Vinayagar Agaval

By Saint poet Avaiyar

Transliteration By
Elango Kadhirvel

Translation
P.R.Ramachander


(Avaiyar (meaning a very Old mother) was one of the very great women poets of ancient Tamil Nadu. (In Telugu even today mother is called Avva) Apart from being a great poet, she played a very great role in the politics of those days; by making the great kings obey her. There are many references to her being a great Devotee of Lord Subrahmanya. Historians are of the opinion that there were, more than one lady poet who called herself as Avaiyar. One such poet existed before the birth of Christ. This poet was a great story teller and social reformer. The next Avaiyar lived in the fourteenth centaury. Her well known work is AthiChoodi, which was written foer easy learning by Tamil Children. It is interesting to note that even today; AthiChoodi shows the simple path to live well, for all children. Vinayagar Agaval is another one of her great works.

Agaval means blank poetry and it is a song addressed to Lord Ganapathy. He is addressed as Vinayagar (he who removes obstacles) or Pillayar in Tamil. This prayer is an extremely popular one in Tamil Nadu. It clearly brings out the mastery of Avaiyar in the Yoga, thathric practices and Saivism, possibly derived from the contribution of Sidhas in Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Nadu Saivism.I have taken the liberty of understanding this great work based on the English translation of Mr.Layne little

Seetha kallabha chenthamaraippum,
Paatha chilambhu pala isai paada,
Pon araijnanum, poonthugil aadaiyum,
Vanna marungil valarindu azhakerippa,
Pezhai vayirum, perum paara kodum,
Vezha mukhamum, vilangu chindooramum,
Anju karamum , angusa paasamum,
Nenjir kudi konda neela meniyum,
Naandra vaayum, naaliru puyamum,
Moondru kannum, mummatha chuvadum,
Irandu cheviyum, ilangu Pon mudiyum,
Thiranda muppiri nool thigazh Oli maarbum,
Chor padam kadantha thuriya mey jnanam,
Arpudham nindra karpaga kallire

While the anklets on the cool sandal anointed feet
Which has the color of the red hibiscus flower,
Sings various songs, while the golden waist belt,
And his clothes as soft as flower,
Shine in pretty and beautiful colors of the rainbow,
While his box like paunch, weighty tusks
Elephant like face, the saffron dot applied on it,
Five hands and the goad and rope that he has,
His blue body which attracted our mind,
Hanging mouth, his four sets of shoulders,
His three eyes, three trails of his feet’s,
His two ears, his shining golden hair,
His glowing broad chest wearing the holy thread,
His divine knowledge of Thuriya, his mastery over words,
Stood in awe at the wish giving elephant.

Muppazham nugarum Mooshiga vahana,
Ippothu yennai aat kolla vendi,
Thayay yenakku, thaan yezhundaruli,
Mayaa piravi, mayakkam aruthu,
Thirundhiya mudal aindu ezhthum thelivaay,
Porundave vanthu yen ullam thannil pugundhu,
Guru Vadivagi, kuvalayam thannil,
Thiruvadi vaithu thiramidhu porul yena,
Vaadaa vagaithaan magizhndena karuli,

OH god who rides on an elephant and eats three fruits,
Now for taking me and making me yours,
You come in the shape of my mother,
Cut off the trance like feeling of this illusory birth,
Make clear to my mind the meaning of the
Five lettered Namasivaya, enter then in to my mind,
Step in to this world in the form of a teacher in this world of ours,
And tell me with happiness that this is its real meaning

Kodaayudathaal Peru (kodu) vinai kallainthe,
Uvatta upadesam pugatti yen cheviyil,
Thevittatha jnana thelivaiyum kaatti,
Iym pulan thannai adakkum upaayam,
Inburu karunaiyin inithena kkaruli

After removing my great fate by the weapon of his tusk,
After giving me very sweet and not boring advices in my ears,
After showing sweetest clarity in the case of Jnana,
After teaching me the trick to control my five senses,
After sweetly telling me about mercy which gives happiness,

Karuvigal odukkum karuthinai arivithu,
Iru vinai thannai aruthu irul kadinthu,
Thalamoru nangum thandu yenakku aruli,
Malam oru moondrin mayakka maruthe,
Onbathu vayil oru mandhirathaal,
Iym pula kathavai adaippathum kaatti,
Aaraathaarathu angula nilaiyum,
Pera niruthi pechurai aruthe,
Idai pingalaiyin ezhuthu arivithu

After teaching me the knowledge of subjugating the senses,
After cutting of this birth as well the next and removing darkness,
After granting me mercifully the four stages of salvation,
After cutting off the trance created by the three types of ignorance,
After showing me how by one chant the five senses
Can be controlled and the nine gates of the body closed,
After teaching me how to control the chakras of the body using the goad,
After cutting off talk and making me stand firm,
After teaching me the alphabets of Ida and Pingala Nadi,

Kadayir chuzhu munai kapaalamum kaatti,
Moondru mandalthin mootiya thoonin,
Nandrezhu pambin navil unarthi,
Kundali adanir koodiya asabai,
Vindezhu mandiram velippada uraithu,
Mooladharathu moondezhu kanalai,
Kaalal ezhuppum karuthu arivithe,
Amudha nilaiyum aadithan iyakkamum,
Kumuda sagaayan gunathaiyum koori,
Idai chakkarathin eerettu nilaiyum,
Udar chakkarathin urappayum kaati,
Chanmuga thoolamum , chatur mukha sookshmamum,
Yen mugamaaga indhenakkaruli

After showing that the end of circle’s edge is in the head,
After making me realize that the snake keeps on hanging,
On the pillar that is at the junction of three realms,
After showing the silence at the junction of Kundalini,
After clearly telling me the chant to waken it up,
After pointing out the raging fire in the Mooladhara,
After telling me the idea of waking it up,
After telling me about the deathless state and the position of the Sun,
After telling me about properties of moon, the helper of lotus,
After teaching me the sixteen positions of the intermediate Chakra,
After showing me the position of wheels in the body,
After sweetly teaching me , the secret of Shanmuga,
And the principle behind the subtle four faces,

Puriyatta kaayam pulappada yenakku,
Theriyettu nilaiyum derisana paduthi,
Karuthinir kapaala vaayil kaatti,
Iruthi mukthi inithenakku aruli,
Yennai arivithu, yenakkarul cheydhu,
Munnai vinaiyin mudalai kalainthu,
Vaakkum manamum illa manolayam,
Thekkiye yendan chindhai thelivithu,
Irul veli irandukku ondridam yenna,

After making it clear about the eight subtle principles,
And making me see the real meaning of them,
After showing in my mind the gateway to the skull,
After telling me that the salvation is sweet,
After informing me, after showering his grace on me,
After removing the assets earned in the previous births,
After showing me the mental state where mind and words are absent,
After awakening my mind which was asleep,
After showing me the places of light and darkness in me,

Arul tharum aanandathu azhuthi yen cheviyil,
Yellai illa Aanandham allithu,
Allal kalainthe, Arul vazhi kaatti,
Sathathinulle Saada Shivam kaatti,
Chithathinulle Shiva Lingam kaatti,
Anuvirkku anuvaai appaalukku appaalaai,
Kanu muthi nindra karumbulle kaatti,
Vedamum neerum vilanga niruthi,
Koodumey thondar kuzhaathudan kooti,
Ancha karathin Arul porul thannai,
Nenja karuthin nilai arivithu,
Thathuva nilayai thanthu yenai aanda,
Vithaga vinayaga virai kazhal charane.

After giving me limitless happiness by pressing me down in ecstasy in my ear,
After removing all problems, after showing me the way of grace,
After showing lord Shiva in the sound “Om”,
After pointing out the Shiva Linga within my mind,
After showing atom within atom and distance beyond distance,
In the joints of the well ripened sugar cane like body,
After clarifying the role of Vedas and sacred ash.
After making me one with the crowd of realized devotees,
After pointing out the principle of five letters “Namashivaya”,
After showing me the state of my mind,
After giving me the philosophic state and after ruling me,
My wise Vinayaka ruled me and I seek refuge in his feet.