THE NOBLEST OF THE THREE

Jealousy is a powerful emotion which spares very few people. And the only antidote for that green-eyed monster, the one which can kill it without a trace is, love. Of the purest and the noblest variety.

The period is 13th century. Place: Srirengam. Nampillai was one of the most popular teachers of the period. His commentary on Nammazhwar’s Thiruvaimozhi called the Eedu Vyaakyanam is considered to be the best available treatise on the subject.

There were a few commentaries earlier; but nothing was as good as Nampillai’s. And he had inserted a number of anecdotal references making the commentary interesting and quite authentic.

There were several teachers in Srirengam at that time. Yet no one was as popular as Nampillai. This naturally led to other teachers being jealous of him. One such teacher was Kanthaadai Thozhappar.

This man was the grand son of Mudaliyaandan, a direct disciple of Saint Ramanujacharya. Whereas Nampillai’s ancestors were virtually nobody in the spiritual scene in that period

Nampillai’s Thiruvaimozhi classes were crowded while Thozhappar did not have many students for him. Even Thozhappar’s wife was Nampillai’s student.

Thozhappar was burning in jealousy and was looking for an opportunity to put Nampillai down before his students and the public.

Nampillai, because he represented a particular tradition of teachers, had to be present every day for the morning pooja at the Srirengam temple.

The pooja could not be performed without his presence. Thozhappar was the person in-charge of the Pooja

One day Nampillai was late for the Pooja. Thozhappar and several disciples had to wait for Nampillai. He came after ten minutes and profusely apologized for the delay.

But Thozhappar would not hear anything of it. For him the opportunity to disgrace Nampillai was handed over on a platter. He was not a fool to miss that golden chance.

In the presence of so many people, in the presence of Nampillai’s students, Thozhappar shouted at him and used choicest words of abuse.

The five-minute harangue was so degrading that there were tears in Nampillai’s eyes.

Seeing their Master in tears almost all his disciples were crying.

But Thozhappar would not stop.

Finally somebody pacified him and the pooja was performed.

Thozhappar was now happy. He had done what he had been wanting to do for long. He returned to his house in the night.

He was shocked to see his wife in a fit of fury. He had never seen that soft-spoken, well-mannered woman exhibiting so much of rage.

“How dare you abuse that great man? What business you have to do so? After all he was late for ten minutes. So what?

"Even the Sleeping Lord would not have minded the delay. And you, Sinner, you made him cry. And you made us, his disciples, cry. You have wronged a noble soul. You have wronged your Lord.

“Remember our Lord would even tolerate blasphemy. But won’t bear to see his devotee being hurt.”

Thozhappar tried to pacify his wife. He touched her shoulder.
The lady pushed his hand with brutal force. She then went on to explain the noble qualities of her teacher.

She told about his erudition, about the way he explained the hidden nuances of Nammazhwar’s work.

About his good nature. About his love for God and for his students.

Thozhappar realised his mistake.

“I am sorry, dear. I apologize for what I have done. Please forgive me.”

The lady’s laugh was hysterical.

“You are like that idiot who lost his purse in darkness and searched for it in some other place where there was light. You have sinned against him and are apologizing to me.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Simple, my dear husband. Go to Nampillai. Fall at his feet and seek his pardon. And if you don’t do it I will leave you. Let people call me names.

"Let me be called a woman who failed in her marital life. But I won’t live with a sinner.”

“I am ready, dear. But will he even let me into his house?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll come with you. For your sake I will fall at his feet first and ask him to let you in. You may come thereafter and fall at his feet.”

Finally Thozhappar relented. The couple decided to visit Nampillai’s house though it was late in the night.

As they opened the door they were surprised to see somebody lying in the porch.

Thozhappar ran to the man. Yes, it was Nampillai himself.

Thozhappar was shocked.

Nampillai got up and folded his hands towards Thozhappar. Nampillai was several years younger to Thozhappar.

“Sir, I have committed a great sin. You are a noble teacher. You are the descendant of Mudaliyaandan, the direct disciple of our Saint Ramanujacharya.

"If you lowered your stature to shout so much at this worthless worm, then I am sure , I should have hurt you a lot.

How can I hope for redemption in this life sir, when I have hurt somebody like you? When by my laziness I made you wait for me? Please have mercy on me, Sir. And please forgive me for the delay. I will never be late again for the pooja.”

Nampillai was getting ready to fall at his feet. Thozhappar prevented him and fell at his feet like an uprooted tree not trying to muffle his sobs.

Who’s the noblest of the three?

What Thozhappar did was wrong; but he realised his mistake and apologized.

Nampillai, on the other hand, though he was not at wrong was ready to fall at the feet of the person who hurt him. That was surely an act of Nobility.

But the noblest of the three was certainly Thozhappar’s wife.

Remember the period was 13th century. If a woman did not live with her husband she was considered as a disgrace and an ill-women in the society.

She would be shunned by everybody. And she had to depend on her husband for food and shelter.

Even then she stood her ground, boldly opposed her husband and made him realise his sin and prepared him for an act of retribution.

Not only was she full of love but had the moral courage to support it.

Many of us have love in our hearts; but when this kind of injustice happen we only cry in silence.

We do not have the moral courage to stand against it. We do not want to risk our lives or lose our comforts.

We need to learn something from Mrs. Thozhappar.

As we start the week today let’s fall at her feet and ask her to bless us with that kind of love and courage.

love makes distant objects come near like a telescope while envy magnifies a small mistake like a microscope


COURTESY: V RENGASWAMY