Becoming Free of Sexuality and with that Wholly Human
One of the puzzling features of this Patikam is that while it is quite obvious, Appar does not sing the sexuality of human beings that they share with the animals - elephants, cattle, pigs, birds and so forth. It is only in seeing the Deep Structure of animal sexuality that Appar seems to have gained deep metaphysical insights that also show the workings of Siva and Sakti, their Dance of Bliss.
But what is the REASON for this Dance? Is it to keep creatures enjoying sexual bliss and with that get continuously remain tied down to Samsara, existential repetition where there is endless births and deaths?
No, certainly not - the Dance has a hidden agenda, that of FREEING all creatures from these earth-binding sexual desires, the ropes or chains or Paacaas that throw the anmas into assuming a bodily existence and with that suffer births and deaths.
While this may not be an animal possibility or a possibility for those humans who are animal-like, it is possible for those exceptional humans, the Civayogies and so forth, described here as “aRRu aruL peRRaar”
Thus Appar provides a new insight into sexuality and hence Psychoanalysis as such: Human beings are both animal and pure human and that they remain animal-like even like Appar as long as they enjoy seeing sexual acts and the Dance of Bliss at the deepest level. Such visions of the Dance of Bliss itself is a joy to behold. But this is NOT the final possibility in the psychological growth of a person. Unlike the animals, man can become totally human without any trace of animalism by transmuting this desire for sexual bliss into Pure Love, a state of Absolute Purity, a freedom from all desires.
9.
முற்பிறைக் கண்ணியினானை மொய்குழலா ளொடும் பாடிப்
பற்றிக் கயிறு அறுக்கில்லேன் பாடியும் ஆடா வருவேன்
அற்று அருள் பெற்று நின்றாரோடு ஐயாறு அடைகின்ற போது
நற்றுணைப் பேடையொடு ஆடி நாரை வருவன கண்டேன்
கண்டேன் அவர் திருப்பாதங் கண்டறியாதன கண்டேன்.
உரை:
அன்றே முளைக்கின்ற இளம் பிறையை தன் கண்ணியாகச் சுடி சந்திரசேகரனாக விளங்கும் சிவபெருமானை, பெண்மையின் வனப்பெல்லாம் நலமே விளங்கும் அடர்த்தியான கருங்குழல் உமையோடு இணைத்துப் பாடியவாறு ஆனால், பாசங்களை பற்றி மகிழும் நான் அப்பாசக் கயிறுகளை அறுக்காது பாடியும் ஆடியும், என்னைப் போல் அல்லாது இந்தப் பாசக்கயிறுகளை அற்று தூய்தாகி அதனால் இறையருளைப் பெற்று நின்றாரொடு இணைந்து ஐயாறு எனும் சிவத்தலம் நோக்கிப் பெயர்வேன். அதுபொழுது (எனைப் போல் பற்றுகள் அறுக்காது) நல்ல பாசத்தோடு கூடிய ஆண் நாரைகள் தத்தம் பெண் துணைகளோடு மகிழ்ச்சிப் பெருக்கில் ஆடி வருவன கண்டேன். அதுபொழுது ஊனக் கண்ணால் காண்டற்கு அரிதாகிய சிவபெருமான் நாதவிந்துக்களை பெண்ணென ஆணென உயிரினங்கள் எழுமாறு அசைத்தாடும் ஆனந்தத் தாண்டவத்து திருப்பாதங்களை ஞானக்கண்ணிற் கண்டேன்; அதுவரையிலும் நான் கண்டறியாதிருந்த ஆழ் உண்மைகளைக் கண்டு மகிழ்ந்தேன்.
9.
muRpiRaik kaNNiyaanai moykuzaalaa Lodum paadi
paRRik kayiRu aRukkilleen paadiyum aadaa varuveen
aRRu aruL peRRu ninRaarodu aadi AiyaaRu adaikinRa pootu
naRRunaip peedaiyodu aadi naarai varuvana kaNdeen
kaNdeen avar tiruppaatam kaNdaRiyaatana kaNdeen.
Meaning:
BEING as Candrasekaran stands as the One wearing the just born young Crescent Moon along with Umai who appears with thick and black hair indicative of the essence of all the feminine charms. I who has seized upon for my delight all the worldly bonds but without severing those ties, came with the great ones who have done so and who because of that enjoy the aruL of BEING singing and dancing away, to AiyaaRu, the great Temple of Siva. There on the way I saw (just with ties like me) the male storks coming with their females dancing away in great joy. At that point I saw with my mental eyes, the Divine Feet of Siva, (where he creates the male and females of all species with agitating the Natam and Bindu). Thus I saw what are impossible to witness with the fleshy eyes alone.
Comments:
It may be possible that Appar provides a psychoanalytic description of himself by contrasting himself with the Pure Ones who have severed all the worldly ties. This description also explains why in the whole Patikam he describes only the animal sexuality and not at all the human.
The phrase “paRRi kayiRu aRukkilleen” is very important in connection with this. The word ‘paRRi” is a verbal participle that is concluded grammatically by “kayiRu aRukkilleen” and hence the clause should be interpreted to mean “ having tied my self with bonds (of sexual desires) I did not severe those bonds” and which contrasts with those who have done so and because of which they enjoy the blessings of BEING - aRRu aruL peRRu.
Thus it remains a possibility for all to severe the worldly ties and this through transmuting the sexual cravings into Universal LOVE, that which removes all feelings of alienation and difference. Appar putting himself in the position of a typical man shows that the appreciation of animal sexuality and understanding the DIVINITY behind it all, at the very depths, would also serve to severe all the worldly ties or bonds and with that prepare the soul to enjoy the blessings of Njanam by BEING. It is UNDERSTANDING the root cause of sexuality that would also help out in transmuting it into LOVE. It should not be negated, repressed or suppressed but rather looked into and the DEPTHS of the genesis of such urges and the reason for them understood to free oneself from it.
ULLAGANAR
( Editing and re-paragraphing by his student )