Verse 3 - The Secret Knowledge

அறிந்தேன் எவரும் அறியா மறையை, அறிந்துகொண்டு
செறிந்தேன் உனது திருவடிக்கே, திருவே! வெருவிப்
பிறிந்தேன் நின்அன்பர் பெருமை எண்ணாத கருமநெஞ்சால்
மறிந்தே விழும் நரகுக்குறவாய மனிதரையே.

Aṟinden ĕvarum aṟiyā maṟaiyai, aṟindugŏṇḍu
Śĕṟinden unadu tiruvaḍikke, tiruve! Vĕruvip
Piṟinden ninanbar pĕrumai ĕṇṇāda karumanĕñjāl
Maṟinde viḻum naragukkuṟavāya manidaraiye.

Translation: I obtained the secret knowledge that no one could! As a result, I have fixated myself at your lotus feet. Oh, goddess! I have separated myself from people who due to their sinful deeds are destined to hell, as they do not know the value of your worship and the worth of your devotees.

Aṟinden – I understood that ĕvarum – everyone aṟiyā – does not know maṟaiyai – the hidden/Vedas. Abirāmi Bhattar speaks about the hidden meaning of the Vedas and states that he has understood the original meaning of those teachings. The teachings as they are hidden from everyone, are hard to comprehend as the amount of contemplation and inner reflection is humongous. Needless to say, this requires a sharp intellect and a highly focused mind to study the scriptures. The Vedas are open to all and are all-encompassing in nature. Even if someone recites the Vedas perfectly and performs the prescribed rituals as mandated, there is no guarantee that one will attain the ultimate, unless there is a proper understanding of the teachings conveyed by the Vedas. Tirumūlar in his Tirumandiraṁ verse 51 proclaims as follows -

வேதத்தை விட்ட அறமில்லை வேதத்தின்

ஓதத் தகும்அறம் எல்லாம் உளதர்க்க

வாதத்தை விட்டு மதிஞர் வளமுற்ற

வேதத்தை ஓதியே வீடுபெற் றார்களே

Vedattai viṭṭa aṟamillai vedattin
Odat tagumaṟam ĕllām ul̤adarkka
Vādattai viṭṭu madiñar val̤amuṭra
Vedattai odiye vīḍubĕṟ ṟārkkal̤e

Translation: There is no greater righteousness/truth that is not preached in the Vedas. The truth that is worthy of experiencing by reciting or reading the Vedas is inside it. Instead of debating on what is inside, the wise ones have recited the Vedas (thereby contemplating upon it) and attained the ultimate.

          Understanding the inner meaning of the Vedas, is to understand Brahman itself. Since Brahman is all-pervading and yet invisible to all in terms of understanding through senses or any other manifested forms of input, Abirāmi Bhattar calls this “maṟai” (concealment). Similarly in Tirumandiraṁ, when Tirumūlar says Vedattai odiye vīḍubĕṟ ṟārkkal̤e, he infers that by reciting the Vedas with a proper understanding and contemplation of the inner meaning, people attained Brahman. This can be understood from the life history of Rudra Pasupathi Nayanar who attained the grace of Lord Śiva, just by reciting the Śrī Rudram. The Puranas however, state in general terms that Nayanar attained Śiva by mere recitation of Śrī Rudram. It is very important for us to understand how he recited and simultaneously contemplated upon the inner meaning of Śrī Rudram. This needs to be understood in the light of the Tirumandiraṁ’s 52^nd verse -

வேதம் உரைத்தானும் வேதியன் ஆகிலன்

வேதம் உரைத்தானும் வேதா விளங்கிட

வேதம் உரைத்தானும் வேதியர் வேள்விக்காய்

வேதம் உரைத்தானும் மெய்ப்பொருள் காட்டவே

Vedam uraittānum vediyan āgilan
Vedam uraittānum vedā vil̤aṅgiḍa
Vedam uraittānum vediyar vel̤vikkāy
Vedam uraittānum mĕyppŏrul̤ kāṭṭave

Translation – Even if the Vedas were recited by Brahma (one of the Trinity), he is not the source of it, He recited the Vedas so that the ultimate Truth can be realized by following the rituals and contemplating the meaning behind them by the sincere sādhakas. He gave the Vedas to the mankind, so that the Truth can be realized.

In another interpretation, just by reciting the Vedas or by performing rituals as prescribed, one cannot attain the ultimate. A person reciting the Vedas also does not become Brahman when Tirumūlar says வேதம் உரைத்தானும் வேதியன் ஆகிலன்- reciting Vedas does not make him Brahman, in this context வேதியன் – vediyan means Brahman and not the person who recites the Vedas in the present-day scenario. To know வேதியன் – vediyan (Brahman), is to know the ultimate Truth. This knowing is referred to by Abirāmi Bhattar as Aṟinden. As this inner meaning is hidden to most of the sādhakas due to conditioning by various beliefs and understandings of the world, the Truth remains hidden in plain sight. Hence Bhattar calls this hiding as ĕvarum aṟiyā maṟai – Not known by anyone.

As the knower of the Vedas, one understands the Truth. Bhattar, after realizing this fact, goes ahead and says he established himself in the Truth. This can be inferred by the statement aṟindugŏṇḍu Śĕṟinden. Śĕṟinden, which refers to fitting in completely or establishing oneself in the state of Truth with complete focus. Abirāmi Bhattar’s consciousness attained this state of complete absorption in the divine consciousness.

Lalitā sahasranāma Nijājñā-rūpa-nigamā निजाज्ञा-रूप-निगमा (287), Lalitha provides the original knowledge or Truth to Her devotees through the teachings of the Vedas. This nāma also subtly conveys that She is the singular primordial Truth. The nāma Veda-vedyā वेद-वेद्या (335) indicates Abirāmi can be known through the Vedas. It is interesting to note that the central part of the four Vedas is Śrī Rudram and the 8^th Anuvākaṁ or the stanza of Śrī Rudraṁ, contains the Nama-śivāya mantra. If we progress further to the center of the mantra, it contains the Akshara “Śi”, which attains its quality only due to the syllable sound Īkāra in it. Abirāmi’s bījam is also Īṁ, without which even the root bījas like Śrīṁ, hrīṁ, and klīṁ, cannot manifest into existence. Similarly, the Namaśivāya mantra without the syllable “Ī”, would not become a supreme mantra. Thus without Śakti, Śiva cannot manifest, which is conveyed in the Soundarya Lahari Verse 1. Vedas therefore contain Śakti as their central aspect and as part of the Nama-śivāya mantra. She also originates the Vedas as Veda-jananī वेद-जननी (338)

unadu tiruvaḍikke – At your holy feet. Once the sādhaka understands the truth of the Vedas, he constantly remembers the feet of his deity. Here the feet denote a symbological understanding, which is nothing but the dawn of wisdom. As we have already seen that the feet of Tripura Sundari perform the act of bestowing boons to the devotees, Bhattar’s wisdom is a direct realization of Abirāmi’s boons and hence he constantly remembers Her feet. The below Tirumandiraṁ (verse 78) denotes the merger of individual consciousness with Śakti, who in turn gives the ultimate wisdom, which is the subtle meaning conveyed by worshipping Śakti's feet.

நேரிழை யாவாள் நிரதிச யானந்தப்

பேருடை யாளென் பிறப்பறுத்து ஆண்டவள்

சீருடை யாள்சிவன் ஆவடு தண்டுறை

சீருடை யாள்பதம் சேர்ந்திருந் தேனே

nēriḻai yāvāḷ niradisa yānandap
pēruḍai yāḷen piṟappaṟuttu āṇḍavaḷ
śīruḍai yāḷŚivan āvaḍu taṇḍuṟai
śīruḍai yāḷbadam śērndirun dēnē

Translation: I dwell at the feet of Śakti adorned with many ornaments. She is the One who relieved me from transmigration and captivated my being. She is the consort of Śiva residing at Āduthurai.

Thus, wherever we find the reference to worshipping the feet of Śakti in the divine literature, it denotes the beginning of the union of individual consciousness with the divine consciousness. Bhattar refers to this unity when he says unadu tiruvaḍikke – At your holy feet.

tiruve!  - Prosperity, Lakṣmī, Purity, Almighty – This one word has multiple meanings when the context is open. All these interpretations equate to Abirāmi and Her worship. A sādhaka who surrenders to the lotus feet of Abirāmi, attains all prosperity including the ultimate prosperity of liberation. Since Abirāmi bestows both material and spiritual prosperity upon Her devotees, she is addressed as tiruve. In the Vedic context, the worship of Abirāmi with Śrī Sūktam can be taken as an interpretation here. In the Śrīvidya tradition, a mere recitation of Śrī Sūktam is equal to the detailed pūja of Abirāmi. Understanding and reciting Śrī Sūktam will take the sādhaka to greater heights, as he starts contemplating the inner meaning. If the following lines after tiruve are taken into consideration, Śrī Sūktam by itself will give an interpretation of what Bhattar is alluring to in this verse, in totality.

When Śrī Sūktam states tāṃ padminīmīṃ śaraṇamahaṃ prapadye'lakṣmīrme naśyatāṃ tvāṃ vṛṇe – I surrender unto your feet O Padmini, destroy all that is not prosperity and bless me with your presence and grace! It unveils the exact meaning conveyed in this stanza by Bhattar, which can now be understood in the context of the Śrī Sūktam. Lalitā Sahasranāma calls Abirāmi as Mahālakṣmī महालक्ष्मी (210). As Lakṣmī, She will dispel all sins and grant all types of prosperities, which are verily everyone’s need.

Vĕruvip – with hatred, Piṟinden- Isolated ninanbar pĕrumai – Value of your devotees, ĕṇṇāda karumanĕñjāl – not known due to their heart filled with karmic impressions.

Similar to the likes of the Śrī Sūktam, Bhattar also asks for the destruction of his association with people who do not bring in any prosperity, as they don’t know the value of devotion to Abirāmi, as well as the glory of Her devotees. As quoted in the Śrī Sūktam verse -  alakṣmīrme naśyatāṃ tvāṃ vṛṇe, he issues a prayer to get separated from these deifying associations and acquaintances.

Maṟinde – will die viḻum- fall naragukkuṟavāya – in to the hell manidaraiye – those men. The men who do not know Abirāmi go straight to hell, as they continue committing sins through ignorance. Karumanĕñjāl also means a black heart, which denotes men who are not good at heart. As the effect of Karma is so high in their hearts, they cannot see the light of Brahman inside, so they commit sins continuously and fall into repeated cycles of birth, which is again a hell that they must endure.

This verse also emphasizes the sādhaka to have good associations or satsaṅg with noble persons. Satsaṅg is an important requirement in one’s spiritual journey as it keeps the spiritual aspirations kindled in one’s mind and deed. By separating oneself from the unwanted company, the sādhaka should get into the satsaṅg with good, knowledgeable and pious persons. Manikavāsagar in his Tiruvāsagaṁ states as follows -

நாடகத்தால் உன்னடியார் போல்நடித்து நான்நடுவே
வீடகத்தே புகுந்திடுவான் மிகப்பெரிதும் விரைகின்றேன்

nāḍagattāl unnaḍiyār pōlnaḍittu nānnaḍuvē
vīḍagattē pugundiḍuvān migapperidum viraigiṇḍrēn

G.U.Pope’s Translation:

'Midmost of Thy devoted ones, like them in mystic dance to move;

Within Thy home above to gain wish'd entrance, lo, I eager haste!

I (Manikavāsagar) would enter the sanctum of Śiva in disguise along with a group of devotees, so that just by association with Śiva’s devotees for some time, I would attain liberation.

Such is the power of association with the right people in spiritual matters, that by itself would uplift the sādhaka’s will to reach the lord and make him determined.

To summarize, Bhattar in this stanza shows how the Vedas should be recited and contemplated by reflecting on their inner meaning. He emphasizes on the benefits that can be accrued by worshipping the feet of the goddess relating to the symbolic meaning deduced from the Tirumandiraṁ. The nature of real spiritual wealth and the necessity of satsaṅg with spiritually minded people is further emphasized. He gives these directions to the sādhakas of Abirāmi so that everyone is benefitted.

This article is wirtten by Shri Arun who can be contacted at arun.radhakrishnan25@gmail.com