Introduction to Section 6.8

This is yet another decad, where the Āḻvār sends messages to the Lord through birds, bees etc, the two earlier ones being I-4 and VI-1. This is the third such decad and the fourth and the last decad of this kind is IX-7, The technique, in this regard, having been already elucidated in the preamble to I-4, it would suffice if the distinguishing feature of this decad is brought out, namely, the message is now sent to the Lord in His ‘Para’ or transcendent and ‘Antaryāmi’ or hidden Form, as Internal Controller of all, as could be gathered mainly from Stanzas 4 and 5 of this decad. It may be recalled that the messages in I-4 and VI-1 were conveyed to the Lord in His ‘Vyuha’ and ‘Vibhava’ aspects, respectively.

The Nāyakī, who set out for the coveted Tirukkōḷūr, couldn’t reach the place; as apprehended by her mother, she got bogged down en route, due to her intense God-love and, stranded half way through, she sends the messages, as in this decad. The trait of the Lord, invoked by the Nāyakī, is ‘compassion’ as Piḷḷāṉ would put it, as could also be seen from the oft-repeated rerain of the songs, in this decad. According to Śrī Parāśara Bhaṭṭar, the Lord’s feeling of oneness with His devotees (aikarasya), His sense of identity with them, is invoked, vide the sixth stanza.