Pugazhchozha Nayanar and Eripaththa Nayanar

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Pugazhchozha Nayanar and Eripaththa Nayanar

Karuvur....

The holy temple of Thiruaanilai...

Unmindful of the bitter chill of the Margazhi morning, people are rushing to the temple...It is still dark and the sannathi is teeming with people. There are females to sing Thiruvembavai. The Gurukkal keeps coming out of the sanctum every now and then looking for someone in the crowd. He seems to be in a hurry and appears agitated. The temple in charge looks at him.

The temple in charge

Gurukkale! All the people are here. Why have you not started early morning puja of the day? Whom are you waiting for?

Before the Gurukkal could reply, his face reveals the answer. An elderly person comes inside pushing people aside. Seeing him with his mouth covered with cloth, the Gurukkal rushes to him and takes the Pookudalai from his hand, shouting, “Here comes Sivakamiandar! Easan   awaits for the Nagalinga flowers he brings everyday!”  He goes inside the sanctum and decorates Easan with the flowers. The sannathi glows brightly.  Gurukkal conducts the Deepaaradhanai.  The whole congregation is mesmerised by the beautiful rendering of a song from Thiruvembavai sung by the ladies. Sivakamiandar goes into raptures shedding copious tears of ecstasy. Iraivan looks at his adiyavar.

Easan

Even in this ripe old age, you wake up vey early and cleanse yourself by bathing in freezing water and      pluck and gather the flowers in the Pookudalai before they open keeping your mouth and nose covered with cloth fearing that you may pollute them by smelling or by your saliva. You bring these flowers for Me with great devotion and care. You will occupy a glorious place in the legends. 

Easan blesses him as the resounding toll of the temple bells.

   *******  

The temple mantapam..

Sivakamiandar is sitting stretching his legs and leaning his back against a pillar.  Being aged and tired he closes his eyes for a nap.  Feeling that someone is touching his feet, he opens his eyes. The person who has caught hold of his feet is gently massaging them happily. Enjoying the gentle massage, he looks at the young man.  A tall and robust physique with broad shoulders and muscular body clearly reveals that must be a soldier of repute.  Sporting Thiruneeru on his forehead, he is keeping a Mazhu (a weapon with a metal blade like a wood chopper having a long wooden handle) on his shoulder.

 Sivakamiandar

 Eripaththare!  Though you like a ruffian, you have a very tender heart verily like the jackfruit which holds one of the sweetest fruits inside though having a thorny outer skin!

He joins his hands and bows to him.

Eripaththar is shaken up.

Eripaththar (embarrassed) 

 You are much older than all of us.  How can you bow to me?

Sivakamiandar (pleasingly)

Why only me? The entire town reveres you.  You have taken up service to the temple as your foremost duty and taken up service to adiyavars as your life’s mission.  Will it be , therefore,  improper to  bow to you?

Eripaththar (with a laugh)

I have a feeling that they bow to me and run away in great fear rather than in reverence! They take me to be a ruffian...  They are sacred that I may chop off their heads with Mazhu if I see them commit any act of misdemeanor against Easan.

Sivakamiandar also laughs hearing this joke.

     *******

Wuraiyur....

The great hall of the king in his palace...

Anabhaya Chozhar is seated on the throne. On his right are the Thalaimai Amaichar (Prime minister) and other ministers are seated and on his left are seated the Senathipathi and his subordinates.

Prime minister (raising from his seat and bowing to the King)

As the King of Kings, you have established this empire from Kudagu in North to Kumari in South!  You have guided us in our duty to administer your empire with the sole aim of safeguarding the welfare of your subjects. You are hailed as Pughazh Chozhar (Glorious Chozhar) by one and all. We are all eager to know the reason for calling us for consultations today....

The Prime minister takes his seat.

 Pughazh Chozhar (with a smile)

 Amaichar Perumane! You have yourself indicate subtly, the reason for calling all of you here! It has made my work easy!

The assembled ministers and others look at each other confused not knowing what the king is hinting at.

Pughazh Chozhar (looking at the Prime Minister)

Don’t trouble yourself too much guessing the reason!

Looking at others, he continues...

