Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #5 - Path to overcome the Veil of Maya (Maga Mayai Kalainthida)

மக மாயை களைந்திட வல்ல பிரான்
முகம் ஆறும் மொழிந் தொழிந்திலனே
அகம் மாடை, மடந்தையர் என்(று) அயரும்
சகமாயையுள் நின்று தயங்குவதே. (5)

Maga Mayai kalainthida valla Piran
Mugam Aarum Mozhinthu Ozhinthilane
Agam Madai Madanthaiyar endru ayarum
Jaga Mayaiyul Nindru Thayanguvathe (5)


மக மாயை - The Great Maya (Veil of Delusion)
களைந்திட - To remove
வல்ல  - Able (Having the Ability)
பிரான் - Lord 
முகம் ஆறும் - Faces Six
மொழிந்து - Say
ஒழிந்து இலனே - (Maya) Is not Vanquished
அகம் - House (properties)
மாடு - Wealth
மடந்தையர் - Women
என்(று) அயரும் - Tiring
சகமாயையுள் - In Maya
நின்று தயங்குவதே - (mind) Stays

Short Meaning
I seek refuge in chanting the name of the Six Faced Lord - Why hasn't the powerful veil of Maya been removed? My mind takes refuge in House, Wealth and Women which is indeed Maya. 

Gloss

Vedas declare - 'Ekam Eva Advitiyam' i.e., There is Only One, and it is Undivided. However, in our life we see so many things around us - Living and Inert. This is the Greatest Delusion of all, and is rightly called Maya (the delusion)

We have to understand that this delusion is one of the Acts of God(dess) too. We usually associate three acts to God:

1. Creation (Brahma)

2. Maintenance (Vishnu)

3. Destruction (Rudra)

This concept has become quite famous across the world, and is called the Holy Trinity. Even many science and management Texts have some reference to this. 

But, in broad, there are Five major acts - Lalitha Sahasranamam captures this beautifully:

Srushti kartri - Brahma rupa (She Creates - She is in the Form of Brahma )

Goptri - Govinda Rupini (She Protects / Sustains - She is in the Form of Govinda)

Samharini - Rudrarupa (She destroys (all Forms) - She is in the Form of Rudra)

Tirodanagari-Ishwari (She Obfuscates the Reality - She in in the Form of Ishwara)

Sadashiva - Anugrahata (She showers Grace - In the form of SadaShiva)

Pancha-Krutya-Parayana (She thus, does all 5 Acts)

The first three acts are well known - Let us look at acts 4 and 5

(4) Obfuscation (Tirodanagaram) - Everyone knows that they are going to die. What makes people run around and do things? Why aren't people so demotivated that all this will pass and they'll die? The secret lies in this aspect of God. This delusion makes us believe that there are things that are to be pursued (apart from God) and they bring joy to us. This is achieved by two ways - 

• Vikshepam : One appears as another. In Vedic texts, there is a common example of people getting scared of a rope as snake. Once they know that it is just a rope, it is impossible for us to be scared of it again
• Avaranam : The reality is hidden by a screen / veil

This is one of the greatest secrets - The God Himself creates this delusion so that the drama continues

(5) Grace (Anugraham) - A soul which continuously searches for happiness in the external world, due to the previous act after sometime figures out that whatever it does, acquires, the happiness is soon replaced by sorrow. Nothing in this external world has the capability to give eternal happiness. On repeated search and failure, the soul finally is depressed and wonders if all of this is real at all. At that moment, it cries out for help. A Guru appears by the Greatest Grace (Anugraham) and then the reality is revealed - The Grand Truth of Unity is known to the soul, and the Soul, not different from the Supreme, merges after losing its separate identity. 

The whole process can be split into two. The effort of the Soul to reach God, and the Descent of Grace. This is usually represented by the Six Faced Subrahmanya Chakra

The upward facing triangle, symbolizes the Ascent of Spirit. When the Spirit realizes that there is no more effort possible, and finaly surrenders, the Descent of Grace happens, and then in the complete equilibrium, we have the Subrahmanya Chakra (also called Star of David). 

மக மாயை களைந்திட வல்ல பிரான் - In this verse, Sri Arunagiri calls as the Lord who has the ability to bestow Grace and remove the Maya. 

முகம் ஆறும் மொழிந் தொழிந்திலனே - He then says that He has been repeating the name of the Six Faced Lord - Still, the veil of Maya has not been removed (which for the devotee symbolizes that the ascent of spirit is not complete)

அகம் மாடை, மடந்தையர் என்(று)  - The mind, instead of turning towards God (inward), is still being drawn out to external desires like property, wealth and women. As explained in the last verse, this is not specifically against women, but generally indicates the feeling of lust, which comes out this way from the perspective of Sri Arunagiri

அயரும் - Tiring. As mentioned before, all our external quests are tiring, and do not bring lasting happiness. 

சகமாயையுள் நின்று தயங்குவதே - Sri Arunagiri complains that why does my mind get stuck in this Worldly Maya (Jaga Mayai)?

