Lord Skanda-Murugan
 

Kukañāna Pōtam (Guha Jñāna Bōdham)

Tamil poem with English translation by Dr. P. Pandian, IAS (retd)

Transliteration

Cirrarive cerntayan cenjolnul ceppuvatu
Parranri verillai parpalanul - karravarkal
Ennai poruttarula ventumal, itinaiil
Annaipol ceyanpu arintu.

Translation

That I dare, with imperfect intellect
to sing wise poetry,
is only out of love and nothing else.
The erudite will forgive me graciously,
like the peerless mother's love for her child's prattle.

Transliteration

Kuntalini yoka Kuruve caranamyan
Antamelam ainkaratal alumaiya - pantu
Kukagnana potam kuraivinri - kura
Tavayokam carkaviyar carru.

Translation

Oh, our preceptor of yoga of serpent power
We surrender before Thee.
Oh Revered! Thou ruleth the Cosmos
All thro' Thy Five hands -the Ancient
The Divine wisdom of Guha, to impart without blemish
Reveal us thro poetry born of yoga.

Transliteration

Unarvor unarvar unarvai ! avarnamar !
unarvor malarati valti vanankuvom
unarvilar unraror! avarcol puramena
unarntom avarurai kollom.

Translation

In defence of Faith
The initiated know the truth, They are ours !
Their exhalted feet we praise and deify.
The uninitiated know not; their statements we know to be untrue.
Hence their revile we value not.

Transliteration

Thirumaliyum kutal iruntulakai alum
Arul polinter karucoli antum - irul aharrum
Alala suntarak karpaka vinayakartam
Kolamiku ta thunaie kuru.

Translation

Praised be the bedecked lotus feet
Of Alala Sundara Karpaka Vinayaka
Who reigns the universe from Madurai
He is my Guide and Remover of obstacles

Transliteration

Ulakelam pulanari nilayil anityam
Torriya tal valart totukkam malattatam
Muttoli kiraie mutalena molipa'

Epigram 1

Translation

All that can be perceived as he, she and it;
Are caused to originate, develop and decay,
For they are of the malas (lmpurities)
Therefore God to whom they return
Is the first cause
So declare the learned

Purport of the Epigram: To prove the existence of God.

Transliteration

Ulavelam taneyai onra utanverai
Cattiyutan ettikkum nitiyam nirkume.

Epigram 2

Translation

Good coalesces with the soul into one entity
He grants, thro' His writ, the Citśakti
The fruits of their past actions
as imprints of gnostic code
Cause the birth cycle of the souls' changing forms
God the incorporeal with his inseparable vibrant power is omnipresent

Transliteration

Tanaimarut taritalin, tannurup penralin
Urakkam aritalin, atilpoka minmayin
Vilippil unartalin mayap poriulul anma.

Epigram 3

Translation

Denying its entity consciously exists the soul,
As the knower of the five (senses) is but one
Different from the body in dream state
Different from the vital air,
Different from the cosmic mind, as it forgets and recollects
Independent of every finer aspect (tattva)
- All the finer aspects bearing different names
Is in the enigmatic primordial matter-machine-body

Transliteration

Utkaruvi uyirala; amaiccum arasumena
Anava malattaintavattaiya tame

Epigram 4

Translation

The inner faculties, act not,
Unless in conjunction with the soul -
Which exists, independent of them
Soul cognises not under the umbra of impurities
Soul has five states of being,
As the king functions through his ministers
Soul functions through the inner faculties

Transliteration

Aimpulan ariva anma vale
Civan ceyalpatum civanal kantamun
Irumput tuntonru iyankumare.

Epigram 5

Translation

Through the five senses, the intellect knows
The five-fold objects through the soul
As in the case of the intellect
The soul knows not, the Lord's power
Which enlivens it,
As the iron piece before magnet.

Transliteration

Arivari tenilacat tariyin catamam
iruntumil lunarvam cattucittiraie.

Epigram 6

Translation

If the Lord is cognizable, He will then
Be perishable like the universe!
If he cannot be comprehended
He will then be naught
(Like the horns of a hare).
Other than the above two is He
The known and unknown,
cosmos and cosmic mind,
So say the cosmic vibrant yogis.

Transliteration

Cattucittin munnolira acittula kirantum
Onraiyon rariya, irantum arivato
Avvirantum ilata onranma

Epigram 7

Translation

The gross-form universe being non-real (asat)
Will not shine in the presence of Guha
the conscience - form - (real) (sat)
The universe and God will know not each other
The soul congnising both, is different from either

Transliteration

Murcei tavattal carkuru vintiriya
Vetark kitaiye vinurrai, nicivam
Arika vena civama yamuir tane.

Epigram 8

Translation

The fortunate (soul), out of the earnings
of the past countless births
gets initiation thro his preceptor the master,
‘Know Ye Thou art Śiva'
Then the company of senses (savages) he leaves
And attains his real Śiva form

Transliteration

Akakkannal civanai attumattulle
Arintatal kananirinpu kalanrita civaoli
Perum, titam ceyāin te luttu ceppume.

Epigram 9

Translation

The Lord beyond the reach of the mortal eyes
Is searched by inward look thro
The third eye of wisdom
The real Śiva yoga bliss gets, he closeby!
The false unreal mirage of worldly pleasures afar are detached
He gets then Guha's effulgence
When panchakshara (five-lettered mantra) is contemplated as laid down, this unique experience is ever vivified.

Transliteration

Civagnana cittan civatto taikkiya
Civacam pattal malamāi ilatai
Civarupa anupavap peru perume.

Epigram 10

Translation

The Śivajñāni in union with Śiva
Becomes (Jivan Mukta), malas unaffecting
And enjoys Śiva Yoga, the ultimate beatitude.

Transliteration

Pulankal ariyat tulakkum arivena
Arivari vippavan arane atanal
parapakti puntavan tiruvati tetume

Epigram 11

Translation

Soul knows thro' the senses and organs
God helps and knows thro it
Hence the soul seeks His feet in everlasting love.

The purport: What to do to retain the divine wisdom vividly for ever.

Transliteration

Tetuciva Naniyar, Natavar Nalvetam,
Kutavar kulam, Alayam Civamena
Mutti vantu cittip patuve.

Epigram 12

Translation

Search for the realised, seek their company
frequent temples and worship them
As forms of God for deliverance.


Contact the author:
Dr. P. Pandian, IAS (retd)
Humssavati Ganapathi Trust
2/5, Bhaskara Street
Rengarajapuram
Chennai - 600 024 India
Phone: (+91) 44 - 4845985
Fax : (+ 91) - 44 - 4833821
E-mail: kaviyogii@eth.net
Website: www.kaviyogii.com

Visit the Humssavati Ganapathi Trust website.

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