OmniLight Invocations 365

A reconstruction of Ramalingam’s appearance based on descriptions by those who knew him. The Tamil words below the image express his sincere wish: May All Beings Attain Bliss and Flourish!

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 165

சுருள்விரி வுடைமனச் சுழல்எலாம் அறுத்தே

அருள்ஒளி நிரப்பிய அருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி     

The

Whirlpool

Of

Mind,

Spreading,

Swirling

Thoughts,

Feelings,

Sensations,

Suppressed,

Stilled

Into

Serenity,

Suffused   

With

Light

Sublime,

Consummately

By the Supreme Compassion of OmniLight!        

Note: This autobiographical couplet testifies to Ramalingam’s great achievement of stilling the mind’s incessant whirlpool of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and attainment of the resulting serenity, by the supreme compassion of OmniLight.

In his own words, this was the result of intense, one-pointed aspiration for the OmniLight, sustained inner austerity of renunciation of distracting worldly desires, and the development of compassion for living beings.

The Arutperunjothi Agaval is Ramalingam’s magnum opus of enlightenment poetry composed in 798 couplets in 1872. 

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