As he descended from the lake shore and rode his horse along the path to the south, Vandhiyathevan's heart danced with joy like a boat dancing on the waves of the lake. The hidden joy of his heart was overflowing. His intuition told him that the time was near when he would have such wonderful experiences that no one else in life had ever seen. Isn't there such a jubilation when approaching Chola Nadu? After crossing Kollidam, what will be the water and land resources of that Chola country? What about the people and women living in that country? How many rivers? How many ponds? How many streams? What will be the view of Ponni Nadhi sung in poets and epics? What a delightful sight the Punnai trees, Konnai trees and Kadamba trees blooming on its banks! What a pleasant sight it would be to see vases and kumudas beckoning in the streams, and red lotuses greeting them with smiles! How beautiful must be the magnificently carved temples erected by the rich Chola dynasty on both banks of the river Cauvery?
Aha! Pazhaiyarai Nagar! The capital of the Chola kings! Pazhaiyarai has reduced Poompuhar and Uraiyur into small hamlets! What would the palaces, towers, barracks, bazaars, Shiva temples, and the heavenly hands of Tirumal look like? Vandhiyathevan had heard that in those temples, musicians would be delighted to hear Thevaram songs and Thiruvaimozhi hymns sung in melodious voices. Is this the only thing he will soon have the good fortune to hear? He was going to get some blessings that he had not even dreamed of until a few days ago. Paranthaka Sundara Chola Maharaja who equalled Velan in valour and Cupid in beauty is going to meet Maharaja face to face. Is that all? He is also going to see his beloved daughter Narimani and Kundavai stateswoman.
But there should be no obstacles on the way. What if there is any obstacle? He has a spear in his hand. There is a sword in the sheath hanging from the waist; There is a shield in the chest; There is manure in the heart. But the Mahadanda Nayaka, Prince Aditya, has put a big stumbling block; Don't quarrel with anyone before you have accomplished what you have promised. It was the most difficult thing to carry out that command. Something had been accomplished when I had traveled all this way. Is there only two days left to travel? Until then, you have to be patient.
Vandhiyathevan, who was on his way with the intention of reaching Kadampoor before Aadhavan disappeared, approached the Veera Narayanapura Vinnagara temple in a short time.
Since the Aadi Tirumanjanam festival was also celebrated that day, a large crowd had gathered in the groves of trees around the temple.
There were shops selling jack rolls, bananas, sugarcane sticks, and all kinds of confectionery. Some were selling flowers on the heads of women, lotus buds worshipped by the gods, etc. Some people were throwing coconut, tender coconut, akhil, sandalwood, betel leaves, jaggery, rice and pori. There was no shortage of astrologers, astrologers, fortune tellers, and poisonous bites. Vandhiyathevan, who was watching all this, noticed that a large crowd was standing in one place and that someone was arguing loudly from within the crowd. He was curious to know what was being discussed. He could not contain his curiosity. He stopped his horse by the side of the road outside the crowd and got down. He patted his horse to a halt, signaled it, and went in, breaking through the crowd.
To his surprise, there were only three people arguing. But though there were only three members of the debater, many in the audience occasionally raised slogans in support of the party of their respective plaintiffs. Vandhiyathevan knew that was why there was so much noise. Then he noticed what discussion was going on.
One of the three arguing was a Vaishnava devotee Shikhamani who wore sandal paste all over his body and had a tuft of hair on his head. He also had a stick in his hand. He was short and short with diamonds. The other was a Shiva devotee who wore a stripe of sacred thread all over his body. The third man was dressed in saffron robes and had his head shaved. It turned out that he was neither a Vaishnava nor a Saivite, but an Advaita Vedanti who transcended both.
Saivar said: "Oh, Azhvarkadiyan Nambi! Answer this! Did Brahma try to see the hair of Lord Shiva and Tirumal tried to see the feet or not? Did both of them come and surrender at the feet of Lord Shiva or not? In that case, how can your Thirumal be a greater deity than Lord Siva?"
Hearing this, Azhvarkadiyan Nambi waved his stick and said, "Okay, you will see! Veera Saiva Padathooli Pattare! Stop your talking! Didn't your Lord Shiva grant boons to Dasakanda Ravana, the king of Lanka? Didn't all those boons crumble in front of the Kodanda of Lord Rama, the incarnation of our Lord Vishnu? In that case, how can your Siva be a greater deity than our Tirumal?"
At this point, the saffron-robed Advaita monk intervened and said, "Why are you two arguing in vain? No matter how long you argue about whether Shiva is a bigger deity or Vishnu is a bigger deity, the issue will not be resolved. The answer to this question is given by the Vedanta. Only as long as you remain on the low path of devotion, you will fight over Shiva and Vishnu. Above devotion is the path of knowledge. Above knowledge, there is something called knowledge. Once that stage is reached, there is neither Shiva nor Vishnu. Sarvam Brahmamayam Jagat. Sri Sankara Bhagavath Paadacharya has said in the Brahma Sutra Bhashya that ..."
At this time Azhvarkadiyan Nambi interrupted and said, "All right, see, stop! Do you know what your Shankaracharya said at the end after writing bhashyas for so many Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutra?
Three-quartered said. It was only after looking at Maudigas like you that Shankaracharya said 'Fool!' and the crowd erupted in a mixture of 'Aha', laughter and applause.
But the sannyasi was not idle. "Oh! Munkudumi Nambi! You are right when you say that I am a fool because you are an empty stick in your hand. Isn't it because of my foolishness that I came to talk to an empty rascal like you?"
"Oh Swami! What I hold in my hand is not an empty stick. It will have the power to break your bald skull at the time of need!" said Azhvarkadiyan and raised the stick in his hand. Seeing this, his party shouted, 'Oho!'
