THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 11

வன்னெஞ்சக் கள்வன் மனவலியன் என்னாதே
கல்நெஞ்சு உருக்கிக் கருணையினால் ஆண்டுகொண்ட
அன்னம் திளைக்கும் அணி தில்லை அம்பலவன்
பொன் அம்கழலுக்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

In this song, Manickavasagar refers to himself as stone hearted, without, even a trace of grace. The lord, made his stone heart to melt by showing His grace and brought him into His folds.

Vaadhavooraar was on his way to buy horses. The lord made him to have His Darshan at Tirupperunthurai. Thereafter vadhavooraar was transformed to Manickavasagar. The strong heart of a chief minister became the tender heart of a realised devotee.

Manickavasagar asks the bee to go and buzz in front of the lord who did all these transformations. He describes the feet of the lord as the most beautiful golden feet. He further describes that the lord dances at thillai ambalam, where beautiful swans play around.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 10

நோயுற்று மூத்து நான் நுந்து கன்றாய் இங்கிருந்து
நாயுற்ற செல்வம் நயந்தறியா வண்ணம் எல்லாம்
தாயுற்று வந்து என்னை ஆண்டுக்கொண்ட தன் கருணைத்
தேயுற்ற செல்வற்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

In this song, Manickavasagar asks the bee to go and buzz in front of the lord whose grace knew no bounds. The lord is ocean of compassion as we saw in the previous song. He has abundant grace, which he showers on His devotees.

Manickavasagar refers to him as a dog which does not know the worth of the wealth it has. The lord gave the Darshan of his feet, which the saint considers as the wealth. But immediately, in few minutes the lord disappeared. Everything was gone. This is one of the lord's play that was not known to Manickavasagar at that time. If the lord had taken Manickavasagar with him at that very moment, we would not have got the gem - Thiruvaasagam.

With all humility, sri Manickavasagar refers himself as a dog. நாயுற்ற செல்வம் நயந்தறியா வண்ணம் - he sings.

Also, he laments about his misfortune of staying in this world even after seeing the lord. If one is born, then he has to undergo all the stages of life. The worst part is falling sick, becoming old and undergoing the senility. The saint describes his stage as the unlucky calf that got separated from its mother. A calf or cow doesn't voluntarily get separated from each other. Neither the calf disowns its mother nor do the cow disowns the calf for some reason like it is disabled or so. Only external factors like we humans will separate them. On getting separated, they miss each other and will feel a lot. But it is not understood by any one. Likewise, Manickavasagar describes his separation from the lord. He says himself as நுந்து கன்று.

To sum up this song, Manickavasagar says he was like an unlucky calf that got separated from the cow (mother). He stayed in the world like a dog ignorant of the wealth it pocessed. But the lord with the compassion of a mother, came and brought him to His folds. Oh bee! Please go and buzz in front of the lord who has grace in abundance.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 9

கரணங்கள் எல்லாம் கடந்து நின்ற கறைமிடற்றன்
சரணங்களே சென்று சார்தலுமே தான் எனக்கு
மரணம் பிறப்பு என்ற இவை இரண்டின் மயக்கறுத்த
கருணைக்கடலுக்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

In this song, Manickavasagar describes the lord as the ocean of compassion - கருணைக்கடல்.

The saint refers to the Lord as the one who is beyond the 36 thathvams. கரணங்கள் எல்லாம் கடந்து நின்ற கறைமிடற்றன். Shiva is referred here as the one with tanned neck ( கறைமிடற்றன்). Shiva consumed the poison that came out during the churning of the milky ocean and Goddess Parvati stopped it from moving beyond his neck. So his neck became blue and he is called as Neelakantan. Thus, He saved the universe.

36 thathvams or attributes are again divided into 3 groups - 24 atma thathvams (from 5 bhoothas starting from sky, 5 tanmatras, 5 sense organs, 5 motor organs and ahankaram, buddhi, manas and atman), 7 maya thathvams and 5 shiva thathvams. The saint describes brahmmam as the one beyond these thathvams.

He then says, reaching the feet of brahmmam who is apart from these thathvams alone will release the jeevatma from the cyclic births and deaths and illusions (maayaa) of this world. The ocean of compassion has gracefully given me the way by showing His feet. Oh bee! Please go and buzz in front of that lord who is the embodiment of grace.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 8

ஒன்றாய் முளைத்து எழுந்து எத்தனையோ கவடு விட்டு
நன்றாக வைத்து என்னை நாய் சிவிகை ஏற்றுவித்த
என்தாதை தாதைக்கும்  எம் அன்னைக்கும் தம்பெருமான்
குன்றாத செல்வற்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

In this song , Manickavasagar describes the lord as "never decreasing wealth" (குன்றாத செல்வர்).

Andal in thiruppavai describes the lord in the same way (நீங்காத செல்வம்). Sri lalitha sahasranamam describes ambal as saashvatha ishwarya.

Here the saint sings as follows:

The lord is one (ஒன்றாய் முளைத்து). He gave rise to several branches and brought the man kind to good path (எழுந்து எத்தனையோ கவடு விட்டு). Branches here he means the saintly people like sambandhar, Kannappar, avvaiyaar and other people who showed us the bhakti marga.

A seed has the tree with in it, which in turn bears the leaves, vegetables, fruits and again the seeds. So brahmmam is like the seed. It is there forever.

The saint says நன்றாக வைத்து என்னை நாய் சிவிகை ஏற்றுவித்த.
The lord mended vaadhavooraar by showing His feet and giving him knowledge. On having the vision of His holy feet, all mean and ill qualities within him vanished and he forgot his family, friends and work. He became Manickavasagar. Here சிவிகை (sivigai) means palanquin - that is good position which is possible by gaining knowledge.

The Darshan of Lord became possible only due to the good deeds. Manickavasagar's father, mother and ancestors worshipped lord shiva. So Manickavasagar got the bhagyam of seeing the lord. Shiva is the lord for his father, mother, grandfather, he says. (என் தந்தைக்கும் தாதைக்கும் எம் அன்னைக்கும் தம் பெருமான்).

Our descendants will follow us. So if we are devoted to Lord, our children will be so. This is true upto 99.99 %. The rest exception are due to karma palan. So let us be truly dedicated to God and let our children follow us in the good path. As you sow, so you reap.

So Manickavasagar asks the bee to go and buzz in front of the lord who is the increasing wealth of the devotees.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 7

சட்டோ நினைக்க மனத்து அமுதாம் சங்கரனைக்
கெட்டேன், மறப்பேனோ கேடுபடாத் திருவடியை
ஒட்டாத பாவித் தொழும்பரை  நாம் உருவறியோம்
சிட்டாய சிட்டற்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

So far in the previous songs, Manickavasagar describes the lord as follows.

1. The one with the lotus feet that was not seen or known by the devas, Brahmma, Vishnu, saraswathi and indra.
2. The one who is an embodiment of ever flowing honey.
3. The one who blesses the devotee with endless bliss.
4. The one who showers blessings on the devotees as a nimbus cloud pouring rain on the earth and who wears the holy white ash on his body.
5. The one who gives salvation to the devotee.
6. The one who clarifies the confusion arising in the mind of the devotee regarding the world and its entities.

Now in this song 7, Manickavasagar describes the lord as the pure knowledge behind the knowledgeable thing (சிட்டாய சிட்டற்கு :- சிட் = சித்)

The lord gave knowledge to Manickavasagar at Tirupperunthurai. But after that, the lord didn't take Manickavasagar immediately to His abode. Instead asked him to go to the pandya king and tell about the arrival of the horses on aavani moolam day. So Manickavasagar laments here for not becoming one with the lord at that very moment of getting deekshai.

He says, he thought of shankaran - who is so sweet to think about (மனத்து அமுதாம்). But he lost the touch with the lord (சங்கரனைக் கெட்டேன்) because of his karma. He became a sinner for not becoming one with Shiva's untanned feet (கேடுபடாத் திருவடியை ஒட்டாத பாவி) or His disciples (தொழும்பரை நாம் உரு அறியோம்). The saint asks the bee to go and buzz in front of the omniscient - chith swaroopam.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 6

வைத்த நிதி பெண்டிர் மக்கள் குலம் கல்வி என்னும்
பித்த உலகில் பிறப்போடு இறப்பு என்னும்
சித்த விகாரக் கலக்கம் தெளிவித்த
வித்தகத் தேவற்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ

Sri Manickavasagar asks the bee to buzz in front of the one and only lord who will give a clarity of which is real and which is not.

We are born (பிறப்பு)
We learn and gain knowledge (கல்வி)
We go to job, earn and deposit the money earned (வைத்த நிதி).
We get married and become one's spouse (பெண்டிர்) and give birth to children (மக்கள்).
We give raise to a clan (குலம்).
We die. (இறப்பு).

All these are considered as Important in this world. But these are erased by time.

Sri Adi Shankara Bagavath Paadhaal in his moha mudgara slokam, popularly called as Bhaja Govindam explains:

Maa kuru dhana jana yavvana garvam
Harathi nimeshaath kaala sarvam
Maayaa mayamitham akhilam hitvaa
Brahmma padham tvam pravisha viditvaa

That is, do not go behind wealth, power, prosperity, people, youth. It will be destroyed by Time in no time! The world itself is maayaa. Brahmmam is the only real.

So Manickavasagar, Shankaracharya - great souls go hand in hand in stressing the importance of the lord.

Manickavasagar asks the bee to go and buzz in front of the lord who will erase the confusion of our mind (சித்த விகாரக் கலக்கம் தெளிவித்த வித்தக தேவர்).

As Shankara says maayaa mayam akhilam, Manickavasagar says பித்த உலகம் (pittha Ulagam).

This world consists of cyclic births and deaths. And many are afraid of death because they don't know the destination after the process - death. If we keep on worshipping the lord, then we will be sure for ever to reach him and the fear of destination will evade from our mind. So go and sing for the lord - Manickavasagar asks the bee.

Tiruvalluvar says in thirukkural the following kurals :

1. அறவாழி அந்தணன் தாள் சேர்ந்தார்க்கல்லால்
பிறவாழி நீந்தல் அரிது.

Those who reach the feet of the lord who lives by righteousness (dharma), will alone be able to cross the ocean of births and deaths. Others cannot cross it.

2. பிறவிப் பெருங்கடல் நீந்துவர், நீந்தார்
இறைவனடி சேரா தார்.

Those who reach the feet of the lord will be able to swim across the ocean of births and deaths.

THIRUKKOTTHUMBI - SONG 5

அத்தேவர் தேவர் அவர்தேவர் என்று இங்கன் 
பொய்த்தேவு பேசிப் புலம்புகின்ற பூதலத்தே 
பத்தேதும் இல்லாது என் பற்றற நான் பற்றிநின்ற 
மெய்த்தேவர் தேவற்கே சென்றூதாய் கோத்தும்பீ 

In this song, sri Manickavasagar asks the bee (indirectly every one of us) to go to the Absolute one - the omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent Brahmmam - SHIVAM and buzz.

There are many false manifestations in this world proclaiming as the absolute in this world. Do not get entangled with those mean people - the saint-poet advises. Those false manifestations will never be able to grant the state of bliss where there are no likes-dislikes. Only the true absolute who is free from bondage can give it. Although vedas offer worship to devas, indran, even they cannot grant moksham. So Manickavasagar says that they are false - பொய்த்தேவன். Only the lord Shiva is the truth - மெய்த்தேவன்.

One need to offer worship to devas as said by vedas and apart from that, as they become mature after performing the prescribed karmas they need to progress. That is, worship the absolute.

As valluvar says in thirukkural -
வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமை இலானடி சேர்ந்தார்க்கு
யாண்டும் இடும்பை இல (kural 4).

Also in another kural, sri valluvar says, go and catch the feet of the lord who is free from attachments to leave our bodily attachments.

பற்றுக பற்றற்றான் பற்றினை அப்பற்றைப்
பற்றுக பற்று விடற்கு. (kural 350)

As sri periyava says, getting into advaitha state in the initial days is not at all possible. It is the highest state. We need to do karmas as said in the vedas following dwaitham. It is like cleansing our inner self. Then slowly with the passage of time vishistaadvaitham comes. Here we will start to feel the lord is our inner soul (anthar atma). Then only, if we are lucky enough we get the advaitha state where there will be no bondage, attachment, likes-dislikes and only bliss will be there and nothing else. So we should never escape from doing our duty (karma) stating that we have attained advaitham.