Kandhar Alangaram - The Divine Spell (4) : The Five




Ora ottaar, ondrai unna ottaar, malar ittu unathu thaal

sera ottaar aivar; seyvathu en yaan? sendru devar uyya

sora nitturanai sooranai kaar udal sori kakkak

koora kattaari ittu or imaip pothinil kondravaney!


“O Lord! Why is it that these five senses prevent me from drawing closer to You?

They hold me back from seeing You, feeling You, thinking of You, melting in devotion, and reaching Your sacred feet. What is this humble servant to do to attain You?

"O ! One who hurled the sharp Vel, making blood gush from the dark, massive body, and destroyed the cruel Suran in but a moment!”

Thus, with deep longing, Arunagirinathar questions the Lord.

Why this yearning?

When the five senses fail to move toward the Divine, they lose the very purpose for which they were created.
The purpose of the eyes is to behold the Lord in darshan.
The nose exists to enjoy the fragrance of flowers offered in worship.
The ears find fulfillment in listening to the Lord’s praises.
The body (touch) finds meaning in bowing at His sacred feet.
The tongue fulfills its purpose by singing His glory.

Yet, all our senses remain immersed in worldly pleasures.

To destroy Suran, the Lord did not take long—He annihilated him in a single instant, out of urgency to protect the Devas who sought refuge in Him.

But here, the poet’s anguish emerges—
“Why do You not show the same urgency to rescue me, who is trapped in the torment of these five senses?”

This verse is filled with that deep longing and quiet sorrow.

Let us reflect further in the next post.

Thank you,

Shanmugapriya K Sambathkumar 

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