Do you really

want to see God?

By
Anbil Ramaswamy

1
 Do you really want to see God? Here you go!-Part 1
Do you know anyone who has seen God?
There is a saying in Tamil “KaNDavar ViNDadillai, Vi NDavar KaNDadillai” meaning
that those who have seen God never returned to tell us the event and that those
who venture to tell have not really seen God.
Nevertheless, it is not impossible to “see” God. When?
It is possible only when one is truly earnest about “seeing” God. This earnestness,
this yearning intensifies as all consuming. Nothing else matters to the seeker than
this bliss of pure love and devotion to God. When this builds up to a crescendo, one
becomes increasingly impatient in the quest for God realization and can brook no
further delay. This sense of urgent necessity has been aptly described in our
scriptures by several examples.
i. This `Tvara' or urgency is compared to the plight of a person in a house
caught in the midst of a raging fire. His only thought would be somehow
to escape the inferno, to be saved from being scorched to death and
nothing else. His possessions, friends or even dear and near ones would
not cross his mind in that moment of emergency. So also one scorched
with the pangs of the fire of life in the world like birth, death and the
intervening self-deluding mad rush after ephemeral experiences would
hasten to seek liberation by communion with God.
ii. When `DrONaacharya' set a test of skills of accuracy for his students, he
asked each of his disciples one by one as they were aiming at a bird
perched on the branch of a tree and were about to release the arrow
from the bow, what they saw. Some answered they saw the tree, some
the branch, some the leaves and fruits. But Arjuna answered that he
could see only the bird and nothing else. This kind of ‘pointed'
concentration pushing everything else away from attention is what this
earnestness implies.
iii. In the PurAnas, there is a story about the divine bard, NARADA. He found
Lord Vishnu being so much concerned about a poor farmer in a remote
village that he paused for a while during his conversation with Narada.
Narada asked how the farmer who remembered the Lord only twice a

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 day (when he got up in the morning and when he retired to bed at night)
had been preferred to himself who chanted the name of the Lord
throughout day and night. Lord Vishnu gave him an oil lamp with a
burning wick and asked him to circumbulate the Lord taking care to see
that the light did not go off at any stage. This Narada did and enquired
Lord Vishnu what this had to do with his question. Lord Vishnu asked
Narada: "What was the thought uppermost in your mind when you did
the circum-ambulation?" Narada replied - "Because you asked me to
take care of the light, all my attention was focused on protecting the
light from being put off by a gust of winds by enclosing the lamp with
the palm of my hands". Lord Vishnu explained that in spite of being poor,
his struggle for subsistence and all his worries and anxieties the farmer
could spare only a few moments twice a day to remember the Lord. But,
during those moments the intensity of his devotion was really great.
Narada whose only preoccupation was exclusive"Nama
Sanmkeerthanam" could not concentrate on the Lord since his attention
was diverted to the lamp. This shows that the intensity of devotion is
more important than routine"Namasmarana".
iv. Leaving aside the PurAna examples, we will take an instance, which
happened not long ago. One of the disciples of an Acharya was a non-
believer. He insisted on Sri Ramakrishna to show `God', so he could
actually ‘see him with his own eyes’. One day both had to cross a river
with hip deep water. When in midstream, the Acharya suddenly pushed
the disciple down under the water and held him tight that he could not
raise his head (water boarding?). When he released him the irate
disciple asked why the Acharya did what he did. The Acharya replied that
he did it only to give him an answer to his persistent question. The Guru
asked: "What is that you wanted most during the few moments when
you were held submerged under the water?"Nothing" replied the Sishya
"except to be able to breath, as I was getting suffocated". The Acharya
explained "if you seek to see God with the same amount of intensity
which you felt for mere breathing, you can certainly `see' God and not by

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 merely questioning or even by mere desire". This intensity of feeling is
Bhakti”
v. Now, let us take a commonplace occurrence that you would have
experienced. You go to a temple. You leave your expensive footwear
outside the temple. Supposing, there is no arrangement for the security
of footwear during your preoccupation with the Puja in the temple. Even
while being at the 'Sanctum Sanctorum', your mind flirts between the
Lord on one side and the footwear on the other. More often than not, it
gets attached so much on the footwear, and does not return to where it
ought to be. Now, let us reverse the scenario. Forget the footwear; keep
your mind in a constant, continuous, unbroken concentration on the
Lord. If you can do this, it will become difficult for you to stoop to
something silly, worthless, mean or corrupt, because you are now with
the noblest, the greatest and the most sublime.
vi. The concern of an athlete would dissuade him from any indulgences likely to
deflect him from achieving his prize.
vii. A tightrope dancer with a pot on her head exhibits concentration to guard
against the pot falling or her falling during the entire event.
viii. A musician will avoid any cold drinks that would affect his vocal cord.
ix. The exclusive concentration of a poet while composing poetry.
x. The hunter in aiming at his target would jealously guard against all
intrusions that would distract from the objective even peripherally.
xi. Let us take a newly married man who is headlong in love with his
sweetheart. Whatever he does and wherever he is, the only thought that
pervades and provides motivation to all his labors is that of his beloved,
to such an extent that he becomes oblivious of his own self. It is this
kind of equation developed with the Lord which binds the individual soul
to the Supreme Lord.
xii. As we are familiar with human forms and we figure out a human
relationship with God, the most intimate expression would be to imagine
him as the lover and ourselves as His ladylove. This bonding expresses
itself in the `Nayaka nayaki bhava' that the `Azhwars' (immersed ones)

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 had adopted with consummate effect. When experiencing the Lord in
this Bhaava, He no more appears as an inaccessible abstract concept
but as a force well with us and well within us. The vibrations of the
feelings become almost palpable. To put it simply, `Love is the key in
Bhakti’
However, we have on good authority that one had seen God and has also depicted
his experience in over a thousand songs. Can you guess who?
It is Swami Nammaazhwar who did TiruvaDi thozhal of PerumaaL and was allowed
to return to us to narrate his experience for our edification.