Amaichar Peruman stated that our Chozha Empire is spread from Kudagu in the north to the very tip of the land in the south. He also mentioned that the looking after the welfare of the subject must be the primary aim of the empire. To govern this vast empire from only Wuraiyur as capital is difficult. So I have decided to have Karuvur as the capitol for governing the empire up to Kudagu and retain the capital at Wuraiyur for administering the empire up to the southern tip. If this proposal is agreeable, you may send this message to all our subordinate vassals and arrange for them to deposit the taxes at their respective capitals. We have to assess the requirement of our army for defending both these parts of the empire and position the manpower accordingly. If someone refuses to accept our sovereignty, we must be prepared to subdue them with force.  Does anyone have a differing view in this?

Prime minister (getting up)

Please tell us when we should start for Karuvur!

Pughazh Chozhar laughs aloud hearing this retort.

Fifteen days pass...

Followed by the four versions of his armed forces, Pughazh Chozhar is leading the column of his army seated on his royal elephant to Karuvur.  He is greeted by his subjects all along the route. On reaching Karuvur, the emperor goes to the Thiruaanilai temple of Easan.  Only after praying to Easan and receiving the Thiruneeru prasadam, he enters his palace. To the accompaniment of Veda mantras, he walks up to his throne while the virtuous women scatter flowers on his path.  After he gets seated, the subjects of Karuvur enter the Royal assembly hall and pay glorious tributes. They then get seated in their appointed places. Amaichar Peruman, after paying his respects to the emperor and the assembled people starts to speak.

After   narrating the glory of the emperor, he wishes the emperor to flourish. All the assembled wishes the emperor a long reign in great enthusiasm. 

 Prime minister

Mannar manna! The subordinate vassals have come here to welcome and wish you and to deposit their taxes.

The subordinate vassals rise to greet the emperor. At that very moment, there is the sound of chanting of panchaksharam, “Om Namasivaya” heard in the hall. Pughazh Chozhan immediately gets up from his throne and all those seated get up looking at the entrance. A few adiyavars enter the   Royal assembly. Pughazh Chozhar comes down and with folded hands welcomes the adiyavars with great piety. After getting them seated, he stands with his hands folded as a servitor awaiting orders from his master.  His sincerity and submission to Adiyavars remain stamped in the minds of all those present there.

One of Adiyavars

Oh! Emperor! Let your Empire flourish forever. You exhibit great reverence to adiyavars. It is our good fortune that we happen to be living during your lifetime. Under earlier kings it was a crime even to murmur Panchaksharam in this land. You have totally reversed the situation and come running from the throne the moment you heard the chants of panchaksharam.   This act of yours will remain etched in history.

He blesses the king.

Pughazh Chozhar

Adiyavarhale!  It is a great fortune for me and my subjects that you have come here and given us an opportunity to be of some service to you. I am awaiting your orders as to what I need to do!

Adiyavar

You must proclaim orders for rebuilding all the temples that were ruined and defiled by other religionists.

Pughazh Chozhar (agreeing)

So be it.

Adiyavar blows his conch as a mark of divine acceptance.

    ******

Next day...

Sivakamiandar, as usual, gets up much before day break and goes to the river for bath. He covers his face with cloth and as starts plucking the flowers for the puja of Easan, there is a huge commotion. The royal elephant is being taken to the river by their mahouts accompanied by guards for giving it a bath.   As the elephant lies down in the water, the mahouts splash water on it creating a lot of noise.

 Sivakamiandar (to himself)

 I always chant panchaksharam as I pluck the flowers every day. Somehow, I am not able to concentrate today!

 Disturbed by the noise, he looks at the elephant angrily and the royal elephant also stares back...

Sivakamiandar resumes plucking flowers very carefully ensuring that the flowers are fresh and not yet touched by the bees. He fills up the Pookudalai steadily. Realising that he may be late for the “Palli Ezhuchchi” of Easan, with the help of his walking stick, he starts walking hurriedly.  Again hearing a great commotion behind, he steps aside to the foot path and looks back. The royal elephant after its bath is walking at good speed with the mahouts on its back and the guards running along by its sides. The mahouts are fumbling unable to control its speed.  As Sivakamiandar is witnessing this, the elephant goes near him and plucks the Pookudalai from his hands with its trunk.  As it flings the Pookudalai   on the street and stamps on it, the flowers are ruined totally. The old adiyavar goes dumb founded by this mad action of the royal elephant which happened within a wink. The mahouts and the guards start laughing and clapping their hands seeing this act. Enraged by this, Sivakamiandar tries to hit the elephant with his walking stick and the elephant dodges him playfully.  Unable to control their laughter, seeing the prank of the elephant, the walking guards pushes the adiyavar down.  This creates further laughter and merriment among the guards and the mahouts.

Sivakamiandar shouts aloud “Sivda” calling for Easan’s help.  Iraivan looks down at the adiyavar as his call reaches Kailayam. At the same time Eripaththar also hears the agonized call of the adiyavar.  Keeping the Mazhu on his shoulder, he looks around and sensing the direction from where the call he rushes there. By that time the adiyavar gets up and composes himself. Seeing the flowers which he has gathered with so much care and devotion lying scattered and ruined, he composes songs highlighting the ruinous attack of the elephant and the audacious behavior of the mahout and the palace guards. He begs for retribution against the elephant and its handlers and begs for forgiveness to him for not being able to bring the flowers for puja   with tears in his eyes through four stanzas which he composes and sings.

(The four stanzas in Tamil font)

 Eripaththar reaches there chanting ‘Om Namasivaya’ loudly.  Seeing the laughing mahouts, the scattered flowers and the swaying elephant creating commotion, he guesses as to what has happened. Furious, his eyes turn red.  As he grabs the Mazhu and flings it accurately at the trunk of the royal elephant, it gets cut and falls on the ground. The elephant falls down with an agonizing sound and dies.  He picks up the blood soaked Mazhu from the ground and chops of the heads of three mahouts who were laughing clapping their hands.  The guards take to their heels to escape his fury. Eripaththar   jumps ahead and throws his Mazhu. Two of them lose their head and fall down dead. The remaining guard escapes and runs to the palace.  Seeing the royal elephant dead, chopped by Eripaththar, the people scamper here and there. They are scared as to what will happen next. Eripaththar picks up Sivakamiandar and comforts him as if nothing has happened.

   ****

 The guard reaches the palace and informs the gate sentries..

 The guard (agitated)

 Evil men have killed our Royal elephant and the mahouts. Rush to the king and inform him.

 He falls down saying this.

The gate sentries run to inform the king.

Gate Sentry

Mannar manna! Evil men have killed our Royal elephant and the mahouts.  

Mannar (got up)

Who has done this heinous act? Could it be our enemies? Let our army proceed!

The Poreparai (palace drum) is sounded to announce imminent engagement in war.

The king mounts his steed and is followed by the Chariot Army, the Elephant Army, The cavalry and foot soldiers. Hearing the sound of the drum beat for war, the people of Karuvur follow the foot soldiers in great haste to know what is happening.

 The mannar reaches the place where the elephant was slain in a few moments. Not seeing any enemy forces there, he stops there greatly confused.  He sees a well built soldier sporting thiruneeru on his forehead holding a blood soaked Mazhu on his shoulder and supporting an aged adiyavar.

Pughazh Chozhan (exhilarated)

The person who is standing near the slain elephant is perhaps an Adiyavar of Emperuman Easan.

His eyes see the aged man on the shoulder of the Adiyavar and all around flowers are seen scattered.

He immediately understands the situation.

Forthwith he signals his troops not to come forward and make them remain where they are.

Pughazh Chozhan (in great reverence)

Devareer! I am not aware that the royal elephant was slain by you, an adiyavar.  Is the slaying of the royal elephant, its mahouts and the guards enough to avenge the misdeed of the elephant? Please tell me.

Eripaththar (moved by the magnanimity of the king)

This ripe old adiyavar... Sivakamiandar is a great devotee of Easan.  With great care and devotion, he

gathers the flowers before dawn everyday for the puja of Thiruaanilai Iraivan. Afraid of his own breath and saliva may pollute the flowers he always covers up his nose and mouth while plugging flowers. 

I am a servitor in the temple. I have taken a vow to punish anyone with my Mazhu if they commit any sacrilege against Easan. I am called Eripaththar.

Today when Sivakamiandar was bringing the Pookudalai filled with flowers for the puja of Easan, your royal elephant plucked it from his hand and threw it on the ground. Not only that   it stamped on the flowers meant for Easan. 

