Kamban's Hanuman metaphorical of Paramatman!

 What a metaphor Kamban sometimes chooses to indicate or connote or at least suggest The Transcendent Absolute !. Of course in Vedantic writings similes and examples are many which are used to explain Vedantic nuances. Say, 'the thread in darkness' or 'silver in nacre' or 'person in a pillar in dim light'. But Kamban is brilliant when he employs a new technique, a living character, an active soul to suggest the transcendent Brahman. And he chooses none other than Hanuman. How Hanuman can be used to suggest Brahman? When Hanuman jumps across the sea, his speed, his agility are very much evident in his being invisible to many. People, even great sages are at a loss to determine what is happening right before their eyes. It is only heresy when somebody tells you 'it is Hanuman in his mission going in such speed. So I have heard from reliable sources.' But can you at least infer from the resultant effects and activities that such a thing could have been possible? No no way. It eludes all known instances of perception. When perception is not there basically how can one employ inference, which is based basically on perception? So perception is of no help in this. And naturally inference is out of question. But what is this? The mystery alone is very palpable. Something is there, has occurred, but due to what? This mystery is so reminiscent of Vedantic analysis to Kamban and he in his genius employs this very similarity as serving both ways. Understanding Vedanta may help you in understanding Hanuman or understanding Hanuman may help you to know better your Vedanta.

There is one poem of Kamban, about which I am talking here.

'some someone said it is with form

some someone said it is just light

some someone said it is light but formless

some someone said it is jagat kanaranam

Ultimate Cause transcending the world

but creating and sustaining it;

and some some one said it is something else

all who said were great knowers of all the worlds

But all such have failed to ascertain

the state of Hanuman here.'

உரு என்றார் சிலர் சிலர்கள்;

ஒளி என்றார் சிலர் சிலர்கள்;

ஒளிரும் மேனி அரு என்றார்

சிலர் சிலர்கள்;

அண்டத்துக்கு அப்புறம் நின்று,

உலகை ஆக்கும் 'கரு' என்றார்

சிலர் சிலர்கள்;

'மற்று' என்றார் சிலர் சிலர்கள்;

கடலைத் தாவிச் செரு வென்றான்

நிலை ஒன்றும் தெரியகில்லார் -

உலகு அனைத்தும் தெரியும் செல்வர்.

(யுத்த காண்டம், மருத்துமலைப் படலம் )

When you can ascertain about God you can also know about Hanuman. Or when you can know about Hanuman you may get a clue about God. Is it what Kamban is trying to say? May be. May be not. How can I say when I do not know enough even this world?

On Vivekananda

 An Eastern sea is crossing the ocean

Sanathan Wisdom brimming, throwing waves across

Warlorn continents are laid with cyclones of devotion

Hearts sunk low are now singing I am He

But the sorrow of his own countrymen burns his heart

Go to any forest, worry wells forth rivulets of tears

Cutting bondages, becoming nonattached and wandering

But no freedom from the weighing load, worry about Bharath

An Eastern sea is crossing the ocean

Sanathan Wisdom brimming, throwing waves across.

This is a dream begot in the pangs of Kali temple pujari

Fate's own cradle of that Mother's care

Incarnating wisdom all over the world

Divinity coming in person to rectify the world

Mad with Western craze, dazed with pedantic religions

Raising the dust of separatist fever wasted with jealousy

Lusting for the sensual, blind with fury due to envy

Miserly greed become the run of daily chores

Making an end to all these ills,

The deep sane waking comes across

Heartful springs of compassion towards the human plight

Conviction profound that human beings are really divine

Plans conceived to make the mundane manifest divinity

It is the happy reach of lolling teardrops of Time in joy

Making rhythm with the melody of maturing souls

Singing the Vedic tune

An Eastern sea is crossing the ocean

Sanathan Wisdom brimming, throwing waves across.

A trade in which JIva bags one hundred percent profit !

 If we say vairagya, immediately people imagine grim scenes in which a cloth is torn into pieces and the person goes a pauper voluntarily. But actually vairagya is what should happen in the mind and perspective. Basically vairagya is giving something futile to get something full and lasting. It is not a bad bargain. It is an exchange where you get one hundred percent value giving something of no value in exchange. But the deal is rigged in such a way that we feel quite the opposite.

Of course the Upanishad clearly says the contract. But we are bound to short vision. We shudder at the thought to lose our makeshift personality. The real I is something we feel alien. 'All this should be seen from the perspective of the All-pervading Isa. Give up your blind vision, your personality. Merge in your own real inner being. Don't covet any alien ownings'. But who knows? How can one be sure? If any person has adventured into the deal then we can become more assured.

Manickavasagar says he has tried and found it literally true that you get one hundred percent value in return for no real value given. And he addresses the other party to the trade, Sankara :

"I have given myself

Gained You in return.

Sankara! who is shrewd after all?

I have got endless Ananda;

Can You say

what any single thing of value

You got from me in exchange?"

One spiritual master makes a poetic court case of the Divine's anxiety about the soul. Another spiritual master makes a poetry of a shrewd trade with the Divine. What all these great men are trying to tell us? Just this one thing ; this thick worldliness that we believe so passionately is not all that there is to it. We can well transcend our little self-images and gain our true being in the whole truth.

A court-case eternal between Bhagavan and Jiva !! (Parasara Bhatta's sloka Tvam mE aham mE)

 "You belong to me!

I belong to myself.

How is that?

Again how is -that-?

This by Vedic authority.

This has been so from time immemorial

and by continued experience.

But that has been opposed!

Opposed? by whom?

In the Sastras like Gita

by Myself in clear terms.

Who is the witness there?

Superb Jnanis are there.

Alas! HoHo! all of them Jnanis

are Your same-sided. Then?

In such a juncture in the case with human beings

You seem to have resorted to terrible oath

of waist cloth, tulsi garland

and water poured on the head!"

(my translation of Parasara Bhattar's single sloka on Thirumanjanam of Sri Ranganatha. 'Tvam mE aham mE' )

In one status dialogue I was referring to the mugdaga of Sri Parasara Bhattar during the Bath Ritual of Lord Ranganatha. Let me explain the mugdaga (solitary verse) so that others who may not know already also may enjoy.

One day Sri Parasara Bhattar was worshipping Lord Ranganatha during the Bath Ritual. The Lord will be donned in a waist cloth and a garland of Tulsi in the neck during the ritual. Sri Bhattar used to have mystic communions with the Lord. In that communion the Lord asked Sri Bhattar why he was smiling as if hesitant about something?

Bhattar answered : " My Almighty Lord! you just resemble in your present get-up a pathetic loser in the Court of Law, who is about to lose his hereditary property so dear to him. Such a pathetic loser (in those days!) will resort to the last desperate measure of donning just a waist cloth and a garland of tulsi leaves in the neck and pour some water over on his head and take a very terrible oath of true claim, saying if what he was claiming turns out to be false, not only he but all his clans and lineages will go to cruelest hell - like that. So you also in your losing battle with the soul, of claiming your possession of the soul as your own and unable to answer all the rational interrogations by the soul and all your much believed proofs turned just heresy and same-sided testimonies, you are about to lose your possession of the soul in the metaphysical court of Eternity. So as if to take the terrible oath available by hoary custom you also have donned yourselves in the same manner waist-cloth and Tulsi garland and about to pour the holy water on your head ! Alas! it is so resembling and the case is nearly similar!"

Is it? Come on what were the arguments between Me and the soul?

My Supreme Lord! You were saying to the soul that he belonged to you. You had a secret plan in that. You thought that this Jiva, (soul) is always non-submissive and rebellious. So if You say that he belongs to you, then immediately his tendency will be to refute that and in turn, as a tit for tat, to say that it was not he who belonged to you but really You, who belonged to him. You were anxious he must say so and immediately before he chooses to change his views you wanted to agree to his twist of the clause and get it signed on the spot by both of you, in the presence of great Sages.

But this Jiva, soul is clever like hell. What he did you know! He didn't say as you expected. What he said was 'neither you belong to me nor I to you. But I belong to myself.

Even at that step You became worried my Lord! How to win-over this soul became your killing passion. You immediately replied to him - Hi! I have strong documentary evidence to claim that you belong to me. Do you know that? Don't brag too much man!

But the Jiva, soul was doubly clever and adamant. He asked You, 'What! what is that evidence?'

You replied, 'It is the great Revelation, the Vedas, from Eternity!'

The soul pooh-poohed your authority saying, "Hey! Come-on, Don't be so innocent! The Vedas are only words of mouth you know! The great Revelations are not written evidence. They are only pronounced and heard in a cycle from eternity. How can that stand as a evidence in a court of law? So your claim that I belong to you is only your words against mine. Come-on show something better!"

Then you became worried and asked him in retort - "Hi ! how can you, in your turn, show evidence for your claim also, that you belong to yourself and not to me?'

The soul replied, 'Hurrah ! simple... I need not show any. I have been having uninterrupted experience of myself as mine. Continuous enjoyment of property itself is valid evidence, Old Man! Compose Thyself.'

Then You said, "Hi Hi,...wait wait don't think you are too smart... too smart....I also know some court matters boy! Even in continuous enjoyment of property, that property should not have been objected to by the owner or the PoAs. But I have myself objected to your claim many times in addition to my PoAs doing so every now and then.

But your PoAs? leave them you may call them your PoAs... but actually they are also souls and they also do remain as souls... so no bother on that account... but you were saying that you yourself have objected in person. Where and when? Come-on, this is something news to me! - so said the soul.

You were jubilant that at last You have made a dent in his case. You said :' why not buddy? I came as Krishna and in the battle-field in the presence of so so many persons I openly stated my claim on you. Don't you know?

The soul replied - Oh There.... ohohhhho you are so funny! I was a little afraid for a second. But your joke...hahahhaa...Old Man!... That was in a battle-field, definitely not any solemn place of oath or status-claim! a din of cacophony of spears, war-cries, conches, weeping and cries, horse-laughs, elephent-calls -- you mean to say in that wretched place of war and noise.. You were serenely and piously stating your claim on me? Come-on.... My Sweet Old Man! Cheer up..... Losing and winning are part of nature! Take them in good spirit! OK! You are saying so. But who were at least witnesses to your claim in that horrid place?

My Lord! all colour drained from your face and you looked bleak and anxious! You said: "all the great sages are witnesses... what can I say..."

The soul replied: 'My dear dear Man! who is a sage? come-on tell me! Is he not one who has decided in your favour and is always on your side eternally, Lord God? Can a sage ever say I am neutral to God? Then how can you cite the sages as witnesses? Oh poor...poor Old Man!"

Then in that grim moment when you were about to lose your claim over the soul unable to stand against his rational interrogations, an idea seemed to have striked you. Hence You adopted this measure of Customary Oath Taking. I am not saying that it is so.

But your get-up at the present moment, when You are about to take Your Bath is very much resembling that.....

Just I thought of that ..........and I couldn't control my laughter. Hence the smile.