As Sri Sadagopan Iyengar puts it in his “The choice is yours” (p.14 et seq):
“According to Nammazhwar the only way to enjoy the matchless magnificence of
the Lord is to take him inch by blissful inch, part by splendorous part, with
undivided attention paid to one particular aspect of Emperumaan’s Tirumeni or
adornments or weapons, at a time. This is because the Lord’s brilliance is too much
for us to absorb, all at once…Kamban says that this too is impossible, for those
who set sight on a particular aspect of Emperumaan are unable to pry their eyes
away from that part of the Tirumeni “‘tOL kaNDaar tolE kaNdaar” with the result
that the onlooker is unable to proceed to enjoy the next part of the divine body.
We would be awash with the same sort of ecstasy and endless delight as Azhwars
and Acharyas, if only we cultivate the habit of truly ‘seeing’ God, instead of merely
looking at him as a showcase doll.
Unfortunately, we just see mechanically but don’t really observe. We do see the
Lord, but we fail to let the spectacle make an indelible impression on us. The next
time we stand before the Lord in any Sannidhi, we would definitely find the
difference if we try emulating even one hundredth of the attitude of Azhwars who
drowned in this experience"
In further postings, we will see how Nammazhwar’s “Tiruvoimozhi”, TiruppaaN
Azhwar’s “Amalan- aadipiraan”, Swami Desika’s “Bhagavad Dhyaana
Sopaanam” etc actually "saw" God and drowned themselves in “Singing the body
of God”

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Really want to see God? Here you go! - Part 2
Dear Bhaagavatas
Given below is a genuine query by a devout Bhaagavata on the subject of
seeing” God and my tentative answer to the same. As I thought that you may be
interested, I am reproducing both for your kind information.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First the Query:
Dear Sriman Anbil Swamin,
I enjoyed reading your scholarly essay on the subject.
For many years I have been troubled by this question and I have still not been able
to fathom a satisfactory answer. Perhaps you can suggest one?

I yearn to see the Almighty too and to experience the great joy the Upanishad
speaks about in "Bhagavath-samslesham".

At the same time I'm nonplussed about how to take in such an experience.... with
what organs will I be able to apprehend and comprehend the Lord?

Vedanta warns us that our ordinary sensory organs are notoriously infirm,
imperfect and impermanent to be relied upon by us in our pursuit of the Almighty.
These eyes, these ears, the power of speech, taste and touch that I possess cannot
by any means be the means through which I can experience the Lord. The Mind
too .... the manas... too is incapable of witnessing Brahman .... The Buddhi -- the
intellect --- too suffers the same defect.

In this situation then with what organs --- material or non-material --- can I
expect to really experience God?

Mystics and poets have spoken of the "inner eye" or the "inward sense" with which
they commune with the Divine. But I am neither a mystic nor a poet. I'm an

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ordinary man with ordinary means. How then do I acquire this so-called,
seemingly illusory faculty called "inner eye" of yogic power.
No Azhwar or Acharya to the best of my knowledge has given us any practical or
practicable guidance on how actually to acquire the extraordinary organ of
perception --- quite apart and distinct from my manas or my Buddhi--- with which
I could pierce the veil of unknowing and come to directly experience the joy of
Brahman.
The Azhwars and my Acharyas only speak of cultivating Bhakti as an upaayam to
achieve God experience. But then Bhakti is a tool that again employs only mere
feelings …. intense feelings, yes.... but still only mere feelings that are the
outpourings of an ordinary mortal sense-organ i.e. the Mind.

Is it not a paradox that Bhakti which is a conscious act of the mere mind is
nonetheless being recommended for us as a valid means to attain the Immortal ?
How can I hope to achieve the Permanent through use of the impermanent?
How can a deeply defective indriyam like the manas help me to grasp and
experience the infinite perfection of the Brahman?
Is there not some deep fallacy or contradiction here?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My tentative reply
Dear Swamin
You have raised a valid point when you observed: “Vedanta warns us that our
ordinary sensory organs are notoriously infirm, imperfect and impermanent to be
relied upon by us in our pursuit of the Almighty. These eyes, these ears, the power
of speech, taste and touch that I possess cannot by any means be the means
through which I can experience the Lord. The Mind too .... the manas... too is
incapable of witnessing Brahman .... The Buddhi -- the intellect --- too suffers the
same defect. In this situation then with what organs --- material or non-material -
-- can I expect to really experience God?”

