Kalikamba Nayanar

2

Kalikamba Nayanar

 Pennagadam…

Puja is being performed in the temple of Thoonganaimadan. Gurukkal performs the Deepaaradhanai to the loud chanting of Panchakshara mantram of devotees.  The glittering huge idol of Easan makes the devotees shed tears of joy. Kali Kambar is also standing among the people.

Kali Kambar (to himself)

You blessed me, a lowly Vanikan, to sport Thiruneeru in Your name! The Sivagyanabodham says that to set eyes on an adiyavar is as blessed as setting eyes on You! The learned people say that if one prostrates in front of an adiyavar, it will get him Mukti and if one feeds an adiyavar, it is as if he is feeding Iraivan Himself which in turn is equivalent to feeding the entire humanity!

From now on I will catch hold of Adiyavars and perform padapujai and serve them food. I will then worship You!  From now on, there will be no distinction between You and an adiyavar!  To serve adiyavar alone will be my prime duty from this moment!

He bows to Easan and after receiving the Thiruneeru applies it on his forehead liberally.

      ******

Kali Kambar is returning home.

 As he comes across an adiyavar on his way, he rushes and prostrates in front of him touching his feet.

Kali Kambar (on getting up and with folded hands)

Adiyavare! If you care to come to my house and partake food, I will be truly blessed.

Adiyavar agrees to his prayer and both of them reach his home.

Surprised to see their master coming home with an adiyavar sporting Thiruneeru, his servants run inside and inform Kali Kambar’s wife who rushes to the entrance.

Kali Kambar

Sivakami! Adiyavar is gracing our house today.  We will perform padapujai and offer him food of his choice.  Do hurry up.

The things are getting ready quickly. Adiyavar is made to stand on a Tambalam and Kali Kambar washes them as his wife pour water. His feet are then dried, decorated and flowers are strewn on them. He is then lead inside the house with great reverence. He is served a sumptuous six course meal. As the Adiyavar takes rest, Kali Kambar takes his food as per the vow he has taken in front of Easan. As the Adiyavar    departs after a few hours of rest, he blesses the couple for their devotion and hospitality.  The servants are eyeing all these events with mixed reaction. One of his farm hand Muthu approaches Kali Kambar when he is alone.

Muthu

Ayya! How come you have invited a tramp and showed all courtesies befitting a learned Aacharyan and fed him? Is it reasonable?

 Kali Kambar (calmly)

 Why is it unreasonable?

Muthu

 When we visit the temple, we only bow to Easan, the main deity. We do not bow to the sculptures in the gopuram or those in the various pillars. The Sastras say that one should bow only to Anthanars who teach dharma.  How can you justify your act of bringing some vagabond home and asking your wife also to serve him like slave?

 Kali Kambar (laughing)

 Serving an adiyavar is as good as serving Easan Himself! For me, he appeared to be Easan, Mahadevan Himself! For you, he appeared as a tramp.  That is the difference!

Muthu (not convinced)

Ayya! I am unable to agree with your argument.

Kali Kambar

From the way you are putting your views, you seem to be knowledgeable. Still, your warped thinking is making you speak like this. The Vedas do not demand you to bow to Anthanars when they are passing by.  

You are bound to bow to them only when they are reciting and teaching the Vedas, while they conduct Yagams and while they assume the role of Aacharyan in a Sabha. In those roles, he is a superior and therefore worshipful! Adiyavar is not like him. His darisanam is the darisanam of Easan Himself, irrespective of whoever he is. Sri Rudram, which is the middle portion of Yajur Veda, tells the same thing. You and I, our relatives, friends, enemies and everyone around us are all Easan alone! We all enact the act we are destined to.  He is the thief as well as the one who lost his property in the theft.  The one who is victorious and the one who is vanquished in a battle are the same as He! The human mind does not accept these sayings. Iraivan resides both as Jivarupi and as Iswararupi in each one of us! As Iswararupi, He oversees our acts we perform as Jivarupi. To exhibit Iswararupi, thiruneeru comes to one’s aid. Do you now understand as to why we say that Adiyavar darisanam is as good as the darisanam of Easan Himself!

Muthu

Will someone become Easan just by smearing Thiruneeru on his forehead?

Kali Kambar

If someone is sporting Thiruneeru, he is an Adiyavar irrespective of who he is. He is none but my Easan.

 Saying so, he bows to Easan. Muthu is getting even more confused.

Muthu

 Ayya! My mind agrees to what you say, but not my brain! Can we accept piety to dubious men who masquerade as adiyavars just for getting favours? How can we justify doing padapujai to these shady characters? Will it not encourage the cheats?

