is to enable you to
realise the Primeval Being within.
Auvaiyar-Jnana Kural. 11.10.
What is falsehood? It is desire and attachment. These distract us and make us seek outside of us. The beatitude of bliss usually springs from within and not from outside. Jnanis do not seek God from outside. You cannot establish the Truth of God by logical proofs and didactic means, or by the senses or inner faculties.
Swami testified that we can hear God's voice, if we tune our ears to hear Him. What makes us not to hear God's voice is because our senses are all directed on outward objects and not turned within. Seek Him within. The first requirement is Purity. By and by, one learns to get rid of desire and non-desire by absolute surrender and the practice of continence. By rectitude and self-restraint, man is freed from ignorance and suffering. Thenceforth, he realises the bounty of divine Grace, and lives in quiet contemplation. It is then that he learns to behold everything with the eyes of unifying love. In order to pursue this great objective in life, Swami bids everyone to practice Dhyanam--meditation in silence.
Swami narrated the story of the musk deer who searched for the source of the fragrance of musk in hill and dale; and tired out, the deer laid down only to find that the fragrance of musk emanated from its own navel. Then it became still and did not rush here or there. In the same manner do we perform so much of spiritual practice to realise God. We fast, we mortify the body, sing and pray and worship. Yet it is not in all these aids that one can attain the goal of God-realisation. Do Siva Dhyanam.
How does God reveal Himself to an earnest seeker? By His Grace alone can we see God and live in His Light. Therefore the Guru bids everyone to surrender oneself to Him alone. “Offer yourself wholly at His Feet.”
This is the true meaning of Thy will be done.
The various religious pathways, Sadhanas, are useful only up to a point in so far as they help man to get rid of all impurities. It is by His Grace alone that one can have the vision of the inner Effulgence--Atma Jyothi, whence divine love surges from within. Rising above physical consciousness, one rejoices and is free.
The illumined anma shall see Him in every being and know that He who is within each one is also moving as the matrix in everything, as Light and Wisdom too. Therefore why wander far to temples and bathing ghats? Man shall attain what he seeks and yearns for, here and now, if only he remains in perfect quietude with a pure and chastened heaart.
The third Revelation of St. Julian throws light on Swami's realisation of beatific bliss:--
“There is no doer but He
In the eternal Now, all-thing is perfected--
All manner of things shall be well.
For He willeth that the least thing shall not be forgotten.”
St. Augustine in Enduridon also dwells on this truth:
“All things that exist are supremely good.”
We quote below the Upadesh from St. Tirumular's Book of Wisdom:
“There was a time when I despised my body;
But then I saw within the indwelling God.
Since the Lord has made my body His temple,
I have now learned to view it with esteem.
When the body fails and life is extinct,
The anma surrenders the chance of growth.
Cherishing the body and preserving life,
I foster the everlasting glory of the anma.
“The offering made to the moving temples,
That will reach the Lord of all temples.”
--Tirumantram.
Thus even the greatest of empires pale into insignificance before the lotus of the heart, that is the throne of Grace on which is seated the Supreme King of Love.
“The only object of acquisition of a body is to realise herein The Supreme Purushothama.”
Auvaiyar--Jnana Kural 11.1.
It is always springtime when the Guru is encountered. God's Grace lies hidden in the lotus Feet of the Guru. “He is my Guru who has illumined my sight to see the Lord's immanence everywhere--Sarvam Brahma mayam.”
This song of Swami is a propitiatory Peace Chant, intended to remove the barriers on the pathway to Self-realisation. It is a paean on peace, perfect peace--Santam Upasantam, set to the rippling raga of Kamaas. Its melody conveys the jubilation of a soul that sees Brahmam everywhere in the universe.
“Oh, the harmony of Peace, poise, equanimity and serene love, that throbs deep within the bosom of the Lover, who discerns the whole universe as moving to the mighty music of the cosmic Dancer! Who will join in his concord of rapturous jubilation? List to the rhythmic measure! “Thaam Thimi Thimi Tharikida kida Sem.........In the midst of this animation, why suffer? Chant the name of Siva-Siva. See Him and serve Him nobly. Our best protection and armour in this life is to realise “That we are That”--“Naam athuvene arivathu kavasam.” “The glory of life is to serve Him who permeates everything.”
