OmniLight Invocations 365

“A variety of marine worms“: plate from Das Meer by M. J. Schleiden (1804–1881) – Source: Wikipedia

Hesiocaeca methanicola lives in great ocean depths on methane ice – Source: Wikipedia

Sabellidae worm – Source: Wikipedia

Water plumes on Europa, a moon of Jupiter, detected by the Galileo space probe – Source: Wikipedia

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 391

எவையெலா மெவையெலா மீண்டின வீண்டின

அவையெலாங் காத்தரு ளருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி

Further,

Farther,

Forms of life,

Fathomable,

Unfathomable,

Familiar,

Unfamiliar,

Unmentioned,

Classified,

Unclassified,

Scarce,

Surfeit,

Surviving

Sustained

By the Supreme Compassion of OmniLight!

Note: Ramalingam’s manuscript of Arutperunjothi Agaval has the words “மீண்டின வீண்டின” at the end of the first line of this couplet. They refer to forms or types of life in addition to those mentioned in the previous couplets.

This couplet is the final one in the set containing Ramalingam’s petitions or prayers, on behalf of all forms of life, or living beings, to the OmniLight of Supreme Compassion for their protection. A prescient vision of the rabid cycle of destruction of life in the Anthropocene epoch probably inspired these petitions or prayers to the OmniLight.

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.