Moola Nakshatra (4)

                                                       THIRUGNANASAMBANDAR

Veyuru Tholibangan Vidamunda Kandan
Migha Nalla Veenai Thadavi 
Maasaru Thingal Gangai Mudimel Anindu Yen
Ullame Pugunda Adanaal
Naayiru Thingal Sevvaai Budhan Vyaazhan Velli
Shani Paambu irandum Udane
Aasaru Nalla Nalla Avai Nalla Nalla 
Adiyaaravarkku Migave


MEANING:- The Divine One who has taken into His Body His feminine soulmate (Goddess Parvathi) with bamboo like shoulders, Whose throat has stains of the poison He swallowed, Who plays the Veena faultlessly, Who wears the blemish-free Moon and the flowing River Ganges on His Head, He has entered my heart! Therefore the planets Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the the two Nodes (shadowy planets) Rahu/Ketu will not harm me in anyway. They will only do good, good and very good for me!!

The above is the first stanza of Kolaru Pathigam authored by one of the brightest of 63 Nayanmars, Thirugnanasambandar. In the first verse itself the great Nayanmar has established not only the supremacy of Veena in spiritual texts, the fact that Lord Shiva plays the Veena in tune with the Universe has also been stressed here.

Thirugnanasambandar was born in the Nakshatram Moola. His birth took place at a time when Jainism and Buddhism were strong religious influences in India.
A child prodigy and God-gifted, Thirugnanasambandar at a tender age of 3 sang Thodudaya Seviyan which is the first Thevaram Verse when Goddess Parvathi fed him milk in the Sirkazhi temple.  

Thiruneelakantha Yazhpanar one of the 63 Nayanmars. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and an exemplary Veena exponent. Thirugnanasambandar would compose the lyrics and Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar would set the tune for Sambandar's lyrics and render the same on His Veena. Thirugnanasambandar's heart always melted at the divinity of Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar's rendition of the Veena. Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar felt very fortunate to be with Thirugnanasambandar and together they travelled to many temples, spreading Saivism through Their divine music and literature. rics and render the same on His Veena.      
Slowly Yazhpanar started developing a sense of ego when he mastered the art of composing music for Thirugnanasambandar's lyrics. That was when Lord Shiva wanted to rectify Yazhpanar's egoistic thoughts. At this juncture, Thirugnanasambandar and Yazhpanar reached Lord Shiva's temple in Dharmapuram, (presently in Puducheri district). Inside the temple, Thirugnanasambandar in divine ecstasy started to recite verses in praise of  Lord Shiva. Despite supreme efforts Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar could not reproduce on His Veena whatever Thirugnanasambandar was chanting. In frustration and humiliation Yazhpanar wanted to break the Yazh (Veena) and end His own life. Lord Shiva appeared before the duo of Thirugnanasambandar and Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar and took the Veena from yazhpanar. Lord Shiva Himeself set the tune for Thirugnanasambandar's lyrics and played them on the Veena and danced to the tune at the same time. This divine spectacle shattered the pride and ego of Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar. Due to this divine incident the Lord in this temple is known as Yazh Muri Nathar. In this temple Lord Shiva is shown playing the Veena!! All Veena aspirants will benefit from worshipping here.

YAZH MURI NATHAR TEMPLE, DHARMAPURAM, KARAIKAL DISTRICT

In Yazh Muri Nathar temple Thirugnanasambandar's birth star is celebrated as Guru Pooja in the tamil month Vaikasi on the day when moon is in the constellation of Moola.

Thirugnanasambandar's heart always melted at the divinity of Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar's rendition of the Veena. Thiruneelakanta Yazhpanar felt very fortunate to be with Thirugnanasambandar and together they travelled to many temples, spreading Saivism through Their divine music and literature. 

The Veena developed from Yaal or Yazh ( harp without frets which is played with both hands) during the period of Thirugnanasambandar. The Veena with frets and the concept of gamakas originated during the lifetime.

Dr. Premalatha, musicologist states (in her thesis Music through Ages), "The biography of Thirugnanasambandar marks an important stage in the development of the concept of gamaka and incidentally of the fretted Veena. The strings of the yazh were tuned to the notes of suddha scales. Since it was a plain instrument there was no provision to manipulate the grace and quarter tones in Megharaga Kurinji."

P.S: Kolaru Pathigam contains powerful affirmations. The word "Nalla Nalla" (Good Good) is repeated in all the verses. In modern times we have authors like Louise L.Hay writing about the manifestations of affirmations. The practice of positive affirmations has been implemented many centuries ago by saints like Thirugnanasambandar. Thirugnanasambandar's affirmations invoke nothing less than the planets and above all the Divine Grace of the Lord Almighty Shiva and His Divine Consort, Goddess Parvathi! Kolaru Pathigam is a magic sloka for mitigating problems arising due to planets in transit as well as in the natal chart.