[Advaita-l] Sivaanandalahari - 63

[Anbu sivam2]

Sivaanandalahari - 63 (2)

BhagavatpaadhaaL says: “GandooshaambunishEchanam
puraripOrdhivyObhishEkaayathE”. He uses the word ‘PuraripO!” in referring to
ParamEswara. That is, O! Destroyer of the three puraas! There is a specific
purpose to this usage. When destroying the three puraas what is the state of
His being? He was burning with rage at the asuras. To Him who is burning
with rage, the water spit from the mouth of Kannappa Naayanaar was as
cooling as the waters of the Ganga!

The offering made to the deities especially Siva is a vegetarian meal such
as cooked rice and fruits. Offerings are always made without tasting because
such a food would be considered already offered and therefore it is
‘sEsham’. Even in picking the fruits for the offering we make sure that
insects like ‘vandu’ has not tasted them before. The import is that the
deity would reject the such an offering if it is sEsham and there would not
accrue to the devotee the effects of pleasing the lord by the offering of
sEsham.

Lo and Behold! The burnt meat that was tasted by Kannappa Naayanaar became a
veritable lunch! AachaaryaaL says: “KinchidhbhakshithamaamsasEshakabalam
navyOpahaaraayathE”.

All these exceptional things took place solely because of the special
Bhakthi of Kannappa Naayanaar.

Each morning the Brahmana by name SivakEsari Munivar would come to Siva who
has taken abode in the middle of the jungle on top of hill, clean the
vicinity, pour the pot of water that he had brought with VedhagOsham as
abhishEkham then offer the cooked rice that he has so piously prepared at
home. That was his routine. Each afternoon Kannappa Nayanaar would pour the
Ponmugali water from his mouth on the Lingam and offer the cooked and tasted
pig meat as neiVedhyam. That was Kannappa Naayanaar’s routine. The two
bhakthaas did not know each other.

This was going on for five days. Seeing meat being left on the Lingam
startled and distressed SivakEsari Munivar. In total disgust and
helplessness SivakEsari Munivar decided to seek the help of the king to
catch this culprit who desecrated Siva. That very moment he heard an
asareeri calling him out and telling him not to go to the king but stay
behind hiding behind a tree near the lingam and watch what would happen at
noon time. So SivakEsari Munivar stayed hiding behind the tree wondering
what was going to happen.

About noon time Kannappa Naayanaar appeared there, visibly worried that Siva
would be hungry because he is late. He rushed to Siva and spat the water he
carried in his mouth on Siva and placing his cooked meat for His consumption
to the grave consternation of SivakEsari Munivar who was watching this
behind the tree. Suddenly from the right eye of Siva blood started oozing.
Kannappa Naayanaar got startled by this event and started to cry lamenting
that the bleeding in the eye of Siva could be due to some apachaaram he must
have done. He immediately picked some herbs from nearby that he knew would
stop the bleeding and poured the juice of the herb on Siva’s beeding eye.
However the bleeding refused to stop. Kannappa Naayanaar shouted “O! Siva!
If you become blind then the whole world would drown in darkness.” Then he
decided that Siva’s right eye is irrepairable and should be replaced. That
is when SivakEsari Munivar saw an unbelievable event! Kannappa Naayanaar
took an arrow, dug out his right eye and placed it on Siva’s right eye!
Immediately the bleeding stopped!! Kannappa Naayanaar was jumping with joy!!
But this joy did not last long as there was bleeding in the left eye of
Siva. More wonderous thing happened then.

Kannappa Naayanaar decided to dig out his left eye and place it on Siva’s
left eye. Knowing that the moment he digs out his left eye he would go blind
and would not know where Siva’s left eye would be and so he lifted his left
foot and placed it just beneath the left eye of Siva. AachaaryaaL describes
this as:“Maargaavarthithapaadhukaa pasupathErangasyakoorchaayathE” . He uses
the word ‘PasupathE’ to address Siva. Pasupathi means lord of all beings,
the king of kings, and the most respected one. Contrast this to what we do
when we despise someone by saying ‘beat him with a worn out chappal’! This
is the worst form of insult. BhagavatpaadhaaL says that the act of Kannappa
Naayanaar in placing his worn out chappal on the face of Siva is like
showing the greatest respect like placing the koorcham of kusha grass on the
body (angasya koorchaayathE).

At that moment SivakEsari Munivar witnessed the most unbelievable thing that
happened. Siva rose from the Lingam and held Kannappa Naayanaar’s hand from
digging his left eye! Siva said to Kannappa: “My dearest One! How can I
describe the mahima of your bhakthi. You and I are verily non-different. You
are me and I am you! I am the object of your aathmaprema and you are the
object of my aathmaprema.” So saying Siva hugged Kannappa Naayanaar and gave
him Sivasaayujya MOksham. All the Devas from Brahma onwards showered flowers
on them! Aum! Namasivaaya!

Aum Namasivaaya Sivaaya Namo Aum  Aum Namasivaaya Sivaaya Namo Aum

ஜெய ஜெய அருணாதிரி தனின் விழி வைத்து
ஹர ஹர  சரணாதிரி என உருகி
ஜெய ஜெய குருபாக்கிய மென மருவி .....சுடர்தாளை

சிவ சிவ சரணாதிரி ஜெய ஜெயன
சரண்மிசை தொழுதேத்திய சுவை பெருக
திருவடி சிவவாக்கிய கடலமுதை ....குடியேனோ

(continued in 63 (3) )