Sridhara
Ayyaval, also referred to as Ayyaval in short for Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval,
is one of the pioneers of Nama Sankeertanam movement in the South. He is
considered as one of the trinity of Dakshina
Bharatha Sampradaya Naama Sankeertanam, the other two being Sri Bodhendra
Saraswathi and Marudhanallur Sathguruswamy. Nama Sankeertanam involves singing of the one’s
chosen name of the Lord and is considered more efficacious as it involves no
elaborate rituals or sacrificial materials and is not conditioned by place,
time, caste or sex.
Sridhara
Ayyaval was born as the only son of Lingaraya who was the Diwan of Mysore. He was initiated into the study of Vedas and
sastras at an early age and became well-versed in them quickly. From his young
age he was also a devotee of Lord Siva, chanting Lord’s name in his free time. This led to his developing Vairagyam towards
worldly matters and material wealth. So
when his father died and the king offered him the Diwan’s post he declined and
preferred to lead a Unchavritti
way of life, wherein one goes on streets singing divine Names of the Lord and
accepting whatever is offered by devotees.
So renouncing all his wealth, he moved out of Mysore and started
travelling south, singing Lord’s name and giving discourse on scriptures in
simple language wherever he stayed which was not for more than a day or two. Thus
spreading Nama Sankeertanam, he reached Tiruchirapalli.
He
stayed in Tiruchirapalli for a while leading a simple life engaged in Unchavritti
and Pravachanams. Though he was an ardent devotee of Lord Siva, he was not biased
against other forms of the Lord, be it Vishnu, Krishna or Rama. Some Vaishnava Brahmins not knowing this and
feeling jealous of his popularity tried to set up the Vaishnava king against
him. The king to test him ordered that
Lord Mathrubutheswar, whom Sridhara Ayyaval was worshipping daily in
Tiruchirapalli be dressed up as Lord Krishna and taken in procession before his
house. Sridhara Ayyaval, when he saw Lord Krishna spontaneously poured out
twelve verses, now known as “Krishna Dwadasa Manjari”, on Lord Krishna. The
jealous Brahmins who carried tales to the king now fell at his feet and
apologised for their ignorance and arrogance. The king who ordered the test
also felt contrite and now wanted him to settle in that city only thereafter. Sridhara Ayyaval who could not stand the
bustle of city life, left that night the city to continue his travels.
Visiting
many shrines he reached Thanjavur. King Shahaji who had heard of his
scholarship and devotion met him and felt blessed by his darsan and Ayyaval
also loved the king for his devotion and sincerity. But in Thanjavur also he
did not stay, but chose to settle in a small serene village in the kingdom by
name Tiruvisainallur, which was on the banks of Cauvery and close to
Tiruvidaimaruthur with its temple of Lord Mahalinga. King Shahaji visited him often and sought his
advice. Ayyaval had such a great
affection for him that he consented to serve as Diwan from that place. Soon he
felt that his new responsibilities as Diwan were coming in the way of his
detachment from worldly affairs. One day as he was pondering over this a
messenger from the king who did not know him came and asked him “Oh Bhagavatha,
Is the Diwan in?” Ayyaval was happy to
be addressed as Bhagavatha and sent a reply in writing “The Diwan is dead. Only the Bhagavatha remains”. A shocked king rushed to Ayyaval’s house believing
he was dead and was relieved to find Ayyaval alive. Ayyaval explained to him that he valued more
the post of Bhagavatha than the post of Diwan. The king understood his desire
to stay out of worldly affairs and left him with heightened respect for his
devotion.
Early morning everyday he used to
cross the river, go to the temple of Lord Mahalinga, have Darsan, offer prayers
and return. One day there was heavy floods in the river and no boatman was
willing to ferry him across the river. Ayyaval stood on the banks of the river
and with tear-filled eyes, uttered a soulful prayer “Aarthi Hara Stotra” and
stayed looking in the direction of the temple. Then he saw a priest of the
temple coming to him. He told Ayyaval
that as he did not find him in the temple that morning he brought him the
Viboothi Prasad and handed over the Prasad.
Overjoyed, Ayyaval prostrated before the priest and accepted the
Prasad. Next morning as the floods had
subsided he went to the temple and again thanked that priest for bringing him
the Prasad the previous day. The priest was confused and denied ever having
crossed the river to meet him, much less to hand over the Prasad. Ayyaval then
realized it was Lord Himself out of compassion had come to him and given the
Prasad. Thrilled with joy, he sang the glory and compassion of the Lord in 100
verses in the hymn “Daya Shatakam”.
