OmniLight Invocations 365

சத்திய ஞான சபை (Sathiya Gnana Sabhai) or The Great Hall of Truth-Knowledge, and place of special manifestation of OmniLight, designed by Ramalingam without any formal training in architecture. It was constructed in 1871 and opened to the public in January 1872. It is not a Hindu temple and ought not to be considered one. It has no anthropomorphic idols or images.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 439

ஒன்றல ரண்டல வொன்றினி ரண்டல

ஒன்றினு ளொன்றல வொன்றெனு மொன்றே!

It

Is

Not

One.

It

Is

Not

Two.

It

Is

Not

Two-In-One.

It

Is

Not

The

Oneness

In

The

One.

This

One

Described

As

“One”,

The Divine OmniLight Reality!

Note: This is the summit of apophatic mysticism, the mysticism which takes the via negativa (“Not this”, “Not that”) approach to Ultimate Reality. However, the apophatic or via negativa approach has its limitation: it cannot completely eschew or evade affirmation. This is because the via negativa cannot evade the fact that it pertains to something, a substratum, or subject, or object, which is described as “not this”, “not that”, and so forth. Thus, the via negativa approach is compelled to presuppose, acknowledge, or affirm, a subject or object of its negative description.

Therefore, it makes good sense that Ramalingam ends this couplet with an affirmation of the absolute status of the One after the via negativa, or negative descriptions, or negations.

This couplet affirms that OmniLight is the transcendent reality which negates ascriptions of oneness and duality, but, in an apparent paradox, it affirms that it is still the One to whom all this via negativa pertains.

The Arutperunjothi Agaval is Ramalingam’s magnum opus of spiritual enlightenment poetry composed in 798 couplets in 1872. In later posts, I will offer commentaries on these couplets.