Sri Ramanopadesa Noonmalai ஸ்ரீ ரமனோபதேச நூன்மாலை

[Balaji]

2.  சத்சங்க மாகும் பிரண்டை ரசத்தொடு
    சமதம மாகின்ற ஜீரக  மிளகுட
    னுபரதி யாகுமவ் வுப்போ டுள்ளநள்
    வாசனை யாம்பெருங் காயமுஞ் சேர்த்து

Mixing (with the above said powdered black-gram) the juice of the square-stalked vine which is sat-sangam (association with Jnanis), and also the cummin-seed and pepper which are (respectively) sama (tranquility) and dama (self-restraint), and about that salt which is uparati (renunciation of worldly desires and activities), and also the asafoetida which is the good vasana in the heart (that is, the good tendency or vasana of heart of longing for liberation), seek to prepare the appalam (of self-knowledge).

[Balaji]

3.   கன்னெஞ்சி னானா னென்று கலங்காம
     லுண்முக வுலக்கையா லோயா திடித்து
     சாந்தமாங் குழவியாற் சமமான பலகையிற்
     சந்ததஞ் சலிப்பற சந்தோஷ மாகவே

Unceasingly and without agitation pounding (the above said mixture) as I-I in the mortar-stone of the heart with the pestle of introversion, perpetually, joyfully and without languor (weariness or slackness) seek to prepare the appalam (of self-knowledge) on the slab which is samadhi with the rolling-pin which is peace.

[Balaji]

4.  மோனமுந் ரையாகு முடிவில்லாப் பாத்ரத்தில்
    ஞானக்னி யாற்காயு நற்பிரம்ம நெய்யதி
    னானது வாகவே நாளும் பொரித்துத்
    தானே தானாக புஜிக்கத் தன்மய

Frying (the appalam) eternally as I am That in the pure ghee of Brahman which is heated by the fire of knowledge (jnanagni) in the endless (indestructible) pan which is the mouna  mudra (the sign of silence), in order to experience oneself alone as oneself (I alone am I) seek to prepare the tanmaya appalam (the appalam which is of the nature of That, the Reality or Self).

[Balaji]

ஆன்மவித்தை கீர்த்தனம்*
Atma Vidya Kirtanam

(பல்லவி-Refrain)

I copied these tamil songs from Thiru Ravi Sir postings

ஐயே! யதிசுலபம்---ஆன்மவித்தை
ஐயே! யதிசுலபம்

Ah!, so very easy is atma vidya (the science of self-knowledge)! Ah, so very easy!

* Pallavi was commenced by Sri Muruganar and rest were composed by Sri Bhagavan.

(அனுபல்லவி)

நொய்யார் தமக்குமுளங் கையா மலக்கனி
பொய்யா யொழியமிகு மெய்யா யுளதான்மா-------------(ஐயே! )


Even to an ordinary (or weak-minded) person, Self (the consciousness I am) is so very real that (in comparison to it) an amalaka fruit in the palm recedes as unreal. (Therefore, so very easy is the science of self! Ah, so very easy!)

சரணம்-1

மெய்யாய் நிரந்தரந்தா னையா திருந்திடவும்
பொய்யா முடம்புலக மெய்யா முளைத்தெழும் பொய்
மையார் நினைவணுவு முய்யா தொடடுக்கிடவே
மெய்யா ரிதயவெளி வெய்யோன் சுயமான்மா--விளங்குமே:
இருளடங்குமே;இட ரோடுங்குமே;இன்பம் பொங்குமே--------(ஐயே! )

Although Self always exists undoubtedly (or indestructibly) as the (sole) reality, the body and world, which are (in truth) unreal, rise and appear as real.   When the unreal and dark thoughts (which are the cause of the unreal appearance of the body and world) are destroyed without even an iota (of them) surviving, Self, the sun (of pure consciousness), will shine forth spontaneous in the real Heart-space, (whereupon) the darkness (of ignorance) will vanish, misery will cease, and Bliss will surge up. (Therefore, so very easy is the science of Self! Ah! So very easy!).

Note : Though Self is so very real even to an ordinary person (as stated in the Anupallavi) its real nature is seemingly veiled by the unreal appearance of the body and world. Since body and world are mere thoughts, the cause for their appearance is only the mind, which is the first thought and the root of all other thoughts. This is explained by Bhagavan in more detail in 'Nan Yar' as follows.

What is called mind (manam) is a wondrous power existing in Self (atma-swarupam). It projects all thoughts. If we set aside all thoughts and see, there will be no such thing as mind remaining separate; therefore, thought itself is the nature (or form) of the mind. Other than thoughts, there is no such thing as the world. In deep sleep there are no thoughts, (and hence) there is no world; in waking and dream there are thoughts, (and hence) there is the world also, Just as the spider spins out the thread from within itself and again withdraws it into itself, so the mind projects the world from within itself and again absorbs it into itself. When the mind comes out (rises) from Self, the world appears. Therefore, when the world appears, Self will not appear; and when Self appears (shines), the world will not appear.

That is just as the knowledge of the rope, which is the base, will not be obtained unless the knowledge of the snake, the superimposition, goes, so the realization of Self (swarupa-darsanam), which is the base, will not be obtained unless the perception of the world (jagat--drishti) which  is a superimposition, ceases.
 
If the mind, which is the cause (and base) of all knowledge (all objective knowledge) and all action, subsides, the perception of the world (jagat-drishti) will cease.

Tanaiyadu may also be split as tan+aiyadu; aiyadu means without doubt (undobtedly).

[Balaji]

2.  ஊனா ருடலிதுவே நானா மெனு நினைவே
     நானா நினைவுகள்சே ரோர்நா ரெனுமதனா
     னானா ரிடமெதென்றுட் போனா னினைவுகள் போய்
     நானா னெனக்குகையுட் டானாய்த் திகழு மான்ம----ஞானமே:
    இதுவே மோனமே;ஏக வானமே;இன்பத் தானமே---------(ஐயே)

The thought This fleshy body alone is I is indeed the one thread on which the various (other)thoughts are strung. Therefore, if one goes within (by keenly scrutinizing) Who am I and what is the place (from which I rise), the thoughts will (all) perish (along with their root, the thought I am this body), and self-knowledge will spontaneously shine forth with in the cave (of the Heart) as I-I. This (state of self- knowledge) alone is silence (mouna), the one (non dual) space (of existence-consciousness), the abode of bliss, (Therefore, so very easy is the science of Self! Ah! So very easy!)

The words nan ar idam edu which are here translated as  Who am I and what is the place, may also be translated as What is the place where I dwell.

The words nan nan, which are here translated as I-I, may also be taken to mean I am I since in a Tamil sentence such as I am this (nan idu irukkiren) the word am (irukkiren) is usually dropped.

Note : Though self, the existence  consciousness I am, is clearly known to even the most ordinary person, it does not shine as it is due to the mixing of adjuncts (upadhis), which conceal its real nature and make it appear in the form of the mind, the false first person feeling I am this body, I am so-and-so. This false first person feeling is a mere thought, and of all thoughts it is the first. All other thoughts, including the body and world, arise only because of this first thought, and they are known as if existing only by this first thought. Whereas all other thoughts are only insentient objects. Known by the first thought I, this first thought alone is endowed with a seeming consciousness. How This thought is a mixture of the real consciousness I am and the unreal, insentient adjuncts such as this body and so-and- so, And hence it is called the chit-jada-granthi or the knot between Self, which is consciousness, and the body, which is insentient.

