Ayyavazhi mythology
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The main source of Ayyavazhi mythology is Akilattirattu Ammanai and its supplementary, Arul Nool. The Akilattirattu Ammanai is meant in the way that Lord Narayana told the whole Events to his consort Lakshmi. It was divided into three sections as Pre-Incarnational Events, Incarnational Events, and Post-Incarnational Events. Ayyavazhi is a growing relegious faith in South India, considered as an offshoot to Hinduism.
Pre-Incarnational Events
The first six Yukams
The very first Yukam (pronounced yugam in Tamil, meaning aeon) was called Neetiya Yukam. During this time, divine, human, and all other temporal virtues flourished without hindrance. The whole human race lived united as a family, without the discrimination of castes, and did uliyams (pronounced oozhiyam, means services or coolie) to none. They did not fear the demons, and instead there was perfect harmony among the creatures of Earth, as well as among those that lived in the Fourteen Worlds. In this Yuga, the king was righteous and did not oppress his people through taxes or other means.
During this peaceful time, Kroni, a primordial personification of evil, was born with multitudinous limbs the size of mountains. To quell the fire of ravenous hunger in his stomach, he drank all of the waters of the sea. With these waters being insufficient, he first swallowed Kailayam, the abode of Sivan (Shiva), then proceeded to devour the entire universe. Mayon, residing with Isvaran (Ishwara, another name for Shiva) in Kailayam, escaped promptly and undertook a tavam (Tapas, meaning austerity) to receive a boon from Isvaran to destroy the Kroni. Isvaran granted the boon, but made Mayon aware of the necessity to appear in different forms from the successive six Yukams in order to destroy the Six Fragments of the Kroni. Following this advice, Mayon sliced Kroni into six fragments, and saved the universe. The first Yukam thus came to an end.
In the second Yukam, called Chathura Yukam, one of the six pieces of Kroni was formed into a creature with the name of Kuntomasali. It had the shape and size of a mammoth leech, and when it disturbed the tavam of those in Tava lokam (the land of austerity), Mayon destroyed the leech by catching it with a hook.
In the ensuing Netu Yukam, another fragment of Kroni was created into two wicked individuals called Thillaimallalan and Mallosivahanan. They ruled over the people by extracting Uliyam and Iraikal (taxes) from them. When it became unbearable, the Devas (celestial beings) complained to Isvaran, who, in turn, commissioned Mayon to carry out the destruction of the wicked rulers, which the latter did.
The fourth aeon was called Kretha Yukam.The third fragment of Kroni was, once again, made into two siblings called Suraparppan and Sinhamuka Asuran, and they were given responsibility to rule the Earth. The wicked rulers began to crush the Devas, who, once again, reported it to Mayon. The Mayon took the form of Arumugan, the Tamil God, and advised the rulers to desist from their wickedness. However, when they spurned the advice arrogantly, Arumugan eliminated them, too. During the same Yukam, Suraparppan was created once again, this time as Iraniyan. Mayon, incarnated as the son of Iraniyan (Prahlada), challenged his authority, and, finally took on the therianthropic form of man and lion (Narasimha) by piercing his stomach. On his death-bed, Mayon asked him to repent, but he replied arrogantly, "you cannot kill me. Only by placing ten mountains as ten nails might you kill me. Otherwise you cant."
In the ensuing aeon, called Thretha Yukam, as per the request of Mayon, Isvaran created the fourth piece of the primordial Kroni as a ten-headed mighty warrior, with the ten mountains as ten heads, naming him as Ravanan. He oppressed all those living on Earth by extracting Uliyam from them. He subdued all the earthly kings and made them pay tributes to him. Suffering under his oppression, the Devas sought the help of Mayon, who, for the purpose of destroying him, took birth as Raman. On his death-bed, he repented, saying, "only with the help of my brother were you able to destroy me." With this episode of killing Ravanan, Thretha Yukam came to an end.
In the sixth aeon, called Dwapara Yukam, the fifth fragment of Kroni was portioned into a hundred pieces, and made into Duriyodhanan and ninety-nine brothers to support him. The five brothers of Raman of the preceding epoch were created as Pancha Pandavas in this aeon. In the battle drawn between th forces of Duriyodhanan and Pancha Pantavas, the wicked Duriyodhanan was killed by the latter, with the support of Mayon, who came in the form of Krishna. Even at the brink of death, Duriyodhanan refused to repent, saying that "only with your cunning mind were you able to defeat me, and otherwise not." Mayon then told him, "you will be created with knowledge, intelligence, and artistic skill in the next Yukam, and if you do not repent in that age, that will be your eternal annihilation." Having said this, Mayon went to Srirangam and dwelt there.
