Our Gurunathan

1

My Satguru made me know myself, our Gurunathan

On my head both feet he placed, our Gurunathan

Guru, father, mother—he is all three, our Gurunathan

Over all worlds he made me rule,  our Gurunathan

Karmas past he removed all,  our Gurunathan

Trimurthi can’t comprehend, said our Gurunathan

He is blind to good and evil, our Gurunathan

Guru is me—we are the same, said our Gurunathan

2

You are not these flesh and bones, said our Gurunathan

Lighting my heart, he ever dwells there, our Gurunathan

Maya delusion despise, said our Gurunathan

Mukti will come from that seed, said our Gurunathan

He made me still—now I am his, our Gurunathan

Earth to ether, he is all form, our Gurunathan

He roused a thirst within me, our Gurunathan

Siva Truth he made me to know, our Gurunathan

3

Pranayama you must master, said our Gurunathan

Then you will find the state of grace, said our Gurunathan

To Benares you must go, said our Gurunathan

Day and night don’t exist, said our Gurunathan

On nose-end concentrate, said our Gurunathan

There you will see the dance of Siva, said our Gurunathan

And the flawless sound you will hear, said our Gurunathan

All else you must give up, said our Gurunathan

4

Channels left and right must be closed, said our Gurunathan

Then all knowledge will be known, said our Gurunathan

Go beyond the path of birth, said our Gurunathan

Then the mind will be in control, said our Gurunathan

Nobody knows the secret path, said our Gurunathan

Of Omkara guru tells us, said our Gurunathan

From impurity be free, said our Gurunathan

You are me he has declared, our Gurunathan

5

Time, form, space—he made me see,  our Gurunathan

Without mind nothing would be, said our Gurunathan

Carefully cherish and preserve, said our Gurunathan

All is you and you are all, said our Gurunathan

You must wear rudraksha beads, said our Gurunathan

And repeat holy Panchakshara, said our Gurunathan

Soften your heart and let it melt, said our Gurunathan

You exist eternally, said our Gurunathan

6

Without searching you must search, said our Gurunathan

Jiva is Siva he declared, our Gurunathan

Inquire without inquiring, said our Gurunathan

Right path will appear, said our Gurunathan

Without singing you must sing, said our Gurunathan

Join the band of devotees, said our Gurunathan

Tirelessly you must worship, said our Gurunathan

In the world remain and live, said our Gurunathan

7

His one sweet word made me know, our Gurunathan

All-pervading consciousness, our Gurunathan

All of space became his form, our Gurunathan

Everything, everyone you are, said our Gurunathan

Without seeds, he will grow plants, our Gurunathan

Even the Gods can never know him, our Gurunathan

Far beyond the tattvas he, our Gurunathan

Every kind of wealth he gave me, our Gurunathan

8

No beginning and no end, said our Gurunathan

You are That, said our Gurunathan

It is all effulgent light, said our Gurunathan

Stand devoid of attributes, said our Gurunathan

He has neither caste nor creed,  our Gurunathan

As himself he ever shines bright, our Gurunathan

Unknown to any school of thought, our Gurunathan

He granted bliss beyond all words, our Gurunathan

9

In rubbish where three roads meet, said our Gurunathan

You must curl up and lie down, said our Gurunathan

Fear and anger—he has none, our Gurunathan

He has removed all anava, our Gurunathan

Mount the fresh and lively horse, said our Gurunathan

You must ride majestically, said our Gurunathan

In the house no builder made, said our Gurunathan

Keep in check the restive steed, said our Gurunathan

10

We are what we are, said our Gurunathan

We are lacking nothing, said our Gurunathan

Karmas past will depart, said our Gurunathan

No coming and no going, said our Gurunathan

He affirmed that he is himself, our Gurunathan

No resolves or plans declared, our Gurunathan

Om said he and set his seal,  our Gurunathan

Know the silent syllable, said our Gurunathan

—

Notes: The word for “seed” also means “way”

The two channels, ida and pingala, which need to be closed to allow the breath to flow along the sushumna.The words for “fresh and lively horse” also mean “restless breath.” “The house no builder made” refers to the body. These lines urge the student to gain control over the restless breath until you can ‘ride it with ease’ control it and cause the mind to be stilled. “No coming and no going”  infers ending the cycle of birth and death.

Great Sayings of the Sage, Chellapaswami

1

How can I ever forget his holy feet;

The one who said – “There is not even one wrong thing”?

Will my heart delight in any other form but his?

Will it be troubled any longer while treading the path of birth?

2

Will sorrow affect those who understand the hidden meaning of

That noble saying – “We do not know”?

Who can explain the grace conveyed in his uplifting words,

Which are like a treasure mine which lasts a lifetime?

3

“Who knows?” – he’ll proclaim with a smile,

Loudly and boldly, over and over. 

