Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #17 - Anything that I know, is Your Grace

யாம் ஓதிய கல்வியும், எம் அறிவும்
தாமே பெற, வேலவர் தந்ததனால்
பூ மேல் மயல் போய் அறம் மெய்ப் புணர்வீர்
நாமேல் நடவீர், நடவீர் இனியே (17)

yaam odhiya kalviyum em arivum
thaame pera velavar thandhadhanal
Bhoo mel mayal pOi aram mei punarveer
naa mel nadaveer iniye! (17)

யாம் - I
ஓதிய  - learnt
கல்வியும்,  - knowledge
எம் அறிவும் - wisdom
தாமே பெற,  - to be obtained
வேலவர் - The spear wielding Lord
தந்ததனால் - Since he gave
பூ மேல்  - On this earth
மயல் போய்  - Delusion removed
அறம் மெய்ப்  - Righteousness and Truth
புணர்வீர் - Seek (verbatim - Unite)
நாமேல் - Over my tongue 
நடவீர், நடவீர் - Walk, Walk 
இனியே - Now on 

Short Meaning

All the knowledge and wisdom that I possess where given to me, by the Lord of Spear, in his own volition. Due to that knowledge, let my delusion be removed, and let me walk on the earth seeking righteousness and truth and singing the praise of the Lord 

Gloss

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri Nathar makes one thing amply clear - Lord Subrahmanya is alone the source of all knowledge and wisdom. We seem to have any knowledge or wisdom only because the Lord deems it to be so. And, this is by His own will and not by any effort of ours or by anyone else's influence. 

In Lalitha Sahasranamam, Mother Goddess Lalitha Maha Tripura Sundari is called as Svatantra - Which means, she is completely independent, unbiased and beyond influence. She is not bound by the divine and eternal cosmic pair of action and result. Whatever She does or gives is by her own choice.

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri, clearly points out to this attribute of the Lord - He says any knowledge that he learnt, implying learnt from a Guru (யாம் ஓதிய கல்வியும்), and, any wisdom (எம் அறிவும்) he may have acquired because of that, or his intuition or inference is only because Lord Murugan deemed it to be so (தாமே பெற, வேலவர் தந்ததனால்)

Textual knowledge is actually considered dangerous by many spiritual teachers - For, it leads a person to develop a strong identity of a 'learned person' - Ego is a very difficult foe. There are people who give up all their material possessions - This is not the end, but just a step towards lesser identification towards things. In scriptures it is said important to to identify with stuff less and less so that we can focus on what we are. (Transition from identifying with what we have to what we 'are') - For e.g., people may claim they have cars, homes, spouse, kids - These are all the stuff they have. So, they develop a strong identity using these 'possessions' - Funnily, these are possessions only in the minds of people who think so. These things (or people) have nothing written on them that they belong to this person. This is very well analyzed in the section - 'Illusion of Ownership' in the book 'A New Earth' by Eckhart Tolle

Interestingly, in Bible, (Mathew 5:3) it is said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" - It means that if people do not carry notions of ownership of things / people, they are 'poor' in Spirit. They may have a lot of stuff, but they don't associate it with their 'self'. Because of which, they enter the Kingdom of Heaven, which we can interpret as God's Place (No permanent heaven or hell or Hindu Scriptures - But Moksham is close to eternal, since it has no time dimension)

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri lays no claim to His genius - He says if such things come out of my mouth, it is only because of Lord Murugan,. 

Interestingly, Jagat Guru, Sri Adi Sankara Himself says something identical in Subrahmanya Bhujangam:

“I know not the science of musical sounds, I know not the meanings of complex texts either, I know not the nature of shlokas made of four types of padaas, nor do I know the intricacies of the gadhyam style! But in my heart, shines an effulgent light with six luminous faces, and because of that, from my mouth, amazing phrases with musical tone and meanings pour out in extempore.” – Sri Adi Shankara (Subrahmanya Bhujangam, Stanza 2)

Sri Arunagiri says, since he got the knowledge or any devotee who get the knowledge to spend rest of their lives on this earth (பூ மேல்) devoid of delusion (மயல் போய்)

The greatest delusion, called 'moola-avidya' or the primary delusion is to take our limited body as our true self. Every other evil follows this primary delusion. 

So, Sri Arunagiri says, since the devotees are blessed by the Knowledge from the Lord, he asks the devotees to go around the world for rest of their lives devoid of delusion and leading a life integrated (புணர்வீர்) with righteousness (அறம்) and truth (மெய்). 

Sri Arunagiri also says that let him always sing the Glory of the Lord - In Tamil, the word நடை means walk. It also means the movement, which is also used to describe movement / flow of words - For e.g., prose is called உரைநடை meaning, flow of words 

Sri Arunagiri says, let him always sing the praise of Lord from then on (நாமேல் நடவீர், நடவீர் இனியே). (PS:- For the keen, they'll notice that the Verse 15 starts with the request to Lord on when he can reach a state where he can always chant the names of Lord and sing His praises) 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #16 - Release me from Greed and Protect Me!

பேராசை எனும் பிணியில் பிணிபட்டு
ஓரா வினையேன் உழலத் தகுமோ?
வீரா, முது சூர் பட வேல் எறியும்
சூரா, சுர லோக துரந்தரனே. (16)

Peraasai enum piniyil pini pattu
Ora vinayen uzhala thagumo?
Veera Mudhu soor pada vel eriyum
soora sura loga thurandharane (16)

பேராசை எனும் - Desire and Greed
பிணியில் - Disease
பிணிபட்டு - Disease Ridden
ஓரா வினையேன் - A person without discriminative mind
உழலத் தகுமோ - Rot / Suffer
வீரா - The Brave One
முது சூர் - Ancient Villain 
 பட - Destroyed
வேல் எறியும் - Throw Spear
சூரா - Valiant One
சுர லோக - Land of Devas
துரந்தரனே - Protector

Short Meaning
Will I be caught in the great disease of desires and greed since I am a person without a discriminating mind? Oh Brave One! You destroyed the Ancient Villain (evil that has been there from time immemorial) by throwing your spear (indicative of Knowledge / Jnana) and protected the Devas. (You please protect me too)

Gloss
In Annapoorna Ashtakam, Sri Shankara sings to Mother Annapoorna - 

Annapoorne Sadapoorne
    Shankara Prana Vallabhe
Jnana Vairagya Sidhyartam
    Bhiksham Dehi! cha Parvati!

Oh Mother who feeds us! (Any one who feeds us is an embodiment of Mother Annapoorna only. Only she feeds us - Not just food!). 

You are always complete (Sadaa-Poorne). You are perfect and complete because you lack nothing! 

You are the life support (Prana Vallabha) and love of Lord Shankara

Oh Parvati, I beg you! (Bhiksham Dehi!) - Please grant me Knowledge (Jnana) and Dispassion (Vairagya)

Mother Annapoorna is mostly interpreted as the aspect of Mother Goddess who gives food to the entire Universe (Humans, as a side effect of evolution, unfortunately think they are the center of the Universe. The Mother Annapoorna is Mother of all, and feeds every being in this wide Universe, visible and invisible). 

A Brahmachari kid (student) is expected to beg and eat after his Upanayana (Sacred thread) ceremony, till he gets married . Similarly, Sannyasis can eat only by begging for alms too. The Maha Sanyasi, Sri Shankara similarly wants Bhiksha (alms) from Mother Annapoorna. But here, he does not seek food - He seeks Jnana (Knowledge) and Vairagya (Dispassion) - He asks Mother because, He knows only Mother Goddess can bless Him with these.

What is Jnana? It is the ultimate knowledge that we are non different from supreme. To realize this, we need to know we are complete and don't need any 'thing' else to be happy. But, human mind works in mysterious ways. As Eckhart Tolle says, a mind wants to want more than it wants to have.

A mind desperately wants to have something. Once it gets it, it simply moves on to next target while briefly being at peace with the object that it desperately wanted. But, it is just a matter of time when targets are retrained and mind is in deep pain again - In Arunachala Akshara Mana Malai, Bhagawan Sri Ramanar says - Please make my mind stop roaming by showing your supreme beauty (after which, the mind won't roam, because there is no superior target)

A person who realizes that searching of happiness in objects, people and external sources is futile, would then say, I don't want those external objects / people. Doesn't mean one needs to be physically away, but mentally detached. This state, where one is detached from objects / people in the material world is called vairagya. This has a negative connotation, esp in Tamil. It is equated to one wanting something, but staying away, which is completely wrong. 

