Periyapuranam (20 - Part (ii))

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Sai

Ram Brothers & Sisters

 

This

is the continuation of the “Periyapuranam

Series”…………………..

10.0pt;font-family:Arial">

9.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">20. THIRUNAVUKKARACHU

NAYANAR (Part ii)

10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue;font-style:normal">Thirunavukkarachar

the great sage was

color:blue"> benefiting the entire world with his flowing truth and love

through his hymns, with a non-deviating mind.

bold">While his mouth was engaged on singing hymns his hands were used to clean

and remove the plants and grass that grow and untidy the holy abodes of the

Lord Shiva by holding the handplow (Ulavaram). Thus

his body and mind was completely involved in the holy

service of the Great Lord. While

Thirunavukkarachar was enjoying in his life in this way the

Jain sages of Patalipuththiram on hearing the cure he got through the grace of

God were bewildered and worried. They were very much bothered with

the fact that their victorious leading philosopher who established and brought

up the principles of Jainism as against that of many other religions had

renounced that path. They all met in a place and felt that if the king is also

enlightened with the truth he would also become a Shaivite and that would block

their prosperity. They went to the Pallava

king Mahendhira Varma .

He being a follower of Jainism came immediately for their help. They kindled

his anger that Thirnavukarrasar lied and doing blasphemy of his religion. Taken

the stand of non-violence but filled with lie and cruelty they asked the king

to punish him severely. The king

of blind faith without analysing the facts ordered the soldiers to bring

Thirunavukkarachar without informing that he wanted to punish him.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">The ministers and soldiers went to Thiruvadhikai and

asked him to come to the king. For the true devotees Lord Shiva is the Emperor,

all the lives the citizens and the entire Universe is the kingdom. Why should

the devotee be afraid of the mortal king ?

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">The king of words sang an

elegant hymn "Namarkkum

Kudiyallom

font-weight:bold">"

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">to convey the king that because

he had taken secure shelter under the comforting feet of the Lord who never

bows down to anybody, he need not bow down to anybody else’s order.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold"> He was very humble,

saluting and servicing the Lord and His devotees, at the same time being a true

believer of Almighty he was not a coward to get scared even for the order of

the king. He continued his services peacefully trusting that Lord is there to

take care of all the repercussions.

color:blue"> Hearing the determination of the

great sage the Jains who forgot their own principles asked the king to put him

in the lime kiln. The kings men put him in the burning kiln added lot of fuel

and sealed it.

color:purple;font-weight:bold">When the sage sang a beautiful hymn "Machil

Vinaiyum” and surrendered his self at the lotus feet of the Almighty, the

burning kiln turned into a place, which felt with soft

sweet breeze on the bank of a beautiful pond in a spring

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">. After

the seventh day the king and others were shocked to see the seer inside the

kiln without any harm, smiling in the bliss that Lord Shankara

gave.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold">Hiding their surprise

they wanted somehow wanted to kill Thirunavakarasar. So got the King to feed

him with strong poison

color:blue">.

bold">Saying the poison will also be the nectar for one who has taken refuge in

the Immortal the sage ate the milk food containing poison

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">.

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">The Blue-throated Lord, who

stopped the venomous poison in His throat that came to destroy the Universe,

blessed him; lo and behold nothing happened to him

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">. Petrified

King and all his enemies however didn’t want to stop their torture. The

merciless King ordered to send a fierce mad elephant on the devotee. The

provoked elephant came like a storm destroying things on its way in all its

fury. The Kings men directed it on the sage who was there as the form of

peace.

color:purple;font-weight:bold">He praised the Lord and sang another pleasing

hymn "Chunnaven

Chandhanach Chandhum"

font-weight:bold">

color:purple;font-weight:bold"> meaning "we are the slaves of the

Lord of

font-style:normal">Thiruvadhikai. We are not afraid of

anything. Nor is there anything that could scare us" to the Lord.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">The elephant circumambulated

him, saluted him instead of hurting him

color:blue">. It turned back with an

uncontrollable ire and tramped the Kings men and the others who were creating

chaos and frantic cries.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold">With this the King and

the others got scared to death thinking that Thirunavakarsar might do something

bad for them their strength was completely smashed by the elephant. So, they

came up with an idea to drown the sage into the sea by binding him with a rock.

The king who ditched the justice and neutrality ordered so to his men

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">.

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">The

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">true devotee who had an

unshakable faith in the Great Rescuer was determined to praise the Lord with

the wonderful hymn that would nurture determination to one who sings it "Chottrrunai

Vedhiyan"

font-weight:bold">

color:purple;font-weight:bold">and sang in that chaste words with overwhelming

love Namah

Shivaya, the great Holy Five Letters of the Lord.

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue">

"Comic Sans MS";color:purple;font-weight:bold">As he sang with overflowing

love, the holy five letters (Na Ma Shi

Va Ya) turned the rock into a

boat to uphold Thrirunavukkarachar

color:blue">. The sea Dheva

was blessed to hold the great sage who crossed the

limits of what one considers impossible deeds arrived over him and humbly took

him to the town of Lord Thiruppadhirippuliyur .

font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold">From there he

continued his pilgrimage of taking dharshan of all the holy abodes of Lord

Shiva. The king by now realizing the Truth and repenting for his sins denounced

everything and surrendered to the sage who won without wars. The King also

built a temple for the Lord there called Gunaparavichcharam.

The sage immersed himself in the service of the Lord Shiva.

Sai Ram

 

Shivathmika