- April 15, 2025
Contents
Kappu
Nenjak kana kallu nekizhndhu urugath
thanjaththu aruḷ shaṇmukanukku iyalsaer
senjchor puṇai maalai siṟanthiḍavē
panjakkarai aanai patham paṇivaam.
Nool
(1) Aadum pari, vael, anisēval enap
paadum paṇiyē paṇiyaa aruḷvaai
thaedum kayamaa mukhanaich cheruvil
saadum thani yaanaich sagotharane.
(2) Ullaasa, niraakula, yōka ithach
challaapa, vinōthanum nee alaiyō?
ellaam aṟa, ennai iḻandha nalam
sollāi, murugaa surapoo pathiyē.
(3) Vaanō? punal paar kanal maaruthamō?
gnaanō thayamō? navil naan maṟaiyō?
yaanō? manamō? enai aaṇda idam
thaanō? poruḷaavathu shaṇmukhanae.
(4) Vaḷaipaṭṭa kaim maathodu, makkal enum
thaḷaipaṭṭu aḻiyath thakumō? thakumō?
kiḷaipaṭṭu eḻu soor uramum, kiriyum,
thoḷaipaṭṭu uruvath thodu vaelavanē.
(5) Maka maayai kaḷainthida valla piraan
mukam aaṟum moḻinthu oḻinthilanē
akam maadai, maḍanthaiyar en(dhu) ayarum
sakamaayaiyuḷ nindru thayanguvathē.
(6) Thiṇiyaana manō silai meethu, unathaaḷ
aṇiyaar, aravindham arumbu mathō?
.. paṇiyaa? .. ena, vaḷḷi patham paṇiyum
thaṇiyaa athimōka dhayaa paranē.
(7) Keduvaai mananē, kathi kaeḷ, karavaathu
iduvaai, vaḍivael iṟaithaal ninaivaai
suduvaai nedu vaethanai thooḷpaṭavē
viduvaai viduvaai vinai yaavaiyumē.
(8) Amarum pathi, kaeḷ, akam aam enum ip
pimaram keda meip poruḷ paesiya vaa
kumaran kiriraasa kumaari makan
samaram peru thaanava naasakanē.
(9) Mattoor kuḻal mangaiyar maiyal valaip
paṭṭu, oozhalpaṭum parisendru oḻivaen?
thattu oodu aṟa vael sayilaththu eṟiyum
niṭṭoora niraakula, nirpayanē.
(10) Kaar maa misai kaalan varil, kalapath
thaermaa misai vanthu, ethirap paḍuvaai
thaar maarba, valaari thalaari enum
soormaa maḍiyath thodu vaelavanē.
(11) Koogaa ena en kiḷai koodi aḻap
pōkaa vakai, meip poruḷ paesiya vaa
naagaasala vaelava naalu kavith
thiyaagaa suralōka sikaamaṇiyē.
(12) Semmaan makaḷaith thirudum thirudan
pemmaan murugan, piṟavaan, iṟavaan
.. summaa iru, sol aṟa .. enṟalumē
ammaa poruḷ ondrum aṟinthilanē.
(13) Murugan, thanivael muni, nam kuru … endru
aruḷ koṇdu aṟiyaar aṟiyum tharamō
uru andru, aru andru, uḷathu andru, ilathu andru,
iruḷ andru, oḷi andru ena nindrathuvē.
(14) Kaivaai kathirvael murugan kaḻalpetru
uyvaai, mananē, oḻivaai oḻivaai
mei vaai vizhi naasiyodum sevi aam
aivaai vaḻi sellum avaavinaiyē.
(15) Murugan, kumaran, kukan, endru moḻinthu
urukum seyal thanthu, uṇarvendru aruḷvaai
poru pungavarum, puviyum paravum
kurupungava, eṇ guṇa panjaranae.
(16) Paeraasai enum piṇiyil piṇipaṭṭu
ōraa vinaiyaen uzhalath thakumō?
veeraa, muthu soor paṭa vael eṟiyum
sooraa, sura lōka thurandharanē.
(17) Yaam ōthiya kalviyum, em aṟivum
thaamē peṟa, vaelavar thanthathanaal
poo mael mayal pōi aṟam meip puṇarveer
naamēlnadaveer, nadaveer iniyae.
(18) Uthiyaa, mariyaa, uṇaraa, maṟavaa,
vithi maal aṟiyaa vimalan puthalvaa,
athikaa, anagaa, abhayaa, amaraa
pathi kaavala, soora payang karanē.
(19) Vadivum thanamum manamum guṇamum
kuḍiyum kulamum kuḍipō kiyavaa
aḍi antham ilaa ayil vael arasē
miḍi endru oru paavi veḷippaḍinē.
(20) Arithaakiya meip poruḷukku aḍiyaen
urithaa upathaesam uṇarththiya vaa
virithaaraṇa, vikrama vaeḷ, imaiyōr
purithaaraka, naaga purandharanē.
(21) Karuthaa maṟavaa neṟikaaṇa, enakku
iruthaaḷ vanasam thara endru isaiyaai
varathaa, murugaa, mayil vaahananē
virathaa, sura soora vipaaṭaṇanē.
(22) Kaaḷaik kumarēsan enak karuthith
thaaḷaip paṇiyath thavam eythiya vaa
paaḷaik kuḻal vaḷḷi patham paṇiyum
vaeḷaich sura poopathi, maeruvaiyē.
(23) Aḍiyaik kuṟiyaathu aṟiyaa maiyinaal
muḍiyak keḍavō? muṟaiyō? muṟaiyō?
vaḍi vikrama vael mahipaa, kuṟamin
koḍiyaip puṇarum guṇa bootharanē
(24) Koorvael vizhi mangaiyar kongaiyilē
saervaen, aruḷ saeravum eṇṇumathō
soor vaerodu kundru thoḷaiththa nedum
poor vaela, purandhara boopathiyē.
(25) Meiyē ena vevvinai vaaḻvai ukanthu
aiyō, aḍiyaen alaiyath thakumō?
kaiyō, ayilō, kaḻalō muḻuthum
seiyyōi, mayil aeṟiya saevakanē.
(26) Aathaaram ilaen, aruḷaip peṟavē
neethaan oru satrum ninainthilaiyē
vaethaagama gnaana vinōtha, mana
atheethaa suralōka sikaamaṇiyē.
(27) Minnae nikar vaaḻvai virumbiya yaan
ennae vithiyin payan ingu ithuvō?
ponnae, maṇiyae, poruḷae, aruḷae,
mannae, mayil aeṟiya vaanavanē.
(28) Aanaa amuthae, ayil vael arasē,
gnaanaakaranē, navilath thakumō?
yaan aakiya ennai vizhungi, veṟum
thaanaai nilai nindrathu thathparamē.
(29) Illae enum maayaiyil iṭṭanai nee
pollēn aṟiyaamai poṟuththilaiyē
mallae puri panniru vaaguvil en
sollē puṇaiyum sudar vaelavanē.
(30) Sevvaan uruvil thikaḻ vaelavan, andru
ovvaathathu ena uṇarvith thathuthaan
avvaaṟu aṟivaar aṟikinrathu alaal
evvaaṟu oruvarkku isaivippathuvē.
(31) Paaḻvaaḻvu enum ip paḍumaayaiyilē
veeḻvaai ena ennai vithiththanaiyē
thaaḻvaanavai seythana thaam uḷavō?
vaaḻvaai ini nee mayil vaahananē.
(32) Kalaiyae pathaṟik, katharith thalaiyoodu
alaiyē paḍumaaṟu, athuvaai viṭavō?
kolaiyae puri vaedar kulap piḍiththōi
malaiyae, malai kooṟidu vaakaiyanē.
(33) Sinthaakula illodu selvam enum
vinthaaṭavi endru viṭap peṟuvaen
manthaakini thantha varōthayanē
kanthaa, murugaa, karuṇaa karanē.
(34) Singkaara maḍanthaiyar theeneṟi pōi
mangaamal enakku varam tharuvaai
sangkaara sikaavala, shaṇmukhanae
gangaa nathi paala, krupaakaranē.
(35) Vithikaaṇum uḍambai viṭaa vinaiyaen
kathikaaṇa malark kaḻal endru aruḷvaai?
mathi vaaḷnuthal vaḷḷiyai allathu pin
thuthiyaa virathaa, sura boopathiyē.
(36) Naathaa, kumaraa nama endru aranaar
ōthaai ena ōthiyathu epporuḷ thaan?
vaethaa muthal viṇṇavar soodum malarp
paathaa kuṟamin patha saekaranē.
(37) Kirivaai viḍu vikrama vael iṟaiyōn
parivaaram enum patham maevalaiyē
purivaai mananē poṟaiyaam aṟivaal
arivaai aḍiyōdum akanthaiyaiyē.
