OmniLight Invocations 365

An old photo of Siddhi Valaagam (சித்தி வளாகம்) or “Abode of Adepthood”, Mettukuppam, Vadalur, Tamilnadu, India. It was Ramalingam’s final residence and venue of his last talk in October 1873.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 755

ஆரியர் வழுத்திய வருணிலை யனாதி

காரியம் விளக்குமோர் காரண விளக்கே!

The

Eternal

Divine

Lamp

Of

First

Cause,

Which

Was

Celebrated

In

The

Hymns

Of

The

Ariyar,

And

Illuminates

All

Causes

And

Effects,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

The Tamil term “ஆரியர்” (Ariyar) at the start of this couplet refers to the Vedic rishis (Sanskrit: ऋषि: ṛṣi) or seers who extolled the eternal Supreme Being in their Sanskrit chants or hymns which constitute the Vedas. It is derived from the word “ஆரியம்” (Ariyam) which denotes Sanskrit.

The word “அனாதி” (Anadi) refers to that which has no beginning or origin, the eternal. The word “காரியம்” (kaariyum) means “effect”. And the word “காரணம்” (kaaranam) signifies cause. This couplet affirms that the OmniLight is the eternal First Cause and the originator and illuminator of the branching lines of causes and effects which have created the cosmos and its phenomena.

This couplet concludes the series which uses the metaphor of lamp to describe the illuminative or enlightening powers of the OmniLight.

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.