Therefore, since there can be no existence without a consciousness of that existence, all other thoughts depend for their seeming existence upon this first thought 'I am this body.' When this thought is absent, as in deep sleep all other thoughts are also absent and when this thought rises in the waking and dream all other thoughts also rise. This is why Sri Bhagavan says in this verse, The thoughts are strung. That is, just as the many flowers of a garland are held together by only one string, so all the many thoughts that constitute our so called life (which is merely an endless stream of thoughts) exist by depending upon this first person feeling I am the body. And just as all the flowers will be scattered away when the string is out, so all other thoughts will vanish when this first thought I am the body is destroyed.

What is the means by which we can cut this string, the first person thought I am so-and-so, which is the root-cause of all miseries Is it difficult or easy to get No rare powerful weapon and no great strength are required to cut this string. If we simply turn our attention inwards and keenly scrutinize the mere feeling I in order to find out who am I From where does this feeling I arose That will be sufficient, because at once the ego-feeling I am so-and-so will begin to subside, and finally it will disappear altogether without leaving a trace.

To illustrate this Sri Bhagavan used to narrate the following story: A sadhu was living in a small old dilapitated mantapam which was open on one side and which had no door or gate. Once a day he used to walk to the nearby village to beg his food. After receiving sufficient food in his small pot, he would return to the mantapam, where he would eat half the food. The remaining half he used to keep in his pot in order to have something to eat the following morning. Though he had nothing with which to cover the pot, when he went to sleep he used safeguard the food by keeping the pot close to his head. Nevertheless, one morning when he woke up he found the pot was empty. The next night, having decided that he should find out who the thief was, he lay down as if asleep but with a firm resolve to remain vigilant. Some hours passed, but no thief entered the mantapam. Unable to ward off his sleep any longer, by the middle of the night the sadhu finally dozed off to sleep. But he was soon awakened by a lapping sound; opening his eyes he saw a dog licking his pot, so immediately he raised his head, and the dog ran away. The following night therefore, the sadhu was more vigilant, and when the dog silently entered the mantapam and crept near the pot, he raised his head. At once the dog ran away without touching the food. The third night the dog came only as far as the entrance of the mantapam; peeping inside, he found that the sadhu was vigilantly observing him, so he again ran away. The fourth night the dog stood on the road some distance from the mantapam, but finding that the sadhu was again watching him, he sulked away and never returned.

[Balaji]

3.  தன்னை யறிதலின்றி பின்னை யெதறிகிலென்
     றன்னை யறிந்திடிற்பின் னென்னை யுளதறிய
    பின்ன வுயிர்களில பின்ன விளக்கெனுமத்
    தன்னைத் தனிலுணர மின்னுந் தனுளான்ம-----பிரகாசமே;
    அருள் விலாசமே;அக விநாசமே;இன்ப விகாசமே-------(ஐயே)

Without knowing Self, what is the use if one knows anything else If one has known Self, then what (else) is there to know When that Self, which shines without difference (as I am) in (all the many) different living beings, is known in oneself, the light of self will flash forth within one self, (as I am that I am). (This experience of self is) the shining forth of Grace, the destruction of I (the ego), and the blossoming of bliss. (Therefore, so very easy is the science of Self! Ah! So very easy!)

Note : All second and third person objects are merely thoughts which seemingly come into existence only after the rising of the ego, the first person thought I am this body. When the ego does not rise, all other objects are non-existent (cf. Ulladu Narpadu vv. 14 and 26, and Sri Arunachala Ashtakam v.7). Therefore, since the ego rises only due to one's not knowing oneself, knowing anything else (any second or third person object) without knowing oneself is only ignorance (cf. Ulladu Narpadu vv.11 and 13). When one knows oneself the rising of the ego will be found to be an unreal appearance, and hence the seeming existence of other objects will also be known to be even unreal. That is why Sri Bhagavan says in this verse, Without knowing Self, what is the use if one knows anything else If one has known Self, then what else is there to know

That which shines without difference in all the different living beings is only the real self, the mere existence consciousness I am. In order to know the real nature of this consciousness I am, all one need do is to attend to it within oneself. Since Self-knowledge will automatically shine forth when one thus attends to this consciousness I am, and since this consciousness exists and shines in all beings at all times, it is never difficult for anyone to attend to it. Therefore, this consciousness, which always makes it easy for anyone to attain is the very form of divine   grace,  and to experience it as it is, is the shining forth of Grace. When Grace thus shines forth in the form of true Self- knowledge, the ego will be destroyed and supreme bliss will be attained.

In order to know any other object, the aid of the mind and the five senses are required. But to know oneself, neither the mind nor the five senses are required, because the real self is in truth everknowing itself by its own light of consciousness. Since this truth will be known when the mind subsides, knowing Self will be found to be natural and much easier than knowing any other thing.

[Balaji]

4.  கன்மா திகட்டவிழ சென்மா திநட்டமெழ
     வெம்மார்க் கமதனினு மிம்மார்க் கமிக்கெளிது
     சொன்மா னததனுவின் கன்மா திசிறிதின்னறிச்
     சும்மா வமர்ந்திருக்க வம்மா வகத்திலான்ம------சோதியே;
     நிதானு பூதியே;இராது பீதியே;இன்பவம் போதியே-------------(ஐயே)

To unfasten the bonds of action (karma) and so on and to bring about the destruction of birth and so on, rather than any (other) path, this path (of self-enquiry) is extremely easy! When one merely remains still, without the least action  of speech, mind and body, ah (what a wonder it will be)! The light of Self in the heart will be the eternal experience, fear will not exist, and the ocean of bliss alone (will remain shining). (Therefore, so very easy is the science of Self! Ah! So very easy!)

According to Vedanta action and so on (karmadi) denotes the three karmas namely, agamya, prarabdha, and sanchita, and with the afflictions which following in their wake, while according to Saiva Sidhanta, karmadi denotes the three impurities namely ego (anava), action (karma) delusion (maya). Birth and so on (janmadi) denotes the miseries of life such as birth (janma), disease (vyadhi), old age and death (mrityu); refer to the Bhagavad Gita 13.8 wherein the latter classification is given.

Note : All sadhanas other than self-enquiry involve some action to be performed either by the mind, speech or body, and hence one may experience some difficulty in using these instruments. But in the path of self-enquiry taught by Sri Bhagavan no action need be performed by any of these three instruments, and hence this path is the easiest of all paths.

Knowing Self is not an action. Since self is ever naturally knowing itself, knowing self is nothing but being self (cf. Upadesa Undhiyar v.26) and hence no action of the mind, speech or body is required to know self. If one merely remains still without performing any action by these three instruments, self-knowledge will automatically shine forth.

Since all actions of the mind, speech and body are due only to the rising of thoughts, since all other thoughts rise only because of the rising of the first thought I am this body, and since (as explained in verse 2) this first thought will vanish along with all other thoughts when one turns one's attention towards it, in order to remain still all we need to do is to turn our attention towards the mere feeling I. Therefore, knowing Self is so very easy.

[Balaji]

5.  விண்ணாதியவிளக்குங் கண்ணா தியபொறிக்குங்
     கண்ணா மனக்கணுக்குங் கண்ணாய் மனவிணுக்கும்
     விண்ணா யொருபொருள்வே றெண்ணா திருந்தபடி
    யுண்ணா டுளத்தொளிரு மண்ணா மலையெனான்மா------காணுமே;
    அருளும் வேணுமே;அன்பு பூணுமே;இன்பு தோணுமே-------(ஐயே)

In the mind which attends within as it is (that is, which attends to itself as the mere existence consciousness I am) without thinking of anything else, Self, which is called Annamalai the one (non-dual) reality which shines as the space even to the mind-space and as the eye even to the mind-eye, which is the eye even to the senses such as the eye, which illumine (the physical elements such as the space) will be seen. (In order to attain this experience) Grace is also needed; (in order to attain that Grace) have love (for Self); (then) Bliss will blossom forth, (Therefore, so very easy is Atma-Vidya! Ah, very easy!)