The Reformed Robinhood

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

 

 

The Reformed Robin hood

 

 

 

Does the end justify the means? This has been a question, which has

agitated the minds of scholars for long. If we consider the Socialistic pattern

of government, we find that it believes in " robbing Peter to pay Paul " , in

imposing hefty taxes on the affluent to fund programmes for the upliftment of

the poor. Some say that in the process of doing this, it reduces the rich to the

level of the poor, instead of raising the latter to the level of the former. Be

that as it may, we find that " equitable redistribution " of wealth has been the

avowed objective of Socialist governments.

 

 

 

Centuries before Socialism made its advent, one of the principal Azhwars, Sri

Tirumangai Mannan, had practised this precept with distinction, and, in the

process, ensured the emancipation of himself and countless others. Here are some

of his experiences.

 

 

 

At the instance of Sri Kumudavalli, with whom he wanted to plight his troth,

Sri Neelan, the chieftain of AlinAdu, a revenue district under the Chozha

Empire, undertook the acclaimed kainkaryam of feeding hordes of BhAgavatAs.

Having spent all his accumulated fortune for the purpose, he began to run short

of funds, and ultimately diverted government revenue for the tadeeya arAdhanam,

resulting in his incurring the Emperor's displeasure. Due to persistent default

in remitting tribute, he was imprisoned. The Lord, appearing in Azhwar's dreams,

showed him the location of a hidden treasure, with which the latter paid off his

dues to the Chozha emperor.

 

 

 

However, this still left him without the wherewithal for his kainkaryam to the

Lord's devotees. Propelled by the desire to continue tadeeya aradhanam and

pushed to the wall by paucity of funds therefor, Azhwar started to acquire

wealth from those unwilling to part with it, plundering the same from the idle

rich and ensuring that Bhagavatas (who invariably possess no wealth other than

their love for the Lord) did not go hungry. When a government does this, it is

euphemistically termed as an " equitable redistribution of wealth " . Swami Desikan

was so hurt by the Azhwar's effort being equated with common robbery, that he

wrote a spirited defence of the Azhwar, titled " sthEya avirOdham " (unfortunately

unavailable now). There are even some reports that Azhwar plundered some Buddha

vihArAs in Nagapattinam, (which had amassed wealth by dubious practices and by

gaining government patronage) and used the proceeds for putting up a protective

wall around the Srirangam temple. As he was prompted by the noble purpose of

Bhagavat BhAgavata kainkaryam, Azhwar had no qualms in adopting such unorthodox

methods of fund-raising.

 

 

 

Came a day when the Lord decided to take matters in His hands, and assumed the

garb of a wealthy merchant returning with his newly-wed wife and retinue, all

carrying a fortune in jewels, gold coins, etc. Even in those days of primitive

intelligence infrastructure, Azhwar appears to have been able to collect timely

data on movement of convoys, manned by filthy-rich merchants, who had fattened

themselves on the sweat and toil of the proletariat. In his attempts to ensure

egalitarianism, the Azhwar had the invaluable assistance of a devoted band of

disciples, named " ChAyai pidippAn " (one who could catch even shadows), " neer mEl

nadappAn " etc.

 

 

 

Neelan (as the Azhwar was know then) duly intercepted the Lord's convoy and

stripped it of all its valuables. All that was left was the anklet worn by the

Lord, which, try as he might, the Azhwar could not remove. Loathe to give up, as

the anklet was of gold and could feed a family of bhagavatas for a week, Sri

Kalian applied his teeth to the job of separating the anklet from the tiruvadi,

and succeeded in his endeavour.

 

 

 

In the process of biting off the anklet (or noopuram), the benevolent bandit's

head came into accidental contact with the Lord's feet, something for which the

whole devout world hankers, a distinction denied to even distinguished souls

like Rudra and Brahma, who have sought the same in vain for innumerable

millennia, something that has the effect of cleansing one of all sin and

ensuring a place in paradise. Instantly, Sri Kalian was blessed with the bounty

of Supreme Knowledge ( " Mayarvara madi nalam " ).

 

 

 

When he tried to walk away with the bundled jewels, Neelan found that he could

not lift it, despite putting all his might to it. Convinced that this was the

result of some magic perpetrated by the apparently gullible groom, Neelan drew

his sword in anger and threatened the merchant to give up the mantra he had

applied or to give up his life. Feigning terror, the Lord drew him near and

whispered the AshtAkshara mantra in his ear.

 

 

 

When we come to think of it, there are several unorthodox features about this

particular mantrOpadEsam.

 

 

 

We are supposed to propitiate the Acharya by prostrating at his feet, please him

through personal service and beseech him to bless us with the mantra, as Sri

Krishna tells Arjuna -

 

" tat viddhi pranipAtEna pariprasnEna sEvayA

 

upadEkshyanti tE gnAnam GnAnina: tatva darsina: "

 

 

 

Here, in the Azhwar's case, we have the devotee forcing the Acharya at

sword-point to part with the mantra ( " MAyOnai vAl valiAl mandiram koL Mangayar

Kon " ). And paradoxically enough, the Azwar is blessed with the mantra after

robbing the Acharya blind, instead of propitiating him.

 

There are three things sacred about any mantra-the Rishi, (who has discovered

the mantra), " Cchandas (the metre to which the mantra is set) and the Deity in

whose praise the mantra is uttered. In the case of the Ashtakshara, the Rishi is

Narayana Himself, in His role as the Divine Teacher, residing eternally at

BadarikAshramam and the devata, of course, is Sriman Narayana.

 

Thus it speaks volumes about the Azhwar's devotion that the exalted mantra was

given to him by none other than the Lord Himself. And very few have the fortune

of having the Divine Consort being present on the occasion of mantrOpadEsa-

Azhwar had the additional bonus of the benign presence and participation of

Piratti in the process of mantropadesa.

 

 

 

And what did the mantra do for the warrior-turned -bandit?

 

 

 

Exhibiting its true power, the Ashtakshara rid the Azhwar of the vestiges of

agyAnam and made him burst into rapturous verse in praise of the Lord and His

deovtees.

 

 

 

An analysis of this Azhwar's prabandas would lead one to the conclusion that

here was a great soul equally facile with the pen as he was with the sword. Just

as he was an avenging destroyer of the enemies of BhAgavatAs, he was equally a

terror to man's internal enemies-viz., kAma, krOdhA, lObha, mOha, mata and

mAtsarya. A perusal of his prabandas would banish these predators from our

heart and fill it with the light of true knowledge ( " nejukku iruL kadi deepam " ).

Azhwar was also a virulent warrior with words, making several votaries of other

misguided faiths bite dust- he was a spark to the rubbish heap of illogical

arguments advanced by these people ( " para samaya panju kanalin pori " ).

 

 

 

Even if one were to ignore the spiritual content of these pasurams, their sheer

literary value would ensure them an eternal place in the halls of literary fame.

This Azhwar has not only employed a variety of metres to telling effect, but

also woven beautiful garlands of verses with various types of poetry- " Aasu Kavi "

(instant poetry, without the aid of elaborate preparatory work, akin to the

" Paduka Sahasram " of Swami Desikan), " VisthAra Kavi " (elaborate poetry, leaving

no nook or cranny of the subject untouched), " Madhura Kavi " (incredibly sweet

verses with an undying appeal to the reader's heart) and " Chitra Kavi " (mastery

over artistic embellishment and enchanting presentation). He is therefore known

as " nAlu Kavi PerumAL " . Azhwar's overwhelming scholarship in Tamizh and Sanskrit

shines through in each and every verse, and he proudly calls himself a Tamizh

scholar, first and foremost- " irum Tamizh nool pulavan " . His

" Tiruvezhukoottrirukkai " is a showcase piece of his poetical acumen, with the

words forming themselves into the shape of a beautiful chariot- " Ratha Bandham " .

That this Azhwar's works constitute lakshaNa granthAs for Tamizh grammar is

highlighted by Sri Azhwan's words " Tamizh nannool turaigaL anjukku ilakkiam " .

The sedate Symphony, alluring alliteration, the beautiful balance, the artistic

assonance and the meticulously chosen metres, all make this Azhwar's prabandas a

rare treat for the literary connoisseur.

 

 

 

Sri Tirumangai Mannan has the rare distinction of being the most prolific of

Azhwars-of the total of 4000 and odd pasurams, he alone accounts for 1253,

spread over six prabandas- the Peria Tirumozhi, the Peria Tirumadal, the Siriya

Tirumadal, TirukkurumtAndakam, TirunedumtAndakam and the Tiruvezhukoottrirukkai.

These six prabandas are said to resemble the six VedAngAs (Kalpam, JyOtisham,

Cchandas, MimAmsa, Vyakaranam and Nyayam). Just as these Vedangas aid us in the

learning, recitation and analysis of Veda vAkyAs, Sri Parakala's prabandas too

form invaluable tools in divining the esoteric secrets of Tiruvaimozhi,

Tiruviruttham, Periya TiruvandAdi and TiruvAsiriyam (representing the four

Vedas) of Sri Nammazhwar.

 

 

 

Another distinction this Azhwar can boast of is, having performed

mangalasasanam of the maximum number of divyadesams-86 of the total of 108. The

shrines visited by this Azhwar are spread over the length and breadth of our

vast Bharata varsha, from BadarikAshramam and SAlagrAmam in the Himalayas to

Tirukkurungudi down south. When we consider the difficulties that confront us

even today in reaching some of these shrines, especially Salagaramam, etc., the

inclement weather that prevails there all the year round, the practically

insurmountable and inhospitable peaks and the bleak, uninviting and icy terrain,

our hearts go out to this Azhwar who has traversed these divyadesams on foot,

without any sort of creature comforts and braving all sorts of natural

obstacles. This speaks volumes about the Azhwar's physical strength and mental

courage, propelled solely by the thought of worshipping the Lord in all His

abodes, however inaccessible and inhospitable they are. The difficulties Sri

Parakala faced in this endeavour are occasionally reflected in descriptions such

as " Deivam allAl sella oNNA SingavEL Kundram " " Chendru kAndarkku ariya Koil "

etc.

 

 

 

More than any other Azhwar's, Sri Parakala's songs are intended to inculcate

and enhance the enjoyment of the Lord's arcchA forms at various divyadesams.

The recurring theme of this Azhwar's pasurams gives the lie to the notion that

idol worship is for the immature, and is but a stepping-stone to contemplation

of the formless Brahman ( " PratimAsu aprabuddhAnAm, sarvatra samadarsinAm " ).

The capability of the Lord to bestow Moksha, in all His forms, whether it be

Para, VyUha, Vibhava, antaryAmi or arcchA, is brought out time and again in

these prabandas. If anything, the arcchA is superior to the other forms of the

Lord, avers Tirumangai Mannan, making fun of people's propensity to even think

of the distant and inaccessible ParamapadanAtan, when the arcchA murthy is

awaiting devotees with outstretched hands in all temples, with the virtues of

visibility, enjoyability, accessibility, etc. " ErAr muyal vittu kAkkai pin

pOvadhE! " wonders Azhwar, reflecting the aforesaid sentiments. Azhwar's passion

for the arcchAvatAra is so great that he has been characterized as a

" ChAruvAka " , in relation to the Supreme Being. The CharuvAkAs or atheists accept

only the visible body and deny the existence of any soul. Similarly, Azhwar, who

is enamoured of the Bhagavat Roopam ( the bewitching body and fantastic form of

the Lord as displayed in His vigrahas), is unconcerned about the spirit or

svarUpa of the Lord.

 

 

 

The all-important concept of BhAgavata Seshatvam is also highlighted in several

pasurams, and also by the Azhwar's conduct of going to extreme lengths to feed

the Lord's devotees. " Matrum Or deivam uLadu endru iruppArOdu utrilEn, utradhum

un adiyArkku adimai " , says Azhwar, emphasizing the need for kainkaryam to the

Lord's bhaktAs and by the same token, the imperative of having to stay away from

those who do not accept Him as the Ultimate.

 

 

 

Sri Tirumangai Mannan's magnum opus is hailed as " arivu tarum Peria Tirumozhi " ,

as it is capable of bestowing on us true knowledge about ourselves, the Lord and

the strategy we should adopt to reach Him. To emphasize the unique distinction

of the author, Swami Desikan eulogizes him as " SarvEsvaran pakkalilE sarvArttha

grahaNam paNNina Azhwar " , highlighting the fact that it was the Lord Himself who

was the Azhwar's Preceptor. Hence these Prabandas are to be venerated as the

Lord's own. Similar to Sri Nammazhwar's works, Sri Kalian's too have vEda

sAmyam, as is brought out by Sri Embar's Sreesookti- " Pongu pugazh Mangayar Kon

eenda marai Ayiramum " , while Sri Koorattazhwan describes Sri Peria Tirumozhi as

" AraNa sAram " .

 

 

 

When Azhwar lists the offences he has been guilty of, it reads verily like our

own private diary:

 

" KaLvan AnEn padiru seidiruppEn, kandavA tiritandEn "

 

" SEmamE vENdi teevinai perukki terivaimAr uruvamE maruvi "

 

" VendriyE vENdi veezh porutku irangi vErkaNAr kalaviyE karudi "

 

" Iym pulan karudum karutthulE tiruttinEn manatthai " etc.

 

 

 

Despite all these, if Azhwar was able to shake off all his failings in a trice

and liberate himself, it speaks volumes about the efficacy of the Ashtakshara

mantra, which he obtained from the Lord. Acknowledging its contribution to his

reformation process, Azhwar proclaims time and again, " nalam tarum sollai nAn

kaNdu koNdEn,

 

Narayana ennum nAmam " .

 

" nandru nAn uyya nAn kandukonden Narayana ennum namam " etc.

 

Azhwar is very categorical in dispelling the misconception that the road to

liberation is fraught with hard penance, involving diverse modes of physical and

psychological hardship " oon vAda vAda uyir kAvalittu tAn vAda seyyum tavam seyya

vENdA " . When Paramapadam can be obtained for the asking from the arcchA murthy

awaiting us in the neighbourhood temple, who would go the hard way, asks Azhwar.

 

True to this Azhwar's obsession with the Lord's arcchA tirumeni, his own

(Azhwar's) vigraham is a treat to the eyes as his prabandas are to the ears.

 

For readers who have not yet had the good fortune, adiyen would recommend their

visiting the Azhwar's birthplace and feasting their eyes on the ethereal beauty

and aesthetic perfection of Sri Tirumangai Mannan's arcchA form, and to gladden

their souls by reciting or listening to the Divine Bard's ecstatic outpourings.

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

Dasan, sadagopan.