Exemplar of divinity

The fertile soil of the Cauvery Delta in Tamilnadu has nurtured many a noble soul, who by their lives of steadfast adherence to spiritual and moral values and deep devotion have carved prominent places for themselves in the spiritual firmament of India.

The names of Saint Thyagaraja, Saint Narayana Teertha and Saint Sadashiva Brahmendra immediately spring to mind in this context. Another equally great personage, but perhaps not so well known as the aforementioned three is Sridhara Venkatesha. Respectfully addressed as Ayyaval in Tamil, this saintly being lived in the village of Tiruvisainallur on the banks of the river Cauvery.

With the Cauvery on one side and lush green paddy fields on the other, the tiny, non- descript hamlet of Tiruvisainallur was once home to many great scholars who were provided shelter here with the munificence of the benevolent Tanjore Maratha king Shahaji.

Hence its ancient name of Shahajipuram.

Sridhara Venkatesha was perhaps oneof the most prominent residents here, due to his learning, his intense dispassion towards all worldly possessions and his devotion to the almighty. Originally hailing from a family of learned scholars of Mysore, whose father was a prominent personality in the palace, he displayed remarkable brilliance and leaning towards matters spiritual right from childhood. Voluntarily giving up what could have been a life of power, prestige and riches, he chose to embark on a journey towards the divine.

His travels took him to various places, including Thanjavur where he earned the respect and admiration of King Shahaji.

From there he finally settled down in Tiruvisainallur. 

Ayyaval’s approach to spiritual upliftment was simple. That of chanting the divine names and attributes.

He was one of the three progenitors of this ‘Namasankirtan or Bhajana’ movement, the other two being Bodhendra Saraswati and Sadguruswami.

This activity, while arresting the straying mind purifies and uplifts it towards higher spiritual verities.

 Ayyaval saw the same God in all living beings. Many are the miracles attributed to thissaintly being who performed them in a spirit of supplication to the Lord, not out of any desire for gaining popularity or material gains.

The silence in this village transports one to higher realms as one sits before the sanctum housing the sacred image of this godly personality.

The small well in the adjoining courtyard tells its own story of an overflowing Ganga who heeded the call of Ayyaval  to absolve him of his perceived ‘sin’ of feeding a low caste man before the priests could be fed during the annual death ceremonies of his ancestors.

Sridhara Venkatesha Ayyaval chose to draw the curtains on his earthly stage, fervently appealing to the Lord “I have donned many roles and have been dancing before you for long. Pray, relieve me now” as he merged into the sacred Shivalingam of Lord
Mahalingeshwara at Tiruvidaimarudur on the opposite bank of the Cauvery.