திருநாளைப் போவார் (Thirunalaipovar) கதாகாலக்ஷேபம் (Discourse) of Nandanar Charithram

2011-03-08T05:47:00.000-08:00

ॐ

The Story of Nandanar as told by the divinity personified Smt Vishaka Hariji can be heard countless number of times and each time the experience will be newer and the feeling as immense as can be felt.

There can only be a few stories of this kind and listening to one such discourse is a lifetime experience. I don’t think one will tire listening to the bhakthi charithram any number of times. Towards this end and to preserve this story for the younger generations to read the Harikatha in English this blog is dedicated. I dictate this by transcribing verbatim the story of Thirunalaipovar as told by Smt Vishaka Hariji by listening to the mp3 audio file piece by piece by pausing and replaying and translating this into english whilst being careful not to omit any gems therein...Radhe Krishna!...Anand Sundaresan

Opening Song:

sabhApatikku vERu deivam samAnamA gumA tillai

krupAnidhi ivaraippOla kidaikkumO inda tAraNi tanil.....
oru taram shivacidambaram enRuuraittAl pOdumE paragatikku vERu puNyam paNNa vENDumA ariya pulaiyar mUvar pAdam aDaintAr enRE purANam aRindu sollakkETTOm gOpAlakrishNan pAdum in Abhogi.

Nama parvathi pathaye Hara Hara Mahadeva!!!

Thrunaalaipovar, the story of Nandanar is one which is drenched with bhakthi rasam and this is a story from about 1000 years ago. From the Periya puranams, Sekilar adigalar, over 200 years ago there lived a great bhagavathar by name Gopalakrishna Bharathiar who wrote this dance drama. This was during the same time as that of the great saint Thyagaraja swamigal. Sri Gopalakrishna Bharathiar was a very disciplined brahmacharyan and was always ready to help others and was a great siva bhakthar. In Nagapattinam there lived Kandappa chettiar and Chellapa chettiar who had come to Chidambaram where Gopalakrishna bharathiar also lived and they came with a wish to invite the bhagavathar to Nagapattinam for telling a siva kathai (story). Sri Gopalakrishna bharathiar however had a principle wherein he did not want to tell siva kathai to people who had Vishnu dwesham (abhor) as he felt that with dwesham there is no bhakthi. One who does not have any bedham (differences) between sivaperumAn and Bhagawan Mahavishnu is a good bhakthar, he then goes on to tell the characteristics of a true bhakthar. Usually Sri Gopalakrishna bharathiar would test whether one was a true bhakthar by telling them thus, “I don’t tell siva kathai, only vishnu kathai”. Based on their acceptance or not, he would determine whether dwesham existed within them. But these two bhaktas were true and said any kathai is fine and passed the test. 'Any kathai told by you from your own mouth will definitely be a very good kathai'. Sri Gopalakrishna bharathiar agreed to perform the discourse which would be a dance drama. Gopalakrishna bharathiar went to Nagapattinam and sat there in front of a big sabha where eager devotees thronged to listen to him. He had not selected any kathai and some time passed. Now there were some fruits placed in front of him. He just closed his eyes and prayed to sivaperumAn in his heart and he said, "Please can a good siva katha come to me from my heart". Instantly a flash came to him with the name “Nandanar” and in front of him there were these fruits. Mahans can just about tell anything from any object or thought such is their divine power.

Picture shows statue of Nandanar at Sivalokanathan temple - Tiruppunkur,Vaideeswaran Kovil, Mayiladuturai

With a single Nondi Sindhu, the full Nandanar charithram was told and based on this for a period of 3 days, he poured the charithram drenched with full of bhava in various chandas, meter, eladi vritham, kambu, thukada, savaii…filled with raga bhavam. By Swabhavam itself, Nandanar Charithram is drenched with bhakthi rasam, which now being added with ragam it was like milk laced with honey. It is said the sivaperumAn himself listened to this upanyasam. Sage Upamanyu bhagavan mentioned that sivaperumAn himself listened to this story...

Nandan…Charithirama Nandan….Analum…
AnthyanthaM Bhakthi Rasam….Cholla Cholla…
Nandan… Charithirama Nandan ....

Kollida Karai Adhanur (ஆதனூர்) village (this is as if its Amaravathi, Alakapuri (Kerala Desam...filled with coconut trees by itself is so beautiful as if we have come to some heavenly place, its such a wonderful place). But instead of describing all the beauty, Gopalakrishna bhagavathar describes the cheri (a old caste custom of people who are literally treated with low work and in slums and are not allowed in prestigious areas such as temples of that time). But wherever there is siva bhakthi that place itself is Kailasam. A Village can be very beautiful but if there is no temple, it will be devoid of beauty as there is no Bhakthi, but if Namasankeerthanam is told in a temple then it will be Mangalakarakam (meaning an environment with divine surrounding) and beautiful.

Born in the Pulayar Vagupil (cheri), Nandanar was a siva bhaktha from his younger days. His cheri friends were all bad, they had all the vices – pon asai (love for gold), man asai (love for land), pen asai (love for woman) and they were after material things, whereas, Nandanar had no desire and no interest in bad things and was always chanting Namam. Namam must be chanted always, “Guruvayurappa” – if this is said in any home it will always be subhiksham (goodness) and filled with goodness. Nandanar would do any work - Seiyum Thozhilye deivam (Work is God) was his motto. Kotthadimai (slaves), even in Maharastra state, there were slaves like this and it was farmland work. Whereas Adhanur brahmins were landlords and there the slaves had to work hard for them and do so with utter submission and Nandanar had no freedom. But although externally Nandanar had no freedom, internally though he was free and filled with bhakthi and had the freedom to practice this. Many people have freedom outside but inside they have no freedom at all. Some are as bonded slaves to Kama (lust), Krodham (anger) and desire and because they cant get what they desire they are again adimai (slave) to Krodham. Like this its a cyclic process.

Nandanar had no great desire except that he had to go to siva kshetram and have the darshan of sivaperumAn. But the pulayar vaghupil community were not allowed inside temples and therefore he had no chance to have the darshan. Due to his desire to go, however, one day a message comes to his ear thus "In Tiruppungur (8 kms from Vaideeshwaran kovil near Sirkazhi Mahakshetram), Theradi (Chariot) nindram (from the chariot) siva darshanam is possible."

Picture shows the Sivalokanathan Temple at Tiruppunkur near Vaideeswaran Kovil, Mayiladuturai

So Nandanar desires to go there. His bhakthi filled mind says, "this Siva darshanam will be such an anandam (happiness) to everyone, everyone must also have the chance to see sivaperumAn and experience the bhakthi like himself". He wants to take all his colleagues and therefore calls out to everyone and tells them that there is a message. Big vedanta vishayams, Gopalakrishna Bharathiar, has sung in very simple sentences in his song as he sings,

Arpa Sugathai Ninaithom…Aran Thiruvadiyai Maranthom…

Siva Lokanathanai Thedi…Seviduvom Vareer…
Arpa sugathai ninaithom….
Avan thiruvadiyai maranthom…
Karpidhamana prapancham idai…

…..Kanal Jalam pole…..

(Kanal Jalam pole… Here there is a description from Smt Vishaka Hariji that makes me my eyes drenched with tears, the bhavam is deep and soul exquisite reaches our inner soul….Kanal Jalam,..thats our life…mirage…Palai vanam - in the hot summer, looks like water is available, even in Tamil Nadu in hot summer days, when you are walking on the road, you can see a glitter at the bottom of a tree as if there is water there, but when you go closer there wont be any…we call this in English as “Mirage” (Kanal Jalam), an optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image...The deer will be very very thirsty and since its full of thirst it will keep on jumping…(thavi thavi)..it will get here and then put its mouth only to find its not there…should not the deer have any buddhi? but it wont get..it will keep on going here and there…so as its said in Tamil…thulli thulli…gudhichi gudhichii (skip and jump)…in Sanskrit this is called – MRIGA TRISHNA....(mrga trshna : water of a mirage), the deer doing so will eventually die of helplessness…Gopalakrishna Bharathiar says, this is not any deer story, this is OUR story…as we all are in this loka sanskaram… like the deer we think this is sukhamo (happiness), that is sukhamo – is money happiness, is fame happiness, if we buy 4-5 cars can we be happy and like the deer we keep on jumping for the Kanal Jalam. We still wont get budhhi, it should come shouldn’t it, but it wont come. We should open our arms and say “Panduranga”, “Eesha”, “Shambho Mahadeva” without any shyness or hesitation. Tears come to us but we cannot understand the simple meaning but Smt Vishaka Hariji tells us with so much Bhava in order to stir this in us… those tears should make us understand….) But should be keep on doing this and leave this world just like that, is that what we are here for, is this why this manida (human) janmam has been given to us?

சிவலோக நாதனை கண்டு சேவித்திடுவோம் வாரீர்

சிவலோக நாதனை கண்டு சேவித்திடுவோம்

Come let's get the darshan of Shiva Loka Natha and seek his blessings

அற்ப சுகத்தை நினைத்தோம் -

அவன்திருவடிகளை மறந்தோம் -

நாம்அற்ப சுகத்தை நினைத்தோம் -

அவன்திருவடிகளை மறந்தோம்

We thought just about silly pleasures and forgot His lotus feet

கற்பித மாயா ப்ரபஞ்சமீதை

கானல் ஜலம் போலே எண்ணி

Let us think of this illusionary world as a mirage

Manida Janmam Kudhuthar…
Varundha karangal Alaithar…

Saying thus Nandanar calls out to his friends. Please listen, "kan padacha payane...antha eshanai poi parkalam" (having eyes, lets go see the God who gave you that). But will they listen so easily, no one will. Whatever you say first there will be doubts and questions. There will be just 4-5 bhakthars and 400 non bhakthars will be there. Suddenly the entire cheri starts asking, "What are you saying nandanar? Should we all come to Tiruppungur Kshetram with you? If we come with you will they all let us inside to see?" All these conversations along with ragam, Gopalakrishna Bhagavathar has given in the form of music in Nandanar Charithram. Nandanar says that this a Ther Thirunal and everyone can see during Ther (chariot).

