Sundaramoorthy Nayanar
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Sundaramurti Nayanmar(8th century C.E.), shortly known as Sundarar, was one of the four most prominent Nayanmars.
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[edit] Early life
Sundarar was born as Nambi Arurar to Sadaiyanar and Isaignani in Thirunavalur village. The ruler of the local kingdom (Thirumunaipadi-Nadu), Narasingamunaiarayar, adopted him and brought up as his own son. He has mentioned these places and persons in his poems. He also mentions that he is the father of Vanapakai and Cinkati.
The life of Sundarar belongs to the 8th Century. He was the only One (along with Cheraman Peruman Nayanmar) as of now attained Mukthi in the form of Human Body itself. He reached Shivaloga through the White Elephant , which the Lord Shiva sent for him.
In Shivaloga, He is the One who stays near to Lord Shiva by holding the Vibhudhi Madal (Ashes plate). He took birth on the earth for singing the "Thiruthonda Thogai" songs (Praising the life of all 62 Nayanmars & the future saints who worhsip Lord Shiva).Lord Shiva sent Sundarar to earth just for singing the "Thiruthondar Thokai" songs.
The uniqueness of Sundarar (being himself one of 63 Nayanmars) was that both of his Parents (Father Thiru. Sadayanar & Mother Isai Gnaniyar) were also Nayanmars. This makes us to wonder that how close was the Sundarar to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva treated Sundarar as a Friend. Grupanandha Variyar narrates in his spiritual talks that when Lord Shiva saw his face in the Mirror, Sundarar came from the Mirror in Shiva Loga.
Sundarar was widely known as "Halala Sundarar".Demons and gods wanted to have the Amrita the nectar that would make one live long avoiding death. The Amrita was in the milky ocean and required churning the huge ocean to get out the nectar. They came together to collectively churn the big ocean. They churned the milk ocean with Mandhara mountain as the stem and serpent Vasuki as the rope. In the process, due to the pain serpent Vasuki emitted the poison hala (meaning destructive). At the same time one more poison came from the ocean hala. Both put together became a disastrous poison that threatened the very existence of all including the divines, deamons and the other lives. MahaVishnu tried to stop that. Lord Shiva sent Sundarar to collect the Poison which emerged from the Ocean.
His Entire family was a Nayanmars Family. The Story of Periyapuranam starts and ends with the Sundarar.
Sundarar attained Mutkhi in "Swathi Nakshtra" in the Tamil month of "Aadi".
Life of Sundarar :- Nambi Aroorar was born to a brahmin Sadayanar of Tirunavalur. He was adopted by the local king who was attracted by the beauty of the child playing on the street. He was grown by the king . When he was about to marry a girl betrothed by his parents, an old man turned up at the wedding hall and declared that he could not continue the ritual of the wedding because Sundarar was his slave which he proved to the assemblage by showing an old palm-script perperted to have been executed by his fore-fathers. After enacting the drama that Nambi Aroorar was His slave the old man vanished inside the local temple. When the Sundarar realised that it was only Lord Shiva who had come as the old man as per His promise to redeem him, when the former was in the Shiva Loka.
He recalled the old story that happened in the Shiva Loka how his mind wavered at the sight of two beautiful damsels while they were engaged in plucking flowers in the divine garden for Goddess Parvati and, and how when Lord Shiva came to know this wavering mind of Sundarar ordained him to go to earth and be born in Thiruvaroor a town in Chola country, and how the repenting Sundarar begged the pardon of the Lord and prayed that he be redeemed by the Lord at the appropriate time, before he could err further. Now the time had come, Sundarar realised, for his Lord to redeem him and that He was doing it by enacting the drama of slavery. Sundarar accepted this worthy slavery with pleasure.
Sundarar regretted for his rude misbehavior to the old man ( Lord Shiva ) and felt that he had become a downcast as he had called Him a liar and a mad man. Shiva's compassionate voice was then-heard: "You had argued with me like a litigant and so you will be known as Vanthondar meaning argumentative devotee. Do not regret any more, from now onwards sing My glory". Nambi Aroorar (also known as Sundarar) begged His pardon and told Him that he did not know how to begin his hymn. To this the Lord Shiva replied, " Why! Did you not call me a mad man just a short while ago. Begin your hymn addressing me " Oh! mad man! ". Sundarar began composing his hymns thus. Thus began his life of intense devotion. He indited honeyed verses that are now a treasured part of the Tamil Saivite scriptural anthology Thevaram. These verses were of incalculable value in spreading Saivism.
Sundarar married the two women who tempted his mind to waver in the heavens and who were now born on earth with mortal names of Paravai and Sangili.
Sundarar travelled widely. He did not countenance the ascetic's refusal. Though born as a brahmin, he married Paravayar of the Rudra kanyakayar ( female ascetics who normally served god remaining celibate throughout life) caste and Sangiliyar of the farmer's caste. Indeed, it is insinuating that Sundarar used Shiva as his ambassador in love to his first wife who became wild when she knew that he had married another woman while on his voyage of worship ! On the other hand he was turned blind by Lord Shiva for having erred his vow to his second wife Sangiliyar that he would never leave her. But he regained the sight in his left eye by the Mother Parvati's grace in Kanchipuram. At Tiruvarur his right eye also regained vision when he prayed to Tyagarajar, the Lord of Tiruvarur temple.
Several miracles are attached to Sundarar. He rescued a boy from the jaws of a crocodile in Avinasi a town near the present Coimbatore. When he wished to shuffle off his mortal coils, a white elephant descended from Kailas to take him back to Shiva loka.
[edit] Mythology
The legend states that while the Sundarar was being married in Thiruvennainalloor, the process was interrupted by Shiva. Shiva appeared disguised as an old ascetic and asked for Sundarar as his servant and follower. Subsequently, Sundarar moved around Tamil Nadu, visiting several temples. When he reached a place known as Tiruvarur (Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu state, India), he fell in love with a girl named Paravai and married her. The legend continues to state that at Tiruvarur, he recited the names of all the sixty-three Nayanmars. This recitation is called Tiruttondar-Tokai. He reached Thiruvottriyur, a sea-sie suburb of Madras, and prayed at the Padampakkanathar/Thyagarajar/Vadivudaiamman Temple. He saw Sangiliyar who was preparing flower garlands for the worship. He married her after promising never to leave. During the next Spring he feels homesick for Tiruvarur and prepares to leave. He become blind due to the oath that he had taken earlier. The sight in one eye is restored in Kanchipuram and he regains his full eyesight later. Upon reaching Tiruvarur, he asks for Shiva's help to pacify Paravai. He continued wandering around the land of the Tamils; continued to sing devotional songs dedicated to Shiva; and performed several miracles.
[edit] The end
His fame reached the ears of Cheraman Perumal, the-then king of Kerala. The king came to Tiruvarur and met Sundarar. Both developed friendship, and embarked on a pilgrimage (tirtha). While moving from one place of pilgrimage place to another, Sundarar became tired of life, and prayed to Shiva to liberate him from the bondage of life. Shiva dispatched an elephant to carry him. The saint pleaded with Shiva to allow the king to follow him. While the saint Sundarar continued his journey upward to the heaven sitting on the elephant, the king followed him on his horse. Both are believed to have ascended to heaven.
The seventh volume of the Tevaram was composed by Sundarar.
[edit] References
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
- Songs of the harsh devotee by David Dean Shulman
- The religion and philosophy of thevaram by M.A. Dorai Swamy
- [1] Songs of Sundararmoorthy Swamigal
- [2] Life of Sundaramoorthy Swamigal
