Thoughts - Thiruvempavai

Saint mANikka vAchakar, one of the four great beacons of the shaivic religion of Tamil Nadu, asks the God in a hymn of his peerless devotion, "Oh shankarA, You gave Yourself - the limitless bliss to me. But you got me, what did you gain out of me ?" May be the Lord shiva who enjoys in Its Self might not have anything to get from others. But for we human beings who get illusioned with even a glittering insect to be a huge lamp that drives away the darkness, the saint mANikka vAchakar's hymns are the torch that shows the blissful way of pashupati. No doubt came the saying, "One who doesn't melt for thiruvAchakam, would melt for no other words."

The great saint out of his marvelous love that flows like honey in his songs very often reiterates that he was the least sincere and devotional in the group of His splendid devotees. But he has given twenty nectar like hymns named thiruvempAvai which instruct the diverging world to return to enjoy the delight of His devotion. Seekers who get swayed by many ripples of the world would certainly find contemplating enjoying and giving themselves in the feeling of these wonderful hymns fix them back in the path towards the Absolute. There could be little doubt why it is considered one of the excellent gem like hymns that is chanted by Hindus especially in the holy month of mArkazi. These superb hymns that takes us to the high peeks of devotion are not only intended for waking the girl who is sleeping in the nice cold morning of mArkazi that should be spent worshiping Lord who is the Source of everything, but is intended for waking up the pashus the creatures - we human beings from the deep sleep of mAya - the illusion. Singing these songs with devotional feeling towards the Three eyed Lord would certainly bring the blessings of the beginning and endless jyOthi.