“Kandang kariyaanshem maeniyan vennittraan”
“Kandam kariyaan” (He whose throat is dark in purana)—when the thiruparkadal – sacred Ocean of Milk was churned, the destructive Aala-haala poison emerged first. To save the entire universe, Lord Shiva took that poison and consumed it. Seeing this, Mother Parvati reportedly held His neck tightly so that the poison would not pass down into His stomach! The poison stayed right there in His throat, in His neck! Because the poison remained in His throat as a blue hue, Shiva came to be known as Neelakandan. This is the mythological story (Purana)! Devotion!
Let us look at its inner mystical wisdom (Gnana/Jnana-porul) through experiential realization! “He whose throat is dark, Kandakariyathaam kan moondru udaiyathaam anbar ullam thithikka otri kadalruge nirkum karumpoo” -He who possesses three eyes, the sweet sugarcane standing near the sea of Thiruottriyur to sweeten the hearts of His devotees”—it is correct that Shiva is Neelakandan and possesses three eyes! But why did Saint Pattinathar sing that the sugarcane standing near the sea of Thiruottriyur?! Sugarcane does not grow on a seashore! What Pattinathar meant was not literal sugarcane (karumbu), but karum-poo—the black flower, which refers to the very flower of our eye!
Shiva, who is the pure Light, resides right inside our eyes. It is this that he cryptically described as the dark throat and the three-eyed countenance. The right eye, the left eye, and the third eye of vital life-force (Agni / Fire eye) where both eyes merge when traveling inward! Saint Manikkavasagar says the exact same thing. “Kandam kariyaan!” He refers to our very pupil where the light of Shiva resides! Is not the light of Shiva crimson in color? The form of Shiva is a beautiful crimson form (Semmaeni)! And upon that crimson form, a brilliant white light appears, looking as though holy ash (Thiruneeru) has been smeared! The outer layer of light is indeed a white light! How wondrous is this spiritual wisdom (Jnana)!
One must contemplate like this and perceive everything as the Supreme Absolute Truth (Meipporul)! One must perceive using the eye of divine knowledge! One must perceive using the eye of wisdom (Jnana-kan)!
“Perunthuraiyit kannaar kazhalkaati naayeunai
Aat konda annaa malaiyaanai paaduthum
Kaan ammaanai”
In the sacred place of Thiruperunthurai, Lord Shiva Himself manifested physically as the Guru to Saint Manikkavasagar, revealed His holy feet and divine light within the eye, and blessed him with spiritual initiation (Jnana Deeksha)! Let us sing of that Lord, the Lord of Annamalai, who took absolute dominion over a dog-like humble being such as me, oh companion! Thus, he praises and exalts the Lord!
Thriperunthurai—the divine Lord’s grand harbor (periya thurai), the grand harbor located on the face! A harbor is where ships come to rest! A harbor is the destination one must reach to cross over from the ocean into the homeland! Similarly, for us to reach our true spiritual homeland .the destination one must reach to disembark and enter inside the body is that grand harbor. It is the harbor on the face where the divine Lord shines. In truth, it is our eye! Thiruperunthurai itself mystically signifies the eye! It was at Perunthurai that the Lord, who is the eye itself, revealed His holy feet (kazhal) to Saint Manikkavasagar! The holy feet of the One who is the eye—He revealed that divine Light! He took absolute dominion! From where did He take dominion?
Inside our mouth, at the throat, lies the uvula (annakku). Above that region—as if sitting atop a mountain—at the center of our crown, Shiva resides! As pure Light! It is this location at the center of the crown, above the uvula, that Manikkavasagar cryptically refers to as Annamalai! It was from Annamalai that He manifested at Perunthurai! Look how beautifully, through mystical code and subtle hints, he has expressed this!
“Ennaiyunthan innarulaal ippiravi aatkodu Inippirava megaathu meipporut
kan thottramaay meiye Nilaibeyraay epporutkung thaaneyaay yaavaikkum
veedaagum Apporulaam nam sivanai paadungaan ammaanai”
Saint Manikkavasagar sings: Lord Shiva, by His sweet grace, took dominion over me in this very birth, safeguarding me so that I may never be born again. He manifested as the eye of the Supreme Absolute Truth (Meipporul) within my own eye, making my very body the abiding station where the Divine dwells. Shiva, who shines as the self-existent essence within all things, radiates as the absolute reality that brings liberation (veedu) to everything. Sing of that grace-showering Shiva! Behold Him!
Ammaanai—Am means beauty, and maanai refers to the deer! Just as a deer leaps and runs swiftly, the light of our eyes races dynamically! To denote this, Manikkavasagar sings of the eye as ammaanai, ammaanai! Behold the eye! Sing of the Lord who is the light of the eye! Why does Shiva hold a deer in His hand? Contemplate upon this!
“Seinthariyaak kaiyaanai engum serinthaanai”
Bringing both hands together is like offering a prayerful salutation (kumbidu)! That is bowing down with folded hands. But that is only a partial salutation! Folding our two hands(hand – translated to eyes in divine path), which are our two eyes, uniting the lights of the sun and the moon (Surya Chandra kalai), and worshiping Shiva within—that is the complete, true salutation!!
The Lord is the One who exists everywhere intensely—plenteously! Folding our two hands, which are the eyes, to worship Him is the ultimate salutation! It is true reverence! No one who has not received divine initiation (Gnana Deeksha) can write a commentary for the songs of the enlightened sages, for the holy Thiruvasagam!..Without knowing the true inner meaning of anything, they will only state vague, evasive opinions! Only to the one who has received divine initiation (Deeksha) from the Guru will everything become as crystal clear as broad daylight! There is absolutely no connection between holding a university degree and attaining true spiritual wisdom (Gnana/Jnana)!
“Perunthuraiyaan kaattaathanavellaam kaatti
Sivankaatti thaatta maraikkaatti thangarunai thaenkaatti”
The Lord of Perunthurai showed Saint Manikkavasagar everything that had never been seen or heard before! He revealed the pure Divine Light that is Shiva Himself! Thaattamarai kaatti—He revealed the lotus feet (thaal means foot, thamarai means lotus), showing His divine lotus feet! The Supreme Lord revealed all of this by displaying the sweet honey of His divine compassion!
“Oonaiyum nindrurukki envinaiyai ottugandhu”
As one realizes the Supreme Truth (Meipporul) and continuously performs spiritual penance (Gnana Thavam), all the excess fat that was previously in the body will dissolve away! All the dense flesh (oon) will melt down! The body will become a vessel of bone and skin! One will become thin, reduced to bones and skin! Do not be afraid! They will shine with incredible bodily strength!
When the Divine Lord spreads inside as pure Light, will not the internal water dry up as the fire expands? That is exactly what happens within our physical body! What happens next?! All of our past karmas (vinai) will dissolve away. The Supreme Lord will drive away our karmas and completely eradicate them!
If you look at certain godmen, they are plump like a chubby child, eating and growing fat with big, pot-like bellies! There is absolutely no connection between them and true spiritual wisdom! The one who possesses a body of skin and bone, whose frame is draped in skin, is the true seeker of wisdom (Gnana Sadhakan)! This is his true hallmark!
“Ullurugith theduvaen thedich sivankazhale sinthippaen”
As our flesh melts and our inner heart melts, we must search! Where? Right inside our eye, which is the Supreme Truth (Meipporul)! Saint Manikkavasagar declares that with tears welling up and overflowing with emotion, searching and seeking, he will eternally contemplate only upon the holy feet of Lord Shiva—upon those very luminous, radiant eyes!
“Seeraar perunthuraiyil elivaththirunthirangi
ennariya Innarulaal olivandhen ullaththin ulloe olithigazh”
Olithigazh—filled with resplendent, magnificent Light. Perunthurai—the mystical eyes. Approaching as a humble, simple being, through His unfathomable and boundless supreme grace, the Lord manifested as pure Light and shone beautifully within my heart—deep within my eyes! He bestowed the sacred gift of divine initiation (Gnana Deeksha) upon Saint Manikkavasagar!
Worship that Supreme Lord (Ammaan)! Behold Him! Sing of Am-maanai (the beautiful deer-like, dynamic light of the eye)! Transform into that Divine Lord Himself! Abide as Am-maan and sing! Oh Lord! Behold Ammaanai! Behold through the divine light of the pupil! Behold what? That absolute reality itself! Look at your own eye with your eye! Behold the vast cosmic space (Vinnam)! Behold the earth (Mannam)! Behold the divine space within the eye! Behold your physical body, which is the very earth where the eye resides!
“Kannai paar vinnai paar mannai paar”
Do you see how much profound, mystical wisdom (Jnana) is hidden within this secret phrase whispered by the Siddhas? Everything is pure wisdom!
“Epporul yaaryaar vaaik ketpinum
apporul Meipporul kaanpathu arivu”
A truly wise and enlightened soul will perceive the words spoken by anyone as the Supreme Truth (Meipporul) itself! To behold everything as the Supreme Truth, and to fully realize and understand that the inner eye itself is that True Supreme Reality (Meipporul), bow down with absolute surrender to the true spiritual master (Gnana/Jnana Satguru)! Receive his divine spiritual instructions (Jnana Upadesam) and holy initiation (Jnana Deeksha)! Only then will your human birth find its true, ultimate meaning!!