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CONTENTS OF
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 Arunagirinathar
-Kandar Alankaram - Sirkali
Govindarajan |
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Arunagirinathar: A
Biography - Swami Anvānanda, 1975 |
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Works of Arunagirinathar |
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பாகம்-1, பாடல்கள் (1 - 330)
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திருப்புகழ் பாகம்-2, பாடல்கள் (331-670)
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திருப்புகழ் பாகம்-3, பாடல்கள் (671- 1000)
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திருப்புகழ் பாகம்-4, பாடல்கள் ( 1001- 1326 )
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கந்தர் அனுபூதி, கந்தர் அலங்காரம், வேல் - மயில் - சேவல் விருத்தம்
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Arunagirinathar's Thiruppugazh |
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Arunagirinathar - Sri A.S. Raghavan, 1998 |
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Thiruppugazh a Musical Way of Worship, V. S. Krishnan, 2003
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Arunagirinathar:
அருணகிரிநாதர்
Adiguru of Karnatic Music
Sachi Sri
Kantha
Fifth International Tamil Conference Seminar,
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 5 January 1981
 "...Arunagiri
felt that the Vijayanagara Empire, which had become the
focus of resurgent Hindu culture, and which had offered a
more successful resistance to Islam in the Deccan part of
India, was crumbling. He sensed that, this was mainly due to
the depreciation of moral values, both among the monarchs
and the commoners. To conserve Hindu society and save it
from the dissolution which threatened it from several
directions, Arunagiri seems to have directed a "one-man
resurgence campaign", by means of titillating musical hymns
and centered it around the temples..."
Introduction
This study is mainly initiated to turn the
attention of
Karnatic musicologists, who have yet to recognise
Arunagirinathar's greatness in this sphere; and to assign him, his due place
in the South Indian musical history. We are indebted to V.S.Chengalvarayapillai
and Kirupanantha Vaari for having thrown much light on Arunagiri's life history,
and on the works of Arunagiri respectively.
Life History and Contemporaries of Arunagiri
Little is known about Arunagiri's personal
life, and that little also mostly traditional and conflicting. One tradition
says that, he had an infamous birth and in his youth days, led a riotous life of
sex and sin. Due to a simple penetrating remark of his sister, one day,
Arunagiri realised his shameful lie and forthwith ascended the high tower of
Tiruvannamalai Temple, and threw himself down with the intention of killing
himself. Miraculously, Lord Muruga saved him and showed him the divine path.
Thereafter he became a great poet. Nilakanta Sastri notes,
"His life became the subject of many
legends, but the references in the songs show that, for a time he led the
life of a libertine which he afterwards regretted."
The same authority has assigned his period, as
that belonging to Vijayanagara king, Deva Raya II; i.e, the first part of the
15th century. We know very little of Arunagiri's early training in music, and of
the way in which his musical genius was kindled. Even in the absence of any
reliable documentary data, it is not difficult to say with certainty that he was
without a formal guru or teacher.
The following may be listed as contemporaries
of Arunagiri.
1. Prauddha Deva Raya II (1422-1442): the
emperor of Vijayanagar.
2. Villiputtur Alvar: a poet of good merit.
3. Tallapakkam Chinnayya of Tirupati: who is
regarded as the originator of the modern bhajana form of worship.
4. Kallinatha (c.1420): author of
Kalanidhi, a commentary of the Sangitha
Ratnakara.
5. Maharana Kumbha (1433-1468): author of
Sangitha Raja.
6. Kabir Das (1440-1518).
Details of his works:
The
works of Arunagiri are of a numerous and varied character. These are,
1.Thiruppugazh:
The divine praise of Lord Muruga . Though it is believed that he composed
16,000 hymns, presently we are left with only 1,367. Except for 6 hymns
which are attributed to Lord Ganesa, all are delivered in praise of Lord
Muruga.
2. Kanthar Antati: 102 stanzas on Skanda in
Kattalaikkalitturai metre. 100 stanzas begin with one of the following
letters: ci, cee, ce, cey, ti, tee, te and tey.
3.
Kanthar
Alankaram: 'The ornaments of Skanda' of 102 stanzas in
Kattalaikkalitturai. These are said to be the 'Tiruvasagam' for Muruga.
4.
Kanthar
Anuputhi: 'The perception of Skanda' of 51 stanzas.
5. Thiruvakkuppu: 25 hymns had been
deciphered. According to Arumuga Navalar, only the first 18 seem to be
Arunagiri's compositions.
The chief and celebrated of his works is the
Tiruppukal.
The distinguishing features of these Tiruppugal hymns are as follows: (a) Most
of them show a revelling in the erotic element first, and then a religious
reaction against it. (b) Words are heavily packed with Sanskrit terms, and
marshalled with rhymes and regular alliterations. (c) Hymns are set in different
metres, and Arunagiri seems to have exhausted all its variations. Because of its
rhythm when these hymns are set to music, the rhetorical blending achieved
remains incomparable.
Social History of his period
To study the idea of Arunagiri's intention of
social reform through music, it is better, if we glance through the social
history of the period in which he lived. To quote Nilakanta Sastri,
"The king and his court led an extravagant
and luxurious life in striking contrast to the modest living standard of the
rest of the population. The pomp and ceremony of the court became more and
more dazzling on the course of centuries, and may be said to have reached
its culmination under the Rayas of Vijayanagar. The palace always had a
large establishment attached to it; in theory there were 72 departments (niyogas)
in a palace as in a temple. On the establishment there were large numbers of
women, specially chosen for their youth and beauty. Some were imported from
abroad while others were captured in war and enslaved. Many, needless to say
were courtesans, skilled in the art of music and dancing, while others were
the concubines of princes, nobles and courtiers."
With regard to the pastime of the court and
the commoners, Nilakanta Sastri notes,
"There were arenas inside the royal palace
in Vijayanagar where, for the amusement of the monarch and his court, fights
between animals, and wrestling matches took place, the latter sometimes
among women. Gambling, racing, cock and ram fights were the pastimes of
common people besides the festivals and fairs of which there was no lack."
The role played by the temples, at that time,
in modelling the life of commoners, is also worth mentioning. According to the
same authority,
"The temple was not merely a place of
worship; it filled a large place in the cultural and economic life of the
people...The daily routine, especially of the larger temples, gave constant
employment to number of priests, choristers, musicians, dancing girls,
florists, cooks and many other classes of servants. The periodical festivals
were occasions marked by fairs, contests of learning, wrestling matches and
every other form of popular entertainment. Schools and hospitals were often
located in the temple precincts, and it also served often as the town hall
where people assembled to consider local affairs to hear the exposition of
sacred literature."
In this respect, foreign travellers like
Nicolo die Conti and Abdur Razack had presented to us the photographic account
of the socio-economic conditions that were prevailing at that time. These form
the most authentic sources of information, as these travellers were actually
entertained in the Vijayanagara Court. Nicolo die Conti, an Italian traveller
visited the Vijayanagara Court in about AD 1420. Abdur Razack, a Persian, had
been the guest of Deva Raya II, around AD 1442-1443.
Venkata Ramanappa observes,
"The reign of Deva Raya II, better known as
Praudha Deva Raya, who is regarded as one of the greatest monarchs of
Karnataka, witnesses a remarkable military activity. The empire was extended
in all directions. The people enjoyed peace and plenty. There was religious
harmony as the king followed a policy of tolerance. He was so much liberal
that he employed the Muslims in the services of the state. It is believed
that he kept Quaran beside him always."
It is interesting to note here that though the
above statements on the contemporary social situation of first half of the 15th
century in the Tamil Nadu have been expressed by different writers in different
times, one can well notice the unanimity in their views to the effect that the
social depreciation of values prevalent in the period under review, resulted
from the many-sided pompous activities of the monarch as well as the common
people, influenced by the then affluent situation.
It is also noticeable, that the
impact of iconoclastic, expansionist Islam hardening the Hindu mind,
into a fight for survival, were already prevailing in the
contemporary scene around Arunagiri. He felt that the Vijayanagara
Empire, which had become the focus of resurgent Hindu culture, which
had offered a more successful resistance to Islam in the Deccan part
of India was crumbling. He sensed that, this was mainly due to the
depreciation of moral values, both among the monarchs and the
commoners. To conserve Hindu society and save it from the
dissolution which threatened it from several directions, Arunagiri
seems to have directed a "one-man resurgence campaign", by
means of titillating musical hymns and centered it around the
temples.
Content, Character and Significance of his
Musical Compositions
The content and character of Arunagiri's
compositions can be listed as follows;
(1) the verses elaborate the dark problems
of the society and offer wholesome solutions, by way of self-discipline,
based on a very high standard of ethics.
(2) the verses extol the merits of Muruga
bhakti and shows the need for it.
(3) the importance of worldly-life is
stressed.
In this connection, it is not inappropriate
here to quote the views of Venkataraman, which in a brief manner deals with the
content and character of Arunagiri's works:
"For sublimity of thought and depth of
mystic feelings, Arunagiri's hymns have few rivals in the entire range of
devotional literature. His songs transport the devotee from the adoration of
Sakala Murukan to the contemplation of Niskala Paramananda Veli
(the formless expanse of infinite bliss), which is the svarupa-laksana
or inherent attribute of Skanda."
Though the worship of Murugan is very old in
South India, and Sangam poets like Nakkirar had composed Tirumurugarruppadai,
it was left to Arunagiri to spread the Muruga bhakti across the corners of Tamil
Nadu; and he moved through the length and breadth of the country, singing
praises of Muruga. By means of soul-stirring, melodious musical verses set in
diverse talas, he was able to attract the attention of the people from lower
strata of the society, which remained unlettered. Six principal shrines of
Muruga in the Tamil Nadu, Tiruchendur, Tiruparankunram, Tiruvavinankudi
(Palani), Tiruveragam (identified with Swamimalai), and Palamuthirsolai
(identified with Alagarkovil) figure prominently in Arunagiri's hymns. Having
been a resident in Palani for a long time, he had attributed 96 hymns to this
sacred place.
Couched in catchy rhythm, enlivened by homely
wit and glowing with the truths of spiritual realisation, the compositions of
Arunagiri formed a triple heritage of literature, music and philosophy. They
served to create among the masses, a spiritual awakening and religious
enthusiasm. In this connection, the opinions of Subramaniam and Thirunavukkarasu
also supports the contention of mine. These two writers had said,
"Though the poems pronounce the mystic
experience of the saint, they are based on the well established literary
traditions of the land. His poems are known for its melody and mellifluousness
which has a direct appeal to the hearts of the people. They have become very
popular as hymns or sacred songs because of their rhythm and melody. In this
poems the traits of melody reached a high water mark of excellence in Tamil
literature. From his works we are able to deduce that literature can be a fine
piece of musical composition."
It is no doubt that rhythmical music is of
wider appeal than non-rhythmical music. Rhythm gives a form and stability to
music; it also lends colour and attraction to it. It should be remembered that
the tala forms the backbone of the Natya Sastra also. When the modern
means of communication and the mechanical means for the dissemination of
information were then lacking, and when large number of masses were living a
life of hypocrisy, Arunagiri chose the talas as his main aid to spread the cult
of Muruga-bhakti, through music. Zvelebil's remark that, "Arunagiri's singing
the praise of the Lord Skanda, his Tiruppukal, is the first step towards
kirttanai." is pertinent at this junction.
Hence, the two features which go to make
Arunagiri's greatness may be listed as follows:
(1) He sang from soul, unfettered and free.
His mind was so completely attuned to God that it refused to respond to the
attractions of worldly pomp and the beauty of womanly body.
(2) Among Karnatic music composers, there is
none to compare with Arunagiri, for the wealth of laya virtuosity. In the
familiar talas, he has composed a number of hymns, bringing out several
aspects of the tala. In addition, many unfamiliar talas, are known to us
through his Tiruppukal hymns, and live only through them.
Position as Adiguru
According to Sambamoorthy's classification of
Karnatic music composers, Arunagiri is,
(a) an Uttama Vaggeyakara (a creator of new
musical forms).
(b) a prolific composer, who has more than a
thousand compositions to his credit.
(c) a versatile composer, who has composed
different types of musical compositions.
(d) a major composer, who enriched the
musical arena by handling common and rare talas, which no other composer had
dared to approach.
(e) a composer, who appeals to both the
classes and masses equally.
Traditionally, the title of 'Adiguru' or
'Sangitha Pitamaha' refers to the Karnataka composer, Purandara Dasar. His
contributions in the field of Karnatic music, to be revered as Adiguru are as
follows:
(1) He succeeded in presenting the
quintessence of the Upanishads and the puranas in his songs, known as
Devar namas or Dasara padagulu. These songs contain lofty ideas,
sublime thoughts, valuable proverbs and beautiful similes.
(2) He composed Svaravali,
Alankaras,
Pillari Gitas, Prabandhas and Suladis, anc collectively
groups them as 'Abyasa Gaana compositions'. Hence he had been
referred to as the Adiguru of Karnataka Sangitha Pita Maha (the father of
Karnatic Music).
(3) The art form, kriti, originated
with Purandara Dasar.
(4) Suladi Sapta talas came to have
their significance from the time of Purandara Dasar, although they were
already known.
'Ishta Deiva' of the two composers
Whereas Arunagiri worshipped Muruga, and had
compositions in praise of Him, Purandara Dasar's 'Ishta Deiva' turned to be
Krishna. This reflects the change in political patronage to the different sects
of Hinduism. The early rulers of Vijayanagara, upto Deva Raya II (1422-1443) and
even his sons Vijaya II and Mallikarjuna were followers of Saivaism.
A Vaishnava work, Prapannamritam gives
a legendary account of the conversion of Virupaksha II (1465-1495) to
Vaishnavism. For example, Krishna Deva Raya (1530-1542) worshipped Vishnu, Siva
and the God of Tirupati. Achutha Raya was a great patron of Vaishnavism and he
encouraged the propagation of Vaishnavism in the Tamil country. Hence, it can be
inferred that Arunagiri spread his musical message at the period, when the
rulers patronised Saivaism. After a lapse of nearly 100 years, Purandara Dasar
entered the musical arena, when the descendants of Arunagiri's patron had
switched on their loyalty to Vaishnavism. This succinctly explains why the two
composers had to have two different 'Ishta Deivas'.
Though not discrediting the virtuosity of
Purandara Dasar, it is proposed that Arunagirinathar qualifies competently for
the title of Adiguru of Karnatic Music, than Purandara Dasar, on two counts.
(1) Historically, Arunagirinathar preceded
Purandara Dasar by nearly 100 years.
(2) There is a well known aphorism which is
always being quoted with regard to the Indian music to the effort that, 'if
shruti
is the mother of Indian music, the laya is the father [Shruti
mata; laya pita]. By virtue of his experimentation with the enormous
amount of tala forms, which forms the backbone of Karnatic music and Natya
Sastra, Arunagiri had elevated himself beyond comparison, with any other
composers, in the past or even at present.
Conclusion
From the above considerations, it is concluded
without reservation, that if ancient South Indian music is indebted to the
Devaram and Tiruvasagam of the saints of Pallava period, modern South Indian
(Karnatic) music owes its evolution to the saint-musician Arunagirinathar of the
Vijayanagara period. Hence, Arunagiri seems to be a better recipient of the
title, Adiguru of Karnatic music.
Acknowledgment
I would like to thank
Dr.S.Gunasingam, University of Peradeniya, for reading the
manuscript and for making constructive criticism.
References
- Krishnaswami, A. The Tamil Country under
Vijayanagar, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar,1964.
- Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. A History of
South India, Oxford University Press, London, 1958, 2nd ed.
- Puranalingam Pillai, M.S. Tamil
Literature, The Bibliotheca, Munnipallam, Tinnevely district, 1929,
pp.280-282.
- Saletore, B.A. Social and Political Life
in the Vijayanagara Empire (AD 1346-1646), vol.2, Paul & Co, Madras,
1934, pp.165-172.
- Sambamoorthy, P. A Dictionary of South
Indian Music and Musicians, vol.1, Indian Music Publishing House,
Madras, 1952, p.29.
- Sambamoorthy, P. Great Composers,
book 1, 2nd ed, Indian Music Publishing House, Madras, 1962, pp.3-9, 33-35.