The Santror
Towards the end of Dwapara Yukam, Thirumal (Vishnu), through the instrumentality of the Seven Virgins(Saptha Kanniyar), had begotten seven sons, the Santror Makkal (see:Santror Pirappu) in order to accomplish the task of destroying the Kalineesan and Kali mayai (Kali Yuga Maya) that were to be countered in the following Kali Yukam.
After the birth of Santror, they were all named by conducting a naming ceremony (see:The Naming ceremony of Santror) and feeded with celestial nectar (see: Feeding the children with Celestial Nectar). The Santror were grown up by Bhadrakali and married to daughters of Nirupathirajan (see: Fostered by the acclaimed Deity Patrakali).
Kalineesan, Kali Yukam, and Kalimayai
The sixth fragment of the primordial Kroni was created as a human being with abilities of aesthetics, wisdom, beauty, and sharp intelligence. Appearing in a human male form, he pushed himself out of the earth in an inverted form. Witnessing his appearance, the celestial diviners - predicted that he, being born without the instrumentality of normal human parentage, would have all the elements in his physique as rude and unrefined and, would have his intelligence and five senses rooted in falsehood. He would have a life as fragile as that of a bird, but he would unleash wickedness on people with arrogance.
He was called as Neesan (neesa in Tamil could mean wickedness), being the epitome of wickedness. Having obtained innumerable boons, including invincibility, he proceeded to earth to rule over the people. On his way, he was accosted by Thirumal who appeared as a Pantaram, like an itinerant mendicant, with long flowing but unkempt hair and torn cloths. Thirumal challenged him for a duel, which the Neesan refused, considering it below his dignity to fight with a Pantaram coming in such an, attire without any weapon. Taking it as the opportune moment, Thirumal, with his shrewdness, made the former to promise that he was to forfeit all his boons if lie caused any trouble to any Pantaram on earth in future.
The Neesan was thenceforth called as Kalineesan, because the Kali Yukam had dawned along with his birth. Along with him was born an evil force called Kali Mayai (Kali Yuga Maya. The Kali here refers to the evil spirit behind Kali Yuga and not Kali, the Hindu deity) . Kali Mayai engulfed the whole world, and consequently, deceit and illusion began to contaminate the minds of the people. Age-old traditions and convention based on Dharmam were unduly overthrown. Kalineesan introduced discrimination of caste among the people. The powerless people were crushed with brute might. People, caught in the Kalimayai, began to be inimical towards one another—men against women, children against parents, etc., People used demonic force to harm one another. Kalimayai caught the king of Thiruvithankur, and began to rule over the people as their king.
Thirumal in Thiruvananthapuram
Thirumal, dwelling at Sri Rangam hitherto, found it unworthy of his abode because of the misdeeds of the priests there. He shifted his tent to Thiruvananthapuram. When he reached there, a Pulayar woman saw him and spread the news to one and all. Kalineesan, hearing about it, constructed a temple at the site where the Pulayar woman spotted Tirumal with fine granites, and decorated it with gold and pearls. The king instituted scores of rituals and ceremonies at the temple to be performed by Namboothiri Brahmins. However, the lights of the temple were lit everyday from a torch brought from the home of the Pulayar woman.
Venneesan
Venneesan = venmai(white) + neesan(wicked person). Now it so happened that the Kalineesan did not have offspring. He pilgrimaged to Kasi, the holy place, and stood in tavam for a son. While performing the tavam, his eyes got glued to a scene of a cleric embracing a woman. Consequently, Kalineesan's semen came out and fell into the water. A white crane that came to the sight swallowed the semen and became pregnant and delivered a boy-baby in the water. A sage took the baby that was white in appearance, and nurtured him. Kalineesan, whose tavam became defective thence, came back to his country despaired, and, got resigned to a prediction that, even if he were to have a son, it would be only the sons of his sister who would rule the country. By this time, the boy-child delivered by the white crane, came of age and was married in the land of Chenkomatti, and he prospered there with his progenies who later on emerged as a powerful people by learning the skills of ship-travel, trading in gold and silver, and diplomacy. This race, called as Venneesa kulam, propagated a religion of their own, and through the lure of money, gathered a lot of people into it. He introduced a new calendar for months and years.
Santror in Kali Yukam
Kalineesan, coming to know about the valour and loyalty of the Santror people, appointed them as his bodyguards. It so happened that one day, while guarding the entrance of the king’s room, the body-guards happened to fall asleep, during which time, the enemies of the king, hailing from the king’s own race, entered the room and assassinated the king. The Kalineesan, while succumbing to the murderous attack, mistaking it to be a betrayal by the body-guards, cursed them that they and their progenies would be oppressed with oozhiyam (coolie service) and severe taxes as long as the king’s dynasty ruled the country.
The curse of the king began to take effect on the Santror. The Kalineesan, the successor of the previous king, imposed innumerable taxes on every article used by the Santror for their day to day living. Their occupational implements, the palmyra trees that supported them, and every item of the produce of these trees were indiscriminately taxed. The produce of the palmyra trees was to be ‘gifted’ out to the high castes, failing which the Santror were tortured with corporal punishments. These were many arbitrary taxes imposed on them. The Santror found no favour with the rules in spite of paying up these cruel taxes.
Kalineesan imposed a system of ‘compulsory free service’ called as oozhiyam, to be rendered by the Santror to the king, to royal family, to the ‘high castes’, and to the state. They had to dig tanks, had to carry the leaves of palm and plantain trees to various designations, etc.
Thus, the Kalineesan and his race extorted the labour and the hard earned produce of the Santror, but yet the latter were ruthlessly kept off from public places, lest they polluted these spaces and the high caste people. On account of their occupation of drawing toddy, the Santror were not allowed to go to the public places. If they transgressed these restricted spaces, they were fastened to woods and beaten up, besides being fined.
The plight of Santror vis-a-vis the wicked rulers was a life frozen with terror and intimidation, and it was akin to the condition of a lamb in front of a ferocious tiger. If they refused to render oozhiyam (service), their men and women were beaten up, kept behind the bars in starvation, and the modesty of the womenfolk was outraged. They served the king, his army, and his people, and they built palaces for him. They enriched the country with their hard labour, but their iniquities remained unabated. They were degraded and despised.
Thirumal deserting Kalineesan
Having witnessed the woes of the Santror, Mayon admonished the king to desist from oppressing them. He reminded the king that it was his seventh birth coming in the lineage of the primordial Kroni, and if he failed to repent during this opportunity, then it would be his eternal damnation. He exhorted him to revoke the cruel taxes and the exploitative system of uliyam imposed on the Santror, the people bom of Mayon's seeds.
The king retorted saying:
- "How dare you advise me to revoke the taxes and the oozhiyam imposed on the low caste Chanar? If I do so, how else do I earn gold coins - a hundred of them needed to perform puja for you every morning and evening, a thousand of them needed to take care of all the temples and me, and a ten thousand of them needed to pay my staff? Do I not get these gold coins by squeezing the labour of these Chanar? Even if you desert me and go to one of the Chanar places, I will never revoke the taxes and oozhiyam imposed on them."
Responding to the king, Mayon said:
- "Did I ever ask you to offer me puja by exploiting the people? You offer puja not to me, but to the Namboothiri Brahmins. The whole world knows that the only thing that I receive whole-heartedly is the light brought by the Pulayar woman."
Peeved at the response of Mayon, the king mockingly said: "If you have not tasted any of my offerings, what then have you to do with me? Go wherever you want to..." Listening to the impenitent and brute words of the king, divine rage overcame Mayon and he said: "You have mocked at me and ill-treated me as you do to the Chanar. Lo, I am going away from your place to Thiruchendur. I will take on you in another form. Then, I will perform a Dharmam that you and the world will acknowledge as the greatest. I will destroy the pervasive demonic cult, and crown the Chanar".
Having said these things, Mayon deserted Thiruvananthapuram. He told the people: “henceforth, let all castes united as one people, come to the place where I am going to dwell”. Having said this, he proceeded to Thiruchendur. It happened then that the fortress of the Kalineesan crashed into pieces, the earth was covered with darkness of slumber, the sea engulfed the land, and all the palatial buildings of the king were effaced. Seeing these calamities, the Brahmins lamented and the priests wailed.