***

(Of course the commentary of Sri U Ve PBA Swami is an essential aid in understanding the four-lined verse of Sri Parasara Bhattar)

Vairagyam is the key

 In one way it will be interesting to read Tiruvaimozhi starting from the second ten starting with 'Veedumin muRRavum'. That way, the first and foremost message of Nammalwar will be 'Give up in toto'. Renunciation seems to be the prime message of spirituality. But some persons seem to think that one cannot give up on one's own and even renunciation is excused by God if only you remain faithful to the creed you have subscribed to. Loyalty towards one creed takes precedence over anything. But many sages and holy people, especially of Hinduism, have been never tired of stressing dispassion as the prime-most step towards God. Of course there may be a practical difficulty, that you can talk all sense regarding dispassion, its indispensable nature and all that. But in reality to achieve dispassion in life may be a far cry for many and even in really sincere aspirants. Many sincere people pursuing the spiritual path have faced this embarrassingly rough and disappointing fact. And ultimately we have no choice but to earnestly pray for divine grace. Then what will the grace do to us? This is explained precisely by Nammalwar in this verse:

Doing away with the two types of karma

Cutting the ties of mysterious attachment

Tuning the soul in such a way

that the mind resolves firmly

and go towards Him

so He prepares a being for liberation

He who is the inner soul of all these beings

and who is wisdom engulfing light

and who pervades all extension

Down, above, endless everywhere

and who has form

and remains formless,

He All embracing Mal.

‘சார்ந்த இருவல் வினைகளும்

சரித்து மாயப் பற்றறுத்து

தீர்ந்து தன்பால் மனம் வைக்கத்

திருத்தி, வீடு திருத்துவான்

ஆர்ந்த ஞானச் சுடராகி

அகலம் கீழ்மேல் அளவிறந்து

நேர்ந்த உருவாய் அருவாகும்

இவற்றின் உயிராம் நெடுமாலே.’

'Where there is no dispassion

there where to find Deivam' so sings Sri Tayumanavar.

From Himalayas to Kanyakumari

 One Sukananda was there in Sindhu province who belonged to Sri Nanak's path. In 1806 a son was born to him. He was named Moolaram Sadhu. In his 14th year his (Moolram Sadhu's) spiritual sense wakens up and he begins to pursue his inner journey through Satsang, Sastraic studies and Vichara. Becoming adept in Hindi, Parsi he learnt Sanskrit from one Sri Krishna Dasa. At that time by providence, a great Vidwan from the South came there and resided. He was Sri Sesha Iyengar. Under him Moolaram Sadhu studied Vedanta and Nyaya. Becoming deep in adhyatmic studies and fervent in inquiry and ardent in Satsang and spiritual practice, he was called by others as Moolachandra Gnani. And he began to teach others. As a strict principle he never accepted money from his students and in turn he was spending for their stay and regular life with him. Fortunately what he inherited from his father was sufficient. He wrote many books in Hindi and his language was of Punjab regions.

There is an old book in Sanskrit, may be the author unknown, called Vedanta Samjna. In that book nearly all the philosophical points of Vedanta will be listed according to numbers. Say for example 2, then all philosophical concepts that can be counted as two like Iham Param, Papa and Punya, all such concepts will be listed under the count two. Like that for three, three Ishanas and other concepts, for four, four Vedas, four Purusharthas and like that for successive numbers. Moolchandra Gnani wrote a commentary in Hindi named Vedanta Padartha Manjoosha for this old book Vedanta Samjna.

Moolchandra Gnani attained samadhi in 1876. In 1916, Sri Kasikananda Gnanacharya Swami brought out a Tamil translation of Vedanta Samjna. It was published in Satchidanandam Press, Komaleswaranpettai. Chennai. The same Sri Kasikananda swami brought out a translation of the Hindi commentary by Moolchandra Gnani, Vedanta Padartha Manjoosha in Tamil in 1935.

May be you are thinking that I am just posting in data flash style tidbits of the old happenings. But what I wish is why not people who read just think about and understand the undercurrent of all these seemingly various info across places and times. So many sages, so many scholars from the southern end to the northern crest, their hearts have throbbed as one, one in their passions of knowledge and culture, one in their passion towards spiritual goals. A man from deep south teaches an aspirant in Punjab and Kashmir; a Nichaldas born in Rohta comes all the way to Kasi to learn Vedanta and what he has learnt and summarized in Hindi becomes the launcher for deep Vedantic studies in Hindi regions. And not even one or two decades pass before his Hindi works are translated in Tamil by Sri Kuppuswamy Raju of Thanjavur. Sri Sesha Iyengar of South India teaches Moolram Sadhu of Punjab in Vedanta. The learners and the teachers do not belong to one clime or region or one community. What connects them all together as the soul thread?

I have not indicated their community nor their race or clan. Because it is quite meaningless in Adhyatmic world any denominations like race, community or clan or even differences like male and female. That which underlies their various endeavours is Atman. They are one in their Athmic spirit, that is what is shown so consistently by all these great men and women down the time in Bharat. Sri Ramanuja goes in search of manuscripts to Kashmir. And before him Sri Sankara quotes from one Soundara Pandiyan in his Bhashya. And before that even, in Patthuppattu, Maduraikkanchi, Vedanta is symbolized, as per the commentary of Nacchinarkkiniyar. Seven hundred years ago Tatthvaraya and Swaroopananda anthologize in Tamil more than 2500 verses, all culled from various works, original and translated, numbering nearly about 145 works in Tamil. In the fifteenth century Sri Krishna Chaitanya coming to Srirangam and coming to know about Tiruvaimozhi and the commentaries, is impressed by the deep theories of the lovers' genre found in the songs of Nammalwar. And he shares his new found interests to Roopa Goswami on his return. A wrestler of Tamil King's court becomes an ardent devotee. Passion for the beautiful eyes of the beloved turn into pure bhakti towards the Divine Eyes of Ranga. Esoor Satchidanandam Pillai while walking down the streets is jokingly talked about as 'there Brahmam is going, here Brahmam is coming'. So much he is lost into his deep meditation even while walking and his advaitic deep state has become so proverbial. Sadhu Nithyanandammal by a stroke of fate is left to her own means and she begins her studies right from elementary school level after her twenty second year. And she by her perseverance comes up to the level of a Vedantic scholar and has in her ripe age anthologized two main works in Tamil on Vedanta. Swami Sahajananda was spotted early in his years and developed in studies by Karapatra swamigal. One atheist like Singaravelu Mudaliyar on being touched by Swami Vivekananda is totally transformed and becomes deep in yoga. The nephew of Yogi Parthasarathy Iyengar, Sri Alasinga becomes so very dedicated to Vivekananda. And when Sri Subramanya Bharathi expressed to Sister Nivedita that there was no one in Chennai to guide them in their Swadesi endeavours, prompt came the reply from the great Sister, 'why not? The great Alasinga is there.'

Having decided that he will not give initiation to anyone, Swami Brahmananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, finds himself totally changed in his perspective by seeing a drama on Sri Ramanuja rising to the top of a tower and initiating one and all, whoever interested, in the holiest mantra of Narayana. Next day he began giving initiation to devotees. Any ordinary devotee from South goes on pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath and stands awed in tears. A person belonging to Himachal treks all the way to the deep south, worshipping in Srirangam, Madurai and becomes ecstatic on having a darshan of Kanyakumari. Languages different; local practices different; customs varying from place to place; habits differ but the culture is resounding as one, deep in the tone of Om; yea Om, is it not the Om that is the shape and inner message of Bharath? Parama Gurubhyo Namaha Parama Rishibhyo Namaha.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Rambling remembrances

 It is indeed lucky to be born in a house steaming with aroma of literature, English literature, Tamil literature, Sanskrit and French literatures. My father Mr R Venugopal and his mentor friend Prof C S Kamalapathi, both made my early wake up surroundings team with characters from Shakespeare, songs of Bharathi, Will Durant, Kamban and Valmiki and what not. New and newer fields were opening always in their talks and a growing boy is already thrilled with so many dimensions of thought. Otherwise how can I explain a high-school going half trousers wrestling with Hamlet's soliloquy? Or with Prince of Morocco in Merchant of Venice? Or the meeting of Gandhi and Bharathi and the take off of the evanescent event? Should the poet be studied straight from his words or through the commentaries, if available and authentic? - why should this question be of such importance to a street playing boy, that he chose to forgo his street-outings and sat engrossed when the argument was in full gears between his father and one poet of Trichy, Tiruloka Sitaram? Of course there was a downside of it. I lost my natural play period of growth. But who regrets when the payoff was and is immense? When you become too early conscious of great values, you can afford to appreciate little tragedies with regard to regular life.

Will Durant's Pleasures of Philosophy, I happened to read by myself only much later. But I have heard it read and had been reading it to be heard by my father many and more times. Ursus of Victor Hugo's Laughing Man was an apparition of my day dreaming walking across West Chitra Street. And to make it more surreal wolf was always a kind animal and naturally I found the series 'Onaikkottai vaaliban' attractive. And another catastrophe was around the corner, my interest suddenly in reading the literature of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Starting with little booklets I was fond of buying in temple shops, some books by Swami Chidbhavananda and later to go running and walking to the Rock Fort shop to buy bigger books from the Chennai Math.

Sometimes when I measured myself by others' standards, I used to fight with, mentally, Sri Ramakrishna, 'why me of all other boys? my regular life lost, nothing have I got to balance off the other side, neither here nor there?'. Only passing moods, otherwise who am I to measure? To understand what he has done for me I needed to mature a lot and now no regrets. But he is terrible; when he catches no escape! Why am I rambling? Perhaps you need to sometimes. Otherwise what is life for? Perhaps all those who have gone away from my life and from this world, they.. they may also be thinking about me just I like what I do about them? Is it not? Or is it not so? Who knows? 'The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns'. So memory fumes sometimes and make good the distant land and there lies all the charm. Because the fumes of memory are occult and words are apt dry woods to keep it going.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

On Tulsidas Sri Ramacharitamanas

 How poetic and critical at the same time, is Tulsidas! In the world usually poets celebrate their own compositions and become inebriated with pride over their own compositions, whereas in reality, their work may be very poor by all standards. But those people are really rare, who become so much joyful while hearing others' compositions and realise the great merits and features of others' poems. Our Rambhola, or Tulsidas employs one simile here to drive home this social criticism of literate people. - there are wells and rivers, which become so full and brimming in themselves when water is added to their own volume. But when other wonders of nature, however full or excellent they become, say for example in the sky, suppose the moon is full and so bright, no ! these wells and rivers are very mean-minded and wantonly they take no notice of any excellence or brightness or fullness of moon, which is so very visible right there up above in the sky. They turn blind to all such greatness on the part of others. They become brimming only when something is added to their own content. But see the ocean! Just at the sight of moon becoming full and all bright, the ocean becomes so jubilant and turbulent and brimming with waves of joy !.

