THE LIFE OF SAGE THIRUVAZHLUVAR – PART ONE

(Please note that this Life history of Sage Thiruvazhluvar as narrated here is compiled from and based on a few texts collected by this author and will remain undisclosed for the time being.)

In the beginning it is said, Brahma, with the help of some of his children, wanted to created the languages of the North and the South and therefore performed a Yagna with a Kumbha in the centre. Out of this Kumbha appeared the Daughter of the Arts who is popularly known as Saraswati and Brahma married her. Immediately after, Agastiyar appeared from the Kumbha with a short stature. Agastiyar married Samuthrakanni and gave birth to Perunsagaran who in turn married Thiruvaarur Pulaitchi and gave birth to Bhagavan who became a very learned man and was well versed in the Shasthras. 

During those times, Sage Thavamuni who belonged to the lineage of Brahma became one with Arun Mangai who was a Brahmin girl and gave birth to a daughter after which he left to Viraali Malai to do penance there. The child was therefore taken up by Urayir Perumparaiyan who raised her for a while. It was during this time that everybody in that small town died due to a rain of mud. Later, the girl grew up in the Brahmin colony (Agragaaram) in the house of Neethi Aiiyan.

It was at that time that Bhagavan who was also called Yaazhi Thathhamunivar went on a pilgrimage to Kaasi and on his way stayed at a Choultry near Meloor where he was busy cooking after his daily duties and rituals. The girl accidentally came to the Choultry where Bhagavan demanded who she was with anger and hit her with the Chatuvam; which is a stick used for resting the arm while performing penance and drove her away. The girl went back to her home crying. 

Bhagavan then had a cleansing bath and performed his prayers. Soon after this incident Bhagavan proceeded to Kaasi to bathe in the Ganga. He took the holy waters of Prayag and brought it on his shoulder on a Kaavadi. It was but fate that made Bhagavan stay in the same Choultry and as was the case earlier, the girl came to the Choultry once again.

However, the girl had grown up into a very beautiful lady by then and Bhagavan fell in love with her. Noticing this, the owner of the Choutry who was called Neethi Aiiyan requested Bhagavan to marry the girl and stay there itself. Bhagavan replied that the Kaavadi he had undertaken at Prayaag should reach Rameshwaram and he promised to come back after performing Abhishek to the Rama Linga there. 

On his return, Neethi Aiiyan arranged for a grand wedding with rituals on the first four days and the holy marriage bath on the fifth day. During the holy bath, Bhagavan noticed that the girl’s head under her hair had a scar which was caused by his hitting her earlier with the Chatuvam. He then realised that it was his destiny chasing him and exclaimed, “Aren’t you Adhi?” and fled from the place. This was how the girl came to be called Adhi. 

Bhagavan who had fled the marriage hall needed a place to stay when the sun set and therefore rested in a Mandap at a place called Pannai cheri. The girl, Adhi was not to be deterred and followed Bhagavan to the Mandap. She convinced Bhagavan that it was the will of God that had brought them together and it would not be the right Dharma on his part to leave her. She also informed Bhagavan that she would end her life if he left her. 

This made Bhagavan sympathetic and since his wisdom made him realize that it was the will of God, he agreed to do so on the condition that if she really loved him, she should listen to him and should leave behind all the children born unto them wherever they were born without taking these children along with them wherever they went. 

Adhi agreed to Bhagavan’s condition and married him. Thus was born Avvai, Uppai, Adhigamaan, Kabilar and Valliammai as their children. Later, after leaving these children behind in their birth place, Bhagavan and Adhi settled for a while in a grove in Mylapore when Bhagavan desired Adhi leading to the birth of Thiruvazhluvar. 

Adhi was very worried about the fate of this child and wondered who would take care of this baby. The baby, noticing the mother’s distress, then sang the following verse:

“When there is God (Eshwar) to protect all lives,

will I not, another life, also be protected?

The fear of the unknown is not necessary in our lives

and what must happen will happen by itself destined”

On hearing this, both the parents were assured that the baby could take care of itself and therefore left on a holy pilgrimage. It is also said that all the earlier children born to the couple of Bhagavan and Adhi had also sung verse in praise of God and their parents on their birth. This incident is said to be the cause of the Tamil proverb, “Vaai uzhla pillai pizhlaikum.”

(To be continued)

MY TAKE ON THIRUVAZHLUVAR AND HIS THIRUKKURALS - THE ESSENCE OF TRUTH

(Before I begin writing on this topic, I pray to God Almighty who has been my own dear Guide, Teacher and Mentor, not to forget the remover of all obstacles and the first point of contact on my inward journey that the message conveyed through this post must reach the maximum number of people so that it may serve to enlighten them on their path to Truth and their quest for knowledge.

I also request readers to forgive me for any errors in the pronunciation of Tamil words that I may have used in English since I’m constrained by the limitations of the English language and my lack of knowledge about the use of Tamil software.)

Most people consider "ThirukKural" to be an "Ara Nool" but my study over the past 26 years has made me understand that “ThiruVazhluvar” had written it as a "Sara Nool" and had kept Siddha Messages hidden inside the Kurals. ‘Saram’ is an ancient synonym for breath and breathing and is still used by practitioners of meditation involving breathing exercises. Such practitioners are called “Appiyasis” in Tamil and their practice is known as “Appiyasam”. (Not to be confused with payyasam…lol). On a serious note Appu is the most vital component of air and therefore ‘Appiyasam’ is nothing but “Appu Vasam” (making Appu reside within) while those who are ‘Appiyasis’ can be described as “ Appu Vasam Seibavargal”.

