Thiruvempavai - 5

Johneh Shankar
Dec 22, 2022
2 min read

Day 5 of Margazhi and we are one step closer to win Manickavachakar's blessings. Not that it's a competition between others vs you but you vs your mind.

Today's verse is getting deeper yet by the words of it, appears very trivial.

The Verse

mAlaRiyA n^Anmukanum kANA malaiyinain^Am
  pOlaRivOm enRuLLa pokkaN^ga LEpEchum
pAlURu thEnvAyp padiRI kadaithiRavAy
  nyAlamE viNNE piRavE aRivariyAn 
kOlamum n^ammaiAt koNdaruLi kOdhAttuny
  chIlamum pAdich chivanE chivanEenRu
Olam idinum uNarAy uNarAykAN 
  Elak kuzali parisElOr empAvAy

Translates to:

"Oh you deceitful girl with honeyed words, who tells lies from the heart! We know the infinite height that was not known by Vishnu and not seen by Brahma. Come and open the door! We sing and scream "Oh Shiva! Oh ShivA!!" in celebration of the Lord, who is difficult to be grasped by worldy knowledge or material wealth, yet who has taken us as his disciples and cares for us deeply. But you never seem to feel it! Is this your true nature, oh nice plaited girl?"

Read between the lines

This appears very trivial, maybe even bogus, as put by some of my atheistic friends. But it has deeper philosophical meanings. Let's break it down.

The conversation as it appears to be happening between a group of women who are awake and a woman who is sleeping, can also be understood as a conversation between one who's soul has awakened and a mindful body that is sleeping.

The ancient Purana, denoted in this stanza as "Mal ariya, Nanmukanum Kana" tells the tale of Lord Shiva, whose immense greatness was sought to be measured by Brahma and Vishnu, who took the forms of a Swan and a Hog, respectively. Brahma attempted to find the crown of Shiva, while Vishnu tried to locate his feet, but both endeavors were in vain. On the surface, this may appear to be simply a mythological story or a piece of folklore told by devoted followers. However, the true meaning of this tale runs much deeper. In this allegory, Brahma represents knowledge and education, while Vishnu symbolizes wealth. Those who seek to fully comprehend the divine vastness of Lord Shiva (or Jesus, or Allah) will find that their wealth or knowledge is of no use in this pursuit. Only the purest, most selfless love can unlock the fullness of the divine. But what is love, truly? It is an emotion that arises from within and embraces all, without judgment or reservation.

Key Takeaway

The women waiting outside, representing the soul that yearns for unity with the divine, call upon the sleeping woman, symbolizing the body held captive by ignorance and ego. They underscore the humbling nature of the Almighty, who will not be swayed by wealth or knowledge, but will graciously bestow blessings upon those whose hands are joined in loving devotion similar to a ripened fruit, ready to fall at a gentle touch, the lord's divine grace that flows freely to those who approach with pure loving hearts.