'nija kabitta kEhi lAga na nIkA

sarasa hou athavA ati phIkA

jE para bhaniti sunata harashAhIn

tE bara purusha bahuta jaga nAhIn

jaga bahu nara sara sari sama bhAI

jE nija bADi baDahin jala pAI

sajjana sakruta simdu sama koI

dEkhi pUra bidhu bADai joI'

(Sri Ramcharitamanas, Balakanda, pp 31 Gita Press)

In the world of devotion 'Name of Bhagavan' is always viewed in superior light. 'Name' is always considered with preference compared to the 'Named'. It seems to be nearly universal in the world of mystics that Divine Name enjoys a very special status. May be it is the way of the heart.

But the world of Tattvajnana is different. It has its own worries. Whether Ultimate with Form or Ultimate without Form, what is final? To reach either different methods or different approaches, but what is easier or practicable? But Tulsidas seems to be of a different view. He says that more than 'That with Form' or 'That without Form', Name is superior to both. So resort to Name and install the Name in your tongue, which is like the passage way connecting the outer courtyard and the inner of a house. If your human being is like a house then that which connects your inner world and the outer world is your tongue. Tongue signifies words. Words are basic to Texts. Texts house the world of abstraction. So if you install the lamp of Name in the connecting passage viz., Tongue then you get both the worlds lighted. Not only that. Name alone will solve your problem of 'With Form' or 'Without Form', 'Divinely Characterized' or 'Beyond all Characteristics'. But immediately he seems to be doubly cautious and says 'Hey please don't rush to make a theory of what I say. I just expressed my liking or opinion. Thats all.'

'aguna saguna dui brahma sarUpa

akatha agAdha anAdi anUpA

morE mata badha nAmu duhU tE

kiE jEhin juga nija basa nija bUtEn

ubhaya agama juga sugama nAma tE

rAma nAma manidIpa dharu jIha dEharIn dvAra

tulasI bhItara bAherahun jaun cAhasi ujiAra

(SriRamacharitamanas, Balakanda, pp 48, 49, 50 Gita Press)

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

A morning tea with Ranga !

 After retirement my Chennai life was over. 'Roaming everywhere, reaching Rangan over there' so goes a saying. By Mother's grace I reached back my Srirangam. That is some four years gone. When it was new, after a long long time, one morning I woke up to see bustling people across my door telling me, 'are you not coming? Perumal has come over there next door. Come come'. The Ranga Alimighty, is next door! Wow.. what these people talk! Next door is a doctor. Of course Narayana himself is a Doctor, curing the disease of worldliness. Yea why not? it suits Him. I was busy preparing tea then. But I heard the bustling feet so close to the side door where my oven was alive. I was curious. Opened it to see the Supreme Bhagavan smiling in his special Rangic style as if to say, 'hi! fool! Lazy crackpot! what? busy with tea?' I was so embarrassed. I was about to ask him, 'why not a cup?' to my own utter dismay. But anyhow I ran to the side isle to snatch a darshan across the streaming, milling crowd. But the hiatus of agony and shyness and joy, all rolled into one stunning time, I made it a poem and only then I was back to normal moods.

*

'That day, sleeping beyond time,

getting up and ablutions done, taking bath

I was busy with my tea

and intended to sip it in all lazy cozy fold back

in a corner as if to see eternity passing by.

But out in the veranda people bustled here and there

calling me also to come and have darshan

'Perumal has come over there next door!

aren't you coming man?'

What! Perumal! The Supreme Ranga? over there just next door?

How is it? Is it not that we must go to the temple?

how come here next door?

Yea next door is a doctor.

and of course Ranga is also a doctor;

it suits: Vaidhyo Narayano Hari:

But how come..!

But the bustling new dresses

and trepid loving feet

are already all over the isle;

with the pulses beating

I opened the side door

to see Lord Ranga in all his bewitching smile

as if to ask : Hi lazy tard!

I was taken aback in the nearness

and lost ground a moment

about to offer him the tea at hand

and why not tea with Ranga?

I was catching myself. thank God !

next moment with the thought

hey it is some ubhayam;

so He is visiting over there;

it is routine this time of year

part of that day's table.

But somehow I felt

he should be spying me;

what spying? me? what for?

He is everywhere; and

how am I thinking anything before He knows it first?

But I think He likes my company

and many people doesn't like I know.

But why He alone.. should like me..

but perhaps it is new..

so by and by, over time He will learn

and come to shun me cool

but new? nay how come..

it comes all the way long

down the time, from the beginning,

and even before, I don't know when;

He knows it all

and He knows me the lazy tard;

sure He likes my friendship

and if not how come in strange hours

He calls me and ..

and even in hours strange to street-dogs..

surely He must be loving me

but what is there in me, a nothing..

strange! this love between a Everything All

and a just nobody puny nothing lazy fellow

perhaps He is so starved of company?

hey... come on... it is nonsense...

But don't you hear? He is hissing 'Rascal'

do I alone hear? yea perhaps to the internal ear.

or the ear of consciousness... leave it.

Yea that day I was about to share with him in a tumbler

the tea I had in hand

but if I would have done like that

oh what a shame would have I been

in others' eyes, a mad-cap perhaps

'that is why Sir, these mad men like this fool

should not be allowed free

they should have been put behind locked doors

but what to do? people would have thought

'how to manage cracks like these

and let them at large upon the world'

so perhaps the people would have

epitaphed my life rest of my living.

Thank God! I just escaped

by feeling down to earth

'it is after all somebody's ubhayam'

But down to earth? yea

'earth she sits upon and takes the sand in hand

and say this earth belongs to Vaman;

so says my dear'

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Tea and the horses

 Tea on the horse! Yea horses.. something interesting. Their gaits, snorts, whinny or neighs.. An old book on horses was brought out by Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur. One Asvasastram by Nakula. Nakula of Mahabharata? May be. So says the old book. It seems to derive lots of information from earlier authors like Salihotra, Garga, Susruta. There is a Tamil translation by Sri Subramanya Sastrigal. With a lot of illustrations in colour about the gaits and features, instruments and accessories all make the book a good reference. Horses do have smells and the smells do have their own meanings perhaps. And of course predictions combined with what happens to horses or how the horses behave or what sounds they make all make the book interesting. And to cap the whole story, there is an addenda from Salihotra Vaisampayaneeyam or Sarasindhu as it is called, about the psychology of horses. Horses do laugh sometimes it seems!. That too when a 'bravado' or a snob tries to get on the horse with over-confidence and falls down. Being neither a horse nor a bravado how am I to verify? No need. I have had many such moments with my mind-horse. Effect is the same even though the neigh is too naive.

Another interesting detail, when a horse not of equal calibre is made to run along with a hero-horse, the horse is irritated and tries to kick back sand-splashes. My mental horse is not of hero type and being only a plebian, it is compassionate towards all. And there are, the book says, nine types of horses - mattham, avi, kaasyam, asmageyam, maalikam, swetavaahanam, mesakam, swetagirijam, vaidarbam. All these nine are collectively called 'kodakam'. Modern books on equine themes, I must study and verify with the old.

Do the horses like tea? My belief is they should.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Sri Subramanya Karnamrutham

 Karnamrutham type of compositions have been many and varied it seems. On Sri Krishna, SriKrishna Karnamrutham is well known. On Sri Rama, one Ramabhadra Dikshita, who lived at Thruvisanallur in the later part of 17th century, has sung Ramakarnarasayana. The book has been brought out long ago by Sri Vani Vilas Press.

In this class of compositions, Sri Subramanya Karnamrutham is a work by Sri Gopalakrishna Kavi, who lived in the early part of 17th century. He was born in Pitchandar Kovil of Thiruchirappalli. He was also called Mahabhashyam Gopala Sastrigal. He was a contemporary of Sadasivabrahmendra, Ayyaval of Thiruvisanallur and Mahakavi Ramabhadra Dikshitar. When Vijayaraghunatha Thondaiman of Pudukkottai wanted to study Sastras under Sadashivabrahmendra, the great saint wrote something on the river sand and asked the King to continue with Mahabhashyam Gopala Sastrigal. If such is the case we can well understand the greatness of Sri Gopalakrishna Kavi. To help the devotees of Kumara and to help all the pious in getting the grace of Subramanya, the great Kavi has sung this Karnamrutha on Subramanya. It is also called Surapushpamala of Gopalakrishna Kavi. Kumara worship is quite ancient as generally all divine worships in Hinduism. Sanatkumara was thought to have become the son of the great God Shiva. Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada refers to this tradition in his Brahma Sutra commentary in the third adhyaya. The Karnamrutha on Subramanya consists of 116 slokas and it has been well explained by a commentary by Sri Guruswami Sastri of Thiruvananthapuram in 1978.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Kumara and Vedanta

 In 1881, in Thanjavur, there was a publication from Sakalakala Nilayam Press of Sri Chinnakannaiyya Chettiyar. Thirumayilai Vaidhilinga Desikar and Thiruththanigai Sitthaiyyar brought out a collection of compositions by Vedasreni Chidambara Swamigal. Ten stanzas on Dandapani, Updesa Unmai, Upadesa Unmaik kattalai. All these formed one neat small book. May be you were doubting when I was saying Hinduism consists in various different worships explaining themselves philosophically through Vedanta, Vedanta forming the general common philosophical basis and structure. Here is an instance of how the worship of Kumara or Muruga is expressed in terms of Vedantic common language. One verse -

'Setting aside the various principles ninety six

and the resultant terms residual Tat and Tvam

Leaving the two even and focusing on the term Asi

and its meaning profound brought home so clear and tangible

just like a fruit on the palm, your grace O Siddha

when will I reach thy excellent feet? tell me

O Thee of Mukti! the Transcendent residing in Vedasreni

The Ultimate! O my Dandapanian !'

(trn mine)

’தத்துவம் தொண்ணுற் றாறையும் கழித்துத்

தத்துவம் எனும்இரு பதமும்

கொத்தற விடுத்தங்கு அசிபதப் பொருளைக்

குடங்கையில் கனியென அருளும்

சித்தனே உன்றன் திருவடிக் கடியேன்

சேருநாள் எந்தநாள் புகலாய்

முத்தனே வேத சிரேணிவாழ் பரனே

முதல்வனே தண்டபா ணியனே.’

Tat and Tvam - That and Thee are meaningful only in mutual related contexts. What remains nondependent on related contexts is just 'Asi' 'to be'. Perhaps that is what Thayumanavar says when he sings 'if one becomes that, one just remains as that and that just being will be saying about it enough'. So the whole gamut of sravana. manana, chintana and nidhidhyasana of Vedantic process is replaced by the Divine Grace of Dandapani when he shows the pristine and precise meaning of 'Asi' term just like a fruit on the palm.

And Chidambaram Swamigal captivates our hearts when he explains Vedanta, its purpose, its raison de etre. Why should we do the undaunted investigation of philosophy? why should we do first of all Sadhu sanga? why should we do study ever so many books of Jnana? And why should we ever take pains at all to know the ajapa? And why in the world or anywhere should we aspire for bliss? It is all with the ultimate aim of 'to be just 'be'' To remain as the eternal witness. To be Sakshi.

