Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #39 - When can overcome the three basic desires and transcend seven types of births? (maa-aezh jananam)

 

மாஏழ் சனனம் கெட மாயைவிடா 

மூஏடணை என்று முடிந்திடுமோ 

கோவே, குறமின் கொடிதோள் புணரும் 

தேவே சிவ சங்கர தேசிகனே (39)

maa-aezh jananam keda maayai vidaa

moo-aednai endru mudinthidumo?

kove! kuramin kodi thol punarum

deve! shiva shankara desikane! (39)

மாஏழ் சனனம் - Seven types of birth

கெட - To be destroyed (and)

மாயைவிடா - To be rid of the Maya

மூஏடணை - Three desires 

என்று முடிந்திடுமோ - when will it be over?

கோவே - My King! 

குறமின் கொடிதோள் புணரும் - One who married (Valli) with Slender shoulders 

தேவே - Oh God! 

சிவ சங்கர  - Lord Shiva Shankara's

தேசிகனே - Guru

Short Meaning

Oh Lord Subrahmanya who rules over us, and one who married Valli of the hunter tribe who has slender shoulders! You are the hallowed Guru of peerless Shiva! When will I transcend the three desires which cause me to be bound in Maya and in seven types of births? 

Gloss

In verse, Sri Arunagiri brings our focus to transcend births and achieve self-realization or union with Lord Subrahmanya. 

He says that how can I transcend the seven types of births? The seven major types of wombs (with 84 lakh variations) are as below:

Sri Arunagiri wants to transcend this repeated cycle of birth and death and escape (கெட) being born into these seven types of births (மாஏழ் சனனம்)

The body is itself a manifestation of Maya (மாயைவிடா )- To transcend Maya, we need to transcend this body 

மூஏடணை is a word that indicates three major desires

1. தனே ஏடணை  - Desire for wealth
2. தாரே ஏடணை - Desire for wife (spouse)
3. புத்திர ஏடணை - Desire for Offspring

Unless these three desires are transcended, we will be repeatedly caught in Maya and will take one of the seven types of births

So, in desperation, Sri Arunagiri asks when will these three desires be over? (மூஏடணை என்று முடிந்திடுமோ )

Then Sri Arunagiri addresses Murugan in the form of a King (கோவே)!

He also addresses Murugan (not surprisingly) as the One who married (புணரும்) Valli, of the hunter tribe (குறமின் கொடி) who has slender shoulders (கொடிதோள்) 

He finally addressed Murugan as the God (தேவே) who was the Guru (தேசிகனே) of Lord of Lords, the most auspicious One, Shiva Shankara (சிவ சங்கர) - The name Sankara means one who does Good things to His devotes 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #38 - You Graced me, a person unworthy of Grace! (aadhaliyai ondru ariyenai)

ஆதாளியை, ஒன்று அறியேனை அறத் 

தீது ஆளியை ஆண்டது செப்புமதோ 

கூதாள கிராத குலிக்கு இறைவா 

வேதாள கணம் புகழ் வேலவனே (38) 

adhaaliyai, ondru ariyenai - ara

thethaaliyai aandu seppumatho!

koodhala kiratha kulikku iraiva!

vedhala ganam pugazh velavane (38) 

ஆதாளியை - One of vain speech

ஒன்று அறியேனை - One who knows nothing

அறத் தீது ஆளியை - One with extremely bad character

ஆண்டது - To Grace

செப்புமதோ  - How can I even describe?

கூதாள - wearing koodhala flower 

கிராத குலிக்கு - (Valli) Born in the family of Hunters 

இறைவா - Lord

வேதாள கணம் - Spirits and Ghosts 

புகழ் - Praise

வேலவனே - Lord who wields the Spear

Short Meaning

I am person of vain speech, a person who doesn't know anything and I am a person of extremely bad character - How can I even describe your Grace,  in words on how you took over me! Dear Lord, you wear the Koodhala flower and you are the Lord who wields the spear praised by even Spirits and Ghosts

Gloss

Self Realized Jnanis, never say 'I totally deserved it and I earned it' :) 

When self-realization occurs, they realize how infinitisimally small their effort was, and how magnanimous the Grace was. It is impossible to 'earn' Grace. Grace of the Lord works in ways unknown to the mind - Those who receive it always receive it in tears and always in doubt of 'what did I do to deserve this?' or 'why am I even receiving this?' - They only have overwhelming gratitude to the Lord for Gracing them

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri says he is a person of many flaws, with three major ones being:

1. One of Vain Speech (ஆதாளியை ) - Speech is a very powerful medium and the mode of verbalized speech is called Vaikhari and is overruled by Lord Ganesha Himself. So, useless words, misleading words, dishonest words and words of vanity should not be used. 

2. One who knows Nothing  (ஒன்று அறியேனை)- In His extreme humility, Sri Arunagiri says he knows nothing - However, it is a prayer for us as we have not spent any time in acquiring Spritual knowledge

3. One with extremely bad character (அறத் தீது ஆளியை) - Arunagiri Nathar seems to retrospect on his earlier years, where he was bound by lust and was a person of bad character

Hence, when Lord Murugan Graced Sri Arunagiri Nathar, he is overwhelmed with gratitude and asks - As a person of so many flaws, how can I ever describe how I acquired this Grace (ஆண்டது செப்புமதோ )? 

