kanthar anubhuthi verse 45

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Transliteration:

 

karavaaKiya kalvi uLaar kadai senRu, iravaa vakai mey— poruL eekuvaiyO kuravaa kumaraa kulisaayuThaa kun— , jaravaa siva yOga ThayaaparanE. 45

 

Meaning:

 

Not to approach me, who their learning conceal, And beg of them, will You grant me Wisdom Eternal? O Lord with Vajrayudha! O Kumara! O Teacher Spiritual! O Deivayanai's Lord! O Granter of Yoga, the Grace all full! "O Master Divine! O Lord Kumara! O Lord having the weapon, Vajra! O Consort of Deivayanai! O Embodiment of Grace, Who grants Siva-Yoga! Wilt Thou (graciously) grant me the Wisdom Supreme, so as to obviate the need for me to beg at the doors of those who conceal their learning? (Kindly grant me.)"

 

Detailed Commentary:

ARUNAGIRINATHAR'S ADVISE IN APPROACHING LEARNED ONES

Arunagirinathar asks of the Lord to grant him Divine Knowledge, the essence of all learning, to avoid the need for him to go to and beg of Pundits (or men of learning) who hide their knowledge. It is not that Arunagirinathar is against learning, but he disapproves of the idea of approaching those who are unwilling to part with what they possess. Learning is necessary. It is also a gift of God. The learning we have (from books and teachers) and our Knowledge (that dawns from within) are both from the Lord (verse 17). Hence, learning as such is not bad, but learning that loses sight of its purpose at the hands of unspiritual pedantics is what is disapproved by Arunagirinathar.

The great law is: "Give and it shall be given to you ten-fold, hundred-fold, manifold." Especially in the case of knowledge, one does not lose by giving, for it is such a thing that it cannot diminish by sharing. On the other hand, it increases the more it is imparted, as water from a spring in the river-bed wells up the more it is extracted. Wealth, food, etc., deplete when given to others, and these can satisfy the recipient only for a limited time.

THE GREATNESS OF JNANA-DHANAM

But the charity of knowledge (or Jnana-Dhanam) is a lasting one. Neither the giver loses anything by giving nor the recipient loses it at anytime. Both are benefited forever. The glory of Jnana-Dhanam is, therefore, greater than that of all other charities. Why, then, hide what one knows? Yet, generally men of learning do not easily impart their knowledge to others. They conceal it not knowing that God also hides Himself from them.

WHY PEOPLE HIDE THEIR LEARNING?

Why do people hide their learning? They are afraid that their "business" will be affected if they impart it to others. Those who utilize their knowledge as a means of acquiring wealth, position, fame, power, etc., do not wish to impart it to others, lest the latter should compete with them. But the purpose of learning is something else. It is, as Thiruvalluvar says, "To worship (attain) God." Those who direct their knowledge to its true purpose, viz., to attain God, never hesitate to share what they know with honest seekers. Such noble souls are Gurus, who are kind and compassionate by their very nature, from whom knowledge is to be sought.

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Courtesy: skandagurunatha.org