Akshara Mana Malai

Ramana Maharshi is an exponent on Self-enquiry.He has great devotion and gratitude for Arunachala Siva.He said the holy hill of Arunachala is nothing but solid mass of bliss of Siva.The devotees of Ramana Maharshi used to go for begging food in Tiruvannamalai town and they asked Bhagawan to write poems for singing while begging so that people will recognise them as Ramana Maharshi devotees.Conceeding to their request Bhagawan started writing verses,considering himself as bride to the bride groom Arunachala Siva in which out of love he

accuses Arunachala Siva for not fulfilling his spiritual expectations.This type of accusing out of love is called Ninda Stuti(Praising through accusing) which has got it's own poetic value.Bhagawan used to do Giri Pradakshina slowly and some verses spontaneously felt by him and he noted them on the paper. On the whole there are 108 verses,the number is auspicious in Hinduism. Akshara is a sanskrit word which means indestructible letter,Mana in Tamil means marriage,Malai means garland.So the bride Ramana Maharshi prepared the indestructable garland of letters for the bride groom Arunachala Siva to place that garland around his neck during marriage and in turn expects garland of grace from Arunachala Siva.So Akshara Mana Malai means marital garland of letters put together by Ramana Maharshi.I will try to give the meaning of each of 108 verses according to my understanding and any improvements over it or suggestions are welcome. Thank you all.

In India it is a Hindu tradition to worship and praise Lord Ganesha before starting an auspicious work so that there will be no hurdles during the roceedings of the work.Bhagawan followed the same tradition and asked for the blessings of Ganesha in this verse before starting to write Akshara Mana Malai.The meaning of the verse is as follows:

"Gracious Ganesha with your loving hand bless me, that i may make this marital garland of letters worthy of Sri Arunachala Siva the bride groom".

Bhagawan himself wrote Akshara Mana Malai in Tamil,Sanskrit and Telugu. As majority of you may not understand the original text in these languages i am providing the meaning the verses only.

Verse 1: Oh Arunachala,you root out the ego of those who meditate on you in heart.

Verse 2: Bhagawan's mother is Azhagamma and father is Sundaram Iyer and they are an exemplary couple who lived a life of oneness and love. Bride Ramana Maharshi proposes to bride groom Arunachala Siva to live a inseparable marital life like his parents and live as one single unit with love.

Verse 3: "Entering my home(ego) and luring me to your's(Pure consciousness), why you keep me as prisoner in your heart's cavern,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 4: "Is it for your pleasure or for my sake you won me? If now you turn me away, the whole world will blame you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 5: "Escape from this blame;why you then recall yourself to me? How can i leave you noe,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 6: "You are indeed more than one's own mother, Is this then can be considered to be your grace? Oh Arunachala".

Verse 8: "Show your valour and beauty so that my mind loses fickleness, and dissolves in heart and finds you there,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 9: "After abducting me(from my ego house) if now you do not embrace me, where is thy chivalry,Oh Arunachala?".

Verse 10: "Does it become thee thus to sleep, when i am outraged by the others,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 11: "Even when the theives of five senses break in upon my ego house, are you not there to protect me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 12: "You are one without a second;who could dare elude thee and come in? This is only thy jugglery,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 13: "You are the meaning and goal of Om,unrivalled,unsurpassed; Who can comprehend thee,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 14: "As universal loving mother,it is thy duty to dispense Thy grace and save me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 15: "You are the eye of eye,and without the physical eye you see, who can ever find you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 16: "As a lode stone attracts iron,holding it fast and magnetising it, so do thou to me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 17: Though you look like unmoving inert to physical eyes,you are a sea of grace, have mercy on me and take the responsibility of my welfare,Oh Arunachala.

Verse 18: "Fiery gem,shining in all directions, do thou burn up my dross,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 19: "Shine as my Guru,by preparing me to be worthy of thy grace, by removing the ego dust from my mind,Oh Arunachala.

Verse 20: "Save me from the people whose looks are filled with full of lust, and have mercy on me by uniting me with thyself,Oh Arunachala."

Verse 21: "You are so callous and merciless like stone hearted being,not condescend, I pray thee,say to me "fear not",Oh Arunachala".

