Sundarar’s Divine Songs on Shiva.. Sundarar was an 8th century famous Shaivite Saint and he is also one among the 63 Nayanmars. The Periya Puranam, tells the importance of the Nayanmars and praises the glory of Sundarar and his relationship with his beloved Lord Shiva. He has contributed a major portion in the divine Tamil text Tirumurai, and it was widely praised by the Shaivites. His birth name was Nambi Aroorar. He was born in Thirunavalur into a Shaivite Priest family. He was adopted by the king Narasingamunaiarayar, and brought him up as his own son.
Sundarar’s father, Sadayan and his mother Isaignani were also nayanmars. While Sundarar was about to get married in Arulmigu Sokkantheeshwarar Temple at Puthur, Lord Shiva came in the form of an old man and asked him to sing songs on him. Sundarar began his first poem by addressing Shiva as “Pithaa pirai chudi… Perumane”. The meaning for the song is as follows:
“Lord Shiva is called by me fondly as a mad man, who was wearing the moon on his head, and controlling the entire universe, and always occupying in my mind and in the minds of several millions of his devotees. Let me always think about Lord Shiva and sing in praise of him.”
After some time, Sundarar visited several holy Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu. And in Tiruvarur, he married a pious and noble lady Paravayar. In Thiruvottriyur, at the Vadivudaiamman Temple, he met a farmer’s girl, Sangiliyar and married her also, with the help of Lord Shiva.
Sundarar is very famous for singing beautiful songs on lord Shiva and he also declares that all the living beings are equal before god, and we must give respect to each other.
Some of the Sundarar’s heart melting and honey dipped songs on Lord Shiva are as follows:-
I pray before You, My Dear Lord Siva, who is also called as Parameswara, Paramasiva, Rudra, Sankara, Eswara and Sambhu, Who is the Lord of the Lords, Who dwells in the souls of his devotees, Who is the superior among all other gods, Who is the giver of happiness, Who shines like that of millions and millions of Suns, Who gives coolness like the Full moon, Who is the Holy consort of Ma Shakti Devi, Who is the Lord of Celestial Devas, animals, birds, insects, humans and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, My Lord Shiva, Sankara and Sambhu, who holds beautiful snakes garland around the neck, and who contains various weapons on his hands, who is omnipotent, who holds Lord Chandra on his head, who is always praised by the celestial Devas like Indra, Varuna, Vayu and Agni, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, My Lovely Lord Shiva, Who has no beginning or end, who applies ashes all over his body, who joyfully dances in the burial ground along with his ghost attendants, who is very simple, humble and polite, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, My Dear Lord Shiva, Who has cleared the doubts of the sages by sitting under a sacred Banyan tree, who destroys our diseases and sins, who gives purity, generosity and simplicity, who lives in the Holy Kailash, who used to wear tiger skin on his body, who is the powerful Lord, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, My worshipful god Shiva, who has generously given half of the portion of his body to our holy mother Ma Shakti Devi, who gives happiness to the supressed and the depressed, who is the Ultimate Brahman, Who is greater than Indra, Vishnu, Brahma and others, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray you, My noble god Shiva, Who gives salvation to his devotees by making them to attain his lotus-feet, whose vehicle is the divine Bull, Lord Nandikeswarar, who has granted boons even to the demons like Ravana and Banasura, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, My wonderful god Shiva, whose face glitters like the shining stars in the sky, who is the giver of enlightenment, who has three eyes, who is pure and perfect, who is the friend of celestial gods like Indra, Varuna, Kubera and Vayu. Who has shown great mercy to the pious demons like Namuchi, Mahabali and Prahalada, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray You, my marvellous god Shiva, Who is also known as Hara, who looks very beautiful, who cannot be seen by ordinary people with their naked eyes, Who is the essence of Vedas, Who is apart from worldly illusions, and he is the Lord of everyone.
I pray you, my beloved god Shiva. You are present in all the elements. You are the sun, moon, stars, Vishnu, Brahma and Indra, and all other deities are able to function only through your powers, and you are the Lord of everyone.
I pray you, my humble god Shiva. We want to serve under your lotus feet as slaves, we want to cut off all of our worldly bondages, we are very much interested to live with you in your holy abode Kailash, please give us liberation by taking us to your abode, and you are the Lord of everyone.
I pray you, my benevolent god Shiva. I don’t prefer even to drink the divine nectar from the heaven, since I prefer to take refuge only under you, and not under anyone else. I am very much delighted by praising you through songs, and I feel that the purpose of my birth gets fulfilled by chanting your names, reciting your mantras, and cherishing you through divine songs, I consider you only as my true god, and you are the Lord of everyone.
I pray you, my holy god Shiva, please remove all the bad habits from me, like lust, anger and greed, and invoke me in developing more and more Shiva bhakti. Your name and fame spreads in all the worlds, and those who worship you sincerely, need not suffer from the chain of repeated birth cycles. You look like the Terrific Yama Deva for your enemies, and you like the humble Sage Agastiya for your devotees. I consider you only as the true protector, and you are the Lord of everyone.
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR