Sri Arunachala Venba - Sri Sadhu Om:- April - June 2008:

[Subramanian.R]

(Tr. Sadhu Tanamaya Chaitanya)

Arunachala Dhyanam:

This is Arunachala Siva who being the ocean of Grace bestows liberation upon mere remembrance!

Prefatory Verse:

Sadguru Bhagavan Sri Ramana took us as His own protege and fed us with the great mantra upadesa of 'Arunachala Siva.'.
With this name of the supreme Lord, vouchsafed to us by the grace of Sadguru Ramana, this Arunahala Venba - a hymn
of 100 verses - is composed to the sweet delight of our tongues that chant it, for the purpose of attaining salvation.

Invocation:

Sadguru Ramana Himself manifests before me as Lord Ganesa with His eyes overflowing with love and grace.  Thus, may
His holy feet, which trod upon the blessed earth remain as the protection and refuge for composing this hymn on Arunachala.

Main Text:

1. For liberation from bondage, life on earth is most conducive among the three worlds (heavens, earth, and netherworlds).
Upon the face of this earth itself, India that is Bharat is the most favorable for gaining salvation.  Within the Indian
subcontinent, there are several holy centers (kshetras) shining with manifold spiritual glories.  The foremost among such
exalted mokshapuris is the peerless Arunachala.

2.  Puranas assure liberation for any soul who takes birth in the holy town of Tiruvarur of Tyagaraja, or to anyone who visits
Chidambaram and has darshan of Lord Nataraja or who sheds his mortal coil in the holy city of Kasi.  However, they assure
liberation to anyone who merely thinks of Arunachala!  (Not everyone can have the blessed prarabdha merit of taking birth
in Tiruvarur or visiting Chidambaram or dying in Kasi.  But anyone can remember Arunachala.  Therefore self effort (purusharta)
is best invested in being devoted to Arunchala, thus bypassing the crutches of prarabdha boon).

3. Arunachala possesses ten divine faces, out of which eight are the slopes of this Holy Hill facing eight directions.  While the
remaining two are the saguna aspects in the form of Arunachaleswara and His holy consort Apeetakuchamba in the great temple
distinct from the Hill at the gross physical level.

4. The holy mountains of Meru, Mandara Giri, the sky high Kailas of the Himalayas, the Vindyachala, unlike the above abodes
of Siva, Arunachala Hill is unique and most glorious as It is the very form of Siva, (Sri Bhagavan has said that the Lord Siva
identifies with this Hill as His very body just we identify ourselves with our body).

5. Lord Siva who has been worshipped in most loving hymns by such exalted saints like Tirunavukkarasar, Karaikal Ammaiyar,
and Sundaramurti Nayanara and who resides at the summit of Mount Kailas with the holy Ganga adorning His head as the
crown jewel, shines here in the form of Arunachala Hill.

continued.....

Arunachala Siva.         

[Subramanian.R]

continues....

6. Brahma and Vishnu with the duties of creation and sustenance of this manifest universe once forgot their source which is
the Supreme Brahman and got perturbed with a rising ego, each claiming to be the foremost power.  Then the 'Supreme Self
(paramtama vastu) manifested as this Hill of Fire (Agni Lingam) Arunachala upon this earth and nonchalantly quelled their egos
by turning their minds inwards.

7.  If a spiritual aspirant (a tapsvi, sadhu) yearns to become sthithaprajna (that is a jnani of stead fast intellect) by dissociating
from the dreadful temptations of sense of objects worse than poison, then this Arunachala kshetra is the most conducive
place of residence for such a tapasvi (as staying near the Hill), going around the Hill as pradakshina etc., are powerful modes
of satsangh, association with sat vastu).

8.  Lord 'Siva first manifested in the form of an infinite column of fire as the primordial Linga (Lingodbhava) which subsequently
settled in the form of Arunachala Hill.  Upon mere remembrance of the name of or form of Arunachala, the Lord bestows
liberation to devotees.  Sadguru Sri Ramana declared authentically to all his devotees that A-ru-na-cha-la is the incomparable
five syllabled mantra (panchakshari) by chanting which liberation is gained easily,

9.  When a sincere seeker feels helplessly stranded and stunned as to what else to do for attaining liberation, when he finds
finally that even mastery of all scriptures and practice of all austerities are all futile in gaining Self Knowledge, and thus yearns
intensely for Grace alone in total surrender, then the Holy Hill of Arunachala beckons him to Its Lap (as the unfailing means
of liberation).

10.  For those who devotees who lovingly seek refuge in Arunachala, the Hill becomes the guru who enters their hearts
and annihilates all the tormenting vasanas, causing the bliss of grace, to well from within and eventually swallowing their
misery causing individuality.

11. 'Do not delude yourself that I am merely this finite human body but know Me  to be the Supreme Self by turning the
mind inward.  The consciousness that is shining as 'I' is My real nature, svarupam.' - thus saying Sri Ramana, the supreme
space of pure consciousness, bestowed Grace upon those us of His own accord and took us into His fold. He is none other
than the human manifestation of this Arunachala.

12.  Having composed the Bridal Garland of Letters and offered it to the bridegroom Arunachala in celebration of their wedding
and then by virtue of merging into Him, Sri Bhagavan Ramana became my loving mother and Arunachala, my father. Thus for
my eyes, this Arunachala Hill ever shines as Lord Siva with His consort Mother Parvathi.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.                           
 

[Subramanian.R]

continues.....

13. If we deem ourselves to be this perishing  body, surely we shall die.  However, Arunachala accomplishes the union
of the mortal Jiva with the immortal Siva by bestowing the immediate and non dual knowledge that 'I am Siva'. Lo!
There is not an iota of doubt that Arunachala is the supreme Lord who converts our mortality into His own immortal essence.

14. This little separative 'I'-thought (ego) assumes myriad roles one after another as its mask and shelter, thus perpetuating
samsara.   Arunachala is the compassionate Lord who isolates the ego from its myriad false identities and finally extinguishes
it without a residue, leaving only the Self that ever shines without a veil in the Heart.

15.  This separate I-thought, limiting itself to a finite mortal body suffers endless misery through sheer alienation from the
all pervasive Lord., Arunachala absorbs this divisive ego unto Itself and eliminates once for all the entirely false notion
'I am separate from the Lord'.  Achieving such a wondrous seamless fusion, Arunachala alone remains as the non dual
Self, in pure kaivalya sthithi.

16.  At the tender age of mere sixteen years, Maharshi Ramana attained the purest supreme Knowledge as His own
real nature and thus became the embodiment of absolute bliss reveling ever as Siva Consciousness.  Surely, this divinely
austere life of Sri Ramana is suffused with Arunachala.

17.  To those seekers who surrender to Arunachala as the ultimate refuge, in sheer despair with the thought: 'I am a
wretched jiva whose lot is to suffer unendingly; is there any hope at all for me?' Arunachala bestows the happiness of
such freedom that is far superior to all heavenly pleasures by revealing to them the supreme Self Knowledge.  Arunachala
is indeed the Jnana-kalpataru (the famed wish fulling celestial tree).

18.  Arunachala wears the hymn garlands strung by the famed Saivite saints, viz., Tirunavukkarasar, Jnana Sambandhar,
Sundarar and Manikkavachagar in the divine outpourings of Tevaram and Tiruvachakam.  In recent times, Arunachala shines
with added lustre by wearing one more of such divine garland in the form of "The Bridal Garland of Letters' that poured
forth from the divinely sweet countenance of Sri Ramana.

19.  Great saints practicing intense devotion to Lord Siva in different births and thereby attaining siddhi of composiing
heart-melting hymns in countless variety and offering those hymn-garlands to Arunachala and thus stay clinging to His
lotus feet which are littered with such glorious garlands.

20. Many seekers crying in anguish 'O Lord!  I am crushed in suffering by my lot of prarabdha karma. I am unable to
endure them any longer, Please protect me!', take refuge in the proximity of Arunachala.  Arunachala enters the hearts
of such sincere seekers and bestows liberation.  Thus Arunachala is indeed the ultimate refuge surpassing all.

contd.,                     

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Part II - July - Sept.  2008 of Mountain Path:

21. Seekers, unable to endure any longer the scorching heat of worldliness, come and take shelter in the cool shade of
the sannidhi (Presence) of Guru Ramana.  Without any further worldly straying,  they experience forever the abiding peace
of the Self, which is manifest here as the Hill of Arunachala.

22.   The entire forest of vasanas -- of both good and bad kinds -- prompting the surging of the ego, is burnt down by the
fire of Jnana lit by opening of the third eye of the Lord Ramana, who is none other than Siva, in human form, for all those
seekers who have surrendered to Him as the supreme Sadguru.  The ineffable peace that such devotees experience in their
cool hearts, through the extinction of all vasanas, is the peace of Arunachala.

23. When the intense seekers (mumukshus) discard as pithless straw even the exalted heavenly pleasures, attainable by means
of Vedic rituals (karma kanda or veda purva) and hunger only for the knowledge of the Self, the very same Vedas in their final
portion, (Vedanta) serve the liberating feast of mahavakya 'Thou art That' to those ripened sweet souls.  Arunachala is indeed
the eternal silent embodiment of the Tat Tvam Asi teaching.

24. All human relationships pertain only to the physical status and well being of the seeker and are not always helpful to the
spiritual upliftment of one's soul.  Unlike such ephemeral and unreliable relatives, Arunachala remains forever our true and absolute
relative!  Arunachala never deserts us even for a moment and finally saves us from the fearsome clutches of Yama, the lord of
death, by revealing our true immortal essence.

25.  If only a person thinks just once the glory of Arunachala among so many billions of thoughts in his long life, the fruit
of that meritorious remembrance of Arunachala manifests in the form of Arunachala before his vision when he is in the throes
of imminent death.  As a result, he is once for all delivered from the cycle of birth and death.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.       
       
   
 
 

[Subramanian.R]

continues....

26. When a sincere seeker attempts to immerse himself in the blissful sadhana of Self attention, the ego (in the form of
I am the body i.e dehatma buddhi) instinctively fearing of its own annihilation, surges forward asserting the finite individuality
and shakes him out of inward sadhana.  For the devotee of Arunachala, at such moments of slipping from Self abidance
called pramada, which is verily called death by Sanatsujatha, Arunachala declares His formless presence in the form of
aham sphurana, driving away the yama of pramada.

27.  In the words of Sadguru Ramana, "You are One without a second. To see yourself as many (jiva and worlds) by
the power Maya contradicts the Advaitic vision and this is the only great sin.  Without getting swayed by Maya, to abide
as Self is the real virtue and duty, dharma."  Understanding this Jnana Upadesa, ripe devotees immerse in the experience
of turiya sthithi (which transcends all states of experiences) by His Grace. Arunachala shines as the Truth of such Jnanis
reposing in Sahaja Samadhi.

28.  When a child is stricken with fear, the loving mother takes it in her own lap and caressing it with soothing words
of comfort, she wards off all fear of harm from the child, infusing joy and courage.  While the mother's compassion for the
child is supreme among all human relationships, the Grace and compassion of Arunachala for a genuine seeker far exceeds
that of even such a loving mother.  It shines in unrivaled glory with no example to match Its supreme compassion other
than Arunachala Itself.

29.  The divine comely form of Sri Ramana has not truly deserted us in grief stricken tears, even for a moment. In place of a
limited human body, now Guru Ramana stands shining eternally in the imperishable macro cosmic form of Arunachala, thus
ever assuaging the sense of personal loss in the bosoms of His loving devotees. 

30. Sadguru Ramana by the exemplary personification of the Stillness principle, in all the three aspects of body, mind, and
speech all through His divine life, and further by His piercing look, has kindled the non verbal inquiry of Who am I? in the depths
of the devotee's heart.  He thus demonstrated vividly the science of initiation through look, chakshu deeksha, which eventually
pulverizes the ego of the seeker.  The unfailing impact of Sri Ramana's gracious look is truly the missile of Jnana.  Such indeed
is the power of Arunachala.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.,                   
           

[Subramanian.R]

continues......

31. It is possible for a seeker to deviate from the goal of abidance in the Self due to a variety of factors like name and fame,
intellectual brilliance, wealth and position, temptations of gross objects and subtle occult powers (siddhis), and lose the
blissful peace of immersion in the Heart.  As a consequence, one may wander again outward in futile suffering.  Arunachala
does not tolerate such straying away from the Self-attention and brings back the seeker in mysterious ways to the core of
one's antarmukha sadhana.

32.  Whatever austerities one may do, the 'I'-thought (ego) cleverly continues to survive in the form of 'I am doing this exalted
mode of sadhana'.  In order to eliminate this primal thought and thus take one to the blissful, thought free state of Self awareness,
Sadguru Ramana instructs the seeker to inquire, 'Who is this 'I' which makes such a claim?', thus facilitating the inward orientation
of the mind.  Inquiring 'Who is this Guru Ramana?', the seeker finds Him to be none other than Arunachala Himself manifest in
human form.

33.  The exalted glory, attainable through great scholarship, and amassing of great wealth are truly speaking deadlier than
even the cobra's venom.  The latter causes only physical death while the former weans away the mind from the Self and thus
perpetuates spiritual death, namely self ignorance.  Hence these are surely to be eschewed by a seeker of Self Knowledge.
Scholarship and wealth are all attained only by the mind and for the enjoyment of the mind alone.  However, the greatest good
accrues only upon the annihilation of the mind itself (mano nasa), that is, the falsification of the 'I'-thought (badhita ahamkara).
This alone results in supreme silence (maha mounam), which is verily the truth of Arunachala.

34.  The Jnani is truly no more a person, as attaining Jnana irreversibly devours the individuality or personality (vyakitvam).
The enlightened one is thus no more a limited human being but a condensed mass of pure Awareness.  Elucidating thus
the ineffable status of a Jnani, Sri Ramana Sadguru remained as such in His pristine Being of supreme silence of Consciousness,
transcending the three states of existence, sleep, dream and waking, untouched by their alternating cycles.  His skill of
remaining rooted in the pinnacle of spiritual attainment is the ever effulgent Grace of Arunachala. 

.35. The mechanism governing the law of karma has been designed in such a manner that even after taking millions of bodies,
and enjoying all the experiences of the world, for several cycles of creation, karma vasanas and karma phala never get
exhausted.  The only way to eradicate the endless misery of karma is to drive away the thick mass of darkness of ignorance
through the rising of sun of knowledge.  Arunachala is indeed such a  Sun of Jnana who puts an end to all samsaric afflictions
of desire and delusion, which are the products of primal ignorance.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.                   

[Subramanian.R]

continues....

36. By the power of Grace of the feet-dust of the enlightened Jnani, which cuts through various layers of the darkness
of ignorance, the disciples can attain he superhuman state of Sahaja Samadhi.  Abiding in it, one ceases o find even the
slightest desirable object any longer.  Arunachala alone shines self effulgent as the blissful Awareness-Existence Principle
in that state of supreme Self Knowledge.

37. To quell the egoistic clash that arose between Brahma and Vishnu, Arunachaa alone manifested as an infinite column
of fire, to reach whose top and bottom ends, the mighty deities took the form of a swan and a boar respectively.  Failing
in that mission, they stood humbled, in their pride, submitting before Lord Arunachala who cooled down into the form of
this divine Hill.  He acceded to their prayers and is ever accessible to all His devotees. For them, Arunachala is divine
wealth  of unsurpassed value.

38.  'Hearken and come hither!  The remedy in the form of Arunachala, for the malady of Maya that has overwhelmed you,
is waiting here to cure you of all samsaric ills.  Arunachala is indeed the supreme medicine' - such was the clarion call of
Sri Ramana.  Heeding His call, all devotees who have repaired to the vicinity of Arunachala, in total faith and surrender,
very soon find this Hill to be their supreme wealth and verily the priceless crown jewel of their life.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.             

[Subramanian.R]

continues....

39.  If anyone cleverly claims, "Yes I have done the self inquiry, delved deep within myself, and finally known the Self",
know that it is a total lie.  For such a claim can emanate only from the false ego which can never know the Self.  The ego
can only perish and its victory consists in perishing gracefully without resistance.  For from its very ashes springs forth,
like the mythical phoenix (and reminiscent of the resurrection of Christ), the knowledge of the Self.  Being the Self,
Arunachala alone knows the Self, never ever, the ego, the non-Self.

40.  Truly speaking the ego has no independent existence.  In delusion, it appears to possess an existence. Arunachala
annihilates this darkness of primordial delusion, and thus restores the truly non existent status quo ante of the ego,by
arising as the sun of  Self Knowledge in the bosom of the seeker.  Thus Arunachala bestows the supreme gift of union
with Lord Siva, which is the ineffable bliss of ultimate silence and liberation. Such is the reward for the total surrender of
the ripe soul and which cannot be won by any other effort, however mighty it may be.


contd.,

Arunachala Siva.                 

[Subramanian.R]

continues.....

41. For those loving devotees, who adore Arunachala as their beloved personal God (Ishta Deivam) and hold to His feet
tightly in all their thoughts without ever wishing to even stir out of the vicinity of this divine Hill, Arunachala bestows
unasked all they need, ruling their lives as a benevolent king of great munificence.

42.  Arunachala is not the place of residence for the wicked, cruel people or hadonists in mad pursuit of contemptible sense
pleasures or men intoxicated with brute physical strength bullying the meek, or those drunk with wine of wealth and power.
Such demoniacal beings are fit prey for the lord of death.  Arunachala is the dwelling place for sadhus, seekers and ascetics.

43.  The extroverted mind easily gets infatuated with the power of wealth and fame, and ephemeral sense pleasures and is
thus ever lured outwards.  Arunachala by the power of Its Grace dries up the taste for all such extroversions and draws the
mind and immerses it in unswerving  Self attention and exerts Itself tirelessly in maintaining such an inward gaze of the
ripe seeker.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.       

 

[Subramanian.R]

continues.....

44.  Lord Siva who remained unattainable even to celestial beings such as Brahma and Vishnu, came down and assumed
a human form of Sri Ramana, out of immense compassion for His  devotees, and thus bestows fearlessness upon them by
enabling them to cling to His holy feet in total surrender. Such is the Grace of Arunachala.

45.  However learned in scriptures one is, or however severe one's austerities are, yet the sincere seeker is repeatedly
tormented by the misery of body consciousness, which is the root cause of all human afflictions. Tired and vexed with this
tyranny of ignorance, the seeker finally surrenders at the divine feet of Arunachala, as the ultimate refuge.  Arunachala
protects such devotees unfailingly, without even abandoning their care.

46. Even my despicably unrestrained mind has been slowly but surely tamed by the Grace of Sri Ramana.  He has melted
my heart and brought me to His feet and kindled the divine desire that has taken hold of me, to spend the rest of my life
in the proximity of His shrine, ever radiating His Grace.  This surely is the working of Lord Arunachala.

47.  Atheists who constantly denigrate the Lord and His devotees, while preening themselves to be the sole purveyors
of the rational thought do not realize that in such a bargain they are only cheating themselves of infinite bliss, while settling
for petty worldly gains.  Arunachala takes pity on such people too, and shatters their foolish pride in ever so many ways
and awakens their hearts to a higher power that rules over all, making them submit to His sovereignty and eventually
melts even their stony hearts in loving devotion.  Such indeed is the power of Arunachala.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.   
               

[Subramanian.R]

continues....

48.  Our Lord Ramana has indeed called Arunachala by the universal name, Heart.  Devotees attracted by His teachings
come from all corners of the globe and eventually gravitate to His lotus feet in utter surrender.  They do not need formally
to convert to Hinduism in order to follow the teachings of Bhagavan Ramana. Here as the Quest is purely inward driven,
everyone is assured of reaching the goal of knowing the Self and thus inhering forever in the Heart, through self inquiry, as
revealed by Bhagavan.  Since there is no external validation through formal sacraments in this unique path of Sri Bhagavan,
it does not disturb in the least the original faith of the seeker.  Eliminating thus even a hint of psychological violence inevitable
in any process of religious conversion, this path is truly the reconciliation of all faiths and thus it is the essence of all relgions
promoting harmony and unity.


49.  Sometimes in a sattvic mood, the mind feels, 'Alright, let me abide quietly in the Self' and other times it rebels, 'Enough,
let me rise and entertain myself.'  Thus the ego is continuously tossed in the fiery battlefield of the two fold modes of mind
(pravritti and nivritti). The Grace of Arunachala triumphs in this battle royal of the mind-field and takes the loving seeker into
the stillness of the samadhi bhumi and enables him to settle down in  perfect tranquility.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.                       

[Subramanian.R]

continues....


50.  'Oh Lord Arunachala, only those fortunate souls blessed and ripened by your Grace can turn inward and quickly
enter the Heart within and settle in the Samadhi Nishta of blissful repose.  Where is the hope for meek and weak souls
like me who are utterly unworthy to receive your Grace?  You alone should take pity on us and make us fit to receive your
Grace."

51.  'Do not read this Arunachala Venba at the half way point and start enjoying right away; look back at your composition
only after completing all the 100 verses,'  thus goading me onward to complete the job undertaken, and supplying the
Venba first word for everywhere from within is Arunachala's Grace indeed.

contd.,


Arunachala Siva.   
     

[Subramanian.R]

continues.....

52.  The mother herself teaches her child her own name and upon hearing the lisping of her name by the child, the mother
rejoices.  What credit can the ignorant child deserve?  In the same way, Arunachala alone nourishes me, a mere prattling
of child, forcefully with Its grace akin to mother's milk and prompts me to sing onward supplying chaste Tamizh words for
composing this hymn and rejoices with pride at my feeble attempt!     

53.  The unrivaled Grace of Arunachala bestows Liberation upon those who merely think of It (smaranat Arunachalam).
In accord with this unique way of salvation, Arunachala drew this immaculate Sadguru Ramana unto Itself by giving Him
Its mere remembrance even at a tender age and settled Him in Its very lap for the rest of His entire life, so that all seekers
(mumukshus) might be inspired by His towering example to similarly dwell upon Arunachala lovingly in their minds and attain
liberation by mere Power of Its name.  The present age is truly blessed as devotees from far flung corners of the earth are also
enabled to remember Arunachala inescapably while thinking of Ramana Sadguru for the two are linked indeed inseparably
for ever.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

continues.....


54.  Seekers complain in the initial stages 'Where is this Supreme Self which is utterly invisible?  I keep seeing only this wretched
world full of misery.'  To such souls who moan and groan under the yoke of ignorance, Arunachala initiates them to inquire as to
who is this complaining entity in the first place, and leading further in self inquiry, eventually reveals Itself as their truly blissful Self,
thus destroying their tormenting sadness, which was never real, as in the story of the 'missing tenth man.'

55.  Misguided people who seek siddhis (occult powers) with the perverse desire of gaining name and fame in the process
are no better than mad men  running after pebbles because even if they perform the most austere penance for aeons of ages,
Arunachala will not reveal Itself to them.  For such deluded souls, Arunachala remains ever unattainable. 

(The Katha Upanishad states that the Self reveals Itself only to that person who seeks the Self alone to the exclusion of
everything else. Arunachala chose Sri Ramana to reveal Itself because as a lad, He chose to know who He was and faced
death fearlessly like Nachiketas)

56.  All the vasanas arise from the causal ignorance namely the ego, or the I-thought.  Their extinction can be achieved
only by exterminating the root cause, the source of all calamities, which is dehatma buddhi.  The Grace of Arunachala is
unique because It is intent only in destroying the ego, which is the root illness (or original sin) so that all samsaric
afflictions are put to en end once for all (that is, Arunachala is not for providing only placebo treatements or palliative remedies).
After eliminating the fundamental ignorance , Arunachala settles down in the Heart of the seeker and abides as the Self for
good, thus ruling over us as a benevolent monarch.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva,   

[Subramanian.R]

Arunachala Venba - Part IV:  This is from Mountain Path, January - March 2009:

57.  Those who are totally ignorant of the mysterious ways of Arunachala exclaim, 'By pursuing self inquiry, if our individuality,
namely the ego is destroyed, who will be there to enjoy the bliss of Realization and what could be the fruit of such enlightenment
at all?'  What is the loss even if all the celestial enjoyments come to naught?  After all, they belong to the realm of 'seen objects'
(drsya vastu); why should ego survive at all just for the sake of attaining and enjoying any ephemeral sense object, which is
only non-Self?  Arunachala is ever the Seer-Object (drk vastu), shining as the Blissful Self obtaining as Pure Existence in unsullied
triumphant glory after vanquishing the ego.

58.  By slipping from the immortal, eternal Self due to pramada (Self forgetfulness), the Jiva has already committed suicide (or
killing of Brahman) and thus incurs the Brahmahatti dosha; such a jiva is indeed fit to be deemed dead even though physically
alive.  Arunachala, the Ruler of our hearts, revives such spiritually dead jivas by restoring the lost Self Knowledge and gives them
a new life of deathless Existence as the resplendent Self.

continued...

Arunachala Siva.