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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