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 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 .. 39 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 complete download of this book |
VERSE-29 இல்லேஎனும் மாயையில் இட்டனை நீ பொல்லேன் அறியாமை பொறுத்திலையே மல்லேபுரி பன்னிரு வாகுவில் என் சொல்லே புனையும் சுடர் வேலவனே.Ille enum maayaiyil ittanai nee, Pollen ariyaamai poruththilaiye Malle puri panniru vaakuvil en, Solle punaiyum sudar velavane. Into this non-existent Maya, You have me involved; Commentary In that stupendous experience of Infinite Knowledge and Bliss where the ego was 'swallowed up' and the Supreme Reality alone shone in all its glory (previous verse), Maya seemed to have disappeared or become non-existent; and the seeker had a feeling that he is free from Maya and his Ignorance has gone. But after return to normal consciousness, he realises that he is still in Maya, that he has his weaknesses as before and that his Avidya is still there, i.e. not forgiven or destroyed (Ariyaamai poruththilai). Maya and Avidya (Ignorance) are the same -- the former is universal while the latter is individual. So he pleads to the Lord: "O Lord! You have once again involved me in this Maya which appeared to be non-existent! You have not forgiven or pardoned (destroyed) the Ignorance of this evil-natured person! What a pity!!" The Sadhaka, after a glimpse of cosmic-consciousness in the higher reaches of his meditation (verse 28), comes down to normal consciousness, because the Mula - Avidya (ignorance), which is the essence of individuality (Jivatva) and the repository of Karmas, is not as yet destroyed ("Pollen Ariyaamai Porutthilai"). That he refers to himself as 'pollen' (of evil nature) clearly shows that he is conscious of there being some more evil or bad karmas (Sanchita Karmas) to his credit to be finished (which point is made explicit in verse-31), all which mean that this experience of verse-28 was not actual God-Realization or Attainment of God. Hence the word 'Vizhungi' (swallowed) was used there to indicate the non-destruction of Ignorance, which fact is confirmed in this verse. Whereas in verse-44, wherein when he comes to normal consciousness after that 'Pesaa Anubhuti' (God-Realization) experience (verse-43), he beholds God's Feet (presence) everywhere and there is no more Maya. It is only in Verse 42 that it is categorically affirmed that Avidya is destroyed ("Ariyaamai Attradhu"); and "Pesaa Anubhuthi Piranthathu" of verse 43 proclaims attainment of God-experience; both of which are followed by the confirmation of the grant of the Lord's Lotus-Feet which is Moksha, in verse 44. The immediate experience on return to world-consciousness is a little distressing to the Sadhaka on account of the diametrically opposite and irreconcilable contrast between the two experiences. In that state of glimpse of God-consciousness, Satchidananda alone was, and that experience convinced him that the world (Maya) does not really exist; but on return from that meditation, he has to live in it and deal with it. This predicament of the Sadhaka is so precisely and touchingly portrayed in the verse as 'Ille enum Mayai-il ittanai'. இல்லே எனும் மாயை, 'Ille enum Maayai' - "The non-existent Maya": "Maayaa" is basically a Sanskrit word, and its etymological meaning is 'that which is not'. What is Maya? And why is it said to be non-existent? The Absolute (Brahman) is unconditioned existence and it cannot admit of anything else as it is second-less, and so this world cannot exist in addition to it. If this phenomenal world is admitted as a real entity having an independent existence of its own other than Brahman, it would mean the acceptance of a limitation to the Absolute or Brahman, in which case the Absolute would be no Absolute, which is untenable. It cannot be that something else also exists independently side-by-side with the Absolute. Hence, (the things of) the world cannot be attributed with any real existence. They are only phases or appearances of Reality, just as waves in the ocean are only phases of the waters of the ocean. The waves have neither a real existence of their own nor are they essentially different from the ocean. The wave is water, is the ocean. Hence, to attribute any independent reality to the waves, apart from the ocean in which they partake of their existence, would only mean ignorance of Truth. So is the case with this Samsara (phenomenal existence), which has no independent existence apart from Satchidananda (the Absolute or Brahman). But, somehow the world is taken as a sole reality, as having a reality of its own, forgetting the underlying Reality, which latter is often even denied its existence. Thus, not only a world is seen which does not really exist, but also the great Reality that alone appears as this world is ignored. How strange! What is it due to? This is called Maya. To perceive something which really is not, and not see That which alone is, is Maya. But, is Maya a substantial thing? No. It is not that Maya has any existence, it is not an entity by itself; it is only a term used to describe our inability to understand the relation, if at all there is any, between the phenomenal and the Real, in our present predicament. That which really is not and which yet appears to be, and whose relation to the Absolute cannot be satisfactorily explained (there being no real relation, as the Absolute cannot admit of any relation) is explained as Maya. It is only an initial concept introduced to solve the riddleless riddle of phenomenal existence. It is like the "X" that is employed in solving algebraic equations, which vanishes together with the problem when the sum is solved. When the Absolute is experienced, there is neither the world nor are we - much less "Maya." Hence, Maya is said to be non-existent. Probably, at this stage God induces the Sadhaka to compose songs, i.e., record his experiences or write books, as he is now endowed with the rare insight into both this life and 'That' experience. Perhaps in that near cosmic experience he was able to visualise his causal body or Avidya or bundle of Sanchita Karmas which contained many horrible Karmas of the past lives. So, he says: 'Pollen Ariyaamai poruththilaiye'. A totally ignorant man takes the world as a solid reality and all his actions are based on a firm conviction of the reality of the objects of the world. For him, no other reality exists, not even God. He wants to acquire and possess things, enjoy them and be happy. The world is indeed his God. Thus, to the worldly man, Maya (or the world) is real. But, to a sage of Self-realisation, Maya is unreal; it does not exist at all, for he is established in the awareness of God (the Self) in which phenomenality is transcended. Only the seeker, -- that too the one who has evolved to a great extent, -- is in a peculiar condition. To the seeker, Maya is neither real nor unreal. He knows that the Absolute alone is real and that the world has no real existence. But this is only a theoretical conviction which has not become his actual experience. What he experiences is the world which stares at him and with which he has to have dealings. He is still unable to shake off this relative experience. Neither can he negate the world (names and forms) and see the world as God, as a saint does, because he has not realised or experienced the Absolute; nor can he hug it as a total reality as a worldly man does, because he has understood its essence-less nature. Such is the condition of the seeker or aspirant, to whom Maya is "said to be" non-existent. |
| contents 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 .. 39 this verse in PDF version (4 parts) p-1 p-2 p-3 p-4 |
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