Let us also invoke the name of the Lord Murugan, till the veil of Delusion is removed, and we unite with the Supreme Lord, of Six Faces. 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #4 - When will I be let off the leash of bonds? (Valai patta)

வளைபட்ட கைம் மாதொடு, மக்கள் எனும்
தளைபட்டு அழியத் தகுமோ? தகுமோ?
கிளைபட்டு எழு சூர் உரமும், கிரியும்,
தொளைபட்டு உருவத் தொடு வேலவனே. (4)

valai patta kai madhodu makkal enum

thalai pattu azhiya thagumo? thagumo?

kilai pattu ezhu soor uramum giriyum

tholai pattu uruva thodu velavane (4)

வளை - Bangle (bracelet)

பட்ட - Adorning

கை - Hand

மாதொடு - Lady (and)

மக்கள் - kids and relations

எனும் - so called

தளைபட்டு - bound by leash

அழியத் - To be ruined

தகுமோ? தகுமோ? - Is it ok? Is it ok?

கிளைபட்டு - With all the relations

எழு - arose

சூர் - Surapadman

உரமும் - chest

கிரியும் - Hill

தொளைபட்டு உருவத் - Pierced

தொடு - Threw / Launched

வேலவனே - God with Spear

Short Meaning

Oh Lord of Spear, who pierced the strong chest and hill of the mighty Surapadman! Is it ok that I be leashed by bonds with women (adorned with bangles in their hands) and kids and relatives and be ruined? 

Gloss

I am not exactly known for my brevity, but, it is quite possible to be misled by the direct meaning of this verse. So, request you to please go over the extended gloss of this verse in patience. (since the theme will repeat few times more in the further verses)

Humans - men and women are totally self sufficient, because their souls is no different from the Super Soul, Shiva. This observation is true only if people look inward. 

Due to the force of Maya, men and women are both drawn outward to the world in mind, and hence there is a constant feeling of insufficiency. At the beginning was the Sound (Nada) and from the Divine Will arose the Mighty Universe, beginning with a point (Bindu). The point first separated into two (kala - the act of splitting). This Holy couple is usually referred to as Shiva / Parvati or the Yin and Yang or Purusha and Prakriti and so on - A male aspect and a female aspect. [Please remember the Thiruppugazh which praises Murugan as Nada Bindhu Kala'di Namo Namo - One Who is earlier to the Nada (Sound), Bindhu (Point), Kala (Separation)]

The act of separation creates a longing to reunite, and this longing is evident in all species. Just that, the feeling of completeness cannot be sought outside. The feeling can be overcome only by uniting Shakti and Shiva within each of our self. In Tantra, this is expressed as Kundalini in the Mooladhara Chakra (at the base of the Spine) awakened and uniting with Shiva in Sahasrara Chakra (Thousand Petalled Lotus) at the top of the head. But, this feeling, when externalized, makes people seek the opposite gender and is fundamental because the split is Primal. 

Sri Arunagiri, before he got realized was also severely bound by lust and sought company of women that he spent all his wealth in this pursuit (also evident in Kumarakottam Thiruppugazh - 'Arivilappithar'). This makes Sri Arunagiri sing against this in most his verses. This should NOT be interpreted as Sri Arunagiri is against women. He feels Lord Murugan's Grace which led him not to seek completeness outside, but inside. So, based on his experience in his body before realization, he sings out against cautioning people not be bound by lust. The warning is equal for both men and women.  However, while he expresses this, it comes out as warning against women (because of his perspective)

வளைபட்ட கைம் மாதொடு - Sri Arunagiri wants a life which is not binding. According to Hindu Philopsophy, all bonds are leashes - It doesn't matter if a leash is made of steel or of Gold. Both bind the person down. Similarly, Sri Arunagiri wants to transcend being bound by lust of women (who decorate their hands by wearing bangles) and kids (மக்கள்). This doesn't mean Sri Arunagiri is against concept of family. This concept is essential for people to mature and grow together. At the same time, pure love is non-binding. If it is not pure love, it causes envy, jealousy, doubt and a myriad negative feelings which are not liberating. So, the person has to be born again and again till he transcends it. For a person who has transcended this, does not require structures like family to evolve. So, Sri Arunagiri wants be unbound, and not be leashed into bonds. 

தளைபட்டு அழியத்  - Sri Arunagiri is quite strict when it comes to describing the act of being bound. He says, is it ok to be leashed and ruined? (or destroyed)

தகுமோ? தகுமோ? - He questions the Lord if it is ok? The question is rhetorical. He emphasizes is anguish by asking Lord Murugan if it is ok for him to be bound and ruined? 

கிளைபட்டு எழு சூர்  - When the evil overlord Sri Surapadman waged war with Lord Subrahmanya, he came to the war with all his relatives (கிளை) - The word கிளை means branches. In this context, the branches indicate 'family'. 

உரமும் - The chest is symbolic of strength. Lord Murugan pierced the Chest of Asura Surapadman.

கிரியும் - One of the brothers of Surapadman, Tarakan (or Tarakasuran) stood in the way of Lord Murugan and His army as a mountain. Lord Murugan pierced and destroyed this mountain too. (தொளைபட்டு உருவத்)

தொடு - The word means 'To launch' - When the evil Asuras came in various forms, Lord Murugan launched His Spear which is nothing but pure Knowledge (Gnana) and destroyed them. 

வேலவனே - Since Sri Arunagiri invokes the Lord with the imagery of Him destroying evil with his Spear (vel), he calls the Lord as Velavan (One Who Holds the Spear)

As mentioned earlier, the Spear is Great Goddess Parvati and Her power (Shakti) - So, there is nothing in the known / unknown Universe that can overcome it. People invoke Lord by shouting 'Vel Vel Muruga, Vetrivel Muruga'

With this verse, we should pray to Lord Murugan as Lord Velavan, Who will not let us be bound, and grant us the final liberation and Unite with Him.