Introduction
A holy personage and celestial musician, always facilitating the good of the world; engaged in aiding the pious in times of challenge and in hastening the retribution of evil-doers. Traversing the three worlds, he spread the Path of Devotion to the Lord. Figuring in all major epics, he led many noble souls to salvation.
Narada
"Keep your army as well as the weaponry always in readiness... Be kind to your servants in order to win their hearts.... Always be prompt in paying the wages of the soldiers and servants. Never spend more than what you earn. Build lakes and canals and provide the farmers with all facilities."
Don't the above words seem like the advice of a modern political pundit to a senior administrator of a state? Army, weaponry, income-expenditure, farmers, lakes and canals - who is it that gave the above counsel?
It was indeed Narada, who is generally considered as a quarrel-monger and a talebearer.
The wise words quoted above were addressed by Narada to king Yudhishthira, in the epic Mahabharata.
The name of saint Narada is well known. Narada appears in every 'Purana' (ancient epic-tale). There is not a religious discourse or pouranic play or Yakshagana without the entry of Narada. No story is complete without Narada! Without Narada the story fails to sustain interest.
Usually Narada makes his characteristic entry with a Veena (stringed musical instrument in his hand and the name of Lord Narayana on his lips. He appears in the stories pertaining to all the three yugas, namely - Krita, Treta and Dwapara.
Narada's True Intention
The word 'Nara' means knowledge useful to mankind and 'Da' means 'a giver'. So 'Narada' means the one who gives useful knowledge to mankind and guides it in the right path.
Narada was a first-order musician. He always loved to sing songs praising the glory of the Almighty. It is said of Narada that he was the inventor of the musical instrument Veena. He played on his Veena, which was named "Mahati." Among the 'Devarshis', Narada is one of the holiest.
He commanded the respect of all. It was his habit to travel and to go round preaching to people, uttering his words of wisdom and telling people stories carrying an ethical message. He was loved by all - be it Gods, Demons and human beings.
He had one weakness - that of disclosing to both gods and demons, the secrets about each other. Gods and demons, naturally, hated each other. Narada's deeds often created trouble and friction among gods, demons and men, and such friction often led to a war in the end! Hence Narada acquired the name, 'Kalahapriya' or the lover of quarrels.
How can we call such a person a saint? Was it right that he set people against one another by spreading gossip? But we must remember that Narada's intention was to espouse a good cause. It was his constant desire that bad people should bepunished for their deeds, that the haughty ones should learn their lesson soon, and that the good should live happily.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
eRipaththa nAyanAr
karuvUr was one of the important capitals of chOzA kings. It is a town where beauty of nature shakes hand with man-made wonders. It has the ancient Anilai temple of Lord pashupatIshwarar, Who never leaves the mind of loving devotees.
To add to the fame of the city there lived the devotee eRipaththar. He appeared with his axe to cut down the troubles put to the devotees, whenever such an atrocity appears. There was a saint, shivakAmiyANdAr who engaged his body and mind in the service of submitting sandal-smelling garlands to the Lord pashupatIshwarar. In his routine he filled his basket with fresh flowers on one fine morning with the mind filled with the thoughts of God. He rushed to the temple to be in time for the service. That day was the day before the great n^avami celebrations and hence the decorated royal elephant of the emperor pukazch chOzar(1) was going around the town. It saw shivakAmiyANdAr who was rushing to the temple with the basket full of flowers and walking fast in a hurry. The impudent elephant grabbed the basket and strew the flowers onto the ground thus straying his heart into pieces. The guard controlled the elephant realizing the sin it did and whisked it away, but the stalled shivakAmiyANdAr ran behind the elephant to hit it in despair, but couldn't owing to his old age. He rolled on the ground cried, wept with tears quenching the ground. He screamed, " Oh shivA ! You ripped the roaring elephant and wore its skin ! You are the strength for the strengthless ! What can I do now ? The elephant strewed off the flowers I brought for your scented head !! Oh my shiva! Oh my shiva !!"
eRipaththar who came that way, saluted shivakAmiyANdAr and became a burning fire as he came to know about the misdeed of the elephant. He went like a storm, like the god of death, to slaughter the elephant. He sprang and cut off its trunk with the dreadful axe in his hand and killed the guards who failed in their duty, but tried to stop him from his deed. The other guards who escaped ran to the guard of the kingdom to tell, "Somebody killed the royal elephant and the guards". The king who was a nightmare for enemies, reached the spot as a roaring lion - eyes red in anger, with his rich armed forces. Contrary to his expectation, he didn't see any enemy army but saw a sage standing in front of the elephant, which was rolling in the sea of blood. "Where is the enemy who dared to do this", he roared. The guards said it was eRipaththar, the devotee who was standing in front of him. He got surprised and said, "If the devotees who are the form of love get irked, then there should be strong reason behind it. What a worst sin I could have done for the devotee to become dreadful". He climbed down from his horse, bowed to the devotee who was in the form of fury, and asked humbly, "What was the crime the elephant and the guards did to get this piteous condition ?". eRipaththar told him the brutal act of the beast. The superior king pukazch chOzar felt the mistake was in his part too, as it was his royal elephant that committed misdeed against the service of the Lord. He fell on eRipaththar's feet and appealed to him, "Killing just the elephant and the guards is not sufficient punishment for the sin done. Kill me too! Killing with the holy axe is not the custom. Kill me with this sword", and submitted his sword to eRipaththar.
The love of the king for the Lord and his respect to devotees made eRipaththar think, "Oh I did a bad thing by harming the forces of the king who asks in the greatness of his devotion to kill him too and gives his own sword for none of his direct misdeed. I should kill myself as a penance for having made him suffer". The peerless king thought, "I owe to this great sage, because he is going to nullify my sin by killing me". eRipaththar instead of killing the king, raised the sword to cut off his own head like cutting his source of birth. The king shocked at his act, stopped him with his stone like arms while eRipaththar continued to try to cut his head off. In that troublesome situation of two great hearts clashing out of their love and respect for each other, God raised His voice, "Oh ! people of exceeding love ! To show the greatness of your devotion this happened. Don't worry". Both of them prostrated to the Lord. The elephant and the guards came back to life. The flowers came to shivakAmiyANdAr's basket with freshness and fragrance. The king took eRipaththar around the town on the royal elephant, holding the royal umbrella over his head. They went to the temple to pray the Lord who is the lust killer. eRipaththar continued his service to the Lord and became the head of shiva gaNa on reaching kailAsham. Let the valor of eRipaththar who raised his sword against the elephant without bothering about it being the royal elephant because of the sin it did and the fame of pukazch chOzar who gave his sword to kill himself for the sin of his possession stay in the mind.
To add to the fame of the city there lived the devotee eRipaththar. He appeared with his axe to cut down the troubles put to the devotees, whenever such an atrocity appears. There was a saint, shivakAmiyANdAr who engaged his body and mind in the service of submitting sandal-smelling garlands to the Lord pashupatIshwarar. In his routine he filled his basket with fresh flowers on one fine morning with the mind filled with the thoughts of God. He rushed to the temple to be in time for the service. That day was the day before the great n^avami celebrations and hence the decorated royal elephant of the emperor pukazch chOzar(1) was going around the town. It saw shivakAmiyANdAr who was rushing to the temple with the basket full of flowers and walking fast in a hurry. The impudent elephant grabbed the basket and strew the flowers onto the ground thus straying his heart into pieces. The guard controlled the elephant realizing the sin it did and whisked it away, but the stalled shivakAmiyANdAr ran behind the elephant to hit it in despair, but couldn't owing to his old age. He rolled on the ground cried, wept with tears quenching the ground. He screamed, " Oh shivA ! You ripped the roaring elephant and wore its skin ! You are the strength for the strengthless ! What can I do now ? The elephant strewed off the flowers I brought for your scented head !! Oh my shiva! Oh my shiva !!"
eRipaththar who came that way, saluted shivakAmiyANdAr and became a burning fire as he came to know about the misdeed of the elephant. He went like a storm, like the god of death, to slaughter the elephant. He sprang and cut off its trunk with the dreadful axe in his hand and killed the guards who failed in their duty, but tried to stop him from his deed. The other guards who escaped ran to the guard of the kingdom to tell, "Somebody killed the royal elephant and the guards". The king who was a nightmare for enemies, reached the spot as a roaring lion - eyes red in anger, with his rich armed forces. Contrary to his expectation, he didn't see any enemy army but saw a sage standing in front of the elephant, which was rolling in the sea of blood. "Where is the enemy who dared to do this", he roared. The guards said it was eRipaththar, the devotee who was standing in front of him. He got surprised and said, "If the devotees who are the form of love get irked, then there should be strong reason behind it. What a worst sin I could have done for the devotee to become dreadful". He climbed down from his horse, bowed to the devotee who was in the form of fury, and asked humbly, "What was the crime the elephant and the guards did to get this piteous condition ?". eRipaththar told him the brutal act of the beast. The superior king pukazch chOzar felt the mistake was in his part too, as it was his royal elephant that committed misdeed against the service of the Lord. He fell on eRipaththar's feet and appealed to him, "Killing just the elephant and the guards is not sufficient punishment for the sin done. Kill me too! Killing with the holy axe is not the custom. Kill me with this sword", and submitted his sword to eRipaththar.
The love of the king for the Lord and his respect to devotees made eRipaththar think, "Oh I did a bad thing by harming the forces of the king who asks in the greatness of his devotion to kill him too and gives his own sword for none of his direct misdeed. I should kill myself as a penance for having made him suffer". The peerless king thought, "I owe to this great sage, because he is going to nullify my sin by killing me". eRipaththar instead of killing the king, raised the sword to cut off his own head like cutting his source of birth. The king shocked at his act, stopped him with his stone like arms while eRipaththar continued to try to cut his head off. In that troublesome situation of two great hearts clashing out of their love and respect for each other, God raised His voice, "Oh ! people of exceeding love ! To show the greatness of your devotion this happened. Don't worry". Both of them prostrated to the Lord. The elephant and the guards came back to life. The flowers came to shivakAmiyANdAr's basket with freshness and fragrance. The king took eRipaththar around the town on the royal elephant, holding the royal umbrella over his head. They went to the temple to pray the Lord who is the lust killer. eRipaththar continued his service to the Lord and became the head of shiva gaNa on reaching kailAsham. Let the valor of eRipaththar who raised his sword against the elephant without bothering about it being the royal elephant because of the sin it did and the fame of pukazch chOzar who gave his sword to kill himself for the sin of his possession stay in the mind.
Friday, February 19, 2010
amarnIthi nAyanAr
In the chOza kingdom is the town pazaiyARai which was a centre of major political activity during the choza dynastey. It was a town of wealth, prosperity, business and activeness. In that town was born the honest trader who is known as amarn^IthiyAr. Professional in his business amarn^IthiyAr was quite wealthy to have heaps of rubies and diamonds, gold and garments from all parts of the world. Still his mind wandered only about the pashupati's feet - the peerless of all gems. The humbleness is good for all, but for the rich it is the glorious wealth. Our n^yanAr who was very rich in his mind realising right the worthy use of the money, served with high modesty the devotees of the Lord wearing snake rings. He gave them feasts enriched with his kind words and cloths (kOvaNam) to wear saluting them.
In the festival of the Three eyed Lord at thirun^allUr, n^AyanAr worshiped the Love that robbed his heart and made a shelter where the devotees could take rest, have food and relax thinking of God. Along with his whole family he stayed there and personally made sure that devotees are served properly. One of those days when he was filled in happiness of serving His servants, the Lord deciding to show his deserving fame came as a celebating bachelor with the Holy Ash and other shaiva symbols adorning to his mutt. On seeing him, with the heart blooming in reception and the face widening more further in giving a warm welcome the stainless hearted devotee saluted the Stain throated God. He asked the Lord who had obscured His thrid eye to stay there and bless his service. That vedha chanting bachelor said He would take bath in kAvEri and come meanwhile as it was about to rain he should secure His cloth without any carelessness since that cloth was matchless, He claimed. He gave the cloth to n^AyanAr and went. n^AyanAr kept that in a very safe place with due care.
Whether He bathed in His matted hair's ga.nga or in flowing kAvEri only He knows, but came back wet walking in the rain after some time. That Lord who removes the three sources of suffering from the devotees heart removed the cloth from the safe place n^AyanAr had kept in His great deed. As if He did not know anything asked amarn^IthiyAr to get that cloth as He was completely wet. n^AyanAr rushed to the place to find the cloth missing. Tensed he searched throuout but how can he find that when the Heart-stealer stole that too off ! He feeling guilty, brought another fine cloth, begged His pardon and said he had brought a cloth which was very nicely woven, He should accept and forgive him. Did that Lord who gave all the covetable wealth to kubEran came to accept that white cloth ? What He wanted to clad was the white heart of amarn^Ithi n^AyanAr to exhibit to the world his unequable service ! He like a jumping flame shouted that n^AyanAr was trying to steal his invaluable cloth and wondered how honest was his trade. Shivering devotee fell on that Bachelor's feet and said he would give gems and jewels to compensate for that cloth. He refused and said He would accept only cloth that is equivalent of it. When asked how he could give the equivalent cloth the Sweet - heart of devotees said whatever the wet cloth He was wearing right then was the equivalent of the one he lost. So he asked n^AyanAr to give the cloths equal to the weight of it.
Agreeing to His suggestion n^AyanAr placed a balance instrument there. He put the other cloth of the direction-cladded Lord in one plate and on the other he kept on adding neatly woven cloths. Whatever he put the plate with the cloth of the Bachelor weighed more. Surprised he ordered to put all the new garment bags to balance. That pile was not able to equate the magic cloth. Scared he asked permission from the Lord to put his gems and other wealth too. He told that somehow He wanted things to be equivalent of His cloth. amarn^IthiyAr piled all his wealth. Nothing happened. What can be equivalent of the cloth of vEdhAs that the Lord wears in the entire world ? Even the whole worlds may not match it ! Everything he had was put. Now nothing left the true devotee who stood strong in serving the devotees asked permission to put himself, his wife and son to compensate. The Lord who shows the path to climb out of the ocean of tidal sweets and sufferings allowed them to climb on the balance. Feeling blessed, he with his son and wife circumambulated the balance where the Lord's cloth was there and said, "If it is true that in the purity of love we did not fault in the God's Holy Ash's honest slavery then it should come to balance." He chanting the Lord's Holy Five letters got on the plate over the piles of his wealth.
The wholeness of love and dedication brought the balance in the instrument. The world wondered. The heavenly bodies praised. The Lord of vEdhAs who showed the balance of amarn^Ithi n^AyanAr appeared with His inseperable shakti on the Holy Bull in the Horizon. Blessed the devotee who was praising unintermittently with His family standing on the plate. For the deserving devotee who used the worldly wealth for His service He gave the wealth of being with Him. With the plate becoming the heavenly carrier that gifted family reached the abode of Lord shiva, with the prostration of all the people. Let the determination in doing a flawless service for which amarn^IthiyAr was ready to give himself stay in the mind.
In the festival of the Three eyed Lord at thirun^allUr, n^AyanAr worshiped the Love that robbed his heart and made a shelter where the devotees could take rest, have food and relax thinking of God. Along with his whole family he stayed there and personally made sure that devotees are served properly. One of those days when he was filled in happiness of serving His servants, the Lord deciding to show his deserving fame came as a celebating bachelor with the Holy Ash and other shaiva symbols adorning to his mutt. On seeing him, with the heart blooming in reception and the face widening more further in giving a warm welcome the stainless hearted devotee saluted the Stain throated God. He asked the Lord who had obscured His thrid eye to stay there and bless his service. That vedha chanting bachelor said He would take bath in kAvEri and come meanwhile as it was about to rain he should secure His cloth without any carelessness since that cloth was matchless, He claimed. He gave the cloth to n^AyanAr and went. n^AyanAr kept that in a very safe place with due care.
Whether He bathed in His matted hair's ga.nga or in flowing kAvEri only He knows, but came back wet walking in the rain after some time. That Lord who removes the three sources of suffering from the devotees heart removed the cloth from the safe place n^AyanAr had kept in His great deed. As if He did not know anything asked amarn^IthiyAr to get that cloth as He was completely wet. n^AyanAr rushed to the place to find the cloth missing. Tensed he searched throuout but how can he find that when the Heart-stealer stole that too off ! He feeling guilty, brought another fine cloth, begged His pardon and said he had brought a cloth which was very nicely woven, He should accept and forgive him. Did that Lord who gave all the covetable wealth to kubEran came to accept that white cloth ? What He wanted to clad was the white heart of amarn^Ithi n^AyanAr to exhibit to the world his unequable service ! He like a jumping flame shouted that n^AyanAr was trying to steal his invaluable cloth and wondered how honest was his trade. Shivering devotee fell on that Bachelor's feet and said he would give gems and jewels to compensate for that cloth. He refused and said He would accept only cloth that is equivalent of it. When asked how he could give the equivalent cloth the Sweet - heart of devotees said whatever the wet cloth He was wearing right then was the equivalent of the one he lost. So he asked n^AyanAr to give the cloths equal to the weight of it.
Agreeing to His suggestion n^AyanAr placed a balance instrument there. He put the other cloth of the direction-cladded Lord in one plate and on the other he kept on adding neatly woven cloths. Whatever he put the plate with the cloth of the Bachelor weighed more. Surprised he ordered to put all the new garment bags to balance. That pile was not able to equate the magic cloth. Scared he asked permission from the Lord to put his gems and other wealth too. He told that somehow He wanted things to be equivalent of His cloth. amarn^IthiyAr piled all his wealth. Nothing happened. What can be equivalent of the cloth of vEdhAs that the Lord wears in the entire world ? Even the whole worlds may not match it ! Everything he had was put. Now nothing left the true devotee who stood strong in serving the devotees asked permission to put himself, his wife and son to compensate. The Lord who shows the path to climb out of the ocean of tidal sweets and sufferings allowed them to climb on the balance. Feeling blessed, he with his son and wife circumambulated the balance where the Lord's cloth was there and said, "If it is true that in the purity of love we did not fault in the God's Holy Ash's honest slavery then it should come to balance." He chanting the Lord's Holy Five letters got on the plate over the piles of his wealth.
The wholeness of love and dedication brought the balance in the instrument. The world wondered. The heavenly bodies praised. The Lord of vEdhAs who showed the balance of amarn^Ithi n^AyanAr appeared with His inseperable shakti on the Holy Bull in the Horizon. Blessed the devotee who was praising unintermittently with His family standing on the plate. For the deserving devotee who used the worldly wealth for His service He gave the wealth of being with Him. With the plate becoming the heavenly carrier that gifted family reached the abode of Lord shiva, with the prostration of all the people. Let the determination in doing a flawless service for which amarn^IthiyAr was ready to give himself stay in the mind.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
viRanmiNda nAyanAr
Worshipping the Lord nicely decorated with the bow pinAkam and the arrow pAshupatAstram , the axe, the fire, the disc sudharshanam , the mace, the sword and crores of powerful arms, the valiant sage parshurAma who got the magnificent axe parashu as blessing for that, made the land very well known for its beauty - the land of mountains, the land of elephants of mammoth ivory, the land that worships mahAdEva - the kingdom of chEra . There is this beautiful place called cheN^kunRUr (now known as thiruchcheN^kOdu), the place where the God stands in the superior male-female (ardan^ArIshwarar) form enjoying the sandal smell of the forests.
To illuminate the life of the traditional farmers of that town, viRanmiNdar was born there in an agricultural family. Holding tight only the feet of the fire like God that are beyond the reach of words, he was dared to root out any bond that was an obstacle. Caring much for the true devotees. Superior is his fame who minds only the Merciful Lord. Praying the abodes of the Almighty who makes abode in the hearts of such devotees and saluting the slaves of the Lord before they could salute him, he traveled through many parts of the land and finally arrived at the town thiruvArUr where the Lord rides the minds of the huge devotees also the big chariot in that town. He immersed himself in that beautiful shiva for whom the vEdAs became the chariot.
In the thiruvArUr there was a hall called dhEvAchiriyam , where the great slaves of the blue throated Lord assemble and praise the simple and sweet shiva. Blessed are those who had the golden opportunity to see them, hear them follow them and serve them ! What else one requires to get liberation other than moving with those great bunch of fragrant followers !! viRanmiNdar prostrated to that people in the right path towards the Truth and stayed with them. One day when chun^dharar(1) who considers himself as the slave of the slave of the slaves of the sha.nkara went straight into the altar of the temple without saluting the devotees in the dhEvAchiriyam hall. Actually he was praying the Lord when can he get blessed by saluting those marvelous devotees. viRanmiNdar who noticed chun^dharar proceeding without prostrating to the crowd of devotees said angrily, "That sun^dharan who didn't know to pay respect to the devotees is no longer one in us." "The Lord who blesses him who proceeds without saluting the slaves also is not one among us", he continued out of his extreme respect for devotees. The Lord who accepts even the scoldings of the devotees as the praises done with the best coined words enjoyed this love and angry words as well and blessed viRanmiNdar. He gave the first line to chun^dharar to sing the greatness of devotees. chun^dharar composed that as the great gem thiruththoNdaththokai(2) which is the basic source for this periya purANam . What else can be more fame than saying that viRanmiNdar was the principle person who was instrumental in getting the excellent thiruththoNdath thokai from chun^dharar. Living long in this world which is meant for love and worship, upholding the respect of the devotees, that great devotee viRanmiNdAr stayed in a right way under the graceful feet of the Lord heading the army of the God. Let the emphasis that is clearly given by viRanmiNda n^AyanAr for the respect one should give to the reverend devotees of the Lord stay in the mind.
To illuminate the life of the traditional farmers of that town, viRanmiNdar was born there in an agricultural family. Holding tight only the feet of the fire like God that are beyond the reach of words, he was dared to root out any bond that was an obstacle. Caring much for the true devotees. Superior is his fame who minds only the Merciful Lord. Praying the abodes of the Almighty who makes abode in the hearts of such devotees and saluting the slaves of the Lord before they could salute him, he traveled through many parts of the land and finally arrived at the town thiruvArUr where the Lord rides the minds of the huge devotees also the big chariot in that town. He immersed himself in that beautiful shiva for whom the vEdAs became the chariot.
In the thiruvArUr there was a hall called dhEvAchiriyam , where the great slaves of the blue throated Lord assemble and praise the simple and sweet shiva. Blessed are those who had the golden opportunity to see them, hear them follow them and serve them ! What else one requires to get liberation other than moving with those great bunch of fragrant followers !! viRanmiNdar prostrated to that people in the right path towards the Truth and stayed with them. One day when chun^dharar(1) who considers himself as the slave of the slave of the slaves of the sha.nkara went straight into the altar of the temple without saluting the devotees in the dhEvAchiriyam hall. Actually he was praying the Lord when can he get blessed by saluting those marvelous devotees. viRanmiNdar who noticed chun^dharar proceeding without prostrating to the crowd of devotees said angrily, "That sun^dharan who didn't know to pay respect to the devotees is no longer one in us." "The Lord who blesses him who proceeds without saluting the slaves also is not one among us", he continued out of his extreme respect for devotees. The Lord who accepts even the scoldings of the devotees as the praises done with the best coined words enjoyed this love and angry words as well and blessed viRanmiNdar. He gave the first line to chun^dharar to sing the greatness of devotees. chun^dharar composed that as the great gem thiruththoNdaththokai(2) which is the basic source for this periya purANam . What else can be more fame than saying that viRanmiNdar was the principle person who was instrumental in getting the excellent thiruththoNdath thokai from chun^dharar. Living long in this world which is meant for love and worship, upholding the respect of the devotees, that great devotee viRanmiNdAr stayed in a right way under the graceful feet of the Lord heading the army of the God. Let the emphasis that is clearly given by viRanmiNda n^AyanAr for the respect one should give to the reverend devotees of the Lord stay in the mind.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
MeypporuL Nayanar
chEthi naAdu was one of the ancient kingdoms with the town thirukkovalUr - where Lord shiva destroyed the demon an^dhakAsuran, the form of ignorance - as it's capital. That kingdom made its fame indelible in the history when the king meypporuL n^AyanAr, whose life was an example of tolerance and doing good even to enemy, ruled it.
He had his heart engaged in hailing hara and hands in helping His devotees. He served them as the way they required, ruled the country with law and justice bringing peace to the country and devotion bringing peace to the minds of the people. His valour allowed no enemy to raise against the kingdom. He considered the wealth of loving the luminant feet of Lord shiva to be the greatest of all. The graceful form of the devotees made him do anything for them.
muththa n^Athan was the king who made all futile efforts to win meypporuLAr in the battle-field. He finally realised that fox can't beat the elephant in the fight. As the sin of taking revenge went high in his mind, he started enjoying the rotton smell of crooked ways. He knew that the meypporuLAr salutes and serves the devotees smeared with holy ash and other great symbols of Lord shankara. That spineless coward called muththan^Athan wanted to exploit this superior quality of that devotee.
He covered his body with the holy form of devotees smearing ash, with matted hair, covered a knife in a book he held in hand, as the darkness coming in the shadow of light. He arrived in the dark night in the palace of meypporuLAr with his mind darker than the one outside. Thinking him as a devotee of the Lord, the guards at many doors on the way permitted him with salutations. When he arrived at the room where the king was sleeping with dreams too of serving the devotees, the personal guard of the king by name thaththan told him that the king is taking rest and requested him to wait. But muththa n^Athan went ahead saying that he was coming from himAlayam to meet the king. thaththan couldn't stop him as he was in the form of devotee. The queen who saw him immediately woke up the king. The king pleased instead of getting angry for being disturbed at his private place, bowed down as soon as he saw the form of a devotee. muththa nAthan told him "I have got a rare Agama given by your God. I came to explain you that. So ask your wife to leave and we should be alone". The king with untainted heart asked his wife to leave, gave him a nice seat, sat over the ground and bowed down, to raise up in our hearts. The crooked enemy like opening the book took the knife and pierced the body of the king and pierced himself into the gloom stricken Hell. Who won ? Even if he lost his life, it was meypporuLAr who had a firm belief that the holy form of devotees is the Truth and winning his place under the Graceful feet of God and won the hearts of the devotees inspiring them.
thaththan who doubted muththa nAthan from the beginning leaped immediately into the room and raised his sword to kill the crooked. But meypporuLAr stopped him saying "thaththA! He is one among us". thaththan cried and asked him to order his duty. meypporuLAr asked him to guard the devotee of the Lord from others till he crosses the frontier. Unable to go against the word of his loving king thaththan guarded the wicked to the frontier. meypporuLAr held his breath till thaththan came back saying that muththa n^Athan crossed the frontier without any trouble. He praised thaththan for his action and advised his courtmen to uphold the good deed of loving the devotees and respecting the holy symbols of the Lord. The truthfulness of his love for the form of devotees led him to the Truth that dances in the great golden hall of thillai. Let the greatness of meypporuLAr who guarded even the enemy who took his life in a crooked way, just because he was in the holy form of devotees, stay in the mind.
He had his heart engaged in hailing hara and hands in helping His devotees. He served them as the way they required, ruled the country with law and justice bringing peace to the country and devotion bringing peace to the minds of the people. His valour allowed no enemy to raise against the kingdom. He considered the wealth of loving the luminant feet of Lord shiva to be the greatest of all. The graceful form of the devotees made him do anything for them.
muththa n^Athan was the king who made all futile efforts to win meypporuLAr in the battle-field. He finally realised that fox can't beat the elephant in the fight. As the sin of taking revenge went high in his mind, he started enjoying the rotton smell of crooked ways. He knew that the meypporuLAr salutes and serves the devotees smeared with holy ash and other great symbols of Lord shankara. That spineless coward called muththan^Athan wanted to exploit this superior quality of that devotee.
He covered his body with the holy form of devotees smearing ash, with matted hair, covered a knife in a book he held in hand, as the darkness coming in the shadow of light. He arrived in the dark night in the palace of meypporuLAr with his mind darker than the one outside. Thinking him as a devotee of the Lord, the guards at many doors on the way permitted him with salutations. When he arrived at the room where the king was sleeping with dreams too of serving the devotees, the personal guard of the king by name thaththan told him that the king is taking rest and requested him to wait. But muththa n^Athan went ahead saying that he was coming from himAlayam to meet the king. thaththan couldn't stop him as he was in the form of devotee. The queen who saw him immediately woke up the king. The king pleased instead of getting angry for being disturbed at his private place, bowed down as soon as he saw the form of a devotee. muththa nAthan told him "I have got a rare Agama given by your God. I came to explain you that. So ask your wife to leave and we should be alone". The king with untainted heart asked his wife to leave, gave him a nice seat, sat over the ground and bowed down, to raise up in our hearts. The crooked enemy like opening the book took the knife and pierced the body of the king and pierced himself into the gloom stricken Hell. Who won ? Even if he lost his life, it was meypporuLAr who had a firm belief that the holy form of devotees is the Truth and winning his place under the Graceful feet of God and won the hearts of the devotees inspiring them.
thaththan who doubted muththa nAthan from the beginning leaped immediately into the room and raised his sword to kill the crooked. But meypporuLAr stopped him saying "thaththA! He is one among us". thaththan cried and asked him to order his duty. meypporuLAr asked him to guard the devotee of the Lord from others till he crosses the frontier. Unable to go against the word of his loving king thaththan guarded the wicked to the frontier. meypporuLAr held his breath till thaththan came back saying that muththa n^Athan crossed the frontier without any trouble. He praised thaththan for his action and advised his courtmen to uphold the good deed of loving the devotees and respecting the holy symbols of the Lord. The truthfulness of his love for the form of devotees led him to the Truth that dances in the great golden hall of thillai. Let the greatness of meypporuLAr who guarded even the enemy who took his life in a crooked way, just because he was in the holy form of devotees, stay in the mind.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
ILaiyankudimara Nayanar
iLaiyAnkudi illuminated itself in the history by having a slave of slaves of sha.nkara known as iLaiyAnkudimARanAr . Ceded the his whole heart to the Lord who robs the hearts of the saluters. He got the widening wealth out of the hard work in the farm fields and the wide heart that tries to reach the infinite in the selfless service to the worshippers of the warrier who destroyed the three cities of three impurities. He had an enjoyable life with this wealth. Whoever came at his house with the love for the wet matted haired Supreme, were given a appealing welcome with his folded hands on the head, blossomed face showering flowers of nice words and his humble deeds making the red carpet. He would clean their feet with the scented water, give them the comfortable seat and then serve the food which is rich in all the six tastes for those devotees who love the taste of Holy five letters than anything else. He lived like the kupEra who was given limitless wealth by the Lord.
To show to the human kind n^AyanAr's real service motto which was so strong that even the absence of wealth would not be able to shake, the God apraised by vEdas slowly changed his wealth to poverty. The wealth shrunk, but his broad mind never shrunk. He sold his belongings, borrowed from proper means possible to continue the service that was at no time second in quality. The Lord whose characters even the creater and protector of the world do not know compoletely came to his house in this situation in the form that His loving devotees have. It was the dark night in the mansoon season. So what ? There is enough light in the hearts of the iLaiyAnkudi mARanAr couple, the person who arrives in the house is also the form of light.
n^AyanAr happily welcomed Him. Gave enough cloths to change the wet cloths for Him who does not wear anything. He gave to that refuge giving Lord a nice place to relax. With the enthusiasm to host the devotee he asked his equally devotional wife what can they do to quench the hunger of the sage. He was worried that it was not so bad that they did not have food for themselves but they had to serve somehow the devotee of Lord nice food. His loving wife replied that there is nobody in the village who would lend something for them and the time was also quite late in the night, but suggested that if he could bring the rice grain seeds that they sewed in the noon, she could make food out of that. For the farmers the grain seeds that are kept seperate for growing next time are very valuable and whatever comes they do not consume that grains. But for this excellent devotee this suggestion appeared to be a great gift as he was more worried about how to feed the devotee.
In that darkness and rain only his love for the Lord showing the way he went to the fields. The whole village all the creatures were sleeping. The rain poured in torents. Visibility was very less. But nothing shook the determination of the devotee. Sensing the path through his legs he went inside the farm land. He gathered the seeds that had been pushed to the corners by the rain along with the mud. He filled the basket he had brought and rushed back. His wife washed the mud off from the seeds. To cook the food there was no fire wood. That great man who had cut down the strong beam of ego cut the wooden beam of his house to burn ! After cooking the rice, that chaste wife worried what could she do for the side dish. He went immediately to the land where spinach is cultivated. He plucked the plants like plucking out the plant of pAcham . She cooked different varieties of dishes out of that spinach, showed them to her husband. They decided to wake up the devotee, who is beyond th ereach of thoughts, for having food.
"Please bless me my Lord, by having this simple food that we made out of the love", they saluted Him. To the surprise of the great servant and his matched wife, He arose as the flame of beautiful light. For those devotees who were shocked by that Light, which was unexplorable for vishNu and brahma , the Doer of good, the sha.nkara appeared blissfully on the Holy Bull with the pretty plaited parvati . He blessed them, "Oh loving minds! You who worshipped the devotees come to our great world to live blissfully with the lord of wealth serving you". Salutations to that shiva who is above all. Let the determined service of the n^AyanAr for the devotees stay in the mind.
To show to the human kind n^AyanAr's real service motto which was so strong that even the absence of wealth would not be able to shake, the God apraised by vEdas slowly changed his wealth to poverty. The wealth shrunk, but his broad mind never shrunk. He sold his belongings, borrowed from proper means possible to continue the service that was at no time second in quality. The Lord whose characters even the creater and protector of the world do not know compoletely came to his house in this situation in the form that His loving devotees have. It was the dark night in the mansoon season. So what ? There is enough light in the hearts of the iLaiyAnkudi mARanAr couple, the person who arrives in the house is also the form of light.
n^AyanAr happily welcomed Him. Gave enough cloths to change the wet cloths for Him who does not wear anything. He gave to that refuge giving Lord a nice place to relax. With the enthusiasm to host the devotee he asked his equally devotional wife what can they do to quench the hunger of the sage. He was worried that it was not so bad that they did not have food for themselves but they had to serve somehow the devotee of Lord nice food. His loving wife replied that there is nobody in the village who would lend something for them and the time was also quite late in the night, but suggested that if he could bring the rice grain seeds that they sewed in the noon, she could make food out of that. For the farmers the grain seeds that are kept seperate for growing next time are very valuable and whatever comes they do not consume that grains. But for this excellent devotee this suggestion appeared to be a great gift as he was more worried about how to feed the devotee.
In that darkness and rain only his love for the Lord showing the way he went to the fields. The whole village all the creatures were sleeping. The rain poured in torents. Visibility was very less. But nothing shook the determination of the devotee. Sensing the path through his legs he went inside the farm land. He gathered the seeds that had been pushed to the corners by the rain along with the mud. He filled the basket he had brought and rushed back. His wife washed the mud off from the seeds. To cook the food there was no fire wood. That great man who had cut down the strong beam of ego cut the wooden beam of his house to burn ! After cooking the rice, that chaste wife worried what could she do for the side dish. He went immediately to the land where spinach is cultivated. He plucked the plants like plucking out the plant of pAcham . She cooked different varieties of dishes out of that spinach, showed them to her husband. They decided to wake up the devotee, who is beyond th ereach of thoughts, for having food.
"Please bless me my Lord, by having this simple food that we made out of the love", they saluted Him. To the surprise of the great servant and his matched wife, He arose as the flame of beautiful light. For those devotees who were shocked by that Light, which was unexplorable for vishNu and brahma , the Doer of good, the sha.nkara appeared blissfully on the Holy Bull with the pretty plaited parvati . He blessed them, "Oh loving minds! You who worshipped the devotees come to our great world to live blissfully with the lord of wealth serving you". Salutations to that shiva who is above all. Let the determined service of the n^AyanAr for the devotees stay in the mind.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Iyarpakai nayanar
One of the ancient cities of the world which was the capital of the early chOza kings, the city in which the river kAvEri enters into the sea, that famous town was called kAvirippUmpattinam or pukAr . That being the capital on the shore was a very big trade center.
The leading businessman of that town, owner of boundless properties, but slave for the people who do true slavery to the crescent ornated God with matted hair, who never says "no" to the devotees who asked for something but gives much before they ask for, called iyarpakaiyAr (contradictor to the normal behavior (of the world)). While iyarpakaiyAr was leading the married life serving the Lord, God came in the form of a devotee who chants the holy vEdas in order to exhibit that the dedication of iyarpakaiyAr never derails. With a face like the blossomed lotus he gave Him a warm welcome. He told iyarpakaiyAr that if he is ready to give whatever he is going to ask for He will tell what He wants. Immediately iyarpakaiyAr replied, "If I have anything that you ask for, that is yours. No doubt in it. Please ask". The Lord who had concealed Himself in the form of devotee asked for his wife.
iyarpakaiyAr replied, "I am glad that I have the thing you asked for" He told his wife, who was the form of chaste and had a never downgoing love for her husband, that he gave her to the devotee. She was petrified with shock. She was worried but consoled herself and told him, "If that be your wish I consider that as my duty" and bowed down. iyarpakaiyAr admiring her love and chaste heart bowed down in responce. She excelled anything else by her deed.
iyarpakaiyAr bowed to the Lord and asked what else he can do for Him. The Lord asked him to escort Him (!) so that He is not attacked by His relatives. n^AyanAr told I should have done it even before you told me. He took his sword and shield and went with the devotee and his wife like the royal lion that goes out for hunting. The relatives of iyarpakaiyAr and his wife were irked by the act of iyarpakaiyAr and decided "iyarpakai has become crazy and somebody is taking away the girl. We won't allow it to happen". They all set out with their weapons and besieged them in the outskirts of the town. The Lord shivered as if He was scared, but the girl of great deed said, "Don't worry, iyarpakai will win". iyarpakaiyAr warned them to run away and get spared. But they scolded him for bringing bad name to the entire family by sending his wife with a third person. They tried to attack the God in the devotee form. Angered by their intention to attack the devotee iyarpakaiyAr raised his sword against his own relatives and the entire group was killed by him and he, whose head had the crown of the holy feet od Lord shiva, went around without anybody to oppose.
iyarpakaiyAr told the devotee that there is no need to be afraid. The chaste hearted lady and he followed the holy feet of the Lord which were unseen by even brahma and vishNu. As they aaproached the place chAykkAdu , He told iyarpakaiyAr to return. n^AyanAr bowed down and returned without turning back. The Lord pleased by his true devotion shouted loud, "Oh! iyarpakai, who did the deed which is unimaginable ! come immediately!!". iyarpakaiyAr rushed back in a moment to see if anybody else escaped and give trouble to the devotee. He didn't see the devotee and saw only the lady. He saw the Lord shiva who and whose devotees are of greatness which is beyond the limit of expression. The Lord appeared on the Holy bull with pArvati like a creeper of maragatham to His side. n^AyanAr didn't stand, fell down and praised that Honey with the words the competes with his love. The Lord told, "Your love is faultless and so are you. You and your flawless wife stay in our abode". With the flower rain of dEvas, praise of all good thinking sages, they both got the boon of staying with and worshipping the God of Lords. Their relatives also entered the Heaven. Let the fame of iyarpakaiyAr of giving away even the wife, who is in fact more than one's own life stay in the mind.
The leading businessman of that town, owner of boundless properties, but slave for the people who do true slavery to the crescent ornated God with matted hair, who never says "no" to the devotees who asked for something but gives much before they ask for, called iyarpakaiyAr (contradictor to the normal behavior (of the world)). While iyarpakaiyAr was leading the married life serving the Lord, God came in the form of a devotee who chants the holy vEdas in order to exhibit that the dedication of iyarpakaiyAr never derails. With a face like the blossomed lotus he gave Him a warm welcome. He told iyarpakaiyAr that if he is ready to give whatever he is going to ask for He will tell what He wants. Immediately iyarpakaiyAr replied, "If I have anything that you ask for, that is yours. No doubt in it. Please ask". The Lord who had concealed Himself in the form of devotee asked for his wife.
iyarpakaiyAr replied, "I am glad that I have the thing you asked for" He told his wife, who was the form of chaste and had a never downgoing love for her husband, that he gave her to the devotee. She was petrified with shock. She was worried but consoled herself and told him, "If that be your wish I consider that as my duty" and bowed down. iyarpakaiyAr admiring her love and chaste heart bowed down in responce. She excelled anything else by her deed.
iyarpakaiyAr bowed to the Lord and asked what else he can do for Him. The Lord asked him to escort Him (!) so that He is not attacked by His relatives. n^AyanAr told I should have done it even before you told me. He took his sword and shield and went with the devotee and his wife like the royal lion that goes out for hunting. The relatives of iyarpakaiyAr and his wife were irked by the act of iyarpakaiyAr and decided "iyarpakai has become crazy and somebody is taking away the girl. We won't allow it to happen". They all set out with their weapons and besieged them in the outskirts of the town. The Lord shivered as if He was scared, but the girl of great deed said, "Don't worry, iyarpakai will win". iyarpakaiyAr warned them to run away and get spared. But they scolded him for bringing bad name to the entire family by sending his wife with a third person. They tried to attack the God in the devotee form. Angered by their intention to attack the devotee iyarpakaiyAr raised his sword against his own relatives and the entire group was killed by him and he, whose head had the crown of the holy feet od Lord shiva, went around without anybody to oppose.
iyarpakaiyAr told the devotee that there is no need to be afraid. The chaste hearted lady and he followed the holy feet of the Lord which were unseen by even brahma and vishNu. As they aaproached the place chAykkAdu , He told iyarpakaiyAr to return. n^AyanAr bowed down and returned without turning back. The Lord pleased by his true devotion shouted loud, "Oh! iyarpakai, who did the deed which is unimaginable ! come immediately!!". iyarpakaiyAr rushed back in a moment to see if anybody else escaped and give trouble to the devotee. He didn't see the devotee and saw only the lady. He saw the Lord shiva who and whose devotees are of greatness which is beyond the limit of expression. The Lord appeared on the Holy bull with pArvati like a creeper of maragatham to His side. n^AyanAr didn't stand, fell down and praised that Honey with the words the competes with his love. The Lord told, "Your love is faultless and so are you. You and your flawless wife stay in our abode". With the flower rain of dEvas, praise of all good thinking sages, they both got the boon of staying with and worshipping the God of Lords. Their relatives also entered the Heaven. Let the fame of iyarpakaiyAr of giving away even the wife, who is in fact more than one's own life stay in the mind.
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