Sri Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval

Sridhara Ayyaval, also referred to as Ayyaval in short for Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval, is one of the pioneers of Nama Sankeertanam movement in the South. He is considered as one of the trinity of Dakshina Bharatha Sampradaya Naama Sankeertanam, the other two being Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi and Marudhanallur Sathguruswamy.  Nama Sankeertanam involves singing of the one’s chosen name of the Lord and is considered more efficacious as it involves no elaborate rituals or sacrificial materials and is not conditioned by place, time, caste or sex. 

Sridhara Ayyaval was born as the only son of Lingaraya who was the Diwan of Mysore.  He was initiated into the study of Vedas and sastras at an early age and became well-versed in them quickly. From his young age he was also a devotee of Lord Siva, chanting Lord’s name in his free time.  This led to his developing Vairagyam towards worldly matters and material wealth.  So when his father died and the king offered him the Diwan’s post he declined and preferred to lead a  Unchavritti way of life, wherein one goes on streets singing divine Names of the Lord and accepting whatever is offered by devotees.  So renouncing all his wealth, he moved out of Mysore and started travelling south, singing Lord’s name and giving discourse on scriptures in simple language wherever he stayed which was not for more than a day or two. Thus spreading Nama Sankeertanam, he reached Tiruchirapalli.

He stayed in Tiruchirapalli for a while leading a simple life engaged in Unchavritti and Pravachanams. Though he was an ardent devotee of Lord Siva, he was not biased against other forms of the Lord, be it Vishnu, Krishna or Rama.  Some Vaishnava Brahmins not knowing this and feeling jealous of his popularity tried to set up the Vaishnava king against him.  The king to test him ordered that Lord Mathrubutheswar, whom Sridhara Ayyaval was worshipping daily in Tiruchirapalli be dressed up as Lord Krishna and taken in procession before his house. Sridhara Ayyaval, when he saw Lord Krishna spontaneously poured out twelve verses, now known as “Krishna Dwadasa Manjari”, on Lord Krishna. The jealous Brahmins who carried tales to the king now fell at his feet and apologised for their ignorance and arrogance. The king who ordered the test also felt contrite and now wanted him to settle in that city only thereafter.  Sridhara Ayyaval who could not stand the bustle of city life, left that night the city to continue his travels.

Visiting many shrines he reached Thanjavur. King Shahaji who had heard of his scholarship and devotion met him and felt blessed by his darsan and Ayyaval also loved the king for his devotion and sincerity. But in Thanjavur also he did not stay, but chose to settle in a small serene village in the kingdom by name Tiruvisainallur, which was on the banks of Cauvery and close to Tiruvidaimaruthur with its temple of Lord Mahalinga.  King Shahaji visited him often and sought his advice.  Ayyaval had such a great affection for him that he consented to serve as Diwan from that place. Soon he felt that his new responsibilities as Diwan were coming in the way of his detachment from worldly affairs. One day as he was pondering over this a messenger from the king who did not know him came and asked him “Oh Bhagavatha, Is the Diwan in?”  Ayyaval was happy to be addressed as Bhagavatha and sent a reply in writing “The Diwan is dead.  Only the Bhagavatha remains”.  A shocked king rushed to Ayyaval’s house believing he was dead and was relieved to find Ayyaval alive.  Ayyaval explained to him that he valued more the post of Bhagavatha than the post of Diwan. The king understood his desire to stay out of worldly affairs and left him with heightened respect for his devotion.

Early morning everyday he used to cross the river, go to the temple of Lord Mahalinga, have Darsan, offer prayers and return. One day there was heavy floods in the river and no boatman was willing to ferry him across the river. Ayyaval stood on the banks of the river and with tear-filled eyes, uttered a soulful prayer “Aarthi Hara Stotra” and stayed looking in the direction of the temple. Then he saw a priest of the temple coming to him.  He told Ayyaval that as he did not find him in the temple that morning he brought him the Viboothi Prasad and handed over the Prasad.  Overjoyed, Ayyaval prostrated before the priest and accepted the Prasad.  Next morning as the floods had subsided he went to the temple and again thanked that priest for bringing him the Prasad the previous day. The priest was confused and denied ever having crossed the river to meet him, much less to hand over the Prasad. Ayyaval then realized it was Lord Himself out of compassion had come to him and given the Prasad. Thrilled with joy, he sang the glory and compassion of the Lord in 100 verses in the hymn “Daya Shatakam”.

He had the Advaitic vision of oneness of all human beings and looked upon all living beings as incarnation of Lord only. Once on a Sraardha day, as he was returning from river he found an outcaste lying on the ground overcome by hunger.  He went home, brought the food prepared for Sraardha and fed him. He then took bath again, went home and had fresh food prepared for Sraardha and invited the priests for the ceremony.  The priests who were already jealous of Ayyaval took this opportunity to condemn him for giving food to an outcaste before feeding the Brahmins and refused to perform the ceremony and walked out.  His pleadings quoting scriptures that it was no sin to feed a hungry man at any time went in vain.  As he did not want to show disrespect to the priests, he asked them to suggest a Prayaschittam and they told a bath in the Holy Ganges was the only way.  He composed “Gangaashtakam” and prayed to Ganga Matha to appear in his well and save him from this predicament. The well began to swell with water and it started flooding the streets. The frightened Brahmins now cured of their vanity and arrogance rushed to Ayyaval prostrated before him and asked for forgiveness.  They also prayed that the Ganges may be confined to his well and they be saved from floods. So Ayyaval prayed to Ganga Matha: “To fulfill Bhagiratha’s wish You came to earth.  Now for assuaging these Brahmins’ fears kindly stay in my well only”.

The Holy River receded to his well. This incident happened in the month of Karthick on New Moon day. Even now pilgrims gather in Tiruvisainallur on this auspicious day to take bath in this well water and 'Gangaavatarana-mahotsavam' is celebrated by  Sri Sridhara Ayyaval Mutt every year this time. Sadasiva Brahmendra, who was a contemporary of Ayyaval is supposed to have based his song “Tunga Tarange Gange” on this incident. Several songs composed on him and sung in Sampradhaya Nama Sankeertanam are followed by the namavali “Gangadhara Gangadhara” referring to Ayyaval as the bringer of Ganges.

Another eminent contemporary of Ayyaval was Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi, another doyen of Nama Sankeertanam, who had settled in Govindapuram after relinquishing the headship of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Though Ayyaval and Bodhendral (in short for Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi) had their hearts set in the names of Lord Siva and Lord Rama respectively, this did not stand in the way of their affection and respect for each other.  Ayyaval had referred to Bodhendral thus: "Yasya Smarana Matrena Nama Bhakthi Prajayathe; Tam Namami Yathi Sreshtam Bodhendram Jagatham Gurum".(Remembering whom itself Nama Bhakthi wells up in the heart, that eminent Yogi, Jagat guru Bodhendra I salute”). And Bodhendral had composed a song for his disciples to worship Sri Ayyaval, whom he considered as incarnation of Lord Siva, which ended as "Tam Vande Nara Roopam Andakaripum Sri Venkatesam Gurum" (Obeisance to Sri Venkatasa Guru, who is Shiva Incarnate).   Bodhendral has also quoted as a reference, Ayyaval’s work “Nama Bhushanam” in his works “Nama Rasayanam” and “Namamrutha Rasodayam”. 

Bodhendral also shifted his residence from Govindapuram to Tiruvidaimaruthur to be closer to Ayyaval. Ayyaval and Bodhendral met very often, and spent time in discussion of various spiritual matters, often joined by Sadashiva Brahmendra, the Advaita Avadhutha.  Sri Ayyaval composed a work called 'Aakya Shashti', which described the greatness of “Shiva Nama” beautifully in sixty verses. When Bodhendral read this he told Ayyaval that he should have called it as “Shivaakyashashti” as it glorified only the names of Lord Siva. Ayyaval could guess Bodhendral’s mind, and so immediately replied, how could he dare to sing the glory and beauty of “Rama Nama” that Lord Siva, whose glory he had sung in these sixty verses, Himself chanted incessantly.  Hearing this, the Bodhendral shed tears of joy.

Ayyaval led a simple life and as in life-style, in devotion also he valued sincerity and avoided mere pomp and show.  So when once Janmashtami festival was celebrated with much fanfare he did not attend the celebrations. That night when Lord Krishna’s picture was taken in procession in a chariot, it did not stop at his house, though he waited with the offerings.  Rather the organisers accompanying the chariot remarked without accepting the offerings that Ayyaval lacked true devotion to Lord Krishna and so the offering was unacceptable.  Ayyaval only said that Lord knew who His real devotee was and went inside the house. The procession continued. At the next house where it stopped, the organisers were shocked to see that the portrait of Krishna was missing, and only the empty frame stood in the chariot. They realised their folly and rushed to Ayyaval's house. There, they found the missing Lord in a swing inside the house. Ayyaval was performing Dolotsavam, with the bhava of a mother cradling her little child. In the same bhava, he composed the work “Dolanavaratnamaalika”. The organisers realised their mistake and begged his forgiveness.

Ayyaval lived up to a ripe old age of 85. He along with Bodhendral firmly established the tradition of Nama Sankeertanam in the south. As per his followers, Ayyaval cast his mortal frame and merged with Lord Mahalinga in the temple at Tiruvidaimaruthur.  In his last prayer before shedding the mortal coil he prayed "Oh Lord! In this big stage of worldly life, I have donned various roles, and have been dancing before you for long. Oh Omniscient Compassionate Lord! I am tired now, and may your words, saying 'Enough', be my rest."

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