THE ESOTERIC
KANDAR ANUBHUTI
THE SECRET TEACHING ON
GOD-EXPERIENCE
(A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization)
OF
SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR
| THE ESOTERIC KANDAR ANUBHUTI THE SECRET TEACHING ON GOD-EXPERIENCE (A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization) OF SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR | |
 | by N.V. Karthikeyan |  |
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| That the Kandar Anubhuti is a regular treatise, and not a mere collection of verses, becomes evident from some of the Tiruppugazhs themselves. (4) As some authors hold, the Saint had for long cherished a pious wish to offer a 'Poem Garland' to the Lord, as expressed in his Tiruppugazh 'Aasaikoor Bhaktanen ...' (T-1211), and that the 'Kandar Anubhuti' is a composition in fulfilment of this wish. A free translation of the first half of the Tiruppugazh song would read thus: "I am a devotee with a (pious) wish, -- to offer a garland to the Lord. (What kind of Garland?) A garland of poems having the flower of the mind-lotus, being penetrated by the thread of love, artistically composed by the tongue, wafting its wisdom-fragrance, shining in all its glory, and the bee of the intellects of the taintless ones (holy men) rejoicing in it, - such a 'Maatrukaa Pushpa Maalai' (poem-garland) shall I be blessed to offer at Your coral-like red Feet!" "Maatrukaa Pushpa Maalai" is a treatise of verses with the 51 letters, of the Sanskrit language, from 'A' to 'Ksha'. It is also called 'Akshara Maalai', i.e.., garland of letters; Akshara meaning letter. 'Maatrukaa Pushpa Maalai' is also said to mean a treatise of 51 verses, because of the mere correspondence in number, and the Kandar Anubhuti comprises of 51 verses. The essential points of the Tiruppugazh are these: It is a garland of poems, having for its flower the mind-lotus, and it is to be offered at the Feet of the Lord. The mind is another name for the Jiva, and the Feet of the Lord usually denote Paramapada or the Supreme Abode (Moksha). Thus to offer the mind-lotus to the Feet of the Lord means to offer the Jiva in the Supreme Being, i.e., to attain Atma-sakshatkara or God-Realisation. This view appears to be a satisfactory and tenable one because the Kandar Anubhuti is a work of 51 verses and also Arunagiri himself refers to it, in the Kaappu-verse, as "a garland knit of the beautiful words (of Tamil)" --- "Senchor Punai Maalai". Most probably, Arunagiri, by this succinct phrase, means the 'Maatrukaa Pushpa Maalai' of the above Tiruppugazh (T-1211). In "Senchor Punai Maalai", the word 'Maalai' (Garland) is significant which clearly indicates that it is not a mere collection of loose-flowers (verses) but a purposefully knit or arranged work, which means it is a 'Treatise'. (5) Above all, that the Kandar Anubhuti is not a collection of verses but a 'treatise' given at the specific command of the Lord, can be seen from the Tiruppugazh 'Malaik kanaththu ena maarpinil' (T-850), given at Tirut-thurutthi. At Pothiya-Malai, Arunagiri had prayed to the Lord to etch the seal of the spear (Vel) and the peacock on his body (T-413 -- Vediththa Vaarkuzhal). And, as stated in (4) above, he also wished to offer the 'Maatrukaa Pushpa Maalai' (T-1211 -- 'Aasaikoor Bhaktanen'). The Lord fulfilled both these prayers at Tirut-thurutthi, by commissioning Arunagiri to sing the (Kandar) Anubhuti, duly etching the Mayil and the Vel on his shoulders. At Tirut-thurutthi, Arunagiri seems to have had a dream or vision, about which, in a stanza of the Tiruppugazh 'Malaik kanaththu ena maarpinil' (T-850), he says: | ||
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