80 Year Old Arthanareeswarar Gurukal has served at the temple for seven decades, a major part of which at a two digit salary
In a great devotional
beginning, legendary Saint Poet Sundara Murthy Nayanar in his very first verse
on Kripapureeswarar of Thiruvennainallur refers to the ‘ARULAALAA’ character of
the Lord and gives one an indication of how God is compassionate to his devotees,
those that offer their sincere prayers to him. When Sundarar asks
Kripapureeswarar inside the Thiruvennainallur temple as to how he can praise
him and if he was fit at all, the Lord asks him to praise with the very same
word (mad) that he had referred to the old man at the wedding mandapa. A
delighted Sundarar reaffirms that the Lord of Thiruvennainallur is indeed a MAD
one for how else would he shower his blessings on this devotee who had thrown
abuses at him, one who had torn the Olai document into pieces and show his
compassion by preventing this devotee from being bonded into a married life.
In his first verse, Sundarar begins with a reference
to the Lord as Mad in providing arulaalaa to his devotees.
பித்தா பிறைசூடி பெரு மானே அருளாளா
எத்தால்
மற
வாதே நினைக்கின்றேன் மனத்துன்னை
வைத்தாய் பெண்ணைத் தென்பால்
வெண்ணை
நல்லூர்
அருட்டுறையுள்
அத்தா
உனக் காளாய் இனி
அல்லேன் எனல் ஆமே
அல்லேன் எனல் ஆமே
Lord Shiva wanted Sundarar,
his ardent devotee in Kailayam to go to the Bhoologam to sing his praise and
spread devotion among the people there and spread dharmic messages. When Sundarar
went to pluck flowers in the Nandavanam as part of his every day process, his
eyes fell on two young women, assistants to Parvathi, who too were there to pluck
flowers from the same Nandavanam. When he went back with the garland, the Lord
shocked him by informing Sundarar that he granting him what currently
interested his devotee (as he was attracted to the two women that day). A
shocked Sundarar asked if this was a blessing or a punishment. The Lord
directed Sundarar to go to Bhoologam and sing verses that would serve as great
life lessons for those who sway from Godly thoughts and that he would prevent
Sundarar from bondage in his life on earth. Accepting this, Sundarar asked for
his thoughts to be always of Shiva when in bhoolagam.
He was born to Sadayanar and
Isai Gnaniyaar in a Shivachariar family in Thiru Navalur, about 20kms South
East of Thiru Vennai Nallur and 20kms West of Thiru Vathigai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/12/thiru-vathigai-veerateswarar.html).
When Narasinga Munayarayan,
the king who ruled from Sernthamangalam, on the Northern side of Kedilam, came
to Thiru Navalur, he was impressed with the boy’s qualities of running a
chariot at such a young age and expressed interest to bring him up in his
kingdom. In the 16th year, his parents found a suitable bride for
him at Puthur (near Panruti), the daughter of Sadankavi Shivachariar.
Angered at this direction, Sundarar hit back at the old man questioning his slavery to another human and called him Mad. The elderly man retorted that he had proof of his forefathers being slaves to him and that he too is now a slave as part of the historical agreement. When the old man presented the proof, Sundarar cut it and threw into the homam fire. Shouting out at Sundarar, the old man said that he had correctly predicted the reaction of Sundarar and thus as a proactive measure he had safeguarded the original document back home in Thiruvennainallur and called out for the society to gather there so he could show the proof.
The people of Thiru Navalur
and Puthur gathered at the Thiruvennainallur. The old man read out from the original
document
“அருமறை நாவல் ஆதிசைவன் ஆரூரன் செய்கை
பெருமுனி வெண்ணைநல்லூர் பித்தனுக்கு யானும்
என்பால் வருமுறை மரபினோரும் வழித்தொண்டு
செய்ய இவ்வோலை அருமையாய் எழுதினேன்
இதற்கு இவை என் எழுத்து”
When the Panchayat asked for
proof of this indeed being the signature of Sundarar’s forefathers, the people
went back to Navalur and brought back the Olai Chuvadi and found that the
signatures tallied and pronounced that Sundarar was indeed a slave to that old
man and should now act as per his direction. When the curious people of
Thiruvennainallur asked him as to he was and where he stayed for they had never
seen him in the agraharam, the old man asked them to accompany him. At the entrance of the temple
he left the sandals and went inside much. When Sundarar alone accompanied him
into the temple, he disappeared much to Sundarar’s shock. Sundarar once again
expressed his anger with the remark ‘you stopped the wedding, you said that I
am your slave and now you disappear without disclosing your identity.”
It was then that an invisible
voice informed Sundarar the purpose of the event that preceded this
disappearance and how Lord Kripapureeswarar had come to protect him by prevent
his marriage thus helping him from bondage. The Lord said that Sundarar had served
with great devotion in Kailayam and that he should now sing verses in praise of the Lord. An
embarrassed Sundarar, who had called the old man Mad asked the Lord as to how
he could praise him for he had only then
referred to him as MAD. The Lord asked him to start the verse with that
very same word and in that same spirit. Thus Sundara Murthy Nayanar begins his praise of 10 verses on
Lord Kripapureeswarar of Thiru Vennai Nallur with the same word ‘Pithan’ and
refers to the Lord as ‘Arulaalaa’, one who showed compassion even on someone
who had referred to him as being mad.
In his 9th verse,
Sundarar says that the Lord gives relief to devotees who come here and invoke
his blessings with sincere devotion.
முழுவாள் வலன் ஏந்தீ மறையோதி மங்கை பங்கா
தொழுவாரவர் துயராயின தீர்த்தல்லுன தொழிலே
செழுவார் பெண்ணைத் தென்பால்
வெண்ணை நல்லூர் அருட்டுறையுள்
அழகா உனக் காளாய் இனி அல்லேன் எனலாமே
Sundarar took the Paathugai
on his head and placed it in the sanctum. A special feature at this temple is
that the sandals of the Lord is seen at the sanctum.
The Name Thiru Vennai Nallur
When Ambigai took the form of
Durga to kill Mahishasura, she remained in an angry state subsequent to the
event. With butter, she created a Shiva Lingam and performed Pooja here at this
place invoking the blessings of the Lord. It was here that she regained her
composure. As she created the Lingam with butter, this place came to be called
as Thiru ‘Vennai’ Nallur. As she regained her beautiful form, she provides
darshan here as ‘Mangalambigai’.
80 year old Arthanareeswarar Gurukal has lived
all his life at Thiruvennainallur. He has performing pooja at this temple for
almost 70 years almost single handedly. He began service at a salary of Rs.10
and for many decades that remained his salary. There was no power in those
days. It was he who lit the lamp at the Sannidhis. During his teenage days, there was a long
agraharam in the West Street with over 100 traditional families being an
integral part of this historical town. But they all left the town in the 70s
and 80s in search of jobs in cities and today there no traditionalists other
than the Gurukal’s family in this ancient town.
For a major part of his life,
he and his family struggled to make both ends meet. Once when he met Maha Periyava in
Kanchipuram, the great Saint passed by with these words ‘Do not leave the
temple’. It is only for that reason that he has continued the devotional
service without any financial returns from the temple. He officially retired in
2006, though for the last 15 years he has still been active at the temple. His
grandson who performs service as a temporary staff is now paid a monthly salary
of Rs. 2000. It has taken over seven decades for the salary to move up from Rs.
10 to Rs. 2000.
The HRCE funded Uchi Kaalam
Pooja, the morning pooja funded by Aatheenam, the evening pooja funded from the
lands have all been stopped long ago. For the Artha Jaama pooja, he gets 25kgs
rice once every quarter. Unmindful of these challenges, he has continued all
the poojas through these decades. In those decades, the land titles clearly
indicated the money to be paid to the temple and the tillers would pay on time.
Over time, with the changed political scenario, he has not been able to get any
revenue from the temple lands and has been left to manage the financials all by
himself through the devotees.
Many devotees have
experienced dramatic positive changes in their lives after his archanai and
pooja at this temple. It was through one such devotee that he completed the
full electrification of the temple. Through another devotee, he built an idol
of Sundarar and the old man involved in the debate at the mandapam on the North
Side of the Eastern Entrance. The entire flooring was converted to granite. He has done 100s of Chandi Homam at the temple.
At 80, his back and legs have
become weak and he is not able to walk with ease anymore. In his lifetime, he
has performed three Kumbabhisekams at this temple with the fourth one set to
take place shortly. He is keen on completing the construction of the new 7 Tier
Raja Gopuram that is currently under way at the Eastern Entrance and soon after
its completion, he is hoping that Kripapureeswarar will bless him with a 4th
Kumbabhisekam at this temple.
Festivals
2 day Festival for Sundarar
in Aadi – The episodes from his life are enacted during these two days
10 Brahmotsavam in Panguni
The temple is open from 6am
to 12noon and from 4pm to 830pm. Contact Arthanareeswarar Gurukal @ 96268 07015
How to reach
Thiruvennainallur is 20kms
South West of Villupuram and 15kms West of Thiru Navalur, the birth place of
Sundarar. Buses ply every half hour from Villupuram. One can get down at Arasur
Cross Road and board the Cuddalore/Panruti- Thirukovilur bus to get down at
Thiruvennainallur (10kms)
6 comments:
An outstanding and engrossing narrative of divinity and devotion. Moved deep within...
I will visit this temple one of these days. Your article has also brought out the poor state of affairs of archakas who have been rendering great services for so many years.
Very touching narrative and history of the temple.Not only here,in most of the places, Temple lands are encroached by people. HRCE is doing nothing to retrieve. We need to be cautious and ensure action against these type of encroachments.Then only these type of plights can be averted.
Truly moved with the narration on the temple and the Gurukkal. Aum namasivaya
Sir,
Thank You for the kind words.
PRabhu
Truly moved with the narration on the temple and the Gurukkal. Aum namasivaya
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