" ANBE SIVAM '

‘ Anbe Sivam ‘ ( Love is God )  -  P.Natarajan.

No one ever likes to be a sinner.  There are some unknown compulsions which push an individual to the wrongdoing. Lord Krishna answers that Kama and Krodha are the two culprits  responsible for such things..

Kama is passion personified and it drives a person from pillar to post to attain his desire. He does even heinous actions  to achieve his wish. He gets frustrated should he fails when he becomes only angry or to say it in general the desire is transformed into anger.  After all, a ball thrown against a wall would only rebounce with equal force to the thrower himself.

It would be for good when we don’t have desires. Do your part or duty fittingly in the best interest of all and in line with Bhagavad Gita, don’t expect for the fruits of labour. This attitudinal approach would not lead to anger certainly. There is some truth to believe that one can win over desire but not so easily the sense of anger.

Durvasa Rishi was famous for his anger. A person who is very angry is dubbed as ‘Durvasa’.

There lived a person by name Veerappa Swami, 90 to 100 years before, who was not able to get over anger. People around him were afraid to face him. They carried out his orders implicitly. He had the zest to renovate the old temples, build ‘Veda Patasala’ (Vedic Schools).and construct  choultries for free stay. The anger in Veerappa Swami turned out to be a blessing in disguise as no one dared to disobey the directions laid by him .The  chettiars of Nattukottai loved to engage themselves in such wholesome deeds. Veerappa Swamy found his way easy to transform his wishes into constructional activities as above.

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Veerappa Swamy consulted his good friend Subbaraya Iyer  to advise him how to overcome his anger. He requested him to refer to Puranas if that could show a way. By good fortune, Subbaraya Iyer found a solution as told in the Sthala Purana of ‘Thirukala’ Kshetra. Durvasa Rishi, who was known for his anger did meditation in this kshetra and got over it. There is an idol of Durvasa who is seen peaceful and smiling in this temple, before the deity of Nataraja.

Veerappa Swamy became interested at once to offer prayers at Thirukala kshetra which is situated near Thiruthuraipoondi in Thanjavur District. The first task he did was to renovate the temple to give a  new look. The temple tank was also dug up new and filled with fresh water. He went ahead to build a ratha (Chariot ) for the Temple for Utsavar to be seated in the ratha and go round the town in procession when people could feel the vibration and presence of the god.

The builders of the ratha advised Veerappa Swamy that a goat need to be given in sacrifice for successful drawing or pulling the chariot along the streets of the town. They told him it is only customary to do so, to overcome unknown hurdles. But Veerappa Swamy was in no way in agreement with the proposal. However ‘ratha-utsavam’ was inaugurated in the temple in line with the wishes of Veerappa swamy. The whole town irrespective of caste or creed assembled in the temple to pull the chariot out into the streets. The beginning was good and the chariot moved slowly. The Chariot  was well decorated with flowers and Utsava was seated inside majestically.  But after sometime, the chariot stopped moving despite the best efforts put in by the people..

The proposal of sacrificing a goat or a smaller animal cropped up. Veerappa Swamy brought forth his feelings abundantly clear to everyone around that such a step would not only allow an animal to be killed but also the animal’s living mother would cry for losing her child. Instead he came forward to offer himself as a sacrifice but before that extreme step, he advised them to offer prayers in unanimity to overcome the hurdles facing the chariot.

People were moved by the gesture of Veerappa swamy whom they knew only as an angry man.

They returned after the prayers with a resolve to pull the chariot. They found it to their great surprise that the chariot started moving again. They were extremely happy. Veerappa Swamy’s joy knew no bounds and he thanked the Almighty profusely for granting  his wish. He became also remorseful for his quick temper in the past and prayed the Almighty not to become angry at any circumstances.

When the chariot came near the residence of Veerappa Swamy, he stood in silence looking at the Utsavar.  He was absolutely calm and felt the presence of the Almighty in him. Tears rolled down his eyes and he breathed his last in that state itself peacefully. His soul mixed with the eternal jyothi. He became Siva. We say ’  SIVA, SIVA ’  repeatedly. We also rejoice as we proclaim that “ANBE SIVAM”  or ‘Love is God’.

                    Kanchi Maha Periyava

We pay our respects to Kanchi Mahaswami as we read the poignant tale of the devotee Veerappa Swamy as told as “ARUL VAKKU “ by  Periyava..

(  Source : -  ‘Arulvakku’ in Tamil by Kanchi Mahaswami  published by Thiruvarasu     Puthakanilayam , Chennai - 17 )  

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