Religion and spiritualism-The Twelve Azwars- Thirumangai Azwar
Posted 17th April 2008 at 10:40 AM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan
Kumudavalli putting one more condition
Thirunaraiyur Nambi was so gracious that He did the pancha samskaras to Neelan. The Lord being the ocean of grace, applied Thirumankappu on Neelan’s forehead, named him Thirumangai and also applied Sangu chakra symbols on his arms. He taught him the Thiruvaradhana krama and did the Thirumanthra upadesam. Thus Neelan became Thirumangai and he happily returned to ThiruveLLAkuLam and told Kumudini that he had fulfilled her wish. Now Kumudavalli put another condition to Thirumangai. She told that he should perform Thadiyaradhanam to 1008 brahmins daily for one year and then accept their Sripada Thirtham. If he was able to fulfill this condition then she would marry him. Thirumangai told her that he would accept this condition provided she would not make any more conditions to avoid marrying him. She told him that she would definitely marry him if he fulfilled this condition.
Thirumangai built a mutt near Thirukuraiyalur and was performing thadiyaradhanai to 1008 brahmins daily. That place is called Mangai Madam in his name even today.
All the money he had earned was spent on this noble cause. Brahmins daily used to come and grace the thadiyaradhanai and showered their blessings upon him. He even spent all the money that he got from his ancestral property. Then he started using the money that was paid as tax by the public which he was supposed to submit to the treasury of Choza king. When the king came to know that Neelan stopped paying kappam, he sent an army to arrest him. But Neelan drove them away. Then the king himself came with his army. Thirumangai now felt that it was not good on his part to fight with the king as he had done a favour to him by appointing him an administrator for a few towns. He sent word that he wanted to have a peaceful talk. When the king gave his consent, he went and told the king that he spent the money for a good cause. He told the king that he fed poor brahmins with his money and so he did not feel guilty about it. Then the king told him that he appointed him as a chief to collect taxes and to remit it to the treasury, but not to spend it on charity. Thirumangai told him that only for one year he would perform this kaimkaryam and after that he would try to pay the money. The king got very angry and he told his men to arrest him and put him in jail.
Thirumangai was kept in Thirunaraiyur under custody. He prayed to Thirunaraiyur Nambi and he questioned Him that why he had to suffer like this. He said,” Oh Lord, you are the one who performed the pancha samskaras to me and now you only should render solvency to my problem.” He kept upavasam for three days without even drinking water.
Thirumakal who is karunyam personified could not see a devotee suffering and she took up the matter with the Lord. Can the Lord ignore His devi’s request? Thirumangai after fasting for three days, was feeling exhausted and closed his eyes for a while. He felt that some one was shaking him out and opened his eyes. He saw a tall and hefty person in front of him, holding veNpoNgal, sweetened milk and water. He thought that he was sent by the king and ate the pongal, drank the milk and dozed off again. In his dream he saw the same person again who looked like Lord Varadaraja. The Lord told him, “Do not worry. You come to Kanchi and I’ll give you a treasure.”
The next morning when the guards came to see Thirumangai, he told them that he had kept a treasure buried in Kanchi and if the king allowed him to go to Kanchi, he would get it. The guards went and told this to the king and he sent his chief of army and some guards to escort Thirumangai to Kanchi to get the treasure.
Thirumangai Azwar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!
To be continued
Total Comments 4
Comments
 |  Dear Pushpavalli Thank you for writing about the Lord and his devotee.. now maybe I should also pray to the Lord to give you time to continue the story.. or maybe God wants this devotee to wait:) |
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| |  Dear AC, As usual you are prompt in posting your FB. Thanks a lot. My land line and BB were out of order from Tamil New Year day and were restored only day before yesterday. My computer is also giving trouble as if it is having dementia. When ever it obliges me I try to post. sorry for making you wait...../ Love, PS |
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| |  Dear Mrs.Pusphavalli, Good to hear that all Thirumangai did was to feed brahmins, not like those in these days... sriniketan |
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| | Dear Sriniketan, As the saying goes " Rob Peter to pay Paul," Thirumangai Azwar later started robing the wealthy to fulfill his pledge to Kumudavalli. Love, PS |
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