Murugan In Ancient Tamil Country-15-Paripaadal

MURUGAN IN ANCIENT TAMIL LITERATURE-15

This song of Paripaadal has been composed by the Sangam poet Nan paana naar. He has set the proper tunes for this song also. In this poem he has recorded how the Pandiya king and his queens have started evoking the devotional - spiritual life and made the society to follow them. This poem is the proof for the social change which happened from the royal family.
King's devotion to God:
People of Madurai city are very brave and wise. No one can conquer them. They followed their ruler and his queens along with wise ministers who are always ready to solve any crisis. Queens of the great Pandiya king have decorated well and many people enjoyed good make up and started walking towards Thiruparankundram. The king along with his queens climbed the steps of the hillock and reached the sanctum of Murugan. This looked like the moon with 27 stars coming around the sacred Himalayas.
Rich people took their journey in chariots, horses and elephants. The whole way got spilled with the flowers and garlands brought by the devotees. This resembled the the moon with its 27 stars traveling in the cosmos.
***Every body rushed to the sacred hillock of Murugan like the saints who enter into the world of salvation.
Scenes near the sacred hillock:
The chariots were parked near the foot hill of the shrine. Horses and elephants were tied in respective places allotted for them and fed by the soldiers with grasses and sugarcanes.
Aloof little girl:
A little girl was missed by her family and she got scared. She went near the big rocks and dens in the hillock and shouted the family members' names. That voice got echoed all around the hillock. This resembled the chants made by priests inside the shrine. What ever we do it become a gesture of devotion to the lord in hillock.
Scenes inside the temple complex:
Few maidens gave bananas to monkeys and bears living in the dense bushes upon the hillock. Few offered food to elephants which belong to the temple and left to the spring and gave food to fishes also. Few plucked the wild flowers and threw into the spring and enjoyed. Plenty of flowers were recorded by the poet to describe the garlands wore by the people. The offering of various flowers as garlands to God is the symbol of shedding all our thoughts and cleaning our self .
The art gallery:
Many people climbed the stairs and started watching and enjoying the various paintings placed in the art museum. There were pictures based on Skandha puranam and Ramayanam. A man showed the characters such as Indra, Agalikai and Gouthma saint from Ramayanam to his wife. A couple enjoyed the painting of God of love with his consort. Few enjoyed the 9 planets and the sun painting. Many admired the floral decoration of the main shrine.
The musical hall:
Many were playing flutes and also Bharama veena to praise the God. Many danced for the drum beats and joined along with priests for the rituals.
The flag hoisting ceremony:
The temple elephant got well decorated with bells, jewels and dresses. Saffron paste was painted in various spots of the elephant's body. Women lifted the sacred flag of Murugan upon its head and sang in praise of God. They also offered sacred food to the elephant and small amount of the prasadham was taken by them.
They prayed for good family life. Young women worshipped the flag to marry good men. Lovers gathered there and worshipped for their wedding and accepted the sacred food.
Poet's dedicated prayers:
'' Dear Muruga! you have decided to treat heaven and Earth as the same and married the tribal huntress SreeValli. So the sacred hillock became very important for people on this Earth. You have been mounted upon the royal elephant of Indra to kill all the demons. Let all my words be in praise of your sacred feet! Let my words in prasie be your feast for the ears.
Your garments and garlands are reddish in color. Your long brave spear is also red like ruby stone after killing the demons. Your complexion is also red like the sacred fire in homam rituals. Your face is also red and shining like the morning sun. You have killed the Soorapadma who took the form of a mango tree and also powdered the tall Krounjagiri mountain demon and protected your devotees.
Today I have arrived along with my family and others to worship the sacred Kadhamba tree in which you are residing.''