(38) Aathaaḷiyai, ondru aṟiyaenai aṟath
theeth aaḷiyai aaṇdathu seppumathō
koothaaḷa kiraatha kulikku iṟaivaa
vaethaala gaṇam pukaḻ vaelavanē.
(39) Maaaeḻ sananam keda maayai viṭaa
mooeaṭaṇai endru muḍinthiḍumō
kōvae, kuṟamin koḍithōḷ puṇarum
thaevae siva sangkara thaesikanē.
(40) Vinai ōda viḍum kathir vael maṟavaen
manaiyodu thiyangi mayangiḍavō?
sunaiyodu, aruvith thuṟaiyodu, pasun
thinaiyodu, ithaṇodu thirintha vanē.
(41) Saakaathu, enaiyae saraṇang kaḷilē
kaa kaa, namanaar kalakam seyyum naaḷ
vaagaa, murugaa, mayil vaahananē
yōgaa, siva gnaana upathaesikanē.
(42) Kuṟiyaik kuṟiyaathu kuṟiththu aṟiyum
neṟiyaith thanivaelai nikaḻththidalum
seṟivu atru, ulagodu urai sinthaiyum atru
aṟivu atru, aṟiyaamaiyum aṯrathuvē.
(43) Thoosaa maṇiyum thukilum puṇaivaaḷ
naesaa murugaa ninathu anbu aruḷaal
aasaa nikaḷam thukaḷaayina pin
paesaa anubhoothi piṟanthathuvē.
(44) Saadum thanivael murugan saraṇam
soodum paḍi thanthathu sollumathō?
veeḍum, surar maa muḍi, vaethamum, vem
kaadum, punamum kamaḻum kaḻalē.
(45) Karavaakiya kalvi uḷaar kaḍai sendru
iravaa vakai meip poruḷ eeguvaiyō?
kuravaa, kumaraa, kulisaayutha, kunj
saravaa, sivayōka dhayaa paranē.
(46) Em thaayum enakku aruḷ thanthaiyum nee
sinthaakulam aanavai theerththu enaiyaaḷ
kanthaa, kathir vaelavanē, umaiyaaḷ
mainthaa, kumaraa, maṟai naayakanē.
(47) Aaṟu aaṟaiyum neeththu athan mael nilaiyaip
paeṟaa aḍiyaen, peṟumaaṟu uḷathō?
seeṟaavaru soor sithaiviththu, imaiyōr
kooṟaa ulakam kuḷirviththavanē.
(48) Aṟivu ondru aṟa nindru, aṟivaar aṟivil
piṟivu ondru aṟa nindra, piraan alaiyō?
seṟivu ondru aṟa vanthu, iruḷae sithaiya
veṟi vendravardodu uṟum vaelavanē.
(49) Thannan thani nindrathu, thaan aṟiya
innam oruvarkku isaivip pathuvō?
minnum kathir vael vikirthaa, ninaivaar
kinnam kaḷaiyum krupaai chooḻ sudarē.
(50) Mathikettu aṟavaaḍi, mayangi, aṟak
kathikettu, avamae keḍavō kaḍavaen?
nathi puththira, gnaana sukaathipa, ath
thithi puththirar veeṟu aḍu saevakanē.
(51) Uruvaai aruvaai, uḷathaai ilathaai
maruvaai malaraai, maṇiyaai oḷiyaaik
karuvaai uyiraaik, kathiyaai vithiyaaik
guruvaai varuvaai, aruḷvaai kukanē.
Invocation to Lord Ganesa
By surrendering to Lord Shanmukha, His Grace will make the hard, stony mind melt and flow. We will entwine the flow of chaste literary words in His praise into garlands of songs, and bowing to the holy feet of the five-handed, elephant-faced God, we shall pray they attain fame.
(1) O brother of the lone elephant that attacked and subdued the elephant-faced demon in battle, grant me the grace that my duty is only to sing your praises with the spear, the peacock banner, and the cock flag!
(2) Are you not the embodiment of joy, the untainted one, the essence of yoga, the delight of conversation, and the source of all wonder? Tell me, O Muruga, Lord of the celestial beings, the bliss of losing myself entirely, where everything ceases to be!
(3) Is the ultimate reality the sky? Water? Fire? Wind? Is it the dawn of wisdom? Or the proclaimed four Vedas? Is it I? My mind? Or is the place that possessed me, O Shanmukha, truly the ultimate substance?
(4) Is it right? Is it right that I should be bound and perish in the fetters of women with bangled hands and (the thought of) children? O Lord of the spear that pierced through the chests of the mighty Soorapadman, his mountains, and made them crumble!
(5) The powerful Lord who is capable of dispelling the great illusion did not speak even a word with His six faces and then remain silent. Yet, I linger and waver in this worldly illusion, thinking of home, wealth, and women.
(6) Upon the firm stone of my mind, will your anklets, like beautiful lotus blossoms, sprout forth? “Serve!” thus, the compassionate Lord, whose feet are worshipped by Valli, has quelled my excessive desires.
(7) O my mind, listen to the way to liberation, without concealing anything! Dedicate yourself and contemplate the feet of the Lord with the sharp spear. So that the long-lasting agony may be reduced to dust, release, release all your karmas!
(8) Listen to the truth spoken so that this delusion, which says “the inner self is the abode,” may perish. O Kumara, son of the daughter of the king of mountains, the great warrior who destroyed the mighty demons!
(9) When will I be freed from the state of being caught in the net of infatuation for women with sweet flute-like voices, swinging like a pendulum? O relentless, untainted, fearless one, who hurls the spear that penetrates through the mountains!
(10) If death, mounted on his dark buffalo, should come, you will come riding on your peacock chariot and confront him. O Lord with the garlanded chest, wielder of the spear that slew Soorapadman, the enemy of Indra and his hosts!
(11) So that my relatives should not gather and weep “Alas!”, you spoke the true word. O Velava of Nagasalam, generous one of the four kinds of poetry, crest jewel of the celestial world!
(12) The great Lord Murugan, the thief who stole the deer-like maiden (Valli), is unborn and undying. When He simply said, “Be still, without words,” alas, I did not understand even a bit of its meaning.
(13) Murugan, the solitary spear-wielding sage, our Guru… is it within the grasp of the ignorant to know Him through grace? He stood as that which is neither form nor formless, neither existent nor non-existent, neither darkness nor light.
(14) Having attained the feet of Murugan with the radiant spear held in His hands, O my mind, be saved, cease, cease the desires that flow through the five senses: mouth, nose, eyes, ears, and skin!
(15) Uttering “Murugan, Kumaran, Guhan,” grant me the melting heart and when will you bestow understanding as grace? O Guru of the noble ones and the earth, praised by all, the caged one of eight qualities!
(16) Is it proper that I, a single sinner caught in the disease called great desire, should suffer? O hero, wielder of the spear that struck down the ancient Soorapadman, the brave leader of the celestial world!
(17) The knowledge we have studied and our wisdom were given by the Lord with the spear, so that we ourselves may attain them. Having abandoned the infatuation with the earthly realm, unite with righteousness and truth. Walk forward, walk forward now!
(18) O son of the pure one whom birth, death, understanding, and forgetfulness do not touch, whom even Brahma and Vishnu do not know! O supreme one, flawless one, refuge, immortal one, guardian of the abode, the terrifying one to the demons!
(19) Form, wealth, mind, qualities, lineage, and family have all vanished. O King with the sharp spear whose beginning and end are unknown, if even a poor wretch like me appears before you!
(20) To me, who am a devotee of the rare true substance, you graciously imparted the divine instruction. O Lord with the expanding garlands, the victorious spear, the protector of the celestial beings, the support of the Nagas!
(21) So that I may find the path that I do not forget, grant me your lotus-like twin feet, so you declared. O giver of boons, Muruga, rider on the peacock, valiant one, destroyer of the சூர demons!
(22) Considering you as the youthful Lord of the bull, I attained the penance of worshipping your feet. O Lord of the celestial beings who dwells on the mountain, whose feet are worshipped by Valli with fragrant tresses!
(23) Without seeking your feet as my refuge, through ignorance, shall I utterly perish? Is this justice? Is this justice? O mighty king with the sharp victorious spear, the mountain of virtues who unites with the tribal maiden!
(24) Shall I join the breasts of women with sharp, spear-like eyes, and yet also desire to attain your grace? O Lord of the long victorious spear that pierced the root of Soorapadman and the mountains, king of the celestial city!
(25) Having delighted in this false life filled with terrible karmas as if it were true, alas, is it proper that I, your devotee, should wander aimlessly? O red one (referring to his form or the red lotus feet), the warrior riding the peacock, your hand, your spear, your feet are all!
(26) I have no support; so that I may attain your grace, have you not thought of me even a little? O essence of the Vedas and Agamas, joy of wisdom, transcendent one, crest jewel of the celestial world!
(27) I, who desired a life like lightning, what is the result of fate here? O gold, O gem, O wealth, O grace, O king, O celestial one who rides the peacock!
(28) O undying nectar, O king with the sharp spear, O treasure of wisdom, is it proper to say? The Self, which was “I,” having been swallowed, only the pure Self remained established.
(29) You placed me in the illusion that says “there is nothing,” yet you did not forgive my ignorant wickedness. O radiant spear-wielder who adorns my words in your twelve mighty arms that fought at Mallapuri!
(30) The Lord with the radiant spear, appearing in the form of the red sky, revealed that it was unlike anything else. Only those who know in that way truly know it; how can one explain it to others?
(31) You destined me to fall into this great illusion called the worthless life. Did I commit deeds that were so base? Live now in bliss, O rider on the peacock!
(32) Should my arts falter, should I cry out, and should my head be filled with tossing waves? O mountain where the tribal woman of the hunting clan dwells, the victorious one who speaks of the mountain!
(33) When will I be freed from the wondrous forest called the household filled with worries and wealth? O Lord born of the boon granted by the Mandakini (Ganga), O Kanda, O Muruga, O compassionate one!
(34) Grant me the boon that I may not perish, having turned away from the evil path of beautiful women. O chief warrior of battles, Shanmukha, son of the Ganga, ocean of grace!
(35) I, who cannot give up this body that fate has determined and its clinging karmas, when will you grant your flower-like feet as my refuge? O celibate one who praises none other than Valli with the moon-like forehead, Lord of the celestial beings!
(36) “Natha, Kumara, Nama” – what is the meaning of what Hara (Shiva) instructed you to recite? O feet adorned with the flower worn by Brahma and the celestials, possessor of the feet of the tribal maiden!
(37) The Lord with the victorious spear that is released from the mountain cave – is it to attain the state of being his retinue? Understand, O mind, with the wisdom of forbearance, sever your ego completely!
(38) Will you tell how you, the righteous one, ruled over me, the ignorant one who knows nothing, the doer of evil deeds? O Lord of the cool mountain tribe, Velava praised by the host of Vetala spirits!
(39) Will the three desires (for offspring, wealth, and fame), which do not leave the illusion even after countless births, finally end? O King, the divine one who embraces the fragrant shoulders of the tribal maiden, the Guru who is Shiva Sankara!
(40) I will not forget the radiant spear that drives away karma. Should I languish and be deluded in my household? O wanderer through springs, waterfalls, green millet fields, and raised platforms!
(41) So that I may not die, protect me in your refuges! On the day when the messengers of Yama cause turmoil, O Vaaga, Muruga, rider on the peacock, Yogi, teacher of Shiva’s wisdom!
(42) When the path of knowing by focusing without focusing was enacted by the solitary spear, attachment ceased, thoughts about the world vanished, awareness dissolved, and ignorance was no more.
(43) When the desire-filled fetters were shattered by the loving grace of my beloved Muruga, who wears dust, gems, and silk, then the unspeakable experience of bliss was born.
(44) Will you tell how the refuge of Murugan with the striking solitary spear was granted to be worn (as an ornament)? His anklets are fragrant with the home, the crowns of the celestials, the Vedas, the fierce forests, and the groves.
(45) Will you grant the true substance in such a way that those with concealed learning will not have to go to others’ doors and beg? O Guru, Kumara, wielder of the thunderbolt, elephant-faced one, ocean of compassion in Shiva’s yoga!
(46) You are both my mother and the father who grants grace. Dispel the anxieties that have arisen and rule over me, O Kanda, radiant spear-wielder, son of Uma, Kumara, leader of the Vedas!
(47) Having transcended the six sets of six (36 tattvas), is there a way for me, your unworthy devotee, to attain that supreme state? O destroyer of the fiercely attacking Soorapadman, who cooled the world of the celestials!
(48) Are you not the Lord who stood as the singular awareness, undivided in the awareness of the wise, who came without any obstruction, so that darkness might be destroyed, the Velava who is with those who conquered their senses?
(49) That which stood alone by itself, how can it be made known to another? O wondrous one with the shining radiant spear, the light surrounded by grace that dispels the sorrows of those who contemplate you!
(50) Having lost my mind, wandering in vain, deluded, utterly ruined, should I perish uselessly? O son of the river (Ganga), lord of the bliss of wisdom, the warrior who vanquished the pride of the sons of Diti (demons)!
(51) As form and formless, as existent and non-existent, as fragrance and flower, as gem and light, as embryo and life, as destiny and fate, come as my Guru and grant your grace, O Guha!
