25. Experiencing the Divine within

Teachings to treasure, teachings that transform. 

Thirumoolar Thavamozhi

Motivation

 

25. Experiencing the Divine within

God is residing in our body together with our soul (life force within).  However, the our soul does not know that form of God that is within the body! Our Saint Thirumoolar sings about this nicely.

உள்ளத் தொருவனை உள்ளுறு சோதியை

உள்ளம் – soul (Life force); ஒருவனை – the God who is incomparable; உள்ளத் தொருவனை – the incomparable God who is within the soul; உள்ளுறு சோதியை – that effulgent God who is in the form of light.

உள்ளம்விட் டோ ரடி நீங்கா ஒருவனை1

ஓரடிநீங்கா – God who is not even away by a step from the soul

உள்ளமுந் தானும் உடனே இருக்கினும்2

Though God and the soul are residing together

உள்ளம் அவனை உருவறி யாதே

The Soul does not have the vision of the form of the God! The soul is residing in the body without knowing the God who is also within.

 

உள்ளத் தொருவனை உள்ளுறு சோதியை

உள்ளம்விட் டோ ரடி நீங்கா ஒருவனை1

உள்ளமுந் தானும் உடனே இருக்கினும்2

உள்ளம் அவனை உருவறி யாதே

 

Our Saint Thirumoolar sings and goes on further to explain about this illusion. He explains nicely that the soul that resides in our body is also that effulgent God himself! He gives a beautiful experiential analogy for illustrating that.

மண்ணொன்று தான்பல நற்கல மாயிடும்

கலம் – vessel.

Clay (or soil) is one, but it can take the shape of many vessels and forms when shaped.

உண்ணின்ற யோனிகட் கெல்லாம் ஒருவனே

யோனிகள் – beings; this is an adjective form.

 

All forms that are born in this universe are the forms of God. As how the same clay (or soil) can take the shape and form of many vessels, God takes the forms and soul of all beings! That is, what we see in the form of various beings are all the same one God’s forms.

கண்ணொன்று தான்பல காணுந் தனைக்காணா

கண்ணொன்று – The eyes which is the instrument in our body for our sight and vision. பல காணும்- the eyes can see various beings and objects. தனைக்காணா – cannot see itself!

அண்ணலும் – God; அவ்வண்ண மாகிநின் றானே – Like the eyes, our soul in our body is also able only see the various bodies around, but is unable to see himself, which is the God, who is also residing within the body.

After taking the human form, soul is able to see other bodies but not able see its own true self, which is God. Our Saint Thirumoolar explains this limited experience that occurs to us due to our ignorance, using the analogy of the eye.

மண்ணொன்று தான்பல நற்கல மாயிடும்

உண்ணின்ற யோனிகட் கெல்லாம் ஒருவனே

கண்ணொன்று தான்பல காணுந் தனைக்காணா

அண்ணலும் அவ்வண்ண மாகிநின் றானே.  10

 

In this beautiful song, we should enjoy how our Saint elegantly uses the two rhyming words  மண் கண்  to give a nice explanation of the eternal wisdom.

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

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