Chapter 61 - Thiru Vanparthan Panangattur or Tiruvanparttan Panankattur (Hymn 10)

I

In the previous hymn, we found the poet dancing in joy at the thought of Ankkatankavatam reminding him of the activities of the Lord. It is not merely the joy of his own experience. The hymn sounds like the eureka of a new discoverer, crying out in joy to the world at large, so that the whole humanity may be benefited by this discovery. Thus the world comes back to the mind of the poet unobtrusively. This inspires him with the thought that nothing but God is of any worth and, therefore, pities those who do not take refuge in Him. The last two metrical feet of every verse in this hymn expresses this idea. “Of what worth is the dependence (prop) of those who do not depend (rely) on God?” (What is their prop?) (1). “Of what worth is the experience of those who have not experienced God?” (What is their experience?) (2). “Of what worth is the speech of those who do not speak of the Lord?” (3 & 4). “Of what worth is the worship or praise of those who do not praise the Lord?” (5). “Of what worth is the practice (or company) of those who do not practise the service of the Lord?” (6). “Of what worth is the knowledge of those who do not know the Lord?” (7). “Of what worth is the thought (or mind) of those who do not think of the Lord?” (8). “Of what worth is the sympathy or love of those who do not melt at the thought of the Lord?” (9). The rest of the verses describe the Lord as of great worth for us all—the descriptions are piled up in the accusative case.

II

The idea of the Lord enshrining Himself in the world for our sake is not forgotten. “Therefore, of what worth is the praise of those who do not praise the munificent patron—the One who is the Supreme being (Paraman) of Vanparthan Panangattur (enshrining there) only for the purpose of showering His blessings and hastening to grant our boons?”—that is the fifth verse. “He is the Lord who is glorious in having Panangattur as His city”—that is the 9th verse. He is both the objective and the subjective truth. He is the immanent principle. “He is the munificent patron residing in our heart and in Panangattur of gem-bedecked and cloud-clad beautiful palaces” (8). In this way the temple is being mentioned in every one of the verses in the second half of the third lines.

The place is called Vanparthan Panangattur or Panangattur, a city of palmyra trees. Vanparthan is not clear. Or, can it be this is an equivalent to Patiran (the deceitful one) in verses 2, 3, 4 and 7. From Sri. V. S. Chengalvaraya Pillai we learn that the usual explanation is that there is a village by name Vanpakkam near this Panangattur and that in order to distinguish this Panangattur from other Panangatturs this place is described specifically as Vanpakkam Panangattur. Vanparthan is a wrong reading of Vanpakkam—‘k’ and ‘t’ being liable to be confused in the early inscriptions.

His rendezvous is the Panangattur sorrounded by the gardens full of peacocks (6). The place is described with reference to the worship by the Bhaktas (1). It is the place where the sound of the conch and the drum never ceases (2). The blowing of the conch is a part of temple worship and the playing on the drum reminds us of festivals (2). The hymn mentions: “The songs full of music sung by the Bhaktas who praise Him with all their hearts with fresh flowers of the day—the numerous valuable flowers or the eight flowers—appropriate for the firelike beautiful form of the Lord who is adorned with the cool crescent moon” (3). “Service unto the Lord is praised” (6 & 9).

III

The Lord is described in relation to these Bhaktas—“Ataiyil anpu utaiyan” (1). “He is full of love if you take reluge in Him though unknown to all” (1). “He is in the mind of those who are not crooked” (4). “If you melt in love He resides in your heart” (5). “He is the Birthless Lord, never forgetting those whose minds are devoid of deceit” (8). Thus the characteristic features of the true Bhaktas are mentioned.

The characteristic features of the Lord are also praised. He is the significant meaning of the Vedas (1). He is the unknowable (1). He is the male and the female (3). He is of unsullied character (4). He is the great significant thing that is true knowledge (5). He is the sunshine, the wind that blows, the lightning and the fire (6). He is the truthful, the Lord of the Vedas, the form of all art, (7), (not only Nature as mentioned in 6). He is the oldest of the old (9). He is our patron inside our heart; (8) the Supreme one (Paraman—5; Piran—7); the Chief (Aiyan—7).

IV

There occur also the Pqranic descriptions of the bull (1), the Ganges on the mat-lock (1), the jingling anklet (2), the dancing snake (2), the fire, (2), the dance (2), the crescent moon (2), the ear-ring (9), the eye on the fore-head (4), the sacred ash (4), the ornaments of skull (5), the eight shoulders (6) the deer (7) and the battle-axe (7), the destruction of the three cities (6) and the Lord of Death (7), the company of the Mother (8), the colour of the fire (3) and the coral (10), and the worship of Brahma and Visnu (9).

V

With reference to the last incident, the poet speaks of the Lord going up above the high Heavens whilst those two stood by His side and contemplated on Him (9). Our poet assures that those who recite this hymn will also thus go up above the High Heavens (the very words are used)—probably suggesting that they will become one with the Lord. The poet tells us in passing that he is called after the Lord of Arur—that is the first part of his name—“Thiruvarur-c Civan per cenniyil vaitta Arilran” (10). He calls himself in all humility “Afit tontan”, the slave and servant, the dog—“Atittontan atiyan col atinay col” (10).