DEIVATHIN KURAL # 05 (Vol # 7) Dated 03 July 2013

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 05 (Vol # 7) Dated 03 July 2013

(These e-mails are translations of talks given by PeriyavãL of Kanchi Kaamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. Today we are going ahead from page No 28 of Volume 7 of the Tamil original. The readers may note that herein ‘man/he’ includes ‘woman/she’ too mostly. These e-mails are all available at   http://Advaitham.blogspot.com updated continually)

42.           We had seen that Avvai Pãtti says that devotees of PiLLaiyar gets, good powers of expression and the ability to discern, the right from wrong and evaluate and choose between good and bad options.  Then only the power of speech can be useful as otherwise one will be talking nonsense.  So, a devotee of PiLLaiyar has both the power of speech and has good sense (வாக்குண்டாம், and நல்ல மனமுண்டாம்).  That is the idea further developed by Avvai Pãtti in another collection of poems known as 'நல் வழி' – 'Nal Vazhi' – the good path, teaching the child good attitude, manners and behaviour at various junctures as the child grows up.  In that one also she is praying to Vigneshwara at the beginning, in which she strikes a deal with PiLLaiyar, typically as a granny will handle a baby boy, telling him, "I will give you four things namely milk, clarified honey, heated and melted sugar and variety of nuts; and you only have to give me three things in exchange, simply 'முத்தமிழ்' – ' 'Muththamizh' that is all!"  What she is offering is in fact sweet milk candy and in exchange she would get from PiLLaiyar high knowledge and expertise in the three branches of Tamil namely, Iyal, Isai and Nãdakam.  That would be Iyal meaning all written Tamil literature and poetry, Isai meaning songs and the art of music and Nadakam meaning the art of drama including direction, casting and management!  Avvai Pãtti is really winning over the bargain with innate freedom of intimate knowledge for long.  In fact this lady is not one who had gone through the stages that woman normally go through.  She had requested PiLLaiyar for direct transfer to old age from being a nubile young woman; so as to by-pass the period in life, when you are attracted by as well as be the attraction for, carnal pleasures!  Thus Avvai Pãtti and PiLLaiyar are well acquainted with each other!

43.           That she is begging for being granted the 'முத்தமிழ்' is further authenticating AruNa Giri Natha's story about PiLLaiyar writing the 'முத்தமிழ்' on the Meru Mountain.  The title of her work 'நல் வழி' is what is known as 'Sat Gati' – 'सत गति' or the path of goodness!  'Sat Gati' is not the destination but only the way through life.  'Dharma, Artha, Kãma and Moksha' are the four aims of life mutually enabling and aiding progress.  Moksha is the final aim to be attained satisfying one's desires (Kãma), by using money and means (Artha); the basic approach and attitude being one that is righteous and morally correct (Dharma)!  Thus these four known as the 'four fold Purushãrtha' – 'चतुर विद पुरुषार्थ' must end in Moksha, isn't it?  That is how PiLLaiyar, having assisted and guided her throughout her life, also finally simply lifted her by his trunks and reached her to Kailãsa before Seramãn and Sundarar!

How Avvai Pãtti Reached Kailãsa

44.          This event is normally told in connection with the story of Sundarar.  Sundarar was a close friend of Siva, but had to come down on earth due to a very slight distraction.  Here on earth he was a good friend of Seramãn PerumãL, who was the King of Kerala known as 'Sera Nãdu'.  Normally the epithet 'PerumãL' is used to refer to Maha Vishnu only, as he is really the 'Big Man' of Viswa Roopa.  The only other person addressed as PerumãL the big man is the Seramãn whose name was 'Thirumãkkodaiyar'.  The capital of his kingdom was known as Thiru AnjaikkaLam.  He was a close friend of Sundara Murthy Nãyanãr.  Once, Sundara Murthy Nãyanãr while visiting the King had gone to the temple alone, when his friend was still bathing in the river.  He was singing poems of his own composition in his devotion for Siva that he was suddenly overtaken by emotions of disgust with this worldly life!  At that time he sang in total dispassion, a poem of his own composition (of ten songs known as Padigam), 'veruththen mana vazhkkaiyai vittozhinthen' – 'வெறுத்தேன் மன வாழ்க்கையை விட்டு ஒழிந்தேன்'; meaning that I am fed up with this worldly life, in absolute dispassion, as the last Padigam on earth!  (Here the 'மன வாழ்க்கையை' could mean 'married life' as well as 'this imaginary life of the mind'.  He had reached the end of the tether anyhow, which had caused his having to be born in this world, leaving Kailãsa, where he belonged!) I am calling this as the last of his songs on earth because he is supposed to have sung one more while on the move in the air to Kailãsa, 'thãn enai mun padaiththãn' – 'தான் எனை முன் படைத்தான்'!

45.          As Sundara Murthy Nãyanãr was singing in total dispassion, in Kailãsa, Swami was listening to it and gave instructions for his return from this sojourn.  He told Brhma and Indra to go with Irãvada the white elephant with four tusks, to bring back Sundara Murthy Nãyanãr from 'Thiru AnjaikkaLam', with due honours!  True devotees are given due respect even by such hierarchy of the heavens! Seramãn returning from his bathing saw the 'Path of Sky' – not the modern Air Ways – heavy with the traffic of the caboodle returning to Kailãsa!  He found his bosom friend was the main personage in it!  He got on to his horse and followed the lot and caught up with them shortly!  On the way, they saw Avvai Pãtti busy with her normal Pooja for PiLLaiyar and asked her, "Pãtti!  Why don't you also come with us, we are going to Kailãsa!"  She simply replied, "You see Children!  Having undertaken a Pooja, I cannot stop it in between, just like that, isn't it?  You carry on!  I will later think about coming to Kailãsa!"

