August 2025

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 10

To Overcome the Fear of Death and Attain Prāṇa-Strength

For the tenth hymn, the Siddha Guru titled the prayoga:
“Namanai Vilakka – Yamadaṇḍanai Vilakka”
(To be shielded from Yama, to be spared his rod of punishment).

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The Root of All Fear

Among the five fundamental afflictions of man (pañca kleśas), even those who have attained wisdom are said—by Patañjali and other Yogis—to still be touched by the fear of death (abhiniveśa).

• The fear of death is the root of all fears.
• Every form of fear—whether fear of loss, sickness, or separation—traces back to the instinctive dread of dying.
• Fear itself arises from lack of strength.
• Specifically, the fear of death arises from weakness of prāṇa-śakti (life-force).

Thus, this hymn discloses the yogic secret of gaining prāṇa-strength, through which death-fear is transcended.

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The Journey of the Departing Soul

• When beings die according to their evolutionary stage, different deities preside over their transition.
• For those who have received dīkṣā from a Guru and who practice upāsanā steadfastly throughout their life, Yama and his messengers do not approach them at death.
• Instead, their soul is guided by the divine powers of their iṣṭa-devatā:
  • Śiva-upāsakas are received by the gaṇas of Śiva.
  • Devī-upāsakas are received by the Yoginīs.
• Such beings are carried to realms suited to the power of their sādhana.

It is only the souls without dīkṣā and without spiritual discipline that are seized by Yama’s messengers, judged according to their karma, and sent to their appropriate state.

This hymn therefore instructs that a Muruga-upāsaka, at the time of death, must meditate on Him. By this, the fear of death is dispelled.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (10th Hymn):
கார் மா மிசை காலன் வரில், கலபத்
தேர்மா மிசை வந்து, எதிரப் படுவாய்
தார் மார்ப, வலாரி தலாரி எனும்
சூர்மா மடியத் தொடுவே லவனே.

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Meaning

“O Spear-wielder, Lord of the garlanded chest,
who struck down mighty Vala and the towering Sura,
when Yama comes riding on his black buffalo,
You must come to me, riding Your radiant peacock,
and stand before me.”

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The Yogic Secret

This hymn conceals profound yogic insight.

• Indra, the intuitive divine mind, even after defeating Vala, became enslaved to Sūrapadman. This shows how even the divine mind is not free without Muruga’s śakti.
• Muruga’s spear (vēl) is the weapon of complete Śiva-Śakti, capable of destroying such asuric domination.
• Worship of Muruga therefore confers this Paripūrṇa Śakti—the power to overcome all asuric forces, including death.

The second part of the hymn turns to the moment of death:

• Yama comes mounted on the buffalo, symbol of destructive force pulling prāṇa away.
• Muruga, however, comes on the peacock.

In the second hymn we saw the “dancing peacock” as a symbol of the regulated breath (prāṇāyāma)—the disciplined flow of life-force. Here too, the peacock is revealed as the purified prāṇa, once transformed by Muruga’s śakti.

• Sūrapadman, by his tapas, had attained great asuric prāṇa-strength. But when split by Muruga’s spear, that force was purified and became Muruga’s own vehicle—the peacock.
• Thus the peacock symbolizes prāṇa made divine, capable of carrying the sādhaka safely beyond the grasp of Yama.

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The Deeper Insight

When Arunagirināthar prays, “At the hour when Yama comes on the buffalo, You must come on the peacock and stand before me”, the inner meaning is:

• Yama seeks to cut prāṇa and drag it away.
• Muruga grants the sādhaka immense prāṇa-strength, so that the soul does not get bound in Yama’s noose but is carried directly to the feet of Muruga.

As sung in Kandara Alaṅkāram:

“For those who hold to the spear and the peacock,
there is no stream of death to be crossed.”

The vēl is complete jñāna-śakti.
The mayūra (peacock) is the purified, empowered prāṇa-śakti.
Together, they free the devotee from death-fear.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

• Meditate upon Muruga’s vēl as the force of Śiva-Śakti destroying all asuric powers.
• Meditate upon His mayūra as the sublimated, divine prāṇa carrying the soul beyond Yama’s grasp.
• At every meditation, visualize: “When Yama comes, Muruga will stand before me, radiant on the peacock, protecting me with His spear.”

Through this hymn, along with its mūlamantra and yantra as revealed by the Siddha Guru, the sādhaka gains prāṇa-strength and is freed from the fear of death.

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✅ Thus, the 10th Mantra Prayoga reveals:

• Death-fear is conquered not by denial but by strengthening prāṇa through Muruga’s grace.
• Muruga’s spear gives jñāna-śakti; His peacock gives prāṇa-śakti.
• Together, they lead the sādhaka beyond Yama, into fearlessness.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 09

To Overcome Lustful Desire

For the ninth hymn, the Siddha Guru gave the title: “Peṇṇusai Oḻikka” – “To Destroy the Allurement of Women.”

This prayoga is not directed against women themselves, but against the delusive force of lust that:

• causes a man to be deceived by manipulative women who exploit his weakness for money or wealth,
• or conversely, causes women to be deceived by lustful men who misuse them.

Thus, the essence of this hymn’s prayoga is to give the discrimination (viveka) and inner strength to protect oneself from destructive lust and to rise above lower passion.

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Why Lust Cannot Be Defeated by Will Alone

Many people genuinely wish to overcome lust, yet they repeatedly fall into the same trap. The reason is:

• Lust cannot be overcome merely by suppression or denial.
• The only way to conquer lust is to offer the mind a higher bliss than the fleeting pleasure of desire.
• When, through upāsanā, one experiences even once the bliss of divine energy (para-ānanda), the mind loses attraction to the lower pleasures.

As Rāmaliṅga Vallalār sings:

“Only those who have the darśan of Muruga—whose hand bears the spear, whose shoulder is mighty, who shines on the peacock, whose lotus feet radiate brilliance—
can escape the flowery arrows of Kāma.
For Muruga is the embodiment of Perfect Jñāna-Śakti,
born of the yogic third-eye of Śiva Himself.”

Muruga upāsanā is thus a vīra-bhāva sādhana—a warrior’s discipline. Whoever worships Muruga must become a man of discipline (ozhukku). And if not by one’s own effort, then by Muruga’s grace of compassion, the sādhaka will be shaped into one.

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The Power of Muruga’s Vēl

• Muruga is the supreme Vivekin, the one who struck down even the pride of Brahmā when he boasted of his knowledge.
• His spear (vēl) is the weapon of discrimination—cutting through illusion and exposing truth.
• Whoever receives Muruga’s grace gains this clarity of vision; he can see through deception, hypocrisy, and shallow pretenses.
• Such a person cannot be ensnared by lust or by the tricks of others.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (9th Hymn):
மட்டூர் குழல் மங்கையர் மையல் வலைப்
பட்டு, ஊசல்படும் பரிசு என்று ஒழிவேன்?
தட்டு ஊடு அற வேல் சயிலத்து எறியும்
நிட்டூர நிராகுல, நிர்பயனே.

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Meaning

“When shall I be freed from the restless swaying caused by being ensnared in the delusive net of maidens with fragrant, flower-adorned hair?
O Lord, who hurled your flawless spear and split asunder the mighty Krauñca mountain of Māyā—
you are Nittūra, ever tranquil, and Nirbhaya, ever fearless!”

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Teaching

• The lustful delusion is here compared to the Krauñca mountain, which blocks the sādhaka’s vision of Truth.
• Muruga’s vēl (spear of jñāna and viveka) pierces and shatters this delusion.
• By meditating on Muruga as Nirākula (serene yogi) and Nirbhaya (fearless one), the sādhaka tastes the bliss of yogic absorption. Once this higher bliss is experienced, the lower pull of lust loses its power.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

1. Visualization: Consider lustful desire as the Krauñca mountain within your mind.
2. Meditation: Visualize Muruga’s spear piercing and splitting it apart.
3. Bhāva: Meditate on Muruga as the serene yogi (nirākula) and fearless master (nirbhaya), absorbed in higher bliss.
4. Effect: The mind, absorbed in the joy of Muruga’s grace, naturally loses attraction to base desire.

This upāsanā transforms the sādhaka into a warrior of discipline, removing lust and related impurities.

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Testimony of Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār

In his commentary, Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār notes:

• “Muruga does not accept offerings or worship from those who lack moral discipline.
• If such people approach Him, He first breaks them with severe trials, and then, out of compassion, reforms them.
• But if one surrenders wholeheartedly to Him, He will correct one’s discipline and then accept them as His own.”

He further observes:

• Out of the 51 hymns of Kandar Anubhūti, 21 verses counsel renunciation of desire,
• and among them, three verses specifically call for renunciation of lust for women.

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✅ This Mantra Prayoga reveals that lust cannot be overcome by suppression but only by transformation through higher bliss and viveka. Muruga’s spear is the power of discrimination that cuts through lust’s delusion, replacing it with the serene joy of yoga.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 08

To Influence and Win the Favor of Those in Authority

For the eighth hymn, the Siddha Guru gave the title:
“Kuṭikanattavan Vasamāka” – “To Bring the Influential under One’s Control.”

In the older context, this referred to chieftains or landlords who ruled over different clans and territories. In today’s world, it can be applied to those in positions of power and influence—wealthy people, government officials, or leaders whose favor one seeks for success.

By meditating on the meaning of this hymn, and applying its mūlamantra and yantra through proper prayoga, one can approach those in authority and gain their goodwill and cooperation.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (8th Hymn):
அமரும் பதி, கேள், அகம் ஆம் எனும் இப்
பிமரம் கெட மெய்ப் பொருள் பேசியவா
குமரன் கிரிராச குமாரி மகன்
சமரம் பெரு தானவ நாசகனே.

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Meaning

“O Lord Kumara, son of the mountain king’s daughter, destroyer of the great asura in battle!
When you dwell within my mind, the delusion of the ego ‘I’ (aham) is destroyed,
and the true Reality (meypporuḷ) is revealed.”

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Teaching

This hymn reveals the true basis of vasi-karana śakti (the power to attract and influence).

• A person who constantly asserts “I, I, I” and displays arrogance is never liked by anyone.
• Those who win over others, especially people in positions of power, are those who:
  • do not impose themselves first,
  • listen carefully to others,
  • honor their words and perspectives,
  • reduce their own ego in interactions.

Thus, the first secret of influence is freedom from ego.

• When approaching the wealthy, the powerful, or those in authority, if one carries arrogance, they will never be won over.
• But when the I-delusion is reduced, humility naturally radiates charm and attraction.

Arunagirināthar points to Muruga as the model:

• Kumara, son of the great Mountain Goddess, destroyed mighty asuras like Sūrapadman.
• To hold Him in the mind is to dissolve the ego-rooted tree (aham āham enum ippimaram).
• In that ego-free state, one perceives true Reality—and simultaneously, gains the power of universal attraction (sarva-vasi-karana śakti).

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

• Meditate on Muruga as the one who slays the demons of pride and ego within.
• Visualize the “tree of ego” being uprooted in your mind by Muruga’s presence.
• When ego dissolves, others—especially those in authority—are naturally drawn to you and favor your cause.

The Siddha Guru therefore prescribed this hymn’s prayoga as “Kuṭikanattavan Vasamāka”—to win over those in power.

By understanding its meaning and applying the associated mūlamantra and yantra, the sādhaka can gain influence over the influential, ensuring success in dealings with leaders, officials, or benefactors.

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✅ This Mantra Prayoga explains that the true secret of attraction is egolessness. By rooting out the ego through Muruga’s grace, one gains the power to win respect and cooperation from even the most powerful.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 06

For Harmony and Mutual Affection between Husband and Wife

In the previous hymn, Arunagirināthar emphasized the need to overcome lust and to avoid mistaking the lawful wife—who lives by dharma—as Māyā itself. Many sādhakas fall into confusion, regarding their own dharmic spouse also as a source of delusion. To clear this misunderstanding, Arunagirināthar beautifully explains in this hymn how true harmony between husband and wife is essential for spiritual progress.

The Siddha Guru who instructed Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār named the prayoga for this hymn:
“Mātarait Tazhuva” – “To embrace the wife” (meaning: to create harmony and intimacy between dharmically married husband and wife).

This prayoga is specifically prescribed for couples who, due to planetary afflictions, mental discord, or karmic obstacles, are unable to live together harmoniously. By meditating on the meaning of this hymn and practicing the mantra–yantra prayoga, husband and wife can regain mutual affection (anyōnya-bhāva) and live joyfully.

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Why Discord Arises between Husband and Wife

The root cause is the absence of mutual respect.

• When a husband honors his wife, values her counsel, and ensures her mind remains calm, she manifests as Jñāna-śakti, inspiring and supporting his life’s work.
• When disrespected and belittled through arrogance, the wife turns into Māyā-śakti, unconsciously turning the husband’s life into misery.

This is why many arrogant and ignorant men lose peace, suffer stress, and even ruin their health and vitality.

True joy and wisdom in life depend on the proper functioning of icchā-śakti (will-power). The symbol of this icchā-śakti is Vallī herself.

• When our will-power is simple, devoted, and respected, it strengthens us to achieve goals.
• Vallī, Muruga’s beloved, stands on his right side holding a lotus—the symbol of blossoming icchā-śakti.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (6th Hymn):
திணியான மனோசிலை மீதுனதாள்
அணியார் அரவிந்தம் அரும்புமதோ
பணியாவென வள்ளிபதம் பணியும்
தணியா அதிமோக தயாபரனே

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Word-by-Word Meaning

• திணியான மனோசிலை மீது – upon my mind, hardened like stone,
• உனதாள் அணியார் அரவிந்தம் அரும்புமதோ – when will your lotus-like feet (like Vallī’s lotus) blossom?
• பணியாவென வள்ளி பதம் பணியும் – bowing at Vallī’s feet, asking “what is my true duty?”
• தணியா அதி மோக தயாபரனே – O Lord of endless love and compassion!

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Teaching

Arunagirināthar shows Muruga himself as the model:

• Muruga, though a great God and Guru, bows lovingly at his wife Vallī’s feet, asking with humility what work he should perform.
• Thus he teaches: only when a husband approaches his wife with love, humility, and respect, will his stone-like heart blossom like a lotus.
• When the heart blossoms, the Guru’s divine feet will also blossom within it.

This is the hidden spiritual symbolism:

• By honoring the wife (the lawful partner), arrogance dissolves.
• Only in a humbled, love-filled heart can the Guru’s lotus-feet appear.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

The Siddha Guru titled this prayoga “Puruṣar Mātarait Tazhuva” – For the husband to embrace the wife.

• By contemplating Muruga’s way of honoring Vallī, the sādhaka learns how to treat his wife.
• With unwavering love, compassion, and humility, the husband transforms discord into harmony.
• Through practice of the given mūlamantra and yantra, these qualities arise naturally, ensuring mutual affection and blissful life together.

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Subtle Message

• A man who cannot show love, compassion, and respect to his wife’s heart will never experience the blossoming of his own heart.
• Without this blossoming, Muruga’s lotus-feet will not appear within.
• But if, like Muruga, he keeps the wife’s heart cool with love and reverence, that very act becomes the doorway to the blossoming of the Guru’s feet within.

This is the esoteric secret of the prayoga: harmony in marriage is not only worldly happiness but also a direct support for spiritual awakening.

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✅ This Mantra Prayoga explains how dharmic love between husband and wife, modeled on Muruga and Vallī, becomes the basis for blossoming icchā-śakti and receiving the Guru’s grace.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 05

To Remove Mahāmāyā and Saka-māyā and Awaken the Soul

In the fourth hymn, Arunagirināthar warned the sādhaka not to allow wife, children, and family attachments to obstruct spiritual inquiry.
In this fifth hymn, he speaks of the two types of Māyā that trap the soul:

1. Mahāmāyā – “The Great Delusion” that arises from grand worldly ambitions and cosmic desires. Example: Sūrapadman’s wish to rule over the universe and dominate the gods.
2. Saka-māyā – “The Small or Domestic Delusion” that arises from household confusions: attachments to house, wealth, wife, and children, which disturb and bind the mind.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (5th Hymn):
மகமாயை களைத்திட வல்ல பிரான்
முகமாறும் மொழிந்தும் ஒழிந்திலனே
அகமாடை மடந்தைய ரென்றயருஞ்
சகமாயை யுள் நின்று தயங்குவதே

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Explanation

• Mahāmāyā: A person caught in Mahāmāyā acts confidently, thinking, “I am serving the world, I am achieving greatness,” but secretly seeks power, fame, and influence.
• Saka-māyā: A person trapped in Saka-māyā creates endless fantasies of pleasure and dependence on house, wealth, and women, thus binding himself more and more.

Arunagirināthar’s teaching:

• True spiritual progress requires the destruction of both Mahāmāyā and Saka-māyā.
• Muruga is the Prāṇa-rūpa Lord (Prāṇa as the inseparable life-force), the One who removed Sūrapadman’s Mahāmāyā and transformed his life-force into the peacock and rooster – his vehicle and banner. Thus, even delusion was transmuted into divine emblems.

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The Six Faces of Muruga and the Power of Dīkṣā

The six faces of Muruga represent six streams of initiatory grace (ṣaṭ-dīkṣā) that remove māyā.