“Thothintha Thatha thathari kida
Enintha paadu Enkum Siva, Siva.”
--Natchintanai. 6.
From this pinnacle of the cosmic vision of “Sarvam Sivamayam,” Swami turns his gaze to the Indweller within, the Thief, and whispers to us not to forget the inseparable presence of the Lord in the consciousness of every being.
“What an awakening is it to be perfumed with the fragrance of Siva within Us!”. The Guru beckons us to hit the goal. “The immortal anma is in eternal union with Siva. In this integral non-separateness, one becomes immersed in love. The blossoming of this invincible love of Siva in the heart of man is the most sublime manifestation of the Infinite Siva in His immanence.”
Such is the insight of the enlightened Seers, that they outpour their surging love on the suffering humanity, that 'other,' in selfless service. Our most excellent Guru hath expounded on the true nature of Inpam or Bliss, which does not undergo any change or decay, and which has no truck with fleeting diversity. 'Behold one another as thySelf and love one, love all,' is the touchstone of Swami's song on Inpam. Love generates love and quells all fear. In spontaneous surrender, there is so much of sweet content, and we hear the Guru's voice echo, “Fear not, I am in thee,” “Exalted in love, more precious than that of a mother's tender love, the soul rests in quiescence in speechless felicity.”
Swami was an oracle of bliss. Full of benignity to all who sought his solace, always buoyant with fullness, steeped in inner silence so vital, he communicated the incommunicable bliss of the union of Siva and Jiva:
Swami abhors weakness in whatever form, and exhorts the young to face the challenges of life victoriously with the armour of courage and fortitude. Fear and cowardice, poverty and meanness, malignity and wrath, injustice and desire must be vanquished, if fearlessness is to thrive. To the man of undaunted bravery, the whole world appears invincible. It requires limitless courage to apprehend the Real by the wisdom of the self. The Guru's transcendental consciousness had no commerce with the enfeebled, dividing forces of the Tattvas. That heroic valour and brilliant display of strength at all levels of consciousness prove invaluable in the path of self-realisation, was demonstrated to us by the life of Our Gurunathan.
In the rare moments of ecstasy, we felt in his Presence, as if the ancient seers of the Upanishad Era had stepped into his hermitage to hold intimate communion with Swami. He was a shining testimony of a Yogiswara, a knower of the Self--who had transcended the sway of the categories--Tattvas, as declared by the revealed scriptures-- and testified by all knowers of Truth.
Again and again, in his inspiring utterances in Natchintanai, Swami makes one realise that each one is not separate from That, and the first step is to know one's own self:
Know thySelf and --
become ThySelf --
“Changing and evanescent are the deluding panorama of life” “and therefore safeguard yourself from being involved by the empirical avenues of enjoyment”
In these songs of 'Upa Santam, Viiram, and Inpam,' Swami formulates lucid thought-forms or mantras for meditation--Sarvam Brahmamayam, Om Sivayanama, Love art Thou-Wisdom thy orb, and Thy will-not mine, oh Lord--by which the consciousness can gain clear insight. He alone Is.
As we chant these mellifluous lyrics, our minds and hearts are lifted high above daily trifles, and released into the vast sphere of cosmic contemplation. In these Natchintanai Selections, Swami's deepest intuitions and experiences are crystallised and communicated as a Way of Life. They point the Way to liberation. They also invigorate the soul with inteligence, joy and sanctity.
The whole universe is a manifestation of that universal, formless, causeless Being, as celebrated in the Purusha Suktam by the Vedic Seers. The sun, moon and all quarters, all knowledge and the anma of all existing beings are parts and manifestations of that single All-Immanent Being. All life and all qualities, functions and activities--Swami lists thirty of these in his Ode to Bliss--and forms of that Divine Energy. To perceive and realise this absolute foundation of all existence, the mind must be so tuned and concentrated as an archer concentrates on his target.
“With unruffled calm, contemplate on Him and realise
His deathless Form of absolute Joy.”
Swami's invocation of Sarvam Brahmamayam unites time and eternity, and the Guru with the devotee in refulgent glory. We recall the Peace chant of the Upanishads which our Guru would make us chant night and day:
OM! Saha Naavavathu
Saha nau bhunaktu.
Saha viiryam Karavaavahai;
Tejasvi naava dhitamastu;
Ma vidhvisha vahai.
