Manickavachagar in his Thiruvachagam describes his state when he is the recipient of Lord Siva’s grace, said K. Sambandan in a discourse.
Manickavachagar says he cannot describe his joy at having been blessed by the Lord. He says he does not know how to describe the ecstatic feeling he has on account of this. A similar sentiment is expressed by Saint Appar in one of his verses.
The religious evolution of a lady who is a devotee of Lord Siva is described by Appar. The lady first heard His name. She then heard about His qualities. She heard about His abode. She became mad about Him. She forgot her mother and her father. She left behind everything; she forgot herself; she forgot her name. She surrendered at His feet.
There are many steps in our progress towards Him. We must have equanimity of temper and should not be swayed either by misfortunes or happy occurrences. We must be indifferent to all experiences. Once we develop this temperament, the ego retreats. His grace then comes to us, and moksha is the result. The very first hurdle is acquiring control over our emotions. To have such control, we must listen to spiritual advice given by a guru. Then we must think about what he has taught us. Once we acquire clarity of thought, the next step is to meditate. In course of time, this meditation will lead us to His feet and to liberation.
The lady who, because of her devotion, forgets even her name, is a classic example of all that a devotee becomes when he has developed a love for God. Such a devotee becomes uninterested in anything else. The ego is conquered; preoccupation with worldly ties is vanquished and the atma looks towards the Supreme Truth.