Advaita Swamigal said, "Appan! Hold on! Keep the stick in your hand. Even if you hit me with your stick, I wont be angry about it. I won't get into a fight with you. Beating is also Brahman; It is Brahman who is beaten. If you hit me, you will beat yourself!"
Azhvarkadiyan Nambi said, "Look here, everyone! Brahman is going to be shattered. I am going to attack myself with a stick!" he said and approached Swamigal twirling his stick.
Watching all this, Vallavaraiyan thought for a moment whether he should snatch the stick of that Munkudumi Nambi and slap him four times with that stick.
But suddenly, Swami was gone! He disappeared through the crowd. The Vaishnava group who were watching it cheered even more.
Azhvarkadiyan turned to Veerashaivar and said, "Oi paada thooli pattar! What do you say? Do you want to argue further? Or are you running like Swamiji?"
"Me? I will never run like that mouthpiece. Did you think I was your darling? Isn't your Kannan the one who stole butter from the house of the gopis and was beaten by wine... Before Padathoolipattar could say that, Azhvarkadiyan interrupted. "Why do you see? Have you forgotten that your Paramasivan carried mud to the pit and got hit on the back?" asked Veerashaiva waving his stick and approaching him.
Azhvarkadiyan is a good gundathi thudan. Padathulipattaro, a Veerashaiva, was a lean man.
Those who had been cheering for the above two in the discussion were also getting ready to shake hands.
The thought arose in Vallavarayan's mind to prevent this foolish quarrel.
He stepped forward from where he stood, and said, "Sir, why are you fighting? Don't you have any other job? If you take a day to fight, will you go to Eelanadu? There is a great war going on there?"
Nambi suddenly turned to him and said, "Who is this who has come to give justice!"
Some in the crowd liked Vandhiyathevan's heroic appearance and his handsome facial features.
"Brother! You tell me! Justify these quarrelsomes! We are by your side!" they said.
"I'll tell you what I know. Lord Shiva and Lord Narayana Murthy do not seem to be fighting among themselves. They have been friendly and cordial. In that case, why should this Nambi and Pattar fight?" said Vallavaraiyan and many in the crowd laughed.
Then Veerashaiva Bhatta said, "This child appears to be intelligent. But will the discussion be solved by jokes alone? Let him answer the question whether Lord Shiva is greater than Tirumal or not!"
"Shiva is also a great deity; Tirumal is also a great deity and both are equal deities. Pray to whomever you want, why fight?" said Vallavarayan.
"How can you say that? What is the proof to say that Shiva and Vishnu are equal gods?"
"Proof? Here's what I'm saying! I went to Vaikuntam yesterday evening. At the same time, Paramasivan was also there. Both were seated on equal seats, their height the same. Yet, beyond a doubt, I measured the height of both of them with my hand ..."
"Oh my gosh! Are you joking?" roared Azhvarkadiyan.
The crowd shouted, "Tell me, brother! Tell me!" they shouted.
"They were about the same height when they were measured. Not only that, I asked Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in person. You know what they said? They said, "Hari and Shiva are one, soil in the mouth of the ignorant." Having said that, they gave this handful of soil to put in the mouths of those who quarrel about them!" said Vallavaraiyan and opened his right hand which was closed. There was a handful of sand inside it and he threw it away.
Many of the people in the crowd were very excited and took a handful of soil from the ground head to head and started throwing it on Nambi's head and Pattar's head. Some tried to prevent this wicked act.
"Oh! Messengers? Atheists?" saying Azhvarkadiyan swung his stick and entered the crowd.
There seemed to be a big riot and a fight. Fortunately, at that moment there was a great commotion in the distance.
"Surathi Soorar, Veera Prathapar, Vetrivel Udaiyar who attacked and uprooted Mara Pandian's army, Thirumeniyar who fought in twenty four battles and received sixty four wounds, Chola Nadu treasurer, Dhaniya Pandara Nayakar, Iraivaikum Thevar and the elder Pazhuvertaraiyar are visiting! Barack! Barack! Make way!" came a thunderous prophecy.
Those who prophesied this came first. Then came the drummers. Behind them came the palm tree flag bearers. Then, some soldiers with spears in their hands walked majestically. Behind them was seated on a decorated elephant. The sight of the warrior seated on a mattagaja was like a black kondal resting on a mountain peak.
As all the people in the crowd had come to stand on both sides of the road, Vallavaraiyan also came and watched. He guessed that it was Pazhuvertaraiyar who was on the elephant.
Behind the elephant came a palanquin covered with a silk curtain. Before Vallavaraiyan could think who was inside, a crimson hand with bangles and bracelets, came out of the palanquin and parted the silk curtain of the palanquin. The full moon, covered with clouds, seemed to shine brightly when the veil of clouds lifted, and the face of a woman sparkled in the palanquin.
Though Vallavaraiyan had eyes that rejoiced in the beauty of women's race, even though the woman's face was as golden as the bright full moon, for some reason Vallavaraiyan was not happy to see that face. There was unknown fear and disgust.
At the same time, the woman's eyes stared close to Vallavarayan. The next moment a frightened woman's voice heard a squeak, and the silk curtain of the palanquin closed as before.
Vallavaraiyan looked at his neighborhood. His instinct told him that the woman had seen something or someone near him and squeaked and closed the palanquin curtain. So he looked around. He saw Azhvarkadiyan leaning against a tamarind tree just behind him. He also saw that the face of that brave Vaishnava Nambi had become unspeakable and had become a hideous form. Vallavarayan's heart was filled with unexplained bewilderment and disgust.