"The chariot will come on a procession. It will be a great sight for us to see", says Nandanar. They all reply, "ok Nandanar, you always say, Eesan (sivaperumAn) is everywhere, Sarvam Brahma Mayam, everywhere there is Siva Mayam. Why then should we go and go specially to Tiruppungur to see sivaperumAn. Why can’t we see him here itself". Talk can come in any manner, out of shrewdness and cunningness. Sri Anna would often say, for all the shrewd and cunning questions, only Mahan’s will be able to give an apt answer. So Nandanar replies, "Eesan is everywhere I agree, but do we have the qualifications or the goodness to be able to see him everywhere". As we know Prahlada could see sivaperumAn in a pillar. What do we see when we see a pillar, do we see Bhagavan. Even when we go to the temple and stand before sivaperumAn, some with eyes closed, the mind is not with the God, it’s still thinking of the home. Then once at home and thinking of bhagavan and performing pooja or dhyanam, do we have the yogyatham to be able to see bhagavan? When Nandanar asked like this, eleven of them changed in their attitude. Gopalakrishna Bharathiar gives it with list itself... Vella, Mari, Mamundi, Paacha... Now 11 of them changed and accompanied Nandanar to Tiruppungur. They come down happily making their way into Tiruppungur with high hopes and expectations. As they enter the Kshetram, they start to feel something stirring within them, in their desire to see siva peruman.

Thalam Vandhu
Veedhi Valam Vandhu
Kangal Jalam Vandhu
Sorumm....

Palan Vandhu Engal Kulam Sudhamachu
Manam Vendhu Pochu....
Nalam Kandom Endru Nilam Kondu Nindraii....

Picture shows the Gopuram of Sivalokanathan Temple at Tiruppunkur

The Ethiprasam as it is told is very beautiful...Thalam Vandhu Veedhi Valam Vandhu, Kangal Jalam Vandhu.... Gopalakrishna Bharathiar just pours the Ethiprasam which gets us into a state of anandam and the music is so loved by us. Nandanar is now coming near the temple doing pradakshinam and with the expectation all the elevem of them come to see siva peruman with the desire looking from under the chariot. But now as soon as they lift their head expecting to see the great form of siva peruman, alas!, what they see is only pure darkness and there is no siva peruman visible at all. Instead there is a huge Nandikeshwarar statue right there in that place and that’s the darkness they see as they stand in front of the huge Nandikeshwarar. Nandikeshwarar is blocking their view and feeling very sad about this, poor Nandanar eyes filled with tears and was shivering with disappointment and sadness. But the other 11 were not like that instead of feeling the sadness what they felt was pure anger, they start shouting at Nandanar. "You said there will be a sight for the eyes and the darshan of siva peruman, did we come all this way only for this. There is no siva peruman here. As soon as we go back, all the others will laugh at us and start mocking". Nandanar doesn’t know what to do now. To say that Nandikeshwarar is blocking, a bhaktha can’t say, can he tell? He cannot get his heart to say so. He was a true bhakthar and he did not feel like scolding Nandikeshwarar, instead he sings with devotion, the famous song...

SIVALOKANATHAN THIRU SANNIDHANAM
MALAYAAGIYA NANDI....MARAYTHIDUDH INGHE
PALA KAALAM SEYTHA PAZH VINAY
KUVINTHU KUVINTHU
PAZHVINAY KUVINDHU KUVINTHU KUVINTHU
MALAYAAGI IPPADI MARAYTHATHO
PALA KALA SEYTHA PAZH VINAY –

"My Papam (wrongs), filled with loads and loads and loads...which is like a mountain, this Papam is not now allowing me to have the darshan of Siva Peruman and this is obstructing me"......says Nandanar

VARI MARAYTHIRUKUTHE
MALAI POLE
ORU MALA PADI IRUKKUTHE
PAVIL PULAIYAN...
PAVAM THIRENO PADATHATHIL SERENO....YENO...
SIVALOKA NATHA VARI MARAYTHIRUKUTHE MALAI POLE......

Thus crying, Nandanar says, "Eesa! everyone will tell me to move always. Move away, don’t touch, but now I request you to tell your cow to move just a bit. Just 1 foot, 1 foot alone would be sufficient, am I coming to your sannidhanam and asking that I need to stand in front and worship you. Can I at least from afar be just able to see you, Have I not done even that bhagyam (benefits earned through karma)"?

Kanakadasar story is like the same. Kanakadasar is also not a brahmin. When Kanakadasar is seeing Udipi Sri Krishna from afar and worshipping, people are telling him to move away and were threatening to throw him out from that place. Kanakadasar was crying. On the back wall of the temple, kanakadasar hits his head on the wall with despair and says, "Kanna! Can I not see you, am I such a papi, don’t I have the bhagyam to see you even from afar. Am I such a papi?". As he hits on the wall saying this, Udipi Sri Krishna being a kripalo, would he just allow his bhaktha to hit himself like that. Udipi Sri Krishna would have in his hand a “Matthu”, Sri Krishna now turned nicely around and with that “Matthu” he made a hole in the wall exactly on the spot where kanakadasar had hit his head upon. Upon hearing this sound, Kanakadasar seeing the hole in the wall, behold a wonderful sight of Udipi Sri Krishna smiling upon him in all his supreme glory, waiting for Kanakadasar to see. From then on, until now, we all devotees are seeing Udipi Sri Krishna only through the same hole through which kanakadasar saw and that’s the only way we can see even now. As Sri Sri Anna would say, the way in which kanakadasar worshipped Udipi Sri Krishna was not a bhitthi (meaning Wall) dwaram, it was bhakthi dwaram.

