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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Purandharadasa & Pattinathar

Artharthi to Ananya Bhaktha 

Swami Tejomayananda has made the following classification of bhakthas in his facebook remarks:

1)    Those who pray to God for material gains, looking upon Him as a wish-fulfiller

2)    Those who pray to God for material gains, looking upon Him as well-wisher

3)    Those who pray to god for spiritual gains, purification of mind, good qualities etc. i.e. in short for Moksha,

4)    Those who pray for the sheer joy of praying, seeking nothing.

It is of the third category who are nishkama bhakthas, Arjuna has a doubt, which is expressed in chapter 6 of Gita. If such a bhaktha fails midway in his sadhana, due to distractions or due to intervention of death before he could attain Jivanmukthi, whether his sadhanas will go waste like a cloud torn asunder (6-38).  Lord Krishna assures Arjuna that such sadhanas do not go waste and such a sadhaka takes birth in a good family, gets connected to the spiritual intelligence acquired in the previous birth and with that he strives more intensely for Realization (6-44).  This we find in the life of some who even from an early age develop Ananya bhakthi or turn Ananya bhakthas suddenly at a later age due to Grace of God, even though they may be in category 1, which corresponds to the classification of Artha, Artharthi bhakthas of Lord Krishna in Gita (7-16).  No doubt bhakthas in category 2 are also Artha, Artharthi bhakthas but they are karma yogis as well, as they have prasada buddhi, and accept happily whatever comes to them with the belief that God knows what is best for them and will only grant what is good for them like the mother towards her children.

The sudden transformation that we spoke of in earlier paragraph is what we see in the life of Purandaradasa, whose birth-name was Srinivasa Nayak. He was born in a good family, received good education, got married at an early age of 16 and inherited his father’s gemstone and pawn business at the age of 20, when his father died. He became prosperous and was known as ‘Navakoti Narayana’. But he was a greedy and miserly merchant, who worshipped wealth.  Once a brahmin came to him seeking help for conducting upanayanam-ceremony for his son.  He made him come two or three times and then gave him a single coin of no value.  Then the poor brahmin approached Srinivasa Nayak’s wife and cried telling what happened. She took pity on the poor brahmin and gave the brahmin her diamond nose-ring and asked him to sell it and use the money. This he then took to Srinivasa Nayak’s shop itself, sold it and went away with the money.  Seeing the nose-ring, Srinivasa Nayak recognized it as his wife’s and so after giving the money to the brahmin he hurried home locking the nose-ring in the shop.  When he confronted his wife and asked for the nose ring, she pretended to go inside and wear it. Instead she prayed to the family deity and then tried to drink poison to escape the wrath of her husband.  To her surprise she found the nose-ring shining in the cup, which she wore and came out.  The confused husband went back to the shop only to find the nose-ring there missing.  He was all the more confused; and he came home and narrated this incident to his wife. She then told the whole story including the answer to her prayer. This was a turning point in his life. Not only he gave up his greed for money, but also gave away all his amassed wealth to charities. He became an ananya bhaktha of Lord and started a life of wandering minstrel singing Lord’s glory. His very first composition was about his regret for his wasted life of indulgence. The name Purandaradasa was later bestowed on him by the revered sage Vyasathirtha.  Purandaradasa’s compositions are said to be more than 4 lakhs.

The Saivite saint Pattinathar is another Artha, Artharthi bhaktha who suddenly transformed into an Ananya bhaktha through the grace of God.  His birth name was Swetharanyar as he was named after Lord Siva of Swetharanyeswarar temple. He was also called as Thiruvenkadar by the people. He was born in a wealthy business family based in Kaveripoompattinam, which was a port-town.  When he was five years old, he lost his father. He inherited his father’s business and expanded the import-export business.  While amassing money he also did not hesitate to spend it  on devotees of Lord Siva whom he fed daily. At the age of sixteen, he got married to a merchant’s daughter. He was also known as “pattinathu chetty” They had no children for fifteen years. Meantime there was a very poor devotee of Lord Siva, by the name of Sivasarumar who spent all his wealth in feeding the devotees of Lord Siva. When he ran out of money, he did not hesitate to sell his wife’s mangalsutra to feed the devotees of Lord Siva.  As he was again running out of money, Lord Siva appeared in his dream and told him that he would find a baby at a certain spot and that he can hand it over to Thiruvenkadar who would give gold equal to the weight of the baby, with which he can continue his good work. Sivasarumar found the baby accordingly and took him to Thiruvenkadar, who had also got a similar message in his dream.  Thiruvenkadar rewarded Sivasarumar with baby’s weight of gold and more, and adopted the child.  Since Thiruvenkadar got the dream-message in Thiruvidaimaruthur, he named the child as Maruthavanan.

Maruthavanan grew up and wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. So the father sent him on a ship with a lot of merchandise.  When Maruthavanan returned home Thiruvenkadar noticed that what he has brought back after trading was only sacks full of cow-dung-cakes and paddy husks and he became very angry. Scolding his son he threw a cow-dung-cake at the wall.  Lo! As it split into pieces, out of it fell gems and diamonds and when he examined the husk he found it was gold dust.  He was sorry he scolded his son who not only brought back a big fortune but brought it cleverly concealed in paddy husks and cow-dung-cakes to save it from robbers. With overflowing affection he searched for his son whom he has scolded wrongly.  He could not find him.  His wife said he has left abruptly giving a box to be handed over to his father. It was a beautiful ivory box decorated with pearls. Admiring the box he opened it only to find a needle without eye-hole and a palm-leaf. On the palm-leaf was written “காதற்ற ஊசியும் வாராது காண் கடைவழிக்கே” (Not even an eyeless needle will accompany you in the final journey of life). This opened his eyes and he renounced everything; his money, family and possessions and left the house.  One minute a big prosperous merchant whose wealth was the envy of other merchants and whom even big people approached for money and the next minute a beggar in loin cloth in his own town.  He not only gave up the wealth but also his ahamkara and mamakara as in the case of Purandaradasa.  Such was Pattinathar’s vairagya that when his mother and wife came and asked him to come home for food, he said:

இருக்கும் இடம் தேடி என் பசிக்கே அன்னம்

உருக்கமுடன் கொண்டு வந்தால் உண்பேன் – பெருக்க

அழைத்தாலும் போகேன் அரனே! என் தேகம்

இளைத்தாலும் போகேன் இனி.

