The Nectar

8.

ஒளியில் விளைந்த வுயர்ஞான பூதரத் துச்சியின்மேல் 

அளியில் விளைந்ததோ ராநந்தத் தேனை யநாதியிலே

வெளியில் விளைந்த வேறும்பாழைப் பெற்ற வெறுந்தனியைத் 

தெளிய விளம்பிய வாமுகத் தேசிகனே!

Ananda thenai: the nectar of bliss.

That which is born of light, yields the nectar of bliss. I think enlightenment is likened to nectar not merely because of the sweetness it yields, but it bestows on us immortality.

I don't know whether this is relevant, but this verse could ever speak of a mystical experience. For I find in a book on His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal, these words:

"During lambika yoga, nectar flows down from the sahasrara cakra situated in the head. That nectar causes hunger and thirst to disappear. Good health is to be had.... There is no need to say that the nectar is tasty."

"For some people, it descends during meditation due to the pertinent penance done by them in the previous birth. My Acharyal has told me about the flow of nectar"

(Acharyal spoke of how people can achieve their various cherished ends by suitable concentrating on the Divine Mother. Concerning the desire of people to have a long life, He cited an authoritative verse, meaning, "The life-span on earth of those who contemplate every day on You (Mother) as present within the lotus of th head and raining cool nectar becomes great"

"... Acharyal went on to explain, in the light of the cited verse, a course that can be adopted by a devotee of the Mother who is unfamiliar with lambika yoga, but who seeks to transcend ephemeral existence or to have a long life. He said, "The Mother is meditated upon in the six cakras (muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, visuddha and ajna) and in the sahasrara. The sahasrara is the topmost of these centres. "Mother, You are seated there. With both Your hands, You are pouring down nectar that is descending to and filling my stomach. The nectar is cool. You are indeed raining the ambrosia of the gods. I contemplate on You in this manner."

Having presented the meditation specified in the first half of the verse from a practitioner's perspective, Acharyal did so in the form of a teaching. He said, "Close the eyes. Think of the sahasrara lotus. Then, conceive of the Mother as seated there and pouring down nectar. Feel that the nectar is descending and filling the stomach. What is the fruit of contemplating thus? The life-span of those who meditate thus every day becomes great."

Shortly after delivering the half-an-hour-long benedictory discourse, Acharyal told a discipline in private, "When I cited the verse concerned, I was reminded of the related experience that I had as a boy. That was one reason for My mentioning that the scripture as also experience reveal the presence of the sahasrara lotus and the nectar there.")

Health and Happiness are what we seek, may we attain them by whatever means suitable for us.