Thus Spake the Divine - Pillaiyar - The Child God

Thus Spake the Divine

Pillaiyar - The Child God

Pujyashri Maha Periyava, in his own passionate manner, speaks elaborately of Lord Ganesha and His Anugraha. He weaves in a poetic way the connection between Pillaiyar and Avvaiyar. Periyava says chanting Vinayakar Agaval composed by Avvaiyar will make the entire universe prosperous.

I am going to tell you some interesting things about two characters, whose natural traits are totally contrasting. One of the two is an old lady and the other a young child. Generally, what do old ladies do? They stretch their legs and relax in the same position without moving. But this old lady is different! Filled with enormous energy, she travels with enthusiasm into every nook and corner of the villages in Tamil Nadu.

Now, let us see the child. It looks quite plump and healthy. Generally, what does a child do? He or she is always active and agile, playing around, and moving and running here and there. But this child is totally different! With a stern expression, it sits in the same place without moving even a bit. Funny old lady, funny child!

The old lady is running around like a child and the child is sitting at one place like the old lady! However, the old lady is enthusiastic and energetic even at this old age only because of this Child’s Anugraha! Who is this Pillai? (A male child is addressed as “Pillai” in Tamil.)

The Pillai is none other than Pillaiyar (Lord Ganesha), who is held in the highest form of reverence and addressed with several other names. Let us examine these nomenclatures in brief.

Ganesha (Gana+Isha) and Ganapati (Gana+Pati): He is the Principal Chief Commander of the Bhuta-Ganas, who are the army and attendants of Lord Shiva.

Vinayaka (Vi+Nayaka): Generally, the prefi x “vi” in any word highlights either the superiority or the opposite of that substance. Here, in Vinayaka, it means “One who does not have any supervisor or boss”. There is no one superior to Him; He is the supervisor of all.

Vighneshvara: He is the one, who destroys all obstacles that confront us. (Vighnam in Sanskrit means obstacle). That is why we fi rst pray to Lord Vighneshvara before commencing any task, so that His Anugraha removes all obstacles. That is why the fi rst puja is always only to Lord Vighneshvara.

Gajamukha and Gajaraja: He is elephant-faced (Gaja means elephant in Tamil). An elephant possesses massive physical power, but still does not injure or torment other animals, as lions or tigers do. They carry out mammoth tasks for people in places like Burma and Kerala. Similarly, Pillaiyar is very powerful and confers prosperity on people. Like an elephant is sharp in its intellect and memory, Pillaiyar also is an epitome of wisdom. Among the animal species, an elephant, with its face and eyes filled with calmness and compassion, is one that always enchants onlookers. The way it moves its body, swallows its food, sways its ears and lifts its trunk is most delightful to look at. Similarly, in human race, a child is the one, which keeps drawing one’s incessant attention. There is no place for any wicked or evil feeling in a child. The child keeps playing joyfully and we feel immense joy just looking at it.

Pillaiyar is a combination of an elephant and a child. No one feels tired or bored looking at Him any number of times. He possesses the most innocent heart, as that of a child, and physical power and sharp intellect like that of an elephant. Above all these, He possesses the insatiable beauty and elegance. His entire appearance is fi lled with bliss and happiness.

Many contradicting aspects are seen in Him, which, of course, is very natural. Below the neck, He is a child, the human race. Above the neck, He is an elephant, the animal species. However, in reality, He is a Deity of the Celestial Beings. He is the God to receive the fi rst and foremost puja.

Though a Child, He is the personifi cation of great philosophies, which denote the different contrasting factors within Him. That itself is an expression of beauty. These contrasting factors reveal that everything is engrossed within Him. For example, on one side, there is the broken trunk, and on the other, He is holding a Kozhukkattai (sweet coconut covered within rice fl our). The sweet substance within the Kozhukkattai is known as “Purnam”, which means “Absoluteness or Completeness”. The broken trunk represents “Deformity”, while Kozhukkattai represents “Absoluteness or Completeness”. The revelation here is that the most absolute substance is only Pillaiyar. This realisation is the absolute bliss.

There is yet another contrast. Pillaiyar is a child and a celibate too! The irony here is that only after He chased Valli, she married Subrahmanya Svami, His younger brother! Even today, those yet to be married pray to this die-hard celibate for getting married! What does this mean? He showers grace on people to obtain even those substances that are not really relevant to Him in His current stature!

It is customary to call a person, who is sitting glued to his place without moving an inch, as “Kallu Pillaiyar” (Kallu in Tamil means stone). Similarly, though sitting like a Kallu Pillaiyar, He just lifts people in one sway and places them right on the top. This is how He lifted Avvaiyar from wherever He was sitting and dropped her in Kailasa in just one sway! His magnifi cence is unfathomable. There is an old Tamil adage that says, “Where child and God are playing, it becomes a place of celebration”. The very God has descended in the form of a child in Pillaiyar. That’s why, in Tamil Nadu, we see Pillaiyar sitting in every nook and corner, everywhere offering His grace and benevolence to everybody.

An old lady was able to run throughout Tamil Nadu only with His Anugraha. Who was that old lady? She was Avvaiyar. Just look at the two phrases; Avvai-Yar and Pillai-Yar!

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.