Ramanisblog

Tag: Appar

  • Reality Light Siva Thirunavukkarasar Thevaram Explains

    Reality Light Siva Thirunavukkarasar Thevaram Explains

    Reality, Brahman,is beyond Attributes.It is beyond description.It transcends Space and Time; beyond Mind; beyond senses; Words fail.It can, at best , be described, but never defined.

    IT is an experience and can never be brought under Logic and Reason as these fail in their attempt to decipher IT .How to describe the Indescribable? Avaktavya?

    Unless you know what It Is,at least an idea about It,how can you attempt to Realise It? Upanishads attempt by describing It by a method of Negation of known Attributes. ‘Not this,Not This’.That is ,’ It is Neither tall,nor short,nor in between; Neither big, nor small, nor in between; Neither Make,nor Female, nor the Third Gender: Neither the Known,nor the Knower…..’ This is called the ‘ Neti Nyaya’.. Not this, Not This…Process in Tharka,Logic.

    However, those who Realised Brahman,have suggested some Attributes for the One that is beyond Attributes.It is an attempt to catch in words the Experience that can not be caught in words.Just as however hard we try to explain what hunger/pain is,when we know we can not really convey what we feel.

    One set of Attributes is,
    • Sat,Being.
    • Chit, Consciousness.
    • Anand,Bliss.

    For those who find this too as difficult, It, Brahman, is suggested to be expressed in the form of Light,which in real terms,does not have a beginning and end,nor middle Even this is merely an attempt at describing Brahman. Yet, this simple mode has helped people to meditate and help in Self Realisation.

    Then comes the Advice from Vedas. If you find contemplating on Brahman as an abstract principle, have one with Names and Forms. This can be what you like. And meditate upon it. Then you shall evolve spiritually towards Realisation of Brahman per se. This is called Saguna Upasana or Saguna Aradhana. Contemplating on The Brahman as Beyond Attributes is called Nirguna Upasna or Nirguna Aradhana.

    In Saguna Upasana, one finds Gods with Names and Forms.Even here these Gods are expressed in the form of Light, Jyothi.

    Such a thought is exquisitely conveyed in a Tamil poem by Saint Thirunavukkarasar, also called Appar. Appar in Tamil means father .Appa is a familiar term . Appar is a term of respect. Siva called out to Thirunavukkarasar as ‘Appa’.

    The following poem is by Thirunavukkarasar.He is one of the Four foremost Saints who worshipped Siva. The others are,

    • Sundarar
    • Thirugnanasambandar
    • Manikkavasagar.

    These four have sung hymns in praise of Siva and the collection is called Thevaram and it forms the core of Saiva worship, along with Thiruvasakam by Manikkavasagar.

    Thirunavukkarasar was a Saivite and switched over to Jainism. Distressed at this, his sister, a great devotee of Siva ,prayed Siva that her brother should be back to Shaivism.Siva did so.( I shall write about it later)

    After Thirunavukkarasar returned to Shaivism,Jain monks egged the King to torture Thirunavukkarasar. Thirunavukkarasar was tortured, thrown out fro a hill,given poison ,thrown into 🔥.

    When he was tortured thus, Thirunavukkarasar sang Ten Hymns,Namasivaya Pathikam,Tem Hymns of Namasivaya.I provide the Tamil text below. This song is to be sung while lighting the Lamp at home.

    இல்லக விளக்கது விருள்கெ டுப்பது
    சொல்லக விளக்கது சோதி யுள்ளது
    பல்லக விளக்கது பலருங் காண்பது
    நல்லக விளக்கது நமச்சி வாயவே. Raaga. Gandhara Panchama.
    Thevaram of Navukkarasar. Illaka vilakkathu.

    பொருள்…

    இல்லக = இல்லத்தினுள்

    விளக்கது = உள்ள விளக்கானது

    விருள்கெ டுப்பது = இருளை கெடுப்பது. அதாவது ஒளி தருவது

    சொல்லக = சொல்லினுள் உள்ள

    விளக்கது = விளக்கானது

    சோதி யுள்ளது = ஜோதி வடிவில் உள்ளது

    பல்லக = பலருடைய மனதில் உள்ள

    விளக்கது = விளக்கு அது

    பலருங் காண்பது = எல்லோரும் காண்பது

    நல்லக = நல்லவர்களின் மனதில் உள்ள

    விளக்கது = விளக்கு அது

    நமச்சி வாயவே = “நமச்சிவாய” என்ற மந்திரம். Thevaram

    Meaning.

    • Lamp that is at home dispels/destroys darkness;( here it can also mean that this light dispels darkness of the Mind).
    • Meaning of words explains/ (Vilakku in Tamil means Lamp as well as Explain) Destroys darkness in the form of Confusion.
    • It is the Form of Light.
    • It is the Glow of Light,Jyothi.
    • It is in evey one’s Mind.
    • Seen by everyone.
    • It is in the minds of the Righteous.

    That Light is Namasivaya.

  • How Much Do You Trust God

    How Much Do You Trust God

    Faith Sustains, Cures, while Reason seeks out explanations.

    For those in critical situations, solution to the problem is importnt than the explanations or the rationale.

    Help reaches out to those who have Faith, I have seen.

    It may not be some thing unnatural or something akin toa miracle.

    It could be by an unexpected turn of events , help from an unexpected source or from a Stranger.

    Then how come that even for those who have Faith, help does not arrive many a time?

    The answer is your return is directly proportional to your investment , in this case , the intensity of Faith.

    Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that total, unconditional surrender would beckon Him.

    In the Karna Mantra He states,

    Sarva Dharman Parthyajyasya Maamekam Charanam Vraja,’

    The correct meaning is,

    for those who abandon all actions and seek Refuge in Me alone.

    He did not come to the aid of Draupadi,also called Krishnai,who was being stripped in an open Hall, though she was crying out to Krishna , at the same time holding on to her clothes.

    He came to her when she freed her hands , threw her hands up!

    When Tirunavukkarasar( Tamil Saint), called Appar, was  thrown out into the sea with a stone tied around him, he sang,

    சொற்றுணை வேதியன் சோதி வானவன் 
பொற்றுணைத் திருந்தடி பொருந்தக் கைதொழக் 
கற்றுணைப் பூட்டியோர் கடலிற் பாய்ச்சினும் 
நற்றுணை யாவது நமச்சி வாயவே. 				4.11.1  Thevaram. by Appar.


Even if you are thrown into the Ocean with a stone around you,

Nama Sivaya, the word of One, Who is,

The Protector of the Word, Vedas,

The Eternal Flame of the Heavens,

For those who worship His feet'

He, The Refuge ,Constant Companion.

This is Thirunavukkarasar's approach.

What does Abhirami Bhattar have to say on this?

'

    அன்றே தடுத்து என்னை ஆண்டுகொண்டாய், கொண்டது அல்ல என்கை
    நன்றே உனக்கு? இனி நான் என் செயினும் நடுக்கடலுள்
    சென்றே விழினும், கரையேற்றுகை நின் திருவுளமோ.-
    ஒன்றே, பல உருவே, அருவே, என் உமையவளே. Abhirami 30

    அபிராமி அன்னையே! என் உமையவளே! நான் பாவங்களைச் செய்வதற்கு முன்பே என்னை தடுத்தாட் கொண்டவளே! நான் பாவங்களையே செய்தாலும், நடுக்கடலில் சென்று வீழ்ந்தாலும், அதனின்று காப்பது நின் கடைமையாகும். என்னை ஈடேற்ற முடியாது என்று சொன்னால் நன்றாகாது. இனி உன் திருவுளம்தான் என்னைக் கரை ஏற்ற வேண்டும் (பந்தபாசக் கடலில் இருந்து முக்திக் கரை ஏற்றுதல்). ஒன்றாகவும், பலவாகவும், விளங்குகின்ற என் உமையவளே!

    Mother Abhirami,The One who appears as Many,

    You have prevented me from committing Sins and taken over long back,

    If I commit sins even now, and I fall in the deep ocean.

    It is your Job to take care,

    நன்றே வருகினும், தீதே விளைகினும், நான் அறிவது
    ஒன்றேயும் இல்லை, உனக்கே பரம்: எனக்கு உள்ளம் எல்லாம்
    அன்றே உனது என்று அளித்து விட்டேன்:- அழியாத குணக்
    குன்றே, அருட்கடலே, இமவான் பெற்ற கோமளமே. Abhrami Andhadi 90

    ஏ, அபிராமி! அழியாத குணக்குன்றே! அருட்கடலே! மலையரசன் பெற்றெடுத்த அழகிய கோமள வல்லியே! எனக்கு உரிமை என்று எப்பொருளும் இல்லை. அனைத்தையும் அன்றே உன்னுடையதாக்கி விட்டேன். இனி எனக்கு நல்லதே வந்தாலும், தீமையே விளைந்தாலும், அவற்றை உணராது விருப்பு, வெறுப்பற்றவனாவேன். இனி என்னை உனக்கே பரம் என்று ஆக்கினேன்.

    Let auspiciousness strike me or that which is painful,

    I have no idea nor I know of it,

    It’s all yours,

    For I have you given you all that is supposed to be Mine, including my Mind,

    Abhirami, Daughter of The Himalayas,The Ocean of  Graciousness,’