Yearn for Him - Mantra 30

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

After the unintentional pause in the Thirumandiram commentary, we will begin once again. This is the thirtieth mantra of the first part of the Thirumandiram.

வான்நின்று அழைக்கும் மழைபோல் இறைவனும்

தானினறு அழைக்கும்கொல என்று தயங்குவார்

ஆன்நின்று அழைக்கு மதுபோல்என் நந்தியை

நான்நின்று அழைப்பது ஞானம் கருதியே. 30

30: Yearn For Him

As the Heavens draw the rains;

Even so will my Lord draw me to Him?

Thus, doubting, many ask.

But like to the mother-cow, for my Nandi I yearn

And all the world, all the world know it too!

Com - Thus, doubting, many ask Some hesitate to seek the Lord As the Heavens draw the rains by being of the opinion that, like the rain that gathers in the skies, and which, out of its own accord showers down upon the earth Even so will my Lord draw me to Him the Lord too comes out of His own accord to shower His grace on the beings of this world. But like to the mother-cow, for my Nandi I yearn But instead, I cry out to Siva (Nandi) like the calf would (when hungry and in need of milk) to attract the attention of its mother cow And all the world, all the world know it too and the reason for my calling Him so, is for right knowledge (wisdom/consciousness).

*The sage uses the words, ‘’like a calf that calls out to its mother cow’’ to illustrate that just as (upon being called by the hungry calf) the mother cow will call out to identify herself to the calf, Siva too will give a call (Nada- sound) to identify Himself to the seeker(the hungry calf). Through the above mantra it is clear that Siva reveals Himself to only those who seek Him – unlike the rain that sends down the showers out of its own accord (whether asked for or not).

This mantra takes on a good depth of meaning when you read it together with the post on the nature of faith and its importance. While on a deeper note the meanings contained herein with respect to the issuing forth of the Nada at the appropriate stage of sadhana, on a more obvious level we can understand that this process of sadhana/transformation calls for a good deal of dedication, effort and more importantly Bhakti. The yearning has to be constant, the separation unbearable. Much like the emotions evoked by the romantic poetry of the sufi mystics. It is interesting to note that the intensity of yearning is compared to the calf's need of its mother rather than the lovers need of his beloved. Perhaps it refers somehow to the fact that such yearning is instinctual and must be of intensity capable of affecting one like hunger would - deep and all encompassing.