Verse 22: "You have imperishable fame that you give everthing unasked, do not belie thy fame,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 23: "Let me be mad with ecstasy,drunk with the bliss of your essence, which is as simple as enjoying the fruit present in my hands,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 24: "You are well known for your act of throwing your net of grace on your devotees and then devour them, then how can i survive who have embraced you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 25: "By nature you are unruffled by anger;what crime has won me your special favor of targetted wrath on me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 26: "Glorious mountain of compassion, well known great soul like Gowtama Maharshi offered obeisance to you, rule me with your gracious glance, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 27: "Your self effulgent dazzling light swallows all darkness of universe through your rays, I pray to you,with your self effulgent light open the lotus of my heart, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 28: "In the pursuit for happiness i approached you,you turned me " in", and made me to eat (devour) my own ego which resulted in having uninterrupted bliss,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 29: "Oh moon of grace,with your gracious cool rays make my mind to rest and open the orifice of spiritual heart within me filled with ambrosia, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 30: "Tear off these robes of my personality,expose my virgin naked consciousness,and robe me with your grace,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 31: "When the sea of joy surge in which speech and mind subside, there in the spiritual heart,mind rests quiet,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 32: "Do not continue to deceive me,stop scrutinising me and disclose instead transcendental effulgent self without teasing me further,Oh Arunachala.

Verse 33: "All worldly knowledge is leading me to delusion,shun it by initiating me into selfknowledge and vouchsafe the knowledge of eternal life that i may learn the glorious primal wisdom,Oh Arunachala."

Verse 34: "Unless you embrace me,i shall melt away in tears of anguish,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 35: "If you reject me with annoyance,alas,what rests for me but the torment of my past karma?What hope is left for me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 36: "In silence you said "be silent" and you stood silent,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 37: "I became lazy(in thinking) madly enjoying the bliss of self while awake, is there any goal other than this in life? Oh Arunachala".

Verse 38: "You showed your prowess once and thought that the games of Maya on me are nullified once and forever and you kept silent in your repose, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 39: " A dog can scent out it's master;am i then worse then a dog? steadfastly i will seek you and regain you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 40: "Because of lack of self-knowledge i am begging for your presence with humility.Grant me wisdom,i beseech thee,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 41: "You are the sun of suns and lotus blossoms in sunlight,then why you hover before me like a flower bee,saying "you are not yet in blossom" Oh Arunachala".

Verse 42: "I do not know much about the theoretical aspect of ultimate consciousness which is you,but surprisingly i am aware of your infinite presence Oh Arunachala".

Verse 43: "You are the self conscious pure being,ultimate reality,truth, show me that self conscious reality as my very being,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 44: "You have directed me by turning my mind inwards and made it possible to posit my mind in it's source i.e self,thus paved the way for discovering the self through inner looking mind,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 45: "Seeking you in the infinite self of spiritual heart, i regained my own self,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 46: "What value has this birth without true knowledge which is self knowledge, it is not even worth speaking about,so confer me self knowledge Oh Arunachala".

Verse 47: "Grant me the favor of pure mind and speech, which make it possible for me to be in union with your essntial nature, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 48: " Trusting you as God when i came nearer you for shelter, you destroyed me altogether,is it justifiable,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 49: "Treasure of benign and holy grace is found without seeking, steady my wandering mind and establish me in that treasure,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 50: "In the pursuit of seeking your real self with courage, i lost myself, have mercy on me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 51: "Unless you extend your gracious hand in mercy and embrace me, really i am lost, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 52: "Oh undefiled,unite with me in my heart, and confer everlasting joy of your's,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 53: "Mock me not who seek your protection; Adorn me with your grace and then regard me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 54: "Is it not shame on your part to stand there like a post, leaving me to find you by myself,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 55: "Before your fire of knowledge burn me to ashes, rain your mercy on me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 56: "May your grace nullify the separative feeling of "I" and "you", and grant me the favor of getting established in ever blissful state of being, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 57: "When will the waves of thought cease to rise? when shall i reach your being which is subtler than subtle ether, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 58: "I am a deluded being at least without scriptural knowledge, destroy my wrong knowledge by conferring self knowledge,i beseech thee Oh Arunachala".

Verse 59: "When i melted away and entered thee,my refuge, i found thee standing as naked pure consciousness without any adjuncts, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 60: "To a friendless being like me,you created in me a passion for you, therefore forsake me not,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 61: "Ripeless fruit is not worth enjoying, ripe the fruit of my mind and enjoy me, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 62: "You gave yourself to me without my doing difficult spiritual practices, but in the process you cunningly taken away my personality which is like death to my false "I",Oh Arunachala".

