Manickavasagar - Jijnasu Ananya Bhaktha

உளையா அன்பு என்பு உருக ஓலமிட்டு

அலைகடல் திரையினார்த்து ஆர்த்தோங்கித்

தலை தடுமாறா வீழ்ந்து புரண்டலறிப்

பித்தரின் மயங்கி மத்தரின் மதித்து

நாட்டவர் மருளவும் கேட்டவர் வியப்பவும்ங்

கடக்களிறேற்றாத்  தடப்பெரு மதத்தின்

ஆற்றேன் ஆக அவயவம் சுவைதரு

கோற்றேன் கொண்டு செய்தனன்.

Thinking of your unsolicited love I cried loudly until even my bones melted. My loud cry is like the roar of the waves in a raging sea. And like the waves I roll around and cry.  I lose control over senses like one possessed and gone mad.  Those who saw me were shocked and those who heard about me were surprised.  I am like the mad elephant struggling with its keeper who is trying to mount it to control it.   This intoxicating love is pervading my whole body and make it feel sweet all over as if honey is flowing through all the veins of my body.

The above is how Manickavasagar felt when he was soaked in Sivananda, after the Deeksha received from the Lord himself, as told in his own words in Thiruvandappahuthi of Tiruvachagam.  This flood of ecstatic emotion of love for divine is called Mahabhava, a superior state in Para Bhakthi, which some ananya bhakthas only attain at times, like  Sri Ramakrishna Parmahamsa and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in recent times.  This Mahabhava is described in sutras 6 of Narada Bhakthi sutras, as quoted below:

यज्ज्ञात्वा मत्तो भवति स्तब्धो भवति आत्मारामो भवति ॥ (yanjnyaatva maththo bhavathi, sthabdho bhavathi athmaramo bhavathi i.e. knowing which one becomes intoxicated, ecstatic and enjoys bliss in the Self)

We shall now see under what circumstances Manickavasagar who had been a Jijnasu bhaktha blossomed into an ananya bhaktha experiencing Mahabhava. 

Manickavasagar was born in a pious Amatya Telugu Brahmin family, devoted to Lord Siva, who lived in Tiruvadavoor, near Madurai. Amatya Brahmins are ones who were engaged in other than priestly jobs, as compared to Vaidhik Brahmins who served as priests.  His original name is not known and he is referred to by his place of birth as Vadavoorar and we will be also using this name.  Vadavoorar was pious and brilliant as a student and he was also interested in the study of scriptures.  His scholarship, brilliance and pious disposition attracted the attention of King Arimardhana Pandian, who employed him as his minister and also honoured him with the title, “Thennavan Brahmarayan”.  He served the king faithfully but at the same time he was also looking for a right Guru who can guide him further in his quest for liberation. 

On one occasion, the king sent him with money for purchase of high quality horses that were coming from Arabia to his coastal town.  Vadavoorar offering worship in the temples on the way proceeded on his mission.  In the town of Tiruperundurai, he passed a Saivite saint seated with his disciples under a tree, near the temple.  He was attracted to the saint like a magnet, and when he went closer, he instinctively felt, that saint was the Guru he was looking for.  He fell at his feet seeking acceptance as a disciple.  The sage initiated him with the Mantra “Shivaya nama” and his touch electrified Vadavoorar who now sang at his feet Sivapuranam starting with Nama Shivaya. The sage now christened him as Manickavasagar for singing gem of a hymn with sparkling ruby-like words.  When Manickavasagar wanted to stay with him as his disciple, he said he should bide his time for that and asked him to attend to renovation of the temple there and disappeared.

Immediately Manickavasagar realised it was Lord Himself who had come as an ascetic to be his Guru and bless him with Deeksha Mantra.  He was transported into an ecstatic state which he later described in Thiruvandappahuthi, a portion of which we saw in the beginning.  When he became normal he was a transformed person. He forgot all about the king and horses and devoted his time and mind in renovating the temple and feeding the devotees of Siva.  In that process he spent all the money that the king gave for the purchase of the horses.  The king hearing about his activities in Tiruperundurai was upset and summoned him to the court and asked when the horses are coming.  Manickavasagar had a flash in the mind and on that basis told the king that they will be arriving in Madurai on Avani Moolam day.  When there was no sign of the horses anywhere in the kingdom even two days prior to Avani Moolam day the king ordered his minister to be jailed for dereliction of duty and misappropriation of funds.  Manickavasagar made no protests and endured the torture in the jail with indifference to pain and discomfort, immersed in thoughts of the Lord. On the Avani Moolam day the horses arrived led by a handsome young horseman with imperial looks.  The king was greatly impressed and after the horseman left, he met Manickavasagar in the prison and apologised for doubting him and released him.  Manickavasagar knew that it was Lord’s leela and took the king’s apology in its stride as he took his earlier wrath and incarceration, neither depressed then nor elated now.

That night the horses turned into jackals and howling loudly attacked and killed the other horses in the stable and then ran away.  The king was furious at this turn of events.  Raging with anger that Manickavasagar had played a trick on him, he ordered his arrest and torture. He was made to stand barefoot on hot sand-bed of Vaigai in the scorching heat of midday Sun carrying a heavy boulder on the head.  Unperturbed Manickavasagar stood in hot sands, carrying the big boulder on the head thinking of the Lord and chanting His name, surrendering himself to His will.  Suddenly there were heavy floods in the river and flood waters entered the town all over. The king ordered the river bank to be raised and each family was ordered to send one able-bodied member for this work.

There was an old lady in the town who lived all alone and who was a great devotee of the Lord. She earned her living by making and selling puttu.  There was no family member she could send nor had she money to hire a person. Fearing the punishment that maybe inflicted for not being able to depute a person, she prayed to Lord for help. As she was praying, an able-bodied young man came to her and offered to help in return for puttu.  She gladly gave him fresh puttu and he went to work on her behalf.  But he did not concentrate on the work.  He was singing, dancing and resting, in between short spells of work and disturbing others as well with his song and dance.  The king, who was inspecting the work, saw this and got angry. He hit him with a stick.

The young man disappeared  but the blow was felt by all including the king and the flood also subsided as suddenly as it came.  Then the king realized that the horses turning into foxes earlier and the sudden floods now are all Lord’s work only and that Lord Himself had come as horseman earlier and now as a young man, to reveal to king, his devotee’s greatness.  He repented his treatment of Manickavasagar, rushed to him and setting him free, fell at his feet seeking his forgiveness for inflicting punishment on him not knowing his greatness.  Manickavasagar merely said it is all Lord’s leela only and wanted to be relieved of the ministership to fully devote himself to Lord.  The king agreed and Manickavasagar left on a pilgrimage to various shrines of Siva before settling finally in Chidambaram. 

Hearing about the glory of Chidambaram from a devotee of Lord Siva, the chief Buddhist monk in the court of the king of Sri Lanka boasted to the king that he will go to Chidambaram and establish the supremacy of Buddhist doctrines there and win those Saivites to Buddhism.  The king also accompanied the monk with his dumb daughter to Chidambaram.   When the Buddhist monk came and challenged the priests for a debate on respective philosophies, they agreed and deputed Manickavasagar to represent them, as earlier Lord had appeared in their dreams and asked them to depute Manickavasagar to argue on their behalf.  In the course of debate, unable to stand the monk’s denigration of Saivam with blatant lies, Manickavasagar prayed to Saraswathy Devi to stop this tirade.  Suddenly the flow of words from monk’s mouth ceased and he sat there dumbstruck unable to utter a word. The King realizing Manickavasagar’s greatness pleaded with him to make his daughter speak.  Manickavasagar again prayed to Saraswathy Devi to bless the king’s daughter with speech.  Then the little girl not only started to speak but also cogently and convincingly started exposing Monk’s lies and false arguments.  Now the king along with the monk changed to Saivam. Manickavasagar then prayed to Saraswathy Devi for forgiveness of the monk and he got back his speech. 

Manickavasagar had not recorded his hymns of Tiruvachakam .  One day an elderly Brahmin approached him and requested him to recite the hymns of Tiruvachagam so that he could record them and read them repeatedly to get freed from the shackles of samsara. Manickavasagar started singing for him his entire work of Tiruvachakam.  The day passed into night and that too passed as Manickavasagar lost himself  in singing.  Even after it was over, he was in a state of trance and did not notice the Brahmin collecting the palm leaves and leaving. The next morning when the temple doors were opened the priests found a bundle of palm leaves wherein was written “ As recited by Manickavasagar. Tiruchitrambalam Udayan”  They took them to Manickavasagar to ask who wrote that.  Manickavasagar came out of the trance when he saw them and guessed it was Lord Himself who came as a Brahmin to record his works.  He led them back to the temple.  There he stood before the shrine, pointed at the Lord and said  “There is the answer to your query” and  merged into the Lord. 

Along with Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar, Manickavasagar is revered as one of the four spiritual leaders of Saivam.  Their works constitute the first eight volumes of Panniru Thirumurai.  But the songs of Appar , Sambandar and Sundarar together are called Thevaram and their life history also figures in Sekkilar’s Peria puranam,  while Manickavasagar’s life story is gleaned from Thiruvilaydal puranam and Vadavoorar puranam.  Appar lived from later part of sixth century to the middle of seventh century.  Sambandar, who was a contemporary of Appar lived in early part of seventh century.   Sundarar’s time is much later than these two but much earlier to  Manickavasagar’s time.  So Sundarar did not refer to him in his work, Thiruthondathogai  and  Periya puranam which is based on Sundarar’s work also did not contain Manickavasagar’s life story, runs one school of thought.

Manickavasagar’s path of Bhakthi is said to be Sanmarga i.e. as of a Bhaktha to God.   While serving as minister he was a jijnasu bhaktha seeking a Guru for guidance to get Jnanam for liberation and so he is called jijnasu ananya bhaktha.  After he was blessed with Jnanam by Lord Himself through  Deeksha in Tiruperundurai,  Manickavasagar’s attitude changed to one of total surrender, with no “my, mine” feeling and with no feeling of himself as doer or enjoyer. This can be seen from his following  simple song which needs no explanation:

அன்றே என் ஆவியும்

உடலும் உடைமை எல்லாமும்

குன்றேயானையாய் என்னை

ஆட்கொண்டபோதே கொண்டிலையோ

இன்று ஓர் இடையூறு எனக்குண்டோ

எண்தோள் முக்கண் எம்மானே

நன்றே செய்வாய் பிழை செய்வாய்

நானோ இதற்கு நாயகமே.                (குழைத்த பத்து – 7)

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Sambandar - Jnani Ananya Bhaktha

தோடுடையசெவியன் விடையேறியோர் தூவெண்மதிசூடி

காடுடைய சுடலைப் பொடிபூசி என்னுள்ளங்கவர் கள்வன்

ஏடுடைய மலரான் முனைனாட் பணிந்தேத்த அருள்செய்த

பீடுடைய பிரமாபுர மேவிய பெம்மானிவானன்றே.

He is the Lord in Brahmapuram, seated on the bull, wearing ring in one ear, sporting  the pure white crescent on  his head, with ash smeared all over the body, who has blessed Brahma who prayed to Him at the time of  deluge and who has stolen my heart as well.

This song on Lord Siva in Sirkazhi, Brahmapuram being its other name, forms the first song of “Panniru thirumurai”, a compendium of holy hymns of Saivam running into twelve volumes, and was sung by a three year old toddler, in response to his father’s question. It also marked the start of a torrent of hymns on Lord Siva to pour from this toddler thereafter . That child prodigy is Tirugnanasambandar, who blossomed into a Jnani ananya bhaktha after an incident that gave birth to this song.  We shall see that incident along with a few highlights of his short life of sixteen years. 

Sambandar was born in a devout Saivite family in Sirkazhi.  One day when he was a child of three, as his father Sivapadahrudayar was starting for the temple, little Sambandar wanted to accompany his father.  As Sambandar was adamant, his father reluctantly took him to the temple.  There leaving Sambandar on the bank of the temple tank, he got into the tank to have his usual dip. As he held his head under water taking a deep dip, Sambandar not seeing his father’s head above water, cried “Amma, Appa” in anguish.  His cry touched the heart of Parvathi Devi who was on the celestial rounds with Her Lord and she came down and consoled him giving her breast milk drawn into a gold cup.  Drinking the milk he became not only calm and happy but also imbibed Jnanam both para and apara.  It is this transformed child with a smile on the lips that had traces of  milk that Sivapadahrudayar saw when he came out of the tank. Assuming that Sambandar had taken milk given by a stranger and feeling angry, Sivapadahrudayar questioned him who gave the milk, threatening to punish him with a raised stick.  It is then the child raised its tender finger and pointing at the temple tower sang the song we saw earlier.  As father stared at the child in wonder with the stick slipping from his hand, child Sambandar ran into the temple and standing before the shrine sang ten hymns in praise of the Lord much to the amazement of people in the temple.  Sivapadahrudayar guessed his son has been divinely blessed and calling him Jnanasambandar, now carried him home on his shoulders.

The next day morning riding on his father’s shoulders Sambander went to the neighbouring temple at Tiruvalakka.  There as he started singing a pathigam, i.e. ten hymns, clapping his tender hands to the rhythm of the hymn, there descended in his hands golden cymbals inscribed with Panchatchara.  Touching them with his eyes and thanking the Lord, he completed the pathigam.  When he returned to Sirkazhi a number of devotees from nearby places started coming to his place to see him, hear him and even to request him to bless their places with his visit.  One who came to see him during this time was TiruNeelakanta Yazhppanar  who was an expert player of  Yazh.  He wanted to accompany Sambandar in his travels, playing Yazh, to his songs.  After hearing his soul-filling performance, Sambandar agreed and from then on he was part of Sambandar’s entourage.

In the course of his travels, riding on father’s shoulders, Sambandar  visited Chidambaram, and wanted to go from there to ThiruArathurai.  This time instead of riding on father’s shoulders, he chose to walk.  Feeling tired he halted midway at Maranpadi. That night Lord appeared in the dream of temple priests at ThiruArathrai and said that Jnanasambandan who is coming to Him be honoured with pearl palanquin, pearl umbrella and pearl symbols to sound in his procession.  When they opened the temple in the morning they found these three in Lord’s shrine and they took them in procession to Maranpadi.  As Lord had appeared and conveyed this in Sambandar’s dream as well, he received Lord’s gifts with reverence and worshipped them thanking the Lord for his concern and kindness, before making use of them.

Riding the palanquin he visited ThiruArathurai and after worshipping there returned to Sirkazhi, visiting many shrines on the way, to the delight of his proud mother. When he was staying in Sirkazhi his parents performed the Upanayanam ceremony as he had attained seven years of age.  At the time of the ceremony , Sambandar started reciting the Vedas and the Upavedas as well, after Brahmopadesam, much to the amazement of assembled priests who now they had their doubts in the scriptures cleared by him.  Clearing their doubts he also spoke to them about the glory of Pantchatchara Mantra.  During this period of his stay at Sirkazhi, Tirunavukkarasar came to see him and was addressed as Appar, a venerable epithet for father, which name he bore thereafter.

Appar stayed with Sambandar for a few days and then continued his travels.  Sambandar also left Sirkazhi, this time in pearl palanquin, to offer worship in various Shrines of Lord Siva.  At Tiruppalasramam, the chieftain, Kolli Mazhavan by name, received Sambandar and took him to the temple.  There he found a girl lying in the temple premises. On enquiry he learnt that she was the chieftain’s daughter who was suffering from epilepsy and that day as she was accompanying her father to receive Sambandar, she fainted with violent fits and the chieftain had come to receive Sambandar leaving her in the temple.  Sambandar prayed for her cure and smeared sacred ash on her body, reciting a pathigam.  She got up fully cured and fell at the feet of Sambandar, to the grateful delight of her father. 

He met Appar again at Tirupugalur and after staying there some time both left together on further journey.  Sambandar wanted to walk in the company of Appar, but Appar dissuaded him saying it is only proper that he used the palanquin which was Lord’s gift for his use. So Sambandar following Appar, in palanquin, visited a few places, including Tiruvizhimalai and Tirumaraikadu, which have been referred to in the previous blog “Aartha Ananya Bhaktha – Appar”.  While they were staying in Tirumaraikadu, emissaries from Pandya queen Mangayarkarasiar came to invite Sambandar to Madurai.  Pandya king has embraced Jainism and was under the influence of Jain priests. As king himself had deserted Saivam, that faith was in decline. The queen and the minister Kulachirayar were still Saivites and they very much desired that Sambandar should come to Madurai and re-establish the glory of Saivam there. When Sambandar decided to go and conveyed his decision to Appar, he with a fatherly concern tried to dissuade Sambandar from clashing with Jains as he knew their ruthless and cruel side, from his personal experience and also as the time was not propitious.  When all these arguments failed, Appar offered to go with him to Madurai.  Sambandar thanking him for his concern requested him to proceed as per his earlier travel plans.  

When Sambandar reached Madurai, Kulachirayar and Mangayarkarasiar met him and paid their obeisance to him and the minister escorted him to his mansion.  In the meantime the jain priests frightened by the bad omens they saw, rushed to the king and persuaded him to let them set fire to the mansion where Sambandar stayed through their black magic and scare away the little boy from Madurai itself.  When the mansion got fire and it was put out by his vigilant followers, Sambandar felt this heinous act should not go unpunished but he also felt the king’s life should not be endangered. So he prayed that the fire may slowly go back to the king, who has failed to protect his citizens. The king was hit with severe heat disease.  Medicines, magic and Mantra of Jain priests had no effect on the disease.  The Queen gently persuaded the king to seek Sambandar’s help as the fire that was lit in his place of stay might have rebounded on the king.  When the king agreed to invite Sambandar to cure his disease, the Jain priests also wanted another chance to try their medicine.  The king said both can try simultaneously, Sambandar on the right side and Jains on the left side.  When they started, Sambandar prayed to Lord and smeared sacred ash and the heat completely subsided on the right side; but it hit with redoubled effect on the other side where Jains were trying. The king now requested  Sambandar to treat that side also and was completely cured. The king now prostrated before Sambandar and sought his blessings  

Jains were not willing to give up and they suggested trial by fire.  Sambandar agreed and wrote a pathigam on palm leaf and put it in the fire.  Fire did not touch it and Sambandar took it out and gave it to king.  Then the Jain priests dropped the palm leaf carrying their Mantras and it was quickly burnt to ashes.  They then wanted trial by water as a last chance and submitted that if they lose again  they will accept defeat and suggested they be impaled, if defeated.

They all retired to the banks of Vaigai river.  Jain priests first dropped their palm leaf carrying their Mantras, which was swept away out of sight.  Sambandar wrote the hymn starting with “வாழ்க அந்தணர் வானவர் ஆனினம்” (Vaazha andanar vaanavar Aaninam i.e. Long live Vedic Bramins, Devas, cows) and dropped it in the rushing water.  The palm leaf went up-stream and stopped at the banks near the king. The minister picked it up and handed it to the king, who had a bent back and was referred to as Koon Pandian.  As the king  read the words “வேந்தனும் ஓங்குக” (Vendhanum Onguha i.e. Let the king rise) his arched back straightened and thereafter he was referred to as Ninraseer Pandian. The king and queen fell at Sambandar’s feet and king came back to Saivam.  Accepting defeat, the jain priests ascended the stakes, as per their words.

After staying for some time as royal guest Sambandar left Madurai to return to Sirkazhi.  The grateful king and queen accompanied his palanquin upto the border and there took leave of him.  As he was travelling back to Sirkazhi visiting a few places on the way, he learnt Appar was at Thiruppoonthurithi, and travelled to meet him there.  In the meantime Appar learning about his coming went unannounced and mingling with Sambandar’s entourage, put his shoulders to the pearl palanquin for some distance.  After some time when Sambandar asked where is Appar, he replied that he is there blessed to shoulder his palanquin.  Immmediately Sambandar jumped from the palanquin, fell at Appar's feet and remonstrated that he should not have done that . Appar pacified him saying that it is the minimum honour he could do to the blessed person who had taken the divine milk. They stayed there for some time telling each other about their travel adventures after the last meeting. Then Sambandar took leave of Appar and returned to Sirkazhi. 

After spending some time in Sirkazhi, Sambandar travelled north.  Visiting shrines upto Kalahasthi, he returned via Mylapore.  In Mylapore there lived a merchant by name Sivanesan. He was greatly devoted to Sambandar.  He wanted to give his daughter, Poompavai, in marriage to Sambandar and bequeath his vast wealth to him. But she died of snake-bite.  Greatly distressed but undeterred he preserved her ashes and bones in a brass pot for handing over to Sambandar, when he comes.  When Sambandar came, he made elaborate arrangements to receive him and took him to the temple for worship. After the worship when Sambandar heard about his daughter, he asked Sivanesan to bring the pot to the outskirts of the temple.  He prayed to Lord and sang a pathigam in which calling her by name he asked how can she leave the world without seeing the glorious festivals of Lord. As he was singing the pot broke and out rushed Poompavai as a twelve year old and along with her father prostrated before him.  Sambandar asked Sivanesan to take his daughter home, declining the proposal of marriage with her saying she is like his daughter as she has now received life through him. He then proceeded to Sirkazhi.

