The History of Chandesvara Naayanaar
நிறைந்தமா மணலைக் கூப்பி நேசமோ டாவின் பாலைக்
கறந்துகொண் டாட்டக் கண்டு கறுத்ததன் தாதை தாளை
எறிந்தமா ணிக்கப் போதே எழில்கொள்சண் டீசன் என்னச்
சிறந்தபே றளித்தார் சேறைச் செந்நெறிச் செல்வ னாரே.
Among the twenty five forms that are most praised the Chandeshanugraha
Murti is one. It is the form of Lord blessing the Chandesvara Nayanar for the
great deed he did. In fact Chandesvara Nayanar is one of the five forms that
are worshipped in all the temple festivals even today (others being Vinayakar, Subhramanyar,
Someskander, Shakti). He has a special place in all the temples, where the
water after anointing the Lord falls out. Anybody before leaving the temple
after worship must take the permission from Chandesvara Nayanar sitting in that
place for taking any of the material as the left over blessing ( prasadham )
from the God.
Vichara Sarmar (who was later known as Chandesvara Nayanar) was
born in Tiruchaijnanallur (near Kumbakonam in Chola kingdom), which was famous
for Vedic recitations, Tapas, and Siva Bhakti. Among the people who chant the Vedas
in that town came a person called Echhadattan in the Kashyapa gothram
(tradition founded by sage Kashayapar). Like the snake that gives that both gem
and poison, he was the form of both good and bad deeds. His wife came in a good
family, chaste in her heart, blessed for getting a son of unlimited fame. For
the truth of Shaivam grow, she gave birth to the kid by name Vichara Sarmar. He
was a prodigy. At the age of five he had learnt the Vedas, and all the Agamas,
by himself, on account of previous Samskaras. After his Upanayanam (sacred
thread ceremony), he learnt the Vedas, under a Guru: but the Gurus were
wonder-struck at the intelligence of the disciple. He wanted to attain Final Emancipation
in that birth.
One day Vichara Sarmar,
with his friends, was walking along a road. He noticed a cowherd hitting a cow
in the herd with a rod heavily. Vichara Sarmar could not bear this. He was
greatly moved and spoke to the cowherd: ‘Oh ignorant man? Do you not know that
the cow is worshipful and divine? The cows are the superior creatures of all in
the world. All the holy waters reside in them. They give the five holy
substances that the Lord likes the most for anointing. They give birth to the
raw materials used for the preparation of the holy ash. They belong to the same
family of the holy Bull Lord who carries the Lord always. All the Devas dwell
in her. She is indispensable for all religious activities. It is our sacred
duty to tend and protect the cows. Whoever harms the cow is hurled into the
Naraka. Whoever worships the cow wins a place in heaven or in Siva’s Abode. You
have committed a great sin today. Thinking of this greatness of cows, he told
the Cowherd that from hereafter, you need not tend to the cows: I will do that
myself. Vichara Sarmar took the work
upon himself from that day.
He took the cows every
morning to the places where they will get enough grass to graze. If there is
not enough he would pluck and give them. After they get enough food and water
he would make them sit in a cool shady place. He protected them from the attack
of other animals. When they gave the milk he used to duly produce it to the appropriate
owner without failure. Under his supervision the cows lived in peace,
multiplied and gave milk in huge quantities than one could expect. The cows
grew healthier. They liked Vichara Sarmar very much. The Brahmins who got more
milk thereafter were able to fulfill their religious duties very well, and they
were pleased with Vichara Sarmar.
Excited by his care the cows came to this child instead of their calves,
and started giving milk automatically without anybody sucking it out. This
became an indication to him for the anointment of the Lord who best likes the
bathing in holy substances than anything else as worship. There was so much of
surplus milk now. With the enthusiasm to worship the Almighty that gives the perennial
bliss to the worshipper, Vichara Sarmar, who loved Lord Siva and His worship,
decided to perform Abhishekam for Lord Siva, he constructed a temple out of the
sand as a play. He brought the leaves and flowers from the shrubs surrounding
to offer to the matted hair of the Lord. When he went to the cows they all gave
him a lot of milk. Putting his heart under His feet, the flowers over His
golden hair, he started anointing the milk like sweet God with milk and his
love replacing the other substances that were not available to him for the
worship.