Verse 63: "Regard me(look at me),think of me,touch me there by mature me and rule me to the extent that i deserve your unity,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 64: "Grant me your grace ere the poison of delusion grips me and, rising to my head,kills me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 65: "With your grace dispel my illusion,otherwise who in the world tell you about my ignorance to you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 66: "With creating in me madness for thee,you have freed me from madness of the world,now kindly free me from madness for thee also,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 67: "I am seeking you fearlessly and you are fearlessness itself, then what made you fearful to take me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 68: "Have mercy on me,by blessing me with union with you, show me what is wrong knowledge and what is right knowledge, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 69: "Let this mind wedded to the world be free of scent of tendencies, by scenting it with your fragrance and confer my mind with fragrance of your pure self conscious being,Oh Arunachala"

Verse 70: "Mere thought of you has drawn to you, and who can gauge your glory,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 71: "You possessed me like unexorcible spirit and made me mad for you, that i became a ghost possessed by you,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 72: "You stay and support me, lest i droop helpless like a tender creeper, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 73: "You benumb my faculties with stupefying power,robbed me of my limited object knowing consciousness and established me in your infinite self conscious being,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 74: "Show me the playful warfare of your grace in the open field of consciousness where there is no coming and going,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 75: "Unattached to the physical frame composed of five elements, let me forever repose happy in the sight of your splendour,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 76: "After conferring the medicine of self-knowledge,how can i be confounded or deluded again?Shine thou as medicinal grace,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 77: "You sap the pride of those who approach you with ego, and you are shining with egolessness,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 78: "Dont deceive a limited being like me who overwhelmingly prays for your mercy, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 79: "My life is like a ship without helmsman tossing in the storm, guard me, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 80: "You are keeping quiet after showing me the source of my mind; kindly complete your task of establishing me in the infinite self, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 81: "Be not like a mirror held up to a noseless man, but rise me from my lowness and embrace me, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 82: "With "Real I" let us embrace in the mind which is like a bed of tender flowers within the room of the body, grace me Oh Arunachala".

Verse 83: "How is that you have become so famous from the constant devotion of those who are poor in ego and humble, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 84: "You have removed my blindness of ignorance with the unguent of your grace, and made me truly your's,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 85: "You removed "me" and "mine" from me, then you are showing yourself dancing in the transcendent space, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 86: "Though you have detached me from the worldly attraction by creating passion for you,this passion for you has not cooled yet,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 87: "Is it true silence to rest like a stone, inert and unexpansive, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 88: "Is it not you who threw mud to me for food and robbed me of my livelyhood, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 89: "Unknown to all,stupefying me,who was it that ravished my soul, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 90: "I spoke in that manner to you because you are my lord; Be not offended but come and confer me ecstasy,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 91: "Let us enjoy orgasmic bliss in the house of open space of pure consciousness,which is beyond all duality, where there is neither night or day so we can enjoy orgasmic bliss eternally, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 92: "Aiming with darts of grace,you devoured me alive,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 93: "Where as i gained primal being like you, what you gain by this worthless being like me, who is nothing in this and other world,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 94: "Have you not called me in?that is why i have come in. Now measure out for me,my maintenance is your burden, hard is thy lot,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 95: "The moment you welcome me,enter into me and grant me your divine life, i lost my identity with personality,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 96: "Bless me that i may die without losing hold of you, or else miserable is my fate,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 97: "You entice me from my home(ego) then stealing into my heart, you have drawn me gently into your house(spiritual heart), such is thy grace,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 98: "I have exposed your secret workings,be not offended; show me your grace openly and save me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 99: "Grant me the essence of vedanta, the self conscious being which shines as one without a second, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 100: "Treat me my slanders as my praise, and guard me as thy own,i pray Oh Arunachala".

Verse 101: "As snow in water,let me melt as love in you, who is love itself,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 102: " I had but thought of you as Arunachala and lo i was caught in the trap of your grace,can the net of your grace ever fail? Oh Arunachala".

Verse 103: "When i think about you trapped me like a spider in the web of your grace, you devoured me by imprisoning me and entwaining me,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 104: "Let me be the votary of votaries of those who hear your name with love, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 105: "Shine eternally as loving saviour of helpless suppliants as myself, Oh Arunachala".

Verse 106: "Your ears are familiar to sweet songs of votaries, whose songs with intense love for you melt even bones, yet let my poor strains may also be acceptable to you,Oh Arunachala"

Verse 107: " Oh Arunachala hill,you are famous for the quality of pardoning lowly people like me,bear with my foolish words,regard them as hymns of eternal truth, or as thou please,Oh Arunachala".

Verse 108: "Oh Arunachala,my loving lord,garland me with your love and grace, and accept this garland of letters strung by me"

Blessed be Arunachala;

Blessed be his devotees; Blessed be the marital garland of letters; "Om Sri Ramanarpanamastu"