Arunachala Siva

by T.M.P. Mahadevan

Most of Bhagavan Sri Ramana's works were composed in response to requests of devotees. While at the Virupaksha cave on Arunachala, devotees like Palaniswami and Ayyaswami requested Sri Bhagavan to compose a song for them to sing whilst begging for alms in town. This they felt would help the townsfolk idenitfy them as his devotees. But there was no response from Sri Bhagavan. Subsequently, however, when he was walking round the Hill one day, with devotees following him, the litany, Sri Arunachala Aksharamanamalai, being divinely inspired, welled forth from him spontaneously. Before the pradakshina (circumambulation) ended, Sri Bhagavan had strung together a garland of 108 verses for his beloved Arunachala. Aksharamanamalai is the most well known among the hymns composed by Maharshi. Arthur Osborne says, "It tells in glowing symbolism of the love and union between the human soul and God, and is among the most profound and moving poems in any language." The commentary of Dr. T.M.P.Mahadevan is of immense help in understanding the texts of Aksharamanamalai and Arunachala Pancharatnam (five Verses).