PART II
DR.S.JAYABARATHI
JayBee
MAHAVIDVAN
MEENATCHISUNDARAM PILLAI'S
SIGNATURE
Such parties would travel with a group of bullock carts.
One or two comfortable carts will used by the VIP traveller.
Another cart will carry the servants and cooks. Close followers might also get seats. The cooking utensils, bedstead, and other articles of daily use will be carried in larger carts. Trunks and boxes of books and manuscripts, together with ample writing materials would transported very carefully in one of the carts. There will always be a number of people who would be following on foot. Some of them make it all the way. Some would follow from one place to another while PiLLaiyavargaL passes that way. They would try to stay as long as possible with PiLLaiyavargaL. This is because, even while travelling, PiLLaiyavargaL would be composing poems. Otherwise, he would be teaching his students. If not, he will be answering questions and clarifying doubts. He would continue this practice, wherever he stops and he would spend some time in this way. If the stragglers are lucky enough, they may get a chance of getting close to the Grand Master and manage to talk to him. While addressing him or listening, the stragglers would bow their heads, place a hand on their mouths and speak slowly, using respectful words. During the night, they will stop at a place with sufficient facilities.
If it is a town, they may stay in a choultry or monastry or the private house of someone of higher caste. They will also try to get some Brahmin family from the agraharam to cook. This was because there would be Brahmins in his party. It was not customary for them to eat the food cooked by the personal cook of PiLLaiyavargaL.
On the way, they passed through Pattukkottai. It was already sunset. There was no town in sight. They proceeded in search of some place to stay and prepare food.
They proceeded in search of some place to stay and prepare food.
At around 9-00pm, they reached a small village.
They asked for the agraharam where Brahmins stay. But the agraharam was no more. There was only one small hut. It was occupied by a Brahmin lady with some small children. PiLLaiyavargaL sent his cook to seek assistance to cook food for them.
But the lady refused.
As soon as she saw a crowd of strangers coming towwards her direction, she went into her hut and closed the door. PiLLaiyavargaL ordered all the carts to be stopped nearby and went in search of a pond. After finishing their ablutions, they came back.
The moon was shining brightly.
PiLLaiyavargaL caused his bedspread to be laid out and with hunger pangs, he lay down. The others were also resting nearby.
Suddenly a Brahmin came to the house with a fast pace.
He was carrying a basket of food material on his head.
As soon as Pillai's students saw him, they called him. He guessed that they were going to ask him to feed them and went inside the house fast. He called his wife and told her to bring some containers to store the food materials.
He told his wife in unabounded happiness,
"We must have faced some meritorious person this morning. By that virtue alone, I have managed to get some food stuff. Everything is Devi's grace and mercy. For anothet two days, we dont have to worry about food", and made his wife very happy.
He finished his evening ablutions and then took his very simple dinner. It was rice which had been cooked and soaked in water in the afternoon. He ate this old rice with relish. After that, without any worry whatsoever, with the fullest satisfaction, he took out a very simple bed-stead made of palmyra leaves and put it in the air well of that small house which had walls made of sprigs, twigs, and mud.
With the satisfaction that there was sufficient food for the next two days, he started singing.
With the satisfaction that there was sufficient food for the next two days, he started singing.
unadhu saradh kaala madhi anaiya meyyum
utal kuRaindha piRai chadaiyum, karanggaL naankum
anavaradham uRum abhaya, varadha, gnyaana
arutpaLinggu vadamodu puththagamum aaga
ninaigilar, mun valzuththilar, pin vaNanggaar, engngan
niRaindha pasumthEnum adupaalum thuuya
kaniyum ena madhuram viLaindhu olzugu paadal
kavidhai polzivadhu? kayilaik kadavuL vaalzgavE!
A simple version of meaning would be:
"O Mother, You are the cause of rendering a happy life to
Lord Siva, the Dweller of Kayilai Mountain! Your appearance resembles
the autumn full moon; the bent form of a crescent moon adorns
your Divine Crown. Your hands show the gestures of refuge and
bestowal; and they bear the crystal rosary of wisdom and grace
and the Book. Those people who do not worship this Divine Form
of Yours, how would they ever develop the ability to compose sweet
songs of poetry which would taste like sweetened boiled milk with
honey and pure fruit?"
This is a description of AmbaaL in Her form as Bala TripuraSundari or SriVidya
He also sang a few more such songs.
These songs belong to a long hymn of one hundred verses which were composed by Veerai KaviRaasa Pandithar. It is known as 'Savundhariya lahari'. This poet of renown was a Shakthi Upasaka
to whom Shakthi had appeared many times. Once she was looking after him in the form of his daughter when she was really away in another place. He translated the Saundarya Lahari of Adhi Shankara into Tamil.
The poor man was singing those verses.
The songs fell in the ears of Pillai's students.
They approached Pillai avargaL and told him, "This Aiyar who lives in this house seems to have studied Tamil. Even now he is singing the songs such as 'unadhu saradh kaalam'".
PillaiyavargaL told his students, "Invite him to come here and make him recite those songs in my presence".
The students went and knocked at the door and called out to him.
But he refused to come out. "These people might ask me to cook for them. What do we do?", he thought to himself.
He said out aloud, " I went to the out-of-station and have been going hither and thither since morning. I just came back after a very tiring day. Only just now I took the available meagre meal and just laid down tired. I can't do anything now".
The students said, "Sir! You need not worry about anything. Our master just wants to listen to your songs. Whatever you are singing inside your house, please do come out to our master and sing them in his presence".
The poor man was filled with happiness and said, "Who would be willing and be ready to hear my singing in this wilderness! If such be the case, what objection could I have?"
He quickly opened the door, took out his bedstead and brought it to the place where PallaiyavargaL was. He put it near PiLLaiayavrgaL and sat on it. The students told him to sing those songs.
He complied and sang the 'unadhu saradh kaala madhi' and a few other songs.
On hearing them, PillaiyavargaL asked him, "What have you learnt?"
He answered, "I have learnt to seek alms. My father who was a scholar in Tamil taught me Tamil literature. From some of the works, I remember a few songs. I recite them everytime habitually. Even if I want to read, there are no books in my house. The books in my house have been borrowed by others. They never returned them.
Even if I wanted to study under someone, I dont have the time for it. From sun-rise until sunset, I have to loitre around food and livelihood. Even if I wanted to borrow books from someone, who would trust me with their books and give? To them I dont even appear as a literate person, do I? From the time of my ancestors, we have some privileges around here. During harvest times, I go to the rice fields and collect whatever cereals that are given to me.
All my days are passing this way. In this condition, I recite whatever I know, whenever I have the time. At least to this level I have the blessings of Devi and realising that fully, I sing happily always.
I have a special love for the Tamil language. Even though I want to study under someone, there no such qualified persons around this area. Even if there are such persons, they are not willing to teach. Even if I wear myself out to toil for them, they would teach in a very cursory and slipshod manner. My condition is such that I have to struggle for a living. How can I approach them and study whatever books that I want to study?
There is a great scholar in Mayuram. His name is Meenatchisundaram PiLLai. There is nobody who can equal him in knowledge. He gives food and dress to poor students lets them stay with him for several years. He teaches them well and then only he would send them back. Whoever studies under him even for a few months would become a scholar himself. This is what people say. Where can we find such a philanthropist and benefactor in these Kali times. I have a yearning to go and study under him.
I am not even able to do that. I have a bondage. And I have also a few children. Would I take care of them? Or would I go to him to study? If I climb a span, I slip a cubit. What can I do? I am not even able to set my eyes upon that great soul even once. My condition is unspeakeable".
He continued lamenting upon his hardships.
And AmbaaL smiled.
At that juncture, one of the students realised that, that was the chance and patting the oor Brahmin on his back said, "The person who is lying here, is the PiLLaiyavargaL about whom you are talking. He is now on his way to compose the 'Kandadevi Puranam'"
Immediately the poor man jumped up to his, exclaiming "Ha! Ha!" in bewilderment. He was speechless for sometime with surprise.
"What great penence have I commited! What great penance has this place done!", he exclaimed.
He ran around and danced and sang without knowing what to do. He could not even think. Then he ran out.
The students realised that he was running to beg for some proper food materials from somewhere and cook for them and feed them. They were greatly astounded by his care, indulgence and eagerness to play host to them in spite of his poverty-striken condition.
They also thought to themselves, "Where could this poor soul run to, in this night? What food can he collect in this wilderness?"
They ran after him, caught up with him and said, "We will supply all the utensils and raw material. You do not worry".
They provided rice, utensils, etc.
The poor man collected everything and together with his wife cooked for them and served PillaiyavargaL and the rest.
After that, he sat near PiLLaiayavargaL and asked him a lot of questions and got many of his doubts clarified. He was so happy that he could not sleep.
In the morning, PiLLaiyavargaL wanted to take leave.
But the poor man would not agree.
He wanted PiLLaiayavargaL to have at least one meal in his house.
Somehow ge got the provisions and cooked and served lunch. PiLLaiyavargaL and his entourage gladly accepted his hospitality and ate lunch in his house.
Then PillaiayavargaL and his entourage started on their journey.
But the poor man was stricken with sorrow and was shedding tears. He could not bear the departure.
PiLlaiayavrgaL sensed his intense desire to to come with him.
So PiLlaiayavrgaL arranged to give enough money to take care of his family and to buy provisions to last for a few months.
The family was thus well provided for.
Then PiLlaiayavrgaL took the Brahmin with him and when he returned to Mayuram, he kept him with himself for a few months and taught him well.
After that he sent him home.
In later times, the man used to come to Thiruvavaduthurai every year would stay for a few months and study under PiLlaiayavrgaL.
He would also present himself before the chief SwamigaL of the monastry and get rewards from him and go back home.
Thus Ambaal blessed him and his family.