Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Picture courtesy-shaivam.org
Enniya Sivagnanathinnamuthai
Kuzhaitharuli
Unnadisil Ennootta Umaiyammai
Yethirnokkum
Kanmalarneer Thudaitharuli
Kaiyirporkkinnam Alithu
Annalai Anguazhugai Theerndha Thangannar
Arulpurindhar
Thiru Gnana
Sambandhar was born to Shivapadha Hrudayar and Bhagavathiar, a pious couple who
were lived in Shirkazhi, one of the Vedic villages in Choza Kingdom. The people in this village were passionate
devotees of Lord Shiva and had firm beliefs in Shaiva Siddantha. Thiru Ganan Sambandhar was born as the savior
of Shaiva Siddantha. Though he was lived
only for 16 years, he left behind the gems like compositions’ praising the
glories of Lord Shiva in Thirukadaikappu includes Thirunitru Pathikam and Kolaru
Pathikam. At the small age of 3 he sung
a marvelous verses ‘Thodudaya Seviyan’ in a reply to his father’s query. Later, this genius child reinstated the
righteousness and glories of the Supreme Lord Shiva as the quintessence of Veda. He introduced to the world the mesmerizing
nature of holy ash and its greatness in Thirunitru Pathikam.
One day
Shivapadha Hrudayar brought his 3 year old child along with him to the temple
pond in Thoniyappar temple. He made the
little child to be seated on the banks of the pond and preceded for ablations. Soon, his father went deep inside the water
and immersed in the worship of Lord.
Suddenly, the little Sambandhar started to cry out loudly and became
uncontrollable. There was no around him
to console, he continued to cry staring at the temple tower. Immediately, there appeared the compassionate
Lord Shiva with his consort Goddess Parvati on their celestial vehicle
bull. The most considerate Lord Shiva
advised Goddess Parvati to feed the child with her milk. Goddess Parvati gracefully approached
Sambandhar with a golden bowl of milk contains the ultimate wisdom about the
Lord. She affectionately feed the child
with the milk and the divine couple disappeared. This mysterious incident brought an amazing
brightness in the little child Sambandhar as he was consumed the supreme
knowledge of Lord.
Shivapadha
Hrudayar returned after finishing the rituals to attend the little child
Sambandhar who was calmly waiting for his father. He noticed the remainings of milk on his
child’s mouth and waveringly enquired about the same. Little Sambandhar had no reply to answer his
father, instead he beautifully sang ‘Thodudaya Seviyan’. His immense love towards Lord flew out of his
mouth in the form of sacred verses as the emanation of water from the
reservoir; he began his spiritual journey with his father. He visited many sacred shrines of Lord Shiva
and sang praising the glories of Lord.
This little child had so much of devotion and dedication to Lord, he was
engrossed in the worship of Lord singing and clapping his little hands with
ultimate joy. His feather like little
hands turned out red in color; it was unbearable for the supreme Lord and his
consort. Lord Shiva provided Sambandhar with
a pair of golden cymbals at Thirukkolakka.
At the age of 7, the sacred thread ceremony was performed to Sambandhar
in his village Shirkazhi. Immediately
after the Upanayanam Sambandhar was chosen to learn under the Vedic scholars,
it was amazing experience for the scholars to be associated with Sambandhar who
had profound knowledge in Veda Sastras.
Sambandhar led
his spiritual journey to many sacred lands of Lord, on his way he met with
Thiru Nilakanda Yazhppanar a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva. He beautifully plays the string instrument
Yazh. It captivated the attention of
Sambandhar and Yazhppannar also desired to be in the company of
Sambandhar. In this way, Thiru
Yazhppanar’s yearning to play for Sambandhar’s mesmerizing songs praising the
Lord became real. They both visited
Chidambaram Lord Nataraja Temple, a huge crowd of Brahmins of Thillai/ Thillai
Anthanar was waiting for them at the southern entrance with Vedic Hymn to
receive the child of Lord. Sambandhar
was sabsorbed at the beauty of Lord Nataraja and Goddess Sri Sivakami, he sang
praising the glory of Lord. Sambandhar
envisioned Thillai Anthanars as the
Ganas of Lord and prostrated before them.
They both paid reverence to each other.
Later, Sambandhar visited Thiru Yerukkathampuliyur, the birth place of
Thiru Nilakanda Yalppanar at his request.
Sambandhar and
his group of devotees set out to Thiru Arauthurai. The little Sambandhar walk for some times and
the remaining hours take seat on his father’s shoulder, this is way they
continued their journey to Thiru Arauthurai on the sizzling heat. They arrived at Manarpadi and decided to
break the journey for the day due to tired of hunger and thirst. On that night, Lord appeared in the dream of
Brahmin priests of Thiru Arathurai and informed them about the ceremonial
carriage and umbrella which was set aside for the divine child. Lord instructed them to move to Manarpadi
with the decorated palanquin and umbrella to receive the young devotee Gnana
Sambandhar with great honor. Lord
appeared in the dream of Sambandhar and informed him about the precious gifts
Lord had reserved for him. Consequently,
Sambandhar was brought in a bedecked ceremonial carriage to Thiru Arauthurai
village with great honor.
Sambandhar on
his way back to Shirkazhi, visited many sacred places of Lord Shiva and sung
praising the glories of Lord. He met
with many great Shivaite saints and enjoyed blissful time in their company.
Many glorious incidents took place throughout his journey. Madurai was ruled by King Koon Pandiya, who
was embraced Jainism as the prime religion. The people in his Kingdom were forced to
accept Jainism and undergone several harassments. His Queen Magayarkkarasi was a staunch
devotee of Lord Shiva could foresee the threat of appalling influences of
Jainism. Queen Mangayarkkarasi with the
help of their minister Thiru Kulachiraiyar invited Thiru Gnana Sambandhar to
Madurai. The Jains were protested at the
arrival of Sambandhar and obstructed his entry to the Kingdom of Pandya. So he was stayed at a hermitage in a remote
village. Jains with the consent of King Koon Pandya set
out fire on the hermitage of Sambandhar while he was in deep meditation. Sambandhar’s
followers informed him about the danger, but he very calmly let the blaze to go
out of the place with his firm devotion and it appeared as heat blisters on the
body of King Koon Pandya. He shuddered with severe pain, Jains where
tried all their luck to curtail the pain of their King Koon Pandya but it was all
ended in vain. Queen Mangayarkkarasiyar
once again with the permission of King and with help of Thiru Kulachirayar
requested Sambandhar to visit the palace.
Sambandhar gracefully accepted the invitation and arrived at the
palace. Sambandhar felt pitiful at the miserable
state of King Koon Pandya. He applied a
handful of ashes on the heat blisters and sung praising the glories of
Lord. Instantly, the blisters vanished
without leaving any trace and King was relieved out of terrible pain. This splendid incident brought back the
beliefs in Shaiva Siddantha in King Koon Pandya and became a zealous devotee of
Lord Shiva. In this way, Sambandhar once
again reinstated the glories of Shiva Siddhantha and worship of Lord Shiva in
Pandya Kingdom. He travelled through the length and breadth of
Tamil Nadu singing and praising the glories of Lord Shiva. He made tremendous efforts to restore the
beliefs in the worship of Lord Shiva and Shaiva Siddantha. At the age of 16 he was decided to get
married at the strict instruction of his parents. While the marriage couple where
circumambulating the sacrificial fire, Sambandhar noticed a marvelous brilliance
initiated from the fire. He advised the people
gathered to embrace the spectacular flames and attained salvation.
In the Tamil month Vaikasi – Moolam
is widely celebrated as Guru Puja Day, the day Thiru Gnana Sambandhar attained
the Abode of Lord Shiva.
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