I chopped off its trunk because of that.   I punished the mahouts and the guards for laughing and making fun out of it  at the adiyavar instead of controlling the elephant. This in short is what has happened.

Pughazh Chozhan

 It is not enough that you punished only the elephant, the mahouts and the guards. As I am responsible for their action, I am also to be punished. Do not use your sacred Mazhu of yours to behead me. Take this, my sword. Chop off   my head with this.

He draws his sword from its scabbard tied to his waist and presents it to Eripaththar. He bows his head down to facilitate easy beheading by Eripaththar.

 Eripaththar (to himself)

Alas! How have I hurt the feelings of a devout Sivanadiyar? The monarch of this vast empire is bowing his head asking me to behead him...  Will the entire wealth of the fourteen worlds equal his worth?

If I refuse to take the sword from him, he may even cut off his own head with that.

He accepts the sword offered to him by the mannar in great reverence.

Eripaththar (in a loud voice)

Not perturbed by the loss of your royal elephant and your men, you are bowing your head to sacrifice your life also. You are truly the greatest of the great.  Not knowing your greatness and your singular devotion to safeguard the glory of adiyavars, I have caused you misery due to vanity.  Therefore, It is I who ought to be punished.

 So saying, he cuts off his neck with the sword given by the king. The blood spurts out in torrent. Agitated, Pughazh Chozhar tries to grab the sword from his hand to stop him from shearing his neck further.  A divine voice is heard from the sky.

The divine voice

 Eripaththa Nayanare! Pughazh Chozha Mannare! It is only the act of Easan which made the royal elephant to get angry, take away and throw the Pookudalai and stamp the flowers with its feet.

 Now look...

The Pookudalai gets filled up with flowers. The royal elephant, the mahouts and the guards get up alive. The bloody injury in the neck of Eripaththar disappears and he becomes fresh alive.

All of them look in the direction from where the divine voice is emanating.

The divine voice

Eripaththa Nayanare! Take care of the welfare of adiyavars and when your time comes you will reach Kailayam.  Your name and fame will remain as long as this universe remains. Whosoever worships Me will worship you as well.

 There is a shower of flowers from the sky. The radiant light that appeared in the sky disappears.

Pughazh Chozhar prostrates in front of Eripaththa Nayanar and gets up.

 Pughazh Chozhar (with his hands folded and covering his lips in servitude)

 It is because of you, I could hear the divine voice.  I and the entire subjects of this country will be at your service.

Eripaththa Nayanar

It is because of you, that I got this unparalleled title!

 He falls on his feet and rises up. Both of them embrace in great compassion and reverence to each other.

Everyone is happy with the turn of events.

Eripaththa Nayanar

As the emperor of this land, you must perform your duties and I must witness your glory. To please my eyes, I want you to mount the royal elephant and proceed.

The royal elephant folds its front feet for the king to mount.   With a smiling face, the mannar mounts the elephant and proceeds to his palace and his retinue follows.

With their hands folded in reverence, Eripaththar and Sivakamiandar keep looking at the procession going away.

       *****

It becomes a routine for the Pughazh Chozhar to visit the Thiruaanilai temple daily and pray to Easan before starting his official work.

  ****

One day...

  The ministers and the chiefs of his army have assembled in the Royal hall. As the mannar enters they all stand up and get seated after the mannar takes his seat and signals them to sit down. The Amaichchar Peruman remains standing and compliments the mannar recalling the episode with Eripaththar. He then takes his seat.

Mannar (to himself)

 Though the Amaichchar Peruman complimented me,  I can make out from his voice that there is something troubling him. 

He looks up at others inquiringly.

Mannar

It is time to return to Wuraiyur. When do we start?

The Amaichchar Peruman gets up. He looks perturbed.

Mannar

May I know the reason for Amaichchar Peruman’s worry?

Amaichchar Peruman (hesitantly)

I am at a loss as to how can I speak about this to you, as you are deeply devoted to the religion which says Love alone is Easan!(Anbe Sivam)

Mannar

Please tell me whatever it is. My sword which was lowered to protect the adiyavar will not hesitate to rise to protect my subjects when the need arises. Tell me without any fear.

Amaichchar Peruman (hesitantly)

  Your subordinate vassals have come here and paid their taxes in cash and kind and given an undertaking that they will administer their subjects in a fair manner.  Only one of them has not turned up.

Mannar (angrily)

Who is that?

His thundering voice shakes the assembly.

Amaichchar Peruman

 He is Adhigan of the hill areas.

Mannar (angrily)

What is the reason for defaulting payment of taxes? Is it due to famine or impudence?

Amaichchar Peruman

I have gathered information through spies to ascertain the reasons. Only last night we received the details. With resources abound, Adhigan has recruited a large army secretly in his land to wage a war against us. As we have come here from Wuraiyur with only a small army, he feels the time is ripe to attack us for a sure victory.  As a first step of confrontation, he has refused to pay the taxes. I have received news that he has ordered his chieftains to be ready at short notice to wage a war against us. 

 Hearing the news, everyone in the assembly gets agitated.

 Mannar (drawing his sword and keeping it aloft in a thundering voice)

 Adhigan has made a poor judgment of us and our soldiers. Before he attacks our depleted army, let us attack him now itself. Beat the drum for the start of the war. Ask one person from each household to join the forces to safeguard their motherland.

 As he shouts the war cries ‘Vetri Vel! Veera Vel’, the drums start sounding the start of war.

    *****

   To the beat of the drums and blowing of trumpets, the young prince, the only son of Anabhaya Chozhar leads the troops into war. In the battle field, the forces of Adhigan are no match to the bravery and skill of the Karuvur forces.  They stagger unable to withstand the assault. Seeing his men getting killed in in quick succession, Adhigan beats hasty retreat and runs away from the battle field. The battle comes to an end.

Carrying the severed heads of soldiers of Adhigan, the Chozhar soldiers return to Karuvur in great jubilation. They leave the severed heads on the outskirts for exhibiting to the king and enter the town. The women folks welcome them with great fervor. Pughazh Chozhar, along with his son, praises the soldiers for their heroic victory and then goes to see the severed heads of the enemy soldiers displayed on the outskirts.

An anguished cry emanates from the king as he sees them silencing the otherwise jubilant crowd. There is not even a murmur. As they see the king shedding copious tears, they are dumbstruck as to what to do. Amaichchar Peruman comes ahead and stands in front of the king with folded hands.

Mannar   (looking skywards and concentrating on Kailayam)

Amaichchar Perumane!  Prepare here a burning pit just now.

His order is instantly carried out. The soldiers dig a pit and fill it with stumps of wood and ignite the same. The fire quickly catches up. The mannar removes his crown from his head and places it on the head of the prince indicating his abdication.

Mannar (to the newly crowned prince)

I beseech that at least you run this kingdom in all fairness, following the righteous path as ordained by the Lord Natesan of Thillai without any harm coming to the sanctity of Thiruneeru.

With great devotion and anxiety, he picks up and places in his palms a severed head from the heap and stands in front of the burning pit.

Everyone gets greatly perturbed on seeing matted hair on the severed head he is holding.

 Pughazh Chozhar (without taking his eyes away from the head he is holding)

Did I order this war to behead an adiyavar sporting matted hair? What great sin I have committed.

These adiyavars are devoted to Easan. How can I rule this country after seeing an adiyavar killed in battle? How can I bear this burden of sacrilege any longer?

Keeping the severed head of the adiyavar on his head as a crown, he steps into the burning pit chanting

“Om Namasivaya, Om Namasivaya, Om Namasivaya”.

  At that very instant, there is a loud sound of conch shells. The Veda mantras emanate as if from nowhere and reach the heavens. There is a shower of flowers from the heavens. Ayyan and Annai appear on their Nandi Vahanam in the sky.

Easan

Pughazh Chozha Nayanare!  You have declared to the world that taking care of Adiyavars is the supreme righteous act and lived accordingly.  Your act of entering into the burning pit to give up your life is incredible.  You will unite unto Me.

Your name and fame will remain as long as this universe exists. Whosoever worships Me will worship you as well.

With his hand folded in great reverence, Pughazh Chozha Nayanar merges in to Easan in a bright Jyothi.

The assembled people with folded hands above their head chant Panchakshara mantram and the Devas in heaven bow to Pughazh Chozha Nayanar.

Thiruchchitrambalam