Blessed Thirumular - Mantra 89.

Sri gurubhyo namaha.

After the long pause, we begin with the Thirumandiram from where we left off. This is the 89th mantra of the first part of the Thirumandiram and here the sage reveals more about the nature of the supreme shiva.

பெற்றமும் மானும் மழுவும் பிரிவற்ற
தற்பரன் கற்பனை யாகும் சராசரத்து
அற்றமும் நல்கி அடியேன் சிரத்தினில்
நற்பத முமளித் தானெங்கள் நந்தியே. 17.5.89.


Lord Blessed Tirumular
Nandi, by bull, deer and axe ever attended,
Nandi, my Lord, the Cause without Cause,
Creation's limit in His Thought conceived to me revealed,
And on my lowly head He planted His Holy Feet. 17.5.89.

Com - Nandi, by bull, deer and axe ever attended Siva has the bull (nandhi), deer and the mazhu ( a type of an axe) and is ever served by these, Nandi, my Lord, the Cause without Cause, in this world that is as illusory as thought, my guru and Lord Nandi who is the causeless cause for the appearance of the universe in the nature of a mirage, Creation's limit in His Thought conceived to me revealed, Creation's limit in His Thought conceived to me revealed, removing fear He revealed Himself. And on my lowly head He planted His Holy Feet Dissolving all impurities He graced me by planting His holy feet on my head.

* The bull here represents that Siva is truthful and in the nature of Dharma, the deer represents His compassionate nature, the axe (mazhu) symbolises His courage and valour. The term (chara charam – in the tamil original) creation/ universe here represents all that is and is not (moving and fixed, i.e. sentient and insentient beings). Through the above mantra the sage reveals that the lord revealed His true form (to Thirumoolar) by removing (dissolving) the illusory nature of this world appearance by firmly establishing His feet (granting the grace) and revealing the ‘true’ nature of the self.