Sacchitha Sayee Bhujagendra Saayee Nandanka Sayee Kamalanka Sayee
Ksheerabdhi Sayee Vatapathra Sayee SriRanga Sayee Ramatham Manome
- Sri Ranganathashtakam (Adi Sankara)
“You are banished from Kanchi. You shall not stay in the city a minute longer – get lost,” thundered the Pallava King. The court poet Kanikannan was stunned at this banishment. What was his offence? “You are a great poet. Sing a verse in my praise.” That was the request of the King. Kanikannan stoutly refused. “ Never to mortal praise can still this tongue” ( naarkondu maanidam paaden ). On hearing the King’s command, Kanikannan rushed to his Master Bhakthisara, fell at his feet and related the King’s command. The Saint said,” If you leave, am I going to stay?” He went into the Yathothakari Shrine and addressed the Lord,
“List, Lord in beautiful Kanchi sweet, Forth goes our dear Kanikannan The sweet tongued poet whom must I ‘ver follow
Sapphire hued ! Do thou with us depart! Thy snake couch roll
(Divya Suri Charitam - III.35)
Immediately, the Lord left the temple and followed the lead of Bhakthisara. Even today he is called Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal or Yathothakari.
Kanchi city found itself desolate. Famine entered. The Pallava King understood and went in pursuit of the holy fugitives. They were tarrying at a place called Orira-vu-irukka. The king fell at the feet of the saint and fervently requested him and the disciple to return to Kanchi. Bhakthisara obliged. And he prayed to Yathothakari:
List Lord in beauteous Kanchi sweet
Back hails our dear Kanikannan
The sweet tongued poet
whom must I ‘ver follow
Sapphire hued do thou
With us retrace!
Thy snake couch spread
(Divya Suri Charitam III - 38)
Sri Yathothakari implicitly followed his beloved Bhakta’s bidding and returned to the temple, bringing back light and joy and all prosperity into Kanchi.
Saint Bhakthisara was born in Mahisara Kshetra or Thirumazhisai. Though born to Bhargava Maharishi (Makara mase, makha nakshatram, on Jan 23, this year), he chose to declare himself above caste - Avarna – beyond caste:
“Kulangalaya eeru irandil, ondrilum pirandhilen.”
He studied all systems of philosophy: Sakkiyam katrom, samanam katrom.
Peyazhwar initiated him into Vaishnavism.
Perumpuliyur episode
The saint was travelling South. At the village of Perumpuliyur, Brahmins were chanting the Vedas at a Yagnasala. Seeing the Saint, they stopped chanting and waited for him to depart. As he left, they forgot where they stopped. The saint took a black paddy grain under his finger nails and chucked it on the floor. Immediately, the Brahmins were reminded of the break in the recitation.
The saint’s act, reminded them of the Vedic passage where the housewife husks with her finger nails, then cooks and oblates to fire. (“KrishNAnAm vreeheeNAm nakanirbandham”).
Astonished, they begged pardon realising that they had not recognised the divinity of the saint. He earned the name Bhakthisara (Essence of God Love).
Unusual name
The Saint then travelled to Tirukkudanthai and worshipped the deity with the unusual name Aravamudan meaning ambrosia that never satiates. Viewing the Sayana Thirukkolam, the Azhwar prays:
“Kudanthai Kaveri bank who sleep'st
Just let me see Thee rise and speak.”
Nadanda Kalgal Nondavo? Nadunga gnalam Enamay
Idanda Mei Kulungavo? Ilangu Mal varai churam
Kadanda kaal paranda kavirikkarai Kudandaiyul
Kidandavaru Ezhundirundu Pesu vaazhi Kesane!
The Saint asks him if the Lord is tired of the arduous Trivikrama and Varaha avatars and requests Him to converse with him. As the Lord starts to rise, the Saint realises the strain he is putting on the Lord and sings the benediction Vazhi Kesane.
This benediction to the Lord got Bhakthisara the honoured title Thirumazhisaipiran and Aravamuda became Aravamuda Alvan.
The Lord rests again with the head in the half-risen position. This is justly famous as udhana sayee or udhana Sayana, not thought of by Adi Sankara. Even today, when we worship Aravamudan at Thirukkudanthai, we can observe the udhana sayanam and remember Thirumazhisaipiran.
Thirumazhisai Azhwar composed two Prabandhas. The first one is Thiruchandavirutham with 120 Pasurams. The Chanda meter is unusual in Tamil literature. It is described as Thana Thana Thana Thana Thana Thana Thanana.
Bhakthi is important but it can be attained only through God’s grace. The Azhwar prays for Nirhethika Kripai of the Lord. This requires total surrender.
The other classic of Thirumazhisai Alwar is Naanmugan Thiruvandadi. The Saint declares
“Naan unnai indri ilen
kandaai Naaranane
Nee ennai andri ilai.”
Dr. A.L. Bashyam points out how Ramanuja explains the Visishtadvaita philosophy, here, making the Paramatma and Jeevatma absolutely inter-dependent.
Thirumazhisai Azhwar describes the Divine Vision he had. With the Kanikannan episode in mind, he declares that the Lord resides in various Divya desas only to find an opportune moment to enthrone Himself in the heart of the devotee. Anaippar Karuthanaavaan – Pasuram 36 of Naanmugan Thiruvandadi.(Yenthan Idayathulle vanthu iruppidam).
