Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #28 - The Union of Self with Supreme cannot be expressed in words! (aana amudhe)

 

ஆனா அமுதே, அயில் வேல் அரசே,
ஞானாகரனே, நவிலத் தகுமோ?
யான் ஆகிய என்னை விழுங்கி, வெறும்
தானாய் நிலை நின்றது தற்பரமே (28) 

aana amudhe, ayil vel arase,

jnaanakarane, navila thagumo?

'yaan' aagiya ennai vizhungi, verum

thaanai nilai nindrathu tharparame! (28)

ஆனா அமுதே - Pure Nectar (of immortality)

அயில் வேல் - Sharp Spear

அரசே - King 
ஞானாகரனே - Storehouse of Knowledge

நவிலத் தகுமோ - How can I say? 
யான் ஆகிய என்னை - Ego Identification

விழுங்கி - Swallowed 

வெறும் தானாய் - Self Identity 

நிலை நின்றது - Stood

தற்பரமே - Highest State

Short Meaning

Dear Lord Murugan, (as sweet as pure Nectar of Immortality), the Supreme King who wields the sharp spear and the storehouse of all knowledge - How can I verbally state the ecstasy of reaching the highest state where the true Self swallowed the Egoistical Identity and the true Self stood alone (as One and Only One )

Gloss

Sri Arunagiri Nathar seems to have overcome the despondency of the previous verse and in this verse cries out in ecstasy. 

This verse is also one in which the philosophy of Adwaita shines in this work. This can also be interpreted in the Shaiva Siddhanta way (though very close to the former)

A person currently identifies as his/her mind-body complex - A little bit of enquiry will dissolve this fallacy - For e.g., cells in a body will die continuously and will be replaced by newer cells. We can confidently say, currently, that one will not have a single cell that they were born with. Almost the entire body is different every eight years or so. But, our sense of identity never changes - The Self that called 'I' is still the same 'I' - Hence we can confidently say that our association with this body as the 'real' self is wrong

Similarly, in the deep sleep state  (called 'sushupti'), the mind is completely devolved. However, when one wakes up, they are aware whether they slept well or not - This means, the self continues to exist even when mind is not existent. 

But, a human typically associates their self with their form, name, mind, thoughts, possessions etc. This is what is called 'ahamkara:' or an egoistic identity in the Vedic parlance (not ego as in haughtiness or extreme pride)

This identity is a cloak on the Real Self, which is non-different from the supreme divinity, in this work identified as Lord Subrahmanya. The ultimate Grace is when the illusion of the egoistic identity is dissolved or as described here, 'swallowed' by the Real Self. Now when this false dualistic identity is destroyed, so is the world and all our experience. The true Self stands alone, without needing anything else - It alone exists - As the Vedas say 'Everything is Brahman - Sarvam Khalu idam Brahma' - Since everything is Brahman, there is nothing apart from it - And hence it stands alone (வெறும் தானாய் - நிலை நின்றது). 

It is important to know that this is *not* an experience to be experienced - If it is so, then we need the classic trinity of Subject, Object and the act of Experience. Since there is 'no other', this cannot be the classified as 'experience'

Words are in the realm of the mind - Since this state is beyond the state of the mind, it cannot be shared in words (நவிலத் தகுமோ) - So, Arunagiri asks, 'How can I describe it? 

There is a famous saying in Tamil, roughly translated as 'Those who have seen, never came back and those who came back, have never seen' - This is because, if someone is able to describe this divine state, it is an experience and they have clearly not been with One. 

And, in this divine state of Union, the Self becomes One with the Supreme - The final result of Adwaitam. (in a funny way, in the final state of Adwaitam, even Adwaitam doesn't exist as a concept, because there can be nothing other than the One)

Since Sri Arunagiri is experiencing this divine union, He calls Lord Murugan in endearing words as  ஆனா அமுதே (Faultless Nectar that offers immortality) - Sri Krupanandha Variar considers this as the 'Sat' (truth) aspect 

He also addresses Murugan as அயில் வேல் அரசே (Supreme King who wields the Sharp Spear) - Sri Variar also considers this as the 'Chit' (consciousness) aspect

Finally, Sri Arunagiri address Murugan as ஞானாகரனே (Storehouse of Knowledge) - This is the Ananda aspect - Knowledge alone tears the delusion of identity with the egoistic self (ahamkara:) and helps us realize that  we are One with the Supreme Self. 

PS: - Image from https://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/11/subramanya-sashti-in-margashirsh-month.html