Azlvar-adiyan Nambi

Vallavarayan Vandiya Devan rode down the embankment
and turned his horse towards the southern path; his heart
danced with joy: like those sailboats skipping across the
waves. The excitement buried deep in his heart seemed to
erupt outward. His intuition said that he was going to meet
adventures experienced by none in one lifetime.

What joyous delight even as I approach the Chozla
Kingdom! What wonders will the fertile, bountiful land
beyond Kollidam hold? How would the men and women
of that country behave? How many rivers? How many
reservoirs? How many clear streams? How wondrous
would be the river Ponni (Cauvery) praised in song and
epic? How enchanting would be the flower laden punnai,
konnai and kadamba trees on its banks? Would not the
wink of the lily and the blue-lotus or the blossoming
welcome of a red-lotus be a pleasant sight? How
magnificent would be the spectacular temples erected by
these devout Chozlas along both banks of the Cauvery?
Aha! Pazlayarai! Capital city of Chozlas! Pazlayarai that
turned Poompuhar and Uraiyoor into small country towns!
What of its palaces, towering columns, armaments, guard
houses, busy markets, Shiva temples of granite and
towering Vishnu temples?

Vandiya Devan had heard about the captivating devotional
poems - Thevaram & Thiru-vaaimozli - sung by music
experts in those temples. He was soon to have the fortune
of hearing them. That was not just it -- he was soon to
attain favors beyond his wildest dreams. He was to
personally meet Emperor Paranthaka Sundara Chozla, who
was comparable to the God Velan in valor; who was as
handsome as Manmatha the God of Love. Furthermore, he
was soon to meet the Emperor's beloved daughter, an
incomparable jewel among women, the Younger Pirati
Kundavai!

Hopefully there would be no interruptions along the way.
So what if there are obstacles? I have a spear in hand, a
sword at my waist, armor on my chest and courage in my
heart. But the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, my
Prince, are strict: do not enter into any skirmish until the
assigned task is completed. It is pretty trying to obey that
order! I have followed it thus far in my travels. A mere
two-day journey remains. I must be patient until then.
Travelling with the intention of reaching Kadamboor Fort
before sunset, Vandiya Devan soon reached the Vaishnava
temple in the town of Veera-narayana-puram. Since it was
the day of the Aadi Festival, a large crowd of people had
gathered in the woods and glades around the temple.
Vendors selling jack-fruit, banana, sugar-cane and various
other edibles had set up shops. Others sold flowers such as
lotus buds for worship of the Gods as well as blooms to
decorate the braids of women. Mounds of tender coconuts,
myrrh, candy, jaggery, betel leaves, pressed rice and
puffed grain were on display for sale. Fun-games and other
amusements were in progress here and there. Astrologers,
expert palm readers, soothsayers and magicians who cured poison-bites: of these there was no dearth.

Amidst all this Vandiya Devan noticed a large gathering standing on one
side and he heard loud noises of argument among people
in its middle. An immense urge rose in him to find out
what the argument was about. He could not control it!
Stopping his horse by the roadside near the crowd, he
dismounted. Signaling the horse to wait, he parted the
crowd and walked right in.

It surprised him to find only three persons involved in the
debate. Even though they were merely three men, the
crowd around them periodically cheered their chosen
favorites rather loudly. Vandiya Devan realized the cause
for this commotion and watched to find out the reason for
the argument.

One of the debaters seemed to be an exceptional follower
of the Vaishnava faith: he wore the sandal-paste namam
markings of the sect all over his body; he had styled his
hair into a topknot on his forehead. A short staff was in his
hand; his short, squat frame seemed quite strong.
The other was a follower of Shiva, wearing broad ashen
marks on his devout body.

The third wore ocher robes and had completely shaved all
the hair off his head. He was neither a Vaishnava nor a
Saiva: he seemed to be an Advaita philosopher beyond any
sect.

The Saiva devotee was saying, "Oh you Azlvar-adiyan
Nambi! Give me an answer to this! Did not Brahma try to
find Shiva's head and Vishnu search for His feet? Unable
to see neither head nor foot did not both seek the sanctuary
of Lord Shiva's auspicious feet? That being so, how can
your Thirumal Vishnu be a greater God than Lord Shiva?"
Hearing this Azlvar-adiyan pounded his staff saying, "Well
fella! You fanatic Saiva dust-worshiping priest! Stop your
nonsense. Recall that your Shiva gave boons to the tenheaded
Ravana, King of Lanka. Did not all those boons
turn to sawdust when confronted by Sri Rama, an
incarnation of our Thirumal Vishnu? When that is so, how
can your Shiva be a greater God than our Thirumal?"
At this the ocher-clad monk who believed in the Onesupreme
Being, intervened to say, "Why do you both argue
wastefully? There is no end to your arguments about Shiva
being a bigger God or Vishnu being greater. Only while
you are involved in these pagan rituals of devotion will
you quarrel about Shiva and Vishnu. The path of
Knowledge is greater than devotion. Then there is the state
of Absolute Knowing, beyond even Knowledge. When you
reach that state there is no Shiva and no Vishnu. All
existence is the Supreme Being. Do you know what Sri
Sankara the Teacher says in his dissertation on the
scriptures ...."

At this point Azlvar-adiyan Nambi interrupted, "Stop it
you fellow! Do you know what your Sankara who wrote all those explanations for the Upanishads, the Bhagavat
Gita and other scriptures finally say?
Sing of Govinda, Sing of Govinda,
Sing of Govinda, Oh foolish mind!
He said it three times! It is to dumbheads like you that he
refers when he mentions foolish minds." The crowd
responded to this with thunderous clapping, mocking
laughter and loud cheers of "Aha, oho".

The monk did not stay quiet. "Hey you with the topknot on
the forehead! It is correct that you refer to me as a foolish
mind. You hold an ordinary wood-staff in your hands; you
are surely a wood-brained wastrel. It is surely because of
my foolish mind that I have come to talk with a wastrel
like you."

"Oh Sir! This is not an ordinary wood-staff. If need be it
has the power to break open your shaven head," and saying
this Nambi raised his staff as the crowd cheered him.
The Philosopher interrupted. "Dear fellow! Stop it! Keep
the staff in your own hands. I shall not be angry even if
you hit me with your stick. Neither will I dispute with you.
That which hits is Supreme! That which is hit is also
Supreme! If you lay hands upon me it is like hitting your
own self!"

Upon hearing this Nambi announced, "All of you watch!
The Supreme is going to serve the Supreme a hallowed-hit.
I am going to hit myself with this staff," swirling his staff
he moved towards the monk.

Watching all this, Vandiya Devan wondered if he should
grab the staff from the fellow with the topknot on his
forehead and serve him a few smacks from it. However the
monk seemed to have suddenly disappeared. He mingled
into the crowd and vanished! At this the Vaishnava
supporters in the crowd cheered even louder.
Azlvar-adiyan turned towards the Saiva devotee, "You
foot-dust worshipper, what do you say? Will you continue
this debate or would you too run away like the monk?" he
said.

"Me? I shall never run away like that philosopher spouting
mere words. Did you think of me also as your Kannan
(Krishna)? Is not your Krishna the same fellow who
received beatings from the butter-churn because he stole
butter from the homes of milkmaids? ..." Before the Shiva
worshipper could finish, Nambi interrupted.
"Why sir? Did not your Shiva carry loads of dirt for the
sake of dry pudding and get beaten on his back? Have you
forgotten that?" Swirling his staff he approached closer.
Azlvar-adiyan was a stocky, well-built brute. The Shiva
devotee was an emaciated man.

The cheering supporters in the crowd were ready to enter the tussle. Vallavarayan
Vandiya Devan felt that he must stop this absurd rumpus.
He came forward and said, "Sirs why are you arguing? Do
you have nothing better to do? If you itch for a fight, why
not go to Lanka? There is a big war going on there."
Saying, "Who is this fellow trying to make peace?" Nambi
quickly turned towards him. Some people in the crowd
liked Vandiya Devan's fearless mein and charismatic face.
"Thambi! You tell them." They cheered, "Tell these
quarrel mongers the truth. We will support you."
"I will tell the facts I know. There seems to be no quarrel
between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu-Narayana. Those
two seem to be quite friendly and pleasant towards each
other. Then why are these two men arguing?" Hearing
these words of Vallavarayan Vandiya Devan the people
snickered.

The Shiva devotee commented "This boy seems to be
intelligent. But jovial words cannot end the argument. Let
him answer this question: is Lord Shiva a greater God than
Vishnu or is he not?"
"Shiva is a great God. So is Thirumal Vishnu. Both are
equal. Worship whomever you want. Why quarrel?" said
Vallavarayan.

"How can you say that? Where is the proof that Shiva and
Vishnu are equal?" chided Azlvar-adiyan.
"Proof? I will give you proof. Last night I had been to
Vaikunta, the abode of Vishnu. At the same time Shiva
came visiting. Both were seated on equal thrones. They
seemed to be of equal height. Still, to avoid any doubt, I
measured their height with my arm ..."

"Young man! Are you mocking me?" roared Azlvaradiyan.
"Yes, Thambi yes. Tell us more!" applauded the crowd.
"Upon measuring them, I found both to be of exactly the
same height. Without stopping at that I asked both Shiva
and Thirumal directly. Do you know what they said? `Hari
and Shiva are one and the same. Those who don't know
this should have their mouths filled with dirt!' Saying it
they gave me this fistful of dirt to throw in the mouths of
the idiots who quarrel about it." Vandiya Devan opened his
fist to show a handful of dirt. He then threw it among
them. Upon this all hell broke loose. The men in the exited
crowd started picking up dirt and rubble and began
throwing it at each other. Azlvar-adiyan also entered the
fracas with shouts of "Idiots! Unbelievers!" and used his
staff. A great disturbance and commotion was about to
erupt. Luckily, a stentorian announcement thwarting all
this, was heard nearby.

"Best of warriors, bravest of the brave, he who destroyed
the very roots of the Pandiya army by attacking furiously,
he of the victorious spear, he who engaged in twenty-four
combats and wears sixty-four battle-wounds on his sacred
body, the Chozla Secretary for Finance and Food, the lord
who can levy taxes, The Elder Lord of Pazluvoor, is
announced. Make way! Make way!" A thundering voice
made the announcement.

The heralds who made these announcements came first.
Then came the drummers. Behind them came men carrying
the palmtree-flag. Next marched several smart footmen
bearing lances and spears. Behind all these men came a
dark, well-built man seated on a finely decorated elephant.
The sight of the warrior on the elephant looked like a dark
cloud resting atop a mountain peak. People stood on both
sides of the roadway and watched. Vandiya Devan guessed
that the man seated on the elephant was Lord Pazluvoor.
Behind the elephant came a palanquin with silken drapes
pulled close. Before he could wonder who could be inside,
Vallavarayan saw a fair hand full of bracelets and bangles
come out and slightly part the curtains. The dazzling face
of a girl could be seen inside the palanquin: like the moon
shining forth from behind a shifting cloud cover.
Though he was a connoisseur of the beauty of womankind,
though her captivating face seemed like the radiating full
moon, for some reason, Vandiya Devan was not happy to
see that face. An irrational fear and disgust took hold of
him. At the same time the woman's eyes focussed on
something near Vandiya Devan. The next instant the
horrified sound of a girl's scream was heard. The screens
pulled shut once again!

Vallavarayan looked around him. His intuition said that the
lady had screamed upon sighting something nearby. He
searched around again. Azlvar-adiyan was leaning back on
a tamarind tree just behind him. He saw that the fanatic
Vaishnava's face had turned undescribably horrible and
ugly. His heart filled with irrational surprise and revolt.