Sambandar was now sixteen and his parents arranged for his marriage as they wanted him to carry on with traditional Vedic rituals.  As one who respected traditions, Sambandar went along with the ceremony that took place at Thirunallur.  After the marriage ceremony, he went to the Nallur Perumanam temple with his wife and others and prayed to Lord for liberation from earthly ties.  Then a Jyothi appeared in the temple and a voice rang out that all those who wanted to reach the Lord’s feet can enter the flame.  Sambandar accompanied by his wife and other guests entered the flame to rest at Lord’s feet.

In his short life of sixteen years Sambandar is supposed to have sung more than 10,000 hymns of which we have now available 4,147 only and they constitute the first three volumes of Panniru thirumurai. These hymns not only showcase his spiritual greatness, but also his language skills and music skills.  He had not only used different ragas in his compositions, but had also employed different styles of composition like Mozhimatru, Thiruvirukkural, Thiruekapadam etc.  He was a divinely-blessed spiritual genius who stood steadfast in his devotion to Lord right from his childhood and hence is referred to as Jnani ananya bhaktha. 

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Appar - Aartha Ananya Bhaktha

 மாசில் வீணையும் மாலை மதியமும்

வீசு தென்றலும் வீங்கிள வேனிலும்

மூசு வண்டறை பொய்கையும் போன்றதே

ஈசன் எந்தை இணையடி நீழலே.

The flowing Grace from incomparable feet of the Lord is like the melodious music flowing from Veena, refreshing chillness of the evening moon, soothing touch of the gentle breeze, exhilarating joy of early spring and charming sight of a lake with humming bees circling swaying flowers, all rolled into one.

The above song was not sung by a lakeside on a cool spring evening with the moon in the sky and music in the air but sung by Thirunavukkarasar as he emerged out of burning-hot lime kiln alive after a lock-up for seven days.  As Lord had kept him comfortable through that ordeal, as we see from the song, he must be an ananya bhaktha alright, but why the suffix aartha?  That we shall see briefly in this blog.

The original name of Thirunavukkarasar was Marul Neekkiyar.  He was born in a devout saivite family in Thiruvamur.  He had an elder sister by name Thilakavathyar who was a few years older than him.  When Thilakavathyar attained age twelve her parents arranged marriage for her with Kalippakaiyar who was a commander in the army. Before the marriage could be celebrated war broke out and Kalippakaiyar had to leave for the front.  As the war was going on Thilakavathyar’s father succumbed to a serious illness and her mother also followed him unable to bear the shock of his death. Before she could recover from parents’ loss came the news from the battlefield that Kalippakaiyar had attained a martyr’s death in the battlefield. As the marriage had been agreed to though not celebrated, she still considered him as her husband and did not want to live after his death.  But as her brother weepingly attached himself to her legs and cried that she should not take out her life, she decided to live for the sake of her brother but to lead an austere life forsaking all luxuries of life, including ornaments.  She spent her time engaged in charity work and service to devotees of Lord Siva.

In the meantime Marul Neekiyar who was interested in the study of various religions was greatly attracted to Jains’ advocacy of Ahimsa.  So he converted to Jainism and joined their monastery near Cuddalore, changing his name to Dharmasenar.  There he mastered their scriptures and became their chief spokesman in their debate with other religious sects including Buddhism and Saivam. Thilakavathyar distressed by the turn of events wound up her establishment at Thiruvamur and shifted to Thiruvathigai and spent her time in prayer and service to the Lord in Veerattanam temple. Daily she prayed to the Lord that He should bring back her brother to the Saivite fold. One night Lord appeared in her dreams and assured that her brother will come back to her soon but in great distress and she should bring him to the Veerattanam temple, smeared all over with sacred ash and her wish will be granted. 

Soon after this Dharmasenar had a severe burning pain in the stomach that was unbearable. The Jain priests tried all medicines and magic in their knowledge, but to no avail. When their efforts failed and he could not stand it any longer, Dharmasenar thought of his sister. He sent a message to her through the cook in the monastery seeking her presence and help.  She told the cook to convey to him that she cannot come to the monastery but asked him to come to her.  Dharmasenar left the monastery that night without informing anybody relinquishing all the symbols of Jainism. He reached Thiruvathigai and fell down at the feet of his sister pleading that she save him from the excruciating pain.   She asked him to surrender to the benevolent Lord Siva and seek his Grace with faith and applied the sacred ash on the burning stomach.  Then itself he had a little relief and the next morning it was total when he went to the Veerattanam temple with his sister, fell at the Lord’s feet with his body smeared all over with sacred ash and passionately pleaded with tears in his eye through the song starting with “கூற்றாயினவாறு விலக்ககிலீர்” (Kootrayinavaaru vilakkagaleer i.e. please cure this deadly pain). His pain completely disappeared and a voice rang out that he will be called thereafter Navukkarasu (king of language) in view of the beautiful song he sung, pleading for cure with a promise not to leave His fold thereafter.  Now not only the name changed but the person also changed totally.  With the mind engaged in Shiva Dhyan, tongue chanting the Panchatchara Mantra “Om Namasivaya” and hand carrying a cleaning instrument for cleaning the temple grounds, Thirunavukkarasu was now a completely transformed person with body, mind and speech totally devoted to the service of the Lord.

