Saint Thirunavukarasar’s contribution to Hinduism – Worship Lord Shiva to cure Stomach ache and dreams from Sai

Sairam friends,

I wanted to write about a few temples I visited during my Pilgrimage but when I came home after visiting Nagasai mandhir, My Mom was still having a severe stomach ache. She had her regular tablets but still, she was in pain. My Father too said he has a slight stomach ache. I gave her Udi and tried to see if I can write about the Temples I visited. I was too sad thinking about my life and why Amma also is getting pain like this at times.

I went to Amma’s room and pressed her legs and asked if she took tablets. Amma has a book called “Tamil Vedha Thirattu” near her bed always and asked me to read a Mantra sung by Saint Tirunavukkarasar called “Kootrayinavaaru” from Thevaram. I know a few Mantra by heart but am not good at reading Tamil fluently. So I took the book and recited the mantra word by word. She asked me to apply holy ash Viboothi on her stomach and read it.

I recited the Padhigam thinking I must write about Appar – Saint Thirunavukkarasar.

Saint Thirunavukarasar’s contribution to Hinduism

Tirunavukkarasar (Tamil: திருநாவுக்கரசர், which means King of the Tongue or Lord of Language), also known as Appar (“Father”), was a seventh-century Saivite Tamil poet-saint, one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars. His real name is Marul Neekiyar.

Life of Thirunavukarasar:

Appar’s parents passed away during his childhood leaving him and his sister Thilagavathi alone. She had a big influence on bringing up Appar.

I wish to write about Tirunavukkarasar because most of us don’t realize the greatness of being a Hindu. Today we are in this beautiful path to reach God because of Saints like Tirunavukkarasar who dedicated their lifetime for making people realize the value of Hindu Gods and their powers.

Thirunavukkarasar was influenced by Jain faith and started reading its scriptures. He was attracted to the nonviolence aspects of Jainism. Thirunavukarasar was hooked by the Ahimsa concept of Jainism. His real name was Marul Neekiyar ( The one who removes ignorance). Marul left his sister and went to Patalipuram to Jain Monastery.
His mastery in Jain scriptures gave him lots of followers.

The Pallava king was also a Jain and he praised Marul and naming him Dharmasena as he was engaged in debates with Saivate scholars promoting his new faith and that Hinduism is not that great and powerful.

Friends, One of the reasons I am happy to write about this article is that we all must realize how none of us would have been a Hindu if Lord Shiva and Parvathi had not done their Leela ( Miracles) in the life of Saints like Thirunavukarasar and made them restore Sanatana Dharma.

5th to 7th century is the time in India when people were spreading Buddhism and Jainism. Many got attracted to these religions and Hinduism was at stake. Even the Kings started converted to other religions. If Kings are made to convert to a new faith then surely the people will be forced to convert.

Lord Shiva’s leela:

From his 25th year to 40th years of age, Marul Neekiyar was in the peak of serving and promoting his New faith.

His sister Thilagavathi was really pained by this behavior of her brother and prayed Shiva to make him realize the value of Hindu Dharma. After a few days, Marul Neekiyar got a severe Stomach ache. He thought the stomach ache will be cured simply by chanting the mantra in his New faith and also taking some treatment. Within few weeks, He had tried all possible holy mantra and ways in his new faith but the Stomach ache was only aggravating.

He finally came back to Thiruvadhigai where his sister Thilagavathi was serving poor people and Lord Shiva in the temple. He requested her to cure his stomach ache. Thilagavathi asked him to lay down, Applied the sacred ashes – viboothi of lord shiva on his stomach.

He sang his first Thevaram hymn pleading Lord Shiva to show grace on him. To the surprise of everyone, he was cured immediately. Marul Neekiyar realized the greatness of Lord Shiva. A Voice from heavens blessed him with the sacred name – “Thirunavukarasar” which means Lord of Speech.

This is the Mantra my Amma wanted me to recite – ( Please buy books of this sacred mantra to recite the complete mantra)

Thirunavukarasar Thiruvadi pottri

Place: Thiruvadhikai (a village near Kadaloor, Tamilnadu)

Kootraayinavaaru vilakkagileer kodumai pala seidhana naanariyeen
Eetraai adikke iravum pakalum piriyaadhu vananguvan epppozhudhum
Thotraadhen vayitrin agampadiyee kudaroodu thudakki mudakkiyida
Atreen adiyeeen adikaikkedila veerattana thurai ammanee

Translation:

Do not treat me like the Deva of death. I did a lot of misdeeds due to my ignorance. Oh the God on the Holy Bull, I will pray your feet in the day and in the night, always. The pain in my stomach is unbearable. Oh God of the Veerattaanam* of Adhikai kedilam.
*Veerattaanam – The eight Holy places where Lord Shiva destroyed the evil forces. In Thiruvadhikai He destroyed the Thripura.

Since people of various languages come to StarSai, My humble request is if you have a stomach ache or any health issues, you can recite any Mantra in praise of Lord Shiva to get cured. You can also recite Mahamrityunjaya Mantra in praise of Lord Shiva.

Saint Thirunavukarasar dedicated his lifetime in serving Hinduism

Thirunavukarasar was 40 years old at the time. So after 15 years Thirunavukarasar became a Hindu once again. The people in New faith were frustrated and shocked by his belief in Hindu faith and wanted to kill him ( Though its against their very philosophy)

The Pallava King, Mahendravarman on the advice of the monks in new faith sentenced him to death. Every time, Thirunavukarasar came back alive by the grace of Lord Shiva.

Finally, they tied him to a stone and dropped him in the deep sea from where no one can escape.
He recited with great love and confidence in Lord Shiva this hymn. To the surprise of all others, the stone became the boat and Thirunaavukkarasar got down in a village near Thiruppadhiripuliyoor (Kadaloor).

Sotrunai veedhiyan soodhi vaanavan
Potrunai thirundhadi porundha kai thozha
Katrunai pootiyoor kadalir paaichchinum
Natrunai aavadhu NAMASHIVAYAvee

Translation:

The reciter of the Vedas, the flame-like God, if we pray with folded hands to his gold like glittering feet, even if we were tied to a big stone and thrown in the sea there is a savior – that is the NAMASHIVAYA. ( The Holy five-letter)

Making the King realize the greatness of Lord Shiva and Hinduism and bringing glory to the people:

The King realized that Thirunavukarasar is really saved by Lord Shiva himself and converted back as a Hindu.

The Thiruvathigai Temple was originally built as a Jain temple by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in the 6th century AD. After realizing the Powers of Shiva on how the Lord Saved Saint Thirunavukarasar, the King converted from Jainism to Hinduism.Mahendravarman demolished the existing temple and built a Shiva temple in its place.

Friends, I wrote this article until late night referring to information from other sites like shivam.org, and really have to tell you while I kept listening to the sacred Mantra of Lord Shiva from Thevaram and kept writing about Life of Saint Manikavasagar, My parents slept as if their stomach ache is cured.

Its going to be 1.30 at night but I wish to tell you something I kept as a secret for a long time now. Its about how strange can be dreams blessed by Shirdi Saibaba. When I was praying Saibaba during August 2012, during my painful days,  I was blessed with the following dream.

Dreams from Saibaba which Sai alone can understand:

1. It was as if a girl at my work and me are writing an exam in a hall. The girl comes out and I ask her has the exam gotten over so soon? She says yes, It’s over and I also complete my exam.

A year back, when I had this dream, I was wondering why I saw this girl in a dream and felt maybe my sufferings are like exam and Sai will bless me to pass. I just kept this girl in my prayers as I don’t know this girl and honestly, I just wanted to be a well-wisher to any girl whom I come across at work. Nothing more than that.

2. I saw another girl from my office in a dream and again kept her in prayers.

Recently, when I had a dream of girls at work, I got upset with Saibaba and told him, Please don’t irritate me with such dreams because I can only smile or speak few words to any girl at work and won’t go beyond that. You know…It doesn’t sound good and that’s what I am. I want to be silent and see them as a friend or a brother. I prayed Sai that if he wants, I can pray for the girl to be blessed with a good life but let these girls marry someone else and he must not show them in my dream.

I prayed Sai with tears not to hurt me with such strange dreams anymore and told Sai, please if you really want to help me show me whom I should marry out of my office…he he….

3. Sai did bless me with a dream and many dreams in the past 4 months, a girl who’s not part of my organization but on the same campus. Thank God. This time, I didn’t get upset with Sai but practically its not possible as she likes someone else. Sai also told the girl knows you like her. I won’t tell her because of its Sai’s way of removing my karmic bond with dreams instead of reality.

That’s why I created StarSai.net years back to make Sai devotees realize, just because Sai showed a dream that doesn’t mean it will happen for sure. Sai alone knows his ways.

I told Sai but this is not decent and I won’t tell any girl for my life that I like her etc as I already suffered enough and I don’t want to suffer again. So let her also be blessed with the guy she likes and I pray a lot for her.

Nowadays, I just wonder what really Sai has in mind to play with me like this. I am happy at times at work but at times, I suddenly have tears in my eyes and think why Saibaba is doing this to me. Did I do so many sins in my past Baba?

4. Now, the most important dream. I got this dream in the middle of Feb/March 2013. Sai told me there’s a girl at my work who is married and he considers her as his own child and I must give her a small Sai picture and Udi within the next few weeks.  I say Sai, I shall surely give little Photo I printed for StarSai and Udi but he has to tell me the name as I don’t even know the names of all girls at work and have not spoken to most of them. Sai assured me within a few weeks, He will guide me to give Udi and photo and I hope to give it as a blessing from Sai.

There are few people Sai really cares for as Sai alone knows they have a good heart and their prayers will bring peace and happiness in my life.

I really don’t want to write about these dreams but enala mudila Baba. I kept calm for over 5 month but you know am too soft to handle this. You can ask me to give udi and photo to a married girl whom you said is your favorite child. I shall surely do it because  I will be happy to do it and I have a habit of giving little gifts to Sai Children. Simply tell her name to me.

Baba, please don’t show me other girls at work in a dream hereafter. I get upset as soon as I wake up as I don’t have any such intentions. It sends in my heart a sharp fear that things might get wrong.

I wish to marry someone outside the workplace. Outside. All love stories outside.

Please Sai, Am totally hurt today and feel confused. Please cure parents’ stomach ache Sai. I will remove what I wrote about dreams in this article as it appears strange to myself. So devotees will be wondering what I mean. Maybe all these are illusions in me but Sai alone knows its meaning.

Ammava kapathu Sai

Amma calling now… it’s over 2.15 at night.

Edit:

I was blessed with a dream as if I am in Brahmapureeswarar temple where I went during my pilgrimage and felt happy Sai and Lord Shiva were happy that I wrote about Manikavasagar’s contribution to Hinduism. Some devotees might be thinking why I write about Hindu Gods and Goddess in StarSai. I have friends who are Jain Sai devotees and also from various religions. They have been very kind to me and have helped me learn about Sai.

Sai has always encouraged devotees to follow their own faith, Do Pooja, recite Mantra, read scriptures, and visit their family deity whenever he/she gets time and engages oneself in following the dharma of their religion.

During many instances, when devotees come to Saibaba, Sai has asked them to go and worship the Gods their ancestors believed in. This is because Sai wants us to remain in our own culture and follow our own dharma. I wrote the below article before few years…

If you are born as a Hindu be a Hindu for life time

If you are a Hindu, follow your Gods and Goddess with love, if you are from another religion, follow your faith peacefully.  The only thing we must have in common as Sai devotees are to realize all Gods are one – Sabka Maalik Ek and live in harmony.

Om Sai Ram

Love,

Venkat