The divine mystic who gave esoteric truth

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The divine mystic who gave esoteric truth

The great Tamil poet Kambar the author of Ramayana

Christened by him as “Ramavatharam” was very much devoted to “Maran”

alias Satakopan, the divine mystic of “ Azhwar Thirunagari” on the

banks of the river, Tamaraparani in Tirunelveli. He was immersed in

the Ocean of “Bhakthi” towards Satakopar and drank the ambrosia

called “Thiruvaimozhi” given to the world by that esoteric

personality. The poet in praise of his devotion towards his Achraya,

ours too, has made a special mention of it both subtly and plainly in

the beginning of his great work, Ramayana thus invoking the blessings

of Satakopar. Not being satisfied with it Kavi Chakravarthi has

written one hundred verses in praise of “Kurugaipirran” called

“Azhwar Anthathi” or “Satakopar Anthathi”.

In his first verse Kambar declares, let Sriman Narayana

the nucleus for everything that excisted in the universe and is also

the Supreme Gosd beyond the precincts of Vedas and Sastras, let Lord

Brahma and the like succeed thoroughly and comprehensively in their

search for “Truth”, he will not deviate from the path laid by

Satakopar in the form of “Thiruvaimozhi”. The interpretation to the

invocation gives room to indicate that even Lord Narayana would not

infringe the footpath of Kurugoor Satakopar. In this sequence an

event that tool place at Azhwar Thirunagari is narrated where Sri

Satakopar and his Thiruvamozhi are held supreme in all aspects.

It was the practice in Azhwar Thirunagari, one of the 108

Divya Desams, to treat Satakopar alias Nammalwar equal to Adhinatha

Perumal, the presiding deity. The Sri Vaishnavites and other

belonging to the place were celebrating the annual festival to the

icon of Nammalwar by bestowing temple honours and the concomitant

paraphernalia just as they did in the case of the Lord of the temple.

This generated a controversy among the scholars of Tamil sangam,

Madurai due to a manifestation of egoism and envy. They took

exception to the equal treatment being meted out to Nammalwar

commenting that Satakopar is after all a Bhaktha and not the Lord

himself and hence it is not in keeping with established tradition to

deify Azhwar equal to Lord Adhinatha and also decried by calling his

divine outpourings, “Thiruvaimozhi” as “Tamil Vedha”. According to

them it does not deserve

such an exhalted position to be called so in as much as it beeds to be

recogonised through the medium of the floating plank (Sangappalagai)

in the Golden lotus Tank in the Madurai Temple and they derided the

temple authorities.

This action on the part of Tamil Sangam wounded the

feelings of Sri Vaishnavites of Azhwar Thirunagari and had created an

agitation in their minds over the embargo placed on their divine

hereditary practice in vogue. Straight they went to the Sanctum

Sanctorum of “Nammazhwar and prostrated before the archamurthi” and

made a fervent appeal to the effect that those assembly of poets from

Madurai are to be chastised for their irreverence towards him and

profanity towards “Thriuvaimozhi” and that they should be made to

repent for their action. They took an oath with a grim determination

not to budge from the premises until and unless their above

solicitation is conceded. They remained in the same posture for three

days foregoing ablutions, recital of Vedas, oblations and the other

daily rituals to which they are accustomed as ordained by scriptures.

At this juncture, there appeared in the scene an old

Bhramin who requested the Sri Vaishnavites nobilities to let him know

the cause for their resoluteness and retraction from their routine.

With tears in their eyes and with quivering mouths they narrated

what all had happened and expressed their anguish over the incident

which they considered as an affront to what they held as sacrosanct.

They expected a solution and justice at the hands of Nammalvar and to

make the personalities from Madurai realize their folly and make

amends therefore.

The reverential old man jocularly commented that, what

they seek after cannot be accomplished in “Kaliyuga” and that their

purpose will only end in a futile exercise. The Sri Vaishnavites took

the remark seriously to their hearts and decided to immolate

themselves by avoiding food, water, etc. appreciating their

steadfastness, the holy Brahmin although had come with predetermined

plan to resolve this tangle, took pleasure in not showing keen

interest to the entreaties at the first instance became a trouble

shooter taken by suggesting with a smile a way out and disappeared.

Accordingly, particular lines from a verse in

“Thuvaimozhi” should be written in a small piece of palm leaf and has

to be placed on the plank (Sangappalagai). As directed “Sri

Vaishnavites of Azhwar Thriunagari” went to Madurai carrying with

them the manuscript and placed it on the floating Sangam Plank on

which were already seated the poets of Tamil Sangam. No sooner the

palm leaf was placed on the Plank than happened a miracle in that as

against its usual divine convention and to the bewilderment of the

scholars of Tamil Sangam, the plank got drowned carrying them and

also the Palm script. The Pandits however managed to swim across and

reach the steps that mark the margin of the tank. The Plank, returned

to the surface of the water with the Palm leaf on it intact, to utter

dismay of those who once scoffed at.

The curiosity assembled there knew no bounds and they

read the four lines that were inscribed on the Palm leaf reading.

“Those who piously hold fast in their minds

the Holy feet of Lord Kanna be assured that

they in reality think only the name of Lord

Narayana which is a synonym”

The Tanil Savants of the Sangam realized and commented

that the Plank which gave space to a small Palm script, a compendium

of Lord Kanna who keeps the entire universe in His Bosom and protects

it would treat them as its equal and give space! Nay, They also

exuberantly revealed and acknowledge that the divine hymns of

Nammalwar are the quintessence of Vedas and Sastras which came to him

spontaneously without being taught and have the divine sanction and

that his erudition and divinity their knowledge is but nothingness

and pale into insignificance.

Kambar has subtly touched this incident in his Satakopar

Anthathi where he says that Satakopar as an elephant assailed the

mountain peak of Tamil Sangam. The metaphor elephant used in this

sequence denotes that Nammalwar is the incarnation of “Lord

Vishvaksena”.

The learned but arrogant representatives of Tamil Sangam

regretted their stupidity and felt penitent about it. They gracefully

accepted their defeat and sang some verses in describing the greatness

of Nammalwar and Thiruvaimozhi, one of which appended

“ What is a fly before Garuda

What is a glowworm before Sun,

What is a dog before a ferocious tiger,

What is a jackal before a rearing Lion

Whether a ghost can dance before beautiful Oovasi

Can the poems of the world be equal to

One word of the Great Tamil Vedha of Vahulabaranan (Nammalwar)”

Later after several years it happened that

“Thiruvalluvar”, the author of “Thirukurral” which is also considered

to be a Tamil Vedha, Avvayar, the divine poetess and another great

Tamil Poet had to meet in a place. During a discussion a question was

posed to “Thiruvalluvar” as to what has he to say about his work

“Thirukurral”. His reply given below reflected his humility and his

reverence to “Thiruvaimozhi” of Nammazhwar.

“The three subdivisions that constitute the Tamil

literature viz. ‘Iyal Isai Natakam’ created by Sage Agasthya and my

‘Thirukkural’ are the children of Thiruvaimozhi given by the son of

‘Udaya Nangai’ the mother of Nammazhwar”

The Sri Vaishnavites resumed the celebration of the annual

festival to Nammazhwar and reintroduced the recitation of

“Thirvaimozhi” and the paraphernalia connected with it as before and

as being done to the presiding deity of Thirukkurugur.

This article was written by Sri (Late) L.P.Sampath Iyengar

Commets and feedback can be sent to suprajaiyengar

 

 

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