#aksharamana maalai

[kingmabry]

He was a very young man in his early twenties, yet Sri Ramana Maharshi had a peaceful countenance and radiant eyes of a sage.

Arunachala Aksharamanamalai

The title of the lyric poem, Arunachala Aksharamanamalai, means "the bridal garland of letters for Arunachala".

Mana Malai is the wedding-garland which symbolises the union of the bride with the bridegroom. It also means sweet-scented garland.

Aksharamanamalai may also mean "the garland that serves as the insignia of marriage with the undecaying (akshara) Lord".

The phrase contains the name of Bhagavan Sri Ramana too — aksharamana. It is significant that the hymn is composed of 108 verses — a number that is supremely sacred.

Of the hymns on Arunachala composed by Sri Ramana, the Arunachala Aksharamanamalai was the earliest. The very name Arunachala had fascinated Sri Ramana right from his childhood. It was in search of Arunachala that he had left his home as a lad of seventeen. In the note that he left behind, he had stated that he was going in quest of his Father, and that no one need go after him.

After arriving at Tiruvannamalai, he stayed there till the end of his earthly life. To him, Arunachala was no mere hill. It is the visible symbol of the Absolute Spirit.

He found no contradiction between his Advaita experience and devotion to Arunachala. In fact, there can be no opposition between jnana and bhakti at the highest level. That view which holds that there is no place in Advaita for either God or devotion is clearly mistaken. There is an old Sanskrit verse which says that it is by the grace of God that even the inclination towards Advaita comes to a few. What is called God in the language of religion and mysticism is the same as the Absolute of Advaita. In bridal mysticism, the devotee considers himself to be the bride of God. He employs the intimate language of love in conversing with his Lord. All the processes connected with carnal love are observed to take place between the devotee-soul and the bridegroom, except the carnality. The devotee pines for, cringes, cajoles, chides and quarrels with the Beloved. There are courtship, union, separation, and reunion. In that phase of mysticism which is known as bridal mysticism, the mystic revels in the love-play with the Divine. The culmination of this sadhana, however, is the Realisation of non-duality. Love is never satisfied so long as the dualistic consciousness lasts. Where twoness is, there is no true love. Love is oneness; ananda is Advaita; the Atman is rasa. In Sri Ramana’s love-litany we have this clearly taught. Even in the first verse of the hymn, he speaks of the ‘I am Arunachala’ experience. When love matures and realises itself, there is nothing but Arunachala. Arunachala is all; all is Arunachala. This is the plenary experience which is Advaita.

[nurtureoneslife]

AKSHARAMANA MAALAI....57....

When will thoughts cease

so I may attain you

Who are subtler than space,

Arunachala!!!

Sri Ramana Maharshi...