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 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 .. 29 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 complete download of this book |
VERSE-19 வடிவும் தனமும் மனமும் குணமும் குடியும் குலமும் குடிபோகியவா அடியந்தமிலா அயில்வேல் அரசே மிடியென்று ஒருபாவி வெளிப்படினே.Vadivum Thanamum manamum gunamum, Kudiyum kulamum kudipokiyavaa Adiyanthamilaa ayilvel arase, Midi enru oru paavi velippadine. Beauty, wealth, (noble) mind, noble qualities, Commentary That meditation on the Self or Atman (Verse-18) continued for some time poses a threat to Avidya or ignorance which Arunagiri refers to, in this verse, as 'Midi' (poverty) and 'Paavi' (sinner). Ignorance is called sinner because it is the original sin and root-cause and impeller of every other kind of sin, viz., Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya, and the cause of all our problems. "Ignorance is the worst of all poverty," says sage Vasishtha to Rama in 'The Yoga-Vaasishtham.' Ignorance is lodged in our hearts and is the cause of all our sorrow. We are under its dominance for ages, though normally we are not even aware of its existence and we seem to be all right though we are not. Its existence is inferred through the working of its off-shoots, viz., Ahamkara or self-assertive ego, Raga-Dwesha or likes and aversions, and Abhinivesha or attachment to one's body. So long as we do not disturb Avidya, it rests cozily in our hearts but when it feels a threat from a Sadhaka trying to attack it with Japa and meditation on the Self or Atman, it manifests itself from its hiding (வெளிப்படுதல்) to impede his spiritual progress. IF and when it manifests (வெளிப்படின்), it affects his physical and mental health, -- causes physical illness affecting his beauty, squanders his (spiritual) wealth, his discrimination and dispassion, his noble nature and character, his family prestige and good lineage, etc. This ignorance is the real poverty (Midi) and sinner (Paavi). This is spiritual poverty. Arunagiri refers to this ignorance when he says 'Velippadin' which means 'to manifest or come out from within', which implies the existence of that thing already in an unmanifest or dormant form. It naturally refers to Avidya which lies deep in every one as the root-cause of Jivatva (individuality); and not to material poverty because we cannot say that poverty is unmanifest or latent in everyone, and that it manifests itself. Poverty is said to 'afflict' people, which means it is an external condition affecting a person. Similarly, it can be removed by an external factor i.e., it can be alleviated by material help from others, but this ignorance cannot be removed except by Jnana or spiritual Wisdom which the Lord or Guru alone can confer. Hence is the reference in the verse to 'the Lord holding the sharp, pointed Vel'. The Vel, as we know, represents Highest Wisdom. The seeker is not a neophyte any more. He is fairly experienced and advanced in Sadhana. From the wisdom he had got from books and his Guru (verse-17), he knows that when he forged in his meditation on the Atman, Avidya has been shaken and it will try to impede his Sadhana (verse-18). So to face the impending situation he feels the need for 'initiation' from his Guru into the proper technique of meditation on the Self which will bring about the needed inner transformation in him. In the act of Initiation, the Guru actually transmits his powers to the disciple and strengthens his spiritual power, with which he can face the situation. Hence in order to safeguard himself from the onslaught of Avidya and not succumb to it when it manifests, the seeker takes refuge in his Guru and requests for Initiation, -- this is implied in the appeal (or supplication) to the Lord as: 'adi anthamila ayil Vel arase', -- "O Lord with the sharp Vel! O beginningless and endless One!" We have seen in verse-13 that Guru and God are identical. In the next verse, the Guru gives him Initiation. In verse 16, we have seen that Arunagirinathar traced Aviveka (non-discrimination) as the cause, for all practical purposes, of desires and cravings. Now, Aviveka having been taken care of with the dawn of Viveka (verse 17) and when meditation is attempted at (verse 18), the cause of Aviveka, viz., Avidya (ignorance) manifests itself. Just as in a war, the lower officers take the lead first and only finally the General makes his appearance, so is the case in this inner warfare, too. If Naama and Rupa of the objects are obstacles for union with Satchidananda behind them, Avidya and its effects are the obstacles in one's meditation on and union with the Self within. Poverty can be material, moral and spiritual. Material poverty is bad, but moral poverty is worse and spiritual poverty is indeed the worst. Material poverty can be removed by one's effort or by the offering of rich treasures by others. Comparatively, it is easier to overcome material poverty. Moral poverty is difficult to overcome. Great effort is necessary. It is almost a Herculean task for a moral weakling to become ethically strong. Yet, one can achieve it by determined effort. But spiritual poverty (ignorance) is almost impossible to remove. We have all been suffering from this since ages. We are born and we die with this. Avidya (ignorance) is the original sin that has taken possession of us, God knows since when! Forgetting our universal nature, limiting ourselves to a particular body, taking this fleeting world as real, loving or hating certain things, we act deludedly seeking the pleasures of senses, and suffering endlessly. What can be worse than this? This is the real poverty - not to know who we are, what is good for us and how to seek it. This spiritual poverty can be removed only by the Lord, who is an embodiment of knowledge, which is represented by the sharp Vel. As the Vel pierced through the Asura, the Vel of wisdom has to destroy this Asura of ignorance in us. Only then there is salvation for us. In removing the spiritual poverty, other persons cannot be of any help, as with material poverty; the only way is grace of Guru or God. Hence, the prayer to the Lord, the king of the sharp-Vel! The epithets "sinner" (Paavi) and "if manifest" (Velippadin) to "poverty" (Midi), clearly indicate Avidya (ignorance or spiritual poverty) more than mere material poverty. Avidya, as we know, is termed as "the original sin" and it is personified as sinner. Now, what is meant by "manifestation of Avidya'? We are, all of us, the products of Avidya. It is in every one of us. But, we seem to be all right so long as we do not touch it. We are too busy and engrossed with the world outside that we never go to that level of our inner being as to touch Avidya, which lies deep within in the Anandamaya Kosha (causal body). But in the case of the seeker of a certain amount of advancement in his practices, who has turned away from the outer world and seeks to meditate on the Self within (as mentioned in the previous verse), ignorance which was there within, intact and undisturbed until now, tries to hiss at him. It tries to manifest itself as various negative forces and impede his progress, squandering his spiritual wealth of discrimination, dispassion, etc. Serious spiritual Sadhana is like disturbing a cobra which is sleeping in the corner of a dark room, whose presence was not known. Then it hisses at us and tries to harm us. One may then think: why disturb it at all? Why not allow it to sleep? Well! It may look all right, but it is necessary; because that it is sleeping is no freedom from its danger. So long as it is there, the danger is imminent, and it has to be faced sometime or the other. It may wake up any time and harm us. Until it is killed, we cannot be free from the impending danger. So is the case with Avidya. So long as it is there, we are bound to this mortal existence and the consequent sufferings birth after birth. To attain Anubhuti or God-realisation, to rest eternally in Peace and Bliss, Avidya has to be removed by Sadhana, sooner or later. There is no other way. Why then postpone it and continue the miserable existence! Destruction of Avidya alone can make man really happy. It is to rest in God's omnipresence. |
| contents 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 .. 29 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 |
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