Thiru-jnana-sambandar
By Swami Sivananda
27. Thiru-jnana-sambandar
In sacred Sirkali (which, according to a legend was the Noah’s Arc during a cosmic dissolution), there lived a pious Brahmin by name Sivapada Hridayar with his virtuous wife — Bhagavathiar. Both of them were ardent devotees of Lord Siva. They refused to embrace Jainism and give up Saivism, even though the forces of Jainism were so powerful and devastating at the time.
Sivapada Hridayar prayed to Lord Siva for the boon of a worthy son to him who would reestablish the glory of Saivism. The Lord granted this boon and Bhagavathiar soon brought into this world a radiant male child. He was given the name Sambanthar.
Sivapada Hridayar and Bhagavathiar brought up this child with great love and devotion, knowing fully well that it was a purposeful gift from the Lord. The child, too, would weep for his separation from his Divine parents (Lord Siva and Parvathi) — though ordinary people mistook it for a baby’s crying habit.
One day Sivapada Hridayar and his wife took the child with them to the temple tank in which they wanted to bathe. Sambanthar had insisted on being taken with them. They left the child on the bank and went in to bathe. The child looked at the tower of the temple and began to cry for his parents. This outwardly appears to be a mere childish action, but the Lord knew its inner meaning.
Lord Thoniappar (Siva) wanted to bless the child. So, He appeared with Mother Parvathi and asked Her to feed the child with the milk of divine wisdom. To obtain Siva’s grace and divine knowledge, the grace of the Mother is necessary. So, Mother Parvathi fondled with Sambanthar and suckled him with the milk of wisdom. From that moment, Sambanthar was known as Aludaiya Pillayar or one who enjoys the protection of the Lord — and also as Thiru-jnana-sambandar as he attained divine wisdom through the grace of Lord Siva and Parvathi. From the moment he drank the milk of wisdom, Thiru-jnana-sambandar began to sing soul-stirring songs in praise of Lord Siva. The collection of these songs is called Thevaaram.
After finishing their bath, the parents came to the child, and found a golden cup in his hands (the cup in which Parvathi gave him milk) and milk overflowing from his mouth.
Sivapada Hridayar thought that somebody had given milk to the child. He did not like that his child should accept milk from all sorts of people. So, he brandished a cane before the child and asked him who gave the milk.
The child, shedding profuse tears, pointed to the Lord who appeared in the sky along with Mother Parvathi. Thiru-jnana-sambandar also sang a song, in exquisite Tamil (at the tender age of 2!) in praise of the Lord. Sivapada Hridayar could not see the Lord, but guessed from the child’s behaviour that his child must have had a vision of the Lord.
Sivapada Hridayar followed the child into the temple, as Sambanthar went towards it. Many devotees had also come to the temple. They had come to know of what had happened to Pillaiyar (Sambanthar) and glorified him. The parents were very happy. They took the child on their shoulders and went round the town in a procession. The people had decorated the town nicely and received Sambanthar with great devotion.
The next day Sambanthar went to Thirukkolakka and sang a song, clapping his hands to keep time. Lord Siva, pleased with this, presented Sambanthar with a pair of golden cymbals. Sambanthar, then, began to sing with the help of the golden cymbals. Even Narada and the celestials were charmed by this.
Sambanthar then went on pilgrimages. Once Thiru-Nilakantha Yalpannar Nayanar, an ardent devotee of the Lord and an expert musician on the Yaal (Veena) met Sambanthar. They all went to the temple. Sambanthar requested Yalpanar to play the Yaal. The music melted the heart of Sambanthar. Yalpanar wanted to be always with Sambanthar, to play on his instrument the songs that Sambanthar sang in praise of the Lord. Sambanthar granted this wish.
Sambanthar went on a pilgrimage to Chidambaram. The very sight of the Lord entranced him. He had heard about the greatness of the Brahmins of Thillai (Chidambaram).
To Sambanthar, they actually appeared as Siva Ganas (celestial servants of Lord Siva). He showed this to Yalpanar and they were thrilled. The Brahmins fell at Sambanthar’s feet. Before they did so, Sambanthar had fallen at their feet!
The Lord wanted to alleviate His child’s suffering by presenting him with a palanquin. So, Siva appeared in the dream of the Brahmins of Thiru Arathurai and told them that they would find a pearl palanquin and a pearl umbrella, and asked them to take it to Sambanthar who was then proceeding towards Thiru Arathurai. At the same time, the Lord appeared in Sambanthar’s dream and informed him of the gift!
The next morning, the Siva bhaktas handed over to Sambanthar the Lord’s gift to him. Sambanthar worshipped the gifts and ascended the palanquin.
Sambanthar returned to Sirkali, after visiting a number of shrines on the way, and singing pathigams in praise of the Lord everywhere. Sambanthar’s (earthly) parents performed the sacred thread ceremony. The Brahmins then began to teach him the Vedas. But, even before hearing the Vedas from the teacher, Sambanthar could recite them, on account of Divine Grace. Then Sambanthar taught the brahmins the essence of the Panchakshara Mantra and also sang a pathigam. It was at this time that Thiru-navuk-arasar (Appar) Nayanar also met Sambanthar.
During the course of his pilgrimage, Sambanthar came to Thiru Pachilasramam. The daughter of the Malava King there, who was a great devotee of Lord Siva, was suffering from an incurable disease. The king, in despair, had taken her to the temple and placed her in front of the Lord. At the same time, Sambanthar had come into the temple. He saw the pitiable condition of the girl who was lying unconscious. He sang a Pathigam praying for Siva’s grace upon the girl. She at once got up to the surprise of all. All were amazed at this miracle.
At Senkunrur, during his pilgrimage, Sambanthar found that the cold was very severe and that many people suffered on account of it. They entreated Sambanthar to alleviate their sufferings. Sambanthar sang a song, and immediately, they were relieved of their suffering.
After some more pilgrimages, Sambanthar came to Thiruvaavaduthurai. His (earthly) father wanted to perform a big Yajna and thus, required a lot of money. For that, Sambanthar went to the temple and sang a pathigam (song). At once a Siva Gana appeared before him, handed a purse containing one thousand gold coins and said, “This purse has been given to you by Lord Siva.”
Sambanthar glorified the Lord’s grace in another pathigam and then, handed over the purse to his father (who went away to Sirkali) with the assurance that it would give inexhaustible wealth.
At Dharmapuram, which was the home of the Yalpanar’s mother, the people glorified Yalpanar for his proficiency in music. Yalpanar, however, felt that it was due to Sambanthar’s grace. Moreover, Yalpanar also expressed that, though he was allowed to accompany Sambanthar, he could really not reproduce on the Yaal the divine melody of the saint’s sacred pathigams. To prove this Sambanthar sang a song in praise of Lord Ganesha which Yalpanar was unable to play on his instrument. He tried to break the instrument in desperation. But, Sambanthar prevented him from doing so, and asked him to be content with what he could achieve with it, assuring him that that was a lot.
Sambanthar went to Sattamangai where he was received by Thiru-Nilakantar Nayanar with great love and devotion. Sambanthar sang a Pathigam in which he glorified the Nayanar.
At Thiru Keilvelur, similarly, he met Siruthondar and glorified him in a pathigam. Such is the nature of the truly great ones — they adore even devotees of the Lord as the Lord Himself and sing their glories, not regarding that as worship or adoration of a human being, but of manifest divinity.
During his stay at Thiru Keilvelur, Sambanthar would daily go to Thiru Marugal to worship the Lord. One day a merchant had come there with his wife. When they were asleep, a poisonous snake bit the man and he died. Doctors failed to revive him. The wife prayed to the Lord for His mercy. At that time Sambanthar entered the temple and heard the woman’s wailing. Sambanthar consoled her, and she narrated to him her story and her pitiable condition. Sambanthar sang a song, and the merchant at once came back to life! All of them worshipped the saint’s holy feet.
At the request of Siruthondar, Sambanthar wanted to have the Darshan of the Lord at Chenkattankudi. When he was taking leave of the Lord, Siva gave Sambanthar darshan in the form as He is in Chenkattankudi. On the way, Sambanthar stayed at Thiru Pukalur as the guest of Muruga Nayanar, and sang the nayanar’s glories.
At the suggestion of Appar Swamigal, Sambanthar visited Thiruvaaroor and had darshan of Lord Thiageesa. Then both the saints stayed with Muruga Nayanar for some time.
They then went to Thiru Kadavur, met Kungiliya Kalayar Nayanar and sang this nayanar’s glories.
They then came to Thiruveelimilalai. During their stay there, the Brahmins of Sirkali met Sambanthar. They pleaded that Sambanthar should go to Sirkali and have the Darshan of Lord Thoniappar. The Lord Himself, however, did not want His child to undertake this tiresome journey. So, the next morning, when Sambanthar went to the local temple for worship — there he saw Lord Thoniappar seated in front of him. Sambanthar continued to sing Lord Siva’s glories. Sambanthar informed the other Siva bhaktas of this miracle and sent them back to Sirkali.
Appar and Sambanthar stayed at Thiruveelimilalai for some more time. There was a severe famine there. Appar and Sambanthar were moved by the sufferings of the Siva bhaktas. They offered prayers to the Lord who promised to give them some gold coins daily, with the help of which they could serve the people. Both of them found a gold coin at different entrances to the temple. Appar was immediately able to get provisions for his gold coin, whereas Sambanthar could not. He had to exchange his coins for pure gold coins, before he could obtain the provisions. Sambanthar understood that it was because of Appar’s sincere service to the Lord and sang a pathigam praising the Lord. The Lord then gave Sambanthar also pure gold coins and he had no difficulty in getting the foodstuffs. With this money and Siva’s grace, both saints relieved the plight of the Siva bhaktas.
References
- Sekkilaar, and G. Vanmikanathan. Periya Puranam — A Tamil Classic On The Great Saiva Saints of South India. Ed. Dr. N. Mahalingam. Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 2000.
- Sivananda, Swami. Sixty-Three Nayanar Saints. World Wide Web edition. India: Divine Life Society, 1999.