- Sewell, R. A Forgotten Empire-Vijaya
Nagar,National Book Trust, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
India, 1962 (First Indian edition), pp.63-93.
- Somasundaram Pillai, J.M. Two Thousand
Years of Tamil Literature: an anthology, South India Saiva Siddhanta
Works Publishing Society, Madras, 1959, pp.348-355.
- Subramaniam, S.V. and Thirunavukkarasu,
K.D.
Thamil Ilakkiya Kolhai-2. Ulagat Thamil Araichchi Niruvanam, Madras,
1977.
- Venkataraman, K.R. Skanda Cult in South
India. [In] The Cultural Heritage of India, vol.4, Haridas
Bhattacharya, editor, Ramakrishna Mission, Calcutta, 1956, p.313.
- Venkata Ramanappa, M.N. Outlines of
South Indian History, with special reference to Karnataka, Vikas
Publishing House, Delhi, 1975, 2nd rev.ed., pp.163-166.
- Zvelebil, K.V. History of Indian
Literature, vol.10: Tamil Literature, Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden,
1974, p.110.
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Arunagirinathar: A Biography - Swami Anvānanda, 1975
If a correct assessment of Arunagirinatha's
personality in his early years is made from his own
compositions and from contemporary literature of other
writers, the following facts emerge:
Arunagirinatha was a traditional type of devout Hindu. Lord
Muruga was the family God whom his ancestors have been
worshipping. In his Tiruppugazh, he prays: “Oh, Kanda! The
glorious God of the hills! Pray bestow Thine blessings
accepting the ardent worship of this humble son to You, my
ancestral deity."[1]
His learning, especially of religious and spiritual
literature must have been acquired in his early years and it
was both vast and deep. In the Tamil language, he excelled
in expression and learning. In his compositions, he exhibits
familiarity with the Tamil Works such as: Tevaram,
Tirukkural, Kaarigai, Ula, Easal, Kalambakam, Kovai, Sindu,
Madal and Maalai. He had also cultivated the art of writing
eulogies of rich men to obtain presents of money from
them.[2] His compositions abound in the use of Sanskrit
words and they also show that he was familiar with the
Itihasas, Puranas, the Gita, the Upanishads, Agamas, Mantra
and Tantra Sastras, Yoga Sutras and Kama Sutra.
His archanaon Lord Muruga in two songs are mostly in
Sanskrit.[3] One is therefore entitled to assume that his
mastery of Sanskrit language was equal to that of Tamil and
that he was quite capable of composing original work in
Sanskrit. Unless he was born in a family whose traditions
were such that every young male member from his early years
received the highest cultural and religious education,
prevailing in those days, it would not have been possible
for Arunagirinathar to have acquired the vast learning that
he has exhibited.
That he was leading a debaucherous life in his early years
is admitted by him in his prayer to Lord Muruga, thus: “Will
I ever get to know how to attain Your holy feet before
becoming too old wasting my youth, as I am, by indulgence in
sinful sexual pleasures?”[4] Here one must utter a word of
warning that all references to a life of lust in many of his
poems should not be taken literally -- that is to say, as
confessions of his own guilt.[5]
But his life of debauchery could not have lasted very long.
Perhaps, it proved to be a costly indulgence and he was soon
reduced to a life of penury and became very dejected. In one
of his songs, he says:[6]
"…To me, who seeks the company of prostitutes all the time,
spending on them whatever little money I earn by bestowing
lavish praises on men who lack wisdom, who never pray to
Your holy feet, who are dunces, who indulge in devilish
activities and who have no sense of gratitude; pray Muruga,
grant me Moksha (from all this)".
In another song, he speaks with poignant emotion about his
despicable state, thus: [7]
"…Ridiculed and jeered at by my wife, by the people of the
town, by the women of the place, my father and my relations
being disgusted in their minds by my conduct, everyone
scolding me or indulging in loose talks about me and being
treated as a despicable person by the very people whom I
have loved, my mind became confused and full of gloom. I
thought within myself, ‘Is it for this that I strove to
obtain this human body which is a treasure, indeed?’…"
Arunagiri worships Lord Murugan who had just rescued him
from certain death by suicide. Painting from Tiru Avinankudi
Tirukkovil, Palani.
