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.
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.
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.
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.
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!”
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.
Practical Mantra Prayoga
- Visualization: Consider lustful desire as the Krauñca mountain within your mind.
- Meditation: Visualize Muruga’s spear piercing and splitting it apart.
- Bhāva: Meditate on Muruga as the serene yogi (nirākula) and fearless master (nirbhaya), absorbed in higher bliss.
- 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.
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.
✅ 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.