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THE ESOTERIC
KANDAR ANUBHUTI
THE SECRET TEACHING ON
GOD-EXPERIENCE
(A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization)
OF

SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR
Sri Kaumara Chellam
 The Esoteric Kandar Anubhuti by N.V. Karthikeyan

by N.V. Karthikeyan
(Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, INDIA)

N.V. Karthikeyan
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An Introduction to KANDAR ANUBHUTI

    Kandar Anubhuti is a deeply philosophical and spiritual treatise with profound mystical import of Saint Arunagirinathar, who stands unique among the devotee-saints of the Tamil Nadu. It is a work of 51 verses. It is held in high esteem as a Mantra-Shastra and as the crowning glory of Sri Arunagirinathar's works, because of its high spiritual value and depth. The verses are short, rather the smallest in all his works, but they are the most sublime. As the title suggests, it is a work on (the attainment of) God-Experience. There are certain editions of the Kandar Anubhuti with 100 verses, but the last 49 verses are generally rejected as later additions by someone and not Arunagirinathar's words.

    "Kandan," in Tamil, is "Skanda" in Sanskrit; it is one of the names of the spiritual Son of Lord Siva. Some of Skanda's other names are: Shanmukha, Karttikeya, Guhan, Velayudhan, Murugan, Aarumugan, etc. He is the younger brother of Lord Sri Ganesha. "Anubhuti" is rather a Sanskrit term used in the Tamil language as well in the same sense, i.e., direct or immediate Experience of God, and it denotes the spiritual union of the soul with God. It usually implies the highest non-dual or Advaitic realisation. It is Saakshaatkaara or direct experience. Hence, "Kandar Anubhuti" would mean the Immediate or Direct Divine Experience of Lord Skanda. And, to Arunagirinathar, Lord Skanda is not merely a personal deity or Ishta Devata but the Supreme Absolute Itself, as he himself reveals in many verses, particularly in verses 2, 13, 28, and 49. Hence, we may say that "Kandar Anubhuti" means, in simple terms, "God Experience" or "God-Realisation".

    Saint Arunagirinathar is the author of many poetic works of which the Kandar Anubhuti is his masterpiece. Though it is a small work of 51 verses or stanzas, it is very rich in spiritual wisdom and is full of deep significance. It is a treasure of rare knowledge to seekers of Truth and a mine of devotion to lovers of God. It is an unusual work of a mysterious synthesis of Bhakti and Jnana, of devotion and wisdom --- the one overlapping the other; at once touching the heart and igniting pure emotions as well as provoking deep thought and transcending the intellect. Suffice it to say that it is regarded as a Mantra-Shastra or a treatise of mystic imports and has been placed on par with the well-known Mantra-Shastra of Thirumanthiram --- a treatise of 3,000 verses of Saint Thirumular, who used to remain absorbed in Samadhi for one full year, only to rise from it to give one verse and remain absorbed again. The Thirumanthiram is the 10th book of the Panniru Thirumurai (the 12 sacred Saiva works) of the Saivites. Correspondingly, the Kandar Anubhuti is regarded as the 10th book of the Panniru Thirumurai of the followers of Lord Murugan. Thus, the glory and greatness of the work can be understood in a measure, though to realise it in full measure it has to enter into one's being and become part of one's own experience.

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THE ESOTERIC
KANDAR ANUBHUTI
THE SECRET TEACHING ON
GOD-EXPERIENCE
(A Treatise on Adwaitic Realization)
OF

SAINT ARUNAGIRINATHAR
by N.V. Karthikeyan
(Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, INDIA)


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