The first sign of God's grace and compassion came to
Arunagirinatha after a Mahatma sought him and spoke to him
in a sweet voice with love and affection. The Mahatma
advised him "to meditate on the six-faced God Shanmukha".[8]
But Arunagirinatha did not heed the advice for some time and
people began to deride him for ignoring the advice of the
Mahatma. A change soon came over him. He began to worry very
much over his pitiable state. He thought of the advice of
the Mahatma and attempted to spend some hours in meditation
facing the image of Lord Muruga installed in the Gopuram.
But his will, weakened by his immoral life, lacked the
strength to persist in that attempt. The crisis in his life
started mounting up. He decided to surrender, at the feet of
Lord Muruga, the body that had failed to serve Him in any
way, He decided upon suicide. At this moment, Lord Muruga
appeared standing on a dancing peacock, halted him in the
act and took possession of him.[9]
"Oh Gurunatha! You came along on the peacock holding the Vel
that broke to pieces the Krauncha Mountain in Your hand and
took possession of me in that the people of the world may
admire Your grace."
"When I was about to shed life from my body, out of
compassion for me and to elevate me to a better and
praise-worthy status, You came upon the scene, dancing,
accompanied by Your celestial devotees and showered grace on
me.”
One must assume that after this surrender to Lord Muruga
that was accepted by Him, the lure of lust should have left
Arunagirinatha. For, if surrender to the Lord does not
relieve one instantaneously of all dross, then surrender
will have no meaning. One may safely assert that after
Arunagirinatha was taken possession of by the Lord, all
prayers in his songs thereafter seeking to be relieved from
the attraction of lust are for the benefit of others and not
for himself.
Here, one must pause for a moment. Was Arunagirinatha’s
decision to end his life born of mere disgust and
frustration, a simple attempt at suicide, in order to put an
end to suffering, which can no longer be endured? One must
remember that God does not intervene in every instance of
attempted suicide to save the person. The manifestation of
Lord Muruga standing on his dancing peacock is not an every
day occurrence. It is not vouchsafed even to His most
sincere devotees. Yet Arunagirinatha the dissolute was
rewarded with this supreme act of compassion.
In our sastras, it is said that the state of mind of a
person at the last moment when life is about to leave the
body, is very important from the point of view of his
rebirth. If one were to utter the name of Narayana or Shiva
and fix his mind on His form at the time of death, he is
assured of moksha and release from rebirth. Arunagirinatha
had realised with great poignancy that the body had failed
to serve the purpose for which God had intended it. He had
misused it for immoral purposes. What was there left for him
to do except to surrender the mind and the body to the Lord?
He sings thus:[10]
Oh mind of mine!
Trust not the body
That infernal machine
Turning out pleasure and pain.
Brahma who sits on the Lotus
Created it to bind the mind.
Oh mind of mine!
Free thyself from fear.
To seek Him, endeavour
Patiently and steadily.
Let us go to Him
Show our love and surrender.
Oh mind of mine!
It's good you decided to surrender.
See Him on His peacock Vahana
He has now taken charge of you.
Doubt not, there is no Greater State.
Dwell on His holy name
Always, ‘Mainda, Kumara'.
A kshatriya warrior of old, leaving his house, his wife and
children and relatives and abandoning all his desires and
possessions, goes to the battlefield with the assurance that
if he should die there, he will attain Vira Svarga
(Valhalla). Similarly, a great bhakta is always prepared to
sacrifice a limb or an eye or even his life for the sake of
God in the full belief that the Lord will accept the
sacrifice and make him one of his possessions. Lord Muruga
came to the rescue of His devotee who was preparing to shed
his body and saved him not only from death, but accepted him
as dear to Him and took possession of him. How beautifully
Arunagirinatha has expressed it when Lord Muruga appeared
before him!
Kinkini thith thimi, thith thith
The anklets on the dancing feet jingled,
A sound that to other sounds
Closed my hearing.
The Kadamba garland that He wore
Suffused me with its cloying fragrance,
And my breath was held.
His moon-like countenance and tender smile
Caused such cheer and ecstasy
That my mind was lost.
For a moment He looked at me,
A cool liquid light poured out
From His long lotus eyes.
It filled my heart tasting like nectar
And I was lost to Him forever.
Biography of Saint Arunagirinathar
By Swami Anvānanda
From: Saint Arunagirinatha, (Madras: Pongi Publications,
1975) pp. 31-36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If a correct assessment of Arunagirinatha's personality in
his early years is made from his own compositions and from
contemporary literature of other writers, the following
facts emerge:
Arunagirinatha was a traditional type of devout Hindu. Lord
Muruga was the family God whom his ancestors have been
worshipping. In his Tiruppugazh, he prays: “Oh, Kanda! The
glorious God of the hills! Pray bestow Thine blessings
accepting the ardent worship of this humble son to You, my
ancestral deity."[1]
His learning, especially of religious and spiritual
literature must have been acquired in his early years and it
was both vast and deep. In the Tamil language, he excelled
in expression and learning. In his compositions, he exhibits
familiarity with the Tamil Works such as: Tevaram,
Tirukkural, Kaarigai, Ula, Easal, Kalambakam, Kovai, Sindu,
Madal and Maalai. He had also cultivated the art of writing
eulogies of rich men to obtain presents of money from
them.[2] His compositions abound in the use of Sanskrit
words and they also show that he was familiar with the
Itihasas, Puranas, the Gita, the Upanishads, Agamas, Mantra
and Tantra Sastras, Yoga Sutras and Kama Sutra.
His archanaon Lord Muruga in two songs are mostly in
Sanskrit.[3] One is therefore entitled to assume that his
mastery of Sanskrit language was equal to that of Tamil and
that he was quite capable of composing original work in
Sanskrit. Unless he was born in a family whose traditions
were such that every young male member from his early years
received the highest cultural and religious education,
prevailing in those days, it would not have been possible
for Arunagirinatha to have acquired the vast learning that
he has exhibited.
That he was leading a debaucherous life in his early years
is admitted by him in his prayer to Lord Muruga, thus: “Will
I ever get to know how to attain Your holy feet before
becoming too old wasting my youth, as I am, by indulgence in
sinful sexual pleasures?”[4] Here one must utter a word of
warning that all references to a life of lust in many of his
poems should not be taken literally -- that is to say, as
confessions of his own guilt.[5]
But his life of debauchery could not have lasted very long.
Perhaps, it proved to be a costly indulgence and he was soon
reduced to a life of penury and became very dejected. In one
of his songs, he says:[6]
"…To me, who seeks the company of prostitutes all the time,
spending on them whatever little money I earn by bestowing
lavish praises on men who lack wisdom, who never pray to
Your holy feet, who are dunces, who indulge in devilish
activities and who have no sense of gratitude; pray Muruga,
grant me Moksha (from all this)".
In another song, he speaks with poignant emotion about his
despicable state, thus: [7]
"…Ridiculed and jeered at by my wife, by the people of the
town, by the women of the place, my father and my relations
being disgusted in their minds by my conduct, everyone
scolding me or indulging in loose talks about me and being
treated as a despicable person by the very people whom I
have loved, my mind became confused and full of gloom. I
thought within myself, ‘Is it for this that I strove to
obtain this human body which is a treasure, indeed?’…"
Arunagiri worships Lord Murugan who had just rescued him
from certain death by suicide. Painting from Tiru Avinankudi
Tirukkovil, Palani.
The first sign of God's grace and compassion came to
Arunagirinatha after a Mahatma sought him and spoke to him
in a sweet voice with love and affection. The Mahatma
advised him "to meditate on the six-faced God Shanmukha".[8]
But Arunagirinatha did not heed the advice for some time and
people began to deride him for ignoring the advice of the
Mahatma. A change soon came over him. He began to worry very
much over his pitiable state. He thought of the advice of
the Mahatma and attempted to spend some hours in meditation
facing the image of Lord Muruga installed in the Gopuram.
But his will, weakened by his immoral life, lacked the
strength to persist in that attempt. The crisis in his life
started mounting up. He decided to surrender, at the feet of
Lord Muruga, the body that had failed to serve Him in any
way, He decided upon suicide. At this moment, Lord Muruga
appeared standing on a dancing peacock, halted him in the
act and took possession of him.[9]
"Oh Gurunatha! You came along on the peacock holding the Vel
that broke to pieces the Krauncha Mountain in Your hand and
took possession of me in that the people of the world may
admire Your grace."
"When I was about to shed life from my body, out of
compassion for me and to elevate me to a better and
praise-worthy status, You came upon the scene, dancing,
accompanied by Your celestial devotees and showered grace on
me.”
One must assume that after this surrender to Lord Muruga
that was accepted by Him, the lure of lust should have left
Arunagirinatha. For, if surrender to the Lord does not
relieve one instantaneously of all dross, then surrender
will have no meaning. One may safely assert that after
Arunagirinatha was taken possession of by the Lord, all
prayers in his songs thereafter seeking to be relieved from
the attraction of lust are for the benefit of others and not
for himself.
Here, one must pause for a moment. Was Arunagirinatha’s
decision to end his life born of mere disgust and
frustration, a simple attempt at suicide, in order to put an
end to suffering, which can no longer be endured? One must
remember that God does not intervene in every instance of
attempted suicide to save the person. The manifestation of
Lord Muruga standing on his dancing peacock is not an every
day occurrence. It is not vouchsafed even to His most
sincere devotees. Yet Arunagirinatha the dissolute was
rewarded with this supreme act of compassion.
In our sastras, it is said that the state of mind of a
person at the last moment when life is about to leave the
body, is very important from the point of view of his
rebirth. If one were to utter the name of Narayana or Shiva
and fix his mind on His form at the time of death, he is
assured of moksha and release from rebirth. Arunagirinatha
had realised with great poignancy that the body had failed
to serve the purpose for which God had intended it. He had
misused it for immoral purposes. What was there left for him
to do except to surrender the mind and the body to the Lord?
He sings thus:[10]
Oh mind of mine!
Trust not the body
That infernal machine
Turning out pleasure and pain.
Brahma who sits on the Lotus
Created it to bind the mind.
Oh mind of mine!
Free thyself from fear.
To seek Him, endeavour
Patiently and steadily.
Let us go to Him
Show our love and surrender.
Oh mind of mine!
It's good you decided to surrender.
See Him on His peacock Vahana
He has now taken charge of you.
Doubt not, there is no Greater State.
Dwell on His holy name
Always, ‘Mainda, Kumara'.
A kshatriya warrior of old, leaving his house, his wife and
children and relatives and abandoning all his desires and
possessions, goes to the battlefield with the assurance that
if he should die there, he will attain Vira Svarga
(Valhalla). Similarly, a great bhakta is always prepared to
sacrifice a limb or an eye or even his life for the sake of
God in the full belief that the Lord will accept the
sacrifice and make him one of his possessions. Lord Muruga
came to the rescue of His devotee who was preparing to shed
his body and saved him not only from death, but accepted him
as dear to Him and took possession of him. How beautifully
Arunagirinatha has expressed it when Lord Muruga appeared
before him!
Kinkini thith thimi, thith thith
The anklets on the dancing feet jingled,
A sound that to other sounds
Closed my hearing.
The Kadamba garland that He wore
Suffused me with its cloying fragrance,
And my breath was held.
His moon-like countenance and tender smile
Caused such cheer and ecstasy
That my mind was lost.
For a moment He looked at me,
A cool liquid light poured out
From His long lotus eyes.
It filled my heart tasting like nectar
And I was lost to Him forever.
End Notes
[1] Tiruppukazh: “kaathala
mungkuRi…”
[2] Tiruppukazh: “irukanaka maameru…” and “aRivillaap
piththar…”
[3] Tiruppukazh: “naathapinthuka laathi namo nama”
[4] Tiruppukazh: “thaathala mungkuRi…”
[5] Swami Anvananda, Saint Arunagirinatha, (Madras: Pongi
Publications, 1975) pp. 41-45 (Chapter V: ‘The Lure of
Lust’)
[6] Tiruppukazh: “arivillaap piththar…”
[7] Tiruppukazh: “manaiyavaL nakaikka…”
[8] Tiruppukazh: “kamala kumiLitha…”
[9] Tiruppukazh: “arivaiyar nenjuru…” and “kothi muDiththu…”
[10] Tiruppukazh: “antho manamey…”
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