He
had the Advaitic vision of oneness of all human beings and looked upon all
living beings as incarnation of Lord only. Once on a Sraardha day, as he was returning
from river he found an outcaste lying on the ground overcome by hunger. He went home, brought the food prepared for
Sraardha and fed him. He then took bath again, went home and had fresh food prepared
for Sraardha and invited the priests for the ceremony. The priests who were already jealous of
Ayyaval took this opportunity to condemn him for giving food to an outcaste
before feeding the Brahmins and refused to perform the ceremony and walked
out. His pleadings quoting scriptures
that it was no sin to feed a hungry man at any time went in vain. As he did not want to show disrespect to the
priests, he asked them to suggest a Prayaschittam and they told a bath
in the Holy Ganges was the only way. He
composed “Gangaashtakam” and prayed to Ganga Matha to appear in his well and save
him from this predicament. The well began to swell with water and it started
flooding the streets. The frightened Brahmins now cured of their vanity and
arrogance rushed to Ayyaval prostrated before him and asked for
forgiveness. They also prayed that the
Ganges may be confined to his well and they be saved from floods. So Ayyaval
prayed to Ganga Matha: “To fulfill Bhagiratha’s wish You came to
earth. Now for assuaging these Brahmins’
fears kindly stay in my well only”.
The Holy River receded to his well. This
incident happened in the month of Karthick on New Moon day. Even now pilgrims
gather in Tiruvisainallur on this auspicious day to take bath in this well
water and 'Gangaavatarana-mahotsavam' is celebrated by Sri Sridhara Ayyaval Mutt every year this time. Sadasiva Brahmendra, who
was a contemporary of Ayyaval is supposed to have based his song “Tunga Tarange
Gange” on this incident. Several songs composed on him and sung in Sampradhaya
Nama Sankeertanam are followed
by the namavali “Gangadhara Gangadhara” referring to Ayyaval as the bringer of
Ganges.
Another eminent contemporary
of Ayyaval was Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi, another doyen of Nama Sankeertanam, who
had settled in Govindapuram after relinquishing the headship of Kanchi Kamakoti
Peetam. Though Ayyaval and Bodhendral (in short for Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi)
had their hearts set in the names of Lord Siva and Lord Rama respectively, this
did not stand in the way of their affection and respect for each other. Ayyaval had referred to Bodhendral thus:
"Yasya Smarana Matrena Nama Bhakthi Prajayathe; Tam Namami Yathi
Sreshtam Bodhendram Jagatham Gurum".(Remembering whom itself Nama
Bhakthi wells up in the heart, that eminent Yogi, Jagat guru Bodhendra I
salute”). And Bodhendral had composed a song for his disciples to worship Sri
Ayyaval, whom he considered as incarnation of Lord Siva, which ended as "Tam
Vande Nara Roopam Andakaripum Sri Venkatesam Gurum" (Obeisance to
Sri Venkatasa Guru, who is Shiva Incarnate). Bodhendral
has also quoted as a reference, Ayyaval’s work “Nama Bhushanam” in his works “Nama
Rasayanam” and “Namamrutha Rasodayam”.
Bodhendral also shifted his
residence from Govindapuram to Tiruvidaimaruthur to be closer to Ayyaval.
Ayyaval and Bodhendral met very often, and spent time in discussion of various
spiritual matters, often joined by Sadashiva Brahmendra, the Advaita Avadhutha.
Sri Ayyaval composed a work called
'Aakya Shashti', which described the greatness of “Shiva Nama” beautifully in
sixty verses. When Bodhendral read this he told Ayyaval that he should have
called it as “Shivaakyashashti” as it glorified only the names of Lord Siva.
Ayyaval could guess Bodhendral’s mind, and so immediately replied, how could he
dare to sing the glory and beauty of “Rama Nama” that Lord Siva, whose glory he had sung in these sixty verses, Himself chanted
incessantly. Hearing this, the Bodhendral
shed tears of joy.
Ayyaval led a simple
life and as in life-style, in devotion also he valued sincerity and avoided
mere pomp and show. So when once
Janmashtami festival was celebrated with much fanfare he did not attend the
celebrations. That night when Lord Krishna’s picture was taken in procession in
a chariot, it did not stop at his house, though he waited with the
offerings. Rather the organisers
accompanying the chariot remarked without accepting the offerings that Ayyaval
lacked true devotion to Lord Krishna and so the offering was unacceptable. Ayyaval only said that Lord knew who His real
devotee was and went inside the house. The procession continued. At the next
house where it stopped, the organisers were shocked to see that the portrait of
Krishna was missing, and only the empty frame stood in the chariot. They
realised their folly and rushed to Ayyaval's house. There, they found the missing
Lord in a swing inside the house. Ayyaval was performing Dolotsavam,
with the bhava of a mother cradling her little child. In the same bhava,
he composed the work “Dolanavaratnamaalika”. The organisers realised their
mistake and begged his forgiveness.
Ayyaval
lived up to a ripe old age of 85. He along with Bodhendral firmly established
the tradition of Nama Sankeertanam in the south. As per his followers, Ayyaval
cast his mortal frame and merged with Lord Mahalinga in the temple at Tiruvidaimaruthur. In his last prayer before shedding the
mortal coil he prayed "Oh Lord! In this big stage of worldly life, I have
donned various roles, and have been dancing before you for long. Oh Omniscient
Compassionate Lord! I am tired now, and may your words, saying 'Enough', be my
rest."
------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment