Movie: Aayiram Nilave Vaa
Song: Gangai Aattril Nindru Kondu
Background of the Song:
Not recognizing that I am (devoid of body and mind) the substratum,
consciousness and bliss, we search for the stable ground, knowledge, peace and
joy externally. We either take
the world as real or ignore the truth uttered by the seers. The end result in either case is the disappointment.
Summary of the Song:
- Being the substratum, consciousness and bliss, I search for
the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
- Ignorant of the above true knowledge, where else can I go in
search of this knowledge?
- Without the recognition that I am (devoid of body and mind)
the whole, I will be leading an ignorant life.
- Since the world is temporal, I find nothing can be
trusted. There is no truth in it, all
are nothing but deception. I find that truth seers’ utterances are deception. However,
by not paying the attention to the eternal substratum (which is the true “I”),
I have concluded there is no eternal reality, the eternal reality is a myth or
false.
- Since I have identified with the temporal existence (body
and mind), it deceives me. As a result,
I fail to recognize the truth.
- This constant struggle of trying to fulfill the requests
body and mind (begging outside) left me the scar of feeling empty inside or
unending sadness. When this constant
struggle will come to an end? This can come to an end only after recognizing the true "I".
- When my attention is taken away from the substratum, I get
abducted (entangled) by the world. Once
I am abducted, unless and until I recognize that I am (devoid of body and mind) the
substratum, I remain strangled in the world.
- If I take this world as real, then it will give me a false
hope that only external things will make me happy. On the other hand, if I doubt the truth
uttered by the spiritual seers, my path to experience bliss is closed. In either case (taking the world as real or
ignoring the truth), the disappointment is the same.
Legend: Transliteration Literal Meaning Spiritual Contemplation
கங்கை ஆற்றில் நின்று கொண்டு நீரைத் தேடும் பெண்மான் இவள்
Gangai aatril nindru kondu Neeraith
thedum pen maan ival
Standing
in the Ganges River, this lady searches for the water
Spiritual
Contemplation
Being the substratum, consciousness
and bliss, I search for the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
கண்ணை மூடி காட்சி தேடி இன்னும் எங்கே செல்வாள் இவள்
Kannai moodi kaatchi thedi Innum enge selvaal
ival
With
the eyes closed, in search of sight, where else can she go?
Spiritual
Contemplation
There are three eyes in
me as it were? Each one is subtler than
the prior. The first eye is the physical
eye, which helps me to see the objects outside using external light. The second eye is the mental eye (mind),
which can visualize many objects and places without being there, as well as in
the absence of external light. The third
eye is the existence itself. Without
existence (eye of all) neither the mental eye or physical eye can work. This existence is the God, Truth (true
knowledge), Being, Self, Atman, True “I”.
This existence cannot be observed through physical or mental eye, but can
be experienced, as I am none other than the existence itself (I am THAT).
Where am I trying to search the
God, without recognizing this true “I” (the God, the eye of all) within me? Ignorant of this true knowledge (eyes
closed), where else can I go in search of this knowledge?
தன்னயே தான் நம்பாது போவதும் ஏன் பேதை மாது
Thannaiye dhaan nambaadhu Povadhum yen
pedhai maadhu
Without
believing hereself, this ignorant lady leads her life
Spiritual
Contemplation
I do not recognize
that I am the whole and complete. Due to
ignorance, I identify with the body and mind.
With that ignorance, the limitation is inevitable. To fulfill this limitation, I constantly try
to accumulate and get rid of things from outside. But, no matter how much bigger the
accumulation or reduction is, I always come short as an unfulfilled “I”. This ignorance can be rooted out by simply
recognizing that I am the whole and complete (I am not the body or mind) there
is nothing to add (accumulate in the form of desire) or subtract (remove
something that causes fear to me). Without
this knowledge (recognition of I am the whole), I will be leading an ignorant
life.
கங்கை ஆற்றில் நின்று கொண்டு நீரைத் தேடும் பெண்மான் இவள்
Gangai aatril nindru kondu Neeraith
thedum pen maan ival
Standing
in the Ganges River, this lady searches for the water
Spiritual
Contemplation
Being the substratum, consciousness
and bliss, I search for the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
பொய் போலவே வேஷம் மெய் போட்டது அந்த மெய்யே பொய்யாய்க்
கொண்டாள்
Poi polave vesham mei
pottadhu Andha meiye poiyaai kondaal
The
truth disguised itself as the false. She
took that truth as the false.
Spiritual
Contemplation
All the things in the
world rise from a single substratum, which does not rise and subside. Moreover, whatever that rise from the
substratum can be nothing but substratum.
But anything that rises eventually subsides at some point of time. This includes the individual I, which believes the
truth as false. Anything that rises and
subsides can be defined as the temporary existence, which is subjected to
constant change.
In other words, this
substratum disguised itself as those temporal objects (or maya or illusion),
which rises and subsides in the same substratum (similar to waves in the ocean). As such, all things are being temporal or impermanence, it
is impossible to have permanent bliss. Since
the world is temporal, I find nothing can be trusted. There is no truth in it, all are nothing but
deception.
However, by not paying
the attention to the eternal substratum (which is the true “I” or the water/ocean), I have
concluded there is no eternal reality, the eternal reality is a myth or false.
நூறாயிரம் சாட்சி யார் கூறினும் அவை எல்லாம் வேஷம் என்றாள்
Oar aayiram saatchi yaar koorinum Avai
ellaam vesham endraal
Even
if hundred thousand folks vouches, she says all are deception.
Spiritual
Contemplation
Several hundred
thousand recognized beings (the truth seers) declare “You are THAT”. I see that they are all deceived and they are
making things up.
But the reality is I
failed to recognize their utterances.
தன் கண் செய்த மாயம் பெண்மேல் என்ன பாவம்
Than kan seidha maayam Pen mel enna paavam
Her
eyes caused this delusion, what type of sin she has committed?
Spiritual
Contemplation
Since I have
identified with the temporal existence (body and mind), it deceives me. As a result, I fail to recognize the
truth. These are all play of this
temporal existence (illusion or maya), what type of sin “I” can possibly commit
in this temporal existence?
தன் நெஞ்சோடு தீராத சோகம் இப்போராட்டம் எப்போது தீரும் இனி
Than nenjodu theeraadhu sogam Ipporaattam
eppodhu theerum ini
This
unending sadness in her heart, when this struggle will end to her?
Spiritual
Contemplation
This constant struggle
of trying to fulfill the requests body and mind (begging outside) left me the
scar of feeling empty inside or unending sadness. When this constant struggle will come to an
end?
This can come to an
end only after recognizing the true "I".
கங்கை ஆற்றில் நின்று கொண்டு நீரைத் தேடும் பெண்மான் இவள்
Gangai aatril nindru kondu Neeraith
thedum pen maan ival
Standing
in the Ganges River, this lady searches for the water
Spiritual
Contemplation
Being the substratum, consciousness
and bliss, I search for the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
பொய் மானையே அன்று மெய் மான் என அந்த சீதை பேதை ஆனாள்
Poi maanaiye andru mei
maan ena Andha seethai pedhai aanaal
In
the past, Sita became ignorant by trusting the disguised deer as the real deer.
In
the Indian epic, Ramayana, Sita was deceived by the demon, Maricha
(Mareecha). Maricha assumed the form of
a beautiful golden deer, which had silver spots and glowed due to various gems in its body. Sita was lured by the deer
and became ignorant of that deception.
She persuaded Rama to bring her the deer. While Rama went in search for
the deer and Lakshmana in search of long gone Rama, Sita was abducted by
Ravana.
Spiritual
Contemplation
In this story, due to
ignorance, Sita didn’t recognize Rama (substratum of all) is all along with
her, and there is nothing more beautiful than him. Similarly, due to ignorance, I do not
recognize that I am the whole and complete and go for constant begging
outside. Since, I (the identified I) do
not have power on my own for begging, who do I call for constant help? Consciously (theist) or unconsciously
(atheist), I call the substratum for help.
The substratum helps me upon my request (theist - prayer) or my will (atheist). In that process, I have already defined
myself separate from the substatrum. Since my
attention is taken away from the substratum, I get abducted (entangled) by the
world. Once I am abducted, unless and
until I recognize that I am (devoid of body and mind) the substratum, I remain
strangled in the world.
மெய் மானையே இன்று பொய் மானென இந்த கோதை பேதை ஆனாள்
Mei maanaiye indru poi
maan ena Indha kodhai pedhai aanaal
Here,
this lady becomes ignorant by ascertaining the real deer as the disguised deer
Spiritual
Contemplation
The scriptures and
recognized beings declare “You are THAT”.
But I see them they are all deceiving.
Ramana Maharishi utters
the following:
- “Ignorance of the Self
is the cause of the present misery; knowledge of the Self brings about
happiness.”
- “To infer one’s
existence no other evidence is necessary. The indriyas (senses) and the mind
arising from the ego cannot serve as evidence relating to the Self. The Self is
their basis. They do not exist independently of the Self. One’s own existence is
self-evident. Bliss is the Self.”
- “The Self remains ever
the same, here and now. There is nothing more to be gained.”
- “The ‘I-I’ is always there. There is no
knowing it. It is not a new knowledge acquired.”
- “How do you say ‘I am’? Do you take a light to
find yourself? Or did you come to know it on reading books? How? This experience of ‘I am’ is non-terminal,
eternal”.
- “Does anyone deny his own existence? Once we
admit our existence, how is it that we do not know our Self?”
- “How do you know your
own existence? Do you see yourself with these eyes? Question yourself. How does
this question arise? Do I remain to ask it or not? Can I find my Self as in a
mirror?”
- “That which exists, exists
for ever; that which newly appears is later lost.”
- “The Self is
all-comprising. In fact Self is all. There is nothing besides the Self.”
- “The ONE only is the
Sat, the existence, that appears as the world, the things that we see and we
ourselves.”
- “Because you imagine that you are the seer
separate from the experience, the difference arises. Experience shows that your
being is the same all through.”
- “The thoughts are due to identification of the
Self with the non-self. When the non-self
disappears the Self alone remains. To make room anywhere it is enough that
things are removed from there. Room is not brought in afresh. Nay, more - room
is there even in cramping.”
- “Are you apart from
Poorna (the whole)? If apart from it, will it be poorna? If not apart how does
the question arise? The knowledge that Brahman is poorna and that you are not
apart from the same is the finality. See it and you will find that you are not
a grihasta or any limited being.”
- “You are the Atma (Self) and that sakshat
(here and now) also. Where is the place for kara (accomplishment) in it?”
- “Direct knowledge does
not require intellectual discourses. Since the Self is directly experienced by
everyone, they are not at all necessary. Everyone says “I am”. Is there
anything more to realise?”
- “To be the Self is the
same as seeing the Self. There are no two selves for the one to see the other.”
But due to ignorance I
see the above quotes are deceiving.
பொய் நம்பிக்கை அங்கே வீண் சந்தேகம் இங்கே
Poi nambikkai ange Veen
sandhegam inge
There
(for Sita) it was a false belief; here (for me) it is an unnecessary doubt
Spiritual
Contemplation
If I take this world
as real, then it will give me a false hope that only external things will make
me happy. I continue to pursue happiness,
beauty and security from outside. On the
other hand, if I doubt the truth uttered by the spiritual seers, my path to
experience bliss is closed.
கண் ஒவ்வொன்றும் வெவ்வேறு பார்வை என்றாலும் ஏமாற்றம்
ஒன்றானது
Kan ovvondrum vevveru
paarvai Endraalum yemaatram ondraanathu
Even
though the perception was different, the disappointment is the same
Spiritual
Contemplation
In either case (taking
the world as real or ignoring the truth), the disappointment is the same.
கங்கை ஆற்றில் நின்று கொண்டு நீரைத் தேடும் பெண்மான் இவள்
Gangai aatril nindru kondu Neeraith thedum pen maan ival
Standing in the Ganges River, this lady searches for the water
Spiritual Contemplation
Being the substratum, consciousness and bliss, I search for the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
கண்ணை மூடி காட்சி தேடி இன்னும் எங்கே செல்வாள் இவள்
Kannai moodi kaatchi thedi Innum enge selvaal ival
With the eyes closed, in search of sight, where else can she go?
Spiritual Contemplation
There are three eyes in me as it were? Each one is subtler than the prior. The first eye is the physical eye, which helps me to see the objects outside using external light. The second eye is the mental eye (mind), which can visualize many objects and places without being there, as well as in the absence of external light. The third eye is the existence itself. Without existence (eye of all) neither the mental eye or physical eye can work. This existence is the God, Truth (true knowledge), Being, Self, Atman, True “I”. This existence cannot be observed through physical or mental eye, but can be experienced, as I am none other than the existence itself (I am THAT).
Where am I trying to search the God, without recognizing this true “I” (the God, the eye of all) within me? Ignorant of this true knowledge (eyes closed), where else can I go in search of this knowledge?
தன்னயே தான் நம்பாது போவதும் ஏன் பேதை மாது
Thannaiye dhaan nambaadhu Povadhum yen pedhai maadhu
Without believing hereself, this ignorant lady leads her life
Spiritual Contemplation
I do not recognize that I am the whole and complete. Due to ignorance, I identify with the body and mind. With that ignorance, the limitation is inevitable. To fulfill this limitation, I constantly try to accumulate and get rid of things from outside. But, no matter how much bigger the accumulation or reduction is, I always come short as an unfulfilled “I”. This ignorance can be rooted out by simply recognizing that I am the whole and complete (I am not the body or mind) there is nothing to add (accumulate in the form of desire) or subtract (remove something that causes fear to me). Without this knowledge (recognition of I am the whole), I will be leading an ignorant life.
கங்கை ஆற்றில் நின்று கொண்டு நீரைத் தேடும் பெண்மான் இவள்
Gangai aatril nindru kondu Neeraith thedum pen maan ival
Standing in the Ganges River, this lady searches for the water
Spiritual Contemplation
Being the substratum, consciousness and bliss, I search for the stable ground, knowledge and joy externally.
