42. I will cut your ears with the sword of five letters!

Verse 42

பிறப்பதற்கு முன்னெல்லாம் இருக்குமாற தெங்கனே

பிறந்துமண் இறந்துபோய் இருக்குமாற தெங்கனே

குறித்துநீர் சொலாவிடில் குறிப்பிலாத மாந்தரே

அறுப்பனே செவியிரண்டும் அஞ்செழுத்து வாளினால்

Translation:

What is the state of existence for everything before birth?

Having born in this soil and died, what is the state of existence then,

You clueless people! If you do not answer specifically,

I will cut both the ears with the sword of five letters.

Commentary:

Civavākkiyar asks a very esoteric question.  The state of existence while living in this world is known to all. We are men, women, animals, plants etc.  No one knows how we were before being born and how we will be after our death.  Civavākkiyar forcefully says that if he does not get a clear answer for this he will take the extreme step of cutting the ears with the sword made of the panchākṣara mantra.  In other words, the panchākṣara mantra should be heard to answer this question.  It is the sword that would cut asunder this doubt.