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: 40

சேகரமாம் பல சித்தி நிலைக்கெலாம்

ஆகர மாஞ்சபை யருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி!

In

The

Mystic

Consciousness-Space

Which

Is

The

Seat

Of

Superlative

Siddhis

Or

Powers,

OmniLight Of Supreme Compassion!

Notes:

The Tamil term “சித்தி” (Siddhi) in this couplet refers to extraordinary powers. Ramalingam classified them into three types: Yoga siddhis or powers of concentration and meditation, Gnana siddhis or powers of knowledge, and Karma siddhis or powers of action.

Starting with couplet 14, these couplets refer to the higher spaces (Tamil: வெளி or Veli) and levels of consciousness in which the OmniLight manifests itself.

Another connotation of the Tamil expression “வெளி” (Veli), and its cognates “அம்பலம்” (Ambalam) and “சபை” (Sabhai), is the public hall, or assembly, or intersubjectively accessible space. Hence, the “public halls” or higher spaces of manifestation of OmniLight described in these couplets are accessible by qualified persons or beings in advanced states of conscious experience.

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