[Advaita-l] An Ode to the 'Bhasma' - Thiruneetru padhikam - திருநீற்றுப் பதிகம்

[V Subrahmanian]

> An Ode to the 'Bhasma' - Thiruneetru padhikam - திருநீற்றுப் பதிகம்
>
> The Tamil Brahmin saint Thirujnana sambandar of the 7 CE has composed a
> decad of verses on the glory of the 'Bhasma', Vibhuti, that the vaidikas of
> the past millennium were adorning themselves with.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambandar  //At his investiture with the
> sacred thread, at the age of seven, he is said to have expounded the Vedas
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veda> with great clarity. //
>
>
> http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/onepage.php?thiru=2&So
> ng_idField=20660
>
>
>    1. The Bhasma itself is a mantra. The Devas adorn themselves with it.
>    It is spoken of in religious texts.
>    2. It is praised in the Vedas. It gives one the true knowledge of
>    Shiva.  [There are many Upanishads such as the Atharva Shira, Bhasma
>    jabala, Brhad jabala, etc.describing the method of wearing the bhasma, the
>    mantras to be chanted while doing so, etc.]
>    3. It gives liberation. Sages adorn themselves with it. It also
>    bestows one with the eight siddhis.
>    4. It is lovely to the sight. Gives knowledge. Prevents death.
>    5. It gives punya to those who use it. It destroys desire of the
>    mumukshus. It is praised by the people.
>    6. It destroys misery. The exalted ones wear it.
>    7. It bestows purity. Gives the company of the exalted.
>    8. It is the Parashakti tattva.
>    9. It's glory is beyond the comprehension of even Brahma and Vishnu
>    10. It made the heretics wonder about its glory
>    11. The author, Jnana Sambandar, gives the phalashruti: It is composed
>    by the Brahmana who lived in the temple town of Pugali. He wrought a
>    miracle by curing the Pandya King's ailment by using the Bhasma. Those who
>    recite this padhikam will gain great good.
>
> There are innumerable references in the first three chapters of the
> Thirumurai for the practice of Brahmanas practicing agnihotra and other
> rituals worshiping Shiva with Veda mantras.  All this has happened in
> abundance during the time of Adi Shankara, very close to his home. Adi
> Shankara's father, Shiva Guru, himself was a great vaidika who worshiped
> the Lord at the Thrissur Shiva Temple with his wife Aryamba seeking progeny
> and Shankara was the gift of the Lord. The very name 'Shankara' is
> reprehensible to certain Vaishnavas (of the Ramanuja brand) as they never
> give that and any name related to Shiva, male or female, to their
> children.
>
> Thiru Jnana Sambandar's legend is inseparably associated with Adi
> Shankara. This event: //According to the ancient texts, Sambandar was
> born to Sivapada Hrudiyar and his wife Bhagavathiar who lived in Sirkazhi
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirkazhi> in what is now Tamil Nadu
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Nadu>. They were Saivite
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saivite> brahmins
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmin>. When Sambandar was three years
> old his parents took him to the Shiva temple where Shiva and his consort
> Parvati <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati> appeared before the
> child. His father saw drops of milk on the child's mouth and asked who had
> fed him, whereupon the boy pointed to the sky and responded with the song *Todudaya
> Seviyan*, the first verse of the *Tevaram*. //  has caused people to
> think that the word 'dravida shishu' (the child of the Tamil country) found
> in the Soundarya Lahari is a reference by Shankara to the Tamil Brahmin
> Vaidika Saint:
> Read the full article here:
> https://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/an-ode-to-bhasma-thiruneetru-padhikam-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AE/
>

regards
subbu