46.          Avvai Pãtti continued with her Pooja as per rules that is, 'Vidivat'!  Point to note is that, despite having the deepest of devotion and love for PiLLaiyar, she does not leave anything to chance to go astray when it comes to doing Pooja as required and supposed to be done! PiLLaiyar wished to see the fun and took his own time in finishing the Prasãda of 'the mix of four items'!  Avvai Pãtti was not at all perturbed that PiLLaiyar was taking his own time, because PiLLaiyar himself had granted her the permanent imperturbable equanimity and poise of inner Samãdhi.  Then having done full justice to the Prasãda, PiLLaiyar slowly asked her, "So, You wish to go to Kailãsa, is it?  Before that you have one more job.  You have sung so many songs for the children of this world!  In all of them simply the first song is an invocation and prayer for 'Me' and that is all!  Not only you, every other poet too, cursorily devotes just the first poem for PiLLaiyar and 'Done' with a capital D!  It is not that I am annoyed or something!  But, I wish that you sing a whole song for me, myself!  Then I will think about reaching you to Kailãsa!"

47.          Avvai Pãtti was smarter still!  She replied, "Wherever I am, it is Kailãsa for me.  If you think that I have had enough of this worldly life and that you wish to send me to Kailãsa, it also O K.  You want me to sing a whole lot of songs for you, is it?  By all means I shall do that, but not so that you may take me to Kailãsa or some such thing!  To sing for you is all the bliss for me, call it Moksham or Parama Ãnandam! So, she sang the 'Vinãyagar Agaval' full of her esoteric experiences of Yoga and Siddhi by the Grace of PiLLaiyar, for the sake of informing the whole world about it all!  The moment she finished her composition, in one lift, PiLLaiyar reached her to Kailãsa, directly in Easwara's presence Sannidãnam! 

48.          After she had reached there, then only Sundara Murthy Nãyanãr and Seramãn PerumãL reached there!  They were wonder stuck and shocked beyond belief as to how this woman who walks only with a walking stick, could reach there before them!  Sundarar was mounted on a divine elephant and so could be very fast!  Seramãn PerumãL was able to chant the Pancha Akshara Mantra of 'Om Namah Sivãya' in the ears of the horse and that could almost fly like the Pilot Car in front of the motorcade!  Seeing the king flying like this, his escorts in their extreme loyalty to their king gave up their life by their own swords!  By that self-sacrifice, they all were entitled to a divine body as would normally be available to a person dying on the battle field for a rightful cause!  So they were virtually still piloting their King!

49.          Just imagine the procession!  Unable to continue to tolerate being separated from Siva's 'Sãlokam, Sãmeepyam and Sãyujyam' Sundarar said to be leading the pack on Irãvada Elephant is the last in the procession!  Unable to tolerate being separated from Sundarar, Seramãn PerumãL is leading him on horse-back.  His own soldiers not wishing to be separated from their King are piloting him, further ahead in their subtle bodies!  But this old woman with a walking stick is really leading them all, after finishing her Pooja and composing and presenting 'Vinãyagar Agaval' to PiLLaiyar, ahead of them all!  Sundarar and Seramãn were shocked beyond belief!  They asked her, "How did you arrive, by what means?"

50.          Pãtti answered, "Good question you people have asked and answer you, I must!"  She answered also as is her wont in a poetical form only, (which I am now forgetting, says PeriyavãL)!  The poem means something like this, "You see there is one elder son of the divine parents Siva and Parvathy.  He is a sweet spoken darling who takes care of his devotees!  For those who are ever surrendered at his feet, are foremost in his Grace that everything else comes only later, much later!"  Sundarar had been a close friend of Siva on first name basis.  So Avvai Pãtti did not wish to directly address him, in her reply to their query.  So she gives the reply addressing the Seramãn PerumãL – 'kizhaviyum kãdam kuthiraiyum kãdam kula mannane!'–'கிழவியும் காதம், குதிரையும் காதம், குல மன்னனே!' are the only words of the song as far as I could recall!

PiLLaiyar's AruL for 'Nãlvar'

51.          First an Explanation about 'Nãlvar'.  There are 63 Nãyanmãrs who have been much venerated as devotees of Siva.  Out of them the trio of great poets are referred in Tamil as 'Moovar' – 'மூவர்' – or the Trio; that includes Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar.  These three other than being great devotees are also great poets and also contemporaries!  For some reasons MaNikka Vãsagar, who is a great poet as well as a great devotee of Siva is kept out of the Trio but included in the 'foursome' or 'Nãlvar' – 'நால்வர்'.  The point I was going to make was that not only to Avvai Pãtti, but to Sundarar also PiLLaiyar has given much 'AruL' and 'Anugraha'.  Not only to Sundarar but to all the 'foursome' – 'நால்வர்' on various occasions! 

52.          Here at the Matam a Tamil scholar gave a lecture about an old Tamil song on Vigneshwara known as, 'Thiruvirattai MaNi Mãlai' – 'திருவிரட்டை மணி மாலை', in which there is a description of PiLLaiyar having one tusk, two ears and three eyes. The scholar mentioned that a fourth one as 'nãl vãy' – 'நால் வாய்' could have been added.  Here the word 'nãl vãy' is not in terms of numbers, but the meaning in Tamil as 'hanging' mouth, which the elephant has.  That reminded me about the four mouths of the great Tamil poets Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Vãsagar; who have given the Tamil World, Devotion to Siva and wonderful poems and their relation to the  'nãl vãy' – 'நால் வாய்' of PiLLaiyar!

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva