Hindu Article-Vallalar,a revolutionary saint

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Vallalar, a revolutionary saint

 

 

CHENNAI OCT. 1 . To preach morals and tender advice to

others may perhaps be the easiest job, but will those

who do so, apply them in their own lives, practise and

perfect them? In the spiritual field there had been

saints who had not only spread God's message to enable

interested men to pursue the noble path but also

practically demonstrated how it is possible to adhere

to divine directives. A poem refers to three types of

luminaries who had been entrusted with the task of

showing the doors of heaven. In their works the truth

lay hidden requiring to be annotated. It is like a

person desirous of tasting a sweet fruit, being asked

to search for it.

 

The next category of verses composed by some reveal

the truth but require detailed elucidation like the

man in need of the fruit being directed to a grove

where he can find the tree that bears it. The third

type of texts spelt out the instructions directly

making the aspirants study and assimilate, like the

person eager to enjoy the fruit, being led by a person

to the garden, himself plucking it and offering the

pulp to him. To this section belongs Sri Ramalinga

Adigal, more popularly known as "Vallalar" for his

generous outlook.

 

In his lecture on this saint's greatness, Sri Ma. Ki.

Ramanan said that he was a revolutionary in the sense

that he advocated the study of Tamil, English and

Sanskrit. He pleaded with people not to injure animals

as they are God's gifts or sacrifice them in temples.

Another important appeal by him was "vegetarianism".

His simple answer to the doubt as to where God could

be seen was "Show love to humanity and you can

experience the presence of God." Love, according to

Vallalar, is the golden key to paradise. He even went

to the extent of advising people not to meddle with

plants as they too have life.

 

The crux of his teachings is: "Out of love springs

kindness, which in turn grows into inestimable prize

of friendship. The trickling tears at the distress of

one's friends will proclaim the love within. Is there

a bolt to fasten one's love?" God, he added, cannot be

forced to come to us but kindness, soft words, hard

work and sincerity can make Him appreciate our

actions. Even as a child, Vallalar was able to have

the vision of God and in his later years, was deeply

devoted to the deities in Kandaswami Temple and in

Thiruvotriyur (in Chennai). His monumental poem,

"Thiruvarutpa" gives us the juice of our religion and

philosophy. Out of the 6411 verses he had sung, more

than half are on Thiruvotriyur God and Goddess.

Copy Right: The Hindu-Daily

 

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