Post No. 13,556
Date uploaded in London – 18 August 2024
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Lot of things are written and spoken about the caste differences in India; And Brahmins are blamed by politicians to get the votes of Non-Brahmins, because they are in majority. Newspapers give big publicity to Dalits (Harijans) when they are attacked or molested as if their body parts are different from the rest of the world! Again, this is to increase their sales. During the Struggle for Independence, those who were in the movement never considered the caste factor as a barrier. They had a common and bigger aim to achieve. These things hid a great fact that caste was not an issue even in ancient Tamil Nadu. If all the castes had the three basic needs of Food, Clothes and Shelter/House, they were all happy. Because after reading the Sangam Tamil literature and Devotional literature, I Did not find anything that affected the three basic needs of the people.
There are some amazing anecdotes which show the so-called higher caste Brahmins fell at the feet of Non Brahmins.
1.Kapilar was a Brahmin poet who lived 2000 years ago. He was a good friend of a local chieftain and philanthropist known as Pari (paari). Pari donated all his wealth to the deserving people. When the three great Tamil kings demanded that he should give his daughters in marriage to them and pay tribute, he refused. He was killed and his two daughters Sangavai and Angavai became orphans. The Brahmin poet who wrote highest number of poems in Sangam period took Pari’s daughters to various chieftains (to get them married) and introduced himself as their father. The relationship between Kshatria Pari and Brahmin Kapilan shattered all caste barriers. Pari was famous because he gave his Golden Chariot to support a jasmine climber. When he saw the plant struggling in wind without any supporting pole or a tree nearby, he became emotional and did this. He was one of the Seven Great Philanthropists of Last Tamil Sangam Period.
2. Thiru Gnana Sambandhar, the boy wonder of Tamil world, who composed poems from the age of three, fell at the feet of Appar alias Thiru Navukkarasar and called him Appar/Father. The wonder is that Appar belonged to the caste of Agriculturists (Vaisyas) and Sambandhar belonged to Brahmin caste. When the boy fell at his feet 80 year old Appar fell at his feet. In front of God, in the word of Bhakti (devotion), there is no caste.
3. The third incident is the most amazing one. There lived a pure Brahmin in a village in Tamil Nadu. His name was Apputi (Apputhi) Adigal He named all his sons, all the objects in the house, even the weights and measures, all his charitable works after Saint Thiru Navukkarasar, a man of Vaisya caste.
(Pronunciation Guide: Appuuti, Naavukkarasar, Paari)
Thank God, we know the date of this anecdote- 600 CE, the period of the greatest Pallava Emperor Mahendra Pallavan.
Here is how Saint Sekkizaar describes it in his Periya Puraanam written 1000 years ago. The book gives the stories of 63 Saivite Saints including Apputi Adigal..
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One day after worshipping Lord Siva at Tiruppalanam, Appar went to nearby Thingaloor. By the side of the busy road, he came to a cool and shady thatched shed where water was distributed to all thirsty people.
(Giving water or butter milk to thirsty people during summer is a charitable work. We find it even in the oldest epic in the world Mahabharata. They erect special sheds and place pots of water and volunteers distribute water to the needy.)
Appar saw a curious thing in the charitable water sheds. He saw his name everywhere in bold letters.
Appar- Who built this and inscribed this name on it?
Bystanders –He is a Brahmin and a native of this town. He has just now gone to his house, which is close by.
At once, Appar went to Apputi’s house and stood by his gate.
When Apputi heard that a Siva devotee was waiting at the gate, he rushed there and fell at his feet. You are grace itself in human form! For you to come to my house, what endless penances must I have performed? (Apputi said this without knowing the identity of the person).
Appar- I was on my way from worshipping the Lord at Tirupplalanam and I saw the water shed built by you ; but tell me why have you inscribed on this shed SOMEONE ELSE’S name rather than your own?
At this the Brahmin (Apputi) burst into rage
What a thing to say? The one whose name is inscribed there is the noble servant of Lord (Siva). He overcame the wiles of the king and his confederates, the shameless Jains. Whose name could be more fitting than that of Thiru Naavukkarasar (Appar)? What you said was truly scandalous. When the rock was cast into the sea, it came floating to the shore with Appar seated upon it. Who is in the whole world who does not know what a great man he is? To all appearances you look respectable enough and yet you say such things. Tell me, who are you, where do you come from?
(Mahendra Pallava, who was a Jain , gave lot of troubles to Appar and he survived all those by the grace of Lord Siva. That is what Apputi referred to. Later the king apologised to Appar and reconverted himself to Hindu faith)
When Appar heard these words, he said,
I am a mean fellow who knows nothing. I am the one who the Lord in his grace rescued from the religion of the Jains and made his own, by means of the stomach pain.
(The background story is, Appar also became a Jain and his sister Tilakavathy prayed to Lord Siva for his return. Siva gave Appar stomach pain that was not curable with Jain medicines; then he came to his sister who cured it with Siva’s holy ash Vibhuti; From that day, he burst in to singing the glory of Lord Siva and visited hundreds of Siva shrines all over Tamil Nadu)
At once, Apputi recognised him, and put his hands together above his . tears down his face, his speech became incoherent, and his hairs stood on end. He fell to the ground and placed his head at the feet of Appar. He returned his greeting and raised Apputi to his feet. Like a beggar who has found a buried treasure, Apputi stood before him speechless with joy, then danced around him singing in jubilation.
Apputi was overwhelmed by this unexpected happening. There was big celebration in the house and the neighbourhood. Big feast was arranged.
Suddenly a sad thing happened.
To be continued………………
Tags – Apputi Adikal, Appar, Thiru Navukkarasar, Water shed, Thingaloor, Caste barriers, Kapilar, Pari, Sambandhar, Brahmin, Vaisya, Tilakavathy, Mahendra Pallavan, Jain, Apputhi
Tamil and Vedas 