Fourfold route of Saiva philosophy

CHENNAI, SEPT. 21. Among the 63 distinguished saints who were deeply devoted to Lord Siva and were called ``Nayanmars'', four are held as ``spiritual teachers'' who propagated faith and devotion. They were endowed with special grace of God and their devotional lyrics are held as sacred on par with the Vedic revelations, inspiring the people to walk on the path to heaven. Each of them represented a particular way in the fourfold route of Saiva philosophy. Appar was an example of ``service in the temples'' (Dasa Marga), Gnanasambandar of ``worship'' (Putra Marga), Manickavasagar (Jnana or Sanmarga - rapturous acclamation of the glory of Siva Mantra) and Sundarar of (Saha Marga) friendship with God.

God bestowed on Sundarar the privilege of companionship. This pathway is more than friendship; it is intimacy. When one has conferred this closeness, he has assumed certain liabilities and has underwritten certain risks. Lord Siva acted as Sundarar's friend, corrected his angularities and brought him back to the correct path. Thiruvalluvar has devoted one chapter of 10 couplets to the privilege of companionship. One of them says, ``Friendship is not for pleasant laughter but for harsh advice promptly to be given when one swerves from the right direction''. The life of Sundarar presents a very important lesson for mankind. God is always merciful and is ever ready to guide His devotees and enable them to adhere to the spiritual traditions. He may be friendly but He makes it clear that disobedience from the rules of pious conduct will not be tolerated by Him. Penalty is sure for a wrong-doer, whoever he maybe.

Dealing with Sundarar's past, Sri M. K. Ramanan, in a lecture, said, he was one of the attendants in Kailas (Siva's abode) who had come down to the world as a mortal due to his amours. In his pilgrimage to several shrines he married a girl (who hailed from a village near Sholavaram) when he was in Thiruvotriyur (in Chennai). After a time, he remembered, his love for the God in Thiruvarur was his first love. As he left this place, unmindful of the pledge given to the former, he lost his sight, a punishment for breach of promise. But his strong appeal to God brought him one eye at Kanchi and the other at Thiruvarur. Another saint of his time, Kalikamar, was averse to the liberty taken by Sundarar with God to settle his personal problems as he abhorred invoking God's aid for low purposes. Siva intervened and reconciled their differences as one committed suicide rather than see the other. God extends special grace on His devotees but does not spare punishment for transgression of moral law.

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