• Subrahmaṇya Trisati describes him as Śiva with six faces – five being the well-known faces of Śiva (Satyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, Īśāna), and the sixth (Adhomukha) being the hidden, mysterious face of transcendental wisdom.
• From these six faces flows the power of Śakti-nipāta, the descent of divine energy that destroys Mahāmāyā.

Thus Arunagirināthar sings: “Mugamārum moḻindum oḻindilanē” – “Even after receiving dīkṣā from these six faces, my mind falters under Saka-māyā.”

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Profound Lesson

• Even if one has received powerful initiations and the Guru’s grace, progress is blocked if the mind remains bound by Saka-māyā.
• House, wealth, wife – these are not inherently evil; but attachment (moha) and confusion (ayarchi) arising from them obstruct the working of divine grace.
• Only when freed from Saka-māyā can the sādhaka truly receive the Śakti-nipāta from Muruga’s six faces and rise beyond Mahāmāyā.

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On the Symbolism of “Woman”

Arunagirināthar here uses the symbol of woman not to condemn wifehood but to point out:

• A wife who gives responsibility, order, and love is Jñāna-śakti, a helper in dharma.
• A woman (or attachment to woman) that brings confusion, delusion, and bondage is Māyā-śakti.
  The sādhaka must discern this truth and cut false attachments.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

• Meditate on Muruga as the Six-faced Lord, each face radiating dīkṣā to burn away Māyā.
• Visualize both Mahāmāyā (worldly ambition) and Saka-māyā (domestic confusions) dissolving through the descent of Muruga’s spear-like jñāna-śakti.
• Recite this hymn with bhāva: “Let the Saka-māyā within me be destroyed, so that Mahāmāyā too may be overcome by your grace.”

This hymn has its own specific mūlamantra and yantra taught by the Siddha Guru. Through proper sādhana with these, Saka-māyā dissolves, and the descent of power from Muruga’s six faces removes Mahāmāyā, awakening the soul to true knowledge.

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✅ This Mantra Prayoga shows the two-layered bondage of Māyā and how Muruga’s grace transforms even delusion into wisdom-support, provided the sādhaka overcomes domestic confusion and attachment.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 04

For Gaining the Support of Wife, Husband, and Family in Spiritual Practice

The Siddha Guru who instructed Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār gave this hymn the title:
“Ethirivinaiyāl Erindha Kudikku” – For a household afflicted by hostile forces.
It was taught as a prayoga to protect families under strain due to enmity and karmic obstacles.

Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār, however, interprets this hymn as a prayoga for spiritual advancement—specifically, to transform family members into companions of sādhana rather than obstacles.

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The Problem Addressed

Many sādhakas find that their wives, husbands, or children do not cooperate in their spiritual practice; instead, they may even hinder it.

• Often, this happens because of attachments (pāśa) in the sādhaka’s own mind:
  • Excessive anxiety about wife and children,
  • Fear of “What will happen to them if I am not there?”,
  • Relentless busyness with family and work at the cost of one’s own spiritual growth.

In the end, the same family for whom one sacrificed sādhana may begin to disregard or even trouble the sādhaka, leading to lament:
“I struggled so much for them, yet they do not honor me.”

Guru Nātha Kaṇṇaiya Yogi used to say:
“Only he who does not abandon his sādhana for the sake of wife, children, or relatives is truly my disciple.”

Thus, the one who neglects daily time for spiritual growth in the name of family duty is still bound by the three malas (impurities):

• Āṇava Mala – Egoism (“my wife, my children”),
• Karma Mala – Binding sense of duty (“I must protect them”),
• Māyā Mala – Attachment that veils true wisdom.

These three are symbolized as the demons Sūrapadman, Siṅgamukha, and Tāraka, along with the mountain Krauñca, all of whom obstruct divine vision.

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The Hymn

Tamil Verse (4th Hymn):
வளைபட்டகைம் மாதொடு மக்க ளெனும்
தளைபட்டழியத் தகுமோ தகுமோ
கிளைபட்டெழு சூருரமும் கிரியும்
தொளைபட்டுருவத் தொடு வேலவனே

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Meaning & Spiritual Teaching

Arunagirināthar questions emphatically (“thagumō thagumō” – “Is it proper? Is it proper?”):

• Is it right that one’s wife and children, who should be supports to the soul’s journey, become shackles that obstruct spiritual progress?
• True, not all women or family members create bondage; some can become true jñāna-śakti, a force of wisdom and support. But the sādhaka must discern rightly and not create vain attachments.

Muruga, with his spear of knowledge (Vēl), pierced and transformed the asuras (Sūrapadman, Siṅgamukha, Tāraka) and even made their forms into his emblems—the rooster and peacock.
This shows that the very forces of obstruction, when touched by divine knowledge, can be transformed into adornments that aid spiritual progress.

Similarly, through worship of Muruga, the sādhaka’s family—though initially influenced by the three malas—can be transformed into companions who support his soul’s pursuit.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

• While reciting this hymn, the sādhaka must visualize:
  • The ignorance in his family being dispelled,
  • The three impurities (āṇava, karma, māyā) being destroyed,
  • Muruga’s spear of wisdom transforming wife, husband, and children into allies of sādhana.
• This hymn has its own specific yantra and mūlamantra revealed by the Siddha Guru.
• By practicing under the Guru’s guidance, the sādhaka receives Muruga’s grace to harmonize spiritual life and family life.

Kandar Anubhūti – Mantra Prayoga – 03

For Excelling in Education and Attaining All Forms of Knowledge

The Siddha Guru of Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār titled the third hymn of Kandar Anubhūti as “Kalviyin Meccha” – excelling in education. By understanding the meaning of this hymn and practicing with the given mūlamantra and yantra, the sādhaka can become proficient in all branches of learning. This hymn itself explains the principle behind it.

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Tamil Verse (3rd Hymn):
வானோ புனல்பார் கனல்மா ருதமோ
ஞானோ தயமோ நவில்நான் மறையோ
யானோ மனமோ எனையாண்ட இடம்
தானோ பொருளா வதுசண் முகனே.

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Explanation

Arunagirināthar here places the pañca-bhūtas (five elements) in a very special order:

Ākāśa (Space) – Ap (Water) – Pṛthvī (Earth) – Agni (Fire) – Vāyu (Air).

This sequence differs from the usual pañcīkaraṇa order (Space → Air → Fire → Water → Earth). The Siddha’s teaching reveals that this subtle arrangement of the five elements is a yogic key: when the mind is harmonized in this sequence, it becomes the perfect instrument for knowledge.

• Ākāśa predominance → The mind gains vastness and penetrating power, the ability to absorb knowledge deeply.
• Ap (Water) predominance → The mind flows smoothly, flexible and unobstructed, able to think clearly.
• Pṛthvī predominance → Provides memory and retention; without Earth element, there can be no lasting recollection.
• Agni predominance → Sharpens inquiry, questioning, and the investigative intellect.
• Vāyu controlled and minimal → Brings stability and focus; if excessive, it causes restlessness, distraction, even imbalance.

If these elements are unbalanced, true learning cannot take place:

• Excess Vāyu → restlessness, instability.
• Excess Agni → only endless questioning without depth.
• Excess Pṛthvī → dullness and tamas.
• Proper balance, with ākāśa giving space and ap making thought-flow smooth, produces clarity and insight.

Thus, Arunagirināthar, as a Yogīśvara, has given in the phrase “Vāno punalpār kanalmā rutamo” a subtle yogic instruction on aligning the mind’s elemental state to excel in learning.

He confirms this in the third line: “Yāno manamō enaiyāṇḍa idam” –
It is the mind, when harmonized with these elemental principles, that becomes the seat of all knowledge.

When such a state is reached, wisdom arises naturally, the meaning of the four Vedas becomes clear, and the sādhaka shines in education and learning.

But how to bring the mind into this elemental harmony?
Arunagirināthar answers: “Tānō poruḷāvadu Ṣaṇmuganē” – it is Muruga Himself who is this Reality. By worshipping Him, the mind is aligned to the elemental balance, knowledge arises, and the essence of the Vedas is grasped.

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Practical Mantra Prayoga

The Siddha Guru who taught Tiyāgarāja Mudaliyār gave a mūlamantra and yantra for this hymn. By meditating on the meaning of the verse, and applying the mantra and yantra correctly, the sādhaka can direct the power of mantra-śakti into the mind, bringing it into elemental harmony. Through this, learning becomes effortless, memory strengthens, clarity arises, and higher knowledge unfolds.

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Note to Practitioners

This is a subtle and sacred Mantra Prayoga. It must be learned directly from the Guru’s mouth. Anyone desiring to practice should approach a true Guru for initiation. Only then will the practice bear fruit.

For guidance on learning the mantra and yantra prayoga connected to this hymn, you may contact via WhatsApp.