Loving Grace

8.

ஒளியில் விளைந்த வுயர்ஞான பூதரத் துச்சியின்மேல் 

அளியில் விளைந்ததோ ராநந்தத் தேனை யநாதியிலே

வெளியில் விளைந்த வேறும்பாழைப் பெற்ற வெறுந்தனியைத் 

தெளிய விளம்பிய வாமுகத் தேசிகனே!

Oliyil vilaindha- that which has grown from light

Uyargnana boodharathu uchiyin mel- On the summit of the high mountain of wisdom

Aliyil vilaindhador- That which has grown from Grace

Anandha thenai- Blissful nectar

From what we have discussed so far, I think there is not much more to be said: The nectar that yields bliss grows from Grace, which is an outpouring of the summit of wisdom, and this nectar is of light- enlightenment.

Enlightenment, wisdom is the true happiness, and it is not obtained by one's own effort. Though effort is needed, Grace is necessary, and this Grace is not a fruit of effort. It is spontaneous, and has its origin in the clarity of effort and thought, and the steadiness in a state of wisdom. which is not different from the knowledge of one's own limitations.

There is no way for us to negate ourselves, to realise the emptiness of our efforts and the non-availability of security in being, except through effort, and in realisation of the limits of effort. Unless effort is made, we do not know what it is to surrender.

In this sense, effort is necessary- like a horse that pulls and pulls a heavy weight across a barren landscape in torrid heat, and comes to rest and is motionless from exhaustion, we have to make the effort- but the effort does not yields its fruits. The depth of despair is the summit of wisdom. In its stillness, where mind does not move to be something else, it returns to its pristine state of clarity, and the perception of this enlightenment where the mind shines as it is, transforms our mundane existence into a highly charged spiritual experience where our barren efforts are no more, and in its place come Love and Grace.

This Love and Grace, Compassion, does not come to us from any other source, but from within ourselves, and there is no duality for it to come and go.

Grace

3

தேரணி யிட்டுப் புரமெரித் தான்மகன் செங்கையில்வேற்

கூரணி யிட்டணு வாகிக் க்ரௌஞ்சங் குலைதரக்கர்

நேரணி யிட்டு வளைந்த கடக நெளிந்ததுசூர்ப்

பேரணி கெட்டது தேவேந்த்ர லோகம் பிழைத்ததுவே.

So, taken together the whole verse speaks about the conquest of evil by the forces of goodness. Siva and Muruga are the languages with which this is stated, and the evil is nothing but our ignorance, pride, sense of identity and agency. Siva destroys it with a smile, Muruga with the sharp point of his spear.

Ultimately it is Grace that overwhelms all distress, and there is no violence in it.

A more active Grace

3

தேரணி யிட்டுப் புரமெரித் தான்மகன் செங்கையில்வேற்

கூரணி யிட்டணு வாகிக் க்ரௌஞ்சங் குலைதரக்கர்

நேரணி யிட்டு வளைந்த கடக நெளிந்ததுசூர்ப்

பேரணி கெட்டது தேவேந்த்ர லோகம் பிழைத்ததுவே.

Speaking of the victory of goodness over evil, not only Siva, his son Muruga is also equally valiant.

"The sharp spear of his red hand shattered the mountain into atoms, disarrayed was the encircled ranks of Asuras, and destroyed the army of Sura."

Variar Swamigal mentions that the mountain symbolises ignorance, army the sense of agency and Sura, the ego.

Just as His father, Muruga too liberates, I think this is the point of this verse.

Tripura Samhara

3

தேரணி யிட்டுப் புரமெரித் தான்மகன் செங்கையில்வேற்

கூரணி யிட்டணு வாகிக் க்ரௌஞ்சங் குலைதரக்கர்

நேரணி யிட்டு வளைந்த கடக நெளிந்ததுசூர்ப்

பேரணி கெட்டது தேவேந்த்ர லோகம் பிழைத்ததுவே.

This verse celebrates the power of Lord Muruga, the power of goodness over evil.

Some knowledge of Tripura Samhara would help to read this verse, I think details could be found elsewhere.

Here I cannot do any better than to give a word by word translation of the Variar Swamigal text that I have at hand:

Theraniyittu puramerithaan:

Kamalakshan, Tharakakshan, Vidyunmali were three Asuras, who by the power of their penance, attained many boons from Lord brahma, and with overwhelming pride, persecuted the Devas. Having grown weak nd fearful, the Devas went to Lord Siva, who had one drunk poison to save this world. Lord Siva assented to wage war on the Asuras. The Devas built decorated a chariot.

(How they constructed the chariot is described in colourful language, which I will try to give later on).

Lord Siva climbed the chariot, and without taking up arms, he smiled and the three cities of the Asuras were burnt to cinders.

The symbolism of the three cities is, they represent Ego, Ignorance and the sense of Agency. The spark from the smile of God that burns our illusions to dust is the fire of wisdom that is manifested in Grace.

Grace Out of Effort

2.

பேற்றைத் தவஞ்சற்று மில்லாத வென்னைப் ப்ரபஞ்ச மென்னும்

சேற்றைக் கழிய வழிவிட்ட வாசெஞ் சடாடவிமேல்

ஆற்றைப் பணியை யிதழியைத் தும்பையை யம்புலியின்

கீற்றைப் புனைந்த பெருமான் குமரன்க்ரு பாகரனே.

The world is as a morass in which we are caught up, and from which there is no escape for us. It has become a part of us, more than a part, it defines what we are. We have done nothing to be rid of it, we have not disciplined ourselves, or denied us anything so that the worldiness could be taken away from us.

But is there ever enough? Even if someone like Arunagirinathar lives hundred percent spiritual life, worshipping and praising God twenty four hours a day all through the week, when does he say I have tried my utmost, now I deserve to get what I wanted?

If by effort we mean the absence of self-consciousness, the relegation of "I-me" to nothing, then there is obviously no time when we can say, I have prayed enough, I have been good, I deserve liberation and so on. As long as the individuality is there, it won't feel right.

So, as Arunagirinathar says, "I do not merit. I have denied myself nothing", it remains for God, or that which is out of the stream of consciousness, to find a way out of the morass of the world and worldly existence.

Somewhere I have read that it is effort that comes back as Grace. We cannot say that this is my effort and I deserve this Grace. The Grace always has to come from outside of the 'I'.

"Vazhi vittavaa"- You who opened the way, sounds exactly right. And the wonder of it, is likely the appropriate feeling.