Nandanar crying thus says, "Can I not worship you, cannot your cow just move a slight bit". Siva peruman moved by the devotion of Nandanar now looking at Nandikeshwarar says with the affection as one has towards a child calls out,

SATRU VILAGHI IRUM PILLAI
SATRU VILAGHI IRUM PILLAI
SANNIDHANAM MARAITHIDATHE
SATRU VILAGHI IRUM PILLAI
NATRAVAM PURIYUM NAMIDAI
THIRUNALAIPOVAR...VANDIRUKIRAR....SATRU VILAGHI

Picture shows Nandikeshwarar Moved in Sivalokanathan temple Tiruppunkur

Siva peruman says,"kindly move a bit", why siva peruman is a swami and Nandi, only a dasan and a swami could have ordered the dasan, but siva peruman did not order, sivaperumAn is speaking with affection. In our place, "Thirunalaipovar Nandanar has come, he has come to see me". As soon as this was said, there is a thundering earth shattering noise. All of them who were upto now filled with sadness, on suddenly hearing this great noise lift their head up and watch awestruck Nadikeshawarar is moving before their very eyes. All of the eleven were completely changed now as they have seen a great wonder and surprise right before their eyes. As Nandi moves we hear bells sounding, deepa aradhana is happening, this kind of amazing darshan made Nandanar cry with tears of joy.

NANDI DOORA VILAGHI NINDRAR
THAN SWAMI MANADHAI KANDAR
IVAN NALLA BHAKTHAN ENDRAR.....

"Just in the manner of speaking out of bhavam, I requested that Nandikeshwarar could move but Eesa you have such a great kripa towards me and am i really gifted to be treated like this?" The eleven people who accompanied Nandanar were completely transformed as they saw the wonder in front of their eyes. Now all of them having had this darshan make their way back to Adhanur village from Tiruppungur. Now having seen siva perumal and having had the darshan, bhakthi over. is that all? Is this possible for a bhaktan? Bhaktan as he does bhakthi, bhagavam gives him the anugraham. In turn bhagavans anugraham makes the bhakthar to perform more bhakthi. Now this is becoming a competition as the bhaktha feels that such an anugraham has been obtained. In the midst of this competition, says Smt Vishaka Hariji is when "we all get the stories for discourses themselves, to sing them and describe the leelais in various forms". Now Nandanar's devotion being filled with more and more bhakthi wanted to have darshan of siva peruman and he started to have a single objective in his life, what? - to go to Chidambaram and have the darshan of siva peruman there. Nandanar now doesn’t have food, no sleep, nothing, all the time Nandanar is thinking of Chidambaranathar. Once again he starts to doubt whether he will ever get the darshan of siva peruman, he is such a papi and doesn’t have so much bhakthi and whether he has the yogyathai to go there itself. So he decides and says to himself, "well, let me go tomorrow". Next day comes, again doubts whether he will get leave, Will eesa accepts him, and then says to himself. "okay let me go tomorrow". Like this, saying I will go tomorrow, I will go tomorrow he became to be called as THIRU NALAI POVAR. People all around him started to talk that Nandanar will go tomorrow, thus they began to call him Thiru nalai povar.

NALAI POGAMAL IRUPENO
INTHA NATRA NARAMBU.......

Again Nandanar calls everyone and starts talking to them and advises, "you shouldn’t all be like this, lazy and doing nothing. I will tell you of the sampradayams of the elder people, I will tell you of Sat sampradayam, how the sants, sadhus will be and how we should conduct ourselves, he starts discoursing as before."

"Sivane deivam Chidambarame Kailasam Thavame Perumai Madha Sampradayam"

Immediately they reply,

"Seriye Swargam Eriye Kailasam Mariye Deivam Matha Sampradayam"

Then Nandanar says,

"Padipathe Gnanam, Parpathu Moolam Kudipathu Madhipal Kula Sampradayam.

Dont drink other milk, we need to drink the milk of knowledge."

But they say what they think is right and "we cannot follow you Nanda, you can’t dictate to us. Why are you always simply talking About Gnanam and kill us like this? You be happy and we will also be happy, leave us alone". Some people when you tell them to come and attend Kathai will say, "Simply don’t torture me", What's the torture in that, listening to Kathai is rasam isn’t it. Similarly for singing as well, how to listen to this song. "Dont keep pestering us, leave us to be happy, Nanda. We will live without any shame (Koosamal Valvom)." Although this is being told as a joke, all over the world we are like this only,

"KONDATHE KOLAM KANDATHE KATCHI".

We don’t have any procedure, vritham or performing dharmam, being like this, not speaking the truth, all over the world people are not like this. We are just like

RINAM KRITVA GHRATAM PIVET
This is the slogan for the lokam it seems, what slogan is this?

BY TAKING A LOAN ATLEAST, WE SHOULD EAT WITH GHEE INCLUDED. LOAN, DONT WE NEED TO SETTLE IT. NO! ARE WE TAKING A LOAN TO SETTLE IT, NO WAY. WHAT, IF WE DONT SETTLE LOAN, WE GAIN PAPAM ISNT IT AND WILL GO TO HELL.
WHAT, EATING WITHOUT GHEE... IS THERE A HELL BEYOND THAT?

--- as Jabali says in RAMAYANAM ---

So when these people start to think that Nandanar is trying to curb their desires and not allowing them to live like they want as he says sat sampradayam etc, they get angry. A big group forms with an objective to change Nandanar. If we spoil Nandanar bhakthi then we all can be happy and free. So they hit upon a plan, in that village there is a very old person, they feel that Nandanar will listen to this old man. Nandanar always has respect for the sayings of old people, he has great respect for their age. So they ask the old person to somehow brainwash Nandanar and spoil his bhakthi. If you do that, then we will be happy at last. Immediately the old person comes and Gopalakrishna bharathiar describes the arrival in a very funny manner. There is a link in this way its being told in a funny manner as there is a moral behind this in the story later. "What I am hearing about you, Nandanar, whatever you are doing is that Nyayam?", the old man asks Nandanar.

NYAYAN THANO NE SOLLUM,
OUI NANDANARE!!!
.... CHIDAMBARANENGIRA PECHU....NANGAL SEITHIDUM KARYAM POCHU

So Nandanar, "simply don’t keep saying swami swami, we are all slaves here, there is no swami or bhutham for us". Nandanar says, "Am I the only Slave?"

IN THIS WORLD EVERYONE IS A SLAVE. IF YOU ASK EACH ONE ABOUT HIMSELF, WE CAN KNOW. SOME ARE SLAVE FOR KAMA, SOME FOR KRODHA, SOME ARE SLAVES FOR DRESSING UP, SOME ARE SLAVES FOR EATING...WANT TO EAT DIFFERENT THINGS..AND IF THEY CANT EAT DIFFERENTLY EACH DAY THEY WILL GET ANGRY AND THEREFORE BECOME SLAVE FOR ANGER, LIKE THIS THE WHOLE WORLD IS OF SLAVES. TO REMOVE OURSELVES FROM THIS SLAVERY, WE NEED TO HOLD ONTO TO BHAGAVAN ONLY, ASKS NANDANAR.

Immediately the old man says, "all this is correct Nandanar, you do bhakthi, I don’t say no, why are you dragging all this small people out there and changing them, what will they understand, swami, bhakthi or bhutam". So Nandanar gets angry and asks, "are they small kids, what does not come at 5 Years, will it come at 5O. Is bhakthi a laddu, for it to come at 60 Years, if you say bhakthiye come at 60 Years, will it come and sit in your hand or can you put it in your mouth".

Sri Sri Anna will say in this context, "In 60 years, if you say you want to bhakthi whats the guarantee that you will be there for 60 years in the first place? If you are dead at 50, some are dead even at 25, 35, how will bhakthi come then. Ok lets say you got it at 60 years, how you will be you will be jabbering and will have all limbs tired, shudder to think of it, at that time, if you want to say Namam, will it come to you then?".

ONDRUME PAYAN ILLAYENDRU UNNANDHA PINBAVAN UNDENBAAN.....

ORU ORU MANIDHANUM ORU INNILLAI ERURIDHIYA.......

ADHALINAL MANAME...

INDRE SIVA NAMAM SOLLI PALAGHU...PALAGHU...PALAGHU......

NAMBI KETTARAVAR EVARAIYA?

This is Papanasamsivam keerthanai....Having said like this by Nandanar, when its told like a Guru upadesam and if its from a satguru, it will sink into the mind. This old man says, "Nanda! only today I do understand, I am a elder but I am not suited to be one, only today I became one. You have opened my eyes", that’s the link Gopalakrishna Bharathiar made earlier to say that even at this old age, only with a Guru upadesam there is even the slightest chance to get Jnanam as such there is no relation between age and Jnanam. Now the old man goes to the group who sent him and starts saying that the most respected man in this village is Nandanar and all should listen to him and do what he tells. They now say, "what is this, we sent you to remove Nandanars madness of Chidambaram but now you are mad about Nandanar".

These people got very angry and at first do not know what to do. Suddenly they hit upon an idea. They think, "When Nandan is throwing the sand on our desires such as drinking, saying lies and stealing, we have to destroy his desire. (Is that what throwing sand is? Dur asai (Bad Desires), but isn’t this good, destroying the dur asai). They start to think that when Nandan is not allowing us to be happy then we must not keep him happy either. What's Nandan's desire, only one...to go to Chidambaram...Now this whole bunch want to spoil this. The whole cheri is now assembled in front of the adhanur brahmnan's house. The brahmnan exclaims, "What, the whole village is here, whats happening?", to which they reply, " We have come to give a message", "yes tell me what that message is?", the brahmin asks?

aIye Oru Sethi kElum...
Ungal Adimai Kara Paiyal
Nadathaiyallam Vara Vara KeTTu Pochu...
aIye..Vara Vara KeTTu Pochu...

The message had to be delivered as it is, isn't it. If that were the case there would have been no trouble to Nandanar, But instead they change the message completely. They say, "Nandan is not doing any work, he is always saying he is going to Chidambaram, when we asked Nandan...wont the yajaman get angry as you are saying you want to go to Chidamabaram and there is so much work left? To this Nandan is replying, I dont care yajaman or work, let them be". Like this they lie and create a bad impression of Nandanar so that the yajaman will get angry. The yajaman got very angry, he could have asked around to confirm, instead the yajaman says, "Early morning Nandan will come asking to go to Chidambaram, I will refuse him and will take him for a ride and see". For all these people they were quite happy as the work they undertook got finished, this was the work anyway they wanted to do....Gone...

