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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