Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #19 - Problems of Poverty

வடிவும் தனமும் மனமும் குணமும்
குடியும் குலமும் குடிபோ கியவா
அடி அந்தம் இலா அயில் வேல் அரசே
மிடி என்று ஒரு பாவி வெளிப்படினே (19) 


vadivum dhanamum manamum gunamum
kudiyum kulamum kudipogiyava
adi antham ila ayil vel arase
midi endru oru paavi velippadine (19)

வடிவும் - Physical Beauty
தனமும்  - Prosperity
மனமும் - Good thoughts
குணமும் - Good character
குடியும் - Good lineage
குலமும் - Good race
குடிபோகியவா - Are all lost
அடி - Beginning
அந்தம்  - End
இலா  - Without 
அயில் வேல் - Sharp Spear
அரசே - Lord
மிடி - Poverty
என்று  - so
ஒரு - one
பாவி  - evil / sin
வெளிப்படினே - arrives

Short Meaning
Oh Lord Murugan, One without a beginning or an end, and One who wields a sharp spear! All qualities like physical beauty, prosperity, good thoughts, character, lineage and race are lost if the evil of poverty strikes



Gloss

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri Nathar talks about poverty. This verse needs to be reflected upon based on the personal life history of the poet. 

Sri Arunagiri came from a rich family, but squandered away his wealth in evil / a-dharmic ways. When he became poor, he lost it all, and fell even deeper in bad habits.

In this verse, he says, due to poverty, one loses physical beauty, prosperity, good thoughts, character, lineage and race

In this worse, he wonders how one evil like poverty can destroy so many good attributes and addresses his wonder to Lord Murugan. 

In this verse, he again refers to Murugan as 

1. அடி அந்தம் இலா - One without beginning or end

This term also has a reference in the previous verse, where, Lord Shiva appeared as a pillar without beginning or end. 

Beginning or end are concepts only at the level of mind. Human mind is within the realm of time, and hence wonders 'Who came first?' - Mind cannot understand that time is cyclical - It is as futile as asking where does the circle begin and end?

Lord is the basis from which the entire concept of time develops - Lord is beyond the notion of time, and hence doesn't have concepts like beginning / end

2. அயில் வேல் அரசே - Lord who wields a sharp spear

Murugan's spear is pure Jnana (knowledge). It cuts through darkness of ignorance and provides enlightenment to devotees. 

For the spear to cut through thick ignorance, it needs to be sharp. So, Sri Arunagiri calls the Lord as the One who holds a sharp spear.