15. That Illusory Youthfulness

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform. 

 

Thirumoolar Thavamozhi

Motivation

15. That Illusory Youthfulness

 

The human body is impermanent. Once the body perishes, all the life principles within also decay immediately. Therefore, our Saint Thirumoolar reminds us that while the body is alive, we should make every effort to use the life principles within us to realise our true nature, the indwelling divinity. Now, he moves on to explain the illusory nature of youthfulness. During this phase of life, forces of desire are bustling in a person.

What we fail to acknowledge is that this youthful phase in one’s life is but a short period that will soon go away very quickly! Using the body’s strength and attractive features, human beings are tempted to dwell deeply in worldly desires,  spoil their body and regret later! 

Our Saint Thirumoolar laments at this sad situation! He strongly recommends that when a person has a strong body, the person should use this opportunity to take up practices that help the person to experience the wisdom of the inner reality of divinity!  

He sings nicely like this. The sun that rises in the east, quickly runs during the day towards the west and sets at the end of the day! A young calf, within a few years turns into an old cow and eventually dies! “Human beings who watch these daily in their life, do not yet realize the temporary nature of one’s human life!  They delay in their efforts to take to the good path!,” laments our Saint Thirumoolar.

கிழக்கெழுந் தோடிய ஞாயிறு மேற்கே

விழக்கண்டும் தேறார் விழியிலா மாந்தர்

கிழக்கு   எழுந்து – rising in the east; ஞாயிறு – the sun;  தேறார் – will not get wisdom; விழியிலா மாந்தர்- people who have become blind.  That is, our Saint refers to those who do not have the inner vision to see the true reality.

குழக்கன்று மூத்தெரு தாய்ச்சில நாளில்

விழக்கண்டும் தேறார் வியனுல கோரே.  

குழக்கன்று – a young calf. After growing it becomes a cow. Then it gets older and dies. வியனுல கோரே – the people in this wide world.

கிழக்கெழுந் தோடிய ஞாயிறு மேற்கே

விழக்கண்டும் தேறார் விழியிலா மாந்தர்

குழக்கன்று மூத்தெரு தாய்ச்சில நாளில்

விழக்கண்டும் தேறார் வியனுல கோரே.  1

The Sun rises in the east and sets daily in the west. The calf that grows older, works hard, gets tired, and eventually dies. Even after seeing all these, people keep dreaming that they will remain youthful forever! They also waste their precious time in the life in this dream! Our Saint Thirumoolar feels sad looking at the foolishness of people who waste their life and die without seeing their true reality.

ஆண்டு பலவுங் கழிந்தன அப்பனைப்

பூண்டுகொண் டாரும் புகுந்தறி வாரில்லை

Several years have passed. Youth has transformed into old age. After becoming old, yet many do not make effort to understand and gain the knowledge to experience the divinity that is within !

 அப்பனைப்

பூண்டுகொண் டாரும் புகுந்தறி வாரில்லை

அப்பனைப் – the lord who is the father for all beings; பூண்டுகொண்டு – holding on well; ஆரும் – no one; புகுந்தறி வாரில்லை – no one has gained the deep knowledge;  the worldly life of people is spent uselessly without any effort to find their true reality.

நீண்டன காலங்கள் நீண்டு கொடுக்கினும்

Even if the lord grants them much longer life, and many more years.

தூண்டு விளக்கின் சுடரறி யாரே

They are wasting their life without knowing that there remains within their body a light of wisdom that should be reignited to glow brightly. They waste their life without reigniting this light of wisdom within.

Unless the divine lord mercifully teaches and grants wisdom, people are unable to gain the knowledge. Many who are born, grow, get old and after many years of life, die without gaining any knowledge of the true light of wisdom. Our saint Thirumoolar sings with sorrow in his heart that people are wasting their precious life as human being without knowing the main purpose of the life – to kindle the light wisdom that is within the body and experience its shine!

ஆண்டு பலவுங் கழிந்தன அப்பனைப்

பூண்டுகொண் டாரும் புகுந்தறி வாரில்லை

நீண்டன காலங்கள் நீண்டு கொடுக்கினும்

தூண்டு விளக்கின் சுடரறி யாரே.  2

To read other translated pages in these posts, see: Thirumoolar

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