’நல்லார் இணக்கம் செய்வதுவும்

ஞான நாட்டம் கொள்வதுவும்

கல்லா வனைத்தும் கற்பதுவும்

கனத்த விசாரம் புரிவதுவும்

சொல்லாச் சொல்லை அறிவதுவும்

சுகமாய் வாழ நினைப்பதுவும்

எல்லா மாயல் லவுமாகி

இருந்த சாக்ஷி ஆவதற்கே.’

What is being just Sakshi? just perceiving witness? All things seen by us are drisyam. What is that which sees the seen is the seer, Drik. Just don't be ever any drisyam at any time. Nay nay let it go. No drisyam is you. Ultimately what remains as that Drik which in turn cannot be made into a drisyam, that is the Drik proper. And remaining that Drik, just that as ever is what is called remaining as witness.

’உன்னால் அறியப் படும்பொருட்கள்

உன்னை யறிய மாட்டாதால்

உன்னால் அறியும் பொருளெல்லாம்

உனக்கு விடய மாம்கண்டாய்

உன்னால் அறியும் பொருளழியும்

ஒருகா லமும்நீ அழிவதிலை

உன்னால் அழியும் பொருளைவிடுத்து

உன்னை விசாரித்து அறிவாயே.’

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Vedanta in Tamil - from Puratthirattu

 Darkness, Light and Grace

Darkness is the nature of this world. Knowledge and wisdom being the light, compassion in the heart and grace of the Divine make one cross darkness. But darkness is approached in a different way also. There is a verse in the collection, Puratthirattu. This body is an earthern lamp. Thiri is the patience or abhyasa. Ghee is the concentration practice. The ultimate flame is the grace or compassion. This verse belongs to an ancient collection of Bharata venba that has found a place in the 500 year old anthology viz., Puratthirattu. And the verse is not over. It also talks about what happens when the cross-over is made from here to there with the help of the lamp. With the flame of grace or compassion lit by abhyasa and tapas, when one reaches the beyond, the darkness is transformed into open space. How to understand this? Darkness is there, being the nature of the world in which we find ourselves. One has the lamp, the body, the patience, the undaunted practice of concentration. At last the flame is lit. Darkness disappears and should you not see the objects various? But instead what happens? Darkness disappears and in its place you find open space, just open space, no observer, no observed, no interrelation or contexts. To understand this anomaly Sri Adisankara is helpful. In one sloka Sri Adisankara says - this transcendent light! what a surprise and what a mystery! Usually in the light things will be seen and in darkness things cannot be seen. But in the darkness of avidya various objects were seen but when the light of Jnana shines all the various objects are nowhere in sight!

'Body as the lamp; patience as the thread;

concentration as the ghee, the flame of grace is lit;

With it when one goes over to the beyond

Darkness is gone and only open space remains'

’மெய்தகளி யாகப் பொறையாம் திரிக்கொளீஇ

நெய்தவ மாக நிறைதரப் - பெய்தாங்கு

அருளாம் விளக்கேற்றி அம்மைப்பாற் செல்ல

இருள்போய் வெளியாய் விடும்.’

(Puratthirattu, Bhaarata venba)

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Vedanta in Tamil - from Aranericcharam

 You may tell me that since I am interested in Vedantic thoughts and methodology, I wish to see such being reflected everywhere, in ancient Tamil literature and culture. But how can you account for a work like Aranericcharam expressing beautifully the whole process of Vedantic analysis in a simple venba?

'There is no God replacing one's own Self

If you can realise the Self shedding off the mind;

What! you have just to learn to behold

through Texts and Logic

And understand both the here and the hereafter

And be able to surrender oneself to the Grace;

Such is wisdom.'

(translation mine, Aranericcharam venba)

The original -

’தன்னொக்கும் தெய்வம் பிறிதில்லை தான்தன்னைப்

பின்னை மனமறப் பெற்றானேல் - என்னை

எழுத்தெண்ணே நோக்கி இருமையும் கண்டாங்கு

அருட்கண்ணே நிற்பது அறிவு.’

You have to think twice before having second thoughts about the hoary heritage of Vedantic analysis in Tamil.

Again from Aranericcharam -

A dark way going before. To cross, you need a torch. In our days we need batteries for the torch. But when the venba was written, oil or ghee was needed. To get ghee you need milk. And milk is a medicine curing your ailments. So the poet while talking about the torch, is able to talk the whole ethics of liberation.

'Dark indeed in the nature of this world!

Dispelling darkness the handy torch

is one's own learning and wisdom;

Ghee needed for the flame is compassion and grace;

Milk, out of which ghee is obtained,

such milk-white should be the conduct and ethical behaviour

Then surely one can transcend the sorrow

and reach the Transcendent.'

(translation mine; Aranericcharam)

‘இருளே உலகத் தியற்கை இருளகற்றும்

கைவிளக்கே கற்ற அறிவுடைமை கைவிளக்கின்

நெய்யே தன்நெஞ்சத் தருளுடைமை நெய்யமைந்த

பால்போல் ஒழுக்கத் தவரே பரிவில்லா

மேலுலகம் எய்து பவர்.’

Why this world's nature is conceived as that of darkness? Because in this world the real abstract principle is not evident to perception and you have to go through a process of understanding and cogitation to arrive at the sustaining principles. 'To see' according to Vedantic parlance is not this optical function but the ability to visualize the distant and hidden abstract principle. That is why such a process was called 'darsana', a term literally having all to do with opthalmic connotations.

