Summa Iru - Power of Silence

Its high time I post my article on something I love - Silence!

[Article originally posted by me in Murugaavatarbabaji@yahoogroups]

Kandhar Anubhuthi - Verse 12

Semmaan Magalaith Thirudum Thirudan
Pemmaan Murugan Piravaan Iravaan
Summaa Iru Sollara Enralume
Ammaa Porul Onrum Arindhilane


Translation:

"The Stealer who kidnapped Valli, born to the red deer;
That glorious Murugan, deathless and unborn -
When He, speechless, instructed me 'Be Silent',
What wonder! Even a single object I knew not."

Explanation:

"What a wonder! When Lord Murugan - the stealer who kidnapped Valli
born of a red deer, the Glorious One, the birthless and deathless
One -instructed me through silence to 'Be Silent', Lo! I knew no object of the world."

Points to Note:

Wow - St Arunagirinathar delivers another cracker! :).. In this verse, the St emphasizes that Silence is the most important Sadhana or Spiritual practice that is required by a Sadhaka. In this verse, Valli is the Jivatman, the soul aspiring for communioun with the Lord. When the Jiva is determined to attain the Lord and engages itself in earnest Sadhana, the Lord tests the Jiva in a variety of ways and finally gives assurance, by way of inner spiritual experience and conviction, of accepting the soul, as he did in the case of Valli (The Lord comes and kidnaps Valli in the middle of the night when everything is Silent - Thus he is referred to as the Stealer of Valli!). So when does the Jiva unite with the Lord? Only when everything is Silent!! When the senses are Silent, When the mind is Silent, When the intellect is Silent and most importantly when there is a spiritual Silence i.e. when the Jiva rests in God Awareness wherein the mind automatically rests in Silence, the mouth speaks not and the body does not move - the higher Spiritual Consciousness takes possession of the Jiva. Herein is revealed the secret that the awakening of the higher spiritual Consciousness is possible only when the outgoing tendencies of the senses, the externalising nature of the mind and the objectifying character of the consciousness are withdrawn and centred in the heart, which is the Abode of the Self. So in the previous verse, St Arunagirinathar says that the Lord gave upadesa on the Supreme Reality, but did not reveal as to what that upadesa was. In this verse he does it; ' Be Silent ', was the upadesa.

When Ramana Maharishi was still observing total silence,Sivaprakasam Pillai, a very learned gentleman, asked, "What is the nature of consciousness?" Ramana wrote on his slate, "It is sat chitananda (being, consciousness, bliss) in which there is not even the trace of the 'I' thought. This is also called mauna (Silence) or atma (Self). That is the only thing that is. If the trinity of world, ego and God are considered as separate entities, they are mere illusions, like the appearance of silver in the mother of pearl. God, ego and world are really Sivasvarupa (the form of Siva) or Atmasvarupa (the form of spirit). Ramana says that there is a perpetual source of happiness waiting for us, if only we know how to tap it. Happiness and silence, are co-existent and inclusive of each other. They are inherent and natural to them. Like the musk deer which does not realise that its scent emanates from within itself, human beings are not conscious of the treasure house of happiness within. Happiness lies in discovering our true identity by diving deep within. Silence is not absence of speech and solitude is not physical seclusion or isolation in a cave or a forest or on the mountain top. It is the ability to be in the centre of things, free of the turbulence of thoughts, which besiege and torture the mind. Silence and happiness are universal common property available to all, all the time. "A quiet mind is the foundation of inner peace. No place is quieter than one's soul" (Marcus Aurelius). Ramana taught mainly through the "alchemy of silence".