Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #46 - You are my Mother and Father - Remove my Travails!

 

எம் தாயும் எனக்கு அருள் தந்தையும் நீ 

சிந்தாகுலம் ஆனவை தீர்த்து எனையாள் 

கந்தா, கதிர் வேலவனே, உமையாள் 

மைந்தா, குமரா, மறை நாயகனே (46)

en thaayum enakku arul thanthaiyum nee

chinthakulam aanavai theerthu enai aal

kanda! kathirvelavane! umaiyal

maintha! kumara! marai naayagane! (46)

எம் தாயும் - My Mother

எனக்கு அருள் தந்தையும் - My Graceful Father

நீ  - You are! 

சிந்தாகுலம் ஆனவை - The travails of my mind

தீர்த்து - resolve

எனையாள்  - Take over me!

கந்தா - Lord Skanda!

கதிர் வேலவனே - One who wields the Spear of Radiant Light

உமையாள் மைந்தா - Son of the peerless Uma!

குமரா - Eternal Youth

மறை நாயகனே - The Lord of Vedas

Short Meaning

Oh Lord Skanda, who wields the Spear of Radiant Light, dear son of Mother Uma, Eternal Youth and Hero of Vedas - You are my Mother and also the Graceful Father! Please resolve the problems of my mind and take over me!

Gloss

In this, Sri Arunagiri, realizes that Lord Skanda is both the eternal Mother and Father of us. 

In Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lord Vishnu is called, 'Bhootaanaam yo avayaya: pita:' - Eternal Father of All Beings - It is important to note the nature of Eternal Father - In each birth a soul might have different father and mothers (may not even be human births) - But, irrespective, The Lord Murugan is both the Mother and Father of every living being.

So, Sri Arunagiri takes the approach of a divine child of divine parents and takes the path of surrender to Lord Murugan. He says "Lord Skanda! You are both my Father and Mother' (எம் தாயும் எனக்கு அருள் தந்தையும் நீ )

In Thiruvasagam, Sri Manickavasagar in a heart melting way calls Lord Shiva the same - "Ammaiye Appa! Oppila Maniye! " - "You are my mother and father, you are my precious gem which has no par" - Sometimes English lets me down (or my command of the language) - I have no way to bring the love, mixed emotions of seeking, sadness, praise and pride Manickavasagar brings in, in these four words. Blessed are the Tamil folks who can enjoy this in its real form. Tamil is language of Gods, with its Origin from Lord Shiva Himself. Lord Murugan is called the Lord of Tamil. No wonder, this language brings out the best in the worship of Lord Shiva and Lord Murugan

He then asks Lord Murugan to solve (தீர்த்து) painful problems of his mind (சிந்தாகுலம்) - Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi emphatically states Mind is Maya and overcoming the mind is the way to realize Self. (not the final step, but necessary step). Here, Sri Arunagiri comes up with the same request. He then asks Lord Murugan to take over him! (எனையாள்)

He then with love, calls out to the Lord as 

1. Lord Skanda (one who reduces strength of His enemies) (கந்தா)

2. Wielder of Spear made of Radiant Light (கதிர் வேலவனே) - The symbolism of light is important here. Ignorance is typically compared to Darkness. The upanishadic prayer is:

asato ma sad gamaya (Lead me from Falsness to Truth)

tamaso ma jyotir gamaya (Lead me from Darkness to Light)

mrutyor ma amrtam gamaya (Lead me from Death to Immortality)

The darkness of ignorance can be removed only by the light - Lord Murugan carries a spear made of radiant light that can dispell darkness of eons and take the devotee to Self Realization

3. Son of Mother Uma - Mother Uma's love for Lord Murugan is infinite - She condensed all Her Universal power into the Radiant Spear which Lord Murugan carries with Him. So, Sri Arunagiri calls out Murugan as dear son of Mother Parvati (Uma)

4. Kumara (குமரா)- Eternal Youth! (More discussed in previous verse)

5. Lord Of Vedas (மறை நாயகனே)

Vedas are the means and not the end - The learned say that the purpose and end of Vedas is to reach Lord Subrahmanya - Hence Sri Arunagiri calls Murugan as the Hero / Lord or the Objective that is revealed by the Vedas (They can only point in the direction, but never describe Him fully)

ThiruGnana Sambadhar says 'வேதம் நான்கினும் மெய்ப்பொரு ளாவது நாதன் நாமம் நமச்சி வாயவே' - In all four Vedas, the essence and Truth when extracted will be Lord's Name - nama: shivaya!

PS: Images from

http://palani.org/taippucam2013.htm

http://aqwwiki.wikidot.com/bright-spear-of-light