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

A 'sUkti' and Hinduism

 In Sanskrit 'sUkti' means 'a good saying'. su - good; ukti - saying. A sUkti says like this :

"we can desire to paint

the image, colours and the form of the Sun;

But how to paint the rays

not reflected and not seen in a background?"

This is an abstract idea. I have tried to translate. The original is :

"kAmam likatu samstAnam

kaschit roopam cha bhasvata: |

abhiddhi vihitAlambam

AlOkam vilikEt katam ||"

(sUktimAlA, anthologized by Vaidhyasri S V Radhakrishna Sastri)

We can paint the light seen in a background. We can paint the reflected objects. But a pure ray..? Just think about it? How to image it first of all? But all our world of images, colours, objects, form everything visualized just depends on that simple pure ray. Is it not? So even optically speaking, our knowledge happens only in relational contexts. The knowing principle, though prior to all happenings of knowledge and inherent in all relational contexts is itself evading any relational fixing. So comparable to the pure ray. Is it not slightly intriguing, that which has gone prior and basic to perception comes to be understood by inference?

When such is the case for even a strictly scientific topic like optics and epistemology, what to say about the Ultimate Transcendent which is the Supreme Principle? When the objects are relatively existent, that Principle is absolutely and independently existent. When the lights which we know are relationally functional, that Supreme Light is preeminent and unrelatable. Hence it is Paravastu and Paramjyotis. That is why perhaps even Nammalwar exerts so much to express the Transcendent Light:

’அரவணைமேல் இருள்விரி நீலக் கருநாயிறு சுடர்கால்வது போல் இருள்விரி சோதி பெருமான்’

'on the snake-bed, abounding dark

bluish black Sun, as if aflame all around

extending darkish Light, Peruman'

Hinduism should be found in this richness of detailed depths and abounding mystery of endless expanse. So are we given to understand when a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Abhedananda explains like this :

"The religion of Vedanta does not teach the worship of many gods, but of one God, who is called by many names and who is free to appear in any form in accordance with the desires of the worshippers. The God of the Hindus has no particular name nor any particular form. Thousands of names are given to that Supreme Being who is nameless and formless. He is not extra-cosmic but intra-cosmic, and immanent as well as transcendent. He appears as with form to a dualist and without form to a non-dualist. He is one, yet His aspects are many. He is personal, impersonal, and beyond both. He appears as personal to a dualistic or monotheistic worshipper, and as impersonal to a qualified non-dualistic believer or one who believes in the immanency and transcendency of God; while to a pure non-dualist, the same God is the one Infinite Ocean of absolute existence, intelligence, bliss, and love.”

(Religion of the Hindus, 1901)

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***

Yogavasishta or Gnanavasittam in Tamil

 Compositions which explain Tatthvartha have been written down the time in Tamil. Sanskrit words were used aptly and also suitable words created to enrich the philosophical vocabulary. Commentaries and original works in SriVaishnavaite sampradaya are a treasure house for such vocabulary. Nearly all the schools of thought have tried to bring out works big or small in Tamil. Saiva siddhanta sastras and the commentaries on Sivagnanabodham and Sivappirakasam are great instances of Tamil philosophical output. Along with these and not in any way less eloquent, is the great work called Gnanavasittam. Originally in Sanskrit Mahayogavaasishtam was an extensive work, composed as the teachings of Sage Vasishta to Sri Rama. The great work was condensed to Laghuyogavaasishta by SriKashmira Pandita. This condensation was done into Tamil verses 6000 by one Veerai Sri Alavandan Munivar, son of SriKaviraja Pandithar. There was one commentary in Sanskrit on Laghuyogavaasishta. It was translated into Tamil as Samusaratharani by SriNithyanandar in 1870. Referring various works in Sanskrit Sri Subbaiyya Gnanadesikendrar wrote a commentary called SriVeerasekaram. The verse composition in Tamil of 6000 verses, along with the commentaries Samusaratharani and SriVeerasekaram, all coming together adding to 1800 printed pages of small print in Tamil were brought out in 1928 by Chennai Anandabodhini Press.

It was one of the books fondly quoted by Bhagavan Sri Ramana. A verse which almost teaches verbatim Sri Ramana's upadesam is this one in Upasamappirakaranam, 12

அகம் அகம்என்று

அனைத்துயிரினிடத்தும் இருந்து

அனவரதம் உரைப்பதாகி

நிகழ் ஒளியாய்

ஆன்ம தத்துவமான சொரூபத்தை

நினைத்தல் செய்வாம்.

திகழ் இதயக் குகை உறையும்

தேவதையை விட்டு

அயலே தெய்வம் தேடேல்.

மிக அரிய கௌத்துவத்தை எறிந்து

சிறுமணி தேடும் வேட்கை போல் ஆம்.

Let us behold the nature of Atma Tattva

which is always internally present illuminating

and that which in every being

sounds forth as I, I ;

Leaving this shining deity

which resides always in our heart

and to search for any God outside

is like throwing away the rare gem of Kausthuba

and searching for some gemstone passionately.

You can see how a sophisticated language of philosophy was being wrought by savants in Tamil. While bringing out in 1928 the great book of 1800 pages, SriSubbaiyya Gnanadesikendra says about the commentary Samusaratharani, translation by SriNithyananda. That such a commentary was done some 60 years prior to 1928 and it was being handed down as 'hearing and studying tradition'. That means Vedanta taught and heard and studied by earnest people well before and well after the time of our concern. What a tradition of Vedantic thinking in Tamil!

Srirangam Mohanarangan

***