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 has no anthropomorphic idols or images.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 724

என்பெரும் பதியே யென்னுயி ரியலே

என்பெரு நிறைவே யென்றனி யறிவே!

My

Supreme

Being,

The

Very

Essence

Of

My

Life,

My

Greatest

Consummation,

And

My

Incomparable

Intelligence,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam continues to celebrate his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

An old photo of Sathiya Dharuma Saalai (The Home of True Charity) in Vadalur, Tamilnadu, South India – It was opened by Ramalingam on May 23, 1867, and has fed the poor and hungry to this day.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 723

என்பெருங் குணமே என்பெருங் கருத்தே

என்பெருந் தயவே யென்பெருங் கதியே!

My

Greatest

Virtue,

My

Greatest

Contemplation,

My

Greatest

Compassion,

And

My

Greatest

Refuge,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam continues to celebrate his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization.

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.

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: 722

என்பெரு வரமே யென்பெருந் தரமே

என்பெரு நெறியே யென்பெரு நிலையே!

My

Greatest

Boon,

My

Maximal

Excellence,

My

Greatest

Principle,

My

Greatest

State

And

Being,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam continues to celebrate his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

Symbol of OmniLight in the சத்திய ஞான சபை (Sathiya Gnana Sabhai) or The Great Hall of Truth-Knowledge, a place of special manifestation of OmniLight.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 721

என்பெரு நலமே யென்பெருங் குலமே

என்பெரு வலமே யென்பெரும் புலமே!

My

Greatest

Good,

My

Greatest

Fellowship,

My

Greatest

Strength,

And

My

Greatest

Specialty,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam continues to celebrate his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization.

The Tamil word “குலம்” (kulam) refers to membership or fellowship in a group, usually a clan or tribe. In praising the OmniLight as his “greatest clan”, Ramalingam is implying that the Fellowship of the OmniLight, the Fellowship of its praise, pursuit, experience, and realization is the greatest fellowship.

The rhyming word “புலம்” (pulam) refers to field of specialization in knowledge and/or profession, a specialty. Ramalingam is celebrating that the OmniLight is his field of knowledge or specialty.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

Entrance to the site of the radiant symbol (Jothi or orb of light) of OmniLight in the Sathiya Gnana Sabhai (1872), or Hall Of Truth-Knowledge, designed by Ramalingam.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 720

என்பெரு வாழ்வே யென்றென்வாழ் முதலே

என்பெரு வழக்கே யென்பெருங் கணக்கே!

My

Great

Life,

The

First

Cause

And

Principal

Of

My

Life,

My

Great

Litigation,

And

My

Great

Reckoning

And

Sum,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam continues to celebrate his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization.

The Tamil word “வழக்கு” (vazahaku) has several meanings including convention or tradition, way or method, and litigation. In selecting “litigation” as the primary sense of that word in this couplet, I am implying that Ramalingam is stating that the great litigation of his life, that to which he has made claims to experience, realize and attain, against strong odds, obstacles, or opposition, is the OmniLight.

His use of the expression “என்பெரு வழக்கே” (en peru vazhake), or “my great litigation”, may also be an allusion to the only court case or lawsuit brought against him by one Arumuka Navalar (1822 – 1879), a Tamil orthodox Saivite scholar hailing from Sri Lanka. The lawsuit alleged that the title “திருவருட்பா” (Thiruarutpa) given to the collection of Ramalingam’s early devotional poems and songs, and published with his consent by his admirers, was a violation of the copyright of the published collections of classical Tamil Saiva poetry with the same title. Apparently, the judge dismissed the lawsuit in the first hearing in court.

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.

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 has no anthropomorphic idols or images.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 719

என்பெருந் தவமே என்றவப் பலனே

என்பெருஞ் சுகமே யென்பெரும் பேறே!

My

Great

Tapas

Or

Spiritual

Austerity,

The

Greatest

Fruit

Of

My

Tapas

Or

Spiritual

Austerity,

My

Greatest

Happiness,

And

My

Greatest

Acquisition,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam celebrates his realization of the OmniLight and the nature of his realization, e.g., that it was the fruit of his great Tapas or spiritual austerity.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

An old photo of Sathiya Dharuma Saalai (The Home of True Charity) in Vadalur, Tamilnadu, South India – It was opened by Ramalingam on May 23, 1867, and has fed the poor and hungry to this day. 

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 718

என்பெருங் களிப்பே யென்பெரும் பொருளே

என்பெருந் திறலே யென்பெருஞ் செயலே!

My

Greatest

Delight,

My

Greatest

Reality,

My

Greatest

Power,

And

My

Greatest

Performance,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

In this couplet, Ramalingam celebrates the maximal excellences of the OmniLight, e.g., its supreme reality, delight or bliss, power, and performance or action. It is also a rapturous celebration of his own realization 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.

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.

“Parietal eye of the Merrem’s Madagascar swift (Oplurus cyclurus) is surrounded by a black-and-white spot on the skin, giving it the “three-eyed” appearance”. Source: Wikipedia

Human field of view (FOV) for both eyes showing different levels of peripheral vision – Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Human-field-of-view-FOV-for-both-eyes-showing-different-levels-of-peripheral-vision_fig1_331409336

Pupil Size Is a Marker of Intelligence: There is a surprising correlation between baseline pupil size and several measures of cognitive ability
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pupil-size-is-a-marker-of-intelligence/

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 717

என்மனக் கண்ணே என்னருட் கண்ணே

என்னிரு கண்ணே யென் கணுண் மணியே!

My

Mind’s

Eye,

My

Eye

Of

Supreme

Compassion,

My

Two

Eyes,

The

Pupil

Or

Apple

Of

My

Eye,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

This couplet not only employs ocular analogy, but also celebrates the ocular manifestations of the OmniLight. These ocular manifestations in living beings are a function of the OmniLight’s power of illumination and supreme compassion.

The Tamil expression “கணுண் மணியே” (kanoon maniye) means “apple of my eye”. In the context of this couplet, it refers to the pupil, or the center of the iris in the eye. Of course, “the apple of my eye” also has the connotation “most cherished”.

I should clarify that the quote from Darwin does not imply that he rejected an evolutionary account of the eye, but only that he acknowledged that such an account faces serious challenges at the outset.

A great deal of confusion also arises from the failure to distinguish between developmental design, or design by a process of development, and ex nihilo design, or design emerging full-blown from nothing.

To view the eye as the outcome of intelligent design does not imply the implausible belief that it emerged full-blown and ex nihilo, or from nothing.

It may well have developed as an outcome of intelligent design and intervention by vastly superior, but not infallible, suprahuman intelligent agents, in just the way the familiar products or artifacts of intelligent design in our world, e.g., a computer, have come into existence by a process of design, intervention, and development governed by intelligent agents.

In this context, we should recall that this Agaval affirms the existence of five different types of intelligent suprahuman governors of the cosmos, e.g., creators, protectors, regulators, concealers, and revealers.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

Symbol of OmniLight in the சத்திய ஞான சபை (Sathiya Gnana Sabhai) or The Great Hall of Truth-Knowledge, a place of special manifestation of OmniLight.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 716

நம்புறு மாகம நவிற்றிய பாட்டே

எம்பல மாகிய வம்பலப் பாட்டே!

The

Song

Which

Emanates

From

The

Inspirational

Agamas,

The

Empowering

Song

Which

Resounds

In

Cosmic

Space,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

This couplet celebrates song as the manifestation of the supreme sound-vibration mode of the OmniLight. It also affirms that the OmniLight is the song of the inspirational utterances of the Agamas, the sacred texts of the Shaiva (Shiva as the supreme being), Vaishnava (Vishnu as the supreme being), and Shakta (Divine Mother as the supreme being) sects of South India. The Agamas also include the central texts of the Tantra tradition.

The OmniLight is the eternal empowering song which resounds in cosmic space.

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.

OmniLight Invocations 365

Entrance to the site of the radiant symbol (Jothi or orb of light) of OmniLight in the Sathiya Gnana Sabhai (1872), or Hall Of Truth-Knowledge, designed by Ramalingam.

Arutperunjothi Agaval: Couplet: 715

நன்மார்க்கர் நாவி னவிற்றிய பாட்டே

சன்மார்க்க சங்கந் தழுவிய பாட்டே!

The

Song

Of

Compassion

Which

Emanates

From

The

Speech

Of

The

Good,

The

Song

Of

Harmony

Of

The

Society

Of

Sanmargam,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

This couplet celebrates song as the manifestation of the supreme sound-vibration mode of the OmniLight. It also affirms that the OmniLight is the song of benevolence in the speech or utterances of the good and the song of harmony of the Society of Sanmargam, the community of practitioners of the Way of Wisdom and Unity.

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.