Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #36 - Teach me the Knowledge you shared with Lord Shiva! (naadha kumara)

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 :) )

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #35 - Grace me to overcome the fate that is relentless! (vidhi kaanum udambai)

 

 விதிகாணும் உடம்பை விடா வினையேன் 

கதிகாண மலர்க் கழல் என்று அருள்வாய்? 

மதி வாள்நுதல் வள்ளியை அல்லது பின் 

துதியா விரதா, சுர பூபதியே (35)

vidhi kaanum udambai vida vinaiyen
kathi kaana malar kazhal endru arulvai?
mathi vaal nuthal valliyai allathu pin
thuthiya viratha sura bhoopathiye! (35)

விதி காணும் - As a result of one's fate

உடம்பை - This body

விடா - does not leave

வினையேன் - karma 

கதிகாண - To reach its destination 

மலர்க் கழல் - Feet like flower (lotus)

என்று  - when

அருள்வாய்? Grace

மதி வாள்நுதல் - Forehead like a glowing moon 

வள்ளியை - Mother Valli

அல்லது பின் - No other

துதியா - Praise

விரதா - Resolute 

சுர பூபதியே - Lord of Devas

Short Meaning

This body, which is the result of our past Karma cannot transcend the Karma - So, to be unleashed from its clutches, when will you offer Grace from your lotus like feet? O Lord of Devas, you have resolved to sing praises only of Mother Valli who's forehead glows like a moon! 

Gloss

The body that we have is the result of our past Karmas (விதி காணும் உடம்பை) - Hence, it is under the clutches of Karma  (விடா வினையேன்) 

The infinite Self (Atma) under the clutches of Maya, identifies as a limited Jiva. This Jiva, trapped under its false identity of the mind-body complex, gets the notion of doer-ship (karthruthvam) and enjoyer-ship (bhokthruthvam). As long as these notions exists, a Jiva cannot escape the clutches of Karma - as both of theses cause creation of more Karma and/or experience of Karma Phala (result of Karma)

The only way to come out of this infinite and endless cycle is by Grace of the Lord. So, Sri Arunagiri, asks 'When will you offer the Grace of your Lotus like feet?' (கதிகாண மலர்க் கழல் என்று அருள்வாய்)

It is interesting to note that Lord Shiva, as Nataraja also bestows Grace to His devotees from His raised left leg (kunchita vama paadam)

PS:- The first line can also be interpreted as the 'Body that is given by Lord Brahma, cannot be escape the clutches of fate (karma)'

Sri Arunagiri ends the verse by appealing to Lord Murugan, who is extremely fond of Mother Valli. Arunagiri indicates Mother Valli (வள்ளியை) has a forehead that is glowing like a moon (மதி வாள்நுதல்). 

Due to His extreme fondness of Mother Valli, Sri Arunagiri calls Lord Murugan as one who has taken resolve (விரதா) to sing praises of no one but Mother Valli (அல்லது பின் துதியா). 

And, Arunagiri also calls Murugan as the Lord of Devas (சுர பூபதியே)! 

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #34 - Give me the Grace to overcome lust (singara madanthaiyar)

 

சிங்கார மடந்தையர் தீநெறி போய் 

மங்காமல் எனக்கு வரம் தருவாய் 

சங்க்ராம சிகாவல, சண்முகனே 

கங்காநதி பால, க்ருபாகரனே (34)

singara madanthaiyar thee-neri poi

mangaamal enakku varam tharuvai

sangrama sigavala shanmukhane

ganga nathi pala, krupakarane! (34)

சிங்கார - Beautiful 

மடந்தையர் - Women

தீநெறி போய் - Evil path

மங்காமல் - (Intellect) dulled

எனக்கு - For me 

வரம் - Boon

தருவாய் - Give 

சங்க்ராம - War

சிகாவல - Peacock

சண்முகனே - Six Faced One 

கங்காநதி பால - Raised by Ganga

க்ருபாகரனே - One filled with Grace

Short Meaning

O Six faced Lord who rides a peacock for wars, Please grant me the boon of not letting me fall astray by going behind beautiful women - You were raised by Mother Ganga and you are filled with Grace!

Gloss

This is a painfully common theme across Kandhar Anubhuti and among all works of Sri Arunagiri Nathar. This is a warning against lust for both men and women which is a very powerful emotion that can bond people to their material plane of existence. 

We have to remind ourselves of the way how Sri Arunagiri grew - He went astray and spent a lot of time going behind prostitutes whom he calls as beautiful and bedecked women (சிங்கார மடந்தையர்) - Since he was a victim of lust and he decided to take his life because of this, this theme repeats across his works. 

This should *not* be thought of as Arunagiri's hatred for women - Here, he is against his own lust for prostitutes and not women as a group. 

He calls this lust as a wrong path (தீநெறி) that folks take and that which will take them to their ruins. He pleads to Lord Murugan to give him the boon (வரம் தருவாய்) not to dull (மங்காமல்) his intelligence so that he doesn't fall to the strong impulse of lust. 

He then calls out to Murugan as the the six faced Lord (சண்முகனே) who rides a peacock (சிகாவல) during wars (சங்க்ராம) and one who was raised by Mother Ganges (கங்காநதி பால) and One who is filled with Grace (க்ருபாகரனே) (and hence can offer Grace). The details of the last two lines are repeated and more details can be found in Verse 33. 

 

PS:- Image from http://murugan.org/research/kalidos-1989.htm

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #33 - When will I over the immense pain of bondage? (chithaakula illodu)

சிந்தாகுல இல்லொடு செல்வம் எனும் 

விந்தாடவி என்று விடப் பெறுவேன் 

மந்தாகினி தந்த வரோதயனே 

கந்தா, முருகா, கருணாகரனே (33)

chintakula illodu selvam enum

vinthadavi endru vida peruven?

manthagini thantha varothayane

kandha muruga karunakarane (33)

சிந்தாகுல -  Sources of mental agony

இல்லொடு - family

செல்வம் - money

எனும் - such

விந்தாடவி - dark forest of Vindhyas

என்று விடப் பெறுவேன் - when will I be liberated?

மந்தாகினி தந்த- Given by Ganges 

வரோதயனே - Who appeared as the result of a boon to Devas 

கந்தா - Skanda! 

முருகா - Muruga!

கருணாகரனே - Personification of Grace!

Short Meaning

Dear Lord Skanda! Muruga! You are the gift from Mother Ganges and  personification of Grace - When will I be liberated from the pain of being lost in the dark forest of materialistic life (bondage to family and wealth)?

Gloss

We have to remember that this work, Kandhar Anubhuti is also aimed at devotees at their final stages of evolution and those who are ready to merge with the divine. 

When someone is learning to cycle, additional two smaller support wheels by the side helps one balance and avoids falling. But, once someone learns to cycle well, and wants to race, the two wheels will be a hindrance. In a similar fashion, a life involving family (இல்) helps an individual souls evolve from a self-centered life. A person realizes that he is more than just his selfish pursuits and extends his identity to his / her spouse, parents, kids and extended family etc. But, this same construct that lets him evolve is also a limitation in the *final* step of spiritual process. This verse needs to be interpreted at this level only. 

Also, while money (செல்வம்) gives a sense of free mind and helps run life smoothly, it can be an impediment when the focus is only on it and there is an avaricious goal to amass more. 

So, Sri Arunagiri calls these two things as causes of deep mental anguish (சிந்தாகுல).

A person caught deep in the bonds of family life and in desire of wealth cannot find liberation. The Vindhya mountain range in South India is known for its thick and dark forests - There have been numerous counts of people walking in getting lost and unable to find their way back. Arunagiri compares the impediments of wealth and family bondage to this forest of Vindhya mountains (விந்தாடவி) from which there is no way to find liberation 

Hence, he calls out to Lord Murugan for help - He addresses Lord Murugan as the Gift of Ganges (மந்தாகினி தந்த) - To remind us all of the appearance of Murugan, when Asura Surapadman's atrocities reached their zenith, Devas pleaded Lord Shiva to help - Lord Shiva then emitted six fire balls from his Third eye - These were carefully carried and were placed in River Ganges - These six then converted to six babies which were taken care by six Krithika Girls. Mother Parvati then hugged all six of them in her maternal joy and they all merged into one form with six faces and twelve hands. 

Sri Arunagiri hence brings out two aspects of this event - One who was the gift of Ganges since only Mother Ganga could handle the heat of six ferocious fire balls from Shiva's Third eye. And also, as one who appeared as a boon of Lord Shiva to Devas (வரோதயனே = வர (boon) + உதயனே (appeared) )

It is important to note that Lord Murugan was not 'created' but 'appeared' - It is also called out it Verse 12, as a person who was never born. Since all that is born, will die. Lord Murugan is eternal and beyond the bounds of time. He just appeared for us due to Grace of Lord Shiva. 

The first verse of Mandukya calls out "Om is everything - Om is past, present and future. It is also beyond these three" - How can something not be part of past / present or future? We should realize that time is nothing but a small dimension for God and He is neither bound by it nor controlled by it. Rules that apply to us do not apply to Him. 

Finally, Sri Arunagiri concludes the verse by calling out to Lord Subrahmanya in three ways:

1. Skanda - One who reduces the strength of enemies 
2. Muruga - Most Beautiful One
3. Karunakarane - Personification of Grace

The last name is of special importance. For the soul caught in the mire of Samsara, it is only Grace that can save it. Else, there is no hope at all - There is no effort that can be done for it to escape from its the dark ocean of samsara - Only Grace of Lord Murugan can save us. Hence Sri Arunagiri appeals to this aspect of Lord Subrahmanya to save us

PS: Murugan image from http://knowledgefruit.blogspot.com/2013/01/ganga-mother.html

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #32 - Will I be lost discussing semantics of scriptures? (kalaiye pathari)

 

கலையே பதறிக், கதறித் தலையூடு 

அலையே படுமாறு, அதுவாய் விடவோ? 

கொலையே புரி வேடர் குலப் பிடிதோய் 

மலையே, மலை கூறிடு வாகையனே (32)

kalaiye pathari kathari thalaiyoo

alaiye padumaru athuvai viduvo

kolaiye puri vedar kudi pidithoi

malaiye malai kooridu vaagaiyane (32)

கலையே - scriptures

பதறிக் கதறித் - loudly discuss

தலையூடு அலையே படுமாறு - breaking the head (figuratively)

அதுவாய் விடவோ- will I become that?

கொலையே புரி - Murderous

வேடர் குலப் - clan of hunters 

பிடிதோய் - hold closely 

மலையே - Mountain 

மலை கூறிடு வாகையனே - Won by splitting the mountain

Short Meaning

Will I be lost in boisterous discussion of semantics of scriptures (Vedas and Agamas)? Please protect me, O Lord Subrahmanya, who is majestic like a mountain, and who split the Krauncha Mountain into two and one who holds Mother Valli, from the clan of hunters close to Him

Gloss

In this verse, Sri Arunagiri shares his concern of dabbling in too much of textual or scriptural knowledge (கலையே)

Ego is stronger for many learned folks than for a common man - The true mark of Self Knowledge is humility, but as a cruel twist of fate, many folks dabble deep (பதறிக் கதறித்)  in loud voices and argue with other philosophies trying to prove the superiority of one over another. 

Arunagiri cries to Murugan asking the Lord not to give him the fate of wasting time and become 'one of those'  (அதுவாய் விடவோ) 

To protect him from the fate of running behind and arguing scriptural knowledge, Arunagiri beseeches Lord Murugan to save him. He interesting calls Lord Murugan as a Mountain(மலையே) - As majestic as one. 

In this he addresses Murugan as the one who holds Mother Valli, lady from the hunter clan (வேடர் குலப்பிடி) - He also addresses Murugan as the Lord who threw His spear and won the war (வாகையனே), by splitting the Krauncha Asura how took form of a Mountain, into two (மலை கூறிடு )

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #31 - The Union of Self with Supreme cannot be expressed in words! (paazh vaazvu)

பாழ்வாழ்வு எனும் இப் படுமாயையிலே 

வீழ்வாய் என என்னை விதித்தனையே 

தாழ்வானவை செய்தன தாம் உளவோ? 

வாழ்வாய் இனி நீ மயில் வாகனனே (31)

paazvaazhvu enum ip padu maayayile

veezhvaai ena ennai vidhiththanaiye!

thaazhvanavai seithana thaam ulavo?

vaazhvaai ini nee mayil vaaganane (31)

பாழ்வாழ்வு எனும் - Miserable life

இப் படுமாயையிலே - This deluge of Samsara

வீழ்வாய் என - To fall

என்னை - Me

விதித்தனையே - You ordained 

தாழ்வானவை - Sins

செய்தன தாம் உளவோ? Do I have them in store?

வாழ்வாய் இனி நீ - May you live long!

மயில் வாகனனே - One who rides the peacock

Short Meaning

Dear Lord Subrahmanya, who rides a peacock! You ordained me  to fall into this delusional and miserable cycle of life! Is this because of the sins that I had done in my past lives? May you live long! 

Gloss

This verse has a striking similarity to Verse 29. In this verse, again, Sri Arunagiri complains to Lord Subrahmanya that He had ordained (விதித்தனையே) him to fall (வீழ்வாய்) in this rotten life (பாழ்வாழ்வு). 

In His amazing work of Moha Mudgaram (also famously referred to as Bhaja Govindam), Sri Adi Sankara calls this life of repeated birth and death (samsara) is 'VERY painful' (bahu dustare!) - This verse also shares the helplessness of the soul which has to undergo this repeated birth and death cycles

The karma of a soul can be categorized into three buckets:

1. Sanchita Karma - This is the total unspent Karma (good and bad) of a soul - 
2. Prarabda Karma - The portion of Sanchita Karma (which is too huge) that is allocated for this birth
3. Agami Karma - The Karma that is generated this birth

Till the entire collection of Sanchita Karma is burnt, a soul will not be liberated from the endless cycle of birth and death. 

The only way to burn the infinitely large collection of Sanchita Karma is by Knowledge of the Self - Unless this happens, the samsara cycle will continue. Sri Arunagiri hence asks Lord Murugan if he has lots of bad Karma left due to which he is born again as human. 

In the end, he sarcastically says 'May you live long' (வாழ்வாய் இனி நீ)- This is because, he feels He could be saved by Lord Murugan's Grace, but the Lord is not intervening and hence causing his pains to continue. He invokes the Form of Murugan as the One who rides the peacock (மயில் வாகனனே)

Kandhar Anubhuti : Verse #29 - You made me live a life in delusion! (ille enum)

 

இல்லே எனும் மாயையில் இட்டனை நீ 

பொல்லேன் அறியாமை பொறுத்திலையே 

மல்லேபுரி பன்னிரு வாகுவில் என் 

சொல்லே புனையும் சுடர் வேலவனே (29)

ille enum maayaiyil ittanai nee

pollen ariyamai poruthilaye

mallepuri panniry vaaguvil en

solle punaiyum sudar velavane (29)

இல்லே எனும் - Material Life

மாயையில் - Maya (Illusion)

இட்டனை நீ - You made me participate

பொல்லேன் - Me, the evil one

அறியாமை - Ignorance

பொறுத்திலையே - You did not forgive

மல்லேபுரி - Doing wrestling

பன்னிரு வாகுவில்  - Twelve shoulders

என்  சொல்லே - My words 

புனையும் - (garland) made with

சுடர் வேலவனே - Lord of glowing complexion 

Short Meaning

Oh Lord of Glowing Complexion, you made me fall in this materialistic world of delusions - Since you did not forgive me for the sins that this evil one has done - Please accept my garland of words in your twelve strong shoulders built like that of a wrestler.

Gloss

The mundane materialistic life is called 'இல்' in Tamil. Sri Arunagiri laments that Lord Murugan made him fall into the level of dualistic materialistic life of desires and hates  / happiness and sorrow etc. He also calls that this life is a delusion (Maya)

This can also be interpreted differently in the light of Saiva Siddanta philosophy. According to this great philosophy, all souls are trapped in a dimension of inaction and inertness. Out of infinite Grace, Lord Shiva takes them out of that low level of existence and gives them an opportunity to operate in this world of Maya and hence offer a way to transcend it and merge with Lord Shiva Himself. So, for this, Lord Subrahmanya, who is non different from Lord Shiva takes souls from their inert state and transfer them to this work of Maya to give them an opportunity to get to their 'real Nature'

Since Sri Arunagiri is now in a world of delusion, he laments that it is because Lord Murugan was not forgiving (பொறுத்திலையே) of the sins of ignorance (அறியாமை) that he had made - In this, he deprecates himself as the 'evil guy' (பொல்லேன்) - He thus discreetly implores Lord Murugan that His ignorance be removed and he be relieved from this life woven in Maya.

He then praises the twelve strong shoulders of Lord Shanmukha - In this popular Form, Lord has six heads and twelve arms, and hence twelve shoulders (பன்னிரு வாகு). Lord's shoulders are strong and Sri Arunagiri compares them to the shoulders of strong wrestlers (மல்லேபுரி)

Sri Arunagiri then requests Lord to accept this work as a garland of words (சொல்லே புனையும்) in His strong shoulders. It might be interesting to note that Arunagiri uses similar simile of garland of words in the invocation verse of this work

He then addresses the Lord as as One with Glowing Complexion (சுடர்) and one sporting a Spear (வேலவனே) - We can enjoy Sri Arunagiri's vision of the Lord as a Resplendent personality! 

Image from: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/shrungagiri-shanmukha-temple