Friday, December 17, 2010

thirunyAnachampan^dha n^AyanAr - part VIII (The continuing victory)

thirunyAnachampan^dha n^AyanAr - part VIII (The continuing victory)
Returning back to the land made fertile by river ponni with deep devotion thirunyAnachampan^dhar prostrated the snakes ornated simple great Lord at thirukkaLar, pAdhALichcharam and other abodes that he had sung earlier and arrived at muLLIvAykkarai. The flood in the river swelling heavily disabling the normal boat traffic across, all the boats were tied in the banks and no boatmen present. The child of God saw the Golden form Beauty's abode thirukkoLLampUdhUr on the other bank. Zealous to see the Love who stole his heart the marvelous child untied the boats, asked all the devotees came along to get in and sang kottamE praising the pashupati who blesses the creatures to cross the ocean of birth peacefully. Divines grace led the boat smoothly to the other bank. Ran to the Blooming matted Lord's abode thanked and enjoyed His bliss with prostrating body. Wishing to worship the Supreme of thirun^aLLARu who was the Master of the song which was evergreen in the fire-proving argument at madhurai, he left to that abode saluting the Lord in the places on the way. Thanking the Grace he sang the Creator dancing in the cremation ground.

Worshipping thiruththeLichchEri, when they were crossing the pOdhi maN^gai populated with more Budhdhists, at the raising roar of devotees that sang the victory of chamoandhar over other philosophies, the Budhdhists irked came under the leadership of budhdha n^an^dhi. Their big gang disturbed the proceeding of the devotees. One of the devotees who used to write the padhikams that are sung by cambandhar cursed him that his head be cut off. By the greatness of his devotion budhdha n^an^dhi lost his head by the power of the words. Others got freightened and strew away from the place. Now Budhdhists realizing it clearly that they would not win with tricky and cunning ways asked under the head of chAri budhdhan for a discussion of philosophies rather than combat on mantric ways. Accepting a healthy debate for discussing the Truth, champan^dhar invited them for it. In a hall they decided and met. The shaivite devotees asked the Budhdhist scholar to explain the basis of the philosophy they adhere to.

The head of Budhdhists who had a very good knowledge of their scripture pIdakam told the way their adored philosopher and worshipped who gave birth to the doctrine attained liberation. When he was asked about the concept of liberation after some discussion he was struck that he could not put forward the answer that his philosophy could tell. To the bewildered Budhdhists champan^dhar explained the Truth as propounded by shaivam clearing their doubts. Those Budhdhists realizing the Supreme and the supreme philosophy adopted the vEdhic path of shiavam. The devotees rejoiced. (The philosophical discussion between thirunyAnachampan^dhar and chAri budhdhan is presented by chEkkizAr perumAn 914 - 925 thirunyAnachampan^dha n^AyanAr purANam)


Wanting to bow down to the Three-browed Lord the prodigy saluted thirukkadavUr. He inquired the devotees where the sage king of words thirun^Avukkarachar perumAn(1) was. They told him that he saluting and serving the sweet Lord of shaivites resided at pUn^thuruththi. With great enthusiasm to see and salute him champan^dhar went there worshipping the Heart of devotees. Hearing about the arrival of the saint who smashed the ignorance wherever he went, the sage of unexplainable greatness went forward to salute him even before he comes there. There being a huge gathering to salute champan^dhar, appar perumAn went without allowing anybody to notice him and joined the people who were lifting champan^dhar's palanquin and went carrying it proud of that boon. At that time something appeared in champan^dhar's mind that he asked where appar perumAn was then. The most modest unmeasurable fameful sage replied that he was holding champan^dhar's feet by the boon of the austerities. Shocked by appar's deed of love champan^dhar jumped out from the palanquin to salute him saying with shivering tone how could he do that. The humble sage replied what else he could do for the great thirunyAnachampan^dhar. The world which had seen only one Sun at the sky got blessed worshipping the two Suns with the coolness of their modesty at the same time.

Worshipping the Easily pleased who is propitiated by the five holy substances of the cow at pUn^thuruththi, the two eyes of vEdhic revolution reminisced their pilgrimages respectively. Hearing from champan^dhar appar perumAn was inspired by the affection of maN^gaiyarkkarachiyAr(2), kulachchiRaiyAr(3) and the way champan^dhar gave life and Holy Ash for the upliftment of the king n^inRachIr n^edumARar(4). champan^dhar got to know the far reaching pilgrimage appar perumAn did in the north from his nice words. appar perumAn was eager to visit the southern pANdiya kingdom and champan^dhar was enthusiastic to do the pilgrimage in the North. The two saints worshipping the Lord at that town, took leave from each other to meet finally in Lord shiva. champan^dhar sang the God at thirun^eyththAnam, aiyARu, thiruppazanam and reached in chIrkAzi. The vEdhic chanters of the town who were looking forward for a long time to salute the saint of chIrkAzi who won the fierce troubles of Jains in the southern kingdom, came with the melodious tune of the truth of vEdhas to welcome him. Along with them the young champan^dhar went to fall down flat on the ground and salute the Parents blissfully sitting on the boat at chIrkAzi.

Sending thirun^IlakaNta yAzppANar(5) with all felicitations to his mansion, he went to his home for his mother to rejoice meeting the son revered by the world. Staying there for some days worshipping the Lord, champan^dhar wanted to do the pilgrimage in the North. Asking his father to stay and worship the Lord of chIrkAzi in the scriptural way he along with devotees went ahead to devote the days in devotion for the Deedless Lord. On one more much acclaimed pilgrimage he traveled singing the Singer of vEdhas at thillai, thiruththinai n^agar, thirumANi kuzi, thiruppAdhirippuliyUr, thiruvadukUr, thiruvakkarai, irumbai mAkALam and came to thiruvadhikai. The Lord of vIrattAnam appeared to him in His blissful dance with the bUthams singing. In the peak of euphony he sang kuNdaikkuRatpUdham. The small boy of great love went forward to worship thiruvAmAththUr, thirukkOvalUr, aRaiyaNi n^allUr. Then he saw the Infinite Fire pillar's mountain thiruvaNNAmalai. On the first sight itself with immeasurable respect and love for the Lord he sang the mount uNNAmulai, which appeared as the Lord Itself. While he was at the abode he sang pUvAr malar .

He reached in thoNdai n^Adu(pallavA kingdom) first at thiruvOththUr. There one devotee grew palm trees for the Lord. Everything was male and not fruitful. The troublesome Jains of the town mocked at the devotee. The concerned devotee appealed to champan^dhar. At the thirukkadaikkAppu of the padhikam he sang, champan^dhar indicated, 'the male palms giving fruit', to vindicate the stand of the devotee. For the surprise of all and shock of Jains the palm trees immediately were seen with lots of fruits. The afraid Jains left the place with some deserting that faith for following the magnificent mahEsh. Praising the ax holding Lord at mAgaRal, kuraN^gaNin muttam he came to kAnychi. Saluting the devotees of the town who came to welcome them in a grand procession before they salute, the devotional young saint worshipped the Lord embraced by the Daughter of mountains at thiruEkambam. He saluted numerous other abodes in the town including kAmak kOttam, n^eRik kAraik kAdu, anEgathaN^gAvadham, mERRaLi. He offered the garlands of hymns on the covetable feet of the Lord at thirumARpERu, thiruvallam, ilambaiyaN^ kOttUr, thiruviRkOlam, thakkOlam, thiruvURal. Fearing to set his feet on the holy town thiruvAlaN^kAdu where the ruby of womenfolk kAraikkAl ammaiyAr(6) out of her never shutting spring of humblest devotion walked with her head to enjoy the bliss of His dance, champan^dhar stayed in an inn in the next town. The music loving Lord appeared in his dream that night to ask why he did not sing Him. Immediately in the midnight he sang the Lord thunychavaruvAr and the next day he saluted the Lord at the abode pazaiyanIr thiruvAlaN^kAdu with devotees. He submitted wonderful hymns and himself to the Lord at thiruppAchUr, veNpAkkam. With the ardor to worship the Lord worshipped by the hunter of unmatched devotion he went saluting kArikarai.

He reached the place thirukkALaththi very holy where the feet of kaNNappa n^AyanAr(7) the devotee of unthinkable love who showed though illiterate in the perspective of the world that the life of all rituals is the supreme selfless love than merely the ritual itself, walked rushed ran with all anxiousness about the safety of God and serving Him his sacred love in the form of meat. The sight of the Lord filling the eyes the young saint champan^dhar saw the love in his heart, the flawless simple river-headed Lord who is the bosom of that love with an ardency like the flood flowing into a well. As the custom of thamiz speaking not there to the West and North he sang the glory of the Lord of kayilai, thirukkEdhAram, kOkaraNam, thirupparuppadham (shri chailam), in^dhira n^Ilaparuppadham staying there itself. He stayed there praising the Lord for some time and then to salute the Lord of thiruvoRRIyUr he came back towards South.