OmniLight Invocations 365

Rice fields, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India

Newly discovered semi-aquatic earthworm in rice fields

Rice Field Frog

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 388

சொல்லுறு மசுத்தத் தொல்லுயிர்க் கவ்வகை

அல்லலிற் காத்தரு ளருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி

Living beings,

Immemorial,

Inhabiting,

Proliferating,

Producing sounds,

In paddies.

Naturally

Immured and mired

In impurities,

In dirt and darkness.

Sustain them

In their domains,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Note: The Tamil word “சொல்” (soll) at the start of this couplet refers to paddy (fields). Another relevant sense is சத்தம் (satham) or sound. “சொல்” (soll) rhymes with “தொல்” (tholl) which means “old, ancient, immemorial”.

In these couplets, it is evident that Ramalingam has gone way beyond ordinary human compassion as we understand it and attained the all-embracing transcendent compassionate intelligence (ஒப்பற்ற பெருந் தயவுடைய பேரறிவு) he mentioned in his last talk (பேருபதேசம் – Perupadesam) in late 1873.

The Arutperunjothi Agaval is Ramalingam’s magnum opus of enlightenment poetry composed in 798 couplets in 1872. The meditative recitation of these prayers helps to develop compassion for living beings.

In later posts, I will offer commentaries on these verses.