Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #24 - Blinded by lust, will I ever be able to receive your Grace? (koorvel vizhi)

கூர்வேல் விழி மங்கையர் கொங்கையிலே
சேர்வேன், அருள் சேரவும் எண்ணுமதோ
சூர் வேரொடு குன்று தொளைத்த நெடும்
போர் வேல, புரந்தர பூபதியே (24)


koor-vel vizhi mangaiyar kongaile
sErven arul seravum ennumadho?
soor vErodu kundru tholaitha nedum
pOr vela purandhara bhoopathiye (24)

கூர்வேல் - Sharp spear
விழி - eyes
மங்கையர்  - women
கொங்கையிலே - bosom
சேர்வேன் - unite 
அருள் சேரவும் - To receive Grace
எண்ணுமதோ - Is it possible to think?
சூர் - Asura Surapadman
வேரொடு- From the roots
குன்று - Peak
தொளைத்த - Penetrate
நெடும் போர்- long war
வேல - has spear
புரந்தர  - Indra
பூபதியே - Lord


Short Meaning
I am drowned in lust for women with sharp eyes - How can a person like me even think of receiving your Grace? Oh Lord Murugan, the Lord of the world of Indra, You destroyed the entire clan evil asura Surapadman and pierced the range of seven mountains surrounding his empire with your sharp spear, which is equipped to fight long wars! 

Gloss

Sri Arunagiri Nathar, in this verse asks Lord Murugan that He is overwhelmed by lust and is distraught that how can he meditate on the Lord when his mind is preoccupied? He beseeches Lord Murugan that He could completely destroy Surapadman and his clan with his Spear. He indirectly requests Lord to destroy his lust as well, which is also a formidable foe.

This theme of overcoming lust is a constant theme in Kandhar Anubhuti (covered in Verse 4, Verse 5 and Verse 9 (and more to follow Verses 34, 40, 43). This shouldn't be interpreted as Sri Arunagiri's rant against women. For the person in the final stages of spiritual pursuit, all basal tendencies are impediments. Lust, in its primal form is a big distraction in pursuit of Lord. This verse is equally applicable to both men and women in the pursuit of the divine.

In Arunachala Akshara Mana Maalai, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, in verses 11 and 12, Bhagavan expertly asks Sri Arunachala - 'O Arunachala, were you not there when the five senses, entered my heart?' - Then next verse (12) He says, 'How can anyone enter without you knowing, since you are the One behind everything' - Thus, Sri Bhagavan makes Sri Arunachala responsible for all his desires and hence asks Arunachala to remove them all. 

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri uses a different technique! He says 'Lord, you are the one with the peerless Spear, using which, you destroyed the entire clan of Surapadman and pierced the mountain range with seven mountains which were guarding his kingdom' - So, why don't you destroy my biggest obstacle which is lust? 

If we go into the life history of Sri Arunagiri, it will be clear that he was blinded by lust in the initial years of his life. Hence this theme constantly repeats throughout his works. He also talks about other human afflictions (for e.g. greed in Verse 16)

Spear, as discussed before is the symbolism for Jnana, the knowledge of Self, Atma Vidya. With this all ignorance and afflictions are removed and the spirit is liberated. 

So, in this verse, Sri Arunagiri describes Murugan as one who has a spear which is capable of long wars (நெடும்போர் வேல) and as the Lord of Devas, and hence the Lord of Deva's Kingdom (புரந்தர பூபதியே) - We can split it as புரந்தர பூ + பதியே -> World of Lord Indra (Deva Loka) + Lord

With this verse, we can also pray to the Lord to remove afflictions of our mind, whatever it be and reach the feed of Lord Subrahmanya