If you approach to worship him with a soft and melting heart,

He’ll laugh at you like one devoid of feeling.

4

“It’s been perfect since the beginning,” he will declare, 

“It was all finished long ago.”

He will say such profound and incomparable things,

To make things clear, so we can understand,

To transform our minds like salt dissolves in water.

5

“All is Truth,” he would say.

How can I demonstrate the immensity of

Meaning contained within these words?

Oh you devotees, worship the Lord and let your hearts melt in devotion. 

Heed my words! What else can I say?

I Saw my Guru at Nallur

1

I saw my guru at Nallur temple, where great ascetics dwell. 

Many uncouth words he uttered, but I stood unaffected. 

“Hey! Who are you?” he challenged me.

On that very day I won his grace.

2

I entered within the splendor of his grace.

There I saw all-surrounding darkness and I could not understand.

 “There is not even one wrong thing”,  he said.

I heard him and stood bewildered, not comprehending the inner meaning.

3

As I stood there in confusion, he looked at me with kindness,

And the maya, that was tormenting me, left me and disappeared.

In the precincts of Muruga’s temple, he pointed above my head and spoke.

I lost all body consciousness and stood there in amazement.

4

While I remained in wonderment, he courteously expounded 

The essence of Vedanta, so that my fear might disappear.

“It is as it is. Who knows? Grasp well the meaning of these words”, he said, 

And then looked me keenly in the face – that peerless one,

who has done such great tapas!

5

In this world all my relations vanished;

My brothers and my parents disappeared,

And by the grace of my guru, who has no one to compare with him,

I remained with no one to compare with me.

—

Note: ‘Tapas’ (Sanskrit from the root Tap – to burn) is  penance, concentrated spiritual endeavor, austere meditation and yoga practice

The Radiant Feet of Muruga

1

Ponder, meditate, and worship all the days of your life, all you who dwell in this pleasant island of Lanka. 

Bow to the sacred feet of Murugan and be free from the dangers and impurities in this world.

2

Pay homage wholeheartedly to His lotus feet, and be free from sorrow. 

Seek the healing grace which will transform your lives, all you who live in the golden isle of Lanka.

3

The body decays with time; pleasures are evanescent. Why waste your precious hours? 

Worship the feet of this six-faced God with steadfast love and realize your true essence.

4

Cling to the radiant feet of Muruga, the source of wisdom which surpasses the wisest and which is beyond human perception, and gain the reward of victorious living, Oh children of Lanka.

5

Renounce all unworthy desires and persist in praising the holy feet of Muruga, and then ceaseless showers of grace shall rain upon you. Of this you can be certain, Oh friends of Lanka.

All is Pervaded by Brahman, Satchitananda Flows Through All

1

Let everyone, with devotion,

Proclaim this until their dying day.

Peace, perfect peace –

Satchitananda flows through all.

2

Wherever you are placed, Siva, Siva,

There will abide the abounding fragrance of Siva.

Peace, perfect peace –

Satchitananda flows through all.

3

Tam timi timi tari kida kida sem –

The knowledge that we are That is our armor .

Peace, perfect peace –

Satchitananda flows through all.

4

Tottinta taa ta ta tari kida  –

Why all this toil and trouble? Everywhere is Siva, Siva!

Peace, perfect peace –

Satchitananda flows through all.

5

When both macrocosm and microcosm are seen as That

To render service is the proper thing.

Peace, perfect peace –

Satchitananda flows through all.

—

Note: Tam timi timi etc.- these are sounds commonly used to give timing and rhythm in dancing. 

We are the Servants of Siva

1

In the macrocosm and in the microcosm 

It is the Lord we see.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

2

We will never suffer from the onslaught of disease; 

Never will we come again to a mother’s womb.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

3

All the karma of the past has flown away and gone;

The whole world has become our family.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

4

Getting and giving through countless generations, 

We live forever, ever the servants of the Lord.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

5

Vedanta and Siddhanta we do not see as different; 

We are yearning for the path to liberation.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

6

“Siva, Siva,” we’re always repeating. 

“Soul is Siva” We affirm this in our hearts.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

7

All things we see from where we are; 

Living properly and contentedly in this world.

We are the servants of Siva.

Sivathondu is our way.

—

Note:

Sivathondu is service to Siva

All is the Action of the Lord

Who orders the sun to rise?

Who makes the pure moon crawl across the sky?

Who tells the stars to gleam?

Who makes the sunshine burn ?

Who prompts the eyes to see?

Who starts the blowing of the wind?

Who bids the springs to flow?

Who inspires the wise to praise?

Who causes the Earth to spin?

Who makes the flowers bloom?

Who urges the legs to walk?

Who impels the arms to gather?

Look well and ponder this question deeply.

When you realize that all is the action of the Lord,

You will win your freedom!

You will truly know.

This is Swami’s word.

The Body is a Wondrous Temple

The body is a wondrous temple.

It is a temple where the Lord, 

who has an eye upon His forehead,

and Uma His fair spouse, abide.

Don’t think that this isn’t really true.

O wonder of wonders!

The mind is powerless to describe the greatness of this truth;

But, by the flawless guru’s grace, I am going to tell you.

Listen, and your ignorance will depart!

This glorious temple contains within itself

Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and all the celestial host,

together with all the demons,

And earth and water, fire and air and akasha.

The sun and moon are there.

Brahmins, sudras and all the castes are there;

As well as all illustrious doctrines and dogmas.

The Body is a Temple

1

The body is a temple, the controlled mind is the devotee.

Love is the puja. Meditate on that!

Through this method you’ll find that nothing is lacking.

That is what the Vedas all declare.

2

Those of impure mind can never see the Lord,

who is not separated from you by even the width of a hair.

The mind is a temple; the soul is its lamp.

Meditate, meditate! Then truth will dawn for you.

3

“He is my friend. He is my enemy” – renounce this kind of talk.

If you affirm “All is Siva, Siva”’  instead,

abounding happiness will swallow you.

This is the practice that should be done.

4

Those who do sadhana will realize the Self.

By the Lord’s grace give up divisive thought.

This life goes quickly, like the lifetime of a bubble.

So giving service to the bhaktas is where true virtue lies.

5

If you grow humbler every day, all sin will leave,

and yogic superpowers may come;

Sorrow will depart and you will attain bliss,

steadfastness and indescribable joy.

6

Those, who regard all beings as the Lord

And pursue righteousness will win the supreme state.

They will dispel distress and gain happiness,

and Tillai’s Lord of Dance they’ll surely reach.

7

Nataraja, the Gracious Giver,

Will bestow His golden lotus feet 

On those who whole-heartedly surrender

Their possessions, souls and bodies. That is the truth!

8

There is no need to roam about or mortify the body;

There is no need  to sing or bow yourself in worship;

There is no need to search or practice meditation,

If the shining golden feet of Siva are crowning your head!

9

“Hold rectitude more dear than life itself”.

Impress upon your mind this holy saying of Tiruvalluvar

And live, giving praise to the sacred lotus feet

Of the Lord of Bliss, which are beyond all praise.

Hail Oh Sannyasin

1

Hail, Oh sannyasin, the embodiment of love!

Is there any other power other than love?

Spread happiness throughout the world!

Let unhappiness cease and maya’s illusion disappear!

Day and night give praise to God.

Pour forth a stream of songs which melt even the hardest of hearts.

Attain the state where neither night nor day are seen.

See Siva everywhere, and experience bliss.

Worship Siva and be unconcerned with wealth.

It is as it is. Be here now, as you have always been.

Then you will not be touched by sorrow.

2

Oh renunciate who lives without deceit,

Hold in your heart and worship that Pure One 

who became the inner meaning of Panchakshara,

The One whose limits Brahma and Vishnu could not find.

You who always thinks of others as yourself,

Is there anyone in this world like you? 

The karma of your past misdeeds will end.

 “Isn’t the soul really Siva?”

On this you must meditate daily.

3

Oh noble sannyasin, of one-pointed mind!

Worship morning and evening without fail

the holy feet of the Almighty Lord,

Which give both birth and death. 

Remove the bondage of your sins!

4

By steadfast concentration of your mind

You must remove awareness of a separate self. 

Win over with love all those that criticize you.

You are eternal! Have no doubt of this!

Anything other than this is just imagination.

Oh You, All-Pervasive one! Live free from thought.

Know the Self Through the Self

1

Know that love is Siva. 

Realize that we are That.

Sing with the kind of devotion that could melt your bones. 

Rise up and march on!

All is the form of God.

2

Be all-pervasive like the ether. 

Banish all vain desires.

Be ever watchful, like you guard your eyes, 

And carry out your work.

Without worry go your way.

Lanka is our land!

3

There is no male or female,

No sameness or diversity.

Heaven and Earth are one.

This is the language of the great! 

Come now and be happy;

We will rule the world!

4

Know the Self through the self.

Be simply what you are.

Trouble comes from thoughts of ‘great,’ and ‘small.’

He came to care for me like a mother

At beautiful Nallur temple.

There’s nothing else to say.

Who Can Know His Limitless Grace? 

1

The universe, animate and inanimate, is His body.

The universe, animate and inanimate, is His play.

The universe, animate and inanimate, is He.

The whole universe, animate and inanimate, is a wonder.

2

Through the ‘five letters’ (Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya) everything exists.

Through the ‘five letters’ everything comes into being.

Through the ‘five letters’  everything is established.

Who knows the wonder of the ‘five letters’?

3

He is the One without origin or end.

The reason for His seeming to have origin and end

can only be known by the Origin’s pure grace.

No one can know it through learning.

4

He creates limitless lives.

The wonder of His being limitless lives

the limitless gods and demons do not know.

Who can know His limitless Grace?

Yoganathan’s Grace in Words

1

Give charity, do tapas, follow dharma;

Then wisdom’s bliss will come easily.

2

The Lord is all-pervasive like the fragrance of a flower;

Let the tongue give praise saying- “Namasivaya.” 

3

Those who can serve that Pure One, who is Life within all life

will attain the bliss of Siva, 

4

Sinners cannot know the lotus feet of the Supreme.

Call to Him, cry to Him, before the Lord of Death comes for you. 

5

If you give yourself to Him unreservedly,

He will care for you just like a mother. 

6

It is foolish to call men ‘great’ or ‘small;’

It’s hard, indeed, to appreciate this saying. 

7

It is bliss to control, through knowledge,

The unruly mind that treads the path of the senses. 

8

Those who know That are That;

Small minds say that it is ‘this’ or ‘that.’

9

Sages affirm that all is Siva’s action;

Live without forgetting Him, who dwells within this frame. 

10

Those noble souls will achieve mukti, who know

The certainty of the word that is spoken without speaking.

11

Those endowed with wisdom will come to realize me,

Whom devas and asuras cannot know, even though they worship.

12

Forsaking the mind that laments the past

It is proper to abide in the state of silence.

13

Even if heaven and earth should fall,

Those who have become That will not be moved.

14

The pure in heart will have no place

For burning lust, for anger or for malice.

15

Whatever arts and sciences he studies,

One who is fully vain will not be free of mischief.

16

Through perfect calmness, patience and self-control, 

eternity’s bliss can be won here on this earth.

17

Slowly, slowly conquer the ruinous mind,

Which unfolds itself in diverse ways and forms.

18

None can measure, none can fathom the Supreme, 

For whom there is no day or night.

19

Love of God is the sweetest of all sweet things. 

Hatred of anger and desire is also sweet.

20

They will end illusion, who do not forget

The feet of the Lord, who knows not birth or death.

21

He who doesn’t know the proper measure when eating,

Will not have even a taste of supreme bliss.

22

It is heaven indeed, where lives

One who has realized that all lives are like his.

23

Truth will dawn in a calmed and quiet mind; 

This is the prize for those who are detached.

24

Those who know the nature of tranquility and mastery of the senses, 

Will rule the realm of the Gods – by that I swear! 

25

Know that he is my true devotee,

Who contemplates the Lord without ceasing.

26

Those, who have knowledge of the breath that courses right and left,

Will assuredly win power beyond measure.

27

Those of firm mind, who are not swayed by differences of caste, 

Will reach His lotus feet upon this very earth.

28

Those, who don’t know how to move with the world, 

Will gain no benefit however much they study.

29

Of what use is knowledge of the eight-fold yoga,

To those who do not know God’s loving-kindness?

30

Tell me – is there any good in casting blame on That,

Which is ever unaware of gain and loss?

31

That Great Being, who neither comes nor goes,

Has made me His and ended birth and death.

32

Tell me, Oh tell me – can the deluded know

The sweetness of the honey that lies within the heart?

33

One by one the days passed by,

And, vainly toiling, I derived no profit.

34

I beheld all within the letters five; 

I gained solitude and suffering vanished.

35

Even through worship Brahma and Vishnu could not know the Lord,

Who wears the dark blue mark of poison on His throat. 

36

Those who commit the five great sins here on earth ,

Don’t know that One within the heart, from whom all thoughts arise.

37

Through constantly meditating “I am That”,

Many have become like a bee enjoying honey.

38

There can be no division from that One,

Who doesn’t change with difference and yet is all difference.

39

That Pure One the Agamas and Vedas do not know. 

“Namasivaya.” we will say, “is the name of the Supreme.”

40

It is the Eye behind the seeing eye;

It is male and female and that which is not either.

41

Great gain will come from worshipping the lotus feet of That, 

Which is both the Support and the supported.

42

It is certain that you will blissfully abide 

Within the Void free of imperfection.

.

43

It’s said that it is truly knowledge within the heart to perceive 

The Treasure of treasures, before the body dies.

44

In yoga samadhi you will comprehend

The vanity of enjoyment and the things that are enjoyed.

45

The Unique One has become everything by sacrifice. 

Contemplate and realize this truth.

46

No one has understood the whole.

Don’t be proud and think that you have attained all.

47

For those who have reached the perfect feet of Tillai ‘s Lord, 

It is sure that there will be no further birth within this world.

48

You are the witness; of this there is no doubt.

Look upon everything as but His play.

49

There is nothing that is my own action;

I have perceived all actions to be, in truth, God’s action.

50

All my past karma has been consumed and burnt; 

In the future evil deeds will not arise for me.

51

There is no dharma, charity or karma.

That is the truth which I have clearly seen.

52

I have beheld that One who pervades all; 

All doubts and cares have been removed.

53

It is everywhere–in the universe, in each creature.

True devotees have realized this and said farewell to sorrow.

54

I’ve won the placing of the lotus feet upon my head!

O wonder of wonders! Even the Gods have not experienced this.

55

All my past karmas have flown away!

I have adored the lotus feet which are adorned with tinkling rings!

56

Arise with the dawn and wash the feet and hands; 

Go to the temple and worship Siva’s feet.

57

That is proper conduct; that is a sacred rite.

So long as this world lasts, you will derive great gain.

58

Karma will not approach you, death will not draw near, 

Through the grace of Him, whose throat bears the mark of poison.

59

When gross, subtle, causal are all three understood,

The Lady of fragrant tresses will bestow Her lovely grace. 

60

Learned scholars do not know, however keen their minds;

Even Brahma, Vishnu and the Gods in heaven do not know. 

61

You are that Great Being, who is free from birth and death.

You must meditate on this daily without forgetting. 

62

This is beauty; this is wealth;

This is virtue; this is grace. 

63

This is love; this is truth;

This is strength; this is attainment.

64

Meditate, meditate upon the state of Siva.

This is the mantra. Cherish it in your heart.

65

These sayings sung by Yoganathan

Will dispel illusion and grant you liberation.

The Lion

1

Self must be realized by self.

All must be pervaded by the Self.

We must give up desire for wealth and woman, 

And shun the greed for ownership of land.

We must guard dharma like we protect our eyes.

We must give worship to the lotus feet.

We should want all thought to die,

Oh my great guru, you mighty lion!

2

We must root out faults and study virtue.

We must reap the fruit of education.

We must forsake the friendship of the foolish.

Morning, noon and evening we must adore the holy feet. 

We should want to know our real form,

And abide inseparably in it forever —

Oh guru supreme, who said — “You are One without a second!”

3

Oh wondrous lion who radiates bravery!

All three must be tied together as one.

The doorway at the top must be unlocked.

We must rest in sleep beneath Nataraja’s foot. 

We should want abounding bliss to overflow within,

And blazing light to come to swallow us.

4

Oh best and dearest guru, 

who has given to me in this world

The marvelous, flawless feet of gold that stand beyond the gunas! 

You have made of me your man, oh kind and gentle lion !

5

We must remain free from ignorance.

We must behold God everywhere.

We must have knowledge of the truth and cherish it forever. 

Falsehood and jealousy must be expelled .

We must transform and change into blessings

The things which cause delusion and confusion.

Oh peerless guru, whom others hold in high esteem!

Oh lion, who takes care of me in my bondage!

6

The ‘three’ and the ‘five’ must both be understood, 

And we must annihilate the ego.

Oh Primal One, who was adored by Ravana,

Whose fort in Lanka was ringed with ramparts! 

Oh Lord, who held the poison in your throat!

Oh God! O King, who came to guard me beneath your rule! 

Oh Guru Paramount, whose feet are soft as thistle-down!

Oh Lion, who took this sinner as your own !

Adoration, Meditation, Invocation

1

The God with elephant face I shall never forget – 

Sankara’s Son, with massive belly, who has the lady’s earring in His ear,

The Lord who gave His grace to Indra, of whom mantra is His very form.

2

The whole world is evolved by One.

The whole world is sustained by One.

The whole world will be dissolved by One.

That One is my life’s support.

3

The One became “the three.”

The One became all souls.

The One became the entire universe.

That One graciously granted me liberation.

4

The universe of things that move and do not move is all His form. 

The universe of things that move and do not move is He.

Even the Gods were lost in wonder and could not comprehend.

The marvel of the universe of things that move and do not move.

5

Through love of Siva my mind was concentrated.

Through love of Siva my mind was clarified. 

Through love of Siva my mind was dead.

Through love of Siva deliverance was gained.

6

There are no Gods without Lord Siva. 

There is no soul without Lord Siva. 

There is no body without Lord Siva.

I have seen Lord Siva in my heart.

7

In Na He became Brahma.

In Ma He became Vishnu.

In Si He remained as Siva.

In Va He became the form of Grace.

8

Gods will meditate — Siva, Siva!

Sages will meditate — Siva, Siva!

All souls will meditate — Siva, Siva!

By repeating ” Siva, Siva!”, Siva’s state is won!

9

Through bhakti I have rid myself of bondage.

Through bhakti I have seen the Lord.

I have attained the bliss of bhakti.

I have been merged in a sea of bhakti.

10

By meditating on One, my mind became one-pointed, 

By meditating on One, my mind was full of joy, 

By meditating on One, my mind became exalted,

By meditating on One, that One did I become!

11

Through the letters five the body came to birth. 

Through the letters five the Atma shone in splendor. 

Through the letters five bliss came into being.

Within the letters five I was contained.

12

Through the letters five all sorrow was erased. 

Through the letters five all want has disappeared.

Through the letters five true happiness arose.

Within the letters five I stayed contained.

13

Through the letters five can God’s holy feet be seen. 

Through the letters five the whole world you can rule.

Through the letters five mind’s action can be stilled. 

The letters five have come and entered my heart.

14

Beyond the six and thirty tattvas is performed the dance of bliss.

Beyond the six and thirty tattvas lies the abode of bliss.

Who can be compared with one who is beyond these thirty-six?

Associate with those who transcend the thirty-six.

Worship the Feet of the Lord

1

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

That will make you realize that all you see is transient. 

That will show the way to subdue the body. 

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

2

That will make you rule the mind that treads the senses’ path.

That will daily repeat the letters five in your heart.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

3

That will surely, by degrees, root out and destroy all anger.

That will accept all mistakes as blessings in disguise.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

4

That will remove and drive away all the three desires.

That will reveal the holy feet, which neither come nor go.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace..

5

That will keep you ever in the state of being summa. 

That will make you realize compassion for the poor.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

6

That sets you in the open Void and takes away all sorrow.

That will see both Vedanta and Siddhanta as one.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

7

That will control the fickle mind, which cannot be controlled.

That will give the vision, where there is no night or day 

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

8

This song of Yoganathan will show the righteous path.

It will nourish you with nectar for all the days you live.

And to know ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ Is the crown that it will give.

If you always offer worship to the Almighty’s holy feet, then you will have peace.

—

Note:

Summa Iru: This was also one of Yogaswami’s frequent instructions to his disciples. In his usage of the term he meant ‘be still’ or ‘just be’ or ‘being in stillness of mind.’

Writings: We are the Servants of Siva

We are the servants of Siva. We are the servants of Siva. We are the servants of Siva. We are the servants of Siva. This is charya; this is kriya; this is yoga, this is jnana. This is mantra; this is tantra. This is the panacea.

To become established in this meditation is samadhi. For those who enjoy this samadhi there is no need for rules of conduct, or tapas, or fasting, or the observances of any of the four asramas – the four stages of life. Such people have lived, are living and will live in the world as they please. No one understands their greatness. For only he who eats sugar- candy will know its sweetness.

There is not even one thing that is wrong.

It was all accomplished long, long ago.

We do not know.

All is truth.

—

Writings: The True Path

More precious than life itself is rectitude – right conduct, virtue, integrity and good manners. Those who practice rectitude possess everything that is worthwhile. Avoidance of killing and stealing, refraining from slandering others, absence of covetousness, humility, truthfulness and so forth-these are the characteristics of a life of rectitude.

Whatever the work may be, one should train oneself to carry it out with perseverance, devotion and joy. By disciplining ourselves in this way we will acquire steadiness of mind, that is to say, the mind will become one-pointed. This will allow the Atma increasingly to manifest its power. What one thinks will take place immediately, and the differentiation that arises from calling this man a friend and that man an enemy will not enter the mind and give room for care and worry.

“From me is all evolved; by me is all dissolved” — let such pure thoughts occupy our minds. Further, let us meditate constantly on the ideas, that I am not lacking in anything, that all love me and I love all. If we practice in this way, we shall easily acquire the capacity to know everything and the power to do everything.

Om Tat Sat Om

—

Note: the quotation is from the Kaivalya Upanishad verse 19.

—

Writings: Persevere Until You Attain Success

We are the servants of Siva.

There will be nothing lacking for him, who, without ever forgetting it, meditates on the holy mantra, that for us there is neither beginning nor end, neither birth nor death, neither day nor night, neither happiness nor sorrow. What you think, that you become.

For all this it is necessary to persevere continuously; which means that you must never become discouraged. No profit will result for those who are afraid of effort. It is a common saying in the world that no reward will be gained without hard work.

Persevere until you attain success. Why do you continually allow your mind to dwell on mean, unpleasant things? Give up that kind of thinking and pray to God with a full heart. Gladly accept and carry out whatever fate decrees for you. Finally everything will end in success.

Always impress on your mind that everything is as it is, and perform all the work and all the duties that naturally come your way – or do not be concerned with them. Either course is right. It does not depend on action, nor on inaction. Do not desire to be without work. Do not become caught in work. Devote yourself to that which naturally befalls you, whether it involves action or inaction.

—

Writings: Sivathondu

We are the servants of Siva. We are lacking in nothing. Our work is to do Sivathondu – service of God. It is for that alone that we are living in this world.

The moon is doing Sivathondu. The sun and all the planets are performing the same holy service. In like manner, the Devas, Asuras, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas and Vidyadharas are all ever doing Sivathondu.

Everything is the work of Siva. Without Him not an atom can move. We lose nothing, we gain nothing. We are as we have always been.

There is no one equal to us or superior to us. For us there is no good or evil, no birth or death, no like or dislike. We are free of the desires for land and gold and woman. The devilish mind is absent for us. We are not concerned with matters of time and place. We live as the witness of everything. Om Tat Sat Om

—

Writings: Sivabhakti

It is devotion to God, Sivabhakti, alone that makes a man blessed. Everything else is useless. Therefore without break practise Sivadhyana. Do not be afraid of anything. Victory is yours! No matter how often you fail, do not lose courage. Failure relates to matter; but your nature is consciousness – that is, you are of the essence of knowledge. You can never be destroyed. Arise, be awake, and, until you achieve your aim, stop not on the way, but march on with a zealous spirit !

See how all forces submit to you! Do not spend your time in vain disputes and arguments. Wherever you go, the Lord will go with you.

Do not put on any outward show. Become strong within yourself. True religion is a solitary state that conforms to no pattern. Body, soul, possessions-surrender all three to God. Thereafter, give up everything that concerns yourself and see that all is He and He alone.

Writings: Tapas

The senses drag down to unlimited depths even those who have done great tapas. Consequently, to overcome them you must practise Sivadhyana – meditation on Siva. Only by that means can they be brought under control. Therefore, do this meditation uninterruptedly.

Whenever one dwells on sense impressions, attachment arises; from attachment springs desire; from desire, anger; from anger, delusion; and delusion causes one’s downfall. Therefore, guard yourself by Sivadhyana.

Because of our pettiness our true nature is obscured and we stray from the path of dharma. To free oneself from error and to make oneself steadfast, Sivadhyana is the best means. Though we may possess great wealth in this world, and though we may have the power to make even celestial beings serve us, we still cannot control our senses. Therefore, invoking the Grace of God, restrain the mind from ·wandering along the path of the senses.

It is precisely this that great sages have called tapas. If this is neglected, even though you may perform ostentatious sacrifices and such like things, you will never achieve firmness.

—

Writings: Seek the Profit of the Soul

“My mind jumps about like a monkey. I do not know how to control its agitation.”

That is well said. But you are already in possession of a good medicine for this, you’ve only forgotten it. Listen and I will tell it to you.

Take daily doses of Sivadhyana – meditation on Siva. Then the ‘monkey-mind disease’ will be cured.

When you take this pill, you must first dissolve it in a decoction, which is also in your possession. This means that, combined with the pill, you must swallow the mixture made from the herbs of restraint of the tongue and subjugation of desires.

But even this is not enough. Everything depends upon proper diet. And that, too, is in your control. It consists in moderation in eating, moderation in sleeping and moderation in bodily exercise. Follow this prescription for the well-being of your soul, and success will be assured.

If someone yearns wholeheartedly for victory in subduing the mind, let them practice Sivadhyana daily. Then they will see for themselves that, step by step, their mind will become one-pointed. Serenity, forbearance, control and other such good qualities will arise in them. Their mind will always be full of joy. They will not be dragged down by praise or blame, but will enjoy happiness in their inmost soul, and the thought that the well-being of others is their own will flood their heart.

If someone goes out into the night with a lantern, will they be disturbed in mind? They will not. In the same way, if someone practices Sivadhyana will the darkness of Maya approach them? Most certainly not!

Practice is better than precept.

“There is not even one thing that is wrong.”

The wise, who have seen that the profit of the soul is what is truly of value, will not be carried away by the transient joys and sorrows of this earth, but will live in the world like the water drops that roll off a lotus leaf. On the other hand, those who are unmindful of the good of their souls will go through life confused and agitated by worldly pains and pleasures. But the wise, who, having the well-being of the soul as their aim, have rid themselves of the ideas of ’good’ and ‘bad’ and ‘I’ and ‘mine’, will live in heavenly bliss beneath the holy feet of the Lord, free from birth and death. The ignorant, who do not know this, fall into an ocean of misery and put themselves in danger of entering the fiery mouth of hell.

Just as the insects lie senseless after drinking the honey they have sucked from the flowers, so the Bhakti extracts by Sivadhyana the honey of bliss that wells up from the flower of the mind, and, having eaten it, remains satiated and replete, oblivious of the distinctions between “one” and “two” and “good” and “bad.”

A farmer sows good seed on his land, pulls out all the weeds growing among the plants, and finally garners the grain. In the same way the Bhakti sows the seed of devotion in the field of God, roots out the weeds of lust, anger, desire, pride and envy, gathers in the grain of heavenly bliss, and lives in the enjoyment of it.

In the flower-garden of the world, souls are the flowers that are blooming there, which God delights to behold.

A goldsmith fashions several ornaments out of gold. So God, the Great Goldsmith, makes many ornaments-different souls-out of the One Universal Spirit.

A physician takes various roots, mixes them together into one medicine, and with it cures the disease. Likewise, the Great All-Knowing Physician, by giving to the soul its body, its faculties, the world and all its experiences, cures its disease and establishes it in the bliss of liberation.

A Mother delights her children by giving them toys. So God bestows on us joys of various kinds, and makes us happy.

The wise will not give room for the mind to stray along the path of the senses, because they know that they are the Atma. Will they then allow any place for the disease of desire? Never! Even the Vedas and Siva Agamas extol their greatness. At the sight of them the very stones will melt and for them there will be victory in everything.

Letter: The Atma is Eternal

Sivamayam

You are not the body. You are not the mind, nor the intellect nor the will. You are the Atma.

The Atma is eternal. This is the conclusion at which great souls have arrived from their experience. Let this truth become well impressed on your mind.

But there is one thing to which you must give attention. Never swerve from the path of dharma. Let it be your practice to regard every life as the holy presence of God. He is both within and without. 

I remain,

“I am He”

—

Note: Sivamayam means ‘pervaded by’ or ‘consisting of Siva’, and conveys the idea that everything, including the letter in question, is His work.

—

Letter: The Atma is the Origin of All Things

Sivamayam

The Atma is eternal, indivisible, whole and perfect. The body is subject to destruction and divisible. When that is so, can we say that they are equal? Is there anything more sacrilegious than to speak in that way?

The Atma is the origin of all things. Everything is under its sway. The body has a beginning, and is by nature subject to domination. Under these circumstances, is it possible to compare the one with the other? There is nothing more reprehensible than to do so.

Intrinsically the Atma consists of knowledge. It is purity itself. The body is by nature ignorant and devoid of purity. Can one conceive of any greater folly than to compare the two?

The Atma is radiant and self-effulgent. The body is darkness itself. Is there then any basis for comparison?

Who is more debased than he who thinks of himself as a corporeal being? There is indeed no difference between a man calling his body ‘ mine’ and another speaking of a lump of earth as ‘mine’ .

He is truly wise who regards himself as perfect, eternal and by nature possessed of knowledge . There is no god equal to him.

He who thinks of himself as immune to pollution, changeless and the purest of the pure – him the wise will call a sage.

When the Vedas and Agamas all proclaim that the whole world is filled with God and that there is nothing else, how can we say that the world exists and the body exists? Is there anything more worthy of reproach than to attribute an independent reality to them? Sages too have declared: “Those who have become Your own are not other than You.” Thus, for several reasons of this kind, there is nothing other than God . Everything is His doing.

He who never forgets .

He who does nothing, while doing everything. 

He who acts without acting —

Love is Siva. Love is you. Love is I. Love is everything.

“All speech is silence.

All activity is silence.

All is the fullness of blessed silence.”

Note: The final quotation is from Tayumanavar, a famous poet and saint, who lived about 250 years ago. The word translated as ‘silence’ · is mounam, the meaning of which includes silence, but also conveys something wider and deeper. It signifies quiescence in word, thought and action, and implies consciousness without thought .

—

Letter: Pilgrimage to Varanasi

Kasi, India

30-11-40

Sivamayam

Wandering in search, I came to Kasi and saw the Lord of the Universe–within myself. There is no need to fatigue yourself by roaming about, and to make yourself unhappy. There is a saying, which never cloys, that “the herb you are seeking is under your feet.”

Here also the people are like ourselves. In this world, there is nothing whatsoever that can be the cause of anything new or curious. All the last rites have been performed on behalf of the people of Jaffna–the departed, the living, and those yet to live. Hereafter conduct yourself in the world with love according to your lot. Long may you live, abiding beneath the feet of the Lord!

—

Letter: Look Inwards!

Kollam (India)

17-6-38

Sivamayam

Look inwards! Then happiness will at once arise.

By what does the eye see? By what does the ear hear? By what does the nose smell? By what does the mouth speak? That is the Atma or God. What an easy path!

Ponder on this and see. Everything is in your grasp. Think deeply just for one instant and you will know clearly that you are That. Realize the Divine Nature within yourself. You are your own master. It is you who directs yourself. You are the sole emperor of the universe! If you forget this pure thought, you will continue to suffocate in the ocean of birth and death.

Arise! Awake! · Henceforth nothing can overcome you! To light a lamp, the wick and the oil are both necessary. If you want to succeed in this, you must repeat Om Tat Sat incessantly and with feeling-that is, you must rouse your soul.