Grace me as my Guru

உருவாய் அருவாய் உளதாய் இலதாய்
மருவாய் மலராய் மணியாய் ஒளியாய்
கருவாய் உயிராய்க் கதியாய் விதியாய்
குருவாய் வருவாய் அருள்வாய் குகனே

As one with form and without; As one who exists and doesn't
As the act of union, as the beauty in a flower, as a precious gem, as pure light
As the soul within, as the essence of life, as the refuge and as destiny
Come forth and grace me as my ultimate preceptor, Oh Lord residing in the hidden depths of my soul!

(Kandar anubhuti, 51)

Arunagiri's poems startle you at first with their incredibly complex and flawless rhythm and meter and then with the richness of the language coupled with the simplicity of his expression. His Thiruppugazh stands unique with its very own rhythmic structures and patterns unseen in any other composition, old or new. The one quoted above is the very last verse of Kandar anubhuti or 'grace of lord Muruga', a set of 51 verses. This is almost like an ending note that presents the purport of all the other verses. After singing of the Lord, his attributes and his infinite glory, the mystic saint requests the Lord to come forth as his 'Guru' or spiritual preceptor and grace him.

Saints and mystics are all unique in their own ways. Some ask for nothing and merely sing praise of the lord thanking him for his grace. Some ask for liberation from the cycle of rebirths while some ask for more births to continue immersing in his charm and singing his praise. Arunagiri in his compositions has a wide range of requests to Lord Muruga. In one Thiruppugazh he asks for intellect and the power to bring back the dead to life! He can be categorized as a siddha who acquired divine communion and other mystic powers through yogic discipline. More than the act of surrender, we see in his poems his enjoyment of Muruga's beauty, description of the various acts of the lord and request for fulfilling his wishes.

The word 'guru' means one who leads from ignorance to light and 'guha' refers to a cave or a hidden enclosure. Commonly referring to Lord Muruga, guha alludes to the lord who is hidden in the cave of our soul, discovered through sadhana. The 'Guru' figure in hindu mysticism is considered the ultimate bridge for attaining liberation and is often associated with Muruga. The mythological episode of Siva seeking to be a disciple of his own son Muruga is one that underlines this. Clinical psychology in the works of modern scholars such as Jung and Gary Zukav talks of spirit guides as an inner psyche that drives the intellect towards liberation. Arunagiri wishes for the lord residing deep within (குகனே) himself to rise (வருவாய்) and lead him (குருவாய்) with his grace (அருள்வாய்). Muthuswamy Dikshitar, a saint composer and the youngest of the carnatic trinity conveys the same metaphor through his signature usage of the phrase 'Guru guha' in each one of his compositions.

(The picture above is a brass image of Lord Muruga from the dvijasthambha of the Kumarakottam temple, Kanchipuram)