(1- 10) Prayer

PART ONE

அறத்துப்பால்

(1 to 380)

VERSES ON DHARMA [RIGHTEOUSNESS]

பாயிரவியல்/PREFACE

கடவுள் வாழ்த்து

KADAVUL VAAZHTTHU

PRAYER TO THE SUPREME LORD

(1)

அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு

AKARA MUDALA EZATTELLAAM AADI BHAGAVAN MUDARRE ULAGU

All the letters start from the sound ‘a’.

The world also starts from the Supreme Lord the source of all.

{All the letters are contained in the sound AUM, which has A, U and M sounds contained within it. Hence, all the words denoting all the objects of the world are sounds which begin from the first part of the AUM.

And the entire world containing all the names and forms arise from the Supreme Lord, who is the beginning of all and is himself without any beginning.}

(2)

கற்றதனால் ஆய பயனென்கொல் வாலறிவன்

நற்றாள் தொழாஅர் எனின்

KARRATANAAL AAYA PAYANENKOL VAALARIVAN

NARRAAL TOZAA AR ENIN

What is the use of learning, if one does not salute the feet of that Lord,

who is the embodiment of all knowledge?

{Learning should not make a person disbelieve in the Supreme Lord who is the essence of all the knowledge that is there.

So learn to salute the feet of the Lord who is the source of all knowledge.

Only by his grace can we pave our way to more learning.

What we know is just a handful and what we don’t know spreads out like the sands of the seashore. Humbleness is the mark of true learning. Arrogance blocks the path of learning.

Be humble before those who know more than you.

Always be devoted to the feet of the Supreme Lord who will guide you correctly in the path of knowledge.}

(3)

மலர்மிசை ஏகினான் மாணடி சேர்ந்தார்

 நிலமிசை நீடுவாழ் வார்

MALARMISAI EGINAAN MAANADI SERNDAAR

NILAMISAI NEEDU VAAZVAAR

Those who always meditate on the honored feet of the Lord,

 sitting on the lotus heart of the devotees,

will live forever in the state of liberation which is above all the worlds.

{Where is this Lord found?

He chooses always to sit on a flower.

Which flower?

The heart-lotus of a devotee, whose mind is soft with the love he has for the Supreme.

Hold on to the feet of the Lord, and always remember him. He will turn your heart also into a lotus and make it his home. You will also be fragrant with all virtues and have a pure heart which will become his temple.

Then what happens?

He who sits on top of your lotus heart will place you on top of the world itself. You will raise above all the mundane things and attain the eternal state of liberation by his grace.}

(4)

வேண்டுதல்வேண்டாமை இலானடி சேர்ந்தார்க்கு

யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல

VENDUDAL VENDAAMAI ILAANADI SERNDAARKKU

YAANDUM IDUMBAI ILA

For those who have taken shelter at the feet of that Great Lord,

who has no likes or dislikes,

there is no suffering of any sort ever.

{When you have surrendered to the feet of the Supreme Lord, the sufferings of any sort never touch you.

Does that mean that the life of yours is going to have no problems at all?

How can that happen, as earth life is synonymous with hardships and suffering?

When you surrender to the Supreme Lord, you will start becoming like him.

How?

The Lord does not have any likes or dislikes as such. He sees everything as his own Self.

A person who surrenders to the Supremacy will also get the character of having no likes or dislikes. For a man who looks upon the whole world as the Self, and loves everyone as his own Self, there is no suffering at all. Whatever is seen as suffering by the ignorant will be seen by the devotee as just a sport of the Supreme.

He will neither want anything; nor will dislike anything that has befallen him.

Like a sailor faces both the calm and turbulent ocean, yet enjoys the act of sailing and reaches his destination successfully, the devotee also sailing in the ship of equanimity (no likes/no dislikes) will reach his fulfillment for sure; for the Supreme Lord will always be at his side guiding him and protecting him.)

(5)

இருள்சேர் இருவினையும் சேரா இறைவன்

பொருள்சேர் புகழ்புரிந்தார் மாட்டு

IRULSER IRUVINAIYUM SERAA IRAIVAN

PORULSER PUGAZPURINDAAR MAATTU

Both the good and bad effects of actions rising out of ignorance,

will not approach

 those who understand the true essence of the Lord and meditate on him.

{Actions of the world have only two results- good or bad.

To get excited by the good results and to feel distressed by the bad results is the common nature of any ordinary person. Like a leaf caught in the high winds, a man experiences downfalls and higher states without control.

But if he could spare some time and understand the true essence of that Supreme Lord and contemplates on him, he will be freed of both the good and bad effects of his actions.

What is the true essence of the Supreme Lord?

He alone is everything and everyone that is seen as this world. There is nothing but him who is shining as all.  He is the essence of you too. So when you meditate on the true essence of the Lord, you are actually meditating on the Self.

Such a person who realizes the Self never is affected by the good or bad results of the actions. He treats both success and failure with equanimity.)

   

(6)

  பொறிவாயில் ஐந்தவித்தான் பொய்தீர் ஒழுக்க

 நெறிநின்றார் நீடுவாழ் வார்

PORIVAAYIL AINDARIVITTAN POYTEER OZAKKA

NERININRAAR NEEDUVAAZVAAR

Those who control the five senses from running after pleasures,

and remain stable in the disciplined path,

will live long happily.

{Every being on this earth is endowed with the five senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. These five senses alone make up the world we see. Each of these senses help in perceiving the world in front of us. But instead of using these senses to the betterment of oneself, an ignorant man chases sense pleasures madly, without control.  Falling prey to various illnesses mental and physical, he perishes sooner than ever. But a man who wants to live long, healthy and happy will control the wayward nature of the five senses and follow a disciplined life.)

(7)

  தனக்குவமை இல்லாதான் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்க் கல்லால்

 மனக்கவலை மாற்றல் அரிது

TANAKKUVAMAI ILAADAAN TAALSERNDAARKKALLAAL

MANAKKAVALAI MAARRAL ARIDU

Except for those who take shelter at the feet of

that Lord Vishnu who has no one to compare him with,

rest all cannot get freed of the worries in the mind.

(Who does not have worries?  Every moment of a man’s life from a child to that of an aged person, worries and anxieties keep pricking the mind like thorns.

Is there any magical medicine which can make a man freed of all the worries?

Yes says the wise Sage.

Those who take shelter at the feet of Lord Vishnu have no cause to worry. 

Why?

He is a person without comparison. There is no one that he can be compared with.

He is the Supreme abode of compassion. He loves his devotees more than they love him.

Those who are under his care will not be harassed by worries any more.

Others who do not seek his feet will never be freed of worries.)

(8)

  அறவாழி அந்தணன் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்க் கல்லால்

 பிறவாழி நீந்தல் அரிது

ARAVAAZI ANDANAN TAALSENDAARKKALLAAL

PIRAVAAZI NEENDAL ARIDU

Unless one seeks the shelter of Lord Brahma

who is the ocean of Knowledge (Vedas)

it is difficult to cross over the ocean of births.

(Take shelter in Lord Brahma who is the source of Vedas.

Study the Vedic scriptures (Upanishads) and like Lord Brahma become an ocean of   knowledge. You will surely never get tossed in the ocean of deaths and rebirths.)

(9)

  கோளில் பொறியின் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான்

 தாளை வணங்காத் தலை

KOLIL PORIYIN GUNAMILAVE ENGUNATTHAAN

TAALAI VANANGAATTALAI

The head which not bend at the feet of

Lord Shiva who is of eight-fold nature,

has a head, which is as useless as a sense which is defective.

(Look at those unfortunate souls who are born with a defective sense organ. May be one is blind; one is deaf; one cannot smell and so on. You do feel that you are above those poor souls. But do not be over-confident. At least they might have lost the use of one sense; but they still have a head may be that bends in front of Shiva and are saved.

But you- with all your senses intact are in a worse condition, if you do not bend your head before Lord Shiva. You are a person without head; a brainless idiot.

Why bend before Shiva? Because he has eight great qualities!

He is extremely pure; he is above all the Gods and independent; he rests in the Self; he is omniscient; he is taintless; has limitless compassion; he is omnipotent; he is of the form of bliss.

If you cannot get rid of your arrogance in front of such a magnificent Supremacy, you can brand yourself as a handicapped person without a head.)

 (10)

  பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர் நீந்தார்

 இறைவன் அடிசேரா தார்

PIRAVIPPERUNGADAL NEENDUVARNEENDAAR

IRAIVAN ADISERAADAAR

Those who are not sheltered by the feet of the ‘Supreme’

will not cross over the huge ocean of births and deaths;

they alone who are sheltered under his feet,

will cross over this ocean,

(Life does not end with the death of the body. A man carries the results of his actions and takes birth again in some other world. What he will be born as also is not under his control. He may be an animal, or an insect or a tree or a rock according to the sinful actions he has done. He did not ever surrender the feet of the Lord asking for help. He was arrogant and vain-headed. He will move from birth to birth, death to death without end. But a person who is wise worships the Lord now itself, when the time is there; begs for knowledge and escapes the tortures of repeated births.

You cannot think of the Lord at the death-bed when you do not have the thinking capacity at all. Now itself, hold on to his feet, which like boat will take you across the ocean of births.)