Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #1 - Let me always Sing your Glory! (Aadum Pari)

ஆடும் பரி, வேல், அணிசேவல் எனப்
பாடும் பணியே பணியா அருள்வாய்
தேடும் கயமா முகனைச் செருவில்
சாடும் தனி யானைச் சகோதரனே. (1) 

aadum pari, vel, ani seval ena
paadum paniye paniya arulvai
thedum kayama muganai cheruvil
saadum thani yaanai sagotharane  (1)

ஆடும் பரி - Dancing Peacock
வேல் - Spear
அணிசேவல் - Handsome Rooster
எனப் - about
பாடும் பணியே - Singing Service
பணியா - As my Duty
அருள்வாய் - Grace me
தேடும் - Searching
கயமா முகனைச் - (Asura) Kaya Ma Mukan
செருவில் - In war
சாடும் - Defeat
தனி யானைச் - A single elephant
சகோதரனே - Brother

Short Meaning
Oh Brother of Ganesha (who defeated the evil asura Kayamamukan single handedly), Grace me with the duty of singing about your Dancing Peacock, Spear and Beautiful Rooster. 

Gloss

By this time, you must have figured out the Genius of Sri Arunagiri Nathar, and how he uses the language. he uses a technique of alliteration called Edugai in Tamil. The second syllable of all the 52 verses are same. He not only exposes himself as a poet of great erudition, but also that it was the Divine that was singings Its own Glory. 

In verse #1, Sri Arunagiri places His request to Lord Subrahmanya - Grace me with the Duty of always singing about you! He indirectly places this request by saying, Let me always sing about three things (that always reminds anyone about Lord Murugan)

1. ஆடும் பரி (aadum pari)

2. வேல் (vel)

3. அணி சேவல் (ani seval)

(1) Peacock is one of the most magnificent birds in the world. It is even more enchanting to watch it dance. In Tamil Nadu (not in the latest generation), but people in 30s and older would remember that we used to remember Murugan whenever we see a rooster or a peacock, it was mandatory to gently tap the cheeks and say 'Muruga'. 

I am reminded of my Late Aunt Sri Meenakshi (affectionately called Meena Periamma) who was a devotee of Lord Muruga. When she went to Sri Ramana Ashram,  she used to prostrate saying 'Murugaaa' whenever she saw a peacock. The issue was there were 10s of peacocks there and she, with her severe arthritis used to prostrate every time she saw a peacock! Her sons later had to persuade her not to do that because of her failing health and severe knee pain. That's how much people remember (or used to remember) Murugan in Tamil Nadu. 

Murugan's peacock is no ordinary one! There is an entire poem written by none other than Sri Arunagiri on it (called Mayil Viruttam) - Murugan alights on his peacock and rushes to the aide of His devotees in trouble. (we can see more in verse #10 about that). Peacock is also called 'Neela Greeva' meaning Blue Necked. It is interesting to note that Lord Shiva, Lord Murugan's father is also called 'Neela Greeva' 

neela greevaya'cha shitikantaya'cha (Sri Rudram)

(2) Vel (Spear) is Knowledge. Not the ordinary knowledge, but the One which removes the veil of Maya and shows the Ultimate Reality is One. (Ekam'eva Advitiyam - There is Only One, and it is Undivided)

Sri Arunagiri, the Master of Adjectives, probably felt, that Knowledge exists on its own, and did not want to add adjectives as he added to the rooster and peacock. 

The Vel can be worshipped as is. There is no difference between Vel and Murugan, though it appears as He holds the Spear. The Spear is nothing but Knowledge, arising from Shakti (Supreme Goddess). It was this Spear which split the most evil of Asuras Sri Surapadman. In the climax of the fight, Surapadman stood as a tree of steel which couldn't be fell. Finally, Lord Murugan used His Spear to split this Tree into two, which was converted to the Rooster and the Peacock. Both became aides of Sri Subrahmanya. Indirectly, it was the Spear which got the other two. 

In Tamil Nadu, we say 'Etti po pagaiye, thulli varuguthu vel' - 'Oh Obstacles, go far away from me. Don't you see the Vel rushing to help me?'

Also, "Vel'undu bayam illai" - Vel is there to protect us! I have no fear!

(3) The rooster is also essential part of Lord Murugan's worship. The rooster is handsome and it finds place in Murugan's flag. 

Sri Arunagiri always wants to be lost in the thought of Lord Murugan. He indirectly says, he wants to sing the praise of all these three icons which are representative of the Lord. 

There were coins dating back 200 BC in both North and South India bearing the image of Murugan, Spear and Rooster / Peacock:

பாடும் பணியே பணியா அருள்வாய்

Sri Arunagiri asks, let him be Graced (அருள்வாய்)  the ONLY Duty (பணியே) of singing about the  three

தேடும் கயமா முகனைச்

In tamil, the syllable 'ja' is not used. So, the Asura who was elephant faced (gaja ma mukan in Sanskrit, became kaya ma mukan in Tamil). This Asura was immensely powerful and hunting (தேடும்) down all the Devas. 

செருவில் சாடும் தனி யானைச் 

So, to stop him, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati both focussed their view on a room which had seven crore mantras inscribed in it. From their unified vision, jumped Sri Ganesha, the elephant faced Lord. செருவில் means 'in war' 

Lord Ganesha used many weapons on the Asura, in vain. Finally, He broke one of His tusks and threw it at the Asura. The Tusk of Sri Ganesha was nothing but Knowledge (Gnanam). So, the Asura was vanquished and was converted into a type of rat on whom Lord Ganesha rides. We can see that the Divine Brothers actually converted their biggest enemies into their aides. சாடும் means vanquished தனி யானைச் represents Ganesha as an Elephant and how He single handedly won over the foe. 

சகோதரனே -> Brother

So, Lord Murugan is the Brother of Lord Ganesha who single handedly defeated the asura Kayamamukan. 

And, I assure you I have seen much more complicated adjectives used (for e.g., Arunagiri goes to multiple levels of adjectives in Thiruppugazh 'Arivilap-pitthar' - Will discuss that some other time! )

Let us also pray to Lord Subrahmanya with this verse that let us always Remember Him! Let Murugan be the constant one in our thoughts. All our efforts will indeed fetch success.