Five Naayanmar by G.U.Pope

FIVE

NAAYANMAAR By

Dr. G. U. Pope.

T. N.

RAHACHANDRAN.

International Institute

of

Saiva Siddhanta

Research, ;

DHARMAPURA AADHINAM, DHARMAPURAM.

I.

I.S.S.R.

Price Rs. 7-50

Printed at:

QANAPATHY PRINTERS; MAYILADUfURAI-fl<

o

THE FOUNDER OF DHARMAPURA AADHINAM

His Holiness

Gumgnanasambandha Paramacharya Swamigal

FOUNDER OF THE The 28th

L L

S. S, R.,

of

1

I 1

I s

His Holioess

Shanmukha Deslka Gnanasambandha Paramacharya Swamigal

CONTENTS

Page Editor's

Note

The Lady of Karaikal

I

The Legend of Ka$nappa Nayanar or the 'Eye-Devotee'

6

The Legend of Candecuvara Nayanar The Young Brahman Cowherd.

16

Tirugnana Sambandhar

21

The

43

Life

and Legends of Sundara-Murti Nayanar

EDITOR'S NOTE. When

the

Research

was pleased

His Holiness

worthy book once humbly

in

Seminar on

to hold a

command

to

connection

with

an

suggested that

on

essays

work on Saivite

us to bring out a

the

Seminar.

be taken

at

up

for

and added:;

His Holiness

said

We

anthology of Or G. U. could

Naayanmaar

"Excellent"

publication.

A

26th

the

Holiness,

and 11th May, 1987, on "Aruvakaicchamayam",

9th, 10th

If

leave of His

Dharmapura Aadhinam

pontiff of

Pope's

the

sought

Siddhanta

institute of Saiva

International

Naayanmaar by a pious

Christian

is

With lightning speed the work of truly publication was undertaken and completed. a

desideratum".

This

anthology

reader can

a

truly

find for himself,

of the Periya

some

is

Dr.

hagiology,

had entered

Pope, th

into the spirit

Puraanam with even greater valiancy than

of our

acknowledged cognoscenti of the Twelfth Of course his narration goes amiss in one or two instances. But then his comprehension of the true Tirumurai.

message of

work of

the

St.

Sekkizhaar

is

amazingly

masterly.

The

histories

Ammaiyaar footnotes

and

St.

appended

is

St.

Kannappar,

Chandisar to

the

are

Kaaraikkaai

St.

from

the

version

of

reprinted

English

G.U.Pops. The Life of Tirugnaanafrom The Indian Magazine and Review,

Tiruvaachakam by

sambandhar

or

Or.

*&

London (May, 1886) as reprinted by the Tamil University Publication Series-4, 1955* The Life and Legends of

Sundaramurti Naayanaar

Deepika (1901, vol.

We

is

reproduced from the Siddf nta

V*),

have

added footnotes by way well as explanation wherever necessary.

of correctior

a*

By the grace of Grace, the Institute will be pub shing useful works in Tamil as well as English, and the world of Saivism,

we

are sure, will

welcome our

ear

endeavours

Dharmapuram,

}

115

J

1987

j N R AM ACH ANDRAI Honorary Director, International institute of Saiv

Siddhanta Research. Dharmapura Aadhinam, Dharmapur Mayiiaduthurai,

609001.

sst

THE LADY OF KARAIKAL

I.

Some of

the

relate to the

revivals It

in

legends

the

Tamil

the

first

between

period

and

of Qaivism,

few

a

Puranam

Periya

and second great

are

anterior to

both.

seems pretty certain that, while the Jains and Buddhists

were active and

triumphant everywhere,

apparently

were a great multitude of the faithful

were

the Covenanters in Scotland

by the persecutions to which they these was the 'Mother'

many of whose The legend

gives a

phases of South-Indian

'Mother' was the wife

still

who, like more zealous

saivites

rendered

were exposed.

who

of Karaikal,.

verses are

there

Among

was a poetess,

preserved.

most interesting picture of some life

a thousand years ago. A

rich merchant, of Karaikal, 1

a

of

The

whose name was Paramadattan ('Endowed with heavenly Her own name was Punithavathiyar ('The pure'J. gifts'). She was very devout, and especially careful to entertain

all

One day her husband received from some persons who had come to him on business a present of two mangoes, of a very superior devotees

Caiva

kind, which he sent

holy

devotee

came

that

home

arrived

This

condiment

she to

set

house as a mendicant guest

at the

before

present,

Soon afterwards, a

to his wife.

but she had nothing ready to rice.

door.

her

to

gave

offer

him and

him,

him

except some boiled

having

one

;

of -the

no

other

aforesaid

mangoes,

At

noon her husband

ate the remaining

returned,

mango which

and

pleased

after

him

so

his

meal

much

that

^"^

Him, she

serve

found a

offered a

mango

in

husband.

Being

sweetness,

and he

have

divine

everything. replied,

away,

*If that

and

not one with she

behalf, but

incomp* able

that

to

her husband, and so told

him

gave no credence to her words, but ro

>hly

is

reflected

me

so, get

fruit

this

to

like

however, to no which he embarked

from

one, but

in

a

quietly

,nd.

i

in

Ut ?rly

equipped a

hip

the

god

the

Pl^^iyan

to him, to

he had

whom

ea f

the

anc her

came bac

land,

1

a to

where he

great

he gave the

feared to

exceeding reverence.

md

of

accumulat

daughter, and lived in

whom

wealth,

sail for

set

time, re-embarking,

in

city

whom he retatined

1

took

the

made merchandise,

he

some

merchants A daughter was born

rth*

revealed

of his

great part

day, worshipping

married a

He

her.

a skilful captain, he

after

another

he

me

F

lovely in her

forthwith vanished.

matter,

on a lucky with sailors and where country,

thou gives

'If

things, he came to the was a supernatural being, and

wife

resolved to separate at once

then

more

/ent

wonderful

these

conclusion that his

it

!

it'.

husband

her

She

be disbelieved T

will still

she

that

another

my word

but behold

of the wife with

her

oug]

confounded by

and

;way

)een

fruit,

;

t<

iis?'

to reveal the wonder

found another

astonishment

India to

of

said in her heart to the god,

more

straigi

carried

had

When she carried

fortune,

she

was

it

gift,

no concealments from

He

which

hand,

and

prayer,

said to her, 'Where did you obtain

first

on her

never ucbci is muac wiiu

iiuu,

mental

her

a

She hesitated at

wrought

uic

g,tv^u

lux ry.

n

remain, but

:ne

br

After awhile his return and prosperity to his friends in

became known Karaikal^who resolved to compel him to

receive again his

first

kinswoman, whom tie had They accordingly proceeded to his new residence, carrying with them in a litter his saintly spouse, the wife, their

deserted.

'Mother 9 arrived

of Karaikal,

and was

When

he

heard

was seized with a

great

town, lie and proceeded with his where the 'Mother* was

dread,

second wife

and daughter to encamped surrounded by her kindred.

He at

once prostra-

ted himself with profoundest reverence before her,

'Your slave

saying,

happy here and prosperous through your To my daughter I have given your sacred

is

benediction.

name, and

had

she

that

halting in a grove outside the

constantly adore

I

you

as

my

tutelary goddess.''

Poor Punithavathiyar, utterly confounded by this salutation and worship, took refuge among her kinsfolk, who all cried

To

ouU 'Why

the

Paramadattan

this

a miracle, and

human

is

I

a.

and have dedicated

the same.'

I

within

'Lord, this

is

herself

my

hosts

me

who

That very

and

worship her as

my

work

so

the

have

I

my tutelary

daughter to

and

her,

I

call

Qivan the Supreme, saying

to

husband's

persuasion

!

Take from

have hitherto cherished for his

Remove from me

give to

this

wife?*

her

daughter of

being

worshipped her and

then the beauty that alone.

I

own

upon you to do But Punithavathiyar pondered the matter, and

therefore have

prayed

her,

and

no

is

supernatural

separated myself from divinity,

she

that

his

myself beheld

*I

replied,

know

but

race,

madman worshipping

this

burthen

of the

the form and features of one

evermore attend instant,

on

Thee,

and

flesh,

t

me sake

and

the

demon

praise

Thee*.

of

by the grace of the god, her

flesh

dried

r became

up, and she

whom

one

a demoness,

of

Qivan*s

the earthly world and the heavenly

reverence.

Then the gods poured down

a rain

heavenly minstrelsy resounded, and her

paid her adoration and departed.

and

a demoness,

world of

flc

relatives,

So she had

abode was the

her

fej

now

wild

i

ho:

be

jung

but through the inspiration of the god she

AlaftkUdu;

several sacred

which

poems,

are

preserved.

Afterwards there came upon her an irresistible des behold the Sacred Hill of KailSgam. and with inconcei speed she fled northwards

till

Mountain, and reflecting that

she arrived at the foot c it

was not right with

he:

heavenly ascent she threw herself down measured the distance with her head. The goddess \ to tread the

and

Civan's bride, beheld her thus ascending,

'Who

spouse, near,

a

is

is

the

that

fleshless

gaunt

energy of love

this

in this

To which

?'

"Mother" devoted

demon-form she has

d

fashion

strange

sustained

skeleton,

to

said

only by

ivan replied, 'She that coi

to

my

praises,

obtained

and

her

by

mi

this

V

prayers/

she drew near he addressed her with words of love, cal her by the

name of 'Mother*, which

As soon as she heard the word she ping and ejaculating

Father

Civan

/'

What boon does thou ask of me replied, 'Lord, to

and

no more I

me your

infinite blessedness.

may

;

but

never

if I

in

I

she

?'

his feet

then

fain

be

at

to

which is undy born on et

must be so born, grant me

any form,

said

be

wors

She worshipped

slave give love,

would

ever

for

fell at

any time,

at least

forget

1

Thee,

God; and when thou dost perform thy sacred mystic dai beneath thy feet in rapture

m

^

may

I

stand and sing thy prai

To which the God 11

^Tth^of-

replied, 'in

Alankadu thou shalt see mv ThCn the Sacre

faPtUre th U ShaU Sing ''

on her head to holy Alankadu. wher^she beheld'Th" God's sacred dance, and sang her renowned still

lyrics in

praise

1

is

his

,

)

Karaikal

is

a small town held by

forty-seven miles from

Alankadu (Vataranyam), a the shrine of the 'Mother'

Tanjore. forest of

Near

the it

banyan

is

French. the

It

famous

where

trees,

stands B

still

The legend

illustrates a remarkable feature in the Cmva worship of the south, where devotees are not infrequently adored as having become demons. Doubtless, this is connected with pre-Aryan usages, and the poems attributed to the 'Mother' of Karaikal present the most vivid

picture

of demon worship with which difficult

acquainted.

to

the

It is

We

not

have

and enthusiastic worshipper of Civan

sacrifices everything to the

duties

am

to imagine the source of this tradition.

the picture of a devout

who

I

god.

She

performance of her supposed misunderstood her by

is

who forsakes her, and finally, with She has built herself a chapel in the jungle, where she spends her days and nights in prayers and austerities and on her death is worshipped. The legends inappreciative husband,

scorn, repudiates her.

would soon accumulate, and the poems represent in dramatic form the artistic view of all the circumstances. A,

Perhaps a couple of millennia ago.

B.

Dr. G. U. Pope's identification of Vataranyam with Tiruvalangkadu is erroneous* Ed.-

C.

Pope need not have added

Ed.

this note to his narration.

THE LEGEND OF KANNAPPA NAY/ NAR OR THE EYElDEVOTEE The image of

South -Indian

renowned

this

>votee

stands in the temple at Kalanasti (Calastri) near the

He was

hills

caste

ulicat

Uduppur. and of the sh pherd 1 The (a Ve^an, or Hill-man; perhaps a Kurumban) a raja of

story represents his ancient clan as possessing great

and

occupation was hunting. there

now

where

in a wild hilly district,

authority

in feudal state.

There

is

The old

'ealth

vhole

their

ZamindSr wh

lives

chieftain, the fal

er of

a

Kannappa, whose name was Nagan (the Dragon-ma ), is represented to us as moving about attended by fierce h nting cilful dogs, armed with every kind of rustic weapon; a whose mountain-dwelling innumerable brest animals of every kind had their home, and where th< cries

archer, around

'shoot'!

'hurl'!

'strike'!

were

mingled

from morni

g

to

night with the bowlings of wild beasts, the barking oJ logs, and the sound of the horns and drums of the hunters

He had no

son, and therefore he and his wife w<

SUBRAMAN1YAN

of

the temple

(a

son of

ivan)

it

to

-the

favourite deity of mountaineers,

and probably a pre- ryan deity of the South, an object of worship, under many imes and forms, in every Tamil hamlet. To him o fared i

they cocks and peafowl, made great feasts with copious iibj ions of strong drink, performed wild dances; and, in fact,

according to the legend, after

the

rude

present day.

seem to have worshipped

fashion of the

The

result

was

demon worshippers that by the

tutelary deity a son was born to

luch c

the

favour of

heir

them who from

his

irly

childhood

shared in his

it is

up,

father's pursuits, like a

said,

expressly

The proud, happy

being brought

'tiger's cub'.

father used to carry

him about on

him one day too heavy to be thus borne, gave him the name of Tinnan ('the sturdy A He was one'), which remained his pet household name his

but

shoulder,

finding

.

erewhile to bear a

Soon

more honourable and enduring

after this the old

conduct the

to

longer

made over

expeditions of the tribe,

authority to his son, with

his

Henceforth our young hero with

himself unable any

finding

hunting

veteran

his

that

gigantic size,

and made

off with

Ti$$an pursued

it

is

fell

it

of a distant

had been caught

in their nets,

prodigious speed to the

and

in the

There

and

sacred

one

shade of a tree on

hill

of 'KalahattP.

of the

attendants

/CIV AN). he.

If

Hearing

the boar

we go

this the

'We

will roast the

But there

they

cried out,

thither

it

in

was no

came

in

boar

water at

and carried sight of the

At the view of the mountain

summit there was an image of 6

led

the slope

sword cut

the carcase of the boar till

it

and were astonished and

said,

refresh ourselves',

up some distance onward,

but

side.

exhausted with

till,

Tiiinan with his

attendants came up,

hand, so they took it

escaped,

mountain

with two faithful attendants,

delighted at his success,

here

alone this

One day a wild boar, of

huntsmen.

down

hill.

His

two.

whom

ever in the dense jungles

them a weary chase, and did not stop fatigue,

!

concerned.

is

history

chief,

title

the

that on that

mountain

*God with flowing

hair*

we may worship him', added

young giant Tinnan again shouldered

and strode on, exclaiming, 'with every

step that I

8

mountain

advance towards the

burden

the

of

th<

diminishes.

There

is

some miraculous

what

it

is*.

out

So

power

on with

he rushed

saying

mu!

I

here;

wt

bank of a

river,

deposited his burden, bade his companions

make

he came

till

eagerness

to the

a

fi

prepare the feast, while he himself hastened onward

beheld on the slope of the stream,

a

stone

lingam,

hill,

on the further bank

the

upper

birth;

deeds and

and

his

swallowed

austerities

some

in

intense love for the god,

in

now beheld

the image, tenderly

8

whom

son return,

lost

t

it,

and fervently

his soul dissolving like

kisse

wax

sunshine, he cried out, 'Ah,

wondrous blessedness/

slave this divinity has been

given!

remains

alone

here

bears,

elephants, tigers,

image more

had been recently strewn over attendant,

it.

poured

other wild

in

the

is

he

saw

upon

it

meantime

and

to

th

it

beasts like

closely,

ii

where

mountaineer

'Who can have done

who had

how

But

in a wildeness

and

though he were some rude the

f

.

embraced

tears of rapture,

examining

:

embrace him, so he threw himself

not, but rushes to

god

:

prepared by the

performed

As a mother, seeing her long

With

iron,

whole nature was changed, every feeling

up

time he

first

magnet draws the

which had been somehow

his soul,

of good

as the

it,

of whic

of the head of the god

fashioned into a rude image

moment he beheld

part

dwe

me?' that

green

1

this ?' said he.

come

up,

rep

when

In the olden time, tion, with

Brahman.

a

father,

your

came here on a hunting expedi-

I

remember,

I

poured water and placed leaves upon some mysterious words perhaps he

came,

this image, repeating

here

is

;

still*.

So

it

dawned upon the mind of Tinnan that these and other services, which he himself could render, might be acceptable to the

'But', said he, 'there is

god

He

him with food. an instant

yet

;

some of the boar's So, sight

moment

for a

I

cannot leave him

for

go

and bring for

him

and

perforce

cooked for

flesh

much

after

alone

is

must

I

no one here to supply

our

feast'.

and unwillingness to lose new found treasure, he went

hesitation

of his

crossed the stream, where he found the food already

back,

and

prepared return.

his

Tin.nan

servants

wondering

them not,

regarding

at the delay in his

took

some of the

boar's flesh, and cutting off the tenderest portions, roasted

them on the point of an arrow; tasted them, that they were savoury

them

;

to ascertain

selected the best'

carefully

putting

had sewn together; the woodland deity with his

into a cup of teak leaves which he

and prepared to return offering.

The

to

servants

seeing

all

very

this,

reasonably

and

concluded that their master had suddenly gone mad, hastened off

home

to take the

their tribe to return with

that they

news to ask the

them and

supposed had taken

Tinnan unconscious with the food in the other.

their

it

He

exercise the evil

spirit

possession

of their

lord.

departure,

hastened

back

one hand, and

As he crossed the

with water, with .besprinkled

of

which then

his

river,

coming took

priestess of

bow and arrows

he

filled

before, the

the

wild

his

mouth

image

jungle

in

he

flowers

10

from

own

his

the coarse boar's

Lord,

and put them over

hair,

had brought,

he

flesh

have chosen for thee the daintiest

I

carefully prepared them with fire, have softened them with my own teeth.

from

water

with

thee

the

(This presentation of food

itself

consumed the

offering,

comp. V.

is

my

g

and

<

and the imp the

that

13-16

but

;

from

never expressly said that the food disappeared the shrines, though this

sprii

and

Accept

believed

given that the worshippers

is

them,

have

I

often referred to in these stories,

is

images

:

portions,

tasted

LTNGAM

the

to

presi

saying

stream,

put on thee flowers thou mayest love

ion

and

it,

:

b<

sometimes implied.;

Meanwhile the sun went down, and during the w night Ti$nan with his arrow on the strung bow kept \\ and ward around the god. and at dawn went forth tc mountain to hunt, that he might provide for the daily ^ of his new master.

Brahman ascetic

came

While he was gone on

charge

of the

of renowned

virtue

in

at daybreak,

this errand

LING AM, who was

a lea

and holiness, Qivagschar

and having performed

his

own

ablutioi

the river, provided himself with a vessel of pure

watei

the purification of the divine image, and a basket of sa flowers

and

uttering

the

A

of unutterable

scene

fresh

myslic

leaves

Five

for

Syllables,

pollution

adornment,

its

devoutly

drew

r

met his horrified

Flesh and bones were strewed around, and the image

had been flowers

/

defiled

With

with

filthy

trembling

water

horror

of gods/

and he

i

common sprang

what unhallowed

a;

exclaiming, Oh, god imp hands of mountaineers have brought these pollutions I

11

How

thou

didst

So

presence?'

he

saying,

anguish before the god.

was wrong

to

delay

to

according

the

Vedic

the image,

and

many

it

service,

things

from 'the

he

daily worship

having

times gone round

and prostrated himself

in

sacred

perform his

rites:

profone thy

that at any rate

unhallowed to

to

down, and rolled

the

longer

the

appointed hymn, and

fell

But, reflecting

and proceeded

precincts,

thus

wept,

any

removed

carefully

them

permit

sung

the

the right of

in adoration, departed to

his hermitage.

Meanwhile

the

servants,

having

Tinnan's madness to old Nagan,

him and

the priestess of their

attempted

to

him

recall

but

to the

wild

its

they,

the

news of

returned with

demon temple

They both enthusiast, and to

with

the young which he had been accustomed; delighted him no more. His whole

worship to

orgies

was

affection

so

reason

taken

his father,

centred

regarding

the

upon

him

as

new found

hopelessly

mad

Civan; returned

sorrowing to their village.

(One object of this legend seems to be the reconciliation of the orthodox Caiva worship with the ruder forms of

demon worship then

when

striking

Brahman

the

and the

abomination, a man's

The

contrast

refined

and

thoroughly

with his scrupulous attention to

of vedic worship, crime,

in use.

who regarded

mouth was

polluted,

all

exceedingly instructed

the minutiae

the slaying of animals as a

eating of their

and considered

is

an unspeakable that whatever had touched

and

flesh

that

as

the

wild

human

inhabitants of the jungle were a lower order of creation,

brought

face

to

face

with

the

youthful

chieftain

is

of an

12

almost savage

whose chief

tribe,

slay and devour the

boar's

carries

water

in his

image,

who

actually

hunt lown,

mouth wherewith

to

who

forest

unpolluted Civam to

flesh for the

brings

delight is to

and beasts of the

birds

and

ea

the

5

besprinl;

slippers to

brush

away the refuse leaves from the head of the go< knows no sacred texts; and who worships the sam

who

uses his

leathern

commend him

indeed, but has nothing to

god,

save a ru

and

e

uninstructed though zealous devotion.)

Meanwhile the mountaineer guards the god by light,

service,

and spends the day in providing

duly

comes the pure

having scrupulously precincts,

men

flesh

made

and performs

his

his

and

of be*

own

exclusive

ablutions,

ceremonious

so different serve by turns before the

which they both regard

clear es the

worship.

These

same LI?

jAM,

so-

The Brahmac makes

pollutions, the author of which he cannot trace.

returns to his hermitage, sad

the night the

god

and

these

Thy

rival

ministrant

But in

is

to

me most d

a chieftain of

tl

He is absolutely ignorant of the vedas texts. He knows not the ordinances ofworshi

foresters.

HIM,

His rough and

regard the spirit

gigantic frame

is

him 3 :

and thus address* is

and motive of h

instinct

with

then

s

1

sorely perplexed

appears to him,

^That which thou dost complain of

regard not

for

Br hman,

appeal to Civan to guard himself fro:

a passionate

Caiva

ts

with equal reverence/

But this cannot long continue

acceptable/

rude

:

At dawn, when the young woodir n has

the god's repast.

departed,

perform h

eventide to offer his gifts and

returns at

love

ir 5

and rude

id the

But ;

;o

acts.

me,

13

whole

his

thine

knowledge-in

summed up

in the

crass

eyes

ME/

knowledge of

ignorance-Is

His every action

dear to me; the touch of his leathern slipper

me

as that of the

to

me

to

so

abominable-is

He

externals of the worship. dost; but I

come to-morrow when thou

slept

in hiding

no more

food he I

is

holy

offers

me-

regard

not the

shalt see his worship,

devotion to me*.

but

that night,

who knows

mouth

his

at daybreak

behind the LIftGAM by the god

Civan,

The

loves me, evenasthou

utterly

will give thee proof of his

Brahman

now

The

pure love.

pleasant to

son Skanda,

me from

as the water of the Ganges.

thee

and

my

hand of

tender

water with which he besprinkles

is

the hearts

is

of

The

was put

himself.

And

his worshippers,

order that Tinnan's truth might be manifest,

in

caused blood

The of the image. young worshipper drawing near beheld this, and exclaimed, 'Oh, my master, who hath wounded thee? What sacrilegious

to

trickle

hand,

down from

my

evading

the

right eye

has wrought this evil?'

watchfulness,

weapons he proceeded to scour the or wild animal neighbourhood to see if any mountaineer

Then

seizing

his

could be detected as author of the mischief.

he threw

himself on the ground in despair:

reflected that he

the flow of blood

Finding none, but at length

had heard of remedies which would staunch

So he went and sought out

in the jungle

the wound some herbs of virtue, and applied them, but idea struck him: bled all the more copiously. Then a happy 'for

a wounded eye the remedy

another eye applied' said with his arrow he scooped

is

pausing not an instant, it to the bleeding eye of out his own right eye, and applied At this at once the blood ceased to flow/ image, from which his rapture knew no bounds. he; and,

14

He

sang

and

and

danced,

uncouth

forth

poured

at the

expressions of ardent thanksgiving; but: on looki:

i

image once more,

om

other eye. his

moment

After a

countenance

gladness; for

lie

blood was seen issuing

alas/

was

lit

has

still

of the remedy has been

one eye

and th

efficacy

he raise

himself

left,

tried already; so

of

ght

radiant

a

with

the

sorrow,

or two of bewilderec

up

I

ng

eye.

er

see,

where to apply the remedy; and proceeds to scoop other eye. But this last sacrifice is too much f<

>ut

the

to permit

frGAM

up,

his

puts

that he

foot

may be

he puts

to

able to

a

enthusiast,

stay thine hand, shall

feel,

sacred

the

image's

be

my at

and

loving son/

and

Civan

L

the

the

of

says:

on

Tinman,

'Stay,

my

thy

the

?ady to

arrow

Henceforth

hand,

right

lor

grasps that

holds

still

intention,

my

suflfe

when he can no

hand,

who

accomplish his pious

ever

up to

be consummated; from out

forth

youthful

close

ace for

]

tiount*.

holy

giVAGOCHARl had learnt the lesson, that LOV AND SELF-DEVOTION ARE MORE THAN CERE1V 3NIAL ,

PURITY, and

fell prostrate;

to

a!ge

devotee

:

1.

adored under

who gave

his

his

heaven

while the choirs ol

chaunted the beatification of the title

Saint,

of

who

is

3m age

f

KAN>T-APP>

SI-

eyes for the service of his

These tribes occupied what was called

jod.

thi

land, the district lying between the Palar and the Pallavas, and annexe PeijLiiar, formerly under the

:

Qora kingdom

the

Toygai srt^eM to the

in the eleventh century.

sudden illumination and influx of devout feeling towards Civan, the Supreme, is in strict ace rdance with the fundamental dogma of Karma, 'old deeds'. 2.

This

15

which

after many transmigrations, at the suddenly, appointed time yield their assured, though long-delayed fruit. (See Pope's NALApIYAR. pp.66-69J This subject

demands the

study of

careful

who

all

any Hindu system.

insight into

Tiruvaeagam (Lyric XV9-12J

3.

He

the legend. reference

would gain an

is

stanzas that

name

does not

This

obvious.

would be

is

refers to this part

the

but the

devotee,

one

of

unintelligible but for the

f

very

many

key which

a knowledge of the legend puts into our hands. 4. The idea is one expressed with marvellous energy and beauty by Hebrew prophets (Micah vi.6-Sj Horace's

lines

will

occur to the student:-

aram

'Immunis

si

Non sumptuosa

aversos

Mollivit

Farre 'If the

with

Pioet

manus.

tetigit

blandior

hostia

Penates

saliente

mica.^'

votary's hands are pure, they propitiate th

the

humblest

offering,

and would not

gods be more

persuasive with the costliest'.

A

This

B

Lord Siva exclaimed:

name was

repeated by

given to

tfpna

him during c<

thrice.

his christening. Ed.

Stay Kanii-appa!" This was

Ed

THE LEGEND OF CANDECUVAR

i

NAYANAR: THE YOUNG BRAHMAN COWHEI In a town in the C5ra country, called CeynaP Brahman boy was born, whose name was Vicara-cari who from his earliest days instinctively understoo

whole

when

(Jaiva creed; so that

him he met them with

the

came

the sages

recitation

of the

ess<

doctrines of the system, which he nad grasped by a

c c

be permitted to repeat the articles

may

summed up

creed, as these are

are from

To

bound

and

He who

eternal release, -the

performs

Acts

five

the

legend:

the

itial

vine

his DU!S

chains of impi "ity

of

is

eternal

reve led.

is

preserva

creation,

one Lord (PATHI), who possesses the eight

of absolute

independence,

of form,

purity

understanding, absolute knowledge, all

'All

and gracious deliverance.

destruction, "envelopment", is

in the

:nar,

destroy that impurity, and to give to these souls in nite

felicity

He

everlasting fast

in the

a

-,

to im ruct

intuition

It

D.

bonds,

infinite

He utes

spontar ;ous

rom

natural freedom

and boun less

endless might,

grace,

attri

on,

blessedness

His

name

performs

his

fCATTI), therefore

Civan,

is

gracious

who, the

we

we

*

say

will

are born here as

Him do

is

forth

Lord.

He

the

ei

srgy

an

is

one with Him, all,

as

He

is

the d 'ine

be loved and worshipped,

this in

human

Great

putting

Mother of

divine

we

by

as a person*

Father, and must with

can

acts

the

some

vJor

future birth",

beings for this

and

no

c

for

her

17

purpose

and the human

;

transmigrations tiH

is

form

in the infinite

to-morrow our dedication of ourselves,

not

the

of our

day

ourselves

Therefore

death.

of Civan's

of grace,

gift

series

Nor should we

hard to attain unto.

of

defer

we know

since

must we

avail

studying the sacred

Agamas and other works, without doubting, or commingling of perverse interpretation. This is the of life/'

WAY

One

down

day, together with his school companions, he went

bank of the

to the

river

man

grazing in charge of a

where the village cows were

herdsman

ot the

This

caste.

rustic, having no sense of right and wrong, beat one of the cows with a stick; but Vicara^arumar was vehemently

stirred

this

by

wrath, restra ned ;

and rushing up

him from

striking the sacred animal:

not', said he, 'that

you

of Qivan sages,

The

five

products

adornment of the refuse/'

devote

for the troop of

the

rustic,

sacred

who

And

his devotees are

easily

made from

and accordingly sent

cows;

And

departed.

to

bank

of the

troop

them

in

of

permission

the

beautiful

river

grassy glades

peacefully

to

graze

all

their

and

Manni,

he

and their

green fill,

thus

away our

As such

the Brahmans of the

kine;

take charge of their

town

are the

the task of herding and caring

reverentially

obtains

the

he conceived a desire to

this idea

to

are

the ashes which

hero became a self -dedicated Brahman herdsman.

he

'know

dwell.

creatures

sacred

of these

upon

himself entirely

stream

purifying

God and

Dwelling

in great

members the gods, the

in their

?

sacred

unguents of Civan.

sacred

to

cows have come down from the world

to this earth

and the

him

outrage

daily along the

leads

forth his

pastures,

allowing

and supplying

them

for

household

his

each cow at

"While

its

and then at

Worship;

owner's door, he goes to his

on

went

things

in

hom>

manner.

this

cows

e

1

were joyous and by

waxed fat, of nilk for and abundant streams forth poured night day more The Brahmaus found that they 1 id their owners. The d. milk than formerly for their offerings, and were gl brisk e solicitude, w< with increased

daily in beauty,

cows, tended

such

unvarying

and though separated for awhile fi >m their ed not calves that remained tied up in the houses. gri< r young a whit, but with awaited the coming of th<

and

cheerful,

joy

crowding aroi like tender mothers,

One took him

an ecstasy of joy; when the Supreme

father

his

n

tt

White Bull, immediately appeared hovering in the young devotee prostrated himself before the holy

the

e in

nothing had occurred, Dut

the goddess,

divine arms, saying, 'For

to

maimed

fel

The enthusiastic boy

and dying to the ground.

as if

its

quaintness

is

etymol gically

21

TIRUGNANA SAMBANDHAR. The Sage whose name whole Tamil people

known by

is

dearest

probably the

title

and

sanctity

of Vedas.

His

the

to

Gnana

of Thiru

His reputed poetical effusions

Sambandhar. authority

is

have

history

all

the

fills

the

Second Kandarn of the 'Great Legendary History', A and

is

given in 1,256 quatrains or 5,000 lines. In the collection of the

three

by the

great

DEVARAM 384

devotees)

(hymns composed

are

ascribed

him.

to

These consist of eleven quartrains each, the eleventh always containing the poet's name,

He seems

to have been,

though

a

mere boy,

the greatest leader in the 2nd Saiva revival, and

nearly

from

his

days the Buddhists and Jains disappear from South Indian

The legends are very remarkable, and many phases of Hindu thought and feeling

illustrate

history.

(His date later

P.

a matter of dispute; but

November

Pillai in

1891, etc.)

can hardly

be

(ShiyaliJ

or

thirty-eight

Tanjore

Madras Christian College Magazine,

8

Gnana Sambandhar was

Thiru

Brahmapuram, miles

district..

rigt'd

a

north-east

many

$laivites,

celebrated

of

in

it

begin

with

his

Sri-Kazhi

old city about

[Kumbakonam,

aloof

holding

actively propagated

of his history

born

His parents were of ancient

worship and system, of which time

it

than the ninth century A.D. (See articles by Professor

Sundar^m

race,

is

from

third

year.

the

Brahmanical other

every

seems there were

around them.

in

at

that

The wonders Having come

22

from

to eartb direct cjiild,*

of his

reminiscences

he had vague

a

human

ancient

home,

though born

Siva's presence,

im*ive sobbed and wept with an .in; art not unfrequently fether his human for his divine Master,. One day longing

usi

his duties as ^ent to the Temple to perform for the child, with an unconscious yearning

induced to return to the

toakhim

after

him,

house.

So

rushed

Father's presence

to the Temple, and left the

divine

his

i-ot-be

and could

little

srforce

father

the

boy on

and

tl

When

of the tank while he performed the daily ceremonies. the child,

into the water

he had gone down

tottered back into the shrine sobbing

the

Mother the

'/

c The Gocl heard the feeble words

child,

.

and bade

Uma

missii

er

came

jwn to

SATTf. fountain and source of

witii

;

once

an

her

she is 5,

wipe

sdothing words gave him the cuj

became

;

m

and kno

action, grace

sie mingled supernal wisdom with the draught

and

fr

Beii

the manifested energy of Sivan's transcendental

ht*ffer

first

sumptuous sacrifice to Siva and then to supply tl of all the devout inhabitants of Sri Kazhi. The fati

home way,

and the young devotee worshipping and singing sacred

rejoicing,

accompaniment of the minstrel's shrine.

lute

;

a

needs

;

went proceedec on his to the hymns

(yazh),

5r

a

every

These hymns are rythmical praises of tl all the names and with ail the attributes an

Recognised In the Saiva books

c

s

God, forms

but they rarely conti n

any-

thing worthy of spcial notice. 8 The next incident of in srest is connected with the town of Dharmapufam, wh re his minstrel's mother and other relatives' dwelt. There,

surrounded by the admiring kindered, his

choicest

tunes,

and sang over

all

the minstrel

the

played -

lyrics

tat

his

had composed, while they exclaimed that his iciody for ever sound throughout the world N w the word that signifies 'melody' bears also the aificasi.

don of renown.

Hearing

their

praises,

and

fea

ng to

29

appropriate to himself the glory that

belonged only to his youthful master and to the god he went and threw himself begging him to compose some verses should be so sublime that it would be out of his

at the

feet,

poet's

which

power to

them with an

fit

a lyric in very

sang

instantly

The

accompaniment.

poet

to which

metre,

irregular

when

the minstrel tried to play an accompaniment he failed utterly, and was so overwhelmed with humiliation that he

was about to break

his lute" on the ground; but

took the lute and said to him: *O Brahman.* thou break thy

Can the

lute?

Can the

instrument?

why

praises of Siva the Supreme,

greatness

of their glory be

measured by the execution of thy hand? Take thy contented mind, play, thy simple melodies with

bowed

his head,

and

lute,

and

praising as

The humbled minstrel took

best thou art able/

should'st

be measured by the strings of

and of Parvathi the mother this

Sambandhar

his lute,

retired.

sweet unconscious Perhaps, he needed a leason in that of the youthful least humility that seemed to be not the devotee's admirable qualities.

And now

the poet

is

brought

of into closer connexion with several of the Siva devotees, from the there seems to have been a succession

whom time

of

Manicka VachakarJ

These

all

seem to have

reverence and affection. regarded him with the profoundest - the child among the doctors.* We It is a sweet picture

have seen

About

it

elsewere/

this time

he

is

said to have raised

a

Brahman

came there to meet Merchant from the dead> One day, was renowned him a devotee called Muruga Nayanar who of Siva, for his devotion to the temples

which

he

always

30

with

supplied

four

species

i

of flowers-those fro

them

system affords scope for

mance of

ir

from

into choice garlands.

(1

ie

Saiva

in

th<

perfor-

An

where

they

all

tastes

then

came

He M Appa Murti,

another devotee-whose

met on

speciality

was to spend

it

and way by

b n, the

by and subs ance in

recount

we may

history

to

joined

again

a prolonged tour, and were

made

by-whose

men of

their devotions).

the great teacher

trees,

th<

those fiwn creepers, those from the -water, and tbe grcHi*weaving

r

his

all

providing incense for Siva's altars

At

him

Ms

a deputation from

this time

He

glory, as

hesitated, longing to

he had seen

the god appeared to

him

dismissed

it

when

the

a

in a dream,

little

messengers,

i

iplormg of

behold his master's loved

shi

His

all

biat

ne;

ailasam

coming from

and showed him

in a heavenly chariot,

had seen

much

that

in

it

arrived,

the adva tage

own people

to return and give his presence.

home

gl<

:y

as tie

child.

The next mo ling

telling

them

that

t

he

God

e

revealai His glory everywhere.

Now desolate.

conn ry

was

appeared, to Sauibandhar a ,d

Appa

came a famine and the whole But the

Murti. biddimg

God

them go

to

to

ttic

day-w ere

th^y

the temple the

eastern altar, fee other to the western eaioh

on<

id this, They monas in two themselves pi^^ 4n and established separate > the east and west, and fed daily all that came them.

would

find coins

sirfloient

the

for

day.

At length the rains fell, the fields were covered and all living things again rejoiced! And now famous

episode

of the

temple gates had been

Gates

closed

so

of

w

h

cc

nes

none

cou

,

Th.ese

Vetharanyair

that

crops the

i

open

31

them, from the time that in the most ancient verse of the Vedas had been there.

dy

tkt *ai

Hone hat! Appa Murti now sai* a sung

succeeded in opening them.

which had

the

e%er

we

of opening them, and Sambandhar sang another which shut them. So from that time forward these verses have always effect

Jr r |j?e ,

opening and shutting of the principal gates of

We come now

thi*

to something nearer to

While the two Siva apostles remained an embassy arrived from Madura, obtained absolute sway.

hi*u>rv

in

There the

}***i

The king known in

at

as Kun-Pandiyan, or the

Suntharan (the

Hump-backed, beautiful), had become a

a*

10

system; and. as the legend says, 'like king,

**

the country was. over-run with devotees*

defiled,

noose, 'who wore a

who

%^>r

had

with heads from- which every hair

mouths were

as

carried

an

is

in

of peacock

bunch

hands, whose garment was a mat

hke

whose

minds were impure, who ate their food This is an enemy's loins were ungirt.

and *N**e 01

unfaithful. But the probably not quite who was a daughter of the Chola king, to her ancestral religion-

the Qvieen pf

Women'.

tber. Vv.

kinp'%

:*

M'iV^

Her name was Manga'.wrU*^, She

is

canonised as a

The prime minister of the kingdom the Clan' name was 'The Road ot -two secretly performed

*

the

rites

Siw

*vr*

also a Siva saint.

. 1, ,e

-

Tru

of the Si.a

^

1

^

unknown

trustworthy messengers,

Sambandhar

to

invite

to

the king,

to visit their city.

The youthful Saint received the envoys courteou at

Appa

Murti

and

ed

once determined to accompany them: but

represented

of the

the danger

dissuade his colleague from

answered him by a

expedition,

undertaking

poem which

said

Sambandhar, your province

remain, while

kingdom'.

I

am

called

is

to a

So Appa Murti

the

mission

saint,

'No,*

land

Here

in the

idiyan

P;

ehind,

remained

unwillingly

to

ndhar iat he

him

Chola

in

ti

Saint

it

so impressed

declared his intention of accompanying

and

ly

as

and the young apostle with the pompous paraphern Ha a Siva guru, chanting ever

out on his progress to

Madura.

terrified

by

together

to

The evil

heretics

Madura

name was afterwards they

contest.

hand,

on

omens and to

that overwhelmed them.

jains,

the

five

mystic

the greatest expedition

warned

all

tell

of

hil

were

dreams,

an

came

one another

of

be renowned

the

The Queen and

King,

and

as

destr

good omens and

now

and conducted

him

to

the other

th

enc< iraging

dreams, and foreseeing the destruction of the herel the revival of the true faith, were exceeding! Hearing the Saint's approach, the prime minist forth to meet him,

whose yer of >r

prepared

the prime minister on

were cheered with

dread

th<

At the approach of him to

life

hif

eight

their

frightful

s,

syllab

the

gi

and

?s

glad. r

at

neglected shrine of Siva, where the queen awa ;ed

arrival.

He

entered with an amazing

set

pomp of

a

went but his

;ending

devotees, while the sacred shells resounded his pra es proclaimed that the destroyer of heresies had arri\ d.

and

By

33

the care of the Queen, he

was accommodated within

a

and thence went forth to survey the city at eventide edifices, once so sacred, and

fitting pavilion;

and

all

its

returned in state to his pavilion.

The

Jain

could

devotees

endure

no longer,

it

but

presented themselves before the King with sad countenance.

'Why

are you so sad?' said he.

into your royal cty of

from Srikazhi

Madura

'Your

majesty,

Brahman

Saiva

the

this

day child

Chola land, reputed to have received

in the

divine wisdom, has arrived, borne aloft in

a

with pearls, with

conquer us

his attendant devotees, to

litter

inlaid in

argument; and we are resolved by our magic incantations to burn him in his pavilion. He shall either flee or be consumed'.

'So do',

said

great perturbation, sought his his distress, inquired

its

and was

my

life,

both parties hold a disputation, we ourselves, as

is

fitting, to the

and

King,

in

The Queen saw

chamber.

cause,

She replied: 'Lord of

affair.

bewildered

the

told

the

whole

be not angry;

will

if

listen,

and join

side'.

The King

conquering

assented, and his excitement was calmed. The Jain devotees

were not

was

set

those fire

now

By

idle.

on

who

fire.

their machinations the Saint's

But can any

charms, prevail

devoutly chant the mystic

refused to burn. set fire to the

course

evil

The

Jains,

building on

'five

pavilion against

syllables?*

The

confounded and in despair, all sides.

Sambandhar. of

was unharmed by the flames, which he quenched but thinking that the king was the an hor verses;

with sacred

into of the treachery, he prayed and sent a burning plague in extreme agony from the frame of the king, who was soon

The Queen and prime minister hastened administered the court physicians came and

a consuming to

him

fever.

34

reroutes,

few

tie

btit

increased until the king lay at

The jain devotees now gathered

piint 0f delth;

sttdted the patient with their

and exhausted

charms,

fell

they sprinkled

he cried,

fir6, till

The

upon 'All of you begone', remembering th'at

burMtht

in

and

the

manner

like

muttered;

the holy water

flames of senseless.

fell

the Lord Siva had in

three towns of

atid'had therefore doubtless to

their arts;

around;

feathers,, tnit

the agonised patient as

prinie minister;

the old time

all

peacock

Asurar,

guilty

sent this

and when

thte

iff ttfe Kiiil's ear

tfdly

name of Sambandhar was pronounced his faintness left him and thinking by a

that the-

inspiration

Saint alone

sufferings, he exclaimed, 'Call the sacred

Hither,

I

relieve

his

Gnana Sambandhar

Queen was overjoyed and with all her attended by the prime minister and nobles, repaired

ladies,

ffie

to tie Saint's lodgirig, aid, telling

to

and implored him to come to

their

Sambandhar came

forth

him the whole *I

saying,

repaired

must

first

"story.

know

the

will of

the shrine of Chokkanathar and

^acrl'd lyric, received :

ascending Bis

litter

permission

and

destroy the heretics

tfed

could

become the adherent of him who shall heal

will

riiy di'sease*.

and

fever

be sent

avenge his servant, caused the holy stranger to

fbi;

the

to

go forth to

name

glorify the

the

singing sil'ence

of Siva.

with solemn pomp, the loud

God', a

and

Then,

voices ol

Heralds sotinding out, he proceeded towards the palace,

White the Quden in her royal chariot faithful prfitie minister led the kffiicted Kiiig.

His resolve thatt

Th6

way

came behind and

to the presence

the

of the

came, and the king repeatec he wotiM become the a|

I

and

was aroused from slumber by feeling

again

arose

in

*

old

pertinacious

now

the adjoining

Sometime

Sundarar's

by

this old brahman's feet pressing his head.

arose,

Apfa

to a place called Tiru Vathigai,

Soon an old brahman came

monastery porch.

his

avoiding

his experiences are sufficiently grotesque 6 :

Some of

for example, he once

to

.for

of being considered a

infer too that this date

I

.

odd reason

is an.,

time after the two other saints, Sambandhar and

Murti.

is

it

that, he refrained

his

feet.

voice

slumbers

On say:

rising

were at

he took up in

position surely

length

" Sundara/

disturbed to

by

expostulate,

knowest *thou

me

a,

the

',

he

not?

i

**

But the old brahman had disappeared, and the sage knew now that his Master was fulfilling the promise he made to

him on

His

first

his quitting

]

]

Kailasam.

;

marriage

Meanwhile one of the two damsels with whom he had been enamoured

in Civan's paradise,

and whose

name was

she was Kamalini, was sent down by Sivan to Arur, where

I

l

born

a

as

dancing

exceeding habit

of visiting

there

to

the

the

sing

daily with her

temple praise

of

they did not recognise felt

union,

both

by it

one

of them.

said

is

At

this

in

Sundarar

period

life

were

benediction

and

neighbouring

although flame'

'ancient

himself came down

and

was.

it

down

settled

a

to

quiet

and obtained great renown a devotee whose prayers and

of

villagers

exceeding

value.

were

the

in

Some

the

of

of

habit

paddy and

Paravaiyar's storehouses with

filling

of

pulse

every

description and she was evidently a thrifty housewife.

famine came

The chief patron,

of Sundarar was

a petty

if

chieftain

we

call

of the crops appealed to Civa especially

of the

Saint

to

whom

with

largesses.

piles

of

the temple refrain

forth

and

of which

for

us."

on behalf

longer

send

the

to

onvey them

information

one of 'Bid

his

these

were

The

mountain-high.

rising

ready for him

sang is:

no

town and adjacent hamlets grain

difficulty now was how Sundarar lived When

vast heaps of grain

could

In a dream the god promised relief,

and next morning the filled

he

But

him so, of Kundai, who on the

may

failure

accustomed

of

with Paravaiyar,

the neighbourhood as

all

fcne

order to arrange for their

In

Civan

that

the

another,

in the

On

Sundarar,

negotiated the marriage, such as

domestic

of

companions*

God.

the

these occasions sha was seen by

was

and was

and accomplishment,

beauty

name

the

received

grew up to be a young maiden of

She there

Paravaiyar.

and

girl,

to

reached in

Arur

where

him of the

Kundai he went to

celebrated decads,

be

the

poured

lavishly -

Civan

at

hosts

his

sent

accordingly

nightfall

( reminding one of Robin Goodfeliow!) who soon brOBght

grain enough to

but of

all

the granaries

fill

the people of

not of the sage only

Arun and

made

Paravalyar

the

distribution with great tclat.

Golden Gifts;

A

Hayanar.

was

name of

devotee of his celebrated under the

with

received

The

to be his slaves. shall be

my

whom

saint receives

daughters',

and

the

pomp,

extraordinary

bringing out his two daughters,

They

kot-puli

At his earnest request Sundarar visited him and chieftain

presents to

lie

him

them with the words

;

manner

in the kindliest

conversed with them and gave them presents. The throws light upon the habits and feelings of the

From

Sundarar returned

thence

as usual,

Paravaiyar was,

more so

in

mud

home,

ani the

went of

he

as a great feast was at hand.

out to

the

to

neighbouring

t?ie

monastery

(or In for

which" had been 'together some bricks them up as a kind of

o%er

:

and

"them

set

the

to

town of Pugalur and of the God, and implored the assistance

'

that

piled

his upper

went garment- He thus

he awoke." behold!

the

bricks

^''circumstance which he a circuit 'After "this he made

neighbourhood

lost

of Uraiyur gems-

but

of the Kaveri.

in

restored, and

were

10 sleep.

gold,

a

the towns this

circuit the

MM

a very

answer to put Into a

the

pwyer of the wtnt

ve**l of wuter

in

uwJ

!*

the

king with

it

was

the idol. ..Thu?f,-< wheat th%- that when Sundarat Murttii came to the temple and round upon the various -worshippers he went the

to

where the garlands were prepared.

There, led by the beheld San giliyar, fell in love with her an4 forth enquired her name and learnt that she a

fate -he

the service of the temple,-

who

to his master,

He

hi*

straightway

in things

m

good and

is

Here as being the unscrupulous friend

than the lord of his devotee. prayer, 'She ascetic

theeV.

whom

of the

you ask

temple;

The god

for

but

is

to the

the most

fear

not.

viM

1

Accordingly at midnight when she

in

''god'-'-

thus appear.

To

my

mayest be given to his request!'.

know how

companion. to-

him

She

I

M

k

i

*A'i

supreme

made

It is he,

my

Thy

ift

n

bard

a

*

v

*i

^

rt"

as his wife.

replies

*