The Holy Poem Thiruvempavai is a collection of Lord Shiva songs, which was composed by the great Shaivite saint and poet Sri Manikkavacakar. These songs would be specially sung by unmarried young girls, especially during the Tamil Margazhi month. Pavai Nombu is a ritual which would be observed by the unmarried girls, during Margazhi month.Unmarried girls would observe these rituals, by worshipping Lord Shiva, in order to find a suitable match for them. Thiruvempavai songs are as much famous as the Holy Thirupavai songs, which would also be sung during the Margazhi month, in praise of Lord Vishnu.
The unmarried young girls of South India, would light lamps in the early mornings of Margazhi, and would sing Thiruvempavai songs in praise of Lord Shiva, and this act is mainly done by them in order to fetch a suitable husband, who contains all good aspects with him.
Some of the verses from the auspicious Thiruvempavai Songs are as follows:-
We are singing of the rare great Flame, the great Annamalaiyar also called as Arunachaleshwara, for him there is no beginning and end.
In spite of listening to the Shiva Mantra, OM NAMAH SHIVAYA, Oh girls, what else are you doing, get up fast, in order to hear the divine praise of Lord Shiva, which we can wonderfully hear it from the Shiva Temples!
Oh my Dear Girls, instead of worshipping Lord Shiva on this marvellous Margazhi month, why you are lazily lying on the bed, by enjoying the comforts.
Oh my Dear Girls, I feel very much pity on you, your behaviour turns into worst, think my dear friend, please think and do as per the wishes of God Shiva!
Oh my Dear Girls, we should always maintain strict bondage with our beloved god Shiva, Oh beautiful girls, but why you are hesitating to offer your daily morning prayers to Lord Shiva?
Oh my Dear pretty girls, in order to find a perfect match, please Chant the word “SHIVAM”, “SHIVAM” and “THIRUCHITRAMBALAM” throughout the day, since our Lord Shiva joyfully dwells at the earthly abode at Thillai, and also eagerly dances at Thillai, who blesses us through his lotus hands, whose top and bottom cannot be found even by the celestials like Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma!
Oh My pretty girls, in order to get the grace of Lord Shiva, even if you offer a bunch of Bilva leaves, our Lord Shiva would be satisfied very much, and he would prosper your lives!
Oh My Friends, keep praising the Lord, who is best in character, superior among all Devas, who is the true Brahman, on whose feet, the divine nectar flows like an ocean!
Oh my friends!! Let’s become slaves to the Lord who contains matted hair, who is very fond of dancing and dancing, who loves his ghost attendants so much, who treats all of his devotees as alike, whose precious divine qualities cannot be expressed by anyone in detail.
Oh My friends, Don’t waste the time in sleep. Please wake up in order to sanctify our dear Lord Shiva by the way of drawing wonderful Kolams on the streets, by affixing the word, Shiva, Shiva on the Kolams, before doing this sacred act, please take bath, tie your hair properly, and apart from that, prepare some delicious Kali and KeeraiKootu in order to offer it to our great Lord Shiva!
Oh dear girls! Why you are wasting your time by thinking about unwanted things, don’t you think that you are the doer? Try to understand that without the grace of our three-eyed Lord Shiva, we cannot walk even a single step in our life. Get up soon, leave your laziness, chant the Shiva Mantra, and glorify him on this wonderful Margazhi month morning by the way of singing songs in praise of him!
Oh Girls are you not ashamed? Is it not yet dawn?
Is it proper to take rest in the bed for a long time, please get up soon, in order to have the wonderful darshan of Lord Shiva in his temples!
Oh My Dear Girls, if you want to find out a suitable match, now it is your main duty to offer your sincere prayers to Lord Shiva, in order to get his blessings forever in your life!
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR