Dear Anil,
I got the Diary 2011 and monthly calendar from Sri Ramanasramam,
through post only since I could not visit the Asramam, after Sept.
2010. I also found that the translations of GVK are not Godman's.
I also checked up with translation of select verses by Prof. K. Swaminathan. [The Garland of Guru's Sayings, 1996 reprint]. It is
also not of Swaminathan's. Perhaps, the Asramam might have used
the translation of some other persons, specially for the purpose.
For example, GVK Verse 634, that you have mentioned,
Prof. K. Swaminathan has translated it as:
Not at all by one's own effort,
But by the light of Grace alone,
Pure gift of God supreme, can one
Behold the light that shines in darkness,
The bliss of being Awareness true,
Even mid the darkness of the world.
[Siva, the Lord who dances in darkest midnight, stands for the
Awareness which sees both light and its absence.]
David Godman translates as under:
In this world, which associates with the Jiva in the state of ignorance, it is quite impossible, except through God's pure light
of grace, for the deluded Jiva to experience the bliss of reality,
the being-consciousness that shines even in the state of darkeness
[sleep].
Muruganar's own comments for the verse:
There can be darshan of reality without grace. Bhagavan has said
[in Atma Vidya Kirtanam] 'Grace too is necessary'. Those who think
that Jnana can be attained by their own might will not attain it until they take refuge in the might of grace.
I am not sure, perhaps, this could also be the translation of Michael
James.
Arunachala Siva.