By Kumar Punithavel
(monsoonjournal.com) Ayanar was a great sculptor. He was well known in the Pallava kingdom, as he was the chief architect of the great sculptures of Mahaballipuram. Under his direction the dream of turning each and every boulder and rock in the shows of Mahabalipuram to an image by the mighty emperor Maamallan became reality. His ability was known far and near. People called him a divine sculptor.
As he was getting older he had a nagging desire to make an image of God. He had sculptured many images of deities. But his intuition made him believe they were all not complete. Even at best what ever he made was only a clever replica of an existing image. His hair was slowly turning gray and the gray streak around his ears was a sinister reminder that the time is running out and he had lesser and lesser time every day to realize his dream to sculpture an authentic image of God.
Ayanar finally decided he has to do something about his hearts desire, to make an original image God as a monument for ever. The excellent sculptor stared roaming around far and near, seeing every sage and hermit, asking them have they seen God. Either there was silence or a negative answer. Or there were others who bluffed an answer. Finally Ayanar decided that those who spoke never saw and those who saw never spoke.
After several months of futile efforts he decided to withdraw back to his birth village Aruvithottam in the foothills of Pothikai Mountains. It was a beautiful village with lush green jungles surrounding a small hamlet called Aruvithotam. He liked the quite surroundings of the village and people looked upon him as a fellow countryman and not an awe-inspiring sculptor.
On the first day of Navarathiri festival, early morning he took a long walk. Looking at the hill, which very rarely the villagers ventured to climb, he was reminded of his young days. He wandered what was there in the cave high up, where he used to hike when he was small boy. He remembered he drew a picture of a dame of his hearts desire with charcoal and scribbled his name below that. The human nature of inquisitiveness wanted to go and see what has happened to it. He slowly climbed up the hill. He was in no hurry.
It took him nearly an hour to reach the cave. It was a small cave among clusters of boulders. The cave appeared so small, compared to the imagination he had about it. Ayanar thought ‘when you are small what appears big will appear much smaller as you grow up’. He looked into the cave and he saw the drawing though little worn but the beauty was still conceivable. His name was there in the childish writing. The whole drawing suddenly became blurred. His eyes stared tearing. None of the drawings and sculptures he had done in the past could come near to what he was seeing through the tearing eyes.
Suddenly he felt like shouting and proclaim to the whole world to come and see the mighty Ayanars first painting. He sat on a boulder and thought of those wonderful days when he used to play with Raju and Somu. He wandered what has happened to his childhood admire Seetha. Is she still living? It was Seetha that had he had drawn on the wall of the cave. It was a sad sweet reminiscence of the past.
Suddenly his yearning to make an original image of God came with utter urgency. He meditated deeply on this matter. His concentration was disturbed by the sound of ruffling of leaves. Who could come to this lonesome place Ayanar thought? A young lad about ten years came in front of him.
The lad asked “Thatha, what are you doing here? No one comes here but me”. In reply Ayanar asked,” Who are you? And what brought you here?” The young boy laughed which sounded like the tingling of a temple bell. “I asked you first, but as you are older I will answer you, I am Saamy from the village on the other side of the hill. Some days I like to roam around in the hills”. He continued ‘A penny for your thought’. May I know what you are thinking so intently about?”
Ayanar in reply said, “You are a small boy you wont understand, so if you are done leave me alone for me to browse on my thought”. Saamy was not done yet indeed. He said, “Thatha, some times small children might have the answer when elders don’t know. Haven’t you heard about Lord Murugan giving the answer when the mighty Lord of creation did not know the answer?”
Ayanar thought for a second. He liked this small boy who is fresh and full of enthusiasm. The sparking glow in the eyes attracted him like a magnet. He also thought if life is about going forward isn’t children are the souls of to morrow, which he cannot visit even in his dreams. He thought why not shed off the ego and follow the child and not expect the kid to follow him. He said “Son I am a sculptor. I wanted make an image of God. But I did not find any one who could describe God to me, and I too haven’t seen him. I will die without seeing my desire fulfilled”.
Samy laughed, his innocent chiming laughter, and said, “Thatha that is the easiest to achieve. Think of all things your God does and make an image showing those aspects. Hey presto and the image will be there”.
Ayanar felt that this boy has some sense in what he says, and thought to seek his advice further. So the old sculptor asked the young boy to suggest some idea to start from. The boy agreed on the condition he should make the statue on the boulder that was there and allow him to come and see the work in progress.
Agreeing to the condition the elderly sculptor too laid a condition that the boy should not ask any questions while working and disturb him. The boy then to help the sculptor to imagine the form of God started to ask pointing questions. This way the artist could ascertain how the Gods image should look like. Does your God do the creation? The lad asked. Agreeing on this aspect the boy asked the Sculptor to scribble on the wall the word creates. Next he asked who does the destruction. Ayanar said it was the God who does it too. So the boy asked him to scribble next the word Destructs. The lad next asked who protects all beings of the world. Of course it is the God who protects us all said the old sculptor. And the boy asked him to add the word protects.
Samy said, ‘see you are already getting there. Now tell me does God bestow grace on the devotees? ‘For which of course Ayananr answered in the affirmative. The lad suggested he should note on the wall bestow grace. Following this the lad observed that to that day the God was not visible though he is said to be everywhere. Why not add the word Obscure to the list which the sculptor agreed and added to the list.
“What sex is God?” was the lad’s next question. If it is male then it would be male chauvinistic, If we make it female we will be accused female chauvinistic. After a little discussion the young lad and the old man agreed that the image should be representing both male and female. With this the lad raised a question what stand will God take if anyone defy him and abuse him. Without hesitation Ayanar agreed he would expect the God to trample the evil person on his feet. It was agreed immediately. The question following this was of course what god will do if a devotee surrenders on his feet. It was agreed he will protect and raise the surrendering devotee.
When some one nears God will there be peace or enmity. There will be harmony said the elderly sculptor. Now Thatha, don’t you think the image you make must also show that he is the one that holds not only this wonderful planet of ours but cause the whole universe to be. Yes I agree, may be the image should also carry the message that if God stops everything stops too. Samy with the same chiming laughter said why you are waiting, go ahead and start working on your carving. Let us first read the list of things you have to show in the sculpture of God.
They read the list;
1. Creates.
2. Destructs.
3. Protects.
4. Bestow grace.
5. Obscure.
6. Represents both male and female.
7. Tramples the evil person on his feet.
8. Protects and raise the surrendering devotee.
9. There will be harmony.
10. Cause the whole universe to be.
11. If he stops the universe stop.
The young Samy said now you should have a rough idea how God will look. What ever image you cast must show all the eleven aspects you have noted. Go-ahead and carve an image to show all the above aspects of God and I am sure you would have got some real replica of God. The elderly Ayanar promised to start the next day, after digesting all that he had learnt that day. He told the young lad that he was his Guru. With you near me I dispel all fears and am sure to gain my life’s dream. The youngster laughed loudly and said “Thatha then call me ‘Gurusaamy’, When the elderly sculptor suggested that he will bring the tools the next day the lad observed, “Thatha, don’t worry about your tools. I have got some excellent tools which are like new; my father gave it for my birthday. I never use it. You could have it. I will bring it to you to-morrow morning”. The boy realizing that he is getting late ran away saying he will be back at the same time the following day with the tools.
Ayanar sat on a boulder for a long time and thought of the day’s events. He felt some divine peace in his mind. He couldn’t stop wandering who this bright youngster was. Though looks like a simple village lad he illustrates the truth which was absconding all these days. He knew with this boys help he will realize his life’s dream. He slowly got up and walked home.
The following day Ayanar got up early had a bath and break-fast. He told the family that he wanted to do some sculpturing among the rocks in the adjoining mountains and not to disturb him at his work. When he reached the cave the boy was already waiting for him. The elderly sculptor arranged all the tools inside the cave and prostrated and prayed. The young boy watched him with a broad smile and said “Thatha, as you say I am the guru, shouldn’t you get my blessings”. With tears in his eyes and with no hesitation he prostrated on the feet of the young lad. The boy picked him up and said your sculptor will be there for eternity.
Ayanar started working on the image immediately. And the boy sat on a boulder and watched him intently. Occasionally they exchange words. The work proceeded slowly as it was sculpturing on stone one cannot repair if he made even one small mistake.
One day in the morning as Ayanar started working it started to drizzle. Ayanar sat inside the cave. The young lad too came in running holding a banana leaf for shade like an umbrella. They sat down and started talking, the old man telling about his experiences. Saamy asked how much longer he has to work to complete the sculpture. The weary old sculptor with a shi of breath said “Son I have no patent of immortality, and the work would take very long”. The boy looked at the silver hair and wary face of the old man with compassion and laid his hand upon Ayanars shoulder and kindly said “Thatha to have a great work in progress is the way to live long. You will live till you finish it”.
Finally on the Shivarathiri day the sculpture was done. The young lad asked permission to ask questions and clear his doubts, and was given by Ayanar. “Thatha, tell me how are you showing that he is doing the creation?”
“Son in the beginning there was the big bang which started the present evolution process which we call creation. I say present evolution because there was never a time without creation. Because of the Aum sound the drum emanates, the creation is represented by the drum in the right upper hand”. “That is a wonderful way of expression, but if it is a process of evolution then everything must have been always there. If that is the case where was it, and how are you showing it? Ayanar looked straight into the eyes of the boy and said “As God is omnipresent he is everywhere, so everything is within him. I have given the colour of red corral pointing the life giving red bloods colour” If so what signifies the destruction aspect of God? And where does everything goes on destruction?
The old sculptor replied”I would say it is better to call involution. For nothing is created or destroyed. As creation was evolution from the God it also involutes into the God. As involution should balance the creation the left upper hand carries a burning fire signifying involution. By this there is a balance of creation and destruction. The white colour ash smeared on the body of the sculpture signifies that everything finally ends up a hand full of ash which again goes back to the God. Before the lad could raise the next question the old man continued.
The right lower arm showing the abaya mudra signifies the protective aspect of the God. That’s wonderful, but how do you show that the bestowment of Grace of the Lord. The old sculptor smiled and said where else but in the feet of the God you will find the grace. The lower left arm pointing the raised left leg points to the devotee where the grace is. This is called the Gajahasta mudra in dancing, for it looks like a trunk of an elephant.
You have certainly done a wonderful job so far depicting the first four aspects of God in this image, what about the fifth? He asked. To show the obscuration I point to the demon trampled by the right foot said the sculptor. This action represents two of the Gods aspects. First is of course the obscuration and the other is his reaction towards one who defies him. Samy asked what does that got to do with God reaction. Ayanar replied “Son, haven’t you heard about Mukalan the demon sent to attack the all mighty Shiva. He trampled the demon under his right feet. The young boy was indeed surprised the ability of this experienced artist in bringing out different aspects so easily.
For a casual observer it may appear a multi limbed statue. But the boy insisted in asking isn’t it unusual that normal human has only two hands, why four for the God? The old sculptor smiled and said of course it is to differentiate this is different from what he created. Isn’t he a little above than human? Didn’t you notice the image had three eyes? He asked. Without waiting for an answer he mentioned that humans have two eyes to gain the knowledge of the present, but God has a third eye of wisdom, which can see into the past and the future. May I remind you God created man; here a man is endeavoring to create an image of God. It would be stupid to believe God had the limbs like man for he need not breathe or eat or have any bodily function. With apologies to him here a mortal is venturing to give a form to one who has no form.
The lad observed there was only a male figure to be seen, and how do you say both the genders are represented in the statue he asked. The sculptor pointed to the two ears on the statue. On the right was a Kundalam, an ear stud worn by men and on the left a thodu which is worn by women. The young boy chuckled and said you are really smart. You had covered the left breast with the left hand there by keeping the modesty of God.
Ayanar smiled and observed that the punishing is done by the right leg which is the male half, and the salvation is on the left leg which of course the female side. This I thought more appropriate as it is the male parent who does the discipline and the female parent who does the nurturing and adoration. “Wow!” said the boy.
The boy next said, “Thatha you already showed me what happens to a person who defies the God in the image, can you show me what happens to one who surrenders on his feet.
Haven’t you heard about the purana where the moon was persecuted by the serpent Vasuki and the moon went and surrendered on the feet of the Lord. He gave him asylum in his matted locks on his head. As you could see the crescent moon is on the matted locks of his hair. These puranas are metaphorical stories to help the sadhana’s to understand the veiled truth. Some teachers of course use parables.
The boy was greatly impressed on the ingenuity of the elderly sculptor. He raised the next question of how he is going to show that there will be peace and harmony when the devotees reach the God. Ayanar observed, didn’t you see the two adversaries the serpant Vasugi and the moon in harmony, one on the neck and the other on the head? Indeed it was so, and what a wonderful way to proclaim to the world that in the presence of God there will be peace and serenity thought Samy.
The next aspect was that not only the God cause of the creation, but he is the one holds all the planets galaxies, and the universe in their position. The arch thiruvasi with flames emitting representing the various planets and the whole universe is held in position by the dancing Lords matted locks and the swinging arms.
But why you made him dancing, the boy asked. In reply the sculptor said the cosmic dance of the God that keeps the universe going. The moment he stops everything will collapse. His dance is the dance within the atoms among minute particles and the dance of the universe.
The lad observed we could call him Nadarajah (the king of dancers). Finally boy said “Thatha, like your cosmic dancer the God your fame will live for ever. By this you have become eternal. Now you look who is standing inside the cave” The elderly sculptor turned around to see what was in the cave. He saw Lord Murugan with his two consorts Valli and Theivanai, blessing him. The old man turned back to see where the boy was. He was not there.
[”Cosmic Dancer” - at Thirukoneswaram is one of the five Eswarams- Sivan temples in Sri Lanka]
Ayanar with eyes filled with tears and clasped hand started sobbing. Lord Murugan said “Ayanare, I wanted to give a permanent point to focus for the human to focus; there is no form or name for God. By your magnificent work you have given to the world a symbol of God.
May you live to a ripe old age and come to me.