Great Saints - Sundara Murthy Nayanar

Excerpts from the Life of Sundara Murthy Nayanar

Biography Summary

South India, Tamil Nadu
Birthplace: Thiru Naavaloor

Purpose of Incarnation: To introduce to the world the greatness of exceptional devotees of Lord Shiva, who are known as 63 Nayanmars today. For this purpose, Sundarar sang a literary compilation upon the ordinance of Lord Shiva known as 'ThiruThondar Thogai' to record the names of 63 Nayanmars in the history of exemplary devotional service. He also sang many sweet and lovable songs known as padhigams in praise of Lord Shiva as well as of the many places he visited during his lifetime. His Padhigams also palpably express various emotions he is subjected to from his own life experiences, indicating the strong relation of friendship and liberty he shared with Lord Shiva. In fact, Sundarar's life history itself makes one wonder in amazement about this special bond between Lord and Devotee as non-discriminating and on the same footing. It brings out a flavor of great intimacy and deep trust. The history of such a great devotee such as Sundara himself instills a sense of completeness, optimism and soulful faith. Thus it is least surprising that Lord Shiva chose Sundarar to compose the foundational historical account of all his other exceptional devotees.

Incident when Sundarar was on one of his pilgrimages:

"sundara, mazhapaadiyai marandhanaiyo?" yenru iraivanaar sundararin kanavil uraikkiraar. Lord Shiva speaks in Sundarar;s dreams whether he forgot to visit the lord at the holy place called Mazhapaadi (located in Chola kingdom) . sundarar immediately rushes and finds out the shrine at mazhapaadi and breaks into an emotional response that is filled with intense love, ecstasy, liberty and surrender. we know the lord of mazhapaadi today as 'vajrasthambeshwarar' or 'vairaththoon nathar'. also known as 'vaidyanathar'.

"ponnaar meniyane pulittholai araikkasaithu
minnaar senjadaimel milir konrai anindhavane
manne maamaniye mazhapaadiyul maanikkame
anne unnaiyallaal ini yaarai ninaikkene"


song interpretation:

oh one who possesses a resplendent body that glows like gold!
oh one who adorns the hide of a tiger in the waist!
oh one who adorns his favorite konrai flower over matted locks that shine and sparkle like the lightning*
oh my ruler my lord! oh priceless gem of gems!
Oh crown jewel who has taken residence at Mazhapaadi!
oh one who is like mother** to me!
other than you who else do i have to remember! hereafter*** all my thought will be only about you!

*{this metaphor indicates why the lord's abundant matted locks look glossy and glittery. probably because the moon he has worn on his head floods its silverine light over river ganga also flowing from his tightly knotted locks, he is also known as 'jata makutadhara' (who wears a crown of matted locks of hair)},

**(sundarar addresses the lord as his mother who is first and foremost relation to any living being. we may also understand here that he puts himself in the helpless position of child possibly to convey that a child can never bear to be separated from its mother because it cannot survive otherwise)

***(here he says hereafter because he wants to tell us that even the remembering the lord is through lord's own grace and blessing! also, he means that whenever he interacts with worldly relations they would remind him of the lord always.)


- SHIVOHAM -