Infinite Bliss

 

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

A glimpse of infinite bliss which is the true scale of full realisation of every jivatma

The very nature of atma is jnana mayam and ananda mayam.  It is due to our karma we become wrapped in prakriti and ignorance.  To realise our full potential is the liberation we seek.

As it is we are content with the anandam that we get here – which is alpa and asthiram compared to the final state.  So how do we go about?

The liberation that we seek – can be through our own efforts – through karma, jnana bhakti yoga or we surrender ourselves to the supreme – sharanagati, giving up all our svantatrayam.  The first path is very very difficult and very risky – karanam thappinal maranam.  The 2^nd is easier as we have unconditionally surrendered – and depend only on HIM.

The Alwars took the abstract mathematical calculations of the Taittiriya Upanishad and translated them into the sweet language of Saranagati (surrender) and Kainkaryam (service), explaining exactly how a soul catches this infinite joy.

Jivatma cannot fully experience true bliss through its own self-effort or through Kaivalya (mere isolation of the soul from matter). The Jivatma fully realises Anandam only through

·         Swaroopa Jnanam (Realising True Identity): The soul must first realise it is not the independent body, but an eternal servant (Sesa) dependent entirely on the Supreme Lord (Sesi).

·         Bhagavad Bhakti & Saranagati: In Tiruvaimozhi (1.1.1), Nammazhwar commands his own mind: "Thuyar aru sudar adi thozhudhu ezhu en manane"—"O mind, rise up and worship His grief-dispelling, radiant feet!" Full bliss is unlocked the exact moment the soul completely surrenders its ego and burden to the Lord.

·         Kainkaryam (Loving Service): For the Alwars, bliss is a byproduct of service. In Tiruvaimozhi (3.3.1), Nammazhwar explicitly states his ultimate desire: "Ozhivil kaalamellaam udanaai manni vazhuvilaa adimai seyya veandum"—"I want to perform flawless, unceasing service to the Lord at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances." This active service is where the highest Anandam manifests.

 

Which Type of Moksham Brings the Same Joy?

In Vedic tradition, there are four classical types of liberation (Moksha):

·         Salokya (living in the same divine realm)

·         Samipya (living close to the Divine)

·         Sarupya (gaining the same divine form)

·         Sayujya (intimate, unified communion)

According to Swamy Ramanujacharya and the Alwars, Sayujya Moksham is the specific type of liberation that grants the Jivatma the exact same boundless joy as Brahman.

The Mechanics of Sayujya Moksham:

·         Equality in Bliss (Ananda Samyam): In Sayujya, the Jivatma retains its individual identity but enters into a state of profound qualitative oneness with the Lord. The Brahma Sutras state that the liberated soul experiences all the joys of the Lord except the cosmic powers of creation, sustenance, and destruction (Jagad-vyapara-varjam).

·         The Upanishadic Proof: This perfectly mirrors the Taittiriya Upanishad statement: "So'snute sarvan kaman saha brahmana vipasciteti"—"The liberated soul enjoys all glorious desires and ultimate bliss simultaneously along with the omniscient Brahman."

The Alwars' Vision of Sayujya

Nammazhwar describes this ultimate Sayujya experience in the closing decads of Tiruvaimozhi (10.10.10), using the imagery of rivers merging into an ocean of sweet nectar:

"Aravaa amudhaai adiyen aavi agamigavea, karavaa vazhundhu thandhaai..."

·         Meaning: "You came and poured Yourself completely into my soul like an inexhaustible ocean of nectar, swallowing me up in Your infinite love."

When the Jivatma reaches Sri Vaikuntha in this state, its consciousness expands completely (Dharmabhuta Jnanam). Stripped of all past karma, the soul looks at the Lord and experiences a flood of Anandam that matches the Lord's own joy, expressing it through eternal, ecstatic service.

 

The Peak of all Anandam vs the Infinite Bliss

In Taittreeya Upanishad a gradation effort has been done only to be finally dismissed that the supreme Bliss is far greater than the highest one listed below – that same supreme bliss that the jivatma can aspire to achieve and as laid our in the meaning of Sayujya Moksham above

 

In English roughly it is as below:

 The Exponential Scale of Bliss

The text defines the standard unit of maximum human happiness (Manusha Ananda) as a young man who is good, highly educated, strong, disciplined, ambitious, and possesses the wealth of the entire earth.

The calculus unfolds as follows:

·         1 Unit = Maximum Human Bliss (Manusha Ananda)

·         10² (100 times) = Bliss of human Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

·         10⁴ (10,000 times) = Bliss of divine Gandharvas

·         10⁶ (1 Million times) = Bliss of the Manes (Ancestors / Pitrus in their long-lasting worlds)

·         10⁸ (100 Million times) = Bliss of Devas born in heaven (Ajanaja Devas)

·         10¹⁰ (10 Billion times) = Bliss of sacrificial gods (Karma Devas)

·         10¹² (1 Trillion times) = Bliss of the main Office-bearer Devas (like Agni, Varuna)

·         10¹⁴ (100 Trillion times) = Bliss of Indra (King of Devas)

·         10¹⁶ (10 Quadrillion times) = Bliss of Brihaspati (Guru of Devas)

·         10¹⁸ (1 Quintillion times) = Bliss of Prajapati / Virat (the cosmic physical manifestation)

·         10²⁰ (100 Quintillion times) = Bliss of Brahma / Hiranyagarbha (the cosmic creator)

The text repeatedly adds a crucial phrase at every single level: "...shrotriyasya ca akamahatasya"—this exact same measure of bliss is naturally enjoyed by a seer of the Vedas who is untainted by desire.

 

The Tamil Alwars marvel at this exact concept of Brahmananda Vicharam—expressing absolute wonder at how the infinite Lord can condense His immeasurable, multi-tiered bliss into the heart of a simple devotee.

1. Tiruvaimozhi (8.8.2) – Nammazhwar

Nammazhwar captures the essence of this calculation when he reflects on the sheer volume of bliss he receives through devotion:

"Aadiyan jothi ennaiyaaludaiyan... Ennakku aarvamadhurukkinra amudhai..."

·         Meaning: "The primordial light and my Lord has poured an ocean of nectar into me." Nammazhwar explains that the bliss of experiencing the Divine completely overflows his individual capacity, proving that the highest unit of spiritual joy belongs to the unconditional lover of God, far outranking the pleasures of Indra or Brahma.

2. Periyalwar Tirumozhi (5.4.9) – Periyalwar

Periyalwar matches the mathematical awe of the Vicharam by explicitly stating that worldly and celestial titles are utterly worthless compared to divine communion:

"Indhiran logadhodu pirammaathan padhaviyum...andharathil vazhvu venden..."

·         Meaning: "I do not desire the kingdom of Indra, nor do I want the status of Brahma, or any high position in the sky." Periyalwar bypasses the entire Upanishadic ladder of cosmic pleasure, asserting that the ultimate tier of bliss is already found inside the simple act of serving the Lord.

 yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha ānandaṃ brahmaṇo vidvān na bibheti kutaścana

Ramanujacharya interprets it through the lens of infinite, immeasurable glory.

·         Infinite Excellence, Not Emptiness: Ramanuja states that speech and mind return from Brahman not because He has no attributes, but because His divine qualities, auspicious attributes (Kalyana Gunas), and cosmic bliss (Ananda) are boundless and limitless

·         The "Ocean" Analogy: A person cannot measure the depth of an entire ocean, but that does not mean the ocean does not exist. Similarly, language and human intellect exhaust themselves trying to count or fully grasp His infinite majesty, eventually turning back overwhelmed by its scale.

·         The Nature of Bliss: Ramanuja emphasizes that the Ananda (bliss) of Brahman is a real, qualitative experience meant for the individual soul (Jivatma) to relish through love and devotion (Bhakti)

1. Tiruvaimozhi (1.1.1) – Nammazhwar

The very first verse of Tiruvaimozhi begins with an identical realization:

"Uyarvara uyar nalam udaiyavan yavan avan..."

·         Meaning: "He who possesses supreme, peerless, and unsurpassable auspicious virtues..." Nammazhwar starts by stating that the Lord's excellence is so high that nothing can excel or fully capture it, directly mirroring the concept of a reality that stretches beyond human imagination.

2. Tiruvaimozhi (3.4.6) – The Mind "Turning Back"

Nammazhwar explicitly describes the failure of his senses, mind, and words to grasp the Lord:

"Manamum pesalum aahadhanai..."

·         Meaning: "He who cannot be reached or framed by the thinking mind or by spoken words." Here, Nammazhwar literally translates the essence of "aprapya manasa saha" (unable to be reached by the mind) into pure devotional Tamil.

3. Periyalwar Tirumozhi (5.3.4) – Periyalwar

Periyalwar similarly expresses the overwhelming nature of attempting to count the Lord's glories:

"Unniya nin perum seergal ulagellaam uru uruvil, ennalum thogai azhiyandhu..."

·         Meaning: "If one attempts to count Your infinite qualities and glories, time itself will run out, numbers will fail, and the effort will dissolve."

·          

The Synthesis

For Ramanujacharya and the Alwars, the fact that speech turns back is not a limitation—it is a cause for celebration. The inability to fully describe God is what fuels eternal devotion, love, and wonder (Aacharya).