Om Santi, Santi, Santi!
OM! May He overshadow us both!
May we together experience the Truth;
May we create a channel of divine energy;
May we be endowed with the lustre of the spirit and
true understanding.
May there be no discordance between us.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
--Taittiriya Upanishadd 11.1.
How shall one serve the Lord who is both Immanent and Transcendent! Wherein lies happiness that is the obverse of sorrow? Our Guru taught us to free ourselves from the snare of duality with self-knowledge, self-restraint and self-purity, and embrace the cleaveless Truth. The celebration of self-illumination in these songs helps the untutored and the young aspirants to follow in the trackless footpoints of the matchless Teacher.
“Before the kingly Guru who uttered the
truth that self is naught,
My fugitive I-ness vanished.”
--Natchintanai. 12.
“To those who do not fall at the feet of the Guru and do not
unite with him, Siva will not be perceived.”
“If the SatGuru shows the true way,
Inseparable will be Siva.
--Auvai Kural III. Guru Vazhi.
Arise early and praise his lustrous Feet.
Worship Him and don the holy ash.
Chant the Letters Five ceaselessly.
Weep and yearn for his Grace.
Honour thy father and mother.
Cherish all beings as you cherish yourself.
Be as expansive as the sky.
Foster the good virtues with zeal;
And do thy duty, do it well.
Let the body act in unison with the mind;
Know thyself and become ThySelf.
A balanced life do thou espouse,
Not perturbed by the tide of ebb and flow.
Sing in praise and chant His Name
For ever with translucent clarity.
Seek not fleeting joys and gains.
Be a mother in abundance of Love, and repose
In the quiescence of speechless felicity.
Thus live for e'er in blissful serenity.
--Natchintanai. 8.
The pilgrim is on the march. The world of animation with its transient panorama ceases to trouble him any more. He extols the beauty of the wordless silence as the priceless gift endowed to him by his Guru.
In Kandar Anubhuti Verse 12.
St. Arunagiri Nathar too conveys the incommunicable bliss of perpetual awareness in the dynamism of pure Being-Summa Iru--as a result of the awakening experience by the God-Guru, Murugan.
“The theif who stole the deer's offspring,
Lord Murugan, unborn and immortal--
'Be still, in speechless silence,' said He
And e'en then, the great secret I knew not.”
Swami invokes the blessings of the elemental forces to shower their benign awards on earth.
“Will not the rains descend and enrich our parched land?
Why not live a joyous life and let live? The Lord of Nallur
came as my Guru and enslaved me. Inexpressible is the
felicity of His beatitude.”
“If you taste the nectar of Natchintanai, is there further
need in this world to master any other branches of learning”?
“How shall I dwell on the unique experience of the impact
of my Guru on my humdrum existence? He set in motion a
series of vibrations of ecstatic bliss.”
--Natchintanai. 167.
“The devoted Siva-Yogan claims nothing to himself. He was a man of penury. Yet he became intoxicated with unquenchable love as he knew no fear; No attachments gripped him. He was liberated from the pangs of dual consciousness by the invincible Guru, who came of his own accord and made him His own--”
Swami delineates the Siva Yogi's spiritual experience in words quivering with feeling:
“He does not know the skill of singing, nor does he know
any of the fine arts. He only knows the art of alms-taking,
and thus did he free himself from the pangs of birth.”
“Thus uplifted in the transcendental experience of Oneness, with fearlessness as his badge, and bereft of all divisive barriers of subject and predicate, Sivayogan was beside himself, weeping, falling, trembling, embracing and muttering, in the sublime contemplation of the Self within as the Supreme Self--
“Meditate on the Self and realise the Self.”
--Natchintanai. 167.
Essence of wisdom and love art Anma.
Vain art deluding charms of weal and woe!
How can these defile your nature?
Can a mirage dissolve the solid ground?
The gracious Feet of the illumined Guru,
Praise with yearning love to thy utmost.
Recall not the chain of past events.
Invoke His grace with ardent zeal.
Like the surge of water from a sluice,
In continual fervour poised in Oneness,
Enjoy in samadhi the nectar of sweet felicity,
Freed from the tension of ends and means.
Thus do thou realise the goal of Mukti (attainment).
--Natchintanai. 10.