Summa Iru

"The Silent One possessed me in Silence
and poured into me a speechless word
that was the seed of wisdom.
That word, O friend. had a magic effect on my life.
It hushed up the mind and opened my heart to silent
embrace of the Divine".

Tiruvannamalai remains one of the foremost spiritual centers of the world. Though Mount Kailasa is known as the abode of Lord Shiva, it is said that Tiruvannamalai is Shiva himself. Think of Tiruvannamalai and one attains the salvation. (Smaranath Moksham Tiruvannamalai). It is from here Lord Arunachala bestows His benign grace to all.

It is Tiruvannamalai, Bhagawan Ramana had chosen as his abode. Liberating himself from all attachments and affiliations, Sri Ramana reached the foothill of Tiruvannamalai, engrossed himself in meditation and attained self realization. Virupaksha cave, Kandasramam and then from Ramanasramam, Bhagawan radiated the light of knowledge to all. His presence added serenity to Tiruvannamalai and people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world came to Ramanasramam to seek his blessings, to seek directions and guidance in life, and to seek answers to various questions that bothered them. They wanted to know what eternal truth is. They wanted to know how this life is to be taken forward and where it should be destined. They wanted to know how to seek and realize God. Whichever way the questions were posed, Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi, who seldom spoke in detail, responded with one answer: “Find out who it is that wants to know”. He said knowledge is to be sought not from the world outside but from within. He is knowledgeable who realizes his real self through enquiry. In fact, the real knowledge, according to Bhagawan, is not to know anything but to realize the spirit already existent within the person. “The self which shines without there being anything else to know or be known is knowledge”. He who turns inward and analysis this self attains self realization.

Normally, while performing an act, a person is conditioned by the influence of the body and mind. He then identifies himself with his body or mind. The body is subject to changes. Though the soul, the Athman, resides within the body, the Athman maintains its supremacy and independence. The body loses its identity without the soul but the soul does not lose its identity without the body. While the body is mortal and perishable, the soul is eternal, supreme and divine. Similarly, the mind creates an ego which projects itself as the real “I” and the person unknowingly identifies himself with this ego. He then believes that he is the actual doer. This creates various problems in life.

He, who examines and enquires the self, realizes that the soul is the real “I”, the supreme consciousness, the Jeevathma that remains independent of the body or mind. According to Bhagawan, the Athman resides within the heart. The mind generates various thoughts when it functions through the intellect or senses. It lights up when it functions through the heart. As the effulgence of the heart reflects on the mind, just as the radiance of the sun reflects on the moon, the mind lights up and merges with the supreme soul, the Athman. Ego and all false identities disappear and gradually, one is awakened to the higher realm of awareness and self realization.

There are various methods to attain self-realization like spiritual contemplation, introspection and self-enquiry and Bhagawan always stressed silence as the first step. Silence prepares the seeker (sadhaka) to the process of self enquiry. A true Jnani mostly remains in a state of silence which transcends his mind to the higher state of realization. Such a state is beyond the comprehension of mind. Only silence can describe such a state eloquently. According to Bhagawan, silence speaks volumes and silence is eternal eloquence. Silence which is the source and origin of all thoughts is more powerful than speech which is the expression or function of the mind. “From silence came the ego, from ego came thoughts and from thoughts came speeches. So, if speech is effective, silence which is the origin and source of all thoughts and speeches must be more powerful.” True to his belief, Maharshi, who was also known as Mouna Swamigal, mostly remained in silence and communicated in silence. He did speak though, but concisely and to the point. Those who went to Maharshi to seek guidance and receive blessings experienced his grace in silence and they returned with a sense of fulfillment.

Sri Dhattuvarayar, an erudite scholar, composed the high profile Bharani songs about his Master, Swami Swaroopananda and called for an assembly of Pundits to launch his works. The Pundits who assembled at the venue expressed the view that Bharani songs are normally conferred on one who has power enough to subdue thousand elephants at a stretch or a towering personality who has achieved a feat to that level. They doubted whether Swami Swaroopananda did merit such an honour. “Well, let us all go to same sage and decide the issue” said Dhattuvarayar. Everyone assembled before the sage, Swaroopananda. The composer, Sri Dhattuvarayar then explained the circumstance that brought them before him and sought clarification to the point. Swami Swaroopananda did not utter any word and rather he went into a spell of silence. It was an intellectual assembly and almost everyone followed suit. No one ever made any move and total silence fell all over the place. Some even forgot why they came there for and hours turned into days. The total silence cast an aura of divinity in the air and each one felt as if he was endowed with a new and clear vision. Gradually, a realization dawned that the sage who was capable of conquering the minds of many was in fact more powerful that one who could conquer elephants. As Swamiji gently broke the silence, they were all unanimous in their view that sage Swaroopananda was the ideal person to be glorified with Bharani songs. They paid obeisance to the sage and joined the launching ceremony of Dhattuvarayar’s works. Bhagawan Sri Ramana quoted this instance to a group of devotees while stressing the value of silence.

When Paul Brunton, the British Philosopher and writer sought an appointment with Maharshi, he never knew that the meeting could change the course of his life. As Maharshi looked intently at his eyes, Brunton felt total silence pervading all over and they conversed without any words, without any language or expression. Brunton himself explained the meeting of the two souls thus: “One by one, the questions I prepared dropped away and I knew that a steady river of quietness flowing near me and a great peace penetrating the inner reaches of me.” Arthur Osborne, a devotee and founder of Mountain Path says: “Bhagawan was reclining on his couch and I was sitting in the front row before it. He sat up, facing me and his narrowed eyes pierced into me, penetrating, intimate and an intensity I cannot describe. And then, quietness, peace and lightness prevailed. …..The silent guidance was continuous, strong and subtle. It may seem strange to modern minds but the Guru taught in silence”.

The significance of silence is mentioned in various scriptures. According to legend, the four sons of Brahma did penance to seek Shiva’s blessings and the Lord, appearing as Dakshinamurthy, imparted them the knowledge through the medium of silence. The great silent sage, Sadasiva sanctified the atmosphere of India those days. The sky was his roof and earth his home. To see him was to know the Real. His songs were already popular among the learned. On his way to Pudukottai, in 1738, Sage Sadasiva met Thayumanavar . Their meeting was like the meeting of Vedhanta and Siddhanta. “Silence is Peace. Silence is Bliss, Silence is Knowledge” wrote the sage. Thayumanavar, already a lover of Silence, became yet more silent.

The message of silence was highlighted by another great saint, Sri Arunagirinatha Swamigal, the author of Thiruppugazh. Arunagiri was born around 16th century at Tiruvannamalai, the same abode of Lord Arunachaleswara and Ramana Maharshi. Feeling guilt for having led a life of sin, Arunagiri decided to end his life by falling from the tower of Tiruvannamalai. It is believed that Lord Muruga Himself appeared as a savior, rescued him and graced him. While other saints underwent long period of struggles and sacrifice before realizing God, Arunagirinathar was bestowed grace by Lord Muruga at the very outset, without any effort being made on his part and without even being qualified, in the normal sense.

Having remained in a state of meditation called “Siva Yoga”; Arunagirinathar experienced as being initiated into sainthood and received the Advice (Upadesa) direct from Lord Muruga. The gist of such advice, which Arunagiri shared with devotees in his immortal hymn “Kandhar Anuboothi”, was: “Summa Iru” (Be quiet)

Kandhar Anuboothi remains as the quintessence of all works of Arunagirinathar. In Kandhar Anuboothi, which roughly means ‘experiencing the presence of Skanda’, Arunagirinathar highlights the importance of silence.

Semman Magalai Thirudum Thirudan
Pemman Murugan Piravan Iravan
"Summa Iru" Sollara Enralume
Amma Porul Onrum Arinthilane (Song12)

Here, Valli, the tribal girl, is being referred as Semman Magal. According to legend, she was aspiring to marry Muruga even from her previous birth. Muruga finds her and concealing his identity attempts to win her heart by various means. One night, Muruga sneaks into her house and physically takes her away without the knowledge of her foster father, Nambi Rajan. Arunagiri describes the act as a theft and calls the Lord ‘thief’. Muruga known by various other names like Subramanya, Saravana Bhava, Velayudha, Kandha, Kadamba, Karthikeya, Karunakara, Kaliyuga Varadha, this epithet as ‘thief’ would indeed sound strange to many.

Valli represents the Athman, the Supreme Self and when the Athman yearns to reach the Lord, the Lord, the Paramathma comes down to meet the Athman and immerses Himself in the aspiring soul. The concept of ‘Valli Sanmarga’ signifies the unity of the soul with that of eternal Power. Sri Arunagirinathar recalls the saintly advice given by Lord Muruga: “Remain in silence without any word being spoken”. (“Summa Iru, Sol Ara”). Sri Arunagirinathar says he knows no other means to find God but the path of silence, solitude and stillness.

Remaining silence does not mean just refraining from talk. In fact, the term silence referred by Arunagirinatha Swamigal is a still state, independent from worldly thoughts and free from mental activity. Observing silence, looking inward and practicing ‘Siva Yoga’ paves the way for self- realization where the Self, Athman, realizes the eternal truth, Brahman. Brahmam is the self-guiding awareness, the supreme consciousness, which is present in all. Brahmam which can neither be created nor be destroyed is the ultimate truth. One who realizes the self becomes Brahman, ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (I am the God).

Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi was well versed in Thiruppugazh songs. He liked hearing Thiruppugazh songs and quoted the following passage from Kandhar Anuboothi to a group of persons who called on him in December 1935.

"Uru Anru, Aru Anru, Ulathu Anru, Ilathu Anru
Irul Anru, Oli Anru Ena Ninrathuve" (Song 13)

Here, rather than describing what God is, Arunagirinathar describes what He is not. The God has no form but He is not formless either. He is not visible to the eyes but he is not without physical features either. He is not present but he is also not absent. As he radiates light, He is not darkness but he is not Light either. In short, He is indescribable or indefinable.

It is believed that Lord Muruga revealed Himself as a Guru before Arunagirinathar, graced his disciple with Arul Gjnana (enlightenment) and advised him the mantra for God Realization, “Summa Iru, Sol Ara” (Kandhar Anuboothi Song No.12). Years later, Lord Muruga Himself reincarnated as Ramana Maharshi and composed Akshara Mana Mala to convey the same message.

“Sollathu Solli Nee Sol Ara Nillenru
Summa Irundhai Arunachala”……(36)

"Oh Arunachala,
You remained still, not uttering any word,
as if signaling a message,
without openly saying so in words,
the message of silence."

While Lord Muruga conveyed the learned advice “Summa Iru” to Arunagirinathar, many years later, it was the turn of Ramana Maharshi to wonder whether the Lord Shiva adopts the same practice to reiterate the value of silence.

While Bhagawan communicated in few words that spoke volumes on the power of Self, the Athman, Swamigal wrote volumes in poetic verses on the power of God, Paramathman and both underlined the need for the immersion of Athman into Paramathman.