Story #15: Sundarar - losing and gaining back of eyesight

 

   Sundarar, who was constantly on move from one terms to another, went to Thiruvotriyur and stayed there for some time. There was a person named Jnayiru Kilar, in the town. He was also a staunch devotee of Lord Siva. He had a daughter named Sangiliyar. Sangiliyar was devoted to Parvathi from her very childhood. 

   Once her parents mentioned that she should get married, but the very word "marriage" made her faint. With such repeated incidents, her parents found that she was not normal girl. So,  they set up an ashram for her. Sangiliyar made garlands for the Lord in the temple. She regularly visited the temple and worshipped the Lord. 

   One day Sundarar and other devotees went to the temple. After the worship, they came to the place where some devotees were making garlands for the Lord. Sangiliyar was also there. Sundarar was attracted by her beauty, due to past samskaras. He wanted to marry her, and expressed this wish to the Lord. The Lord promised to fulfil his wish.

    The Lord appeared in Sangiliyar's dream and advised her to get married to Sundarar.  She however didn't accept readily as Sundarar was already married to Paravayar. She was wondering as what else happen if he deserts her after wedding. For this the Lord asked her to get promise from Sundarar that he wouldn't part from her under any circumstances and then get married.  She agreed to this arrangement. 

   The Lord appeared before Sundarar and said that Sangiliyar had agreed to marry him on condition that he would not part from her. Sundarar said that it wasn't possible for him to live with her everyday as he has taken a vow to visit all Shiva shrines. Still, he wanted to marry sangiliyar. So, he asked the Lord to withdraw his presence from lingam and be in nearby tree, when he takes the oath. Bring a friend of Sundarar, the Lord granted this wish and disappeared.

    Siva again appeared before Sangiliyar and asked her to get the promise in front of tree and not in front of lingam.  

    The next morning Sangiliyar came to the temple. Sundarar was waiting there for her. Sangiliyar's friends told Sundarar that she wished the promise to be given in front of the nearby tree. Sundarar was taken aback by the request, but accepted the proposal. The promise was given. The marriage was immediately solemnised.

   In a few days,  in Thiruvaaroor, Vasanta Utsavam was being celebrated on a grand scale. Sundarar remembered the festival and longed to go there. At the same time, he could not part from Sangiliyar. For a long time, he struggled between the two conflicting duties. Finally, he decided to leave.

   When Sundarar crossed the border of Thiruvotriyur, he suddenly lost his eye-sight and fell down on the ground. Sundarar slowly regained his consciousness. Immediately he realized his fault and prayed to the Lord for forgiveness. In spite of the blindness Sundarar's thirst for the darshan of the Lord at Thiruvaaroor did not abate. 

    With the help of some people on the way, Sundarar went thru Thiru Mullaivayil to Thiruvembakkam where he sang to the Lord asking if it was fair in his part to cheat him by revealing the plans to sangiliyar.  It is here that the Lord gave Sundarar a blind-man's stick and a stern reply, "I am here. You can go." This attitude of indifference on the part of the Lord pained Sundarar. 

   Then Sundarar came to Kanchipuram, after visiting many holy places on the way. He worshipped Mother Kamakshi and expressed his sufferings to her and pleaded to her to relieve him of his sufferings. Sundarar then worshipped Lord Ekambareswarar. Being the mother of the whole world, ambal wasn't able to see his pain and so she pleaded the Lord to shower some blessings on Sundarar. He at once restored vision to Sundarar's left eye.  After spending some days there, singing the glories of the Lord, Sundarar proceeded to go to Thiruvaaroor. 

   Sundarar reached the outskirts of Thiruvaaroor. He grieved that, due to his partial sight, he could not get a complete darshan of the Lord. The very sight of the gopuram entranced him. Sundarar wanted to feast both his eyes on the beauty of the Lord and so prayed to Siva to restore vision to his other eye also. 

   Sundarar's supreme devotion and lamentation moved the Lord's heart. Siva at once cured the other eye also. Sundarar was extremely happy. He worshipped the Lord and remained completely absorbed in divine bliss.

   We learn that even the highly blessed people, when not keeping up a promise end up in misery.  We must strive to maintain and keep up our words and promises.