Sunday, April 12, 2020

Resurrection anecdotes in Tamil/Shaivam

Resurrection anecdotes in Tamil/Shaivam, a sect of Hinduism
For centuries Christianity has held on to the resurrection of Jesus after his crucification, though his whereabouts after his resurrection is not described in a physical way. Resurrection means, the person should walk among men in a physical body and not wander as a spirit, isn't it. If a spirit departs from a deceased body and flies elsewhere, there is no wonder in it. I guess it happens to every being, as per oriental philosophy. In oriental thinking, it is said that only those souls with unfulfilled desire/duty stay as spirit in this world, while that of others either take rebirth or reach the point of liberation. They live as energy beings in other dimensions than what is known to us. If resurrection should mean that the person should walk again on earth physically, then Lazarus the only resurrected person who was brought to life after being declared dead in the Christian tradition.
I got curious whether there are any anecdotes in Tamil Shaivism, which is a sect of Hinduism. To my surprise three such anecdotes have been recorded.
First is in the life of Swami Thirunavukkarasar also known as Appar. While Appar is on his way to a town/village called Thiruppazhanam, he makes a stop at a smaller town called Thingalur. He is surprised to see lots of charitable places like water/food distribution shelters on his own name. The owner of those shelters, Appodhi adigal turns out to be an intense adorer of Thirunavukkarasar and invites the sage to dine with his family. While Appodhi adigal's son goes to fetch plaintain (banana leaf) for use as plates for the lunch, he gets bitten by a cobra and dies. Not wanting to share the unauspicious event to the rarest guest, Appodhi adigal hides his son's corpse and proceeds with serving the feast. Thirunavukkarasar requests Appodhi adigal and his wife to bring his son to confer blessings before food. Eventually the great sage comes to know of the mishappening. He prays to Lord Shiva and sings a hymn (Thevaram/Padhigam). Link to the hymn sung at this juncture can be found https://bit.ly/3a6nVpn
The anecdote goes as such that the boy gets devenomed and comes back to life. The sage, Thirunavukkarasar stays with his devotee's family for a few days to their rejoice before continuing his journey. This is next to Lazarus story where the dead came back to life with flesh and bone, and not just a spirit.
Second resurrection story, in the life of Gnanasambandhar, is even more intriguing. Gnanasambandhar and Thirunavukkarasar lived in contemporary period (6-7th Century), former was a child while the latter was in his late seventies when they walked together. In the Thirunavukkarasar's anecdote, the snake-bitten body of the child was available to perform the great miracle of getting a dead back to life. Anecdote in Gnanasambandar's life is also of a snake bite, but this time it is a girl, Poompavai who died. Her body got cremated and the remaining ashes and bones are kept at her parent's place. Gnanasambandhar, after getting to know of the services rendered by the family, prays to Lord Shiva to bring the girl back to life. The hymn (thevaram/padhigam) sung by Gnanasambandhar at this juncture can be found at https://bit.ly/2yRrBhX
And the deceased member's family witnesses a greater miracle, their daughter coming back to life from bones and ashes. In this case too, it is not in the form of spirit, but life in flesh and bones that is brought back.
The most amazing tale is from Sundaramurthy Nayanar's life history. I am repeating below a segment of the text written by A.V. Devan in the blogspot page https://bit.ly/2VjUtao
"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. The Thevaram/padhigam can be found at https://bit.ly/2Kar6SN
உரைப்பார் உரை உகந்து உல்க வல்லார் தங்கள் உச்சியாய்அறைக்கடு அரவா ஆதியும் அந்தமும் ஆயினாய்புரைக்காடு 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."
Wow... a resurrection of a boy swallowed by a crocodile several years before. Sundarar had the capacity to extract the elemental (pancha boodha sakthi) energy of the boy from the crocodile, summon Yama, the lord of death, who was in possession of the boy's life energy and summon Lord Shiva himself to combine the elemental energy and life together to synthesize the flesh and bone again.
Teachers of Shavism have performed a lot such miracles but are very rarely told to the current generation people. Partly due to the fact in the oriental philosophy that highlighting the miracles could make one sway from the path of pursuing the real goal, which is oneness with the ultimate. I am happy to write this post on the day of Easter where a resurrection though into a spirit rather than flesh and bone is praised across the world.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

Other songs from Pattinaththaar

Go to
http://www.dishant.com/lyrics/movie-Pattinathar.html
for some more songs from Pattinaththar movie

Meaning of the song

For a translation of this song, go to

http://groups.google.cz/group/panbudan/browse_thread/thread/5ab46a3fd00fceb4

thanks to vairam for posting the translation over the net

Thiyagarajan

பட்டிணத்தார் - ஒரு மட மாதும்

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA