Attach love towards God

Thirumurai 7.7
திருவெதிர்கொள்பாடி

1. மத்த யானை யேறி மன்னர்
சூழ வருவீர்காள்
செத்த போதில் ஆரு மில்லை
சிந்தையுள் வைம்மின்கள்
வைத்த உள்ளம் மாற்ற வேண்டா
வம்மின் மனத்தீரே
அத்தர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள்பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

2. தோற்ற முண்டேல் மரண முண்டு
துயர மனைவாழ்க்கை
மாற்ற முண்டேல் வஞ்ச முண்டு
நெஞ்ச மனத்தீரே
நீற்றர் ஏற்றர் நீல கண்டர்
நிறைபுனல் நீள்சடைமேல்
ஏற்றர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

3. செடிகொள் ஆக்கை சென்று சென்று
தேய்ந்தொல்லை வீழாமுன்
வடிகொள் கண்ணார் வஞ்ச னையுட்
பட்டு மயங்காதே
கொடிகொ ளேற்றர் வெள்ளை நீற்றர்
கோவண ஆடையுடை
அடிகள் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

4. வாழ்வர் கண்டீர் நம்முள் ஐவர்
வஞ்ச மனத்தீரே
யாவ ராலு மிகழப் பட்டிங்
கல்லலில் வீழாதே
மூவ ராயும் இருவ ராயும்
முதல்வன் அவனேயாம்
தேவர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

5. அரித்து நம்மேல் ஐவர் வந்திங்
காறலைப்பான் பொருட்டால்
சிரித்த பல்வாய் வெண்டலை போய்
ஊர்ப்புறஞ் சேராமுன்
வரிக்கொ டுத்தி வாள ரக்கர்
வஞ்சமதில் மூன்றும்
எரித்த வில்லி எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

6. பொய்யர் கண்டீர் வாழ்க்கை யாளர்
பொத்தடைப் பான்பொருட்டால்
மையல் கொண்டீர் எம்மொ டாடி
நீரும் மனத்தீரே
நைய வேண்டா இம்மை யேத்த
அம்மை நமக்கருளும்
ஐயர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

7. கூச னீக்கிக் குற்றம் நீக்கிச்
செற்ற மனம்நீக்கி
வாச மல்கு குழலி னார்கள்
வஞ்ச மனைவாழ்க்கை
ஆசை நீக்கி அன்பு சேர்த்தி
என்பணிந் தேறேறும்
ஈசர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

8. இன்ப முண்டேல் துன்ப முண்டு
ஏழை மனைவாழ்க்கை
முன்பு சொன்னால் மோழை மையாம்
முட்டை மனத்தீரே
அன்ப ரல்லால் அணிகொள் கொன்றை
யடிகளடி சேரார்
என்பர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

9. தந்தை யாருந் தவ்வை யாரு
மெட்டனைச் சார்வாகார்
வந்து நம்மோ டுள்ள ளாவி
வான நெறிகாட்டும்
சிந்தை யீரே னெஞ்சி னீரே
திகழ்மதி யஞ்சூடும்
எந்தை கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

10. குருதி சோர ஆனையின் தோல்
கொண்ட குழற்சடையன்
மருது கீறி ஊடு போன
மாலய னும்அறியாச்
சுருதி யார்க்குஞ் சொல்ல வொண்ணாச்
சோதியெம் மாதியான்
கருது கோயில் எதிர்கொள் பாடி
யென்ப தடைவோமே.

11. முத்து நீற்றுப் பவள மேனிச்
செஞ்சடை யானுறையும்
பத்தர் பந்தத் தெதிர்கொள் பாடிப்
பரமனை யேபணியச்
சித்தம் வைத்த தொண்டர் தொண்டன்
சடைய னவன்சிறுவன்
பத்தன் ஊரன் பாடல் வல்லார்
பாதம் பணிவாரே.

Translation:

my mind!
mounting on an elephant having frenzy.
Kings who go in procession surrounded by vassals!
if you die there is no one to accompany you among these people;
God is the only one who will do that Bear this in your minds.
Do not think that this life is permanent, changing again your mind in which that idea is permanently fixed.
we will reach the temple of the father in the place called etirkolpati.
The mind is addressed as belonging to the superior class of beings in order to decry it.

my mind!
if there is birth.
death is definite.
the domestic life between those two is full of sorrow.
if there is any word praising that life there is deceitful idea in the mind behind it.
Civan who smears the holy ash.
who rides on a bull.
that god who received on his long matted hair the abundant water.
we will reach his temple in the place called etirkoḷpāti.

my mind!
Before the body with troubles wanders always in worldly affairs and dies quickly having worn out.
before you are caught in the deceptive snare of women whose eyes are comparable to the tender mango cut into two, and get bewildered.
Civaṉ who has the form of a bull on his flag.
who has besmeared himself with the white holy ash.
god who passes his cloth between the legs and tucks it at the back.
we shall reach the temple in the place known as etirkoḷpaṭi.

my deceitful mind!
five enemies live within us without being sunk in the ocean of distress in this world having been despised by all.
being the trio of Piramaṉ, Māl and uruttiraṉ makēsvaraṉ and cataCivaṉ He himself is the sole cause of all things.
we shall reach the temple of that supreme god in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi.

my mind!
There are five senses within us to grew us as the white ants and rob us on the highway in the middle of the good path that we tread so that our life becomes waste without any good.
before the white skull containing the mouth in which there are teeth that laughed out of joy, goes out and reaches the outskirts of the willage in the cremation ground adorning himself with the cobras that have beautiful spots and lines on their hoods.
we shall reach the shrine known as etirkoḷpāṭi of the god who has a bow with which he burnt the three treacheous forts of the cruel arakkar.

my mind!
the relations who are helpful to run the domestic life are without firm love towards us.
without thinking about it you too become bewildered acting with me, in order to fulfill their wants.
you need not suffer hereafter in that manner we shall reach.
the temple of our father who grants his grace in the coming birth if we worship him in this birth.
in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi you come along with me

my mind Leaving shyness to worship and dance.
Leaving the six faults beginning from desire.
and banishing enmity towards all from the mind.
renouncing the desire for the deceitful domestic life with women who have tresses of hair of increasing fragrance.
attaching love towards god.
we shall reach.
the temple of the Lord who rides on a bull having adorned himself with bones.
in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi.

my mind without any sharp intelligence and as smooth as an egg!
in the domestic life which is the result of ignorance there is suffering as there is happiness people say that except devotees, others will not reach the feet of the god who adorns himself with the beautiful garland of koṉṟai.
If I had told you before about this this will become stupidity;
Therefore I did not tell you renouncing domestic life we will reach the temple of the Lord in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi.

my mind!
father and mother will not be of any help even in the smallest degree if you have any idea to show me the path to attain bliss, coming to my help and being united with me.
we shall reach.
the temple of our father who adorns his head with the shining crescent in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi come along with me.

my mind!
Civaṉ with curling matted hairs who covers himself with an elephants skin, from which the blood is dripping.
who could not be known by Māl who crawled between two maratu trees breaking them.
and Ayaṉ.
our god who is the origin of all things;
and the light who could not be described even by those who are well-versed in curuti curuti-vetam we shall reach.
the temple he desires.
in the place known as etirkoḷpāṭi.

etirkoḷpāṭi where the god with red matted hair, a body as red as coral, and holy ash which is as white as pearl.
to bow only before the supreme god who dwells etirkoḷpāti which binds the minds of devotees the holy slave of the devotees who have that idea in their minds.
the son of caṭayaṉ.
caṭayaṉ is the name of cuntarar`s father the devotees of Civaṉ.
those who are able to say the songs of Ūraṉ uraṉ is a part of ārūraṉ.
will bow before the feet of that god.

Greatness of Temple:

Lord Shiva of the temple is praised in the hymns of Saint Sundarar.  This is the 24th Shiva temple on the northern bank of Cauvery praised in Thirumurai 7.7

Moolavar : Iyravatheswarar
Historical Name: Ethirkolpadi
City: MelaThirumanancheri

Prayers:

Majority of the devotees pray for recovery of things lost, restoration of positions lost, those suffering from stomach problems and those for recovery of losses in business and facing delays in wedding matters.  It is believed that Lord would relieve them from their sufferings as He did in the case of Indira and his Iravadha elephant.

Don’t change your mind, be determined to worship Lord at Ethirkolpadi” says Saint Sundarar in his celebrated hymns.  It is noteworthy that that the Bhakti relationship between Lord Shiva and Sundarar was as one between bosom friends.  As Iravadham worshipped here, the sanctum sanctorum is vast enough that an elephant can enter in it.People organize wedding receptions in the temple hoping that the couple would be close to each other as Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi.

Sage Bharatha, as head priest, conducted the wedding of Lord and Mother at Tiruvelvikudi and invited them to his place Tirumananjeri.  He arranged a grand reception to the divine couple.  He welcomed (Ethir Kollal in Tamil) the divine couple with due honours.  Hence, the place is named as Ethirkol Padi.  Presently it is known as Melakoil.