The very same Saastras also show how these very imperfect tools like Indriyas,
mind and Buddhi that we are endowed with could be so sublimated as to help us

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realize and “experience God”.
Mahakavi KaaLidaasa says: “Sareera maatrENa khalu Dharma Saadhanam”

God has provided us with Indriyas and let us use them as we like. How we use
them defines whether we will realize God or fritter away the opportunity given to
us.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that the imperfect wavering mind, if properly
controlled can be harnessed to "seek" and “see” God and the same mind when
uncontrolled can run amuck and drag us down deep into the cycle of births and
deaths (also called “Samsaara”)

We are given 5 JnaanEndriyas and 5 KarmEndriyas for constantly using them in

the service of God. But, we are constantly misusing them due to our attachment to
worldly pleasures. If we make a conscious effort to divert them towards
Bhagavaan, by constant practice, we can gradually reach a stage where we can
gain what the Saastras call “Saakshaatkaaram” (virtual vision). Same is the case
with mind and intellect.

Lord Krishna advises in Bhagavad Gita Chapter VI Sloka 6: “One should uplift the
self by means of the mind and should not cause the self to sink down. For the mind
alone is the friend of the self and the mind alone is the enemy of the self”

KatOpanishad IV.1 and 2 also declare:

Paraanchi khaani vyatruNastvayambhoostas paraang pasyatina antaraatman/

Kaschid veeraa: pratyag aatmaanamaikshad aavritta chakshu amrutatvam
ichchEt//
Paraacha: kaamaan anuyaanti baalaastE mrityOr yaanti vitatasya paasam/
Athadheeraa amrutatvam viditvaa dhruvama dhruvEshviha na praarthayantE//

“The openings of the mind, viz., the sense organs, are directed outwards. That was
how the bodily senses were evolved by the spirit within. The senses being directed
outwards, men’s thoughts ever tend outwards. But, some who are blessed with the
understanding turn their minds inwards and realize the self within. Those without

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understanding pursue external pleasures and fall into the widespread net of birth
and death. Those of steady mind do not spend their thought on transient pleasures
but seek the joy of liberation”

Attachment to such external entities (anyone or anything, other than God) is at

the bottom of the mischief. Attachment (whether it is in an e-mail or in life) is the
root cause of our inability to achieve what we want to achieve. The sense of
absolute detachment to our earthly bonds and conscious effort in diverting our
attention to and concentration on Bhagavaan will eventually provide the solution.

It is hard to achieve this intensity of concentration but it is also not impossible.

Practice makes for perfection. This is what Lord Krishna advises.

➢ The Vedas, Saastras and the entire gamut of the scriptures proclaim this
truth.
➢ The venerable Maharishis, Sages and Seers of ancient times have seconded
this fact.
Azhwars and the long lineage of our Acharyas have confirmed in unambiguous
terms the veracity of the claim.
They had no ulterior motives. Their only interest is to guide us and not beguile us.
Nothing more will be needed to accept the proposition.

Having said this much, I confess that I find myself as inadequate in this regard as
you find yourself.

This is my instant reply. You may contact any of our Acharyas like Azhagiya
Singhar, Srirangam Srimad Andavan, Srimad Andavan of Poundarikapuram Swami
Asramam or Parakaala Mutt Jeeyar for greater clarification.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to think on the subject.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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Do you really want to see God? Here you go! - Part 3
A conversation took place in a school classroom like this:
Teacher: "Do you know Where God is?" None could answer.
But a girl of 3 years stood up and said. "I know where he is".
Teacher: "Where? Where" the teacher queried anxiously
Girl: "He is in the bathroom of our house".
Teacher: "How do you know that he is in the bathroom?"
Girl: "Daily in the morning, when my mother is there taking shower, my dad
standing just outside would yell out “Oh! God! Will you please come out?
It is getting late for my office."

Though the little girl could not comprehend any more than this and though God is
really everywhere, we are not able to comprehend his presence any better than
the little girl.

But, our scriptures have identified five different abodes of God and have named
them as –

❖ PARAM (Transcendental),
❖ VYUHAM (Emanations),
❖ VIBHAVAM (Incarnations),
❖ ANTARYAMI (Indwelling) and
❖ ARCHA (Iconic).
PiLLai Lokacharya's Sri Vachana Bushanam says:
✓ PARAM is like water lying beyond the Cosmos completely sealed off from
access to human endeavor. (Avarana jalam) (Enveloping waters),
✓ VYUHAM is like the Milky Ocean that could only be imagined but could not
be obtained,
✓ VIBAVAM is like the torrential and turbulent waters of a huge river in full
flood and cannot therefore be approached easily,
✓ ANTARYAMI is like the underground water that cannot be seen or reached
without effort
✓ ARCHA is like the water stored and readily available to drink with which to
quench one's thirst with absolute ease. It is here in the Archa that we can
enjoy God’s beauty.
There are several Divya Desams where we can worship the Lord in reclining
posture. For example, we have Lord Ranganatha in Srirangam known as
“BhoolOka VaikunTam” In Tiru Anbil he is called “VaDivazhagiya numbi” in Tamil

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and “Sundara Raja” in Sanskrit. In sitting posture also, the Lord is no less
beautiful. Lord Narasimha is hailed as “ahagiyaan taanE, arii uruvum taanE”. In
fact, he is known as “Azhagiya Singhar”.
Whether sitting, standing or reclining, his beauty is such that those who ogle him
will not take their eyes away from any part of Rama’s body “thOL kaNDaar thOLE
kaNDaar, TaaL KaNDaar taaLE kaNDaar, tadakkaiyum akdE” says Kambar. Even
the Rishis desired to become Rama’s consorts. Sri Aravamudan of TirukkuDanthai
is so called because his beauty is insatiable.

As for Krishna, the name itself implies that his attraction is irresistible. While
Rama is “manathukku iniyaan” (one who is sweet to the mind), Krishna is one
about whom you need not even think because he would enter your mind on his
own accord and make it sweet (nEyamaaga pEsi nenjam puguvaan). In Divya
Desams where the Lord is worshipped as Rama or Krishna, this charm could
be “seen” and experienced in their Archa forms.

“Worshipping image of the Lord is the same as visualizing him throughMantras. He

is the subject of all objects and object of all subjects denoted in the Mantras and
remains in the icon form out of compassion for the people. God himself states that
he is more easily accessible in the Archa form. “MantrE Vachyaatmanaa Nithyam
bimbhE thu Krupayaa sthitham”
(Vide Page 24 of Sri Ranganatha temple Maha Samprokshnam Souvenir, May 27,
2001)

Swami Desika’s Varadaraja Panchaasat

Just as people cannot recognize the treasures buried underground even though
they may be walking over the ground, they can see only by applying collyrium to
their eyes, the Lord can be seen though the eye-salve of Bhagavaan’s
TirumEni itself (29).
When Swami swears like this, should we not like to enjoy the Lord by applying the
same technique?
The Lord who is performing creation, preservation and destruction of the worlds

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merely as his sport becomes a boat to help us cross the huge ocean
ofSamsara. (6).
Since PerundEvi Thaayaar who is mercy incarnate embraces PerumaaL like a
creeper embracing the tree - his quality of mercy is enhanced multifold.

While Brahma could “see” Bhagavaan’s TirumEni only after severe penance it is
today available for us to “see”, solely because of his (Souseelyam) excellence of
disposition living in the inner recesses of our hearts as indweller (antaryaami)
“Potraamarai aDiyE pOtrum” by S. Chandra, Swati pathippakam Puduchery (2002)

Then why are we not able to “see” God?

You would have read the conversation between Sherlock Holmes and his assistant
Watson. Once, they were on a mission to unravel the mystery behind a murder
case. One night they were sleeping under a tent. Suddenly at midnight Sherlock
Holmes woke up and asked Watson what he saw. Watson replied that he saw
numerous bright stars and the brighter moon on the firmament. Holmes startled
him by saying that while he “saw” the stars and moon he failed to “observe” that
while they were sleeping, the tent had been snatched away by someone.

Similarly, when we are at the temple “seeing” the Lord’s image, we fail to
“observe” the charming facets of the Archa moorthi. We have to train our minds to
“observe”, not merely “see” the image.

Some persons often raise the question whether God can be seen and if not why? It
is common knowledge that innumerable metals, gold coins and precious gems are
present under the ground. But, no one can get at them easily. They are to be
located with the help of aids. So too, water in the subsoil can be traced only by
divining.
Likewise, a man can “see” the resplendent vision of the almighty by applying a
special collyrium called Devotion. God will reveal himself to those who display this
sincere devotion called Bhakti…A person who develops devotion in a bid to have a
vision of God will start meditating and ultimately he will “see” God not only in the

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temple image but also everywhere. For example, in the Ramayana, Maareecha,
though out of fear experienced this delight-feeling the presence of Rama all
around” (Upanyasam by U. Ve. TirukkaLLam Swamy in Dec. 1980 – Jan. 1981)

While on an itinerary, Ramanuja noticed an officer of state, by name Danur daasa,

a hunter by birth was over-concerned and over-protective about the beauty of his
wife who was walking along on the hot sands on the banks of the river Kaveri.
Ramanuja offered to show him something more beautiful than his wife and took
him to the proximity of the image of Lord Ranganatha and explained to him the
words of AndaL “yen arangar kuzhal Azhagar; Vaai azhagar; kaNN azhagar;
koppoozhil ezhukamala Poo azhagar emmaanaar”
Danur daasa was enraptured by the charm of the Lord and became a disciple of
Ramanuja assuming the name of 'Uranga Villi Daasar'. (Hinduism Rediscovered
P.618) If we also learn to “see” Bhagavaan as Danurdasa did, we can
also “see”God.

Sri Ramanuja goes in search of the missing image of the Lord who was delighting
in his sport in the private room (antah: puram) of the daughter of the Turkish king.
When called “Come on, my precious son” (Selva PillaiyE! Vaarum), the image of
the Lord jumped onto his lap in front of everyone and he brings it back to
Srirangam.
Unable to bear the separation from her dear “Ramapriyan” the girl followed the
Lord to Tirunarayanapuram. She is still honored in the temple ritual as “Tulukka
Naachiyaar”. Even now, she is served with wheat bread (roTTi, Chappaati) every
day instead of rice, which is customary in South India. (Steven Paul Hopkins
“Singing the body of God” Page 149)
The Archa form (also called Archaavatara - meaning the descent of Lord Vishnu as
the temple image) is the inimitable object of the ecstatic experience and mystic
communion of our SrivaishNava seers. The AruLicheyal of Azhwars, the Tamil Veda
inspired pre-eminently by the Archa forms of the Lord in all Srivaishnava temples
is our Srivaishnava prayer-books.
(Article by Dr. J. Parthasarathy in “Sri Ramanuja Vani” October 1994)

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Do you really want to “see” God? Here you go - Part 4

The Azhwars do not give any connected account of their views on Avataras. like
the Pancha-raatra, they do not see much difference between the Vibhava
and Archa forms of God (or between them and the Para and Vyuha forms). Quite
often in one and the same verse they refer to God in more than one of these forms
of his... Budath Azhwar in 2nd Tiruvantadi says that the Lord for whom Devas
in VaikuNTa offer ceaseless praise stands on the VenkaTa, after killing Ravana.
People today can worship him there with intense devotion… In Archa form also he
radiates a captivating beauty and charm as eloquently as in other forms.

In Gita Bhasyam 4.11 Lord Krishna says “I not only protect those who want to
come to me, by taking Avatara in the form of a divine or human etc. form, but I
also reveal myself to them in whatever form they wish to worship me. All those
whose sole desire is to be devoted to me and are able to experience methrough
their own eyes and other senses in all other ways, according to their wishes,
conceiving me in any form of their choice.
(Paras 9.9 and 9.11 of “Studies in Srivaishnavism” by Mangalam R.
Parameswaran)

It is seen that most of the temples feature one or more of these 5 forms.
“There is PramaaNa Slokam which says that if we worship the Lord fromTiruvaDi
to TirumuDi all our sins are destroyed. It asks this being so, how can any sin affect
us in the future also.
“aapeeTaan mowli paryantam pasyata: purushOttamam/
Pathakaanyaasu nasyanti, kinm puna: tu pa paadakaa://”
(Pages 495 and 507 of 45th Jeeyar’s SathabhishEka MahOtsava Malar- Part I,
30th November 2006)

Who worshipped the Lord first in Archaa form?

TirukkaLlam Swami’s Pavazha Vizhaa Malar (Page 78) gives the answer:
In Krita Yuga, Lord Brahma desired to worship the Lord in Archa form. For this, he

14
did a severe penance. Yet, he could not find a way. He heard an ethereal voice (a-
sareeri) asking him to go to Sathya-vratha KshEtram and make inHastigiri as
sacrificial fire-pit (yaaga vEdi) and perform AswamEdha Yaagam. Brahma did
accordingly. From the fire-pit arose a blinding light and Lord Devarajan seated on
a throne. Brahma paid his obeisance to the Lord and prayed that the Lord should
stay in Archa form forever in that place and grant boons to all those who come
there. Thus, it was in Kancheepuram that the Lord appeared in Archa form and the
Lord became to be known as “Varada Rajan”(King among Granters of boons).

Brahma celebrated the first ever BrahmOtsavam there and that is why it is called
“Aadhi BrahmOtsavam”. The glamour of the Utsavams with a variety
ofVaahanams (mounts) fills the eyes and hearts of devotees so much that they are
scared to wink and miss the beauty even for a split second! Who would like to miss
this delightful experience? That is why Swami Desika said that VaikuNTam does
not hold any attraction for him, compared to this beatitude.

Leave alone Krita yuga.

In our Kali Yuga, in less than a thousand years before, during Sri Ramanuja’s time,
we find quite a few instances in which the Lord not only appeared but also actually
conversed in his Archa form with great devotees. One such is Tirukkachi NambigaL
who was on “speaking terms” with Lord Varadaraja and obtained the famous 6
statements from the Lord for being conveyed to Sri Ramanuja.

SaraNagati Gadhya is in the form of a dialogue between Sri Ramanuja and Sri
Lakshmi in the first place and then between Sri Ramanuja and Narayana. Sri
Lakshmi says: “So shall it be. Thus done, all is attained” (astu tE/tayaiva sarvam
sampsyatE//)
Later, Lord Ranganatha replied to Sri Ramanuja’s entreaties and assured him
“kinkarO Bhava. yEvam bhootOsi” meaning “Take it that you have become my
servant as described by you” and told him “You will come to VaikuNTa for doing
constant service” (“Nitya kinkarO Bhavishyasi”). Finally the Lord asked him to
enjoy his last days in Srirangam itself (“SrirangE Sukham Aaswa”)

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Within the next 500 years thereafter, there lived Panchamata Bhanjanam Taata
Desikan (1509 A.D - 1591 A.D) who was the Rajaguru of Vijayanagara kings. His
contemporary was DoTTayaachaariyar who lived in Sholingar, then known as
Sozhasimha puram . He wrote an elaborate commentary on Swami Desika’s Satha
DhooshaNi besides Sri Vaibhava Prakaasikai detailing the life of Swami Desika. He
used to go to Kanchi every year to worship Varadaraja on theGaruDa Seva day.
One year he could not go to Kanchi due to old age related ailment. He was terribly
upset on missing to “see” the Lord that year. Emerging from the Kanchi
temple Gopuram that year, the Lord rushed toTakkaan KuLam at Sholingar
to “see” his Bhakta. In commemoration of this event, on Garuda Seva day every
year, as the Lord emerges at the Gopuram, the famous umbrella is lowered to
cover the Lord for a while and lifted again in the belief that during that short
moment, the Lord proceeds to Sholingar to give him Darsan and returns. This
Swami wrote “Devaraja SlOka Panchakam”, a poem of 5 slokas detailing his
experience.

“For those who missed the enthralling spectacle enacted during Vibhava Avataras,
the Lord at various Divya Desams, in his Archa form still continues to wear the
same beautiful smile, If only one cares to look closely. When the Lord assumes the
role of a woman in Nachiyaar Tirukkolam, wearing a saree, blouse, bangles etc., he
presents himself in immeasurable beauty. His masculinity vanishes and the
bewitching feminine exteriority takes over so fully that even the hearts of senior
citizens thump with their age-old romantic feelings!”
(Sadagopan Iyengar’s “Essays on the Eternal” pp. 98 et seq)

“All these forms, from the temple images in wood, stone or bronze, to the interior
images in the heart are experienced by devotees and saint-poets as “Suddha-
Sattva”, spiritual and non-material matter (sui generis). They have, in Swami
Desika’s words, “no connection with Karma or its fruits” here we find, in regard to
the icons.

Smt. Vasuda Narayanan has referred to this as a fundamental paradox of the

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Srivaishnava tradition that “while this manifestation of the deity is obviously made
of stone or metal, it is believed to be a-praakrita or non-material personal God,
luminous and complete with all the auspicious qualities, transcendent and
supreme, yet easily accessible – a bit of “Heaven on earth”
(P. 101 of “Singing the body of God” by Steven Paul Hopkins)

In the good old days of Azhwars and Acharyas, perhaps there might not have been
such unmanageable crowds visiting Tirumalai for Darshan and therefore they
could take in and enjoy slowly and steadily the Lord’s beauty part by part without
being unceremoniously pushed out with the stentorian command by the temple
staff ”Jerugu! Jerugu!” This does not, however, detract from the charm of the Lord
for us even today albeit within the fraction of a second we are allowed to ogle the
Lord. It is common experience of people who find some good and favorable
experience immediately on return from a visit to Tirumalai.

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Do you really want to see God? Here you go! – Part 5
Why Archa Tirumeni is the best recourse for us?
Swami Desika answers in Srimad Rahasya Traya Saram Dvaya adhikram: It is
easily understandable to both the intelligent Yogis and ignoramus like us. It can
grant us both knowledge (Jnaanam) and Devotion (Bhakti). It is “Subhaasrayam”
which means it is both “subham” (auspicious) and “Asrayam” (easily accessible)

ALavandar in his Chatus SlOkee says:

“moortham brahma tatOpi tath priyataram Roopam yadh atyadbutam”
meaning that this is verily Parabrahmam with a wonderful form that can grant
superior knowledge and ennoble us.

Tirumangai Azhwar in his Siriya TirumaDal asks will anyone leave behind the
auspicious Archa TirumEni of Bhagavaan readily available here in Tirunaraiyur and
prefer to run after the Para roopam in the elusive place called VaikuNTam. He says
that this is like a hunter ignoring the hare readily available on the ground and
chase after the crow flying high in the air.
“aaraavamudam angu eithi ataninrum,
Vaaraadu ozhivaduNDE adu nirka,
YEraar muyal viTTu kaakkaip pin pOvadE?”

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Sloka 61, Krishna explains how one could “See God”.
He says that it is possible for one who subdues his sensual pleasures.
How this can be done?
He himself offers the solution.

Diverting the mind towards Lord’s Tirumeni by constant practice, it would be

possible. This would lead to Indriya jayam, then on to Atma darsanam, then
toJeevaatma darsanam, Bhagavad Bhakti and finally Bhagavad Praapti”
“Paramaatmani yO rakta: virakto a-paramaatmani”

In Charama Slokam, the Lord uses two words “aham” and “Maam” by which Lord

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Parthasarathi literally touches and points to his Tirumeni as our ultimate refuge.

ChandOKya Upanishad says that in the Aditya MaNdalam, there is this

greatPurusha with golden moustache and golden hairs
“ya YEshO antaraadityE HiraNmaya purushO drisyatE- hiraNya smasru hiraNya
kEsa:”
Moustache and hairs belong only to TirumEni (body).
The same is confirmed clearly in Smritis:
“DhyaayEth Sadaa Savitru maNdala madhyavarthee/
NarayaNas sarajisaasana sannivishTa: /
kEyooravaan Makara kuNDalavaan kireetee
haari hiraNmayavapu: dhrita sankha Chakra: //

Vedas aver that the ever-free NItysooris are “Seeing”

the TirumEni ofBhagavaan incessantly.
What do they see?
It is the TirumEni of the Lord which they “see” and love.

Even when statements that Bhagavaan has no form, it only means that he has no
form as a result of Karma.

Of the five abodes where the Lord resides - namely Param, Vyuham. Vibhava,
Antaryaami and Archa, it is in Archa that all of us can enjoy the beauty of Lord’s
Tirumeni today as did Azhwars and our Acharyas. The expression “Aadiyan JOthi
uruvai angu vaithu ingu piranda” graphically describes how the Lord left
his Paramapadam abode (Nithya Vibhuti) and preferred to come down to (Leela
Vibhuti) for us to “see” and enjoy.

It is interesting to note that Archa which is easily available for us encapsulates all
the others in the sense that in temples, we find icons of all murthis belonging to
the other 4 as well. While Param is the ultimate abode known as VaikunTam, we
have in Srirangam the “BhoolOka VaikunTam” (Heaven on earth) in a reclining

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posture (Yoga nidra). The Lord here is Sri Ranganatha also known as “Azhagiya
MaNavaaLan” (Handsome bridegroom).

ToNdar aDippoDI Azhwar declares that he would not relish even the realm of Indra
when he has the privilege of enjoying the beauty of Lord Ranganatha here and
now.
ichchuvai tavira yaan pOi indiralOkam aaLum
achcuvai periunm vENDEn arangamaa nagaruLaanE”.

In Varadaraja Panchaasat, Swami Desika solemnly swears that he prefers this

earthly existence where he could enjoy the pleasant vision of the Lord with his
present fleshy eyes to VaikuNTam itself
(VaikuNTa VaasEpi na mE abhilaasha:) (40).

The various PramaaNams recommend us to meditate (Dhyaana) and think

(Chintana) of the Lord’s TirumEni.
Why?
It is because the Tirumeni is fit to be meditated upon, fit to be thought about.
Otherwise, why should they recommend so?

BhaTTar explains the meaning of the word “Adbutam” appearing as the

846thTirunamam of Sahasranamam and says that it denotes the insatiable beauty
of the Lord’s Tirumeni for all and for all times, always giving a fresh experience.
(Sarvadaa Sarvai: Sarvathaa anubhavEpi apoorva-vath athi vismayaneetvam
adbutatvam)
In Tiruvoimozhi 2.5.4 Nammazhawar says much the same:
eppozhudum naL tingaL aaNDu Oozhi Oozhi tOrum /
appozhudaikku appozhudu enn aaraa AmudamE //

“They are bodies of God, perceptible forms, vividly sensual and immediate for the
worshipper, objects of often highly eroticized devotion. In their vividness they
serve to underscore the concrete and willing presence of Vishnu in the particular

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sacred place. They are that sublime, transcendental, pan-regional and pan-cosmic
reality – in all its forms – embodied in a beautiful particular icon-body (archaa-
murthi) in any place”
(“Singing the body of God” by Steven Pail Hopkins page 238)

Lord’s Tirumeni is blemish less

This Tirumeni is absolutely devoid of all blemishes (niravadyam) unlike our bodies
that are full of defects and blemishes generated by the result of Karma. (akhila
hEya pratyaneeka). Thus, Bhagavaan’s TirumEni gives joy to the devotees.

Lord’s Tirumeni is always shining brilliantly.

Upanishad says that in front of Bhagavaan neither sun, or moon or stars or
lightning can shine, not to speak of fire. All of them shine because of and with the
help of the brilliance of Bhagavaan. It is this brilliance that we can experience in
the Archa vigraha if only we learn to observe closely.
Na tatra sooryo bhaati na chandra taarakam na imaa vidhyutO bhaanti kutO ayam
agni:/
Tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam tasya bhaasaa sarvam idam vibhaati //

Lord’s Tirumeni is lovely to look at

The beauty that become manifest in the various limbs of the Lord is known as
“Soundaryam”. The beauty of the entire Tirumeni including all his limbs is called
“LaavaNyam” or “Samudaaya SObhaa”.

What is this “Samudaaya sObhaa”?

Periyavaachaan PiLLai explains:
“LavaNyam” is like “LavaNam”. When salt is dropped in a vessel of water, it
dissolves completely in the water. The salty taste can be experienced in any drop
of water from the vessel. Similarly, the beauty of this Tirumeni gives joy to all
who care to enjoy it.
Azhwars and Acharyas enjoy “seeing” this “LavaNyam” whenever they “see”
the Archaa vigraham in Divya Desams. If we develop such an appreciation of the

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beauty of Archa, we can also really “see” God with our own eyes.
Not only this.

Lord’s Tirumeni is also fragrant

Upanishads also say that the Lord is “Sarva Gandhan” which means his exudes an
unmatched fragrance. To this day, if you enter the sanctum in Srirangam, you can
sense the smell of butter. That is why Periya PerumaL is known as Krishna.

Lord’s Tirumeni is delicate

The Lord’s Tirumeni is very delicate like the flower petals of the lotus. This is
known as “Sowkumaaryam”
Soorppanakha whose nose was cut while describing to her brother Ravana about
Rama and Lakshmana says “Sukumaarou - Mahaa balou” which means that they
were as strong as they were equally delicate!

This Soukumaaryam is evident not only in Vibhavam but also in Archa.

Nammazhwar feels sorry as to how with such a delicate body, the Lord is able to
bear and lift the heavy conch (Sangu) and disc (Chakram). He
asks PerumaLwhether he needs a porter and offers himself as one who could offer
this help!
AaLum aaaLaar aazhiyum Sangum sumappaar thaam,
VaaLum Villum koNdu pin selvaar maatrillai /
taaLum thOLum kaigalai aarath thozha kaanEn,
naaLum naaLum naaduvan aDiyEn gnaalathE //

If we develop this kind of Bhakti like Nammazhwar while standing before the
Archa Vigraham, God will surely stand before us and for us to “see” him.

(Based on excerpts from “Part 2: Pulan koLL VaDivu” of “Eraar GuNamum Ezhil
Uruvum” by H.H.45th PaTTam Azhagiya Singhar, who blessed me with a signed
copy of the book 0n 5th July 2002 for use in Websites).
My anantha kOti PraNaamams to this Mahan, at whose feet I had thebhaagyam of
learning Grantha ChatushTayams in his Poorva Asramam)

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 Do you really want to see God? Here you go! – Part 6
Do you know who first started “Singing the body” of God limb by limb?
Answer:
Purusha Sukta appearing in all the four Vedas commences with the significant
words “Sahasra seershaa purusha: /Sahasra aksha /sahasra paad” literally
meaning God has thousand heads, thousand eyes, thousand feet etc.
(The word “thousand” here denotes “innumerable”).

It proceeds to describe how this Purusha was sacrificed and how from this
sacrifice arose water, earth, various meters, spells and charms, the four castes
from the various parts of his body (BraahmaNO asya mukham aaseet, baahu
raajanya: krita:, Ooru tatasya yath Vaisya:, Pabhyaam soodrO ajaayata”), the
beasts wild and mild, kine and swine, with single and dual rows of teeth etc".
From his navel arose atmosphere, from his head arose the heavens, from his feet
emerged the earth, from his ears the directions etc
(naabhyaam aaseeth antariksham,
seershNO dhyou samavartata,
padbhyaam bhoomi,
disa: srOtraat,
tathaa lOkaan akalpayat).
The sacrifice was the great creative force that is the central theme ofPaancha
raatra system where Lord Vishnu, the Purusha is the material cause(Upaadaana
KaaraNa) and efficient cause (Nimitta KaaraNa) for the formation of everything in
the Universe.
In Vyuha moorthis of Vaasudeva, SamkarshaNa, Pradhyumna and Aniruddha
whose divine imagery is described in detail in the Visaakha Sthupa.

In Vibhavam, the pulchritude of Bhagavaan is more elaborately brought out in

several episodes. For example,
* Hanumaan describes Rama’s body to Sri Sita in reply to her request to describe
Rama’s appearance.
* Soorppanakha tells her brother Ravana about Rama and Lakshmana

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“mahaabalou roopa sampannou”.
* Sri Rukmini begins her billet doux (love letter) to Krishna calling him “Bhuvana
Sundara” (Mr. Universe?). Indeed, he is known as ‘Manmata manmata:”

We can go on alluding to any number of instances on the enchanting beauty of the

Lord as depicted in the Itihasas and Puranas. But, these occurred during the
periods beyond our recognition.
In our present age, Azhwars and Acharyas have enjoyed the beauty of God both
from

1) Foot to crown (TiruvaDi to TirumuDi )also called “Aapaada chooDam”,

“nakkha- Sikha” and “Paadaadi Kesaanta” anubhavam like in “Amalan-
Aadipiraan” by TiruppaaN Azhwar, faithfully followed in “Bhagavad Dhyaana
SOpaanam” and “Muni Vaahana BhaOgam” by Swami Desika, “Sri Vishnu
Paadaadi kEsaanta StOtram” by Adi Sankaracharya (vide Complete works of
Sankaracharya in20 Volumes, 1910- Vol. 2)

(2) Head to foot (TirumuDi to TiruvaDi also called Kesaadi -Paada anubhavam)
as in Devanaayaka Panchaasat in Sanskrit and “Achyuta Satakam”
in Praakrit both by Swami Desika. Bhagavad Ramanuja has also described in
this fashion in his “SaraNaagati Gadhyam”

(3) We have glimpses of both sorts in Nammazhwar’s Tiruvoimozhi and the

works of other Azhwars not necessarily in any particular order.

We have such limb by limb enjoyment in other works also -

* In Sanskrit like “Kumara Sambhavam” of KaaLidaasa, “Chandi Sataka” of
BaaNa (7c) foot to head description of Goddess ChaNDi’s body with a distinct
focus on the toenails, “Panchasati” by Mukha (7c) a praise in 500 Verses of
Goddess Kaamaakshi of Kanchipuram.

*In Pali works like “LakkhaNa Suttaana” by Digha Nikaaya (3c BCE) giving
sequential description of Buddha’s body, “Chatuhsataka Stotra” and “Sata-

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pancha-satika Stotra” by Matruseta (7c)chronicled by Chinese pilgrim I-tsing.

*In Sinhalese Kaavyas like (13c) “Kavsilumina”, a foot to head description of

Queen Prabhavati, wife of the Buddha in his birth as King Kusa.

“Pujaavaliya”(13c) depicting the beauty of Buddha as sen by his love-sick wife,

Yashodara. (*vide Pages 136-137 of “Singing the body of God” by Steven Paul
Hopkins). It is not known whether these works in Pali, Sinhalese etc are merely
aesthetic or anything more.

We stop with this here because we are now concerned only with “Singing of the
body of God” in Archa form in the devotional mode as experienced
byAzhwars and Acharyas.

Our dissertation on their anubhavams will be posted in a separate serialbased

mainly on the songs of TiruppaaN Azhwar and Swami Desika. We will burnish it
with those of Namm Azhwar, Peiyaazhwar, and Bhudat Azhwar as and when
needed for further elucidation. This is because, they have enjoyed aspects not
specifically covered by TirppaaN Azhwar, for example, knees, shin, shank,
shoulders, ears, smiles, cheeks, nose, forehead, curly hairs, KireeTam, jewels etc
though not in any particular sequential order (from head to foot or foot to head)

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