Manickavachagar says that his heart melts like wax cast into the fire when he thinks of Lord Siva, said M.A. Manickavelu in a discourse. Vallalar says that we spend our lives acquiring material objects, but the results of such possessions are the three undesirable traits that Saiva Siddhanta warns against — aanavam (ego), kanmam (karma acquired through our actions) and maayai (illusion).
Manickavachagar, in another verse, talks of the time when he had not yet turned his thoughts towards Lord Siva. He says, “I did not praise You; I did not clean Your temples; I did not dance with joy thinking of You. Of what use then is this life?” We might know that we should worship God, but we do not do it the proper way. Pattinathar says that the hand is busy doing one thing; the tongue is engaged in saying something; the ears are listening to something else. None of the sense organs is focused on Him, and yet we claim we are worshipping Him.
Mere ritualistic worship, without God being enshrined in the heart, is not proper worship. Manickavachagar says, “Praise to the feet of the One who does not depart from my heart even for a second.” This shows that one’s thoughts must be always about Him, for that is true bhakti. To keep one’s thoughts elsewhere while one is in a temple is not worship. Kachiappa Sivachariar says that when a person sees a tasty sweet, his mouth waters. In the same way, when one sees His idol, one should be drawn to it and should meditate on it. Arunagirinatha says that it is not enough if you merely see His image. You must bring him into your heart.
When Vallalar was in Thiruvottriyur temple, he brought into his heart the image of Lord Muruga of the Tiruttani temple and then caused this image to reflect in a mirror.
