Birth of the divine child of wisdom – Thirugnanasambandar
Tirugnanasambandar was born in Sirkazhi in the 7th century BCE to a devout couple Shivapada Hridayar and Bhagavathiyar. Shivapada Hridayar belonged to Koundinya gotra and was an ardent follower of Vedic traditions. Both of them were ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. They refused to convert to Jainism or Buddhism, even though there was strong pressure for conversion from other sects during those times. Shivapada Hridayar prayed for a son who would reestablish the glory of Saivism and Sanatana dharma. This is a perfect example of selfless prayer or nishkamya bhakti. The Lord granted this boon, and Bhagavathiar soon delivered a radiant male child on Arudra star day, who was directly from Shiva loka. They brought up this child with great love and devotion, knowing fully well that it was a purposeful gift from the Lord.
Periya Puranam, a poetry work composed by Sekkizhar is the fundamental authority to know about the 63 saiva saints or nayanmar stories. It consists of around 4287 songs, out of which 1256 hymns are on Sambandar which reiterates the significance attached by Sekkizhar to this divine child.
The following first hymn of Sekkizhar on Sambandar highlights the purpose of this Godchild’s birth
வேத நெறி தழைத்து ஓங்க மிகு சைவத்
துறை விளங்கப் பூத பரம்பரை பொலியப்
புனித வாய் மலர்ந்து அழுத சீத வள வயல்
புகலித் திருஞான சம்பந்தர் பாத மலர்
தலைக் கொண்டு திருத் தொண்டு பரவுவாம்.
“For the Vedas to flourish and to reestablish the glory of shaivism, to bless humans with Shiva bhakti, the divine child opened his mouth and cried. He belongs to Pugali (another name for Sirkazhi), which is filled with lush green fertile fields. Let us bow to him by keeping his lotus feet on our heads.”
Sundaramoorthy nayanar, another one among the nalvar (the four great saints) has also sung about Sambandhar in the following verse of his song:
வம்பறா வரிவண்டு மணம்நாற மலரும்
மதுமலர்நற் கொன்றையான் அடியலால் பேணாத
எம்பிரான் சம்பந்தன் அடியார்க்கும் அடியேன்
“I bow down to ThiruGnanasambandar Who laid the path for many to find liberation.”
First, second and the third thirumurai of the total of twelve thirumurais consists of Sambandar’s Tevaram songs. Many of his songs were lost and we now have access to a meagre 400 verses approximately out of the 16000 songs he sang. The last verse of every pathigam or hymn enlists the fruit of reciting the pathigam called Thirukadaikappu.
Sambandhar’s songs are known to be set in innovative meter (yappu in tamil) or rhythm. They are named as yamakam, mozhi matru, maalai matru, ekapadham etc. Nayanmars undertook the path of bhakti to show their devotion towards Lord Shiva and ultimately merge one with the supreme. The path of bhakti is said to be the easiest and most effective for the people of kali yuga as it only involves unwavering love and devotion for God. The divine child was born to emphasise the truth of Vedas, uphold the discipline of Sanatana Dharma, spread Shaivam, spread devotion through music, take the high philosophies of the scriptures to the masses via poems, thus spreading peace and happiness all around.
Sambandhar carried out a total six thala yatras or pilgrimages starting the journey from his hometown Sirkazhi, traveling to one or more towns and returning to Sirkazhi to mark one yatra complete. Sambandhar who lived for sixteen years had covered more than 200 temples within Tamil Nadu according to the available sources. The areas include chozha nadu, kongu nadu, pandya nadu and thondai nadu. The primary purposes of these pilgrimages carried out by the child were to spread devotion of Lord Shiva among people, reestablish shaivism in the state, and popularize the glory of temples, their deities and their prominence. The word ‘Thirugnanasambandar’ means one who has good relations with the knowledge of self. He is known by different appellations including Pillaiyar, Aludaiya Pillai, Palaravaiyar, Kazhivallal and more.
Town of Pride, Sirkazhi
Sirkazhi, the town in which Sambandar was born is said to have got twelve names as per Periya Puranam. The deity names in this temple are Brahmapureeswarar or Thoniappar or Sattainathar and the Goddess name is Periyanayaki Ambal. Sirkazhi sustains even during the period of deluge and therefore, the Lord with Parvati Devi during the pralayam, is believed to have come to this city in a ship (thoni in tamil) like structure that withstands destruction. The kshetra has got twelve names according to the scriptures including Venupuram, Brahmapuram, Thonipuram, Pugali, Shirapuram, Shanbai, Venguru, Puravam, Kazhi, Kazhumalam, Kocchaivayam and Poondharai. Sirkazhi is filled with lush fertile lands and thus, there is no poverty at all. The town is filled with lotus ponds and mango trees. Mango nectar from the mangoes burst open falls on the lotus in the pond below like offering oblation. This is compared to a beautiful analogy of offering ghee (ahuti) to the sacrificial fire. Honeybees’ constant buzzing sound is compared to the chanting of Sama Veda which is musical to our ears.
Sekkizhar has sung about the pride of this town Sirkazhi in his Periya Puranam. The song that starts with ‘ulam kol marai vedhiyar’ conveys that the brahmanas of this town perform yagnas regularly due to which the area is always covered with smoke. Because of this, day looks like night but the sacred ash smeared on their bodies emits the required light.
Consumption of wisdom milk from Devi
One day Shivapada Hridayar and his wife wanted to bathe in the Brahmapureeswarar temple tank and hence, took the child with them who was 3 years old at that time. They left the child on the bank and went inside the water. After some time, the child looked at the tower of the temple and began to cry for his parents. The Lord appeared with Mother Goddess Parvathy as their child was crying and asked Her to feed the child with the milk of divine wisdom. Mother Goddess Parvathy, who is the universal mother, fed the child with the Milk of Wisdom in a golden bowl. From that moment he was known as Aludaiya Pillayar or one who enjoys the protection of the Lord and also as Tiru Gnana Sambandar as he attained divine wisdom through the grace of Lord Shiva and Parvathy. From that moment, he began to sing soul-stirring pathigams in praise of Lord Shiva called Thevaram.
