Gananatha Nayanar

2

Gananatha Nayanar

Thirugyanasambandar turns seven. As he is about to go with his father to the temple of Thoniyappar, a group of Anthanars reach there and bow to his father. Sivapadahridayar welcomes them and get them seated.

Sambandhar

Am I correct in assuming that there is something very important seeing the crowd of elders here?

Ignoring his question as he is only a small boy, the elders look at Sivapadahridayar without answering him. Sambandar however gives a smile in spite of their attitude.

Sivapadahridayar (to the eldest of them)

What is the matter?

Anthanar (in a threatening tone)

Hey! You may ignore our aacharam! But will we follow suit?

Sivapadahridayar (perplexed)

What are you imputing? I am unable to understand.

Anthanar

How old is your son?

Sivapadahridayar

 He is seven years old.    

Anthanar

Even people who are hard pressed for money conduct the upanayanam of their sons at the correct time. What is wrong with you? Don’t you have any plan to conduct the same for your son?

 Sivapadahridayar

Having drunk the milk of wisdom of Annai, Sambandan became Thirugyanasambandar.  When he is himself wisdom personified, where is the need for these rituals like upanayanam etc.?

Anthanar

Don’t these rituals have to be conducted at proper time? If you are careless in these things, won’t our culture go to shambles?

Sambandar (mischievously)

Respected elders! I agree for getting my upanayanam done! But I want to ask you a question before that.

Anthanar

All right! Go ahead and ask.

Sambandar

Do the people know the intrinsic idea of undergoing upanayanam?

Anthanar

Why not? Every Brahmin must wear the Poonool to proclaim that he is a Brahmin. This is the tradition that has been in practice for eons. My grandfather did it to my father. My father did it to me. I will do it for my son and my son will do it for his son. This is a ritual that has to be done in each family without a break.  Only your father seems to be blind on these matters.

The elder is panting for breath as he has been speaking with a lot of vehemence. All other Anthanars approve his ranting.

Sambandar

To perform some ritual just because our forefathers have done so is illogical.  I will now tell you as to what upanayanam is and why it should be done. Please listen. “Upa” denotes nearness to Brahmam.

 “Nayanam” means that Guru is leading his Sishya. So upanayanam implies that Guru is leading his Sishya near to Brahmam.

When upanayanam is conducted to anyone for that matter, Suriyadevan imparts the Gayatri mantram. Devaguru Brahaspathi hands over the Poonool which is supposed to guard his virtues and vows. Kasyapa Maharishi gives him the waist- cord to ensure he does not deviate from Brahmacharyam. Annai Bhuma Devi   hands him the deer skin to prolong his life. Soman, being the lord of herbs gives him the palasa dhandam to protect him from diseases. Adhithi as a mother, hands him the Koupeenam. The Devas hands him an umbrella. Brahma gives the kamandalam. The Saptarishis hand him a bundle of dharba grass. Devi Saraswati gifts him the rosary while Kuberan gives him the Bikshapatram.  When he seeks alms by calling “Bhavati Bikshamdehi”, Annai Parvati gives him wisdom as biksha. The Guru asks him to keep his feet on a granite slab for blessing him. This ritual is to drive home the point that the Sishya should be strong and steadfast like the granite, to have a strong will to desist and fight against the temptations which may break the vows that have been taken. 

When one is born from the womb of his mother, it is his first birth. When he gets the Brahmopadesam during upanayanam, he takes his second birth. That is why those who have undergone upanayanam are called “Dwijar’ (twice born).

A man becomes an Anthanar, when he follows the vows he takes during the upanayanam. He promises that he will recite the Vedas properly and safeguard them. He swears that he will lead his life according to the laws given in Vedas. He undertakes to impart the underlying principles of Vedas to others. He becomes an Anthanar by strictly observing the above vows. No one becomes an Anthanar because of his birth alone!

Because everyone undergoes changes both physically and mentally every seven years of his life, it is said that Upanayanam must be conducted by the seventh year. 

All of them listen to Sambandar with rapt attention as he rattles off these facts.

An elderly Anthanar (sarcastically)

They say even donkeys live for seven years.

Sivapadahridayar

You said it! Donkey and “seven years” are closely connected. The average life span of donkey is seven years.  The elders chide that “One has no brains even after reaching twice the donkey’s age” also reflects this.  For a few they remain brainless even after reaching many donkeys’ years!

All of them laugh hearing this joke though it is indirectly directed against the sarcastic Anthanar!

Sivapadahridayar (continues)

As I am going to one Siva temple each day, I have overlooked his upanayanam. Thank you for reminding me at appropriate time! I will conduct his upanayanam on the ensuing Aavani Avittam in the presence of all elders of this village.

He cups his palm in reverence and all of them depart.

    *****

 In the temple of Brahmapuriswarar of Thonipuram.....

Gananathar (praying to Easan)  

 When the three year old toddler cried, Annai fed him with her milk in a golden goblet thus making him, Her child of great wisdom. He composed his very first poem on You at that very moment. I have taken the Perumanar as my Gyana Guru from that time itself. Today, he is completing seven years and his upanayanam is about to take place. He is already possessing complete wisdom! Does he also to beg for Gyanam? In fact, he is the one who must be dispensing wisdom to others! He is the one who will clarify all my doubts!  Iraiva! Grant him the boon of everlasting life!

Iraivan (hearing his plea)

Anthanar Sironmaniye! Sambandan has realised me. Very soon you will also realise Me! Even Yaman will be afraid to approach an Adiyavar. Sambandan will impart that mantram to you.

Gananathar feels as if someone is whispering these words nearby. Finding no one around, he bows to Easan and walks out of the temple heading towards the house of Sambandar.

     *****

On the day of Aavani Avittam, the upanayanam of Sambandar takes place in the presence of learned Vedic pundits. Gananathar is also present there.  After the Brahmopadesam, the experts on Vedic scriptures clarify their doubts from Sambandar.

Elder 1

What is the significance in Sivan taking the form of Lingam?

Sambandar

Every creature, including human being, which is born in this earth, has a body united with a soul or Aanma. The body is physical or Jatam. It is referred as Pasam. Aanma is referred as Pasu. Ultimately,   Pasu, that is Aanma, leaves the physical body, that is Pasam and merges unto Iraivan Who is Pati. Iraivan is considered as the male and Aanma is considered as the female component. The significance of the form of Lingam is to illustrate the union of Aanma with Pati. As they merge unto each other, it also reveals that they are equals.  As Pasu and Pati are united to become Iraivan, this also illustrates that Iraivan is One!

Elder 2 (sarcastically)

Iraivan is called as “Ardhanari”. Ardhanari means that He is half male and half female. That implies that He is neither a man nor a woman. So is He genderless?

Though the sarcasm in his question rattles all those present, Sambandar replies calmly.

Sambandar

In Sanskrit, “Ardha” means half and “Nari” means woman.  When you say that He is half woman, it goes without saying that the other half is man. The form of lingam depicts the union of a whole male and a whole female and therefore must not be construed as a form of neither male nor female. In mathematical addition one plus one makes two. But in a union when they merge and fuse unto each other, one and one becomes one only!  That is the form of Lingam or Lingaroopam.  As he Easn has kept Annai Umai as part of His half, he is called “Umaiorubahan”. He alone is Pasupati.

Elder 2

I am confused. How a union of one and one can becomes one again? 

Sambandar

Suppose you   milk a cow in two different pitchers and then pour them into a single vessel, it will remain as the milk from the same cow. It will not be the milk from two different cows. As given in Sri Rudram everything is ‘Sivam’ only. You, I and everyone here are all part of the same “Sivam”. To unite our Aanma with its origin that is Sivam when the end comes is the underlying principle of “Lingathatparyam”.

The assembled elders praise him aloud for his lucid explanation.

Elder 3 

Great soul! You have, though of tender age, proved that you are a great person by clearing our doubts! We feel it is a great privilege to be living during your life time. It is also a great blessing to us for having your darisanam.  Please tell us about Panchakshara mantram.

Sambandar

“Namasivaya” that is Panchakshara mantram is five syllabic. The five denotes the five elements of nature namely the Panchabhuthas. “Na” denotes water. “Ma” denotes earth. “Si” refers to fire. “Va” denotes wind and “Ya” is for ether or sky. This cosmos or ‘Prapancham’is composed of these elements only and everything is within this macrocosm. This alone is Sivam which became ‘Namasivaya’ and ‘Om’. 

Gananathar gets up and bows to Sambandar.

Gananathar

Does an adiyavar meet with death?

The crowd becomes silent on hearing this intriguing question.

Sambandar

No!  There is no ‘death’ for Adiyavar.  

Gananathar

Since one who is born has to die one day, how is possible that there is no ‘death’ for an adiyavar?

 The Anthanars look at him with distaste for having posed a tricky question in the assembly.

Sambandar (with a smile)

Even Yaman will be scared to come near an Adiyavar.  The example is the story of Markandeyan.

Did he not   overcome death by chanting “Om Namasivaya” and hugging Easan?

Those whose lives are taken by Yaman attain the status of “Yamagathi” by which they undergo an endless cycles of birth and death. If he is an Adiyavar, he attains “Sivagathi” which debars his rebirth. Since he has no rebirth, it implies that he has the boon of not having to die.  That is why , it is said that Adiyavar never dies.

Gananathar (exhilarated)

Aaha! You have given a brilliant explanation. Perumane! What one is supposed to do to attain ‘Sivagathi’? 

Sambandar

 He must recite the Panchaksharam every day. Being the Aacharyan of all, you are given the title of “Nathan”.  I will now give out some songs in the assembly.  You will explain their meaning to the assembled people.

He composes and sings ten songs glorifying the “Panchaksharam” and   Gananathar explains their import in simple terms to the people one by one. At the end, he explains that those who understand the import of these ten songs and recite them and chant “Sivayanama” will attain the status of Devas. He rushes and falls at the feet of Sambandar in great ecstasy for having given him the means to attain ‘Sivagathi’.

Sambandar (touching the top his head and blessing him)

You will impart the greatness of “Panchaksharam” to all others and attain the status of Nayanmar. Gananatha Nayanare! Your name will remain as long as this earth remains. Those who worship Emperuman will worship you as well.

The people in the assembly get greatly excited.

   *****

Gananathar is standing in the sannathi of Thoniyappar with his eyes focussed on Easan.

 Gananatha Nayanar

You have decreed six tasks for an Anthanar namely Sikshai, Vyakaranam, Santhas, Nrittam, Jyothisham, and Kalpam. I will follow the same by way of imparting education, explaining the things to do, singing, dancing, making horoscope and giving medication when they fall ill. I will impart “Panchakshara mantram”, I will explain its glory, I will set it to music and sing, I will make them dance to that tune. I will nullify the ill effects of the planets in their horoscopes and their physical illness through Panchakshara mantram.  I will explain the true path to be followed by adiyavar if anyone approaches me for guidance for the same. Let these only be my sole tasks for the rest of my life.

“Om Namasivaya”!

“Om Namasivaya”!

“Om Namasivaya”!

 Easan (from the sannathi)

So it shall be!

Raising His hand, Easan blesses him to the accompaniment of auspicious musical instruments.

Gananatha Nayanar cups his palms and raises his hands above his head in great reverence and a shower of flowers fall from the heavens.

Thiruchchittrambalam