The Religion and Philosophy of Tevaram (Thevaram)

by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy | 1958 | 410,072 words

This page describes “thirukkachur alakkoyil or tirukkaccur (hymn 41)” from the part dealing with the Pilgrim’s progress (to the North), which represents the development of Arurar’s Mysticism as gleaned from his hymns. The 7th-century Thevaram (or Tevaram) contains devotional poems sung in praise of Shiva. These hymns form an important part of the Tamil tradition of Shaivism

Chapter 57 - Thirukkachur Alakkoyil or Tirukkaccur (Hymn 41)

This is one of the hymns on Bhikshatana form so dear to our poet. Though, only in four verses (1, 2, 6 and 9) there is direct mention of Bhikshatana form, we may assume that in the other verses also there is an implied reference to our Lord going a-begging for the love of His followers, however unworthy they may be. The Lord enshrining Himself in the various temples in all the places where people live is itself another representation of the great truth that the Lord is hankering after us (3).

II

“Many are your temples, O, my Lord! I have praised them all, carrying them as it were on my head and I have become relieved of all my confusion and ignorance and I have driven out my karmas”—thus sings our poet in this very hymn (3). The natural beauty of the holy place itself delivers that message to our poet—this holy place full of the fertile fields on which reside for ever the swans (10). The place knows no fear (2), this beautiful temple of coo] groves of flowers (3), the temple which knows no want (3), and he cries, “O, the Lord of Kaccur Alakkoyil of the paddy fields where resides the Goddess of wealth on the flower” (4). He, out of love, almost embraces this holy place full of waters. There are gardens all round this place, bazaars, gem-bedecked mantapas and virgin-homes or ‘kannimatams’ (4). ‘He is there’, our poet says in another verse, ‘as the past Karma (the ancient Providence), as the fruit of the karma, removing all the anxieties of those who wake up at dawn to worship Him even as He destroyed the three cities’ (5). “He is beautiful like the evening moon” (5). “He is the rare medicine on the mountain removing all diseases” (5) and, therefore, our poet exclaims, “I, your slave, cannot forget you” (5). “I have ceased to think of you, having tended my flesh to grow, ah! me, a cruel man devoid of all senses” (8). “You are there to save all; if even deceitful pretenders praise you falsely, even that, you take as full of significance.

III

In the other verses, the reference to Bhifcsfitana form as already stated is more direct. If you go begging with the broken head of a skull (1), even in mid-day (2), will not the followers who love you, feel miserable at this sorry plight of yours? Why not leave this up completely?” (6). “Is it proper that you should beg whilst there are followers who love you, forgetting themselves in that bliss, babbling like drunkards and praising you whilst showering fragrant and glorious flowers on you and doing all that you like?” (9). “I have learnt and I have seen” (9). “I can never forget you, O, Lord of the Mother! pray accept me as your slave and save me” (9).

It is thus clear that this hymn represents a further development of a spiritual joy of the poet who finds that the Lord has relieved him of all his miseries. Unable to bear the surging bliss, we saw him exclaiming unto the Lord and calling upon the people to fall at the feet of the Lord. The zenith of his divine bliss is reached in love as expressed in the Tamilian conception of ‘akam’ which is very well represented in a concrete way in the Bhikshatana form. Whilst it is the people who suffer that ought to go for getting relieved, here it is the doctor who comes of his own accord, to cure the patient. Our poet is surprised and astonished at this, for, he himself, a patient, has been cured by this great Doctor of a God. What Greatness! What Love! And yet nobody realizes it and the poor Lord has to go about begging at our doors for saving us! At this very thought any heart will melt. It is to this feeling, our poet is giving expression to, in this hymn. He exclaims, “A fave amarituvd?”—‘Is that this?’ (1). “I have heard of that method of yours, that love of yours, going about begging for saving us. Little did I realize then the truth of the story; here, in this world, this way you have saved me”—that is the meaning of the exclamation, “Is that this”?. Cekkilar interprets this in similar terms: "Mutalvanar tanperunkarunai, atuvam itu enru aticayam vanteyta” (Eyarkon: V. 182).

The jackals (1), the burning ghat (1), the fire dance (1), the broken skull (1), the waist band of a serpent (2), the jingling of the ‘kalai’ and ‘cilampu’ (2), the company of the Mother (7), the fragrant konrat (8), the roaming about door to door in the villager (2), the bull (4), and the flag (4), the blue throat (5), the mat-lock (4), the form of brightness like the flash of the lightning (4), the Ganges and the crescent on the mat-lock (7), the flaying of the elephant skin (8)—all referred to. The name of the holy place is ‘Alakkoyil’ or ‘the Banyan temple’ which suggests to him the story of the Lord sitting under the banyan tree to expound the Dharma.

IV

Our poet condemns himself—a condemnation contradictory to what we know of his life (8). Therefore, it ought to be taken as an exaggeration of the ordinary life of the people. Our poet, when he thinks of the beggar Lord saving him, looks at himself and begins to condemn himself, because of the great contract which suddenly grows before his very eyes. Are we not greatest sinners when we see our Lord go a-begging for our own salvation and for our own souls? His ways are inexplicable. Even the people of the Heavens do not know His path. We do not know what He wants. We can only say, “O, Our, Lord! Save us and accept us in all seven-fold seven births” (2).

Our poet speaks of himself as Aruran whose heart always rushes to think of the Lord (10). He considers it a good fortune that he is named after the Lord of Arur, that it should be the first name of his as named by his parent (10). (We are told that our poet was, as was customary named after his grand-father).

V

The rhythm of this hymn portrays the loving dance of the poet’s heart. The poet himself probably enjoys this and that is why he describes himself as the eternal poet or scholar blessed with the tongue or the power of speech expressing the sweetest and the purest word—“Mannu pulavan—cencol navan” (10). “Those who are masters of this garland of a Tamil book (hymn) sung by Aruran will ever reside on my head”—that is how our poet Concludes this hymn (10). He must have felt the inspiration behind this poetry to express himself in these terms. In the previous he begged of the world to fall at the feet of those who recite that hymn. In this hymn he himself falls at their feet, thus reaching the very height of self-surrender and divine bliss.

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