Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 16

In a Zoom meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 12th November 2022 Michael James discusses verse 16 of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai:

காந்த மிரும்புபோற் கவர்ந்தெனை விடாமற்
      கலந்தெனோ டிருப்பா யருணாசலா

kānta mirumbupōṟ kavarndeṉai viḍāmaṟ
      kalandeṉō ḍiruppā yaruṇācalā

பதச்சேதம்: காந்தம் இரும்பு போல் கவர்ந்து எனை, விடாமல் கலந்து எனோடு இருப்பாய் அருணாசலா.

Padacchēdam (word-separation): kāntam irumbu pōl kavarndu eṉai, viḍāmal kalandu eṉōḍu iruppāy aruṇācalā.

அன்வயம்: காந்தம் இரும்பு போல் எனை கவர்ந்து, விடாமல் கலந்து எனோடு இருப்பாய் அருணாசலா.

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): kāntam irumbu pōl eṉai kavarndu, viḍāmal kalandu eṉōḍu iruppāy aruṇācalā.

English translation: Arunachala, like a magnet iron, forcibly seizing me, uniting without leaving, may you be with me.

Explanatory paraphrase: Arunachala, like a magnet [grasping] iron [by its natural power of attraction], forcibly seizing [grasping, captivating or attracting] me [by the captivating power of your grace], uniting [me with you] without [ever] leaving [or letting go of] [me], may you be [eternally one] with me.

This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-11-12a Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK: Michael discusses Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 16, and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

After discussing this verse of Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai Michael answers questions about this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender, and this part of the meeting is recorded in a separate episode: Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai verse 16 Q&A.