Vallalar was spending most of his time in Thirvotriyur Temple, is near to a place where the king of all thavam (தவம்), Thiru Pattinathar is blessing people of Chennai in the form of samadhi, and 3 nayanmars (Thirugnana Samanthar, Thirunavukarasar, Thiru Sundaramurthi) composed Thevaram here. Apart from this, many wonders happened and still happening in this temple.
He used to pray in this temple and spend special time in the place where Balasubramani (other name of Murugan) Idol is there. During the days when Vallalar was composing Ezhuthariyum Peruman Malai, he lost all attachment to worldly (materialistic) life. People around him considered him as a very respectful ascetic, a modest and as someone who creates great and flawless poems. He also comes out covering his whole body (from head to toe) with white cloth. He never argues or speaks unnecessarily with anyone. He kept expressing a great respect and feeling for all kinds of living beings and the rights of those souls living in it.
Becoming author to books
Kancheepuram Sabhapathi Mudaliyar (his kindergarten teacher), came to him and asked him to write a book 'Manumurai Kanda Vaasagam' which should be good for children to learned person to understand it. Anyone who reads this book will shed tears, gain wisdom and appreciate the depth and greatness of Vallalar's Tamil.
Later when there was a confusion among Tamil literacy group on a title they found in Tholkapiam (a work on grammar of Tamil language), 'Thonda Mandalam' vs 'Thondai Mandalam'; they asked Vallalar to analyze and provide clarification. He analyzed and provided a detailed and convincing explanation on why 'Thonda Mandalam' is correct in those days.
He thought of writing explanation for Olivilodukkam, but since Tiruporur Chidambara Swamigal had already written it, he just have a special preface explaining a key poem in that and allowed it to be printed along with that book.
Around this time he composed Sivanesa Venba, Nencharivruthal, Mahadeva maalai, Ingitha maalai and few other poems.
Becoming a teacher
Around that time (1830s), a learned person residing in Chennai named Thozhuvur Velayutha Muthaliyar, approached Vallalar with his 100 poems, in palm leaf, very difficult to understand. He brought it to Vallalar saying that those poems are from Tamil Sangam period. On seeing it, Vallalar kindly said "These are poems written by a kid who don't understand both the meaning and grammar of Sangam Tamil; if it is Sangam Period poems, then it wouldn't have these many errors". From that moment Thozhuvur Velayutha Muthaliyar became a student to Vallalar. He later learned both Tamil and North Indian languages with deep and minute grammatical details and wrote many books.
Later people like Narasingapuram Veerasamy Muthaliyar, Ponneri Sundaram Pillai came to Vallalar and learned few subjects from Vallalar.
Famous experts such as Thamiraan at time visit Vallalar and clarify their doubts and questions then and there. Like this he was so busy in teaching which became a big barrier to his spiritual practice and remaining alone. Sometimes Vallalar go to the outskirts of Chennai, to stay alone.
Few interesting events
One day when a person from Chennai named Lakshmana Pillai and Thirumazhisai Kanthasamy Muthaliyar while going together with Vallalar to Thiruvotriyur, a ghost appeared and tried to harm both these guests, and as soon as Vallalar said something, it disappeared. He gave Thiruneeru to both of them.
Another day when Vallalar and few other people came to Thiruvotriyur to worship god. After a while when all became hungry, a temple priest came and offered food. Later when all searched for that priest, they couldn't find them. When they enquired about him, they learned that that priest went to his native town, 2 days ago.
Somu Chettiyar from Chennai used to give him some money and material as a fee for Vallalar's discourses he gave based on his request. Vallalar will either throw away those money and things to the streets or roof tops. On hearing this, Somu Chettiyar gave all those material and things to his brother's family instead of Vallalar from that day onward.
When one of the good student named Kandasamy Mudhaliyar, due to poverty when he asked Vallalar he wrote this song:
ஏட்டாலும் கேளய லென்பாரை நான்சிரித் தென்னைவெட்டிப்
போட்டாலும் வேறிடங் கேளேனென் னாணைப் புறம்விடுத்துக்
கேட்டாலு மென்னை யுடையா னிடஞ்சென்று கேட்பனென்றே
நீட்டாலும் வாயுரைப் பாட்டாலுஞ் சொல்லி நிறுத்துவனே.
and explained the truth that, anything to be asked we should ask to our lord only.
Marriage
When Vallalar was going on the spiritual path, his mother, brothers and sisters kept on asking him to marry. Later they started pressurizing him to accept marriage with the help of Siva Yogis as well. As the repetition of the requests increased, he agreed to marry her sister Unnamulai Amma's daughter for the sake of the world.
On first night, Vallalar, using the light of oil lamp to read and explaining the meaning of the great compilation named Thiruvasagam by a great saint Thiru Manikavasagar. Both read it with tears flowing down the eyes till next day morning.
After few days their family members realized that nothing could change the path of Vallalar and they realized their mistake of arranging marriage.
He used to pray in this temple and spend special time in the place where Balasubramani (other name of Murugan) Idol is there. During the days when Vallalar was composing Ezhuthariyum Peruman Malai, he lost all attachment to worldly (materialistic) life. People around him considered him as a very respectful ascetic, a modest and as someone who creates great and flawless poems. He also comes out covering his whole body (from head to toe) with white cloth. He never argues or speaks unnecessarily with anyone. He kept expressing a great respect and feeling for all kinds of living beings and the rights of those souls living in it.
Becoming author to books
Kancheepuram Sabhapathi Mudaliyar (his kindergarten teacher), came to him and asked him to write a book 'Manumurai Kanda Vaasagam' which should be good for children to learned person to understand it. Anyone who reads this book will shed tears, gain wisdom and appreciate the depth and greatness of Vallalar's Tamil.
Later when there was a confusion among Tamil literacy group on a title they found in Tholkapiam (a work on grammar of Tamil language), 'Thonda Mandalam' vs 'Thondai Mandalam'; they asked Vallalar to analyze and provide clarification. He analyzed and provided a detailed and convincing explanation on why 'Thonda Mandalam' is correct in those days.
He thought of writing explanation for Olivilodukkam, but since Tiruporur Chidambara Swamigal had already written it, he just have a special preface explaining a key poem in that and allowed it to be printed along with that book.
Around this time he composed Sivanesa Venba, Nencharivruthal, Mahadeva maalai, Ingitha maalai and few other poems.
Becoming a teacher
Around that time (1830s), a learned person residing in Chennai named Thozhuvur Velayutha Muthaliyar, approached Vallalar with his 100 poems, in palm leaf, very difficult to understand. He brought it to Vallalar saying that those poems are from Tamil Sangam period. On seeing it, Vallalar kindly said "These are poems written by a kid who don't understand both the meaning and grammar of Sangam Tamil; if it is Sangam Period poems, then it wouldn't have these many errors". From that moment Thozhuvur Velayutha Muthaliyar became a student to Vallalar. He later learned both Tamil and North Indian languages with deep and minute grammatical details and wrote many books.
Later people like Narasingapuram Veerasamy Muthaliyar, Ponneri Sundaram Pillai came to Vallalar and learned few subjects from Vallalar.
Famous experts such as Thamiraan at time visit Vallalar and clarify their doubts and questions then and there. Like this he was so busy in teaching which became a big barrier to his spiritual practice and remaining alone. Sometimes Vallalar go to the outskirts of Chennai, to stay alone.
Few interesting events
One day when a person from Chennai named Lakshmana Pillai and Thirumazhisai Kanthasamy Muthaliyar while going together with Vallalar to Thiruvotriyur, a ghost appeared and tried to harm both these guests, and as soon as Vallalar said something, it disappeared. He gave Thiruneeru to both of them.
Another day when Vallalar and few other people came to Thiruvotriyur to worship god. After a while when all became hungry, a temple priest came and offered food. Later when all searched for that priest, they couldn't find them. When they enquired about him, they learned that that priest went to his native town, 2 days ago.
Somu Chettiyar from Chennai used to give him some money and material as a fee for Vallalar's discourses he gave based on his request. Vallalar will either throw away those money and things to the streets or roof tops. On hearing this, Somu Chettiyar gave all those material and things to his brother's family instead of Vallalar from that day onward.
When one of the good student named Kandasamy Mudhaliyar, due to poverty when he asked Vallalar he wrote this song:
ஏட்டாலும் கேளய லென்பாரை நான்சிரித் தென்னைவெட்டிப்
போட்டாலும் வேறிடங் கேளேனென் னாணைப் புறம்விடுத்துக்
கேட்டாலு மென்னை யுடையா னிடஞ்சென்று கேட்பனென்றே
நீட்டாலும் வாயுரைப் பாட்டாலுஞ் சொல்லி நிறுத்துவனே.
and explained the truth that, anything to be asked we should ask to our lord only.
Marriage
When Vallalar was going on the spiritual path, his mother, brothers and sisters kept on asking him to marry. Later they started pressurizing him to accept marriage with the help of Siva Yogis as well. As the repetition of the requests increased, he agreed to marry her sister Unnamulai Amma's daughter for the sake of the world.
On first night, Vallalar, using the light of oil lamp to read and explaining the meaning of the great compilation named Thiruvasagam by a great saint Thiru Manikavasagar. Both read it with tears flowing down the eyes till next day morning.
After few days their family members realized that nothing could change the path of Vallalar and they realized their mistake of arranging marriage.
No comments:
Post a Comment