Mayon took his abode at the seashore of Thiruchendur. During this time, the venneesan had spread his wicked rule over the country, trampling upon the traditions of the land. He flouted the principles of Dharma observed by the Santror, and failed to give the dignity due to them.
Incarnational Events
Incarnational events include preparations for incarnation, the event of incarnation, and, the proclamations and instructions given to the newly incarnated god. Since Ayya Vaikundar the incarnation of Lord Narayana is the foremost power, this is considered as the most important part in Akilattirattu Ammanai.Given below is an elaboration of these events.
Preparing for Incarnation
Seeing the degraded status of the Santror, the celestial gods made a plea to Mayon as follows: “our young brothers, the Santror, are suffering endlessly under the yoke of the centuries old oozhiyam and have lost dignity and respect on account of that. Have you not seen their iniquities?”
Having listened to the plea, Mayon began preparing for the incarnation. He made all the celestial gods to take birth in the world in order to assist as collaborators for his endeavour of destroying the kali He set out to create a new lot of cattle, reptiles, birds, plants, trees, and all other elements of nature that would befit the new age of Dharma Yukam, because the Dharma Yukam was to be characterised by a new life, new people, and new thinking. In that new age Shastras, Vedas and the religions would be the same for everybody; Tamil language would permeate the world; people would live united as a single humanity; the people of Mayon would live with pristine glory and they would flourish with all prosperity; the earth would yield abundantly; diseases, calamities and the impact of the evil magical practices would not affect the people; and, the old Shastras would be turned untrue, and, instead, a new code would be enshrined.
Mayon — on the identity of his people
Mayon, then, enunciated the attributes of his children who would be his collaborators in the world. He said:
- "the identity of my people is that they do not offer puja or sacrifices, do not have temples and priests, do not have offerings of flowers, do not offer blood sacrifices of goat, bull and roosters, and do not worship cows and images made of clay. Instead, they are those who do Dharmam to all those who come in my name."
Final admonition through Thiruvasakam
Before the incarnation of Mayon could take place, the three Godheads decided to send a final admonition with the name of Thiruvasakam to Kalineesan that he might amend.(see : Thiruvasakam - 1)
Deciding to incarnate as Vaikundar
Kalineesan did not pay heed to the Thiruvasakam. Mayon, then, decided to incarnate as Vaikundar and, to that effect, walked towards the seashore of Thiruchendur.
Meanwhile, in Thamaraiyur, famed to be the right place for undertaking effective tavam, the body of Mayon, that he had left behind after his last incarnation,carrying the Spirit of Sampoorna Devan had been growing as a human person named Muthukutty as per the divine plan(see:Birth of Sampooranathevan). This person excelled in dharmam, wisdom, piety and courage. In his seventeenth year, he married a woman, and lived a blissful conjugal life. It so happened that he had been struck bv a severe disease in his twenty-second year and had suffered for a vear. In the year 1008 (AD 1833), his mother had a dream in which Mayon appeared and instructed her to bring his ailing son to Thiruchendur where the festival had begun on the 19th day of the Tamil month of Maci(February/March). Obeying the divine command, the ailing person was carried to Thiruchendur.
On their way, while they were having their meals at a place near Kudankulam, Mayon, staying at the seashore in Tiruchendur, commanded two of his celestial sages, Kalai Muni and Gnana Muni to fetch ‘the life that he had designated’. They immediately came over and carried the person (the body of Mayon) along the four streets of Tiruchendur and, gave it a bath and purified it from all dirt.
The Incarnation
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Mayon, then, instantly went into the sea amidst the chanting of the celestial gods. Inside the sea, enveloping himself in a scorching flame, he approached Lakshmi who was awaiting his arrival, in the form of a Lotus pedestal. Afraid of the ball of flame approaching her, Lakshmi worshipped it with reverence. Mayon revealed himself and took Lakshmi and told her of his intention to create a son. By that time, the body of Mayon too had come into the sea. Mayon, then took the body inside the Lotus pedestal, transformed it as his son, and adorned him with sparkling jewels and crown. He then, imparted certain arcane knowledge in the form of proclamations and instructions, known as Vinchai, to his newly bom son Vaikundar.(see: Vinchai to Vaikundar)
Having given these exhortations, Mayon called his son intimately as Narayana Vaikundar and told him that if these teachings were observed strictly, the illusory force of kali would be contained, and when people learned to live with self- respect, kali would destroy itself.
Then the whole array of celestial gods sang lullabies (See:Thalattu, Palli Unarthal,Abayam.)praising the special attributes of the newly bom child Vaikuntar. They praised him for having been born as the child of Mayon, in the race of Chanar, in order to teach the virtue of Dharmam to the world and to incinerate the kali.
Vaikundar, having received all the instructions from his father, walked out of the sea to go into the world. And Mayon sent two celestial sages (Kalai Muni and Gnana Muni) with him as witnesses to his activities.
Post-Incarnational Events
The various episodes that are portrayed to be occurring after the event of incarnation are called here as post-incarnational events. Given below is an elaboration of them
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Vaikundar's emergence out of the sea
Vaikundar crossed over to the land from the sea, and, showing a bodily appearance to the mother of Muthukutty and told her: “woman, you had been my mother before the year 1008 (AD 1833). Now, I have been bom as Vaikundar, as the child of Narayanar. I have received powers for redeeming the Santror. I am going to destroy the evil mongers and rule the world under a single command”. Having said this, Vaikundar set out towards Detchanam (Dakshin, the south).
Vaikundar's journey to Detchanam
Vaikundar walked towards Detchanam along the sea route. All along his path, the creatures of the sea and the animals of the forest greeted him, expressing their happiness for going to be freed from the clutches of kali. Vaikundar, announcing the glad tiding to everyone traversed the path towards Manavaippathi (Puvantantoppu) in Detchanam. The itinerant Vaikundar, reaching the temple of Pakavathi at Kanyakumari, told her that he, the Narayana Vaikundar, had come to uplift the lowly by ruling the world under the banner of Dharmam, and therefore, she was to rescind from accepting any sacrifices or offerings.
Tavam
Making himself known to the people as Vaikundar, the great Narayanar took his abode under a tree at the entrance of Manavaippathi.(For more details see:Tavam of Vaikundar)
Burning of the demons
When a year and a half had passed after undertaking the Tavam, people complained to him of the disturbances caused by the demons in the world. Vaikundar, intending to put an end to the misdeeds of the demons, thought of incinerating them totally. He then summoned a celestial sage and sought his counsel on this matter. The sage, after going through the Akamankal (Agamas), told Vaikundar,
From the moment Narayana became Vaikundar and came to the world, the demons, the evil spirits, and all other deceptions of the world are disappearing; Kali Yukam is being destroyed, and, the old Vedas. Puranas, and Agamas have lost their substance. As of now, Vaikuntar is establishing a Dharma Yukam that he will rule eternally. So, now is the right lime to destroy all that are to be destroyed.
Vaikundar, then, assembled all the demons in one place. He made some persons in the gathering, who were accustomed to ‘possession’, to get ‘possessed’ of the demons in the presence of the people. The demons that had ‘come on to these persons’ began to tremble with fear, and, by making loud cries, bemoaned their end. Resigned to their fate, they requested Vaikundar to tell them the modalities to surrender. When the demons asked it themselves, Vaikundar ordered them to make an oath in front of the people that they had surrendered all their powers. Accordingly, the demons made a public oath that they had surrendered all their powers. Then they fled to the mountain and killed themselves by falling into fire. As this happened, those that were dancing due to the ‘possession’ of the demons got exhausted and fell flat on the grounds. As the crowd was witnessing all these happenings, a few shepherds tending their flock in the mountain came rushing and reported that they heard the loud cries of the demons as they were falling in the fire. When the crowd heard these, they appreciated the way the demons were destroyed, and acknowledged that Vaikundar was really the Narayanar needed for the country.
Seizing the power of magic, witchcraft, sorcery, trickery, etc.
Having destroyed the demons Vaikundar thought of incarcerating the powers of Malaiyarasar, the people of the mountain who performed black magic. witchcraft, sorcery, etc., with the aid of evil spirits. No sooner had he thought of it than the wild animals, being released from the clutches of the Malaiyaracar went berserk and attacked the people ferociously. Horrified at the behaviour of the animals, the Malaiyaracar resorted to their usual black magic to contain the animals. But, alas, this time, their magic did not work. Disappointed and worried, they became panicky and sought the help of a Kuratti, the village astrologer, to make them known the cause of these events.
Kuratti. hearing their woes, told them that Vaikundar had incarnated to eradicate the sufferings of all, and therefore they would do well to meet him to get rid of their woes. Coming to know of Vaikundar, the Malaiyaracar came to him immediately, and pleaded with him to solve their problems. Vaikundar told them it was time for the destruction of all the evil forces and, therefore, they would do well to surrender the knowledge of black magic, witchcraft, sorcery, and trickery, the spells used to bind others, and all types of esoteric charms in their possession. If refused to comply, they were warned of severe consequences. Hearing the admonition from Vaikundar, and fearing the consequences of the refusal to surrender, they accepted to hand over all their powers to him. Since they had not brought with them the manuscript documents that contained the spells, they vowed in front of Vaikundar and the people that they would never anymore resort to these practices. When they did so, Vaikundar advised and blessed them to take to cultivation as alternative profession. When this was done, the celestial Gods wrote it in the heavenly records that Vaikundar had done away with the evil forces and had made Dharmam to prosper in the world.
Exhortations
Having incinerated the demons and seized the powers of the Malaiyaracar. Vaikuntar exhorted the people as follows: “From this day on, repose your faith only in Vaikundar, and fear not any other powers, do not give offerings to temples, do not caste away your hard-earned money into dump-boxes, and, keep your wealth to yourself. Listening to these exhortations, people of all castes realised that kalimayai was being destroyed and Dharmam was established. Vaikundar brought Dharmam also to the flora and fauna, exhorting them not to hurt or kill each other, not to crush the weak, but to live in harmony as one family.
People came as one family and listened to the exhortations of Dharmam given by Vaikundar. They accepted him in their hearts as the undisputed God, and lived happily.
Vaikundar's trial
At this time round, the king of Thiruvithankur, the Kalineesan came to Suchindram for his routine visit. He, his powers already been curtailed by the foreigners, was an agitated man, and he wanted to know whether there was any one else in his kingdom that challenged his authority. The ministers told him as follows,
"From the race of the Chanar who perform the menial uliyam for us, someone, claiming to be the incarnation of Vishnu, is making pronouncements that he is going to rule the land under his one undisputed command. He has gathered people of all castes into one place around him. He has also claimed that he would destroy all his enemies and establish a rule of Dharmam. It looks the Chanar people are having a great day".
Listening to this, the king grew weary. He summoned a seer to know whether the news was true . The seer confirmed it saying it was time the great Vishnu incarnated as Vaikundar. The king retorted to the seer saying: "Even if the great Vishnu wanted to incarnate, would he, leaving aside the honourable Namboothiri and other Brahmin caste, come into this untouchable Chanar people? It looks to be a cheating". Listening to the king, an elderly person from a shepherd caste, who was in the assembly, advised the king saying: "if Vishnu wants, he will take birth in any race and in any form. He may come as a Panan or a Pariyan. So better not to disturb this person".
King was infuriated and not ready to listen to anyone's counsel. He ordered one of the chiefs of the army to bring Vaikuntar to him. Accordingly a squad of soldiers came and surrounded Vaikundar who was sitting on a cot, performing his tavam. As the troops prepared to seize him, the Santror, standing near Vaikundar, got enraged and readied to attack the troops. Sensing trouble Vaikundar prevented the Santror saying: "My children, it is those who contain the instant rage that will become great. You are people of love. Keep restraint, I will make you rule the earth". The army personnel, then, took hold of Vaikundar, tied him with a rope, and tortured him ruthlessly. They questioned him with despise: "whether he became a deity for the Chanars? Whether he disguised himself as a deity in order to amass wealth?"
He was then led along the streets to the king. The wicked people threw stones at him, pulled his long hair and teased him, and called him as demoniac. Some people from the low castes accused him of bringing disgrace to their race. Vaikundar did not utter a word in response. He was reached to Suchindram and brought in front of the king.
The king wanted testing Vaikundar's powers. He hid a ring in the palm of his hand and asked him to name it. Vaikundar, being aware of the fact that showing his powers would not aid his mission in any way but that it would only precipitate matters unduly, remained reticent. The king, being hurt by his silence, ordered him to be tortured more. Five kinds of poison were mixed in arrack and given him to drink. Vaikundar drank it as if drinking milk, and remained unaffected. Seeing that the poison had not worked, Vaikundar was confined in a prison that was stinking, and, infested with worms and leeches. Vaikuntar took upon himself all these sufferings for the sake of his poor Chanar.
Then Vaikundar was led through Kottar, Chunkankadai, Padmanabapuram, Balaramapuram, and brought to Thiruvananthapuram where he was detained in an open prison. While in the prison, many people came and worshipped him.
The Kalineesan did not relent from torturing Vaikundar. He ordered him to be thrown to a starving tiger. Also in that Ayya Vaikundar proves to the world his Power (see: Katuvai Sothanai).
After that event, a person known as Poovandar went up to the king, and testifying to the genuineness of Vaikundar, pleaded for his release. The king, considering the request, wanted Vaikundar to sign a document as condition for the release. The condition was that he would not any more gather tile different castes, except his own, into one place. Vaikundar tore the piece of material that contained the condition into pieces and threw it on to the ground. However, the king did not wish to retain him in the prison anymore.
Vaikundar chose the nineteenth of the Tamil month Masi (February/March) to be the day of his release. His devotees, the Santror, carried him on a cradle through Balaramapuram, Parvathipuram, Kottar, Suchindram, and reached back to Thamaraippathi.
Thuvayal Thavam
Back in Tamaraipathi, Vaikundar, continued as per the instructions of his Father. He instructed the people to undertake a tavam called thuvayal thavam (thuvay means to wash) which was also called Thuvayal Thavasu an act of ritual washing of one’s physique and clothes along with practice of self-abnegation and self-restraint. (See: Thuvayal Thavasu)
Marriage with the Seven Virgins
Even as Vaikundar was continuing to instruct and serve the people, he intended marrying the seven virgins. He made some people of Chanar, young and old. male and female, to get into trance and dance. He made some of them narrate the accounts of the world, and of the story of the seven virgins carrying the seeds of Mayon and delivering the seven sons of the Chanar. Vaikundar, then, putting on the appearance of Narayanar, made the Santror, who stood around him, to walk in the four directions and call out to their mothers, the Seven Virgins. The seven divine mothers, listening to the call of their sons, came out and paid respect to Vaikundar who had come to marry them and give them back their children as it was promised to them in their previous birth. Once the divine mothers came, after confirming their desire to get married and to get back their children, Vaikundar announced to the world the news of the marriage of the Seven Virgins with Vaikundar. Vaikundar, then, asked the Santror as to what they would give as gift to the bridegroom. (see: Thirukkalyana Ekanai). The Santror, the kith and kin of the brides, answered that all their wealth, even their very lives could be given as gift to him. Vaikundar, then, requested the Santror to take and give the hands of the seven virgins to him in marriage. When they did it ceremoniously, Vaikundar wore a glittering golden chain around the necks of the seven divine women.
The celestial saints, then, praised the special attributes of the marriage partners, of the race in which they hailed from. Then, singing the praises of Narayanar and praying that he might fulfil his mission of ushering in the Dharma Yukam, the brides and the bridegroom circumambulated the ‘Pathi’ in their ceremonial attire. The supplications of the brides were that Vaikundar should destroy the evil age, usher in the age of Dharmam, and make his people rule the Dharma Yukam . When the marriage had taken place as per the earlier promise, the Santror realised that all the curses incurred by them had been erased and there was no curse anymore on their race. People came from all directions to pay homage to Vaikundar, and presented him with various gifts.
Festivals and Celebrations
Vaikundar thought of organising festivals and celebrations with the people who garnered around him. He fixed Sunday, the day of his birth in the sea to be the day in every week for celebrations. People gathered there on every Sunday, bringing him gifts. They decorated the vicinity with flowers and festoons. Amidst crackers of fireworks and music of joy, the seven virgins, dressing themselves in saffron and sporting the Namam (sacred symbol on the forehead), came in grand procession on the streets alone with Vaikundar. Ayya Vaikundar, as a Pantaram had donned himself in squalid rags, smeared the white mark on the body, tied a turf on his hair, and carried a cane. Besides his disciples, a large number of Santror came in procession along with him. Those who had participated in the thuvayal thavam too accompanied him by chanting the prayer “Siva Siva” Those men and women, that were ‘taken hold of by divine power’, sang die praises of Narayayar and accompanied the procession. During procession, Vaikundar was carried in a golden cradle, conch shell was blown, womenfolk made kuravai and, the celestial gods were showering flowers from above. People held these festivals in high esteem.
Vaikundar as the Reigning King
Vaikundar, being instructed through a dream that occurred to one of his followers, came to Moolakuntappati (Ambalappathi) with his kith and kin. Here, he enthroned himself like a reigning king on a grand seat in a mansion built with pearls, designed with a pedestal for conducting the Ukattheerppu, the judgement. He vested himself in white silk, wore a golden cap on the head, and arbitrated for the people. People celebrated his presence there.
Marriage with the Deities
Vaikundar, then, decided to marry the deities such as Pakavathi (Bhagavati), Valli, Theivanai, Mantaikattal, Lakshmi, Parvathi and Poomadanthai. He took on different forms and met these deities and told them that they were to be united to him in order to destroy me Kali Yukam and establish the Dharma Yukam. He then, making each deity to ‘come on’ certain women in the gathering, ‘married’ them in a grand manner. Vaikundar, having married these deities, continued his activities among his people. People flocked to him in large numbers. They were pleased to invite him to their houses. They took him in chariots and arranged grand feasts in his honour. They presented him with very valuable gifts. Vaikundar laid foundation for Nizhal Thangals in some villages that he visited.
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Ascending to Vaikundam, the abode of Thirumal
Having accomplished whatever he intended doing, Vaikundar thought of attaining Vaikundam, i.e., leaving this world and going to the world of Vaikundam. He prayed to Thirumal to take him back as he had accomplished his mission. Thirumal too had thought of calling his son back, and so, he commanded his sages to decorate the house for his son in Vaikundam. Vaikundar, then, began contemplating on Vaikundam alone. As he was preparing, he instructed his Santror not to be afraid, and to live united in love. He gave them a white mark on their forehead. Then he began his journey to Vaikundam on 1126, Itabam 21, at 12 noon. As he reached Vaikundam, Thirumal and Isvaran received him warmly The Devas praised him for his singular, unsurpassable achievement of the tavam that he had undertaken for the sake of destroying the Kali. When he was received in the celestial abode, his women and children on earth interned his golden body and erected a temple and conducted celebrations regularly.
Dharma Yukam [The Final Victory]
In Vaikundam, Thirumal asked his son whether he had fulfilled without any flaw all that had been told to him earlier. Vaikundar, in response, told him about the six-year tavam and other activities. The sages who had been sent to accompany him vouchsafed to the flawlessness of the tavam he undertook.
Being satisfied at the performance of Vaikundar, Thirumal and Isvaran crowned him gloriously, gave him a sceptre and other divine paraphernalia, and seated him on the throne. While being on the throne in Vaikundam, he was worshipped by his people on earth. All those who stood by him and served him when he undertook the tavam were granted happiness on earth besides the assurance of a life with him in Vaikundam. Those Neesakulam that opposed and tortured him were condemned to hell.
Once Vaikundar was crowned as the king, everything belonging to Dharma Yukam appeared as per the wish of Vaikundar. People, worthy of Dharma Yukam, including his children and women, appeared instantly. A whole lot of new creatures, animals, plants and trees appeared. A new earth, new moon, new sky, new wind, etc. emerged. The wicked people disappeared and the people worthy of Dharma Yukam appeared. All those living beings that had been ordered to come up at the coronation of Vaikundar, awoke to the new age. All those unworthy of Dharma Yukam were engulfed by the sea.
Then, Thirumal brought up the life of Kroni for judgement.
Thirumal interrogated him as follows:
"I had come as a Pantaram in the kaliyukam and had burned the demons, healed the people with water, solicited Dharmam, prevented offerings, and gathered the people in one place and taught them. You caught me and tortured me cruelly due to your wickedness. You did these things contrary to your own promise given me earlier that you wouldn’t torture any Pantaram. You have violated your promise, and therefore, you yourself have brought ruins upon you. Have you any response to this?"
Kalineesan, then, without having anything to say, surrendered all his powers and boons. The force of illusion took hold of him and put him into the flames of the abyss where the devils resided. All the evil forces of the kalimayai were also destroyed likewise. And then, Vaikundar blew a Conch shell to announce his victory.
Hearing the sound of the conch-shell, all that befitted Dharma Yukam - the virtues, the Sastirankal, the plants and trees, the reptiles and the birds, the divine women and their children - all gathered around Vaikundar. He gave them blessings, and instructed them to live fearlessly. He enjoined upon them to assemble in one place, to drink from the same well, and live happily as per the values of Dharma Yukam.
External links
- kanya kumari online - Ayya Vaikundar - The Spiritual light