If food is brought to the place where I am, I will take it. I will not go to any place for  food even if  invited or my body goes lean without food.

After renunciation he sang many a philosophical song to enlighten people on the blissful state of renunciation. But that is another story.

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Positive psychology and Purusharthas

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life worth living.  It is a new branch of psychology to help normal human beings lead happy, fulfilled lives with a sense of well-being as contrasted with the study of abnormalities and dysfunctions of the human mind. It is a departure from the Freudian focus on making life less miserable to making life more happier.  In short its emphasis is on “What is right with you mentally” rather than “what is wrong with you mentally.”   Martin Seligman the founder of this branch of psychology defines it as the branch of psychology that uses scientific understanding and effective intervention to aid in the achievement of a satisfactory life rather than merely treating mental illness.  This is reflected in an interview with CNN on the current state of psychology.  When asked to describe in one word Seligman said “Good”. When he was asked to describe in two words, he changed it to” Not good”.  The interviewer taken aback asked him to describe in three words and he came out with the reply “Not good enough”.  That is in the field of treating unhealthy minds it is good, while in the field of helping healthy minds not good, and so overall not good enough.  This study originated in 1998 when Martin Seligman was elected the President of American Psychological association and he made positive psychology theme of his term.

As per Martin Seligman good life is “using your signature strengths every day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification” i.e. to continuously be happy and fulfilled.   Seligman has classified happiness in three broad categories.   

1) The happiness that one derives from a “life of enjoyment”, the Pleasant life.  The emphasis here is on savoring as much pleasures as possible through the normal avenues of entertainment, relationships, hobbies etc.. Seligman says this is most transient and ranks it low.

 2) The happiness that one derives from a “life of engagement’, the Good life. The happiness comes from one’s accomplishments, achievement of goal, meeting a challenge.  This happiness ranks only average as the feeling of fulfillment or satisfaction does not last long.

3) The happiness that one derives from “a life of meaning and purpose”, a meaningful life, The happiness comes from the feeling of satisfaction, one derives, when contributing to something bigger than themselves and more permanent than themselves like organizations, social groups, belief systems etc.. This ranks high on the scale when rendered selflessly and affords enduring satisfaction. 

After this short outline of Positive Psychology, let us go to a brief study of the Purusharthas.  Purushartha is a word used in our scriptures to describe human goals.  Though the individual goals may be different and numerous they can be broadly grouped under four heads; Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha.  Now we shall see them, though not in the same order as stated above. Artha is one that gives security, economic, emotional or social.  So it can be basic physical needs like food, shelter, clothing and health and also higher emotional needs that come from fame, status, fortune and success and from relationships.  All forms of luxury needs to enhance the comfort or for sense gratification, entertainment and social pleasures come under Kama.  Dharma lays down the code of righteousness and the moral values that must govern all actions whether of Artha or of Kama. Moksha is the goal of liberation from the cycle of birth and death which is characterized by let-go and withdrawal.  The scriptures have also clubbed together all the paths of action and called it as Pravritti marga and the path of withdrawal as Nivriiti marga.  Whatever may be the goal the end-aim of all actions is one’s happiness and well-being only.  So we can consider Purusharthas as our scriptural divisions and compare it with the modern divisions of Practical Psychology in the area of enhancement of human happiness and well-being.

Kama corresponds to Life of enjoyment, Artha to Life of Engagement and Dharma to Life of meaning and purpose.  All of these come under Pravriiti marga only and so cannot give one lasting total happiness, which can be achieved through nivriiti marga only.  Withdrawal does not mean taking to Sanyasa or total cessation of activities.  It is not even what the Positive psychologists call “the learned helplessness”,  which is resignation born of a belief, or beliefs, that one has no control over what occurs, and that something external dictates outcomes, e.g., success.  Withdrawal or detachment is not only internal renunciation of attachment to results while being active in the activities of the world i.e. family, profession, and society; but also the internal renunciation of the feeling that you are the conglomeration of body, mind and intellect by replacing it with the knowledge of your true Higher Self. So here you renounce internally even the feeling of being a doer or enjoyer.  This is as indicated by Lord Krishna  in Gita (5-13)

सर्वकर्माणि मनसा सन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी । (Sarva karmani manasa sanyasyasthe sukham vasi)

नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ॥ (navadware pure dehi naiva kurvan na karayan)

Mentally relegating all the actions to the city of nine gates (the body with nine openings), be the the embodiment of Bliss without stress of doing oneself or of getting done by others.

Positive psychology which is less than a decade old and which lists spirituality, calling it “a search for the Sacred” (Sacred can be inferred as God), as one of the contributing factors to the feeling of well being and happiness may one day move to the millenniums-old wisdom of Vedas that realizing that ‘the Sacred’ one is searching is one’s  own Higher Self  and living this Truth is the ultimate prescription for Absolute uninterrupted happiness, with a feeling of total fulfillment.

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