Coming back to the original discussion, ‘ThiruVazhluvar’, who is considered one of the “63 Nayyanmars” is the principal proponent of “Sara Nool Shastram” and most Tamil scholars who did not understand ‘Vazhluvar’s’ connection to ‘Nool’ assumed he was a handloom weaver. In truth he was weaving his breath of life in the loom of his body. 'Saram' is also called 'Nool' or thread and the same 'Nool' is also used to refer to a book or treatise.  A book is also called a Nool because it is what is written with the breath of life. This is called "Moochu artruthal" in Tamil.

There is a similar explanation for another Tamil word that I would like to explain to prove my point about “ThiruVazhluvar’s” profession. The Tamil word, “Tharithiram”, is known to all Tamil speaking persons but it is commonly misunderstood as misfortune or bad luck. However, it must be pointed out that those who practise ‘Appiyasam’ have to face many trials and tests of suffering by God and suffer a lot in life. This suffering used to be called “Tharithiram” in those days, meaning that the “Thari” or Loom referring to the human body was becoming “Thiram” or stronger. (Obviously the thread used in the loom was 'Sara Nool', which was woven on the 'Thari' or loom.) Later all those who had bad luck or misfortune in life came to be said as suffering from “Tharithiram”

Once again having strayed from the theme of the discussion that ‘ThirukKural’ is a Sara Nool, I would like to use the example of Vazhluvar’s first Kural to explain my contention.

“Agara muthala elluthellam, Aadhi Bhagawan,

Muthatrae Ullagu”

This Kural is understood by all to mean, “God is the creator of all letters in this world and must be given primary Importance".

Though this may be externally true there is a deeper meaning to it. To understand this deeper meaning I am obliged to give you some background information for reasons of clarity and context.

There are a few records of ancient Tamil civilization that say that there existed two divine people named “Aadhi” and “Bhagavan” who were God’s chosen servants. Aadhi was ordered by Bhagavan to leave behind all and any children that were to be born to them at the place where these children would be born and not worry about them as their Children were to be special and therefore they would be able to survive. The lady ‘Aadhi’ obeyed her husband ‘Bhagwan’ and the children thus born to them included the great sage “Thiruvazhluvar”, the female mendicant commonly known as “Avvaipiratiyar” as well as "Uppai", "Adhigamaan", "Kabilar" and "Valliammai". Viewed in the light of this information the first verse takes on a different meaning.

All the words or natural sounds such as “Agaaram”, “Uugaaram”, “Magaaram”, “Nagaaram”, “Vagaraam”, “Lagaaram” are all created only inside the human body at the points were the ‘Adharas’ or chakras are located and this human body which contains the thread "Nool" connecting all these chakras are a gift from the parents namely ‘Aadhi’ and ‘Bhagwan’ who are the creators of this (Vazhluvar’s) body. Therefore indirectly implying that his parents are God to him.

I hope I make sense to all readers of this post. I know I have veritably opened a Pandora’s Box and I am bracing myself in anticipation of the brickbats that I will receive.

To conclude I would like to pose a question for fellow seekers to ponder about and provide answers to.

“How many books did Saint “ThiruVazhluvar” write?”

“Do you know of any other books that he may have written and what is the proof that it was written by the great Saint himself and not any other later day writer who used the same name as his pen name?”

I look forward to your replies.

A TRIBUTE TO SAGE VAZHLUVAR: THE GREATEST TAMIL POET

I am currently writing my own interpretation of the Thirukkural (Tamil: திருக்குறள், also known as the Kural) authored by the Shaivite Saint Thiruvazhluvar which is a classic in Tamil literature from the Sangam period spanning between 300 BCE and 300 CE. The Thirukkural is one of the most important works in the Tamil language. It has been given many names and highlights all the vital aspects of life as known to man.

Thirukkural consists of 1330 couplets or Kurals which are divided into 133 chapters of 10 couplets each. The 133 chapters are grouped into three sections based on certain principles, namely:

Righteousness and the right way to live - 380 couplets

Wealth and the right way to accumulate wealth - 700 couplets

Love and propriety in love - 250 couplets

However, there is an underlying fourth principle which has not been openly addressed by any scholar. All three sections have their philosophy based on this fourth principle and only one who understands this fourth principle can live by these 1330 couplets.

While there are several commentaries and translations on this important treatise, mine is based on my personal belief that the work is not to be taken on its mere external meaning and it has certain inner meanings connected to this fourth principle and the right way of living to aid main in his path of spiritual enlightenment. If one were to understand and live by all that the saint writes one will certainly realise Godhead. Unfortunately we are all caught up in our selfish pursuits and fall short of what he propounds and expounds.

There have been several commentaries written on Thirukkural over the centuries. The Latin translation of Thirukkural was made by Constanzo Beschi in 1730. The first ever English Translation of Thirukural by GU Pope brought the Thirukkural to the western world in 1886. Thirukkural has been translated to more than 35 languages across the world by various authors.

Over the next few months, I will slowly attempt to share my understanding of the Thirukkural with you all and I request all of you to forgive me if my interpretations do not fit into your schematic perceptions of life.