Friday, December 17, 2010

thirunyAnachampan^dha n^AyanAr - part III (The Pearl shade)



Finishing his pilgrimage enjoying the blissful sight of the Lord seated beautifully with umA, ska.ndha on the majestic Bull in various places, the young matured child thirunyAnachapan^dhar returned back to chIrkAzi. The devotees and vEdic chanters of the town came forward with decorated filled pot and heart filled eagerness to salute the splendid prodigy of their town. Saluting those saluting crowd the small child of immense reputation and deep humbleness went with them to worship the wonderful wealth - the feet of Lord thiruththONiyappar. Sending thirun^IlakaNta yAzppANar to a beautiful mansion he went to his home. He resided in chIrkAzi with the Lord who resides on a boat in that temple residing always in his love scenting heart.



As he was in the age of upanayanam (a ritual to open the eye of knowledge for the young), the ceremony was arranged. The wise prodigy who had the milk of the mother who is the female form of the Lord who gave the vEdas and Agamas, was given the status to learn and practice the vEdas by the pandits. To their astonishment thirunyAna champan^dhar sang in the sweet tone the holy vEdas and AgamAs even before they start teaching him. Who needs to teach that blessed devotee who was given all the knowledge without any effort by the Lord Himself who is the source all possible knowledge ! The scholars of vEdas got their doubts on vEdas cleared with that marvelous child who was supposed to be given initiation ! Explaining the wisdom explored in vEdas, champan^dhar made it clear that it is the Holy Five Letters of the Lord that is the source and superior of all the mantras, singing the padhikam thunychalum thunychalilAdha pOzdhinum. Those knowledged people realizing the truth from his words saluted the Lord of chIrkAzi and lived in His feelings.

One of those fine days the king of inspiring words thirun^Avukkarachar (1) came to chIrkAzi to salute him hearing the marvelous hymns of the prodigy. As he came to know of his arrival the king of chIrkAzi - champan^dhar went to welcome and adore him thinking that was the covetable boon for his austerities. Seeing the sage of love, of strong and soft devotion, no care for bodily desires, the hands holding up the hand-plow to serve the Lord like his upheld determination of service, the sacred ash smeared over the body wet with the persistent tears of love thirunyAnachampan^dhar prostrated to that saluting seer seeing him as the appearance of the form of holy devotee in his mind. Along with the seer he worshipped the Lord of chIrkAzi with appar 's words of love. He took the sage to his house to host all the devotees feast along with the feast of his love. The two saints of mutual esteem stayed together for some days before appar perumAn took leave to meet again after worshipping the various abodes of the vast matted haired Lord.

The master of thamiz literature champan^dhar sang on the Lord of chIrkAzi many sophisticated song constructs like thiruvezukURRirukkai, mAlaimARRu with devotion not compensated for literatural beauty. His works are highly rich in terms of poetic similies and refreshing portrayal of nature. With the euphonious music of yAzpANar and madhaN^gachULAmaNiyAr he started his pilgrimage again reviving the feeling of devotion in the nooks and corners of the land. Paying tributes to the Attributeless he sang the Lord, traveling towards west at thirukkaNNArkOyil, puLLirukkuvELUr, thirun^inRiyUr, n^IdUr, thiruppunkUr, pazamaNNippadikkarai, thirukkuRukkai, anniyUr, pan^dhaNain^allUr, thirumaNanychEri. He sang the handsome hara in the wedding posture at thiruvELvikkudi and sang His being in thiruththuruththi in the nights. He praised the Lord at kOdikA, kanychanUr, mAn^thuRai, thirumaN^galakkudi, viyalUr, thirun^dhudhEvankudi, innambar, vadakuraN^kAduthuRai, pazanam, aiyARu, perumpuliyUr, thirun^eyththAnam, mazapAdi, thirukkAnUr, anbilAlan^thuRai, thirumAn^thuRai.

He reached in thiruppAchchilAchchirAmam to pray the Perennial Lord. The king kolli mazavan of the town had only one young pretty daughter. She was suffering from a disease called muyalakan. All the efforts to cure the ailment did not succeed. He coming in the heritage of surrender to the white ash-smeared Lord put his dearest daughter in the abode of the mitigating mahEsha. When he heard the rejuvenating news of the arrival of thirunyAnachampan^dhar he ordered to decorate the town with all good signs and welcome the devotee of the Delightful Lord. He came forward and fell in the feet of the child of God. Having his blessings he took him in procession through the town to reach the illuminated tower of the Lord's abode. The devotee of great love saw the pitiable condition of the young daughter. The saint who cried for the benefit of the entire world was sympathetic at the ailing girl. He saluted the Healing Herb singing to cure her disease. At the completion of his devotional prayer the young girl sprang up like a deer and stood with her father. The surprised and delighted kollimazavan fell and held the tender feet of champan^dhar, but champan^dhar was praising the unparalleled mercy of Lord shiva. Though he was a saint of matchless spiritual power, he did these miraculous deeds only by praying to Almighty attributing it to the glory of God and not promoting human worship.

Adoring the Lord of thiruppAchchilAchchirAmam he went to thiruppainynyIli, thiruIN^gOymalai to worship the Medicine on mountain. Then he continued his journey to the koN^gu n^Adu, the hilly north eastern thamiz land. He sang with melting heart the Lord on fierce Bull at cheN^kunRUr, thirun^aNA and various other beautiful abodes of the Beauty and stayed at cheN^kunRUr. That time arrived the terrific winter. The humans cladded themselves in wool and warm clothes; the hills cladded in white snow cloth; The Sun behind the fog and haze; The leaves of trees under mud; The festivities behind closed doors. The dreadful winter made the people fall sick shivering day and night. The devotees who came with the unperturbable thirunyAnachamapn^dhar appealed to him about their suffering. The child of God worshipped the God saying that even though it was the nature, Oh the Lord who stooped the terrific poison in the throat, let the sufferings not touch Thy devotees. (avvinaik kivvinai). Subduing to that order the painful fever got cured in that entire land that time.

Hailing the Lord at thiruppANdikkodumudi, venychamAkkUdal and other abodes the beacon of true philosophy turned towards east to continue his travel. Saluting karuvUr he came to the southern bank of river kAviri to salute the abodes in that side. He sang the thamiz vEdham on the Lord saluting His abodes at parAyththuRai, thiruvAlan^thuRai, thiruchchen^thuRai, thirukkaRkudi, mukkIchcharam(uRaiyUr), thiruchchirAppaLLi, AnaikkA, thavaththuRai, thiruppARRuRai, eRumbiyUr, n^eduN^kaLam, kAttuppaLLi, thiruvAlampozil, pUn^thuruththi, thirukkaNdiyUr, chORRuththuRai, thiruvEdhikudi, thiruveNNi, thiruchchakkarappaLLi, puLLamaN^gai - Alan^thuRai, chElUr, pAlaiththuRai, thirun^alUr, thirukkarukAvUr, avaLivaNallUr, thirupparidhi, thiruppUvanUr, AvUr, thiruvalanychuzi and numerous other places of the Prime God. Very many centuries back when there was no proper means for easier transportation, this child small in appearance but immensely great in purity of devotion traveled a huge distance to light the flame of shiva in the minds of masses. It took many seasons for this travel.

By the time they reached thiruvalanychuzi it was the burning Summer with the heat roasting the land. While the world was afraid to walk out on the fire of Sun, the prodigy who enjoys the presence of Lord and which is not stopped by the physical stresses continued his pilgrimage in spite of the heat. Wanting to go to pazaiyARai from thiruvalanychuzi, he walked with other devotees to ARai mERRaLi, thiruchchaththimuRRam saluting the Serpent coiled Lord and was proceeding towards thiruppattIchcharam. The comforting Lord of creatures blessing the firm devotee sent a bUtham with a pleasent chill brilliant pearl shade to hold over the devotee on his way. Praising the Lord's Mercy champan^dhar resided under that as the shade of the pleasing raised foot of Lord of Universe. He subdued himself in the abode of Lord of pattIchcharam and hailed His grace. He saluted the Lord travelling further at ARai vadathaLi, irumpULai with his mind delighting in the Honey of His feet.

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