Kali Kambar (laughing aloud)

What does Thiruneeru signify?

Muthu                  

Thiruneeru signifies that this body, this universe …all these things will one day be destroyed and remain only  a handful of ash will remain.  

He looks up to his master after answering.

Kali Kambar

Well said!  Your knowledge is appreciated.  What does the handful of ash that alone remains after the entire universe is destroyed signify? It only proves that even after everything in the universe is obliterated, the only thing that remains is the ash, which is Thiruneeru! Iraivan is none other than that Thiruneeru! It implies that Iraivan alone remains after destroying everything. Therefore Thiruneeru indicates Easan who destroys but remains indestructible.  That is the reason why, the learned say that those who sport Thiruneeru are adiyavars   and their darisanam is as good as the darisanam of Easan Himself! Even if someone harbours evil intentions, he becomes an adiyavar the moment he sports Thiruneeru and hence equals Easan! The service rendered to him is as good as the service rendered to Easan himself!

He gets up and walks away.

Muthu (to himself)

It is very easy to preach but very difficult to practice! I can no longer work under him  as he is adamant in enforcing unacceptable practices. By tomorrow, I must quit and look for job elsewhere.

He walks away after having come to a definitive decision.

     ******

The news that a trader of Pennagadam is serving adiyavars by performing padapujai, feeding and gifting them their needs spreads far and wide. The arrival of adiyavars increases manifold. The temple sports a festive look due to the arrival of adiyavars. After having darisanam in the temple, they all reach Kali Kambar’s house. They accept his devotion and hospitality and go away pleased. As the adiyavars are well looked after, there is copious flow of water leading to bountiful agricultural produce. The people lead a peaceful and contended life.

One of those days, there is a small posse of adiyavars   assembled in front of   Kali Kambar’s house. Bowing Kali Kambar welcomes them.

Kali Kambar

May I know from where you adiyavar are hailing from?

 Adiyavar

Ayya!  I am coming from Thiruvarur. After visiting the temples in various places, we have reached here. Let your glory spread far and wide. Kali Kambar and his wife perform padapujai.

They do the padapujai of the remaining adiyavars one by one.  It is now the turn of the last adiyavar.  With Thiruneeru smeared all over his body, he is glittering white.

Kali Kambar

May I know from where the adiyavar hails from?

Adiyavar (hesitantly)  

 Ayya… I belong to this very village. My name is Muthu. I have served in your house and had the fortune of sporting Thiruneeru here. After visiting many sacred temples, I have come to your house.

Kali Kambar, wanting to perform padapujai to him, kneels and sits down in front of him. Waiting for his wife to pour the water for ablution of his feet, he looks up to notice that his wife is looking at the adiyavar in contempt.  Noticing his wife’s impertinence, he draws his sword and chops of her hands.     All those around are shocked. Even as his wife is standing in extreme agony, kali Kambar pours the water on Adiyavar’s feet and washes them.  Adiyavar Muthu is moved to tears and cupping his hands in supplication addresses Kali Kambar.

Adiyavar Muthu (greatly moved)

To verify the greatness of Thiruneeru as expounded by you, I masqueraded as an adiyavar and went around various temples. In due course, I reformed and reached here as a genuine adiyavar. I did not want to tell a lie and therefore disclosed my true past. You have chopped off the hands of your dear wife for ignoring to serve the adiyavar. As I hold myself responsible for this, I will give up my life this very moment.

Closing his eyes he shouts aloud the panchaksharam “Om Namasivaya” thrice in great agony.

Kali Kambar

Ayyo! I am to be blamed for the Adiyavar’s agony.

 He draws his sword and swings it  to cut off his throat.

There the sound of Kombus boom. Iraivan along with Annai Parvati   appears there. The severed hands of Kali Kambar’s wife rejoin and she becomes as before. All of them are in great ecstasy having the darisanam of Easan.  Spellbound, Kali Kambar raises his hands up in great reverence and sheds copious tears of joy.

Iraivan (blessing Kali Kambar)

You have shown to the world that anyone sporting Thiruneeru is an adiyavar. Even if he is masquerading as an adiyavar, he is still to be venerated.  For this, your name and fame shall remain as long as this universe remains. Whosoever worships Me will worship you as well. You continue to serve the Adiyavar  for your life time and  reach Kailayam when the time comes for you.

The heavens open up with a shower of flowers. The assembled crowd chant the Panchaksharam  which reverberates all around.

Thiruchchittrabalam