Prostrations, Adorations and Salutations to the Supreme Being, the Almighty Lord Skanda, Sadgurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and Saint Arunagirinathar. This treatise is offered at their Holy Feet as a humble service of love and gratitude for all the inspiration they have been giving me always. But for their guidance from within, this work would not have been possible at all. All glory to them! May their blessings guide us to reach the Goal in this birth itself, is my prayer.

Lord Skanda shines in a Self-absorbed state, in the small temple dedicated to Him in the Bhajan Hall of the Sivananda Ashram. Pilgrims and devotees, seekers and aspirants, poets and philosophers, saints and sages, Indians and foreigners constantly visit this holy Ashram of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, for various purposes --- for simple Darshana, for spiritual solace, for learning Yoga and Vedanta, to study Indian culture and religion, etc. When they visit the Bhajan Hall and see the idol of Lord Skanda, they become curious to know who this Lord is.

In one of his Thiruppugazh songs, Saint Arunagirinathar says in one line, "Koorum Adiyaargal Vinai Thiirkkum Mugam Onru" --- "One of the (six) faces (of Lord Skanda or Shanmukha) destroys the Karmas of those devotees who sing His praises." An idea, therefore, came to my mind that I should write about the glory of Skanda. The Divine Life Society runs an English monthly entitled, "The Divine Life." The best way to fulfill the above purpose, I thought, would be to contribute some articles about Lord Skanda in that journal. But where is the material!

I have been and am doing daily Parayanam (devout recitation) of the Tamil work Kandar Anubhuti of Saint Arunagirinathar since some years, though without knowing the meaning of the verses fully. Yet the hidden power of the work is such that it gave and continues to give me inner solace. It is a treatise of 51 verses. During the course of the recitation of the Kandar Anubhuti, I found that the verses contain deep spiritual import, much more than what apparently appears on their surface.

During those years (Nineteen sixties and seventies), I and other resident Sadhakas, Sannyasins, and visitors had the rare privilege of listening to the highly illuminating, thoroughly rational and searching expositions of Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj on Vedantic scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, etc. Listening to his lectures and the daily recitation of the Kandar Anubhuti revealed to me the fact that the verses of the Kandar Anubhuti contain the deep secrets of the Upanishads and other scriptures which were so impressively expounded by the Swamiji. I, therefore, thought that the best and easy way in which I can sing the glory of Lord Skanda is to try to write a commentary on Saint Arunagirinathar's "Kandar Anubhuti" in which I can bring out the Upanishadic teachings which it contains and at the same time expound

the Avatara, Lilas, and glory of Lord Skanda, wherever possible, as there is reference to the different aspects of the Lord and His achievements in most of the verses. Thus, did I choose to render the Kandar Anubhuti into English and serialize it in the Society's monthly journal.

But, not having enough knowledge of the scriptures either of the Tamil or Sanskrit language, and also the attempt being maiden, I was a bit diffident about the venture. Hence, before starting the serialization, I first translated all the verses with a short commentary for each verse and thus prepared the whole manuscript. Then I approached and made a request to Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj --- whose ideas it is that are mostly made use of in the explanation of the verses --- who was also the Editor of the journal, to kindly go through my articles and correct them suitably, to which he readily agreed and which he did with great care and patience even in the midst of his multifarious activities. I am immensely indebted to Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj for all this kindness as also for the clarifications and guidance he gave whenever I sought his help. Thus, the serialization, with the title 'God-Experience', started in the March 1969 Issue of the Society's monthly journal, "The Divine Life", and was completed in the September, 1971, Issue of the journal. In 1972, it was published as a book, under the title "Kandar Anubhuti", by the Divine Life Society. This is the simple way in which the book, the "Kandar Anubhuti," had its birth. But Divine Will seems to have been different, with a purpose altogether different from that of mine.

Saint Arunagirinathar's Kandar Anubhuti is held in high esteem both by scholars as well as devotees as each verse is very deep and touching the different layers of one's personality. But, the verses appear to be so unconnected with one another that the work has been regarded by many as a collection of verses independently sung by the Saint at different times, and not as a treatise given with a purpose. Hence, I also wrote my commentary, based on the other authors, treating every verse as independent.

However, in the course of translation of the verses and expounding them, I could see a kind of vague link of ideas between certain verses on their very surface in a few places, for instance, in verses 12 and 13; in 28 and 29; in 33, 34, and 35; in 42, 43, and 44; between 39 and 43, and 2 and 43; etc. This led me to think seriously that there should be a complete link of ideas running through all the verses from the beginning to the end, like a golden thread. Especially, as the Title 'Kandar Anubhuti' (God-Experience) suggests, the purpose of the Saint's giving the work is to help seekers attain that God-Experience, I strongly felt that there must be some inner link between the verses so as to provide the needed guidance to the seeker in his attainment. And if it is not apparently visible on the surface, it should be hidden as the esoteric meaning. Though this feeling was very strong in me, I failed to arrive at any definite line of thought. Yet something was working in me in a subconscious way telling me that there is a grand purpose behind this unique work. The conviction that there must be a link of ideas between the verses was unerasable and it continued to work in a subtle way even in the midst of the daily activities. And during my lonely evening walks, in the

jungle path of the Himalayas behind the Ashram, this gained an upper hand and I could not help pondering over this deeply, when the esoteric meaning behind the verses used to flash in my mind, though in a hazy manner. Hence, in that book "Kandar Anubhuti" published in 1972*3, though I explained each verse as independent (like all other authors), I also gave the esoteric significance at the end of each verse within [ ] to serve as a guide to Sadhakas, as I could no longer regard the verses as totally unconnected and independent, but only as a definite link in the chain of esoteric significance. In the Preface of that book I had also written: "Sometimes I even used to think that I should write another book interpreting and explaining the verses purely from the point of view of their esoteric significance, i.e., an exclusive commentary treating each verse as only a link in the chain of esoteric significance, from a Sadhaka's point of view, -- (providing him with the needed guidance from the beginning of Sadhana, helping him overcome the obstacles that present themselves at different stages of his Sadhana and finally attaining that grand Goal of God-Experience)." Such was my conviction regarding the work 'Kandar Anubhuti', which has eventually taken the shape of this book "The Esoteric Kandar Anubhuti". It was all purely the grace of Gurudev Swami Sivananda and Lord Skanda that guided me throughout. They did not allow me to rest satisfied until the Divine plan is fulfilled.

While trying to understand the esoteric meaning of the verses, we would do well to remember that the Kandar Anubhuti was given by Arunagirinathar placing himself in the position of a Sadhaka. Hence, for the time being, one should forget that the verses refer to Arunagirinathar himself, but feel that a Sadhaka, rather oneself, sings the verses. This will enable one to catch the spirit of the esoteric meaning.

My efforts would be amply rewarded even if one seeker is helped a bit in his onward march to the Goal. Of course, it goes without saying that I have derived the greatest benefit in writing this commentary, as many great truths and secrets have been revealed to me in the course of my effort at this task.

Each verse is rendered in the following manner:

a) First, the original Tamil verse. (The breaking of the words has been done not so much according to grammar but keeping in view the purpose --- of easy reading and utility; and easy understanding even while reading.)

b) Second, a transliteration of the Tamil verse in Roman character. Diacritical marks not being available and due to the peculiar pronunciation-characteristics of the Tamil letters, no uniformity could be maintained in the transliteration.

c) Third, the original Tamil verses being of four lines, a free-style translation in verse-form is given next --- the translation being line-by-line as much as possible and permissible, and as close to the original as could be.

d) Fourth, a translation (meaning) of the verse in prose --- the translation being as far as possible literal and wherever necessary words being given within brackets to make the sense complete, without losing the spirit of the verse.

e) Fifth and last, a detailed commentary on the verse, from the esoteric point of view showing its connection with the previous verse(s). (A rational approach based on Vedantic lines is attempted in explaining the verses).

Anecdotes, stories, and references from the Skanda Puranam are drawn as much as possible in the course of explanation of the different Names and Deeds of the Lord, referred to in the verse.

I am immensely thankful to The Divine Life Society for granting me permission to include excerpts from my book 'Kandar Anubhuti' published by the Society, in this book "The Esoteric Kandar Anubhuti".

May the Grace of Lord Skanda illumine our path and crown our endeavours with success, is my honest prayer.

Sivananda Ashram, 11th December, 2016.N.V. Karthikeyan