My Salutations to Crocodiles!!


Dear Readers

I offer my sincere salutations and obeisance to crocodiles without them we wouldn’t have realized the Bhakti of Gajendra, or the Jnana of Adisankara nor the devotion of Sundaramurthy Nayanar. The crocodiles played an important role in bringing out the hidden secrets of these devotees through the divine grace. I pray my sincere obeisance to the crocodiles!

Gajendra cried “Adimoolame” when it was caught by the crocodile and Lord Vishnu flew immediately leaving everything at standstill without even informing Mahalakshmi to save Gajendra. We wouldn’t have known the rescue speed of the Lord hence I offer my humble pranams to the crocodiles!

The Alligator caught Adisankara who used the incident to get permission from her Mother to become a Sanyasi without which we wouldn’t have got the Jagadguru Sri AdiSankara. I offer my humble pranams to the crocodile which helped us to know the Advaita Philosophy.

A boy who was killed by the crocodile was later on miraculously brought to life after the divine intervention of Sundarar without which we wouldn’t have known the divinity of Sundarar. I pray my thousand pranams to the crocodile.

In this article we are going to see the miraculous incident that took place in a small town called ‘Avinashi’ where the last incident took place. I had been to Avinashi quite a few occasions where my Athai (Fathers elder sister) lives and visited the Avinashiyappar temple on many occasions.
Please read on the article to know more about how Sundaramurthy Nayanar redeemed the life of a boy! It may be hard to believe the puranic incidents, but even today the miracle continues for those who believes and they experiences it.

Please experience the bliss!

A.V. Devan
Chennai
1.9.2010


The Temple of Avinashi

Avinashi is situated about 40 Kms from Coimbatore. The word ‘Avinashi’ means that which is indestructible. The Lord here is known as Avinashi Eswarar or Kediliyappar and Goddess is known as Karunambika whose sanctum is to the right side of Lord’s Sanctum is a rare phenomenon as in most of the temples it is situated on the left side.

Avinashi is one among the seven Shiva temples sung by the Nalvar [padal petra sthalam] in the Kongu region. Avinashi is also known as Dakshina Varanasi or Thiruppukoliyur. Tirumular’s Thirumanthiram, Arunagirinathar’s Thirupuggazh and Manickkavasagar’s Thiruvasagam refer to this shrine. The inscriptions in the temple reveal that the Cholas, Pandyas and the Hoysalas have made extensive endowments to the temples.

The Kalabhairavar shrine in this temple is worshipped in reverence with offerings of Vadai Maalai. This temple with two prakarams is adorned with the Navaranga Mandapam in the inner prakaram. The mandapam in front of Ambal’s sactum has interesting sculptural work. The large Nandi and the carved image of a Scorpion in the Ambal Sanctum are of significance here. The annual Brahmmotsavam is celebrated in the Tamizh month of Chittirai. The festival chariot here is said to be on par with Tiruvarur car festival. The temple is a protected monument under the Archeological survey of India.
Sundaramoorthy Nayanar on his way to Tiruvanchikulam is said to have miraculously rescued a boy from the clutches of a crocodile, in Tamaraikkulam here & this event is commemorated during the 'Mudalai Vaai Pillai' Utsavam on Panguni Uththiram.

Sundaramuthy Nayanar

Sundaramurthy nayanar is one among the four primary saivaite saints who lived during 8th Century. Sundarar had sung the glories of Lord Shiva at all the sacred places that he visited. These hymns sung by Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Sundarar is called as “Thevaram” while that of sung by Manickavasagar is referred as “Thiruvasagam”.

Sundarar had the Sakhya Bhava or the attitude of friend towards the Lord. He freely demanded the Lord whatever he wanted. Sundarar was always seen in the bridegroom posture due to the divine intervention of the Lord during his marriage. The Lord enacted a drama during his marriage and came as an old person claiming that Sundarar is a slave as per the will given by his forefathers. Then the Lord took him to Thiru-Arul-Thurai and vanished in the sanctum sanctorum and the divine voice ordained him to write devotional hymns on the Lord with the starting word as “Pitha” (meaning mad – since Sundarar shouted at the old person during the arguments).

Sundarar is also a friend of Cheraman Perumal Nayanar another Royal devotee of the Lord. In the company of Cheraman Perumal Nayanar went on several pilgrimages and met many of the Kings of South India.


Redeeming the life from the Crocodile (Mudalaivai Pillai)


Sundaramoorthy Nayanar while on his way to meet Cheramaan Peruman Nayanar happened to pass through Avinashi. As he was passing through one of the streets, he saw two houses one fully auspicious and the other one with deep sadness. He heard two discordant notes coming from opposite houses, one echoing joy and another sorrow.

On enquiry, Sundarar learnt how two Brahmin boys of the same age, from these two houses went to tank for a bath and how one of them was caught by a crocodile, and the other escaped, providentially. The latter was being invested with the sacred thread that day, and hence, the auspicious sound from that house While the parents of the dead boy were unable to bear their sorrow. Had their boy been alive, they too would be celebrating his "Upanayanam".
Intensely moved by this, Sundaramoorthy Nayanar went to the tank where the boy was killed by the alligator and poured out of soulful song [pathigam] praying to Lord Shiva to resurrect the dead child and Lo! His prayer was answered.

உரைப்பார் உரை உகந்து உல்க வல்லார் தங்கள் உச்சியாய்
அறைக்கடு அரவா ஆதியும் அந்தமும் ஆயினாய்
புரைக்காடு சோலை புக்கொளியூர் அவிநாசியேகரைக்கால் முதலையை பிள்ளை தரச்சொல்லு காலனையே

The empty tank started surging with water from which emerged the crocodile and ejected the child as a fully grown boy of 8 years. To the wonder of all, the boy was much more handsome than when he met with the accident, and he showed signs of growth, appropriate to the lapse of time. All were amazed at this miracle of Sundarar. The parents of the boy were immensely pleased and embraced Sundarar's feet. Sundarar took the boy to the temple and worshipped Lord Avinasiappar. Sundarar himself performed the sacred thread ceremony for the boy.




Bibliography/Reference

Templenet.Org
Sundaramurthy Nayanar – Swami Sivananda
Project Madurai [Sundarar Thevaram]

Comments

BHASKARAN19 said…
Our Saluatations both to the Crocodile and to you. Wonderful site.

Warm regards

bhaskaran

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