The Psychoanalysis of Appar - Part 11 ( Final )

Siva and Sakti are Always Together

This is the final verse of this patikam of profound psychological significance and which goes to the very roots of animal and human sexuality without any feelings of abhorrence, revulsion etc. That sexuality of creatures is a GIFT of BEING and  that existence itself is meaningful and enjoyable  only because of that is clear. Appar sees or led to see the Dance of Bliss of Siva and Sakti at the depths of all sexual activities and this is that which leads him to extol that he has been graced by BEING  with an understanding that is so rare and difficult.

But having seen this, he also hopes to see a moment when Siva and Sakti stand separated and hence there being NO sexual passions of whatever kind in the bosom of all  creatures. It is a possibility but reserved only for the rishies as KantapuraaNam (and many other puraNas) would affirm. But this is not yet for Appar -he fails to see the moment Siva and Sakti remain separate having severed their union. As far as Appar goes, both are inseparable - where Sakti is Siva is and vice versa.

11.

வளர்மதிக் கண்ணியினானை வார்குழ லாளொடும் பாடிக்

களவு படாததொர் காலங் காண்பான் கடைக்கண் நிற்கின்றேன்

அளவு படாததொர் அன்போடு ஐயாறு அடைகின்ற போது

இளமண நாகு தழுவி ஏறு வருவன கண்டேன்

 கண்டேன் அவர் திருப்பாதம் கண்டறியாதன கண்டேன்

உரை:

இளம்பிறையாகத் தோன்றி வளர்பிறையாக முதிரும் இளந்திங்களை சிரசில் கண்ணிமாலையாகச் சூடி சந்திரசேகரனாகத் தோன்றும் இறைவனை, இளம்பெண்களுக்கு வனப்பு தரும் கரிய நெடிய கூந்தலைத்  தரும் உமையம்மோடு இணைத்துப் பாடியவாறு, யாண்டுமே களவு பட்டு இணைந்தே இருக்கும் இவ்விருவரும் களவு படாது பிரிந்திருக்கும் ஓர் காலமும் உண்டென நினைத்து அதனைக் காண்பான் இறுதியான ஓர் முடிவோடு நிற்கின்றேன். இவ்வாறான சிந்தையில் இவ்விருவர் மாட்டும் அளவுபடாததோர் அன்பொடு ஐயாறு அடைகின்ற போது, என் எதிர்ப்பார்ப்புக்கள் எல்லாம் வீணாகுமாறு இளமண பசுக்களைத் தழுவியவாறு வீரக்காளைகள் பல 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.

11.

vaLarmatik kaNNiyinaai vaarkuza laaLodum paadik

kaLavu padaatator kaalaG kaaNpaan kadaikaN niRkinReen

alavu padaatator anbodu AiyaaRu adaikinra pootu

iLamaNa naagu tazuvi eeRu varuvana kaNdeen

       kaNdeen avar tiruppaatam kaNdaRiyaatana kaNdeen

Meaning:

There is Siva appearing as Candrasekaran wearing the growing Crescent Moon on His head as an ornament and Uma with Him as the One who blesses women with long flowing hair that stimulates sexual feelings. Singing both of them I stood with the final resolve to see them not together in union but separately standing alone, I came to AiyaaRu with boundless LOVE for them. And there on way I saw, destroying all my hopes the virile bulls coming embracing with love the young and beautiful cows.  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:

The most important phrase here is ‘kaLavu padaatatoor kaalam” and which means the times when Siva and Sakti are NOT in union, in sexual embrace i.e. kaLavu. Appar notes that it is possible for Siva to depart from Sakti and becoming the Mahayogi, teach Njanam to the rishies who have overcome the sexual desires. Thus it is a possibility for all to be Maha Yogies and hence as ascetics, totally uninterested with sexual bliss. This also goes for females who however practice Bakti, doing tapas and what not to re-unite with Siva.

Here he  may be saying something about Natam and Bindu - that Natam dominated individuals may isolate themselves and enjoy Njanam and find self-fulfillment in being thus while  the Bindu dominated women may not be able to do so and hence to find saturation and completeness and hence pushed to seek very ardently union with Siva, the Natam.

In this verse and by describing the bulls coming, embracing the cows, Appar shows that he is disappointed in his expectations. The Siva and Sakti are always together, no Sakti without Siva and no Siva without Sakti, an understanding of BEING that has become quite commonplace among the Saivites.

ULLAGANAR

( editing and re-paragraphing by his student )