Vairagya is a supreme state where desires may arise, but with the help of sharp Jnana, it is cut and the person stays in a detached state - It is an active and a very positive place to be. 

Desires are always rooted in perceived lack in self, as projected by the mind. Greed is an extreme version - In my opinion, these emotions are very useful. Greed is an excellent indicator where we perceive lack. (For e.g., if one thinks they lack money, they feel greed towards someone who has more of it. If one things they are not strong, they'll feel greed towards someone strong - Greed will never happen in cases if one doesn't feel lack. So, Greed is a useful emotion, only to be understood and then destroyed)

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri feels the pain of desire and greed (for his devotees). He asks rhetorically, that is it ok for me to suffer in the pain? 

He calls greed (பேராசை) as a disease (பிணி). And asks, will you let me suffer? (உழலத் தகுமோ?) to Lord Murugan.

He brilliantly says, he suffers because of lack of discrimination (ஓரா வினையேன்). He clearly brings out due to the lack of Jnana, he suffers from desire and greed.

He calls out Lord Murugan as Veera (வீரா), the Brave One. 

முது சூர் - Simply means Ancient Asura. It is easy to interpret it thus and move forward. However, the implications of this word is deep. 

In Saiva Siddantha, it is said the Lord (Pathi), Soul (Pasu) and Bonding (Paasam) are eternal. Even in Bhagawat Geetha, Bhagawan Sri Krishna says to Arjuna, "Both you and I have been around for ever. I remember everything, but you don't"

Surapadman, the foe who couldn't be vanquished by anyone is symbolism for Ajnana - The Primal Ignorance. That which makes the self think it is different from the Brahman (God) - This Ajnana is as old as time. 

So, Sri Arunagiri calls him as Ancient Asura / Villain. 

[Interestingly, in many Tamil Poems, Lord Shiva is addressed as the Old Guy (since there is nothing older than Him :) ]

வேல் எறியும் - Lord Murugan vanquished the evil Asura Surapadman by throwing His Spear (Jnana Vel) - Lord Murugan's spear is called Jnana Vel - The spear of Knowledge. 

Darkness of 1000 years is removed by a lamp in a moment. Darkness has no power against light. So, Ignorance has no power against knolwedge

When Murugan throws his Spear of Knowledge towards the Ancient Asura symbolizing Primal Ignorance, He is completely destroyed. 

This is the reason why Murugan is glorified as Guru! (In the last verse of Kandhar Anubhuti, Sri Arunagiri lovingly calls Murugan to come as His Guru - Guruvai Varuvai!)

Murugan comes as Guru and removes the Primal Ignorance by saying Tat Twam Asi - You are That (You are non-different from Brahman) - Now the Ignorance is lost and Union with Lord Subrahmanya (Kandhar Anubhuti) is obtained

The fight between darkness and evil is a difficult one - So, Sri Arunagiri calls Lord Murugan as Soora (சூரா ) meaning, the valiant one. (Not to be confused with Sura / Asura meaning Devas / Asuras)

சுர லோக துரந்தரனே - By defeating the Surapadman, the Devas / Gods were saved - Hence Lord Murugan is glorified as One who protected the world of Devas. 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #15 - Let me always remember you

முருகன், குமரன், குகன், என்று மொழிந்து
உருகும் செயல் தந்து, உணர்வு என்று அருள்வாய்
பொரு புங்கவரும், புவியும் பரவும்
குருபுங்கவ, எண் குண பஞ்சரனே.


Murugan, Kumaran, Guhan Endru Mozhinthu
Urugum Seyal Thanthu, Unarvu endru arulvai?
Poru Punga-varum Puviyum Paravum

Guru Pungava! En-guna Panjarane!


முருகன் - Murugan (Lord's Name)
குமரன் - Kumaran (The Young One / Son)
குகன் - Guhan (The Secret One)
என்று மொழிந்து - Thus reciting
உருகும் செயல் தந்து - Melt away
உணர்வு என்று அருள்வாய்? When will you give that state?
பொரு புங்கவரும் - The best among warriors in Devas
புவியும் - And, in the World
பரவும் - Spread Across

குருபுங்கவ - Best among Gurus 
எண் குண - Eight (divine) qualities
பஞ்சரனே - Storehouse

Short Meaning
When will you Grace me with the ecstatic state when I keep seeking you as 'Hey Muruga! Kumara!, Guha!'? You are the one who is always extolled by the best among warriors among Devas and Humans as the Best of Gurus, and storehouse of all eight divine qualities


Gloss
Sri Arunagirinathar beseeches Lord to Grant Him the state where He can continuously stay and remember Lord Murugan and keep reciting Lord's important names - 'Murugan, Kumaran, Guhan'



Mururgan: Of these, Murugan is the most favorite name for the Lord and His devotees. Tamizh People start the day reciting Lord Murugan's name, saying His prayers and end the day with His name. 

Tamil alphabets are categorized into two:
1. Vowels (12 + 1)
2. Consonants 

We'll talk about the 13th vowel(?) called 'Aayutha Ezhutthu' later. 

The consonants (18 of them) are split into three groups based on phonetics:
1. Vallinam - Sounds coming from the base of the tongue - Sounds that require pressure (kha, cha etc)

2. Idaiyinam - Sounds that come from center of the tongue / throat (Ya, ra, la etc)

3. Mellinam - Sounds that come from the nose or tip of the tongue (nga, jna, na etc)

Lord Murugan's name, derived from 'Mu-ru-gu' has one representation from all three groups of tamil consonents. The word Murugan indicates that the Lord is of immeasurable and peerless beauty

Kumaran: The word Kumaran is also very famous in Tamil Nadu. Kumaran basically means 'Young One' - Or 'Kid'. 

When Lord Shiva wanted to test if Lord Subrahmanya indeed knows the meaning of Pranava, then he took the pose of a disciple and called Murugan as 'Naada Kumara!' - Oh Son, My Lord!

Guhan - Guhan means residing in the cave - One who is hidden. Ramana Geetha, verse #1 goes:

Hrudaya Guhara Madhye
Kevalam Brahma Maatram
Aham-Aham iti Sakshat
Atma Rupena Bhati

"In the center of the cave of the Heart, The Brahman shines as the 'I am - I am' feeling which is non-different from the seemingly individual Atman"

Lord Subrahmanya, is the Supreme Parabrahman, which is non-different from the Individual Self - He Shines as the 'I' feeling in all beings. But, though it appears so, this knowledge is hidden in plain sight. So, this is the supreme secret as well. 

Endru Mozhinthu - Literally mean ' Saying Thus'

Arunagiri pines out of deep love for Lord Murugan - When will I reach the state, when He'll keep repeating the names - 'Murugan, Kumaran, Guhan'

Urugam Seyal Thanthu - In the first verse Sri Arunagiri uses the term 'Nenjakkana kallum negizhnthu uruga' - Similarly, in this verse, Sri Arunagiri's heart melts just be reciting the three powerful names of the Lord. He also requests the Lord to give him this state

The word 'uruga' is very powerful and indicates melting of heart. There are instances when people can mechanically repeat Lord's names (which is also effective) - But Sri Arunagiri doesn't want just that. He says he should always remember the Lord by chanting his favorite names, but also wants to experience the supreme ecstasy as he does that. He also knows that this is given only by the Grace of the Lord. So He asks Lord Murugan, that 'When will *You* grant me this state?'


Unarvu endru arulvai? This is a question in which he implores the Lord to give him this supreme state when He is merged in the Supreme Lord - He asks 'When will you give this state?'

Poru Pungavarum - Here Arunagiri involves Lord Murugan as the Best among celestials. Pungava means greatest, with no-equal or topmost. Here Lord is referred to as the BEST among celestials.

In the song 'Sri Subrahmanyaya Namasthe' by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Lord Murugan is referred to as 'Varenyaya' - The best / greatest, just after calling the Lord as one worshipped by all Devas which means Lord Murugan is the best (sakala deva (all Devas) vandithaya (worship you))

Puviyum Paravaum - Lord Murugan is the best not just in this earth (puvi) but across (paravum) all universes material and spiritual together 

Guru Pungava - Note the repetition of the word Pungava, meaning the greatest. Sri Arunagiri is unable to come down and is seemingly out of superlatives while worshipping Lord Murugan :)

He is also rightly called so, because He is the only one who can be called the Guru of Lord Shiva. (Swami-natha Swami) - So, He is the best among Gurus. 

But, Lord Murugan, in my humble opinion has some competition - Nothing other Sri Sankara (who was actually Lord Shiva Himself) who is addressed as Guru Pungava Pungava (Best among the Best of Gurus) by Sri Totakacharya in Totakashtakam. 

Both are glowing examples of Guru Bhakti

En Guna Panjarane - Store house of eight biggest virtues! 

Lord Subrahmanya is extolled as the storehouse of eight biggest virtues:
1. Infinite Knowledge

2. Infinite Power

3. Omnipresence

4. Infinite Bliss

4. Lack of desire

5. Unaffected by Time - Eternal

6. Omni Potence

7. Body of Purity

8. One with Lord Shiva

And, because of this Lord Murugan can grant these virtues to His devotees as well. 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #14 - Destroy the Desires

கைவாய் கதிர்வேல் முருகன் கழல்பெற்று
உய்வாய், மனனே, ஒழிவாய் ஒழிவாய்
மெய் வாய் விழி நாசியொடும் செவி ஆம்
ஐவாய் வழி செல்லும் அவாவினையே (14) 

Kaivai kadhirvel Murugan Kazhal Petru

Uyvai Manane Ozhivai Ozhivai

Mei Vaai Vizhi Naasiyodum Seviyam

Aivai vazhi sellum avaavinaiye (14)

கைவாய் - Holding in Hand

கதிர்வேல் - Spear of Light

முருகன் - Lord Murugan

கழல்பெற்று - Reaching His Feet
உய்வாய்மனனே - Oh Mind, May you be Salvaged

ஒழிவாய் ஒழிவாய் - Destroy (repeated twice for emphasis)

மெய் - Body

வாய் - Mouth

விழி - Eye

நாசியொடும் - Nostril 

செவி ஆம் - Ear
ஐவாய் - Five pathways

வழி செல்லும் - Traveling

அவாவினையே - Desire

Short Meaning

Oh Mind, May you be saved by the Holy Feet of Lord Murugan, who wields the Spear of Light by destroying desires that travel to by the five sense organs of body, mouth, eye, nose and ears. 

Gloss

Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi bluntly states 'Mind is Maya'. Maya cannot be defined, and hence Mind can't be defined too.

Mind can be roughly characterised as a 'wanting engine'. Sri Eckhart Tolle beautifully puts it as 'Mind - wants to want - more than - it wants to have' - That's a very hard to digest statement, so, feel free to read it a couple of times to understand its import. 

Haven't we always felt - 'Only if this happens...' (get some thing / experience) then I'll be super happy (forever). For some people more often and for some less often, we have achieved those goals. But once reaching the goal, it only appears that the mind says it will be happy 'only if...' (some other goal).

Mind can NEVER be satisfied. In Yoga Vashishta, Lord Rama says to Sage Vashishta that trying to satisfy the mind by getting things it wants is like trying to fill a sieve with water. Both are not possible.

Mind wants other things / experiences only because by nature it feels it is not complete. Unfortunately, by the power of Maya, we identify with the mind. But our nature is not the mind. Our true nature is non-different from the Supreme Parabrahman. Brahma Satyam - (God alone is True), Jagan Mitya (This experiential Universe is only a relative reality) - Jeevo Brahmaiva na Para: (The individual soul is not different from the Supreme Brahman)

And by nature we are full (Purnam) - Purnam-ada Purnam-idam Purnaat Purnam Udachyate (Shanti Pata:) - "That is complete. This is Complete. From That which is Complete, This which is complete arose"


But, due to the primal error, we started identifying with something less like the body and mind. The only way to go back to immortality is by stop identifying with lesser things like mind and body and identify with the Self. 

For this, mind has to be destroyed. So, in this verse, Sri Arunagiri says Uyvaai Manane (உய்வாய்மனனே) - Oh mind, may you be salvaged. But how? By destroying the desires (ஒழிவாய் அவாவினையே)

Here Sri Arunagiri wants to emphasise the destruction of mind and desires by repeating 'May you be destroyed' (addressed to the mind) - ஒழிவாய் ஒழிவாய்

Mind is blind. It needs inputs to work. The inputs for the mind are the sense organs. Without the sense organs mind cannot work. They are the only sources of inputs to the mind. 

So, He says desires travel to the mind using the five sense organs of body (skin), mouth, eyes, nose and ears. These desires have to be vanquished for the mind to be won over. 

Mind is a very interesting construct. It can hold only one thought at a time. Though we keep shifting multiple thoughts in the mind, mind has capability to hold exactly ONE thought. 

In Bhagawat Geetha, Chapter 3, Lord Krishna deals with this exhaustively. (Unjustified / Adharmic) Desire and Anger are discussed as two key reasons for one's downfall. Lord then says that Desire and Anger are same and not different. Only unfulfilled desire expresses itself as anger. 

So, by meditating on the feet (கழல்பெற்று) of Lord Murugan, the peerless one who wields the spear which is non-different from the Supreme Knowledge, the desires can be won over and hence the mind can be vanquished too. 

When mind is vanquished, and the individual can experience Lord Murugan in His true form, which is non-different from Self. 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #13 - Beyond Definition

முருகன், தனிவேல் முனி, நம் குரு ... என்று
அருள் கொண்டு அறியார் அறியும் தரமோ
உரு அன்று, அரு அன்று, உளது அன்று, இலது அன்று,
இருள் அன்று, ஒளி அன்று என நின்றதுவே (13) 

Murugan Thani-Vel Muni, Nam Guru - endru
Arul Kondu Ariyar Ariyum Tharamo
Uru Andru, Aru Andru, Uladu Andru, Iladu Andru,
Irul Andru, Oli Andru ena Nindrathuve (13)

முருகன் - Lord Murugan
தனிவேல் - Spear
முனி - Lord 
நம் குரு - Our Teacher
அருள் - Grace
கொண்டு - With
அறியார் - One who does not know
அறியும் தரமோ - Will one know? (rhetorical)
உரு அன்று - Without Form
அரு அன்று - Not Formless
உளது அன்று - No existence
இலது அன்று - Not without existence
இருள் அன்று - Not Darkness
ஒளி அன்று - Not Light
என நின்றதுவே - So, It stood

Short Meaning
Lord Murugan, the peerless who wields the Spear, is our Eternal and Only Guru - This knowledge will not be known to ones who have not received His Grace (Rhetorical question - Will they know, without His Grace?) - The Lord stood in a way that cannot be defined or comprehended by the mind - He cannot be called as One with Form or without, with Existence or without, as Darkness or Light. 

Gloss
Lord Murugan is Supreme - The Spear he holds is the representation of the Ultimate Knowledge that liberates, and hence considered the final weapon against evil. 

Lord Murugan is almost always referred to as a Teacher (Guru) in Tamil Literature. He is considered the Greatest of Gurus - Since He even became Guru of Lord Shiva who in the form of Sri Dakshinamurthy is considered the Primal of all Gurus. 

To realize Lord Murugan as the Primal Guru, and hence receive the Final teaching which will liberate us from repeated Births and Deaths is impossible with the Grace of the Lord. 

So, Sri Arunagiri asks, "Without your Grace, will anyone realize Lord Murugan as the Final Guru?" 

God cannot be defined - God is beyond the realms of mind and hence cannot be described in words. 

Even the Greatest Scriptures, Vedas, that descended from God Himself, since they are in form of Words cannot capture even an iota of the Glory of God. 

In this word, Sri Arunagiri establishes a template which scriptures use - "Neti Neti" - "Not This, Not This"

Sri Arunagiri says Lord is without Form, and immediately negates Lord is not Formless too! Basically, he says that when we get entranced by Lord's beautiful Form, we should not be deluded as Lord exists only in that form. The entire Universe is His Form. Isavasyam Idam Jagat says Isavasya Upanishad. (The Entire Universe is filled with divinity). 

At the same time, Lord can't be called Formless too - All Forms are His forms. He is also beyond forms! 

He says Lord cannot be described as He Exists - Because existence is an attribute of time. Since time and Universe eventually ends, if we claim Lord exists in time, He also will be vanquished when time ends. So, Lord cannot be called as He exists. In the next word, Sri Arunagiri says, Lord cannot be described as He doesn't exist :) Our existence is the proof that Lord exists. We cannot exist without support of the Lord. So, Lord's existence cannot be denied as well! 

God cannot also not be defined as darkness nor light - Sri Arunagiri brings out an attribute, its opposite and negates both :) 

I wish people know enough Tamil to read through this verse and enjoy the poetry aspect as well. It is only the Divine which can express itself like this. 

Arunagiri just became a vessel for the highest Divinity, Lord Murugan to express Himself in words, and Tamil the language of the divine, is the perfect vessel to communicate this.

Sri Gurubhyo Nama: