Guest guest Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 Dear Friends, Saint Manikkavacagr has been acknowledged by Bhaghavan Ramana as a mystic of a high order, Bhaghavan having shed tears of love when somebody so much as made a mention of this saint. When a vedantin referred to this saint as a siddhantin, Bhaghavan was stung to the quick saying: "Where is the division of vedanta or siddhanta? Real Anubudhi alone counts". The following are some of the important soul-stirring verses from the great work, having been translated by Revd G.U.Pope, this being available in the internet. There is an instance of a judge-scholar-devotee having sent a white paper to G.U.Pope requesting him to write in that paper a reply for the clarification sought for in respect of certain abstruse passages. The paper was returned blank, nothing having been written. When the judge met and asked G.U.Pope as to why the paper was returned blank, G.U.Pope asked him in a passive manner whether he(the judge) did not notice that the paper was wet, which could have been the reply. The judge to his discomfiture said that he did not understand what the great man had intended to convey. G.U.Pope replied that the wetness of the paper was on account of his tear-drops having fallen on the paper, when he wanted to write something, G.U.Pope having given went to his deep feelings by shedding tears deeply moved by the devotion of the great saint, thereby having come to understand that one could understand the great saint's works only through tears of divine love. yours ever in Bhaghavan Ramana Sankarraman HYMN 1 (civapurANam) Civan's way of Old (or) Civan's Course from Everlasting SALUTATIONS Hail, the five letters! Hail, foot of the Lord ! Hail, foot of Him Who not for an instant quits my heart ! Hail, foot of the Guru-pearl that rules in GOgari ! Hail, foot of Him Who becomes, abides, draws near as the Agamam ! Hail, foot of Him, the One, the Not-One, and the King ! (5) Victory to the foot of the King, who soothed my soul's unrest and made me His ! Victory to the jewelled foot of Pinnagan, who severs continuity of birth ! Victory to the flower-foot of Him Who is far from those without ! Victory to the anklets of the King, rejoicing 'mid those that fold adoring hands ! Victory to the anklets of the glorious One, who uplifts those that bow the head ! (10) Praise to the foot of ICan ! Praise to my Father's foot ! Praise to the foot of the Teacher ! Praise to Civan's roseate foot ! Praise to the foot of the Stainless, who in love stood near ! Praise to the foot of the King, who cuts off delusive birth ! Praise to the foot of glorious Perun-turrai's God ! (15) Praise to the Mount, in grace affording pleasures that cloy not ! INTRODUCTION Because He, Civan, within my thought abides, By His grace alone, bowing before His feet, With joyous thought, Civan's 'Ways of Old' I'll tell, That thus my former 'deeds' may wholly pass. (20) I came, attained the grace the 'Brow-eyed' showed, Adored the beauteous foot by thought unreached. O Thou, Who fill'st the heaven, Who fill'st the earth, art manifested light, Transcending thought, Thou boundless One ! Thy glory great I, man of evil 'deeds' know not the way to praise ! (25) HIS VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS Grass was I, shrub was I, worm, tree, Full many a kind of beast, bird, snake, Stone, man, and demon. 'Midst Thy hosts I served. The form of mighty Asuras, ascetics, gods I bore. Within these immobile and mobile forms of life, (30) In every species born, weary I've grown, great Lord ! HE FOUND THE MASTER Truly, seeing Thy golden feet this day, I've gained release. O Truth! as the OngAram dwelling in my soul, That I may 'scape. O spotless one ! O Master of the bull ! Lord of the VEdas! Rising, sinking, spreading, subtile One ! (35) Thou art the heat ! and Thou the cold ! the Master Thou, O spotless One ! Thou cam'st in grace, that all things false might flee, True Wisdom, gleaming bright in splendour true, To me, void of all wisdom, blissful Lord ! O Wisdom fair, causing unwisdom' self to flee far off ! (40) CIVAN'S FIVE OPERATIONS Thou know'st no increase, measure, end ! All worlds Thou dost create, protect, destroy, enrich with grace, Release. Thou causest me to enter 'mid Thy servant band. More subtile Thou than fragrance. Thou'art afar, art near. Thou art the Mystic word, transcending word and thought. (45) As when are mingled milk, sweet juice of cane and butter, Thou dost distil, like honey, in the thought of glorious devotees, And cuttest off the continuity of births - our mighty One ! HUMAN EMBODIMENT AND ENLIGHTENMENT BY GRACE Thou hast the colours five ! While heavenly ones extolled Thou didst lie hid, our mighty Lord ! In the strong grasp of deeds, (50) I lay, hidden amid illusion's shrouding gloom. Thou binding with rare cords of virtue and of sin, Didst clothe with outer skin, enveloping with worms and filth, - Within my nine-gated dwelling foul bewildered, By the five senses sore deceived, - (55) To me, mean as I was, with no good thing, Thou didst grant grace, That I, with mind erewhile embruted, - pure one ! - should Become commingling love, in soul-subduing rapture melt ! Thou cam'st in grace on this same earth, didst show Thy mighty feet To me who lay mere slave, - meaner than any dog, - (60) Essential grace more precious than a mother's love ! EPITHETS OF PRAISE Spotless splendour ! Brightness of full-blown flower ! O Teacher ! Honied ambrosia ! Lord of Civa-town ! O venerated One, Guardian, Looser of PAcam's tie, Working in grace of love, that in my mind delultion may die out ! (65) Great river of exceeding tenderness, with ceaseless flow ! Ambrosia that satiates not ! Infinite, almighty Lord ! Light unseen that lurks within the souls that sought Thee not ! Thou Who abidest in my soul, till melting waters flow ! Thou Who art without pleasure or pain, Who yet hast both ! (70) Loving to loving ones ! Effulgent One, Who all things art, And their negation too ! Great Master, whom no darkness gathers round ! First One, Thou'rt End and Midst, and art devoid of these ! Father, Lord, Who drew'st, and mad'st me Thine ! Eye of the minds that see by keenest glance of wisdom true, (75) Hard to be eyed ! Subtle understanding, none can scrutinize ! Holy ! Who comest not, nor goest, nor mingling liv'st ! Guardian who guardest us ! Great Light whom none can see ! Flood of delight ! Father ! Light of all passing splendours That appear ! Unutterably subtle Intellect ! (80) Of all that in this world diverse pronounced as truth Is known, Thou art the knowledge sure ! Full certitude ! Precious ambrosia, fountain welling up within ! My Owner Thou ! PASSIONATE INVOCATION I can't endure, our Guru, in this changing straitened frame to 'bide. Aran! All Thy saints made true invoke Thee, (85) Worshipping abide, and praising Thee, from falsehood freed, Hither return no more ! That deeds and birth cling not, To sever bonds of this deceitful sensuous frame the might is Thine ! Lord who dost dance, trampling dense darkness down ! Dancer in Thillai ! Dweller in the Southern PAndi land ! (90) Thou Who dost cut off evil birth ! - Adoring ever, Thee they name, Whom words declare not; then 'NEATH THY SACRED FEET THEY LEARN THE MEANING OF THEIR SONG. The blessed ones In Civan's town who dwell, - full many a one, - beneath The feet of Civan, lowly bending utter praise. (95) Hymn XXXVII- piditha pathu THE DECAD OF THE 'TENACIOUS GRASP' This is one of the most characteristic of the Sage's lyrics, and would seem to belong to a later period than that when the 'cry of the forsaken' (VI) was composed. It is in singular contrast to that lyric. He had meanwhile visited many shrines, and had passed through much struggle; but when he reached what is here called Tiru-toni-puram(the sacred Boat-town), of which the modern name is Shialli, he found a magnificient temple there,that seemed to him like a reproduction on earth of the silver mountain Kailasam, on which the God dwells in splendour with Parvathi. This shrine has always been remarkable, but is especially honoured now as the reputed birthplace of Tiru-nana-sambandhar; who, in popular estimation, is perhaps the greatest of the Caiva saints. In his legend we have elsewhere given some notices of this his home. It has twelve names connected with wild legends; but is called here 'the sacred Boat-town,' because when at the end of each aeon the deluge of universal destruction overwhelms the universe, this shrine floats securely on the waters,- the everlasting ark ! Here it seems that the Sage renewed his vows to his guru, from whom he had somewhat departed in thought and practice. He seems to regard himself now as a sivanmuthan and declares that he will henceforth hold fast his allegiance under all circumstances, in life and through death. I. Thou art our own ! O King of those above ! - O ceaseless Plenitude of mystic bliss ! - To me defiled Thou cam'st Fruit newly ripe, and mad'st me Thine own dwelling-place. Balm, yielding bliss all earthly bliss beyond ! True meaning's Certitude ! The Foot in glory bright ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! OUR VERY OWN - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (4) II. My only Help in this life. Ever the bull Thou holdest,- King of heaven's glad host ! To me a man of sin Possession true ! Thy slave is foul decay that quits not, merest earth; within a very nest of worms I lie ! Thou mad'st me Thine, and safe hast kept, lest I should fail at last; O God, O mighty Sea of grace! FOR EVERMORE - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (8) III. Reality amidst illusions. O Mother! O my Sire ! My Gem beyond compare ! Ambrosia, ever-precious yield of love ! I, vile one, dwell in short-lived house of worms, where false illusions ever growing press. On me Thou hast bestow'd the true and perfect rest; my Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! UPON THIS EARTH- I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (12) IV. Light in the darkness. Splendour of grace ! Well ripen'd luscious Fruit unique ! King of ascetics stern of all prevailing power ! Science of meanings deep ! Delight transcending praise ! Of mystic sacred musings' Fulness blest ! Thou enterest Thy servant's thought, and all is clear ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! IN EACH DARK HOUR- I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (16) V. The One Helper in life's struggles. Thou only One, to Whom can none compare ! Thou Light shining within the very soul of me, Thy slave ! On me who knew not the true goal,- of merit void, O Love unique,- Thou hast choice grace bestowed ! O radiant Form Whose splendour bright no tongue can tell ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! IN WEARINESS - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (20) VI. In death, as in life. O Pinnagan, our great Possession, Thou hast held as sacred shrine my empty worthless mind; Hast given me rapturous joy that knows no bound; hast cut the root of 'birth,' and made me all Thine own ! O mystic Form, by me in open vision seen ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! IN HOUR OF DEATH - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (24) VII. The revelation of the way to worship. Thou Who didst teach the way to grasp that Ancient One, Who cuts the root of every servile 'bond' ! O Being,- Who didst show to me Thy flowery feet; my worship didst accept; ent'ring my soul;- Resplendent Lamp ! Thou mystic Form of splendour bright ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! RULER SUPREME - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (28) VIII. The Deity everywhere present . O Father ! worlds on worlds Thy presence fills ! Thou Primal Deity ! O wondrous One Who knows no end ! Thy saints devoutly cling to Thee ! My Wealth of bliss ! O Civa-Peruman ! Wild Vagrant, living Germ in being's every form,- diverse Thyself from every living thing ! ILLUSIONIST - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (32) IX. The rapture of devotion. The mother's thoughtful care her infant feeds: Thou deign'st with greater love to visit sinful me, - Melting my flesh, flooding my soul with inward light, unfailing rapture's honied sweetness Thou Bestowest,- through my every part infusing joy ! My Wealth of bliss ! - O Civa-Peruman ! CLOSE FOLLOWING THEE - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (36) X. The delight of His indwelling. O Ruler, spotless Gem, Who mad'st me Thine, thrilling my frame through every pore; in friendly shape Didst enter it,- as 'twere a vast and golden shrine,- making this body vile of sweetness full ! Affliction, birth and death, bewilderment,- all links of life,- Thou hast cut off, O beauteous Gleam ! MY SOUL'S DELIGHT - I'VE SEIZED THEE,- HOLD THEE FAST ! HENCEFORTH, AH, WHITHER GRACE IMPARTING WOULD'ST THOU RISE? (40) FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.