Verses 773 and 774 of Guru Vachaka Kovai are grouped together under a chapter heading entitled ‘Being Still’ or ‘Remaining Still’. The second of these two verses immediately attracts attention because it states quite clearly that abiding in swarupa, one’s true state, is a state of laziness: The method of true and supreme tapas that our Lord Ramana declares to be worthwhile and which the mind should firmly hold onto is this, and no more: ‘Being still.’ Other than this there are absolutely no thoughts to think, nor any duties to be contemplated by it. The lazy state wherein you exist motionlessly and shine is the state of swarupa. In that supreme state you have become That. It cannot be attained except by direct, excellent and rare tapas. You should therefore honour those who are established in that laziness as holy beings. This state is described, perhaps a little ironically, as ‘lazy’ only because there is no one left there who can do anything.
Namo Bhagavathe Sri Arunachala Ramanaya Publisher's Note In continuation to our efforts to bring out word by word meaning of Sri Bhagavan Ramana's Verses (both in Bhakti and Upadesha) by Sri Sadhu Om (with explanatory Notes), after our publication of 'Upadesa 'Undiyar in 2004', we are happy to bring out 'Sri Arunachala Stuti Panchakam' now.
Muruganar wrote in Padamalai that Bhagavan bestowed this state on him: The golden Padam Bhagavan completely abolished my wandering around as a wicked one and made me shine as a perfect idler. Even the actions I perform, believing them to be my own, are in reality the actions of Padam, the complete and absolute truth. ( Padamalai, pp. 342, 343, vv. 62, 64) Bhagavan also mentioned this state of laziness in Aksharamanamalai verse 37: If I sleep consciously as a lazy one, remaining still and consuming bliss, this is the supreme state. Is there any state other than this, O Arunachala? If there is, please tell me!
I have just done a quick check on the two English versions ( Collected Works and Prof. Swaminathan’s Five Hymns to Arunachala) that are on my bookshelf, and neither of them mentions the word ‘lazy’ even though it is clearly mentioned in the verse. I suspect the translators felt that ‘lazy’ as a description of the Self was more than a little pejorative, so they toned the first phrase down and used the more euphemistic phrases ‘lying in peaceful repose’ and ‘slumbering in quiet repose’. I would guess they were trying to convey the idea that it was a state in which nothing could be done or needed to be done. While this is a true description of the state being described, the impact of the original phrase is considerably watered down. I think that Bhagavan, the author, intended to convey the full and normal meaning of the word ‘lazy’ when he composed this verse, not some wishy-washy state of ‘quiet repose’. When Muruganar wrote his Tamil commentary on Aksharamanamalai ( Aksharamanamalai Vritti Urai) and showed it to Bhagavan, Bhagavan endorsed this interpretation by adding the following verse from Tirumandiram, one of the canonical scriptures of Saivism, to the section of Muruganar’s manuscript that dealt with this verse: The place where the lazy ones dwell is pure space.
The place where the lazy ones rest is pure space. The consciousness of the lazy ones remains in the place which the Vedas have abandoned as beyond their scope.
The lazy ones have gained the state in which they are sleeping, totally unaware of the Vedas. ( Tirumandiram, v. David, thanks for putting up this post on this important concept. You gave it a great title too! Sorry for the belated comment.
Sri Bhagavan, it seems, used the term “lazy” or “without work” (in the higher sense as described by you) to describe the Jnani’s state more often than has been brought out. There is the fascinating anecdote in the book “Drops from the Ocean”, written by Sri V Ganesan. VG writes (Pg 117) that Sri Bhagavan’s old devotee TPR told him the following – ‘Bhagavan would accept a new pencil or pen, only when the old one was completely exhausted or totally damaged.
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He would then take a piece of paper and scribble a few times with the new one to see whether it was working properly. Most of us, on similar occasions, sign our own names, write OM or some God’s name. So I was very inquisitive to know what He scribbled. Bhagavan permitted me to see what He wrote. Even those who were close to Him did not know about it. Either He wrote, “Arunachalavaasi”, meaning, “One residing in Arunachala”, or “Panilenuvaadu”, meaning, “One without any work”.’ So the One who would not sign with any name at all, ever, chose to give Himself an identity - linked to Holy Arunachala and as “One without any work”.
How revealing. (Here - “One residing in Arunachala” would not merely mean residence in the physical location Arunachala, but the higher sense of - extinguishment of oneself in Arunachala, or abidance in the Heart as Arunachala, or as a picture in relation to the screen Arunachala etc.) Similarly, of course, “One without work” would have a lot of higher meanings. One wonders (alas, not knowing Tamil), is the word “Panilenuvaadu” above, accurately translated as “One without any work” or are there deeper shades of meaning to it? “Pani” means “hand” in Sanskrit. So, is the literal meaning something like - “One whose hands are idle”? Also, one wonders where all in the extant translations of Sri Bhagavan’s works, the concept of “laziness” is watered down – you have already mentioned Aksharamanamalai verse 37. If you come across or remember any other texts, wherein the concept is used, please do put it up on the blog.
That's an interesting anecdote. I have never come across it before. If I had, I would have added it to the original post and to the commentary I added after the Guru Vachaka Kovai verses. Panilenuvaadu is actually a Telugu word with three components: panil, work enu, without vaadu, a person If there are any Telugu readers out there, I would love to know if this term has any spiritual significance in Telugu beyond the three-part breakdown I have just given. Since I wrote the post Sadhu Om's translation has appeared.
He has the following rendering of verse 37: O Arunachala, tell me, if you merely sleep in this manner enjoying bliss of Self like an idler, then what will be my condition? The verse begins, in Tamil, 'Sombi (y)ai.' Which means 'like a lazy person'. Aksharamanamalai (The Marital Garland of Letters) has 'Letters' in its title because the first letter of each verse follows the sequence of the Tamil alphabet. When Bhagavan came to verse 37, in order to begin the first line he needed to find a word that started with the consonant 's' and was followed by the long 'o' sound.
'Sombi' was the one he chose. This is a follow up to my last comment.
A more prosaic explanation has just occurred to me, one that comes from a story that can be found on pages 169-71 of Letters and Recollections from Sri Ramanasramam. Suri Nagamma is narrating: Bhagavan was giving me for copying whatever was received subsequently. Incidentally he was also discussing with me the affairs relating to the printing of Telugu books. I was also looking after the library-lending books and receiving them back.
As I was doing all this work, Bhagavan was calling me frequently and entrusting me with some work or other. Later on, I also commenced writing my Letters from Sri Ramanasramam. Thus I came into closer contact with Bhagavan than the other devotees. Noting all this one day Devaraja Mudaliar jocularly said, “Nagamma is Bhagavan’s Telugu Secretary.” As I did not like his saying so I protested saying, “My dear Sir, if you have any regard for me, please keep it to yourself. Why all these designations? After all what is the work I am doing for Bhagavan? Really speaking, what work is there for Bhagavan to be done by me?” “That is not it, my dear sister.
Is it not a fact that whenever anything written in Telugu is received he passes it on to you? You are looking after all the Telugu work. So I am calling you his Telugu Secretary,” he said. I begged of him not to call me that way but he would not listen. Finally one day I told him, “Look.
If you persist in calling me Secretary I shall make you stand before Bhagavan and complain to him.” I thought the threat would have the desired effect but was he of the sort that could be so easily threatened? The next morning after looking through the mail, Bhagavan went out as usual and returned. While he was seated leisurely on the sofa with Balarama Reddi opposite to him, Devaraja Mudaliar suddenly came in, prostrated himself before Bhagavan and after getting up said with a smile, “Bhagavan, Nagamma says she will make me stand before you and impeach me today.” Mudaliar with a further smile turned towards me and said, “Yes. Start with your impeachment. I am now standing before Bhagavan.” “So you have started it. What am I to do, Bhagavan.
He teases me saying ‘Nagamma, Secretary, Secretary.’ I requested him several times not to do so but he ignores my entreaties. What great work has Bhagavan got to require a Secretary?” No sooner had I said it than Mudaliar laughed and said, “Yes. I did say so. It is based on actual facts.
Nagamma is the Telugu Secretary and Muruganar Tamil Secretary to Bhagavan. What is wrong if I say so?” He left the hall thereafter. Bhagavan merely laughed and kept quiet. Taking up the thread of the conversation, Balarama Reddi remarked, “Bhagavan has no work whatsoever. Where is the need for a Secretary?” “That is exactly what I have been saying.
When Bhagavan has no work to do where is the need for two secretaries, Nagamma and Muruganar? Whatever little work there is, we are doing it on our own to satisfy ourselves; otherwise where is any work worth mentioning? I have told him several times that if he has any opinion, to keep it to himself but not give such high sounding designations. He however persists. So I thought I should bring the matter to the notice of Bhagavan hoping it would have the desired effect on him. That is all.” Bhagavan laughed and said, “I have already been dubbed as a man having no work.” “Yes.
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That is just it. This is just like the saying, ‘A person having no work has ten people working under him’” I said.
We all had a hearty laugh. In spite of all that had happened, Mudaliar did not give up calling me Secretary. Bhagavan spoke Telugu, and Balaram Reddy and Suri Nagamma were both native Telugu speakers, so I am sure that this conversation would have taken place in Telugu. Bhagavan said, probably in Telugu, 'I have already been dubbed as a man having no work'. I think the phrase would have appealed to Bhagavan, and I can see him using it to test out a new pencil.
As Ganesan has reported elsewhere in Moments Remembered, when Bhagavan was given a new pen or pencil he generally initiated it by writing 'Arunachala' as the first word. Thank you David & Murali for the illuminatory replies. It was really silly of me to presume in the first place that “Panilenuvaadu” was a Tamil word. I just assumed that Sri Bhagavan would write in His native Tamil. And so, David, the background you have given from Suri Nagamma’s writings certainly offers a plausible explanation for the same. Particularly since Sri T. Ramachandran Aiyer & SN (& the other Telugu devotees mentioned), would all have been in Sri Ramanasramam at the same time in 1943-44 (& onwards till 1950).
And 1943-44 is the approx. Time mentioned by SN in her book for the story you have referred to. Arvind and Ravi I submitted an article to The Mountain Path that included the views I expressed in this post. I supplemented them with additional material that came from your comments. One of the people who checked the article mentioned to me that in verse fifteen of the Telugu version of Upadesa Saram Bhagavan himself used the phrase 'panilenivadu' in the sentence 'For the great yogi. There is not any action to do'.
I didn't know that. I have added this point to the article, which will appear in the October issue. He who teaches all devils and humnas is the one God, Through him the enemy prevails even if he is small, On whichever side that teacher is,Be also on that same side.
'And if the other has already seen my trick, How will I know his nature then?' 'Sit before him in silence, make patience your ladder That climbs toward the higer place, His presence there will gush into your heart, A speech past realms of joy and sorrow, In that higher place,then listen in this space, To the words from heart to heart. Be sure, do nothing, God works for the lazy.'
Hey jude, you may be interested in this article by neale Rosner on Ratnamji.An Excerpt: 'Sri Venkatarathnam lived with Bhagavan from 1944 to 1950. During the last year he served as one of His personal attendants. Neal Rosner came to Sri Ramanasramam from the USA in 1968, attached himself to Venkatarathnam and diligently served him until his passing in 1976. Neal's immersion into the spiritual heritage of India under the guidance of Venkatarathnam is elaborately described in his book, On the Road to Freedom: A Pilgrimage in India.(An interesting account now published by Mata Amritanandamayi Trust,Amritapuri Kerala-) Neal now resides in Amritanandamayi's Kerala Ashram and is known as Swami Paramatmananda. In the following article, details regarding the life of Venkatarathnam have been extracted from a 25-page essay written about Venkatarathnam by Neal Rosner. He presented this manuscript to us thirty years ago at Sri Ramanasramam.
We have also utilized some material from the above-mentioned book.' You may read the article here: Namaskar. Hey jude, Here is an excerpt from Neale Rosner's autobiography-Chapter V,'Fending for Myself': 'After the completion of the ceremonies(Ratnamji's passing away),I took Ratnamji's few possessions with me and returned to Arunachala.I had,after all,come to Arunachala eight years ago to live near the tomb of Ramana and try to attain realization of my true Nature.I felt that I had been guided these past years by Ramana in the form of Ratnamji.Now I must put into practice all that has been learned.The Foundation has been laid,now the building must be raised. On the train on the way back,I had another wonderful dream.I found that I had arrived at the ashram and there was a big crowd assembled at the foot of the Hill.I came closer and saw that Ramana's body lay there unmoving.He had just died a short while back.Everyone was weeping.I came near his body and started to weep,'O Lord,I have come all this way to see you but before I could reach you,you left!' Then he opened his eyes and smiled at me.He asked me to sit down and place his feet in my lap and asked me to press his legs. 'They say I am dead.Do I look dead to you?' He asked.I then woke up and wondered at the clarity of the Dream.Surely he was with me.I became convinced of this.
HYMNS TO ARUNACHALA The Five Hymns to Arunachala are the earliest poems of the Maharshi except for a few short verses. They were written around 1914. “The Marital Garland of Letters” first and foremost of his hymns to Arunachala, came out in response to the prayers of his sadhu-devotees for some distinctive prayer songs which they could sing on their rounds for alms. Usually, when the Maharshi’s devotees went around singing well-known songs, the householders in the town knew that the food was being eaten by the Maharshi; and they gave large quantities of food, as against a single morsel given to other groups of sadhus.
Knowing this, a few unscrupulous men began to pose as the Ramana group and collected the food meant for them. To get over this difficulty, the need for a distinctive prayer-song was felt. At first, the Maharshi composed a few lines with the refrain “Arunachala” and stopped.
His devotees were awaiting for the next lines but nothing more came. One day, the Maharshi went around the Hill alone. That day the rest of the hymn, the “Marital Garland of Letters” (“Akshara Mana Malai”), was composed.The very name of the song, “Marital Garland of Letters”, reveals its import; the bride is the individual soul and the bridegroom is Lord Arunachala. Those who sing or even listen to this hymn are overwhelmed with joy.The Maharshi has once humorously remarked that this hymn has fed us for many years. The “Eleven Stanzas” and the “Eight Stanzas” came next. One day the Tamil words ‘ Karunai-yaal Ennai Aanda Nee’ meaning ‘You who claimed me with compassion’ started reverberating in the Maharshi’s Heart frequently. He tried several times to ignore them, but they would not go away.
Again and again the words persisted, until at last he gave in and wrote them down. After the first words were written, the stream began to flow, and both the “Eleven Stanzas” and the “Eight Stanzas” came into being. While the “Eleven Stanzas” is an appeal for Divine Grace, the Eight Stanzas explains in full the significance of Arunachala as Absolute Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. The Maharshi explains the genesis of the “Eight Stanzas” in the following way. “The next day I started out to go around the hill. Palaniswami was walking behind me with a pencil and paper.
That day before I got back to Virupaksha, I wrote six of the eight verses. The next day Narayana Reddi came. Palaniswami told him about the poems and he said, ‘Give them to me at once and I will go and get them printed.’ He had already published some books.
When he insisted on taking the poems I told him he could do so and could publish the first eleven verses as one form of poem. The remaining six verses were in a different metre. To complete the “Eight Stanzas” I at once composed two more stanzas and he took all the nineteen verses with him to get them published. These two poems shine as a divinely inspired commentary on Truth that inspires and instructs seekers.
Click to Download Eight Stanzas to Sri Arunachala 1. Look, there it stands as if insentient. Mysterious is the way it works, beyond all human understanding. From my unthinking childhood, the immensity of Arunachala had shone in my awareness. But even when I learnt from someone that it was only Tiruvannamalai, I did not realize its meaning. When it stilled my mind and drew me to itself and I came near, I saw that it was stillness absolute. Enquiring within “Who is the seer?” I saw the seer disappearing and That alone which stands for ever.
No thought arose to say “I saw”. How then could the thought arise to say “I did not see?” Who has the power to explain all this in words, when even You (as Dakshinamurti) conveyed this of yore in silence only? And in order to reveal by silence, Your state transcendent, now You stand here, a Hill resplendent soaring to the sky. When I approach You thinking You have form, You stand here as a Hill on earth. If one regarding You as formless wants yet to see You, he is like one wandering through the world to have a look at the ether (ubiquitous, invisible).
Meditating without thought on Your formless Being, my form (my separate entity) dissolves like a sugar-doll in the sea. And when I realize who I am, what being have I apart from You, O, You who stand as the mighty Aruna Hill? To search for God ignoring You who stand as Being and shine as Awareness is like looking, lamp in hand, for darkness. In order to reveal Yourself atlast as Being and Awareness, You dwell in various forms in all religions. If still there are people who fail to see You whose Being is Awareness, they are no better than the blind who do not know the Sun.
O mighty mountain Aruna, peerless Jewel, stand and shine, One without a second, the Self within my Heart. Like the string that holds together the gems, in a necklace, You it is that penetrate and bind all beings and the various religions. If, like a gem that is cut and polished, the separate mind is whetted on the grindstone of the pure, universal Mind, it will acquire the light of your Grace and shine like a ruby whose brightness is not flawed by any other object.When once the light of the Sun has fallen on a sensitive plate, will the plateregister another picture? Apart from you, O Aruna Mountain bright, auspicious does any other thing exist?
You alone exist, O Heart, the radiance of Awareness. In You a power mysterious dwells, a power which without You is nothing. From it (this power of manifestation) there proceeds, along with a perceiver, a series of subtle shadowy thoughts which, lit by the reflected light of mind amid the whirl of prarabdha, appear within as a shadowy spectacle of the world and appear without as the world perceived by the five senses as a film is projected through a lens. Whether perceived or unperceived, these (thoughts) are nothing apart from you, O Hill of Grace. Until there is the I thought there can be no other thought.
When other thoughts arise, ask “To whom? Where does this ‘I’ arise?” Thus diving inwards, if one traces the source of the mind and reaches the Heart, one becomes the Sovereign Lord of the Universe.
There is no more dreaming of such as in and out, right and wrong, birth and death, pleasure and pain, light and darkness, O boundless ocean of Grace and Light, Arunachala dancing the dance of stillness in the dancing Hall of the Heart. 8.The raindrops showered down by the clouds, risen from the sea cannot rest until they reach, despite all hindrance, once again their ocean home. The embodied soul from You proceeding may through various ways self-chosen wander aimless for a while, but cannot rest till it rejoins You, the source. A bird may hover here and there and cannot in mid-heaven stay. It must come back the way it went to find at last on earth alone its resting place. Even so the soul must turn to You O, Aruna Hill, and merge again in You alone, Ocean of bliss.