OFFERING A BAG OF GOLD TO THARUMI

VANKIYA CHOODAMANI PANDIYAN son of  Vankiya sekara Pandiyan took up the mantle to rule when Tamil language was growing at Madurai. This king only made a garden at Meenakshi amman temple. He planted several trees and flowering plants. He made use of the flowers procured from them to make garlands foe Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Soma sundarar. Especially the champak flowers ( Indian magnolia) spread sweet fragrance all over the place. Because of that, this garden was known by the name Shenbaga Thottam. (garden ofchampak flowers}. Lord Sundareswarar was adorned with the garland of champak and the lord was known by the name Shenbaga sundarar. The king was called Shenbaga Pandiyan. This king is the only king in the world who got a title Shunbaga Pandiyan for the first time forhaving planted champak flower plants. One day the King came along with his wife to the Chandra kantha marble hall, which was close to the Champak garden. The fragrance of the flowers touched the nose. He was  talking with his wife in a happy mood while at the same time enjoyed  the fragrance of the flowers. He stoked gently the flowing hair of his wife. He was thinking as follows “Whether this fragrance is coming from the garden? Or it is coming from the  blowing hair of my wife? The flowing hair of women will  not have fragrance of its own. She used to wear various fragrant flowers lke champak, jasmine etc., The fragrance of those flowers will be the there in the flowing hair. Probably it is that fragrance that is spreading here.”  He told her about his doubt. She replied “O” Great King, Why do you have this sudden doubt? It is not good for human beings to have doubts. So please immediately clear your doubts get cleared. I do not haave any answer for your doubt. The fragrance found in the flowing hair may be a natural one of the hair or it might have been an acquired one from the flowers. So you call your Learned men of Tamil Sangam and get it cleared from them by enquiring with them. Pandiyan immediately sent out for his ministers and when they arrived, he told them “O” Ministers, A doubt has arisen in my mind as to whether the fragrance of the flowing hair of women is an built one or an acquired one from the flowers? I will offer a gift of  1000 gold coins to those who clear my this doubt.

Keep the 1000 gold coins in a silk bag and keep ti at the entrance of our Tamil sangam building with an announcement.” The ministers did the same. Further the announcement through beating of drum through out the city. A huge crowd gathered before the building. Those who came there told the king whatever came in their minds. The king was not satisfied. He returned all of them by saying that he  wanted a clear cut answer. There was Adi saiva man called Tharumi by name in Madurai. He did not have parents, wife or even brothers. He was an orphan. But he had a desire in his mind to create   a  relation by marrying a girl.  It doen not matter if one is an orphan. But if one does not have any means for food (livelihood) who will give him their daughter for marriage for him. No one was prepared to give their daughters in marriage for Tharumi. Tharumi was a ardent devotee of lord Shiva, He said “O” God, The king has announced a competition. I will also become a man if I get that offer of the king by participating and winning in that competition. If I become a owner of 1000 gold coins, then I will also get a beautiful woman as my wife. Only you should bless me so as to get that amount.” At that time a learned man(Pulavar in tamil) came there. Hacving come, he thrust into his hands a palm manuscript and said to him “O” Tharumi go to the king with the poetry engraved in this palm manuscript. Read and recite the poetry written in this manuscript before the king. With that the king’s doubt will get cleared. You will also get the gift. You will also get a beautiful girl as your wife, all as desired by you. As soon as he got he poetry which is going to fetch the gift of 1000 gold coins, he forgot the God who was before him in the form of a Lingam.  It seems that one will forget God, if one is bestowed with money. These types of persons were there in the past and  are  in the present day also. And will boast that this wealth came because of their efficiency and efforts. The forget to think as to from whom they got their efficiency. Having received what he wanted, Tharumi, thought of himself as an efficient person, went before the king Shenbaga Pandiyan and wished him. He told him that the answer for the doubt and question raised by the king is in that poetry. Then he read the poem. The English transliteration of that Poem is given below:

KONGUTHER VAAZKKAI  ANJIRAITHUMBI
KAAMAMCHEPPATHU KANDATHU MOZHIMO
PAYILIYATHU KEZHELIYIA NATPIN MAYILIYAR
SERIYEYITTRU ARIVAI KOONTHALIN
NARIYAVUM ULATHO NEE ARIYUM POOVE

The king was great Tamil scholar also. Having understood the inner meaning of the poem he was very happy.” The fragrance found in the lowing hair is there naturally in them. It is inbuilt in it.” This was the inner meaning of this poem. His own personal opinion was also the same. So he ordered that the offer of 1000 gold coins shall be given to Tarumi. Tarumi was immensely happy. He got the prize for the poem given by some one else to him. Next there will be marriage, children, home, etc., Even distant relations will come join us once they know we have abundant wealth. The soldiers took Tarumi to the Tamil Sangam hall. The Chief Pulavar (chief among the learned men) by name Nakkeeran, took the palm script manuscript from the hands of Tarumi and read it. By that time the king also had come there. Nakkeerar tsold the king, “O” King, There is no mistake in the words of the poetry. But certainly the meaning conveyed by the poem is wrong. I am surprised to know that you gave the prize for this poem” But Tarumi is not a tamil scholar to answer .And no one is proficient or expert enough to argue with Nakkeerar. The king also stood  speechless. The  manuscript was given back to Tarumi. Tarumi was about to weep. But he contolled the tears and weeping and went straight to the shrine of Lord Sundareswarar. He lamented before him “O” Lord, Having received the manuscript given by some one into my hands, because of lure on the money, I rushed to the durbar forgetting you. I got the proper punishment. Hence forth How my desire will be fulfilled. The fate is that I should live as an orphan only. Why did you make me to receive such a poem with full of mistakes and faults.  “

Having heard the voice of his devotee, Lord Sundaresewarar decided to argue with Nakkeerar  who has found fault in his poem assumed the form of a learned person and appeared before Tarumi. Tarumi explained to him all that what has happened. He heard the same as if hewas not aware of them and reached the Tamil sangam in anger. Shenbaga Pandiyan was surprised to see a learned person standing before him with a red face and shining body. His appearance made him tottered. The learned roared like a lion. “It seems that you have told me that there was a mistake in my poem. Am I not aware of the grammar?  “ Nakkeeerar immediately replied “O” Learned person There is no mistake in the words in your poem. I told that there is mistake in the meaning only.  “ He understood that the person who has come is not an ordinary learned man, but GOD himself. Yet because of his attachment and love on Tamil he began to argue with GOD himself. Sundareswarar asked him whether the flowing hairs of chaste women, celestial women do not have natural fragrance? Nakkeerar replied in no uncertain terms, “ definitely their flowing hair don’t have natural fragrance”. “O.K  Whether it is same for Gnana Poongothai, the wife of Kaalhastheeswarar whom you worship daily?”  “YES it is the same even for my mother Goddess Uma” said Nakkeerar in no uncertain terms. At that point Lord Sundareswarar became very furious. He opened his Third eye (netri Kann in tamil). But Nakkeerar stood to his guns. He replied “Even if you are GOD,  A mistake is a mistake. The meaning of your poem is wrong and faulty “ At that time sparks of fire emanated from the third eye of Lord Sundareswarar flew towards Nakkeerar, he fell in the Potramarai tank. Lord Sundareswara immediately disappeared.