After finishing their bath, the parents noticed milk overflowing from the child’s mouth. Shivapada Hridayar got angry and questioned him who gave milk. The child, shedding profuse tears, pointed to the Lord Who appeared in the sky along with Mother Parvathy and sang his very first beautiful pathigam ‘தோடுடைய செவியன்’ ‘thodudaiya seviyan’ (Lord with earstuds). Shivapada Hridayar could not see the Lord, but became very happy guessing that he must have had a vision of the Lord. Devas and Devatas showered rain of flowers. This song contains deeper meaning that glorifies the five acts of the Lord namely creation, protection, absorption, concealment and blessing.
Inference from ‘thodudaiya seviyan’ hymn
The Lord who rides the Holy Bull signifies justice. This indicates the act of creation. Once, the moon was cursed to lose his “kala” by Daksha. So, he surrendered himself finally to Lord Shiva and pleaded for rescue. The ever compassionate Lord wore him on His matted hair so that he grows. Sambandhar refers to this incident as an act of protection or sustenance. The Lord smears the ash from the cremation ground throughout his body. This deed indicates the act of absorption. The next one is creating illusions or maya. God is compared to a thief here because he steals our hearts. The fifth one is the act of anugraham or blessing in which He blesses the ones who surrender themselves at His Holy feet. Sambandhar indicates the story of Sirkazhi where Brahma offered prayers to Lord Shiva, and got His blessings. This is why the town is also called Brahmapuram. This song starts with the first letter of the Pranava(‘o’). The last hymn of the twelve thirumurai ends with ‘m’ which together forms the pranava syllable. Kanchi Mahaswamigal referred to thevaram song to be the fifth Veda.
Through the following section, let us travel on a virtual spiritual tour covering a few yatras carried out by Sambandhar.
| Yatra | Important places covered |
| Yatra 1 | Thirukolakka |
| Yatra 2 | Thirunanippalli, Thiruvalampuram, Thiruvenkadu, south Thirumullaivayil etc. |
| Yatra 3 | Thirumayendrapalli, Thirukurugavur, |
| Yatra 4 | Chidambaram, Maranpadi, Thirunelvayil |
| Yatra 5 | Madurai |
| Yatra 6 | Thiruperumananallur |
Yatra 1 – Receiving cymbals at Thirukolakka
Sambandhar bagan his first thala yatra to Thirukolakka which is very close to his hometown. He saluted the Lord at the shrine in Thirukolakka namely sapthapureeswarar and Goddess osai kodutha nayaki. He praised the essence of the Vedas with the hymn “madaiyil valai paya”.
மடையில் வாளை பாய மாதரார்
குடையும் பொய்கைக் கோலக் காவுளான்
“A variety of fish jump inside the fertile water bodies of the town
The Lord of Thirukolakka, where ladies rejoice diving and bathing in the ample tanks”
When he was singing the song, clapping with his tiny little hands to keep the rhythm, the empathetic Lord worried for the bud-like hands of the child and bestowed on him a pair of golden cymbals with panchakshara or five letters engraved on it. The Mother Goddess created sound or nadam to the cymbals as generally golden cymbals do not produce any sound and therefore Her name, osai kodutha nayaki. The child completed the pathigam with their divine grace. All the devotees gathered and saluted the blessed child. His father placed him on his shoulders and carried him back to Sirkazhi.
Benefit – Those who sing this hymn with sincere devotion, will get rid of their hill-like karma and will have a dignified life.
Yatra 2 – Tirunanipalli, visit to mother’s native place
The devotees of Tirunanipalli requested him to grace them by coming to their town and worshipping Lord Natrunaiappar & Goddess Malaiyan madanthai. His father carried him on his shoulders to Tirunanipalli. The child prodigy sang the hymn to the Lord of Tirunannipalli, who holds the mighty river on his matted locks, praising also the fertility of that town. He then worshiped God at Tiruvalampuram where Lord Vishnu is believed to have got his conch after praying. He continued his yatra to Pallavanicharam, Pukar chaykkadu, Tiruvenkadu and south Thirumullaivoyal. Tiruvenkadu temple is known for its three temple tanks that can bless couples with progeny and the deities here are Lord Swetharanyeswarar and Goddess Brahmavidhyambika. He sang the powerful pathigam which is believed to bestow progeny to those who pray for children. “கண்காட்டு நுதலானுங் கனல்காட்டுங் கையானும்” “kankaattu nudhalanum kanalkaattu kaiyanum”.
“He who has an eye on His forehead;
He who Holds fire in His hands”
Thus, the second yatra was completed and Sambandhar returned to Sirkazhi.
Yatra 3 – Meeting with Tiru Neelakanta Yazh Panar couple
Sambandhar went on to towns such as Thirumayendrapalli and sang pathigam. Then, he proceeded to Thirukurukavur. Tiruneelakanta Yazhpana along with his wife Matanga Chulamani heard about the divine child and came to Sirkazhi one day. Sambandhar took them inside the temple sanctum and asked them to play the yazh (a string instrument) for the Lord. The couple was surprised and delighted to come inside the sanctum as they belonged to a lower caste. The music played by the couple enhanced the superior devotion accompanied by melodious voices. Hence, the couple started to play music for the songs sung by Sambandhar. Even the heavenly gandharvas and kinnaras started to play along with them. Sambandhar returned to his hometown thus marking the third yatra complete.
(to be continued)