Next morning, Nandan decides to make his request. Nandan could have asked yesterday, he could have atleast got the permission... all these days of saying I will go the next day would have borne fruit. Today he makes up his mind to ask, very humbly with tears in his eyes he is asking

Thillai ambal thalam ondrikkuthaam
Athai kanda perku Janana Marana piniyai Karakkutham
Uyaram Sikaram Theriudham
Artha Partha Varku Ulankulira Karunai Puliyudhaam
Poi Varuga Uthaaram Thaarume

who?

Nan Poi Varuga Uthaaram Thaarume

Where to go?

Thillai Poi Varuga Uthaaram Thaarume
.....Thillai ambal thalam ondrikkuthaam

With extreme humility and very afraid, Nandanar asks with the hope that somehow he will get permission. As soon as he asked, the yajaman got such anger and said, "Chidambaram...and laughed scornfully. if you go to Chidambaram, will you get the darshanam...will it be given,he asks scornfully. Chidambaranathar will give darshanam only for people like me who am read and great, while you are just a fool, will it be given to you...."

Chidambara darishanamaa
Nee! Athai Sinthikalama pulaiyayar
.....
...Cheriki poda Nalaikku Vadaa

Once again Nandanar pleads, "Its a Maha kshetram, Pancha bhootha kshetram, Akasa kshetram, Patanjali vyasar performed pooja there, only once I want to go". The brahmnan asks scornfully, "can you just see like that, will you be able to just like that go and see in the temple". "No I will see on the streets, Nandanar says, as sivaperumAn comes on a chariot, it will be a great sight for me. Only once just to see on the streets, I am asking. On Marghazhi Month, Tiruvadurai day, Ther will come it seems..."

MargaZhi Matha Tiruvadurai Naal....
...Oru dharai poi vaaa..

"Ok, go and come is the reply". Then Nandanar is so happy and says, "I will be ever dedicated to you for saying this". But now the brahmnan puts a condition to plant 40 Veli bhoomi.

Narpathu Veli Bhoomi Nadavu Nattagavillai
parpathum illai seiva palamathu nindrai.....
Cheeriyai Tholaindhu Poda....

Here "Narpathu Veli" (Tamil word VELI means open place or field)

Saying he shuts the door.

Anyone who asks what's the way to Chidambaram, this is the way is not the answer one will be able to say it seems. "Chidambarama!, Are you going to Chidambaram", in just saying that they will faint...he is like that. Nandanar feels so dejected he cannot go back to cheri as his dissapointment is immense. Nandanar cannot go beyond his yajaman's words, he has so much determination and confidence that siva peruman will grant his wishes somehow through his yajaman. But Nandanar could not go to the Cheri. He tries to come, but without going to Chidambaram I cannot have this body, he feels like he would like to burn his body, that's how yogyam Nandanar is. Like Sabari, Sarabhanga, Bhismacharya, he is such a man of yogyatham. He just sits near fields around the Cheri and he faints and falls due to shock of rejection faced from his yajaman. He felt his heart would burst and he fainted. When he falls this, a dream darsanam comes to him...

Kanavil Kandaare
Nandanaar Kanavinil Kandaare
Nee Nadum kalanighal Naa Nada Sonnen....

Siva peruman gives darshanam and calls Nanda, "Dont worry, whatever that 40 veli bhoomiyum that needs to be planted, I have asked my bhoothangal to do the work for you. Just get up now and show the yajaman, he will immediately give permission and you can come with anandam and have my darshanam".

As soon as this was told, Nandanar gets up. He feels that siva peruman has so much compassion for him, how much with love and compassion has siva peruman for him when he said like this and talked to him. Immediately he runs to the place where his yajaman is. A normal person will first check if the 40 veli bhoomi is present before going to his yajaman. But not Nandanar who has so much determined confidence in sivaperumAn. Once sivaperumAn has said I have done it, he thinks it will have been done. So he runs straight to the yajaman and says, "Siva peruman has done it for us and can you give me the permission to go now to Chidambaram". Immediately the yajaman thinks that Nandanar has gone mad. "What Nanda, you are blabbering? You have gone only for 5 minutes and how come 40 veli bhoomi has been planted". As he went near the land and saw that the 40 veli bhoomi was full of radiant harvest (kathir aruvadai) cool and swaying in the wind and he was stunned.

kaLai yedAmal salam vidAmal
kathir oru muzam kANumAm
kaLikkuthu payir irukkuthu athu
kadduk kaddAkath thONu mAm

Everyone was surprised and all the village folk hither and thither assemble to see this great event happening in front of their very eyes, there were all surprised as this was not present yesterday when they passed by here and there is so much kathir aruvadai today. How was Nandanar feeling at this time, that's what's important isn't it. What happened, did he become happy or overcome with the shock or what did he do? What Nandanar did was, he took some of the kathir in his hand and put it on his heart and said, "Ennapan, ponappan" - this has been laid for me - Ennappan!!!

Ennapan allava En Thaayum allava
Ennapan allava En Thaayum allava
Ponappan allava ponnambalatham allava

Like this he cried and left, "My eesan has done this for me what kindness and he cried and left". After seeing this that yajaman brahman cried and fell at the feet of Nandanar. He has had the greatest surprise and he now he asked Nandanar to give him upadesam. He said that he thought Nandanar was a slave but it looks like the bhagavan himself was slave to Nandanar's bhakthi. "Aham Bhaktha Paradeenaha", what all is being done by bhagavan for his bhaktha. Pandurangan stitches the slippers for a bhaktha, for another the bhagavan performs a shave as well like that Aham BhakthapradeenaHa, what will not the bhagavan do?

When the yajaman asks Nandanar to perform upadesam for him, Nandan says, "What, upadesam by me to you. You were everything to me, gave me food, place to stay, dress to wear, you gave all and you are asking me to give you upadesam". Saying thus, he circumambulates his yajaman and performs namaskaram. He did not say, ok did you realize my power now, come fall at my feet was not what Nandanar said. Will a bhakthar say like this?

ayyE mettakkaDinam umakkaDimai ayyE mettakkaDinam
poyyAda ponnambalattaiyA-yirukkumiDam
naiyAda manidarkku uyyAdu kaNDu koLLum
shAttiram nalla kSettiram
sad-pAttiram jnAna nEttiram koNDu (ayyE mettakkaDinam)
muppzhum tANDi
vandu appAlE ninravarkku
ipparvai kiDaiyAdu
tiru naTanam AduvAr tALam
pODUvAr
anbar kUDuvAr ishai pADuvAr (ayyE mettakkaDinam)
kaNDArum kiDaiyAdu viNDArum
shonnadillai ANDANDa kOTiyellAm onrAi
shamaindirukkum allavO paraiyan shollavO angE shellavO nEramAgudallavO (ayyE mettakkaDinam)

Getting the anugraham of the brahmnan, Nandanar comes to Chidambaram. He has come to the borders or the precincts of Chidambaram now. He has to just enter the kshetraM isn’t it? Having had the grace of siva peruman who recently planted the field for him, he could have entered straightaway. But even then he had such humility and his bhakthi was such. As he comes closer, he starts to feel that he is not such a great bhaktar and whether he can come closer, only great bhaktas will be allowed. Not to enter the temple but even just to enter the place.

varugalAMO ayya undan arugil ninru koNDADavum pADavum nAn
(varugalAmO)

Which keerthanam to sing for this charithram and which to leave as there are so many and short of time. There are so many of such keerthanams poured into this charithram, Smt Vishaka Hariji says!!!

When Nandanar asks himself thus, he thinks to himself that he can go afterwards. At every step, siva peruman is leading him. He is still situated now at the precincts of the city. He feels that if siva peruman says that he can come only then he will enter. But then he thinks that during the chariot procession on the streets, Enperuman will come, when will eesan come...VaruVaaro Arul purivaaro....Hara Hara Shankaraa...Ambalavaanan....

eppO varuvaarO

eppO varuvaarO
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO
eppO varuvaarO
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO
eppO varuvaarO

seppiyathillai cithampara thEvan
(eppO)

bAlakirushNan pORRip paNin-thidumIsan
mElE kAthal koNdEn veLippadakkANEn
(eppO)

Asking thus and having had no response from siva peruman, Nandanar is just circumambulating the town, without food or sleep. Normally people will circumambulate the garbha graham, some will circumambulate the temple itself, some will do veedhi pradakshinam like they do in Srirangam. Even in Brindavan, there will be Dwaja Parikrama, they circumambulate the town itself. Like that Nandanar is going round Chidambaram in pradakshinam. Due to his humility he is not appearing in front of anyone and nobody is giving him food or water. Again he fainted. Once again siva peruman comes in a dream, how much blessed is Nandanar to have the grace of siva peruman. Only for a bhakthi of Nandanar's nature will bring this kind of anugraham from sivaperumAn.

Nanda, "don't worry or be afraid! I will ask my bhakthars of Thillai brahmins 3000 of them to come to you. In front of them, fall into Agni and perform Thirumanjanam and then kanakasabha pravesam can be done". Saying thus sivan vanished.

In another place, sivan appeared again, where? In the Thillai 3000 brahmins dream at the same time, same dream! "bhaktars! listen. One of my most loved bhakthar, Thirunalaipovar has come to offer himself to me. In the desire to see me, he is still hesitating to come and see me due to fear and he is near the North Gopuram (Madhilvai) wall. You escort him as you would escort me and let him into Agni and perform kanakasabha pravesam". Ennai pol Ninaithu, Siva peruman pole Ninaithu! bhakthan is not different from bhbagavan as they say often. Nearly 3000 dikshitars performed pooja at Chidambaram in those days. One got up and said I had a dream like this, another said he had the same dream, like this all the 3000 of them joined together and they come in search of Nandanar. SivaperumAn has given even the correct location itself. Correctly as they come there, they see Nandanar standing there with fear and humility. They say to Nandanar, "Natesan has ordered you to come to perform Agni pravesam". Nandanar did not hesitate or flinch one bit at this instruction. The Agni is burning as a Jwala in full force, without even a fraction of hesitation, Nandanar entered into the flames. As they watch

Everyone is now doing Namasankeerthanam now,

HARA HARA SHANKARA
JAYA JAYA SHANKARA
HARA HARA SHANKARA
JAYA JAYA SHANKARA
HARA HARA SHANKARA
JAYA JAYA SHANKARA .....

They are all wondering whether Nandanar drowned in the flames will come back. Nandanar had no hesitation since it was siva peruman order and jumped into the fire. Suddenly there is a great roopam, with vibhuthi on the forehead and Rudraksha, Nandanar came out of the fire. The brahmins were all astounded and astonished and happy as they were worrying as to what would happen. As we listen to the story, we wonder what would happen next, isn’t it. We shouldnt listen to this as a katha, we should imagine the same, Nandanar has gone into the flames, what would happen next. Seeta entered the flames, what would happen is the feeling we would have when hearing the Rama Katha. The brahmins are seeing live and when they see Nandanar back from the flames unscathed, with vibuthi and rudraksham and a radiance in the face and body, the devas are showering flowers from the heavens, instruments are being played. Seeing and hearing all this the bhajan went into a crescendo...

HARA HARA SHANKARA JAYA JAYA SHANKARA...

All of them are slapping their cheeks and fall at the feet of Nandanar all 3000 of them. This shows that true bhakthi has no bedham towards caste. Why then all this leelai, Agni pravesam leelai, siva peruman could have straightaway told to perform kanakasabhapravesam instead of the Agni pravesam. But it was to perform Agni Pravesam and drown in Agni and then perform kanakasabhapravesam was the instruction.

If we are told something that is suited to our convenience, for example, bhagavan comes in our dream and says, bhaktha! In that area I have stored 1000 gold coins, dig and take it. What we will say, aha! bhagavan has done such a kripa for us, we will keep telling! FIRST WE WILL CHECK, DIG and TAKE IT and THEN SAY TO EVERYONE! Same next day bhagavan comes again and says, bhaktha! Circumambulate my sannidhi daily 108 times! Next day morning, we will say, dream! what dream? its no dream just a day dream. Whatever is anukulam we will take, but if its pratikulam we will leave! But Nandanar, when he was told that narpathu veli land was planted, he treated as siva krupa, perform Agni pravesam then also its siva kripa. Can we be like this?

Sukha Dukha Same Krithva!

Manaabhi Maanam Vittu Thaanaghi Nindru...as told in Ayye Metha Katinam

SUKHA DUKHE SAME KRITHVA LABHA LABHAU JAYA JAYAU can we be like that.

Thats why this Agni Pravesam. As Nandanars main desire is to go and see Natarajar, his heart is throbbing with that desire. With that he runs towards saying, here I come and as he comes in, there is the magnificient great darshanam of Natarajar. Putting his right leg down and lifting the left leg over, Natarajar with his Mandahasam starting to dance the Tandavanam with the charanam and natyam. Where is sivaperumAn performing this dance, according to Sri Anna - Saran Sparshitha premika hridayaga. The dance is on the heart of the devotee on all the hearts of the bhakthars present. With an indication from the eye, Siva peruman is asking Nandanar to come and Nandanar entered inside the garbha graham and then vanished merging with the body of siva peruman. On this great Puratasi masam, Rohini nakshatram, the day on which Nandanar entered the Kanakasabha and attained the siva swaroopya. The World now speaks pof Nandan as Thirnalaipovar and Nandamamunivar. Even today Nandanar Charithram as Harikatha Kalakshepam or is performed as an Isai Natakam (Dance Drama). Concerts sing Nandanar keerthanams, even in temples pooja is performed with Nandanar. This charithram teaches us so many meanings - Bhaktans bhakthi, bhagavans love, How bhakthi has no bedham for caste or creed, why even Muslims do bhakthi leave alone caste or creed - Kabirdas, Rahim, latif, haseena, hamids, sultan so many muslims have attained bhagavan. Bhakthi alone is important, bhagavan is expecting only love. Lastly one important meaning is coming through - Temple arising archA avatAram procedures and mahimai has to be understood. Whenever anything is obtained easily, the value of it will be depreciated. Guruvayurappan, we can go anytime, its only in Kerala isnt it, Tiruvananthapuram Padmanabhar anytime we can go..saying thus people living in Kerala itself would never have gone for darshan. Somewhere someone from other states, foreign countries and places people will come and have darshan of Guruvayurappan. Thinking we are close and close we will miss it. This charithram shows that we should not be like that. All his life can I not go to Chidambaram was what this mahan felt and such a Mahanubhavar charithram, its a great thing to even hear this charithram and more punyam for telling this charithram. You can hear the original audio of this charithram at

http://www.esnips.com/web/NANDANARCHARITHRAM

HARA HARA SHANKARA JAYA JAYA SHANKARA!

RADHE KRISHNA!

Transcribed by the grace of the Lord and Gurunathar, I place this at the feet of Guru Maharaj with my humblest namaskarams and offer this as a service to one and all to beget the satsaghAnubhAvam - Anand Sundaresan

Harikathas by Smt Vishaka Hariji

திருநாளைப் போவார் (Thirunalaipovar) கதாகாலக்ஷேபம் (Discourse) of Nandanar Charithram