பிச்சாடனன்
=
piccāṭaṉaṉ
= Beggar = Siva in the guise of a Beggar.
The
sanctimonious Rishis (Seers) of Tillai were an arrogant bunch,
intoxicated with self-importance because of facade of scholastic
erudition and distinction, which gave them a lapse in memory of their
origin from
Īśvara (Siva). They developed an expertise in Mantras, Tantras, Yantras and
magic. They were erudite exponents of Vedas. They became consummate in
performing Vedic sacrifices. Their erudition instead of giving them
god-realization and humility, morphed into arrogance, egoism… They felt
they could control gods by sacrifices and rites and become equal to
Siva.
The supreme fidelity of Rishipatnis to their seer
husbands was their medallion. Siva took upon himself the gracious act of
eradicating the superior attitude of the seers of Taruka forest and
rejuvenate in them the knowledge of Supreme God (இறையுணர்வு).
The strategy of Siva as a naked satyrical mendicant
and Vishnu as a luscious Mohini was to lift the veil of fidelity from
their wives, bring shame to the seers, make them god-conscious and give
up the notion they could attain the supreme status of Siva by their
rites and rituals.
Siva
was of a handsome physique; he was like a centripetal magnet for women.
His eyes were radiant like the rising sun. He was decked out in the
best of jewels of Suras and Asuras (gods and demons). Jeweled sandals
graced his feet; a white dhoti (a wrap around the waist) shone as the
sun dazzled on it. Holy fragrant ash and sacred thread adorned his body.
A bhuta (attendant) was by his side with a pot of ash for the Lord's use
on demand. He carried a white skull-bowl on his left hand and a drum
on his right. His head was like a bud on vine of his neck; his petal
lips parted with a blossom of a smile; dalliance of his brilliant eyes
cast a spell and delusion on the world of beings. The drops of hot sweat
on his cosmic forehead reflected the moon on his crest. The bees graced
his wavy locks in serpentine rows. He was of coral color and moved like
a coral mountain. Vishnu, as Mohini, was as much radiant as Siva.
Both headed for Daruka forest, the place of blissfully married Rishis.
The consorts of Rishis (Rishipatnis) fell head over heels in love with
the couple. Beat of the drum, jingle of the anklets, joyous face,
petal-soft smile and inimitable dance of Siva drew the women out of their hermitages; the
women were receiving a million suggestive glances, as they gave alms to
mendicant Siva. The flailing of phallus by Siva fascinated the
Rishipatnis. Passion sprang, welled up and brimmed over from
the heart, mind and soul of the Rishipatnis. They were without
self-awareness arranging their tresses, and fussing with flowers; the
girdles, guards, and shawls dropped from their perches. The radiance of
his smile invited sweet words from the Rishipatnis who openly asked for
divine pleasure of embracing him. Some were out of cooked rice and
brought grains of rice in their lotus-like palms where the fire of love
and passion cooked the rice. They in utter confusion put their
alms on the ground thinking it was the bowl, sprinkled the ground with
petals and flowers, as they were looking at his lotus face. Some women
were sure that he was a lover from their past. Some thought that
Kama, God of love, made his appearance without his consort Rati. A
few had the courage to ask Siva, "Why are you in a hurry? You just came
for alms. Your departure is like a setting sun leaving us in darkness. I
drink the nectar of your beauty and grace; it kindles fire in my forlorn
heart. Make my heart's wish come true. I see you, I pine, I wither, I
waste; look at my bangles, they drop off on their own from my withering
hands. What have you done to me?" One woman held Siva back from going on
his way. As Siva held his begging bowl, they held their turgid breasts to lead him to
their hermitage. Some poured forth their heart, "Do what you want, where
you want, when you want, here on the ground, anywhere is home with you
around. We will go with you where you take us. Take us to another
forest, if you please. One Rishipatni said, "Please don't go anywhere.
Come to my house, I have plenty of alms." Some danced, some sang and
danced for joy. They walked beside him; some were hugging close to him
some pressed their tresses, their garlands, and their jewels against
him. The Rishipatnis, having been deluded and deceived by the Maya of
Siva, made a spectacle of their womanly wiles in front of the
trident-bearing Siva who laughed long and hard.
They were actually giving up the impurities of the soul and followed Siva; that is becoming one with Siva.
Vishnu stood there by Siva's side like an unchaste woman in the eyes of
Rishis intently looking at Mohini.
The Rishis did not like it one bit and grew angry with the mendicant and Mohini for upsetting the status quo and becoming the cynosure of Rishipatnis. Immediately they put their heads together, cooked up some magic to inflict punishment on the duo and raised a sacrificial fire from which they produced tiger, deer, axe, Mantras, globe of fire, serpent and dwarf Asura one after another and dispatched them one at a time to attack mendicant Siva. Siva, the Lord of the Universe, the Supreme Ruler, the Yogi of Yogis, the Supreme Master of Yogic feats, was amused with the puerile antics and every trick, gag and feint of reckless Rishis. The ferocious tiger jumped out of the sacrificial fire and pounced on Siva on all its paws and claws with intent to sink its teeth into the jugulars of Siva in a wink and trice, he caught the tiger by its belly and peeled the skin of living tiger with nail of little finger with surgical precision and wore it on his waist. All this in milliseconds. He cast the carcass at the feet of the Rishis. That should have taught a lesson to the vain Rishis who gained supermundane yogic feats and powers through Tapas. With the skinned dead tiger at their feet, they became angrier, adamant, and foolish and sent a ball of fire to Siva in their vain attempt to incinerate him. Siva caught the ball of fire with his left hand and held it aloft for all of them to see. Still the Rishis were clueless on the identity of the handsome visitors. The Rishis failed to notice the blue throat of Siva because he disguised himself as a mendicant. If they only noticed it, they would not have flaunted their yogic powers wantonly and vainly on mendicant Siva. The Rishis would not give up; their fiery anger and pride were burning inside. They raised a serpent and sent it hissing to Siva. Siva just caught hold of the snake and wore it like a Maala (garland) around his neck. They did not yet run out of their facile and yet futile tricks; they raised an Asura-Titan (Apasmara Muyalakan), short on memory and long on brawn, and sent him to Siva. Siva dwarfed the Titan by his yogic power, bounced him like a ball with his foot and pressed him down under his right foot. Here Siva assumed the form of Nataraja and performed the cosmic dance. Short on memory = forgetfulness of soul of its origin from Īśvara (Siva). Another version of the episode tells that the hispid Rishis (with angry erectile hairs = horripilation) were fuming and frothing in their mouths and sent tiger, deer, axe, Mantras, globe of fire, serpent and dwarf Asura all at once to attack Siva. Siva did not go down. The Rishis were not finished with Siva. They uttered mantras and made his ithyphallic appendage fall on eath.
You know now what happened to them. The Rishis realized that they were
witnessing Siva and Vishnu and immediately begged for forgiveness. Siva
performed Ananda Tandava (Dance of Divine Bliss) for them. Siva and
Vishnu, having taught a lesson to the Rishis, left the Daruka forest.