THE ESOTERIC
KANDAR ANUBHUTI
OR
THE SECRET TEACHING ON
GOD-EXPERIENCE
(A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization)
OF
SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR
| THE ESOTERIC KANDAR ANUBHUTI OR THE SECRET TEACHING ON GOD-EXPERIENCE (A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization) OF SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR | |
 | by N.V. Karthikeyan |  |
| verses contents 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 .. 24 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 complete download of this book |
VERSE-14 கைவாய் கதிர்வேல் முருகன் கழல்பெற்று உய்வாய் மனனே ஒழிவாய் ஒழிவாய் மெய்வாய்விழி நாசியொடும் செவியாம் ஐவாய்வழி செல்லும் அவாவினையே.Kaivaai kathirvel murugan kazhal petru, Uivaai manane ozhivaai ozhivaai Meivaai vizhi naasiyodum seviyaam, Aivaai vazhi sellum avaavinaiye. Murugan with Vel radiant in hand - His Feet obtain Commentary When the seeker returned to normal consciousness after that grand experience given to him (verses 12 and 13), the Guru now gives him further instructions to proceed in his Sadhana to attain the Goal. "O mind! Resort to the Feet of Lord Murugan wielding the Vel, earn His Grace and be saved. (By this method) Abandon, abandon the desires that project themselves through the five avenues (sense-organs) -- the body, mouth, eyes, nostrils and ears." The Guru wants to hint to the aspirant that the problem of attraction for women, etc. is not due to the objects themselves or the senses but due to desires in the mind, which have to be given up or sublimated by resort to the Lord. That is the only way to be saved. So he advises him to abandon the desires by resorting to the Lord's Feet. In this verse we can see a clear transition from external to internal, from objects to the mind. Subtle and great secrets of the mind and Sadhana are revealed in this verse. Desires are not like physical objects that can be thrown away if we don't want them. They are the expression of the externalising tendency of the soul-force and they cannot be given up like that easily nor controlled by mere force or will-power. They have to be sublimated or diverted into nobler channels, which is to turn the mind inwards, towards God or the Self and thus be saved. Resort to God is the only way to give up desires. Hence Thiruvalluvar says: பற்றுக பற்றற்றான் பற்றினை; அப்பற்றைப் பற்றுக பற்றுவிடற்கு. "Patruka pattrattraan pattrinai; appattraip pattruga pattru vidarku" -- "Hold fast to His Feet Who has no attachments (God); do so in order to abandon all (other) attachments." Desires stand in the way of our attaining Anubhuti (spiritual experience). They dissipate one's personality in various directions and destroy one's peace and happiness. Desire is the greatest obstacle in the path to liberation. Hence the exhortation to the mind to give up desires. To emphasise the necessity for it, it is repeated twice, saying, "Give up, O mind! Give up the desires that project themselves through the senses." But, how? "By taking refuge in the Lord's Feet." And that is the only way. 'Murugan kazhal petru uivaai'. Without taking refuge in the Lord to give up desires is impossible. Why is it so? To know this a little probing into the very texture of desires is necessary. We have to go a little deeper and find out the reason for the existence of desires. What is a desire or why there is desire at all? A deeper analysis will disclose that desires are not of the body or senses or even the mind, which are only channels of expression of a force or energy of the soul. This force is, ultimately, of the Atman or Self that indwells the body. The Jivatman or the individual soul which has separated itself, as it were, from God, longs for reunion with its Source, God. This longing is called Devotion, Aspiration and Mumukshutva or longing for Liberation, Freedom or Bliss. Though this restless aspiration of the Jiva to reunite itself with God is genuine and praiseworthy, due to ignorance (Avidya) it gets misdirected outwardly through the mind and senses, towards sense-objects with the false hope of getting happiness from them. This misdirected effort of pleasure-seeking is called desire. What is required is, therefore, only a redirection, a turning within, of that energy. Just as a person who has moved away from the center and wishes to get back to it has only to turn around, trace his steps back and not stray away further, the soul-force (called desire when expressed through the senses) has to turn back from its wanderings in the sense-world and withdraw itself into the source, the Atman, which process is called sublimation of desire, Devotion to God, meditation on the Self, etc., also called Sadhana. Hence, the instruction to the mind to take refuge in the Lord and be saved, which is the only way to give up desires that project themselves through the five senses. The reason why desires are obstacles and are to be given up is given so impliedly in the verse that it is likely to go unnoticed. Desires activate and agitate the senses, project themselves through the senses, and thus, externalise the mind and consciousness. This is the bane to spiritual seeking or attaining God. The tendency of desires to externalise the inner personality (the Jiva) to have contact with the world outside, and thus not allow it to rest in itself, is the cause of our unhappiness. The resting of Consciousness, they say, in itself is true happiness, a glimpse of which is experienced, though negatively, by everyone, daily, in deep sleep. In deep sleep, there are no objects, no contact with them, no sensory or mental function and yet one is so happy. One longs for sleep for the happiness and peace one enjoys then. One may have physical ailments or mental worries, but they all vanish during sleep. Sleep gives the needed happiness and comfort, peace and rest, which cannot be had from any other source. Wherefrom do these come? Internal to the body, internal to the senses, internal to the mind, is the Self or Consciousness (Atman or God) which is an embodiment of Bliss and Peace. When the mind projects itself through the senses, it goes away from this source and thus is deprived of happiness. When it returns to its source in deep sleep, it enjoys the bliss of the Self. However, in sleep there is a thin veil of ignorance preventing the merger of the mind in the Self and so one experiences the bliss negatively and on waking up returns to misery once again. But by Sadhana when one attains Samadhi or Self-Realization, the veil is rent asunder and true happiness or bliss is experienced forever. For this purpose the mind is asked to 'Obtain' the Lord's Feet and thus be saved ('kaivaai kadirVel Murugan kazhal petru uivaai manane.'), when it will be able to give up desires that project through the senses. A doubt may arise as to why should desires be given up to seek spiritual Bliss? Why not have the bliss of the Self and the gratification of the desires also? Well, it would have been wonderful had it been possible! But, unfortunately, it is not possible, for reasons explained earlier. The two cannot go together for obvious reasons. They are diametrically opposite and cannot co-exist, just as darkness and light, or day and night cannot go together. If we cannot have both, then can we not have fulfillment of desires and be happy? Why give up desires? No; this is also not possible because desires are insatiable and endless. This is the uniform declaration of the scriptures as also the experience of all persons. Fulfillment of desires by enjoyment aggravates desire for further enjoyment, like ghee poured into fire which flames up and wants more. There is no one whose desires have been fulfilled by enjoyment and could say that he has no more desires. Further, fulfillment of desires is attended with various defects and also sin. Thus, the desires can neither be fulfilled nor is this fulfillment desirable. If they cannot be fulfilled, can we suppress them and be free from them. No, this is impossible. Because, desire is a force or energy of the soul, as explained above, that seeks expression in one way or the other. So they cannot be suppressed for a long time. It would be like keeping a powerful spring pressed and kept under check, which would only bounce back the moment the pressure is relaxed a bit and we know that the pressure cannot always be kept exerted, due to our own weaknesses. Suppressed desires often drive people crazy and abnormal. A force cannot be checked without being utilized in some way. If the waters of a river are harnessed by a big dam, they have to be diverted in some other channel and properly utilised, otherwise the dam will soon be washed away by the force of the water. Hence, a force or a power cannot be merely restrained without being utilised in some way. Thus, desires can neither be fulfilled finally nor suppressed nor checked for ever. They have only to be sublimated. This is done by directing the mind towards God, by prayer, Bhajans and devotion to or meditation on God; there is no other way of dealing with desires, neither fulfillment of desires is possible nor will suppression be successful. The desires that project themselves through all the five avenues (of senses) are to be given up, is the instruction. Because, even if any one sense is left uncontrolled, the energy will sneak through that and will take a heavy toll and play havoc anytime. Only when the energy is totally conserved, can it be utilised for the higher purpose of meditation on the Lord. "O mind, obtain the Feet of the Lord and be saved; and give up all desires." The mind can either save itself by thinking of or attaining God, or ruin itself by desires for (or thinking of) objects. God-thought is, therefore, an antidote to thought of objects; the former is called Ishwara-chintana or Atma-chintana and the latter Vishaya-chintana; the former leads to liberation, the latter to bondage and misery. Why so? Because, the mind cannot be without thinking and also it can think one thing only at a time. This is a great secret of the mind to be understood and properly utilised by seekers. Either it can think of or be devoted to God and thus be saved, or think of and enjoy the objects of desire and land itself in endless misery. The mind is therefore said to be the cause of one's liberation as well as one's bondage -- 'Mana eva kaaranam manushyaanaam bandha mokshayoho:' To wean the mind from dwelling upon objects, it has to be given a more attractive, more pleasing, and more absorbing Object - the best being God, Himself. Hence, the advice to the mind to take refuge in the lotus-feet of Lord Murugan, who has the shining Vel in His hand, and be saved; give up all desires that project through the senses. In verse-7 it was said, "O mind, why do you suffer! Now, listen to this means for attaining salvation: Without holding, give in charity; (and) meditate on the Lotus-Feet of the Lord having the sharp Vel!" And in this verse it is said, "O Mind! Obtain the Lotus-Feet of Lord Murugan with the radiant Vel in His hand, and be saved (attain salvation). Give up, give up the desires that project themselves through the five avenues." A careful study of these two verses will show that while charity can be done thinking of the Lord or even without thinking also (though it may not lead to salvation), desires cannot be given up without first thinking of the Lord. How precisely does Arunagiri reveal great secrets of the spiritual practice! |
| contents 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 .. 24 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 |
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