Sri Arunagiri, then describes Lord as one who wears the Koodhala (கூதாள) Flowers (a type of flower in Tamil Nadu)

He then calls Lord Murugan as Lord (இறைவா) of Valli, who was born in the family of hunters (கிராத குலி) - It is interesting to see oscillating views of Sri Arunagiri between verses :) In some he calls Lord as One who is always at the feet of Valli waiting for Her orders, but here, he calls Murugan as the Lord of Valli - This is because of the transcendent love between Valli and Murugan

Finally, needless to say, everyone knows Lord Shiva is surrounded by Bhoota Ganas - Scary looking ghosts and spirits (வேதாள கணம்). Even they worship (புகழ்) Lord Murugan (வேலவனே) - Out of His infinite kindness, Lord Murugan listens to their prayers too. 

PS:

Image Credit - https://www.wallsnapy.com/wallpaper/murugar/child-murugan-wallpapers-hd-3415.html

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #37 - Oh Mind! Please cut the root of the ego! (girivai vidu vikrama)

கிரிவாய் விடு விக்ரம வேல் இறையோன் 

பரிவாரம் எனும் பதம் மேவலையே 

புரிவாய் மனனே பொறையாம் அறிவால் 

அரிவாய் அடியோடும் அகந்தையையே (37)

girivaai vidu vikrama vel iraiyon

parivaaram enum padam mevalaiye

purivaai manane poraiyam arivaal

arivaai adiyodum agamnthaiyaye (37)

கிரிவாய் விடு - To make a hole (and split) in the (krauncha) 

விக்ரம வேல் - Strong Spear

இறையோன்  - Lord

பரிவாரம் எனும் - Group of Devotees

பதம் மேவலையே புரிவாய் - Desire to reach that state

மனனே - O Mind

பொறையாம் - By acquiring equanimity (and)

அறிவால் - By Knowledge 

அரிவாய் - Cut

அடியோடும் - From its roots 

அகந்தையையே - Egoistic identity

Short Meaning

Oh Mind, please aspire to be part of devotees of Lord Murugan, one who wields a strong spear that pierced and split the Asura who stood as Krauncha Mountain. Using patience, acquire the Knowledge of the Self which will cut the false identification of the ego from its roots.

Gloss

During the great battle, Lord Subramanya (இறையோன்) threw his magnificent spear (விக்ரம வேல்) at the Asura who stood as  Krauncha Hill (கிரிவாய் விடு ) blocking the Lord and His army and pierced through it, thus defeating the Asura. This Lord has greatest saints and devotees worshipping him (பரிவாரம்). In this verse, Sri Arunagirinathar requests his mind to reach the state of being such Devotees of the Lord (பதம் மேவலையே புரிவாய்)

Then Sri Arunagiri requests for 'Equanimity of Mind' (பொறையாம்)- This is explained in detail by Bhagawan Sri Krishna Paramatma in Bhagawat Geetha in Chapter 2 as 'Sthithaprajnathwam' - It is a state of equanimity where a person never delights in victory or sulks in defeat, with an ego that doesn't bloat with praise or shrink with insult. It is easy to call such state as 'dead' or 'boring' - But is such a precious state of clear perception where highest action can be performed. Sri Arunagiri wishes to reach this state. 

Once that is achieved, Sri Arunagiri requests the supreme knowledge of Self (அறிவால்) using which the bonds of ego (அகந்தையையே) that ties us down can be cut (அரிவாய்) completely from the roots (அடியோடும்)

Vedanta says there are two things needed for self realization:

1. Chitta Shuddhi (பொறை)

2. Knowledge from Guru (அறிவு)

Chitta Shuddhi is about cleansing of the consciousness. Over millions of births of self identification with various things, and countless desires, our identity has literally become dirty. This needs to be scrubbed - The ONLY way to do this is by Karma Yoga (which also includes Bhakti / Japam etc.) - By performing worship without desiring any results, Chitta Shuddi is achieved. This will take time and effort based on the each soul's travel so far.

No one can put it more precisely as Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi in Upadesa Saram, Verse #3 [1]

In this verse, Bhagawan says, Karma done without desiring selfish results, and offering such work and its result to God, leads to cleansing of consciousness which makes one ready for Mukti (liberation)

A keen eye will note that Ramanar doesn't say that doing Karma liberates - He says Niskamya Karma (Action done without desiring results) only cleanses consciousness and makes one 'ready for liberation'  (mukti sadhakam)

Once Chitta Shuddhi is achieved, when a self-realized Guru, imports the knowledge of maha-vaakyas (tat-twam-asi or aham-brahmasmi or prajnanam brahma or ayam atma brahma or the like), a student instantly realizes self. 

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri Nathar requests Lord Subrahmanya to graciously give both of these.

[1] https://archive.arunachala.org/docs/collected-worm/upadesa-saram/
[2] Pic Credit - https://hinducosmos.tumblr.com/image/627989410924888064