நாதா, குமரா நம என்று அரனார்
ஓதாய் என ஓதியது எப்பொருள் தான்?
வேதா முதல் விண்ணவர் சூடும் மலர்ப்
பாதா குறமின் பத சேகரனே (36)
naadha, kumara nama endru aranar
odhai ena odhiyathu epporul thaan?
vedha mudhal vinnavar soodum malar
padha kuramin padha sekharane! (36)
நாதா - Lord Supreme
குமரா நம என்று - I bow to you, Kumara!
அரனார் - Lord Shiva
ஓதாய் என - Please teach me
ஓதியது - Taught
எப்பொருள் தான்? - What was the Knowledge?
வேதா முதல் - From Brahma
விண்ணவர் - Devas and Gods
சூடும் மலர்ப் பாதா - Keep (Wear) your Flower like Feet in their head
குறமின் பத - Feet of Mother Valli
சேகரனே - Wear In your head
Short Meaning
Oh Lord Murgan! You are the One, who's feet adorns the heads of various Gods starting from Brahma! You are the One who takes pride in having the feet of Mother Valli in your head! Please teach me the knowledge that you shared with Lord Shiva when He respectfully asked you for it!
Gloss
[PS: Honestly, to translate these kind of verses true to their meaning in letter AND spirit is very very hard - This is due to nuances in Tamil language and also cultural background - For e.g., a westerner would be shocked by the last two lines of this verse and would find it gibberish - Please try to follow on for my attempt at translation :) ]
Sri Arunagiri, opens this verse by calling out to the Lord Murugan as Lord Supreme (நாதா) - This word indicates that Murugan is the Lord of Everything in this Universe and there is none supreme. It can also be interpreted as He is the Truth behind the Primal Sound of Pranava (Om)
As per the Puranic reference, Lord Murugan once jailed Lord Brahma for not knowing the true meaning of Pranava Mantra (Om) and took over the creation from Him. Lord Shiva then questioned Murugan if He knew the meaning of the most sacred Mantra, the Om. When Murugan replied in the affirmative, Lord Shiva asked Him to share the meaning with Him.
The Lord Murugan, Guru of all smiled and said that if He needs the meaning, Lord Shiva needs to bow down like a student and He'll sit in a raised seat and then teach Him the same. Shiva, the greatest of Gods, then bent down in front of Murugan, who sat in a raised seat and said "I bow down to you, Kumara! (குமரா நம)" - Kumara is one of the most scared names of Murugan implying his eternally youthful state (also indicating how time is powerless in front of him)
He then requested Murugan to share the meaning of Pranava - 'Please teach me!' (ஓதாய்)
Lord Shiva is here referenced as Hara (அரனார்) - It is important to note that all texts indicate the identity of Lord Shiva and Lord Murugan - They are both different forms of the same Supreme. It should not be perceived that Lord Shiva did not know the meaning and hence bowed. He was exemplifying how a student should behave in front of his Guru.
In Tamil, if you say Swami (God) it means Shiva. Who can be the Lord of Swami? (Swami + Natha)? - Only His son, Murugan. This is the why Murugan is also referred to as Swaminatha Swami (God who is the Lord of Shiva) - This is the incident where Murugan also got the name 'Siva Guru' - Guru of Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva was mesmerized by His son's explanation of Pranava mantra and blessed Him!
Sri Arunagiri refers to this incident and asks 'What was the knowledge that you shared with Lord Shiva during this incident'? (ஓதியது எப்பொருள் தான்?) - Implying the request to teach the same him as well!
Arunagiri then says, Lord Murugan's feet are like a flower (மலர்ப் பாதா ) and Gods beginning from Brahma (வேதா முதல் விண்ணவர் ) love to wear it in their Head - Can be interpreted as all the Gods would fall at the feet of Lord Murugan.
But, Murugan Himself, likes the feet of the tribal girl, Mother Valli (குறமின் பத) in His Head (சேகரனே)
[Lord Shiva is Chandra Shekhara (one who keeps Moon over His head), but His son Murugan is Kuramin Pada Shekaran (குறமின் பத சேகரனே) - Has feet of Mother Valli over His head :) )
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