When news of this cure and change of faith reached the Jain monastery, the Jain saints there were very much rattled.  They feared that the inefficacy of their Mantras and medicine to effect the cure, which could be secured by surrendering to Lord Siva, will undermine faith in their religion not only among the followers but also of the king, a convert to Jain faith.  So they rushed to the king and presented a twisted version saying Dharmasenar had enacted a false drama to change faith and thereby had brought discredit to their religion, which should not go unpunished. The king believing them sent his guards to bring Tirunavukkarasu without disclosing the purpose. Thirunavukkarasar refused to accompany them to the court, with the song starting with “நாமார்க்கும் குடியல்லோம்,” (namarkkum kudiyallom i.e we are not citizens of anybody)

The king was furious at this and the Jain saints also added to his anger stating that Dharmasenar's act of blasphemy compounded now by defiance should be suitably punished by confining him to the burning lime kiln. The king agreed and also decreed accordingly.  Unperturbed, Thirunavukkarasar  entered the kiln with Panchatchara on his lips and Lord Siva’s form in his heart and after seven days when the kiln was opened he walked out safe and sound, to the amazement of the assembled and sang the song we saw in the beginning.  

Jain saints told the king that he has survived only through the power of Mantras learnt from them and that he should be punished this time by making him drink poison.  The king followed their advice but on the one who has entrusted himself to the Lord who once drank the terrible poison of Aalahala itself to save the Devas, this had no effect.  Still the Jain saints did not give up.  They persuaded the king to let him be trampled under the elephant’s foot.  The elephant instead of crushing him went round him and then charged on the Jains who came to witness the spectacle.  They ran to the king and said that if he is allowed to get away with his magic, people will lose respect for the king himself and so he should be punished, this time by drowning in mid-sea with both hands and feet tied and body also tied to a big boulder .  As Thirunavukkarasar sank in water, the bonds broke, the boulder turned into a float and on it he triumphantly rode the waves chanting Panchatchara and landed in Thiruppathiripuliyur.   He proceeded to Thiruvathigai to offer his grateful thanks to the Lord in Veerattanam temple who had seen him through all these ordeals. In the meantime the king realized the Truth, repented his actions, denounced the Jains, renounced their faith,  came and met Thirunavukkarasar and changed over to Saivam.

After worshipping in several temples Thirunavukkarasar came to Sirkazhi  to meet the child prodigy Thirugnanasambandar, who had been blessed with the breast milk of Uma Devi as a toddler of three years and who had started singing hymns on Lord Siva from then onwards.  Thirugnanasambandar also hearing about the venerable figure of Thirunavukkarasar coming to meet him, went to receive him. When Thirunavukkarasar saw Thirugnanasambandar, he fell at the latter’s feet. The latter lifting the other with his tender hands, fell full-length at the other’s feet calling the much older Tirunavukkarasar as Appar, father. And from then on Thirunavukkarasar was referred to as Appar.  Let me also refer to them hereafter as Appar and Sambandar. After spending some time together Appar and Sambandar parted company to go their separate ways, only to meet again at Thirupugalur and travel together to a few places.

When they were staying in different mutts in Tiruvizhimalai with their followers, they found there was a severe famine in that place due to drought caused by the failure of seasonal rains.  They prayed for the alleviation of peoples’ sufferings due to drought.  Lord appeared in their dreams and said that he will grant them each a gold coin, which they can use individually to provide food for the people. From next morning they found gold coins at designated places which they utilised in feeding the people.  Sambandar found that feeding took place earlier in Appar’s place than his.  When enquired why the delay in his place, he learned from his people that what he received was flawed coin and so of a lesser value than Appar’s, which was flawless. So when they went to the shop to procure grains, the people from Appar’s place were attended to first and then only they were attended to.  Sambandar wondered why this discrimination and then it struck him that services of Appar who served the Lord not only through mind and word like him but also through body, by cleaning the temple gardens wherever he went, received more value than his.  He prayed to Lord that he may also be granted a flawless coin and was rewarded similarly thereafter.  Soon the rains fell and the sufferings of the people eased. Then only both Appar and Sambandar left the place  to continue their pilgrimage.

In Tirumaraikadu, it was Appar’s turn to wonder.  In the temple at Tirumaraikadu, the main door was closed and devotees were using a small side door for entering and leaving the temple. On enquiry, they leant that Vedas who once worshipped in the temple, left sealing the door after their worship. Both the saints wanted the people to have the services of the main door. So they decided that Appar will sing and have the door opened and after the worship Sambandar will sing and have the door closed, and thereafter the opening and closing of door can become routine.  Appar had to sing 11 hymns to get the door opened, while after Sambandar’s first hymn itself the open door responded and closed.  Appar wondered why this discrimination and then cleared his doubt himself  that Vedas were quick to oblige the one who had received the milk of Jnanam from Uma Devi herself.

Soon after, they parted ways with Sambandar going to Madurai and Appar going to Kanchi.  From Kanchi, Appar went to Kalahasthi and there arose a desire in him to go to the abode of Lord Siva, Mount Kailas.  So he went north and travelling with difficulty, enduring hardships he reached the foot of the mountain, worshiping in many shrines on the way.  Unable to walk further he started crawling uphill.  When that too became difficult for him he tried to roll uphill to reach the top. When he was lying down tired and exhausted with no strength left even for rolling,  an elderly Saivite saint with sacred ash smeared all over the body came that way and tried to persuade him to go back after refreshing himself in the pond nearby.  Appar declined saying that he will rather lay down the body there itself than go back without the Darshan of Lord in Kailas.  The old man disappeared and a voice rang out from the sky instructing him to have a dip in the pond and rise up in Thiruvaiyaru where he will be blessed with the desired vision.  Now feeling rejuvenated, he entered the pond and had a dip only to find himself getting up  from a pond in Thiruvaiyaru.  As he got out of the pond to go to the temple, he saw the whole town transformed into Kailas, with Nandikeswara, Sivaganas, Devas and Apsaras standing in attendance on Lord Siva, who was seated with Parvathi Devi by his side.  It was as if whole Kailas was transported to Thiruvaiyaru.  Grateful Appar poured out the hymn starting with “மாதர்பிறைக்கண்ணியானை”  (mathar piraikkanniyanai i.e the one with the pleasing crescent moon)  and ended it with “கண்டறியாதன கண்டேன்” (kandariyadhana kanden i.e I had seen wonderful sights which I had never seen before).

Appar worshipped the Lord in Dasa Marga, surrendering himself to Lord as a slave to his Master.  Such was the greatness of Appar that not only time and again Lord came to his rescue when he was tormented by Jains because he had gone back to Saivam, but also transported as it were Kailas to Thiruvaiyaru in answer to his prayers, forgiving his earlier prodigal ways as Dharmasenar when he vigorously refuted the tenets of Saivam .  As he came back to the faith praying for relief from his physical distress, “aartha” suffix is added and he is referred to as aartha ananya bhaktha.

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Sundarar - Artharthi Ananya Bhaktha

There is a verse in Peria puranam which gives a beautiful description of how the thoughts and sense organs of an ananya bhaktha are totally fixed on the Lord, while offering worship to the Lord in temple. The verse runs as:

ஐந்து பேர் அறிவும் கண்களே கொள்ள

அளப்பரும் கரணங்கள் நான்கும்

சிந்தையே ஆக குணம் ஒரு மூன்றும்

திருந்து சாத்துவிகமே ஆக

இந்து வாழ் சடையான் ஆடும் ஆனந்த

எல்லைஇல் தனிப்பெரும் கூத்தின்

வந்த பேரின்பத்தில் திளைத்து

மாறிலா மகிழ்ச்சியில் மலர்ந்தார்.

The above verse describes how Sundaramurthy Nayanar stood gazing at the dancing posture of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram.  He was in an ecstatic state of joy with his five senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch all resolved into eyes which was focussed on Lord’s form, with his internal organs of mind, memory, intellect and ego dissolved into mind which harboured only thoughts of the Lord and with all the three Gunas of Satva, Rajas and Tamas united into the gentle Satva. That is the total fixation he had on Lord’s form while worshipping him.  He was a great ananya bhaktha and his work on Saivite devotees, Thiruthondathogai (திருத்தொண்டத்தொகை), formed the basis of Sekkilar’s composition of Periya Puranam. At the same time he was also an artharthi bhaktha , as he had been taking liberty with the Lord seeking worldly favours, even to the extent of praying to Lord to plead for him to his estranged wife.  We shall see all that briefly in this blog.

He was born in a devout Saiva Brahmin family. His parents named him Nambi Aruran. He was such a smart, cute child that the king watching him play was attracted to him and wanted to adopt him.  With parents’ consent, the king adopted Aruran and he grew in the palace with all royal honours but without giving up the parentage or family traditions. So at the appropriate age Aruran was given the sacred thread and initiated into Vedic studies. As he completed the studies his parents arranged for his marriage with a girl of their choice. At the time of marriage, as the union was about to be formalised, an elderly gentleman interrupted the proceedings saying that Nambi Aruran had to settle an old account with him and then only can marry.  When asked to explain, he further said that Aruran’s ancestor had given him a signed undertaking that his descendants will serve as slaves to him and he had come to claim his slave. He produced a palm-leaf to support his statement.  Nambi Aruran called him Piththan, a madman, and violently snatched the palm-leaf from his hand and tore it to pieces. The old man began to shout that this proved he is right. Then some elders approached him, calmed him down and said they can settle the matter in the court and as the old man claimed to hail from Thiruvennainallur, he can take it to the elders’ court of that place.  There the old man repeated his earlier statements and said, what was destroyed was only the copy and produced the original for verification. As it was found genuine, they gave the verdict that Aruran should go with the old man and serve as his slave until released. Nambi Aruran/Sundharar followed the old man who went into the Thiruvarutturai temple and there he disappeared.  As Sundharar stood aghast in wonder, he had vision of Lord seated on the bull and there flashed in his mind old memories.

Earlier he had been a close attendant of Lord Siva in Kailash with the name Alala Sundharar.  Once while serving the Lord, he felt attracted to the maids of Devi Parvathi, Kamalini and Aninditi and faltered in his duties. Lord Siva ordered him to be born on earth, live out his desires and then come back to him. Sundharar made only a request that Lord should prevent him getting married to any other person to which Lord agreed. In keeping with the word, Lord has enacted this drama and saved him from this marriage, he understood. He fell down on the ground and cried out “How can I repay your kindness?”  Lord replied “by worshipping me with sweet songs in Tamil” calling him a Vanthondan(வன்தொண்டன்), violent attendant, in view of his earlier fight with Him.  He also asked him to start with the word pithan, mad man, which Sundharar used in anger while snatching the palm-leaf from His hand. Sundharar then sang the song that started with the words “pitha pirai chudi” (பித்தா பிறைசூடி).  Transformed into an ananya bhaktha of Lord Siva, he went from place to place singing hymns in praise of the Lord Siva in the temples there.

It was in Tiruvarur that he met Kamalini who was born in a temple dancer’s family and bore the name Paravai Nachiyar. She was leading a pious life devoting herself to the service of Lord in the temple. When Sundarar saw her he fell in love with her and when he heard about her devotion to Lord he was all the more eager to marry her.  She also felt attracted to Sundarar, but controlling her mind she was only all eyes for the Lord in the temple and left without looking at him a second time. Sundarar now prayed to the Lord begging that he should help him get married to her and spent a sleepless night thinking of her and praying to Lord.  In the meantime Paravai learning from her friends about Sundarar and his devotion to Lord, spent a sleepless night thinking about him.  Lord decided to help them and he appeared in the dream of the elders of Tiruvarur and told them to arrange for the marriage of these two sincere devotees.  Accordingly marriage took place and Sundarar and Paravai started living together in Tiruvarur as husband and wife. 

A landlord by name Kundaiyur Kizhar was in the habit of sending rice and grains to Paravai Nachiyar to help her in her annadhanam service to devotees.  One time there was a severe drought and there was no grain in the granary for the landlord to send to Paravai Nachiyar. He was deeply worried that he could not support her service to devotees and that night he went to bed thinking about this only, without even taking food.  Lord appeared in his dreams and told that he will get grain for giving to Aruran. Next morning he found a mountain of grain at his doorstep and he wondered how to transport it to Aruran’s house. As Lord has appeared in the dream of Aruran also and told him about the grain, he also arrived there.  He was also stunned to see the amount of grain but he was not disturbed.  He prayed to Lord, “I have no people to transport it.  So You please have the grain transported to Paravai’s house with the army of Sivaganas at your disposal.” and left.  The next morning Paravai was delighted to find stacks of grain before her house.  Thanking the Lord for His benevolence she took only as much grain as needed by her and left the rest for others to take. 

On one occasion Paravai needed money for feeding the devotees on Panguni Uthiram day and she turned to Sundharar for help.  Whom will he ask except the Lord?  He went to Thirupukalur, worshipped in the temple there praying to the Lord for money to help Paravai to celebrate the festival and slept there itself without taking food.  Next morning when he got up, he found the bricks he has used as pillow have turned into gold.   Thanking the Lord profusely he took them to Paravai to be used in service of devotees. 

On another occasion when he was in the town of Thirumuthukunram, he remembered Paravai needed money and prayed to Lord for 12,000 gold coins. When this wish was granted he had another request that it be transported to Tiruvarur. To this Lord told him to drop them in Manimutharu river and pick it up later in Tiruvarur tank.  He dropped them in the river and continued his pilgrimage.  When he returned to Tiruvarur he took her to the temple tank, picked up the gold and gave her, much to her amazement. 

After staying for some time in Tiruvarur, he again left on pilgrimage.  After visiting many places he reached Tiruvotriyur.  At Tiruvotriyur, he met Changili Nachiyar, who was none other than Aninditi.  Changili was devoting herself to the service of the Lord of the temple at Tiruvotriyur, refusing marriage.  Her parents had also arranged for special secluded quarters for her near the temple. In the temple she carried her services behind a screen. As she came from behind the screen to hand over the garlands she had made for the Lord, Sundarar saw her and again fell in love. Lord being his only refuge, he prayed to Lord that he may be united to her in marriage. Lord also intervened but this time there was a snag.  She said she will marry him if he promises before Lord that he will not leave Tiruvotriyur thereafter.  Sundarar was reluctant to give up his pilgrimages but he also desired Changili. So he hit upon a plan.  He requested Lord to leave the garbhagriha for the makizham tree temporarily while he makes the promise. Lord agreed but conveyed this to Changili.  When the time for making the promise came she demanded that it be made under makizham tree as shrine was not the appropriate place for making this promise.  Reluctantly he made the promise accordingly and married her.  After living with her for sometime his desire to visit Tiruvarur became irresistible and so he left Tiruvotriyur without telling anybody.  But as he crossed the borders of the town, he fainted and when he recovered he found he had lost sight in both eyes.  He prayed to Lord for forgiveness for breaking the promise made in His presence and continued the journey singing the glory of the Lord, having the vision of the Lord in his mind only. 

At Kanchipuram, when he cried for Lord’s mercy, Devi intervened for him and he got back his sight in left eye.  It is only in Tiruvarur as he pleaded before the Lord he got back the sight in the other eye as well.  In the meantime, Paravai who had heard all about his marriage to Changili was greatly irked and refused to see him.  She also refused to receive anyone in her house who came pleading for Sundarar. Sundarar was distressed and again prayed to Lord for help to secure reunion with Paravai.  Lord went to Paravai’s house first as an elderly Brahmin to request reconciliation  with Sundarar only to be turned back. It is only when Lord returned with His ganas and revealed  Himself, she agreed bowing to Him and asking for forgiveness for showing Him the door when he came as an old Brahmin.  Sundarar got reunited with Paravai. 

As Sundaramurthy Nayanar worshipped Lord in Sakha Marga, treating Him as a friend seeking favours time and again, while never swerving from his ananya bhakthi he is referred to as artharthi ananya bhaktha.

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