The Saint-Scientist Vallalar has a precise answer for what you came here for, which is how to stop suffering in life.
If you are asking this question, the pain is not a theory. It is a weight in your chest, a color that drains the world of its light. You may feel completely alone in it, and no amount of good advice seems to make it any lighter. Vallalar knew this state intimately. While many traditions offer explanations for suffering, Vallalar offered a practical path for the moment it becomes unbearable.
To understand his method, we need to look at the man who lived it.
The Life and Teachings of Vallalar
Ramalinga Swamigal, known as Vallalar, was a 19th-century Tamil mystic whose collected writings, the Thiru Arutpa, remain one of the most extraordinary spiritual records ever produced. His life was filled with remarkable feats β though he dismissed anything supernatural, insisting that everything he did was a science. He established a center for feeding the poor that has operated without interruption for over 150 years, serving food to anyone who arrives, at any time of day. On January 30, 1874, accounts from those present record that he locked himself in a room in Mettukuppam and was never seen again β his body never found. This event is documented by government records and by British Collector John Henry Garstin.
An Anchor When the Mind Is Chaos
Emotional pain and grief are among the most isolating experiences a person can have. In the acute moment, the mind can feel like a storm of racing thoughts, memories, and fears. Understanding the βwhyβ of suffering is impossible when you are caught in the middle of it.
Vallalarβs practical teaching begins not with explanation but with one act: the Maha-mantra. He offered this as an anchor for the mind when everything else is chaos. It is a tool to hold onto, a sound that gives the mind a single, steady point of focus. The practice is not about believing anything; it is about doing something.
By reciting the mantra, you give your attention a job. Instead of circling the pain, it follows the sound. The mantra is:
AruαΉ Perum JΕti β AruαΉ Perum JΕti β TaαΉi Perum KaruαΉai β AruαΉ Perum JΕti
The translation is:
The Vast Grace-Light. The Vast Grace-Light. The Incomparable Great Compassion. The Vast Grace-Light.
Repeating these words, even mechanically at first, begins to create a space between you and the overwhelming feeling. It does not erase the pain, but it stops it from being the only thing in your world.
Why Your Plate Is the First Step in How to Stop Suffering in Life
Vallalarβs path to ending suffering was grounded in the physical. He taught that the body and mind are deeply connected, and what we consume directly impacts our mental and emotional state. His core principle here is Jeeva Karunyam, or active compassion toward all living beings.
He taught that when we eat meat or any food derived from an animalβs fear and pain, we absorb that same vibration into our own system. This isnβt a moral judgment, but a statement of cause and effect. A body filled with the subtle frequencies of suffering cannot easily find peace. It becomes an agitated vessel, magnifying its own grief and anxiety.
According to his dietary guide, the Nithya Karma Vidhi, a clean diet free from the suffering of other beings is the foundation for a calm mind. A plant-based diet, centered on foods that are sattvic (pure and light), naturally reduces the bodyβs internal static. This physical clarity makes it easier to work with difficult emotions instead of being drowned by them. You are not adding another beingβs trauma to your own.
The Unexpected Power of Serving Another in Your Own Pain
When we are in pain, the natural instinct is to withdraw, to curl inward and protect ourselves. Vallalar taught the opposite. He showed that the most direct path through personal grief is compassionate service toward another living being.
This is the active expression of Jeeva Karunyam. The act of feeding a hungry person, offering water to a thirsty animal, or simply easing anotherβs burden moves your energy outward. It breaks the powerful, self-referential loop of suffering, where pain feeds on itself. The action does not deny your own experience, but it proves that even within that pain, you can still be a source of grace for another.
Imagine feeling heavy with grief, yet you step outside to fill a small bowl of water for the birds. In that simple, selfless moment, the focus shifts. The internal noise quiets for just a minute as you watch a living creature receive your care. Vallalar taught that these small, consistent acts are the foundation for lasting peace, creating a real connection to the world at the very moment you feel most disconnected from it.
One Simple Act to Do Before This Day Ends
Vallalarβs path does not require you to understand your suffering before you can begin to heal from it. It asks only that you act. Today, before you do anything else, try this one small thing.
Spend five minutes reciting the Maha-mantra: AruαΉ Perum JΕti β AruαΉ Perum JΕti β TaαΉi Perum KaruαΉai β AruαΉ Perum JΕti.
But do not do it for yourself. As you say the words, bring to mind one other person you know who is in pain. Direct the feeling of the sound toward them. This simple act combines the anchor of the mantra with the outward motion of compassion. It is the first step on a path that leads out of the storm.
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