KANDHAR SASTI KAVASAM & SHANMUGA KAVASAM

Poster courtesy of Stalin

The famed literary work Kandhar Sasti Kavasam was written by Baladevarayan Swamigal, a devout bakta of Lord Muruga. While the administrator of kaumarapayanam.blogspot writes in his post that not much is known about Baladevarayan Swamigal's birth and his parents, but based on the words used and the way the Kandhar Sasti Kavasam was written, it can be safely assumed that the hymns were written some 250 years back during the Pandya rule, in CN Nachiappan’s introduction to Baladevarayan Swamigal in his compilation of KAVASA KOTTHU, he mentions that the swamigal was born to Veerasamy Pillai after many years at Vallur in Thondainaadu. 

Devarayan was already engaged in doing business in Bangalore while merely twenty. When Thirisirapuram Mahavidvan Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai arrived at Bangalore, Devarayan invited him over to his house. Devarayan took the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the Tamil language from Meenashshi Sundaram Pillai and even ventured to learn to write prose. Under the tutelage of Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, Devarayan wrote two books Kusaylo Baakiyaanam and Sootha Sangetai. Before Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai took leave, Devarasan thanked him and rewarded him by showering him with wealth and honour.

Once Baladevarayan Swamigal had an ailment of the stomach and was undergoing extreme pain. Even after taking all kinds of treatment the pain would not go away. Giving up all hope of recovering he headed for the shores of Thiruchendur to take his own life. 

At the moment of his arrival at Thiruchendur the Kandhar Sasti Vizha had just begun. Watching the festivities he had a change of heart and decided to postpone the thought of ending his life. He started on the Sasti Virutham or fast. After having a dip in the sea, he sat to meditate at the Mandapam or hall. Lord Muruga gave him darshan and gave him the gnana or wisdom to sing Kandhar Sasti Kavasam. He began his first verse with "Sastiyai Noke Saravana Bavanaar". He wrote and sang the Kavasam first at Thiruchendur, and over the next five days he ventured to the rests of Lord Muruga’s abodes - Thiruparangkundram, Palani, Swamimalai, Thirutani, and Palamuthircholai and wrote and sang further songs, all of these which was later compiled as the Kandhar Sasti Kavasam. At the end of this venture he realized his stomach ailment had disappeared. He realized then that the ailment was only a reason for him to begin authoring the Kadhar Sasti Kavasam. 

CN Nachiappan writes that Devarayan came to Thiruchendur with the hope that Lord Muruga might heal his ailment. While at Thiruchendur his pain was relieve slowly and he began singing the Kavasam as a thanksgiving to the Lord. 

Devarayan took on the garb of a mendicant and wished to be called Devaraya Swamigal, henceforth, at Thiruchendur.

Paamban Swamigal another devout bakta of Lord Muruga used to sing Baladevarayan Swamigal’s Kandhar Sasti Kavasam and later wished he could write similar hymns on Lord Muruga himself which he did compose and write later.

Appavu, as he was called, was born between 1850 and 1852 at Paamban to Saatappa Pillai and Sengamala Ammaal.

Each time he was faced with danger Lord Murugan saved Appavu. Once when he was either five or six years old Lord Muruga held on to his hands and saved him from drowning in a pond. 

Appavu started schooling in 1866 in a missionary school in Rameshwaram. Appavu at a very tender age of 13 had began to compose and sing songs on Lord Muruga. His first composition was entitled Gangaiyai Sadaiyil Paritthu. True to his first composition, henceforth Tamil devotional hymns continuously flowed like Mother Ganga. He composed one song each day and compiled the first 100 songs in the first 100 days. He was summoned and received upadesha from Sethumathava Aiyar Swamigal who chanced to see this compilation of his. Pressured by his upadesa guru he submitted to marrying Kaalimuthammaal in 1878.

Lord Muruga came to cure his daughter with the sacred vibhuti. Similarly his wife cured him by applying the vibhuthi. After completing a pilgrimage Paamban Swamigal arrived at Kanchi. Lord Muruga gave him his darshan. Back home he wrote the Shanmuga Kavasam and Panchamirtha Vannam in 1891. Lord Muruga appeared to his wife and disclosed to her that whenever and wherever these songs were sang, he would appear to bless these souls.

Photo courtesy of http://pambanswamigal.net/

At Piraban Valasai he dug a square hole in the premises of a graveyard and started meditating in it beginning on 17 March 1894. On the 7 th day (on 23 March 1894) of tavam or austerity, Lord Muruga appeared to him with Agathiyar and Arunagirinathar. On the 35 th day (20 April 1894), he ended his tavam on the instructions of Lord Muruga. That day was Chitirai Pornami. A year from this episode Paamban Swamigal took up monk-hood. He moved to Chennai in 1895 from Paamban. In Chennai he gave upadesa to aspiring devotees. After a year he came to Kuyavan Petai in Thirupuliyur, near Chidambaram where he wrote the Paripooranaananda Botham and Tagaraalaya Ragasiyam in 1896. After visiting Kumbakonam, he was directed by Lord Muruga to return to Chennai. 

In 1897 he wrote the 1100 hymns titled Thirupa. In 1902 he made a pilgrimage to Kaasi. Lord Muruga as usual saved him from further danger while on his pilgrimage. Returning from his pilgrimage he continued his literary works in Chennai. In Chidambaram he got himself involved in spearheading the Saivite cause and as a result was summoned numerous times to the courts. The result of this seven year struggle between 1904 and 1911, saw him defeat his opponents and his next literary work the Saiva Samaya Sarabam saw the light of the day. Back in Chennai he composed the Kumaarastavam, Srimath Kumara Swaamiyam, and Sivagnana Deepam in 1918, 1921 and 1922 respectively.

On 27 December 1923 he sustained a fracture when a horse-cart ran over his left leg. He was admitted to the general hospital. The doctors told him it was not possible for his bones to mend. His devotees Sinnasamy Jhotidar, Sivasankara Tambiran, and Gnana Sekara Mudaliar started reciting his Shanmuga Kavasam in the hope that he recovers. The day was 28 December 1923. On the 11th day (7 January 1924), Lord Muruga appeared to him. His fractured leg healed. On the 15th day he was fully recovered. 

Meanwhile he went to Coimbatore and the Nilgiris in 1926. Later he moved to Bangalore on 29 May 1928. Here a light engulfed him and entered his mouth to reach his heart. On another occasion, four torches lit on their own when the electricity was cut. He returned to Chennai shortly on 17 July 1928. 

He asked his devotees to purchase a plot of land in Thiruvaanmiyur with whatever income he made through his literary works and many publications. On 30 May 1929 at 7.15 am he locked his breadth within to merge with the Lord.

Source:

http://kaumarapayanam.blogspot.ru/2014/02/blog-post_9.html

CN Nachiappan’s compilation of KAVASA KOTTHU

Paamban Srimath Kumara Gurudaasa Swamigal Aruliya Paadalgal, Nithya Paaraayana Thiraththu, Pini Neekkum Perumarunthu, published by the Sri Mayuranaathar Aalayam, Malaysia.

Paamban Srimath Kumara Gurudaasa Swamigal Charitthiram, published by V. Thirugnanam, Madurai.