Seated firmly without fatigue or fidgeting, bring your upper
eyelids close to the lower. Subdue the five senses, fill your heart with love
for the Lord alone. Let thought flow freely on that one alone. There in the
effulgence emerging, you will see the Lord who is a body of light. Those who do
so, do surely see the truth. (Tirukkuruntandakam, 18)
Tirukkuruntandakam is a poetic work of Thirumangai Alwar. The main
theme of Tirukkuruntandakam is that the soul is wholly dependent on God who is
the sole supporter and it can hope to escape the suffering by means of sincere
prayers and worship to Him.
(Source page 31 of Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Alvars by S. M. Srinivasa Chari)
(Source page 31 of Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Alvars by S. M. Srinivasa Chari)
Tirukkuruntandakam consists of 20 verses of four lines each, composed in the Tamil meter Tandakam. The verses describe the devotee's deep love for Bhagavan Sriman Narayana. The devotee and Bhagavan are
likened to Nayika and Nayaka – consort and hero. The devotee has been separated
from hero (Bhagavan). Alwar, the devotee is extremely pleased to have Narayana
in his heart, and decides to never allow Bhagavan to separate from him; He
would hold on to Him like a baby monkey clinging to its mother.
Alwar also sings the praises of the sacred Vaishnava places – Thirumaliruncholai, Tirukkudantai, Srirangam, Tirupati and Tirupper and details the attributes of the presiding deity – Bhagavan Narayana – in those places.