OmniLight Invocations 365

A reconstructed portrait of Chidambaram Ramalingam

Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (1624) by Abraham Bloemaert: “In this parable from the Gospel of Matthew, the devil, identified by his horns and tail, sows weeds (or tares) in the field where wheat has been planted, while the lazy peasants are sleeping. Christians considered sloth one of the Seven Deadly Sins to which mankind was subject as a result of the Original Sin of Adam and Eve, to whom the two naked sleepers allude. The dovecote (a birdhouse to attract doves or pigeons that can be trapped for food without the bother of raising them) was associated with the morally lazy who take the easy way. The goat, known for its lust, alludes to self-indulgence, and the peacock, to pride. Bloemaert was gifted in depicting natural detail, but he never painted pure landscapes, preferring pictures with a lesson. He was one of the leading artists of Utrecht and trained many major artists of the next generation.” (Wikipedia)

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 557

தூக்கமுஞ் சோம்புமென் றுன்பமு மச்சமும்

ஏக்கமு நீக்கிய வென்றனித் தாயே!

My

Mire

Of

Sloth,

Sleep,

Sorrow,

Fear,

Yearning,

Slough of Despond,

Obliterated

By the Supreme OmniLight Mère!

Note:  “Mère” Is the French word for “mother”. 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.