Introduction
If a correct assessment of
Arunagirinatha's personality in his early years is made from his own
compositions and from contemporary literature of other writers, the following
facts emerge:
Arunagirinatha was a traditional type of
devout Hindu. Lord
Muruga was
the family God whom his ancestors have been worshipping. In his Tiruppugazh, he
prays: Oh, Kanda! The glorious God of the hills! Pray bestow Thine blessings
accepting the ardent worship of this humble son to You, my ancestral
deity."
His learning, especially of
religious and spiritual literature must have been acquired in his early years
and it was both vast and deep. In the Tamil language, he excelled in expression
and learning. In his compositions, he exhibits familiarity with the Tamil Works
such as: Tevaram, Tirukkural, Kaarigai, Ula, Easal, Kalambakam, Kovai, Sindu,
Madal and Maalai. He had also cultivated the art of writing eulogies
of rich men to obtain presents of money from them.
His compositions abound in the use of Sanskrit words and they also show that he
was familiar with the Itihasas, Puranas, the Gita, the Upanishads, Agamas,
Mantra and Tantra Sastras, Yoga Sutras and Kama Sutra.
His archanaon Lord
Muruga in two songs are mostly in Sanskrit.One is therefore entitled to assume that his mastery of Sanskrit language was
equal to that of Tamil and that he was quite capable of composing original work
in Sanskrit. Unless he was born in a family whose traditions were such that
every young male member from his early years received the highest cultural and
religious education, prevailing in those days, it would not have been possible
for Arunagirinatha to have acquired the vast learning that he has exhibited.
Story
In Thiruvannamalai there was a
lady by the name of Muthu.She was a Murugan devotee.With Murugan s grace she
got two children, a girl name Aathi and son Arunagiri.After some time the lady
passed away , but before that on her death bed, she took promise from Aathi that
she will take care of her brother Arunagirinather with full of love and
compassion ans wil not ill treat him for whatever reason .
But due to to much pampering ,Arunagirinathar grew to be
uncontrollable and badly characteristic .He loiter around and became spend
thrift and finally his sister
was left penniless.Out of anger one day Aathi rebuked him with sarcastic words
and that drove him away from his home.
The first sign of God's grace
and compassion came to Arunagirinatha after a Mahatma sought him and
spoke to him in a sweet voice with love and affection. The Mahatma advised him
"to meditate on the six-faced God Shanmukha".
But Arunagirinatha did not heed the advice for some time and people began to
deride him for ignoring the advice of the Mahatma. A change soon came over him.
He began to worry very much over his pitiable state. He thought of the advice of
the Mahatma and attempted to spend some hours in meditation facing the image of
Lord Muruga installed in the Gopuram. But his will, weakened by his immoral
life, lacked the strength to persist in that attempt. The crisis in his life
started mounting up. He decided to surrender, at the feet of Lord Muruga, the
body that had failed to serve Him in any way, He decided upon suicide.He went
behind of the Annamalai temple and with full of tears called out Lord Murugan
and begged him to forgive him for
all his sins.As he jumped off a big beam of light appeared out of which, Lord
Muruga appeared standing on a dancing peacock, halted him in the act and took
possession of him.
"Oh Gurunatha! You came
along on the peacock holding the Vel that broke to pieces the Krauncha Mountain
in Your hand and took possession of me in that the people of the world may
admire Your grace."
"When I was about to shed
life from my body, out of compassion for me and to elevate me to a better and
praise-worthy status, You came upon the scene, dancing, accompanied by
Your celestial devotees and showered grace on me.
Then Lord Murugan smeared
Viboothi on Aunagirinathar;s forehead and taught him the 6 letter Mantra
Sa-Ra-Va-Na-Ba-Va.Then Lord Murugan gave him a Japa Mala and instructed
him to sing Muthai Tharu. Then Lord Murugan disappeared. Arunagirinathar
who was suffering from leprosy was also healed .From then on ,he started to sing
many songs in praise of Murugan.His sister reconciled with him and she too began
to serve in the name of Lord Murugan.
One must assume that after
this surrender to Lord Muruga that was accepted by Him, the lure of lust should
have left Arunagirinatha. For, if surrender to the Lord does not relieve one
instantaneously of all dross, then surrender will have no meaning. One may
safely assert that after Arunagirinatha was taken possession of by the Lord, all
prayers in his songs thereafter seeking to be relieved from the attraction of
lust are for the benefit of others and not for himself.
Songs sung by him came to be
known as Tiruppugazh .He sung about 16000 songs but only 1250 is now in
our hands.He lived in the middle of the 15
Thirupugal, he also sung Kanthar Alagaram, Kanthar Anupoothy,Thiru
Vahupu,Kanthat Anthathi and Vel Virutham.
On one occasion, a chief in
the palace of Pirapuda Thevarayan who was ruling Annamalai became jealous of
Arunagirinathar.His name of Sambanthandan ,had been earlier graced by Goddess
Sakhti of which he was too boastful about. He challenged Arunagiri
that he can make goddess Sakhti to appear in a vision for all to see and
whether Arunagiri can do the same .(he wants Lord Murugan to appear in
Arunagiris vision).Those who fail will be sent in exile by the king. But
alas, Sambanthandan loosed the bet and was sent off by the king.The king was
happy after being graced by lord Murugan through Arunagiris prayers, that the
king build a special temple.
In another occasion, ,there
was a great poet by the name of Villiputhoorar,(he sang the Maha Bharatam in
tamil) .it was a natural thing that those who loose in his hands
in composing poems were punished by cutting of their ears.Such great poet
he was at that time.In a certain contest , he came face to face with
Arunagirinathar , he too lost to arunagiri.Villiputhoorar then told
arunagirinathar to cut off his ear but arunagirinathar
refused and ordered that from that day onwards the practice of cutting
off ones ears should be banished.
Three of Arunagiris
Tiruppugazh verses are Eru Mayil Eri , Thirumahal Ulaanum and
Naatha Vinthuga .(If you
browse thru Search :Thevaram in Yahoo ,you can obtain some of these/his songs
).
Lord Muruga came to the rescue of His devotee who was preparing to shed his body
and saved him not only from death, but accepted him as dear to Him and took
possession of him.
