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Marital Garland of Letters
Akshara-mana-malai
Tarunā runamani kiranā valinihar, taruma ksharamana mahizhmālai
Terunā diyatiru vadiyār terumaral, teliyap paravudal porulāha Karunā karamuni Ramanā riyanuva, haiyinār soliyadu gatiyāha Arunā chalamena ahamź yarivodu, mazhvār Sivanula hālvārź This joyful Marital Garland of Letters, which resembles a beam of the rays of the rising sun, was sung by the noble sage, Ramana, the ocean of compassion, with the object of removing the delusion of the devotees who sought his grace. Those who look upon it as their sole refuge will realize within themselves that they are Arunāchala and will reign in the world of Siva. Arunāchala vararkźtra,
aksharamana mālaisātra Gracious Ganapati
with thy (loving) hand bless me, that I may make this marital garland
of letters worthy of Sri Arunāchala, the bridegroom! Arunāchala Siva,
Arunāchala Siva, Arunāchala Siva, Arunāchala! (a) Arunachala!
Thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on Thee in the heart,
Oh Arunachala! May Thou and I
be one and inseparable like Azhagu and Sundara, Oh Arunachala!
Entering (my) home
and luring me (to Thine) why didst Thou keep me prisoner in Thy heart's
cavern, Oh Arunāchala?
Was it for Thy
pleasure or for my sake Thou didst win me? If now Thou turn me away,
the world will blame Thee, Oh Arunachala!
Escape this blame!
Why didst thou then recall Thyself to me? How can I leave Thee now,
Oh Arunachala?
(a) Kinder far
art Thou than one's own mother. Is this then Thy all-kindness, Oh Arunachala? (a) Sit firmly
in my mind, lest it elude Thee, Oh Arunachala! (a) Display Thy
beauty, for the fickle mind to see Thee forever and to rest (in peace),
Oh Arunachala! After abducting
me if now Thou dost not embrace me, where is Thy chivalry, Oh Arunachala?
Does it become
Thee thus to sleep when I am outraged by others, Oh Arunachala?
Even when the thieves
of the five senses break in upon me, art Thou not still in my heart,
Oh Arunachala?
One art Thou without
a second; who then could dare elude Thee and come in? This is only
Thy jugglery, Oh Arunachala!
Significance of OM unrivalled
- unsurpassed! Who can comprehend Thee, Oh Arunachala?
As (Universal)
Mother, it is Thy duty to dispense Thy grace and save me, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Who can ever
find Thee? The eye of the eye art Thou, and without eyes Thou seest,
Oh Arunachala! As a lode-stone
attracts iron, magnetizing it and holding it fast, so do Thou to me,
Oh Arunachala!
(Unmoving) Hill,
melting into a Sea of Grace, have mercy (on me) I pray, Oh Arunachala!
Fiery gem, shining
in all directions, do Thou burn up my dross, Oh Arunachala!
Shine as my Guru,
making me free from faults and worthy of Thy Grace, Oh Arunachala!
Save me from the
cruel snares of fascinating women and honour me with union with Thyself,
Oh Arunachala!
Though I beg, Thou
art callous and dost not condescend. I pray Thee! Say to me 'Fear not!'
Oh Arunachala!
Unasked Thou givest;
this is thy imperishable fame. Do not belie Thy name, Oh Arunachala!
Sweet fruit within
my hands, let me be mad with ecstasy, drunk with the bliss of Thy essence,
Oh Arunachala!
Blazoned as the
devourer of Thy votaries, how can I survive who have embraced Thee,
Oh Arunachala?
(a) Thou, unruffled
by anger! What crime has marked me off (for Thy wrath), Oh Arunachala? Glorious Mountain
of love, celebrated by Gautama, rule me with Thy gracious glance, Oh
Arunachala!
Dazzling Sun that
swallowest up all the universe in Thy rays, with Thy light open the
lotus of my heart I pray, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Let me, Thy
prey, surrender unto Thee and be consumed, and so have peace, Oh Arunachala! O Moon of Grace,
with Thy (cool) rays as hands, open (within me) the ambrosial orifice
and let my heart rejoice, Oh Arunachala!
Tear off these
robes, expose me naked, then robe me with Thy love, Oh Arunachala!
There (in the heart)
rest quiet! Let the sea of joy surge, speech and feeling cease, Oh
Arunachala!
Do not continue
to deceive and prove me; disclose instead Thy transcendental self,
Oh Arunachala!
Vouchsafe the knowledge
of eternal life that I may learn the glorious primal wisdom, and shun
the delusion of this world, Oh Arunachala!
Unless Thou embrace
me, I shall melt away in tears of anguish, Oh Arunachala!
If spurned by Thee,
alas! What rests for me but the torment of my prarabdha? What
hope is left for me, Oh Arunachala?
In silence Thou
saidst, 'Stay silent!' and Thyself stood silent, Oh Arunachala!
Happiness lies in
peaceful repose enjoyed when resting in the Self. Beyond speech indeed
is Thy prowess resting in the self. Beyond speech indeed is this my
State, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Thou didst display
Thy prowess once, and the perils ended, return to Thy repose, Oh Arunachala! (a) (A dog can scent
out its master); am I then worse than a dog? Steadfastly I will seek
Thee and regain Thee, Oh Arunachala! Grant me wisdom,
I beseech Thee, so that I may not pine for love of Thee in ignorance,
Oh Arunachala!
(a) Not finding
the flower open, Thou didst stay, no better than a (frustrated) bee,
Oh Arunachala! (a) Thou hast realized
the Self even without knowing that it was the truth. It is the truth
itself!' Speak (thus if it be so), Oh Arunachala! (a) That each one
is reality itself, Thou wilt of thy nature show, Oh Arunachala! 'Look within, ever
seeking the self with the inner eye, then will (It) be found.' Thus
didst Thou direct me, beloved Arunachala!
(a) Seeking Thee
within but weakly, I came back (unrewarded). Aid me, Oh Arunachala! What value has this
birth without knowledge born of realization? It is not even worth speaking
about, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Let me dive
into the true Self, wherein merge only the pure in mind and speech,
Oh Arunachala! When I took shelter
under Thee as my one God, thou didst destroy me altogether, Oh Arunachala!
Treasure of benign
and holy Grace found without seeking, steady my wandering mind, Oh
Arunachala!
On seeking Thy real
self with courage, my raft capsized and the waters came over me. Have
mercy on me, Arunachala!
(a) Unless Thou
extend Thy hand of grace in mercy and embrace me, I am lost, Oh Arunachala! Oh undefiled, abide
Thou in my heart so that there may be everlasting joy, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Mock me not,
who seek Thy protection! Adorn me with thy grace and then regard me,
Oh Arunachala! (a) When I approached,
Thou didst not bend; Thou stoodst unmoved, at one with me, Oh Arunachala! Rain Thy mercy on
me, ere Thy knowledge burn me to ashes, Oh Arunachala!
Unite with me to
destroy (our seperate identities as) Thou and me, and bless me with
the state of ever vibrant joy, Oh Arunachala!
(a) When shall I
(become) like the ether and reach Thee, subtle of being, that the tempest
of thoughts may end, Oh Arunachala! (a) I am a simpleton
devoid of learning. Do thou dispel illusion, Oh Arunachala! When I melted away
and entered Thee, my refuge, (I found) Thee standing naked (like the
famous Digambara)! Oh Arunachala!
In my unloving
self Thou didst create a passion for Thee, therefore forsake me not,
Oh Arunachala!
(a) Fruit shrivelled
and spoilt is worthless; take and enjoy it ripe, Oh Arunachala! (a) Hast Thou not
bartered cunningly Thyself for me (for my individuality is lost)? Oh,
Thou art death to me, Arunachala! Regard me! Take
thought of me! Touch me! Mature me! Make me one with Thee, Oh Arunachala!
Grant me Thy grace
ere the poison of delusion grips me and, rising to my head, kills me,
Oh Arunachala!
Thyself regard me
and dispel illusion! Unless Thou do so who can intercede with Grace
itself made manifest, Oh Arunachala?
With madness for
thee thou hast freed me from madness (for the world); grant me now
the cure of all madness, Oh Arunachala!
Fearless I seek
Thee, Fearlessness Itself! How canst Thou fear to take me, Oh Arunachala?
Where is (my) ignorance
of (Thy) wisdom, if I am blessed with union to Thee, Oh Arunachala?
(a) My mind has
blossomed, (then) scent it with Thy fragrance and perfect it, Oh Arunachala! Mere thought of
Thee has drawn me to Thee, and who can gauge Thy glory (in Itself),
Oh Arunāchala?
Thou hast possessed
me, unexorcizable spirit! and made me mad (for Thee), that I may cease
to be a ghost (wandering in the world), Oh Arunachala!
Be Thou my stay
and my support lest I droop helpless like a tender creeper, Oh Arunachala!
Thou didst benumb
(my faculties) with stupefying power, then rob me of my understanding
and reveal the knowledge of Thy Self, Oh Arunachala!
Show me the warfare
of Thy grace in the open field where there is no coming and going,
Oh Arunachala!
Unattached to the
physical frame composed of the (five) Elements, let me forever repose
happy in the sight of Thy splendour, Oh Arunachala!
Thou hast administered
the medicine of confusion to me, so must I be confounded! Shine Thou
as grace, the cure of all confusion, Oh Arunachala!
Shine Thou selfless,
sapping the pride of those who boast of their free will, Oh Arunachala!
I am a fool who
prays only when overwhelmed (by misery), yet disappoint me not, Oh
Arunachala!
Guard me lest I
flounder storm-tossed like a ship without helmsman, Oh Arunachala!
Thou hast cut the
know which hid the vision of Thy head and foot (the limitless Self).
Motherlike, shouldst thou not complete Thy task, Oh Arunachala?
Be not m(like) a
mirror held up to a noseless man, but raise me (from my lowness) and
embrace me, Oh Arunachala!
Let us embrace upon
the bed of tender flowers, which is the mind, within the room of the
body (or the ultimate truth), Oh Arunachala!
How is it that Thou
hast become famous from Thy constant union with the poor and humble,
Oh Arunachala?
Thou hast removed
the blindness of ignorance with the unguent of Thy grace, and made
me truly Thine, Oh Arunachala!
Thou didst shave
clean my head (and I was lost to the world), then Thou didst (show
Thyself) dancing in transcendent space, Oh Arunachala!
(a) Though Thou
hast lossed me from the mists of error and made me mad for Thee, why
hast Thou not yet freed me from illusion, Oh Arunachala? Is it true silence
to rest like a stone, inert and unexpansive, Oh Arunachala?
Who was it that
threw mud to me for food and robbed me of my livelihood, Oh Arunachala?
Unknown to all,
stupefying me, who was it that ravished my soul, Oh Arunachala?
I spoke Thus to
Thee, because Thou art my Lord; be not offended but come and give me
happiness, Oh Arunachala!
Let us enjoy one
another in the house of open space, where there is neither night nor
day, Oh Arunachala!
Thou didst take
aim (at me) with darts of love and then devoured me alive, Oh Arunachala!
Thou art the primal
being, whereas I count not in this nor in the other world. What didst
thou gain then by my worthless self, Oh Arunachala?
Didst Thou not call
me in? I have come in. Now measure out for me (my maintenance is now
Thy burden). Hard is Thy lot, Oh Arunachala!
The moment Thou
didst welcome me, didst enter into me and grant me Thy divine life,
I lost my individuality, Oh Arunachala!
Bless me that I
may die without losing hold of Thee, or miserable is (my fate), Oh
Arunachala!
From my home Thou
didst entice me, then stealing into my heart didst draw me gently into
Thine, (such is) Thy grace, Oh Arunachala!
I have betrayed
Thy (secret) workings. Be not offended! Show me Thy grace now openly
and save me, Oh Arunachala!
Grant me the essence
of the Vedas, which shine in the Vedantas, one without a second,
Oh Arunachala!
(a) Even my slanders,
treat as my praise and guard me forever as Thine own, I pray, Oh Arunachala! As snow in water,
let me melt as love in Thee, Who art love itself, Oh Arunachala!
I had but thought
of Thee as Aruna, and lo! I was caught in the trap of Thy grace! Can
the net of Thy grace ever fail, Oh Arunachala?
Watching like a
spider to trap (me in the web of Thy) grace, Thou didst entwine me
and when imprisoned feed upon me, Oh Arunachala!
Let me be the votary
of the votaries of those who hear Thy name with love, Oh Arunachala!
Shine Thou forever
as the loving saviour of helpless suppliants like myself, Oh Arunachala!
Familiar to Thine
ears are The sweet songs of votaries who melt to the very bones with
love for Thee, yet let my poor strains also be acceptable, Oh Arunachala!
Hill of patience,
bear with my foolish words, (regarding them) as hymns of joy or as
Thou please, Oh Arunachala!
Oh Arunachala!
My Loving Lord! Throw Thy garland (about my shoulders) wearing Thyself
this one (strung) by me, Arunachala!
Aru/nā/chalam/vāzhi Blessed be Arunachala!
Blessed be His devotees!
Recited by J. Jayaraman
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