The cows gave the same amount of milk to their houses as well in
spite of giving for the worship of the small but adorable devotee. This
devotion and worship grew as the days grew. He used to sit under an Atti tree
on the bank of the river, construct a temple from the mud, and also make a
mud-image of Siva Lingam and offer the milk, to bathe the Lingam. Then he would
perform Archana with the Atti flowers. The cows were giving plenty of milk both
to Vichara Sarmar and to the Brahmins.
One day, when Vichara Sarmar
was doing this Puja, a villager happened to pass by, and he watched all this.
He reported the matter to the owners of the cows, and complained that Vichara Sarmar
was pouring precious milk on mud and river sand. The town counsil enquired Echhadattan
about this. Nobody realized the presence of the Lord in the sand form nor the
devotion of the young prodigy nor about the respect they have to give to the
worship and not even the fact that they were getting more milk than they used
to get before after the Vedic young boy took over that job. They passed the
complaint on to him in rather strong terms. The father was naturally shocked.
He came home, but did not speak to Vichara Sarmar. He wanted to find out for
himself. So, the next day, he followed Vichara Sarmar at a distance without his
knowledge.
With the truthful bhakti Naayanaar made the form of the lord and
his abode out of the sand as he did every day, put the flowers and leaves on
the head that is ornated by bones and skulls and started anointing with the
milk that cows gave out of affection. Unable realize the dedication of his
young son and appreciate it, he saw only through the mask of his own defined
duty. When Vichara Sarmar began pouring milk on the improvised Siva Lingam, the
father, without understanding the son’s wonderful devotion, hit him with a
stick. But what Naayanaar was doing was not just a kid's play. It was the THAPA
that is full of love and devotion. He knew then nothing but Shiva, the milk
that he enjoys. The beating never pained him. He was well out of bodily
feelings and was in the state of bliss. He was so much absorbed in his Puja
that he did not even feel pain. The father got irked by this act of Naayanaar knocked
the milk-pot down that he was pouring on Lord's head. It was then that Vichara Sarmar
realized that his father was interfering with his worship and had committed an
unpardonable offence against Lord Siva (Siva Aparadham).
But in complete neutrality he realized that it is the God who
wears the water in His head to be the only relation for the real "I"
(pashu). When a person does a sinful deed against the Lord it should not matter
what the relationship is, but misdeed is misdeed. That great young boy whom the
world salutes took a stick that lied nearby and by the will of the Lord the
stick was transformed into an axe. He threw it on Echhadattan, which cut his
legs that did the sinful deed and disturbed the worship. He fell down on the
sand. The loveful devotee was so engrossed in the worship, that he did not mind
what had happened and continued the worship.
The Lord Shiva immensely delighted by the impartial behavior of Vichara
Sarmar’s devotion and love came on the holy bull accompanied by Parvathi with
the praise of the sages and the chanting of Vedas. Vichara Sarmar prostrated
before the Lord. The Lord embraced Vichara Sarmar and fondled him. Mahaadeva
took, hugged and kissed him with his holy hands. The Lord said: ‘My child, you
cut your own father’s leg for my sake. Now, I am Your Father. You will soon
attain Chandikesvarar’s Abode. The importance he gave to the service of the Lord
made the god who transcends everything to be his father.
That very instant, Vichara Sarmar attained the divine Form of Lord
Siva. The child who was touched by the Lord of luminent form appeared with the
luminance of thousands of suns. The Lord of universe made him the head of his
devotees and said, "Everything from the vessels of food, the ornaments and
dress that are offered to me were for you after my usage. And you are given the
great name "Chandishan". The Lord removed a garland from His own neck
and crowned Vichara Sarmar’s shining hair with the konrai garland with the
crescent in it.
(He got a form of liberation called Sarupyam where the liberated
soul gets the appearance of the Lord with three eyes, crescent crown, axe and
deer and bull vehicle). Amidst the flower rain by the people of heaven and
praise by the good hearted, with the path of Shaivam illuminated he accompanied
the lord. Vichara Sarmar also went to the Abode of Chandesvarar. No sin
attached to him, for having killed his own father, because of his supreme
devotion to the Lord. His father, too, because he was killed by such a great
devotee of the Lord, was purged of the sin of interfering with His worship, and
reached the Abode of Lord Siva with the family. Let the impartial nature of Chandesha
Nayanar's service and his excellent love for the crescent crowned Shiva stay in
the mind.
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