Just returned from Tiruvannamalai. The trip gave the much needed impetus to look up a few related topics. In particular, listened to Muthuswami Dikshitar's kriti on Arunachaleshwara. Some random thoughts on this kriti.....
Dikshitar has composed a kriti on each of the "pancha bhuta kshetras". "Arunachala naatham" in the raaga Saaranga is the kriti we want to discuss here. Before going to this kriti, a brief background to these pancha bhuta kshetras and their significance is given here.
Pancha bhutas:
The concept of the Lord as "vishvarupa" is unique to Hinduism. The Lord is not only the creator, but also "appears as the very creation". The pet example that the Upanishad gives.... is that of a spider spinning a web- "yathornanaabhi srjatey grhnnatey cha" - the material that the spider uses for the web.... does not come from outside. It comes from within itself.
So too, for this universe, He is the maker, He is the material too.
Scripture describes the creation of the universe in stages- first the "five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth" (pancha bhutas) are manifest and these elements combine in various proportions to form the "elementals" and finally this visible, tangible universe (pra-pancha).
Thus, the visible universe is the Lord alone.... with the five elements serving as the basic raw material. We can remind ourselves of two well known quotations here:
"etasmaat jaayatey....kham vayur jyotir aapah prithvi vishvasya dhaarini" -Mundaka Upanishad.
From that Lord (etasmaat) are born (jaayatey).. kham (space), vayu (wind), jyoti (fire), aapah (water) and prithvi (earth).
"tasmaad vaa etasmaad aatmanah aakaashah sambhutah. Aakaashaad vaayuh, vaayor agni, agner aapah, adbhyah prithvi" - Taittireeya Upanishad
From that Lord, space (aakaasha) is born (sambhutah). From space, wind. From wind, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.
After introducing the pancha bhutas, the Mundaka Upanishad rounds up the discussion by saying that this visible universe is the Lord alone. "Purusha eva idam vishvam"
Shiva as ashta-murti:
Sometimes, instead of taking 5 elements, scripture divides the entire creation as "eight-fold"(ashta murti). Here, the five elements are taken and beyond that, three more are included: the sun (standing for all heavenly bodies in the cosmos), the moon (standing for the "time" principle) and the "life principle", the "jeeva"- representing all living beings.
The reason we want to look at the "eight fold creation" instead of "pancha bhutas" is because Shiva is normally personified as "ashta murti bhrit" and hence relevant for our discussion about the kriti "Arunachala naatham".
Where do we find this "8-fold division"?
"jagata eeshadhi yukta sevanam, ashta murti bhrit deva pujanam"- Ramana Maharishi's "Upadesha Saaram". (May you serve the world with the idea that the Lord alone is manifest as the world in his "8-fold form").
These 8 are actually enumerated in Adi Shankara's Dakshinamurti stotram:
"bhur-ambhaamsynalonilombaram-ahar naatho-himaamshu-pumaan"- This universe is the Lord alone appearing as bhuh (earth), ambhas (water), anala (fire) anila (wind), ambaram (space), ahar naatha (sun), himaamshu (moon) and pumaan (living beings).
Finally, the Shiva Mahimna shloka gives a unique name that Shiva has for each of these 8.
"Bhava-sharvo-rudra-pashupatir athogra-sahamahaan tathaa bheemeshaanaav-iti yad abhidhaanaashtakam"- Shiva's 8 fold-names (abhidhaana-ashtakam) are "Bhava", "Sharva", "Rudra", "Pashupati", "Ugra", "Sahamahaan", "Bheema" and "Eeshana".
(Note that the 8-fold division is found in the Geeta too. The pancha bhutas are mentioned as building blocks of this world, but the other 3 are slightly different. "bhumir-aaponalo-vaayu-kham-mano-buddhir-eva cha, ahankaara iti yam mey bhinna prakritir ashtadhaa"- chapter 7.)
In keeping with this tradition, we have 5 temples for Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu, one for each element:
At Chidambaram, Shiva is worshipped "as space".
At Kalahasti, Shiva is worshipped "as wind".
At Tiruvannamalai, Shiva is worshipped "as fire".
At Tiruvaanaikaaval, Shiva is worshipped "as water".
At Kanchipuram, Shiva is worshipped "as earth".
With this background, we can look at the kriti "Arunachala naatham" which describes Shiva as "Arunachaleshwara" at Tiruvannamalai.. where Shiva is manifest "as fire".
Pallavi:
arunaachala naatham smaraami anisham apeetakuchaamba sametam
I always (anisham) meditate (smaraami) on "arunaachala naatha" who is with (sameta) Devi who has the name "apeetakuchaamba".
Two stories have to be remembered in the context of this kshetra- one about Lord Shiva and the other associated with Devi.
The story of Arunachaleshwara:
This story is well known and finds a mention in the Skanda Puraana. Brahma and Vishnu had an argument as to who is superior. Shiva appears before them in the form of a fire pillar which stretches to infinity above and below. Brahma takes the form of a swan and tries to touch Shiva's head. Vishnu takes the form of a boar and goes in search of Shiva's feet. Both accept defeat and their pride is humbled. They request Lord Shiva to be available to all devotees. Shiva accedes to their request. The fire pillar cools down to form the Arunachala mountain. While Mt Meru and Mt Kailash serve as Shiva's abode, Shiva is actually "present as Arunachala mountain itself". As fire is red (aruna) and it is now available as a mountain (achala), Shiva is called "Arunachala" here. Hence, "arunaachala naatha" smaraami.
At the back of the sanctum of every Shiva temple, we can see this episode carved. Shiva has a special name "lingodbhava murti" in the context of this story. But the significance of Tiruvannamalai is that this important incident actually took place there.
The story of Devi:
In a playful mood, once Parvati covered Shiva's three eyes. The sun, the moon and fire being Shiva's 3 eyes, the world was plunged in darkness and the creation met an untimely end. (Note how both stories are related to "fire" and "light" and ultimately its relationship to this kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as the fire principle). Parvati realized her mistake, but by then, it was too late.
Parvati decided to atone for her act. Shiva instructed her to go to Kanchi and meditate under a special mango tree. He tested Parvati by trying to wash away the sand Shiva Linga that she was worshipping on the banks of the River Kampu, but Parvati was up to the task. Shiva was pleased and asked Parvati to proceed to Arunachala and take the blessings of Sage Gautama with the promise that he would once more be with her at Arunachala.
Thus, Parvati finds her way to Arunachala and gets companionship with Shiva once again (as apeetakuchaamba). Another aspect about this story is that the two khetras- Prithvi kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as Ekaamreshwara (Lord of the special mango tree which bears a single fruit) and Agni kshetra (Tiruvannamalai) are related.
Thus, sthala puranas across temples and spanning different geographical locations have a common thread.
Anu pallavi:
smaranaat kaivalya prada charanaaravindam
Lord Shiva grants moksha (kaivalya) to those who meditate (smarana) on his lotus feet (charanaaravindam).
A popular verse says that a person gets moksha by being born at Tiruvarur (jananaat kamalaalaye), by passing away at Kashi, by thinking about the Lord at Arunachala (smaranaat Arunachalam) etc. Hence, the usage of the word "smaranaat" by Dikshitar here.
A verse in Adi Shankara's Vivekachudamani says:
"vastusiddhir vichaarena na kinchit karma kotibhihi"- Moksha is attained only through "shaastra vichara" and never through any other means. How do we reconcile Dikshitar's line with the above quote?
The Lord's feet (charanaaravinda) always symbolize the shaastra, scripture. One foot stands for aparaa vidya (all supporting sadhanas) and the other foot stands for paraa vidya (the primary sadhana, which is brahma-vidya - shaastra vichara). Hence, regardless of the number of heads Gods have (Kartikeya has 6 heads) and the number of hands (e.g. 12 hands), Gods are always portrayed only with two feet because they represent the two scriptures (aparaa vidya and paraa vidya).
tarunaaditya koti sankaasha chidaanandam
The One who is as brilliant as a crore rising suns (koti tarunaaditya) ..... and the One who is available as consciousness (chit) and happiness (aananda).
This line reminds us immediately of the description of the vishvarupa in the Geeta:
"divi surya sahasrasya bhaved yugapad uttithaa"- exactly the same metaphor! Krishna's cosmic form was brilliant... as if a thousand (sahasra) suns (surya) had risen together. In that context, we interpreted this line as follows: The cosmic form is dazzling because galaxies, stars, suns- any light anywhere in the universe is the Lord alone. The same meaning can be taken here too.
A question may be raised that the above quotation was for Krishna. How can we borrow that for Shiva? As Paramacharya amusingly observes in one of his discourses, though Krishna showed his cosmic form, he repeatedly uses the word "Ishwara"- pashya mey yogam aishwaram. Moreover, Krishna's cosmic form was not a benign one at all. It was verily Rudra's form as Krishna himself says- "kaalosmi loka kshayakrit pravriddah" (I am verily the Time principle (kaala tatwam), with destruction as my sole purpose!).
In any case, we have a description of Shiva's cosmic form in Shri Rudram- "sarva vyaapinam ishaanam rudram vai vishwarupinam" - Lord Rudra is all pervading (sarva vyaapi)
Hence, "tarunaaditya koti sankaasha" stands for "vishvarupa Shiva".
"Chidaanandam" stands for "arupa Shiva" where the Lord exists in his "absolute form" (without reference to creation) as "sat-chit-aananda".
karunaarasaadi kandam sharanaagata sura brindam:
The One who shows karuna (compassion) on groups of Devas (suras). Notice the choice of words in this kriti: arunaa, smaranaa, karunaa, sharanaa... and later...aparnaa. Arunaa-karunaa are familiar rhymes which remind us of other works:
(1) arunaa karunaa tarangitaaksheem... (Dhyaana shloka in Lalita Sahasranama)
(2) karunaa kaachid arunaa (Adi Shankara's Saundaryalahari).
Of course, both the quotes are used in Devi's context, whereas here, Dikshitar uses it for Shiva.
Ok, so when did Shiva show compassion to hosts of Devas? In fact, around Arunachala, we have the Agni Lingam, Indra Lingam, Yama Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Varuna Lingam etc. as well as tirthas associated with each devata. Each devata had some problem which was relieved after he propitiated Lord Arunchaleshwara. There is an elaborate account given in the Arunachala Puranam.
Charanam:
apraakrita tejomaya lingam:
We have seen this- Dikshitar specifically mentions that this is "agni kshetram" by stating that the linga is tejomaya. It is also "apraakrita" (divine, extraordinary) in keeping with its origin... which we've seen in the story mentioned above
atyadbhuta kara dhrita saarangam:
Lord Shiva is depicted with a deer (saarangam) in his hand (kara dhrita). He is the pashupati- who is the Lord of all beings. Deer here stands as an upalakshanam for all creatures. We can recall the following dhyaana shloka from Shiva Sahasranama:
vande shambhum umaa patim sura gurum vande jaagat kaaranam
vande pannaga bhushanam mriga dharam vande pashunaam patim
Mriga is the same as saaranga. Sometimes, mriga/saaranga is used for the mind... just as the deer flits from place to place, so does the mind.... The Lord helps us to master our mind when we surrender unto him. This meaning can also be taken.
The raaga-mudra (Saaranga) is also embedded here. This is of course Dikshitar's speciality.
aprameyam aparnaabja bhringam:
Aprameyam has many meanings- all of which can fit for Lord Shiva. Shiva is the indescribable, especially as vishvarupa. Hence apreyam. Also, as sat-chit-aananda, in His essential nature, he is never the object of any pramaanam (instrument/source of knowledge). Hence, aprameyam. We can take any number of quotations for this. One from the Kena Upanishad for aprameyam is "na vaak gacchati no manah" (Cannot be described in words, neither can be conceived as a concept in the mind).
Aparnaabja bhringam:
Parvati (Aparna) is compared to a lotus (abja) and Shiva is compared to a bee (bhringa). Parvati observed severe austerities to propitiate Lord Shiva. In one of them, she stopped even eating leaves (parna). Hence, she got the name "aparna". Paramacharya specially mentions Kalidasa's Kumaarasambhavam where the name Aparna is explained.
Note that in the Arunachala story as well, Parvati performed austerities at Kanchi and at Arunachala. Hence, the choice of the name "Aparna" here.
The simile used here is interesting. Typically, Devi is compared to a bee and Shiva to a flower. We have Lord Shiva as Mallikaarjuna at Shrishailam. In this temple, Devi is called "Bhramaraambika". He is the mallika (jasmine) blossom and she is the bee (bhramara).
In Adi Shankara's Kanakadhaara Stotram too, the same simile is used. "Bhringaanganeva mukulaabharanam tamaalam". Lord Vishnu is the tamaala tree, Mahalakshmi is the bee (bhringa).
In a role reversal here, which is unusual, Dikshitar compares Devi to a lotus and Shiva to a bee!
aarudhottunga vrisha turangam:
The One mounted on a bull, Nandi- vrisha. We can recall Shri Rudram- "namo babhlushaaya"- babhlu or babhru refers to a bull. We have seen this in other keertanas. A bull stands for dharma, moral order. The Lord is in the form of "dharma" and hence mounted on a bull.
viprottama vishesha antarangam:
The One who is specially manifest in the minds (antarangam) of saintly people (viprottama).
"veda paathena viprasyaat" is the traditional meaning of a "viprah", the one who is an expert in the veda-paatha. However, in a generic way, we can take a viprah to mean a cultured, saintly person.
The Lord is present in all minds as the witness-consciousness. However, in a saintly person, He is "more evident".
The Arunachala kshetra is associated with numerous saints. Sage Gautama (whom we saw earlier in the story) instructed Parvati herself. Hence, he can be taken as "vipra-uttama". In addition, the Tamil saint Tirugnyaanasambandhar's visit is specifically mentioned in the Arunachala Puranam. He can also be taken as the vipra-uttama here.
Moreover, saints like Arunagirinathar and in more recent times Ramana Maharishi (who was of course after Dikshitar) are also vipra-uttamas. The Lord is specially manifest in all these people.
veera guru guha taara prasangam:
The one who is dear to the heroic Kartikeya. Kartikeya's valour (veera) is legendary as "deva senapati" and needs no elaboration.
Kartikeya is also intimately connected with "fire" and hence relevant for our discussion on this "agni kshetra". The Amarakosha gives 3 names for Kartikeya: "Senaani", "Agni bhuh" and "Guhah".
Kartikeya was born from 6 sparks coming out of Shiva's eye. Hence, he is called "agni bhuh"- one born from fire.
Also, Kartikeya is the "light of consciousness" in our own mind. Hence, he is called "Guhah". The mind is called "guha" or cave because like a cave, it is dark. We need the light of consciousness to enliven the mind and to "light up each thought" and thereby convert each thought into a "live experience". Hence, as consciousness, we have a special name for Kartikeya- "Guhah". We have the following quote from the Mundaka Upanishad which explains this:
"aavihi sannihitam guhaacharan naama"- Consciousness (aavihi) is intimately present (sannihitam) in our mind (guha).
Dikshitar's mudra "guru guha" is present here.
swapradeepa mouli vidruta gangam:
The One who holds the Ganga on his head. This is well known. Ganga stands for the brahma-vidya parampara- which flows in an unbroken stream originating from the Lord Himself... down to us. The Ganga is perenial, flows from a higher level to a lower level and refreshes and cleanses us. So too, Brahma vidya. The teaching tradition is unbroken, comes from the guru to the shishya and cleanses us by removing the impurity of agnyaana and granting moksha. Hence, the comparison with Ganga.
swaprakaasha jita somaagni patangam:
The One who is self-evident (swaprakaasha) and who is superior to the sun, the moon and fire (patangam-soma-agni).
Dikshitar ends this kriti with the Upanishadic description of the Lord (Brahman) in his Absolute Nature as "consciousness" present in our own mind. We can recall the famous verse from Mundaka Upanishad which is used in daily aarti:
na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
nema vidyuto bhaanti kutoyam agnihi
tameva bhaatam anubhaati sarvam
tasya bhaasaa sarvam idam vibhaati
The simple meaning is that "we use the light of the sun, the moon, the lightning, the fire.. to help us to know the objects in this world. They illumine the objects for us. But none of them can illumine the subject, the Self, the consciousness."
It is like trying to see the "make of the battery inside the torch" using the light of the torch... in a dark room! So too... the consciousness- It can never be illumined using any light, any instrument. It is aprameyam.
But quickly, Dikshitar adds "swaprakaasha" - meaning "it *need not* be illumined... because it is self-evident".
To prove that we have eyes, we do not need to "see" our own eyes. The fact that we are seeing any object... is proof for the presence of eyes. Hence, swaprakaasha. So too... with the consciousness...Every experience that we have, is proof for the presence of consciousness. We do not need a "special experience" to "experience consciousness".
Dikshitar uses both words "aprameyam" and "swaprakasha" in the same kriti and follows the traditional method of Brahma-Vidya teaching.
We have similar quotes in the Geeta too:
"na tad bhaasayate suryah na shashaanko na paavakah (Chp 15)" - Surya, Chandra (moon, called Shashaanka here) and Agni (paavakah) cannot illumine the Self, the consciousness... the same three that Dikshitar has used here.
Also, "jyotishaam api tad jyotihi (Chp 13)"- IT is the light of all lights. Every source of light sheds light on some object or the other and makes the object known to us. But the source of light itself is recognized ultimately through the "light of consciousness". Without the "light of consciousness", all other sources of light become meaningless. Hence, "jita somaagni patangam" here.
Rhyme in this kriti:
A final note on the rhyme used in this kriti- It is called "antya-praasa" where the final syllable rhymes in each sentence. The kriti is replete with this usage. Look at the Charanam. We see the sentences ending with "lingam", "saarangam", "bhringam", "turangam", "antarangam", "prasangam", "gangam" and "patangam"!!
Hyderabad Brothers singing this kriti:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmaVReLFi8
Dikshitar has composed a kriti on each of the "pancha bhuta kshetras". "Arunachala naatham" in the raaga Saaranga is the kriti we want to discuss here. Before going to this kriti, a brief background to these pancha bhuta kshetras and their significance is given here.
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| Father's ink drawing of the temple based on Silpi's work |
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| Father's ink drawing of deities based on Silpi's work |
Pancha bhutas:
The concept of the Lord as "vishvarupa" is unique to Hinduism. The Lord is not only the creator, but also "appears as the very creation". The pet example that the Upanishad gives.... is that of a spider spinning a web- "yathornanaabhi srjatey grhnnatey cha" - the material that the spider uses for the web.... does not come from outside. It comes from within itself.
So too, for this universe, He is the maker, He is the material too.
Scripture describes the creation of the universe in stages- first the "five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth" (pancha bhutas) are manifest and these elements combine in various proportions to form the "elementals" and finally this visible, tangible universe (pra-pancha).
Thus, the visible universe is the Lord alone.... with the five elements serving as the basic raw material. We can remind ourselves of two well known quotations here:
"etasmaat jaayatey....kham vayur jyotir aapah prithvi vishvasya dhaarini" -Mundaka Upanishad.
From that Lord (etasmaat) are born (jaayatey).. kham (space), vayu (wind), jyoti (fire), aapah (water) and prithvi (earth).
"tasmaad vaa etasmaad aatmanah aakaashah sambhutah. Aakaashaad vaayuh, vaayor agni, agner aapah, adbhyah prithvi" - Taittireeya Upanishad
From that Lord, space (aakaasha) is born (sambhutah). From space, wind. From wind, fire. From fire, water. From water, earth.
After introducing the pancha bhutas, the Mundaka Upanishad rounds up the discussion by saying that this visible universe is the Lord alone. "Purusha eva idam vishvam"
Shiva as ashta-murti:
Sometimes, instead of taking 5 elements, scripture divides the entire creation as "eight-fold"(ashta murti). Here, the five elements are taken and beyond that, three more are included: the sun (standing for all heavenly bodies in the cosmos), the moon (standing for the "time" principle) and the "life principle", the "jeeva"- representing all living beings.
The reason we want to look at the "eight fold creation" instead of "pancha bhutas" is because Shiva is normally personified as "ashta murti bhrit" and hence relevant for our discussion about the kriti "Arunachala naatham".
Where do we find this "8-fold division"?
"jagata eeshadhi yukta sevanam, ashta murti bhrit deva pujanam"- Ramana Maharishi's "Upadesha Saaram". (May you serve the world with the idea that the Lord alone is manifest as the world in his "8-fold form").
These 8 are actually enumerated in Adi Shankara's Dakshinamurti stotram:
"bhur-ambhaamsynalonilombaram-ahar naatho-himaamshu-pumaan"- This universe is the Lord alone appearing as bhuh (earth), ambhas (water), anala (fire) anila (wind), ambaram (space), ahar naatha (sun), himaamshu (moon) and pumaan (living beings).
Finally, the Shiva Mahimna shloka gives a unique name that Shiva has for each of these 8.
"Bhava-sharvo-rudra-pashupatir athogra-sahamahaan tathaa bheemeshaanaav-iti yad abhidhaanaashtakam"- Shiva's 8 fold-names (abhidhaana-ashtakam) are "Bhava", "Sharva", "Rudra", "Pashupati", "Ugra", "Sahamahaan", "Bheema" and "Eeshana".
(Note that the 8-fold division is found in the Geeta too. The pancha bhutas are mentioned as building blocks of this world, but the other 3 are slightly different. "bhumir-aaponalo-vaayu-kham-mano-buddhir-eva cha, ahankaara iti yam mey bhinna prakritir ashtadhaa"- chapter 7.)
In keeping with this tradition, we have 5 temples for Lord Shiva in Tamil Nadu, one for each element:
At Chidambaram, Shiva is worshipped "as space".
At Kalahasti, Shiva is worshipped "as wind".
At Tiruvannamalai, Shiva is worshipped "as fire".
At Tiruvaanaikaaval, Shiva is worshipped "as water".
At Kanchipuram, Shiva is worshipped "as earth".
With this background, we can look at the kriti "Arunachala naatham" which describes Shiva as "Arunachaleshwara" at Tiruvannamalai.. where Shiva is manifest "as fire".
Pallavi:
arunaachala naatham smaraami anisham apeetakuchaamba sametam
I always (anisham) meditate (smaraami) on "arunaachala naatha" who is with (sameta) Devi who has the name "apeetakuchaamba".
Two stories have to be remembered in the context of this kshetra- one about Lord Shiva and the other associated with Devi.
The story of Arunachaleshwara:
This story is well known and finds a mention in the Skanda Puraana. Brahma and Vishnu had an argument as to who is superior. Shiva appears before them in the form of a fire pillar which stretches to infinity above and below. Brahma takes the form of a swan and tries to touch Shiva's head. Vishnu takes the form of a boar and goes in search of Shiva's feet. Both accept defeat and their pride is humbled. They request Lord Shiva to be available to all devotees. Shiva accedes to their request. The fire pillar cools down to form the Arunachala mountain. While Mt Meru and Mt Kailash serve as Shiva's abode, Shiva is actually "present as Arunachala mountain itself". As fire is red (aruna) and it is now available as a mountain (achala), Shiva is called "Arunachala" here. Hence, "arunaachala naatha" smaraami.
At the back of the sanctum of every Shiva temple, we can see this episode carved. Shiva has a special name "lingodbhava murti" in the context of this story. But the significance of Tiruvannamalai is that this important incident actually took place there.
The story of Devi:
In a playful mood, once Parvati covered Shiva's three eyes. The sun, the moon and fire being Shiva's 3 eyes, the world was plunged in darkness and the creation met an untimely end. (Note how both stories are related to "fire" and "light" and ultimately its relationship to this kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as the fire principle). Parvati realized her mistake, but by then, it was too late.
Parvati decided to atone for her act. Shiva instructed her to go to Kanchi and meditate under a special mango tree. He tested Parvati by trying to wash away the sand Shiva Linga that she was worshipping on the banks of the River Kampu, but Parvati was up to the task. Shiva was pleased and asked Parvati to proceed to Arunachala and take the blessings of Sage Gautama with the promise that he would once more be with her at Arunachala.
Thus, Parvati finds her way to Arunachala and gets companionship with Shiva once again (as apeetakuchaamba). Another aspect about this story is that the two khetras- Prithvi kshetra where Shiva is worshipped as Ekaamreshwara (Lord of the special mango tree which bears a single fruit) and Agni kshetra (Tiruvannamalai) are related.
Thus, sthala puranas across temples and spanning different geographical locations have a common thread.
Anu pallavi:
smaranaat kaivalya prada charanaaravindam
Lord Shiva grants moksha (kaivalya) to those who meditate (smarana) on his lotus feet (charanaaravindam).
A popular verse says that a person gets moksha by being born at Tiruvarur (jananaat kamalaalaye), by passing away at Kashi, by thinking about the Lord at Arunachala (smaranaat Arunachalam) etc. Hence, the usage of the word "smaranaat" by Dikshitar here.
A verse in Adi Shankara's Vivekachudamani says:
"vastusiddhir vichaarena na kinchit karma kotibhihi"- Moksha is attained only through "shaastra vichara" and never through any other means. How do we reconcile Dikshitar's line with the above quote?
The Lord's feet (charanaaravinda) always symbolize the shaastra, scripture. One foot stands for aparaa vidya (all supporting sadhanas) and the other foot stands for paraa vidya (the primary sadhana, which is brahma-vidya - shaastra vichara). Hence, regardless of the number of heads Gods have (Kartikeya has 6 heads) and the number of hands (e.g. 12 hands), Gods are always portrayed only with two feet because they represent the two scriptures (aparaa vidya and paraa vidya).
tarunaaditya koti sankaasha chidaanandam
The One who is as brilliant as a crore rising suns (koti tarunaaditya) ..... and the One who is available as consciousness (chit) and happiness (aananda).
This line reminds us immediately of the description of the vishvarupa in the Geeta:
"divi surya sahasrasya bhaved yugapad uttithaa"- exactly the same metaphor! Krishna's cosmic form was brilliant... as if a thousand (sahasra) suns (surya) had risen together. In that context, we interpreted this line as follows: The cosmic form is dazzling because galaxies, stars, suns- any light anywhere in the universe is the Lord alone. The same meaning can be taken here too.
A question may be raised that the above quotation was for Krishna. How can we borrow that for Shiva? As Paramacharya amusingly observes in one of his discourses, though Krishna showed his cosmic form, he repeatedly uses the word "Ishwara"- pashya mey yogam aishwaram. Moreover, Krishna's cosmic form was not a benign one at all. It was verily Rudra's form as Krishna himself says- "kaalosmi loka kshayakrit pravriddah" (I am verily the Time principle (kaala tatwam), with destruction as my sole purpose!).
In any case, we have a description of Shiva's cosmic form in Shri Rudram- "sarva vyaapinam ishaanam rudram vai vishwarupinam" - Lord Rudra is all pervading (sarva vyaapi)
Hence, "tarunaaditya koti sankaasha" stands for "vishvarupa Shiva".
"Chidaanandam" stands for "arupa Shiva" where the Lord exists in his "absolute form" (without reference to creation) as "sat-chit-aananda".
karunaarasaadi kandam sharanaagata sura brindam:
The One who shows karuna (compassion) on groups of Devas (suras). Notice the choice of words in this kriti: arunaa, smaranaa, karunaa, sharanaa... and later...aparnaa. Arunaa-karunaa are familiar rhymes which remind us of other works:
(1) arunaa karunaa tarangitaaksheem... (Dhyaana shloka in Lalita Sahasranama)
(2) karunaa kaachid arunaa (Adi Shankara's Saundaryalahari).
Of course, both the quotes are used in Devi's context, whereas here, Dikshitar uses it for Shiva.
Ok, so when did Shiva show compassion to hosts of Devas? In fact, around Arunachala, we have the Agni Lingam, Indra Lingam, Yama Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Varuna Lingam etc. as well as tirthas associated with each devata. Each devata had some problem which was relieved after he propitiated Lord Arunchaleshwara. There is an elaborate account given in the Arunachala Puranam.
Charanam:
apraakrita tejomaya lingam:
We have seen this- Dikshitar specifically mentions that this is "agni kshetram" by stating that the linga is tejomaya. It is also "apraakrita" (divine, extraordinary) in keeping with its origin... which we've seen in the story mentioned above
atyadbhuta kara dhrita saarangam:
Lord Shiva is depicted with a deer (saarangam) in his hand (kara dhrita). He is the pashupati- who is the Lord of all beings. Deer here stands as an upalakshanam for all creatures. We can recall the following dhyaana shloka from Shiva Sahasranama:
vande shambhum umaa patim sura gurum vande jaagat kaaranam
vande pannaga bhushanam mriga dharam vande pashunaam patim
Mriga is the same as saaranga. Sometimes, mriga/saaranga is used for the mind... just as the deer flits from place to place, so does the mind.... The Lord helps us to master our mind when we surrender unto him. This meaning can also be taken.
The raaga-mudra (Saaranga) is also embedded here. This is of course Dikshitar's speciality.
aprameyam aparnaabja bhringam:
Aprameyam has many meanings- all of which can fit for Lord Shiva. Shiva is the indescribable, especially as vishvarupa. Hence apreyam. Also, as sat-chit-aananda, in His essential nature, he is never the object of any pramaanam (instrument/source of knowledge). Hence, aprameyam. We can take any number of quotations for this. One from the Kena Upanishad for aprameyam is "na vaak gacchati no manah" (Cannot be described in words, neither can be conceived as a concept in the mind).
Aparnaabja bhringam:
Parvati (Aparna) is compared to a lotus (abja) and Shiva is compared to a bee (bhringa). Parvati observed severe austerities to propitiate Lord Shiva. In one of them, she stopped even eating leaves (parna). Hence, she got the name "aparna". Paramacharya specially mentions Kalidasa's Kumaarasambhavam where the name Aparna is explained.
Note that in the Arunachala story as well, Parvati performed austerities at Kanchi and at Arunachala. Hence, the choice of the name "Aparna" here.
The simile used here is interesting. Typically, Devi is compared to a bee and Shiva to a flower. We have Lord Shiva as Mallikaarjuna at Shrishailam. In this temple, Devi is called "Bhramaraambika". He is the mallika (jasmine) blossom and she is the bee (bhramara).
In Adi Shankara's Kanakadhaara Stotram too, the same simile is used. "Bhringaanganeva mukulaabharanam tamaalam". Lord Vishnu is the tamaala tree, Mahalakshmi is the bee (bhringa).
In a role reversal here, which is unusual, Dikshitar compares Devi to a lotus and Shiva to a bee!
aarudhottunga vrisha turangam:
The One mounted on a bull, Nandi- vrisha. We can recall Shri Rudram- "namo babhlushaaya"- babhlu or babhru refers to a bull. We have seen this in other keertanas. A bull stands for dharma, moral order. The Lord is in the form of "dharma" and hence mounted on a bull.
viprottama vishesha antarangam:
The One who is specially manifest in the minds (antarangam) of saintly people (viprottama).
"veda paathena viprasyaat" is the traditional meaning of a "viprah", the one who is an expert in the veda-paatha. However, in a generic way, we can take a viprah to mean a cultured, saintly person.
The Lord is present in all minds as the witness-consciousness. However, in a saintly person, He is "more evident".
The Arunachala kshetra is associated with numerous saints. Sage Gautama (whom we saw earlier in the story) instructed Parvati herself. Hence, he can be taken as "vipra-uttama". In addition, the Tamil saint Tirugnyaanasambandhar's visit is specifically mentioned in the Arunachala Puranam. He can also be taken as the vipra-uttama here.
Moreover, saints like Arunagirinathar and in more recent times Ramana Maharishi (who was of course after Dikshitar) are also vipra-uttamas. The Lord is specially manifest in all these people.
veera guru guha taara prasangam:
The one who is dear to the heroic Kartikeya. Kartikeya's valour (veera) is legendary as "deva senapati" and needs no elaboration.
Kartikeya is also intimately connected with "fire" and hence relevant for our discussion on this "agni kshetra". The Amarakosha gives 3 names for Kartikeya: "Senaani", "Agni bhuh" and "Guhah".
Kartikeya was born from 6 sparks coming out of Shiva's eye. Hence, he is called "agni bhuh"- one born from fire.
Also, Kartikeya is the "light of consciousness" in our own mind. Hence, he is called "Guhah". The mind is called "guha" or cave because like a cave, it is dark. We need the light of consciousness to enliven the mind and to "light up each thought" and thereby convert each thought into a "live experience". Hence, as consciousness, we have a special name for Kartikeya- "Guhah". We have the following quote from the Mundaka Upanishad which explains this:
"aavihi sannihitam guhaacharan naama"- Consciousness (aavihi) is intimately present (sannihitam) in our mind (guha).
Dikshitar's mudra "guru guha" is present here.
swapradeepa mouli vidruta gangam:
The One who holds the Ganga on his head. This is well known. Ganga stands for the brahma-vidya parampara- which flows in an unbroken stream originating from the Lord Himself... down to us. The Ganga is perenial, flows from a higher level to a lower level and refreshes and cleanses us. So too, Brahma vidya. The teaching tradition is unbroken, comes from the guru to the shishya and cleanses us by removing the impurity of agnyaana and granting moksha. Hence, the comparison with Ganga.
swaprakaasha jita somaagni patangam:
The One who is self-evident (swaprakaasha) and who is superior to the sun, the moon and fire (patangam-soma-agni).
Dikshitar ends this kriti with the Upanishadic description of the Lord (Brahman) in his Absolute Nature as "consciousness" present in our own mind. We can recall the famous verse from Mundaka Upanishad which is used in daily aarti:
na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taarakam
nema vidyuto bhaanti kutoyam agnihi
tameva bhaatam anubhaati sarvam
tasya bhaasaa sarvam idam vibhaati
The simple meaning is that "we use the light of the sun, the moon, the lightning, the fire.. to help us to know the objects in this world. They illumine the objects for us. But none of them can illumine the subject, the Self, the consciousness."
It is like trying to see the "make of the battery inside the torch" using the light of the torch... in a dark room! So too... the consciousness- It can never be illumined using any light, any instrument. It is aprameyam.
But quickly, Dikshitar adds "swaprakaasha" - meaning "it *need not* be illumined... because it is self-evident".
To prove that we have eyes, we do not need to "see" our own eyes. The fact that we are seeing any object... is proof for the presence of eyes. Hence, swaprakaasha. So too... with the consciousness...Every experience that we have, is proof for the presence of consciousness. We do not need a "special experience" to "experience consciousness".
Dikshitar uses both words "aprameyam" and "swaprakasha" in the same kriti and follows the traditional method of Brahma-Vidya teaching.
We have similar quotes in the Geeta too:
"na tad bhaasayate suryah na shashaanko na paavakah (Chp 15)" - Surya, Chandra (moon, called Shashaanka here) and Agni (paavakah) cannot illumine the Self, the consciousness... the same three that Dikshitar has used here.
Also, "jyotishaam api tad jyotihi (Chp 13)"- IT is the light of all lights. Every source of light sheds light on some object or the other and makes the object known to us. But the source of light itself is recognized ultimately through the "light of consciousness". Without the "light of consciousness", all other sources of light become meaningless. Hence, "jita somaagni patangam" here.
Rhyme in this kriti:
A final note on the rhyme used in this kriti- It is called "antya-praasa" where the final syllable rhymes in each sentence. The kriti is replete with this usage. Look at the Charanam. We see the sentences ending with "lingam", "saarangam", "bhringam", "turangam", "antarangam", "prasangam", "gangam" and "patangam"!!
Hyderabad Brothers singing this kriti:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmaVReLFi8
