When Vandiya Devan entered the astrologer’s house for this the second time, an amazing pleasant feeling filled his heart. It was here in this small cottage that he had seen Younger Pirati Kundavai for the first time. He had stood stunned on seeing her lotus like face, her dark big eyes widened in surprise; it was in this house that he had heard her honeysweet voice. Wave after wave of that memory rushed into his soul. Sweetness filled his ears; a sweetness in his heart; the whole body thrilled with sweetness!
The astrologer was making ready for evening puja-prayer services. Upon seeing him, “Come young man, come! Are you not Vallavarayan, a noble of the Vaanar Clan?” he welcomed.
“Yes Mr. Astrologer. Even if your predictions are helter-skelter, neither here nor there, your memory skills are fantastic,” said Vandiya Devan.
“Thambi, in order to practice astrology, one should have a very good memory: planets, stars, dasa-bhukti periods of time, signs of fortune and mishap – these occur in a million combinations. One has to remember all that and then calculate based on the year, month, day, hour of time, split second, hundredth of a unit of time, and then give advice. Let that be as it may; you said that my predictions were neither here nor there. What did you mean by that? Did nothing that I predicted for you come true?” asked that Astrologer.
“Isn’t there a way to predict that too from your astrology?”
“Yes, yes, there are ways: we can find out by astrology or by guessing. What I predicted for you must have come true! Otherwise, will you come back to my humble cottage?”
“Yes, your predictions did come true!”
“Tell it like that! In what way did they come true dear man?”
“Whatever you predicted for me came true exactly! You said, ‘your mission may be fruitful; or it may not.’ It did happen exactly like that; I shouldn’t say happened, it came hurrying, hurrying hastily away from me!”
“Thambi, you are a big jokester!”
“Very true, yes, I am a jokester; and also, a little infuriated.”
“When entering this cottage, you must bundle all your fury and leave it outside.”
“I was planning to do so. I did not see your student outside. If I leave my bundle of anger on the outside porch, what if someone came by and stole it? Mr. Astrologer, where is your disciple? I vividly remember how he tried to stop me outside your house, the last time I was here.”
“Today is the new-moon day of Aippasi month. He must have gone to the banks of river Kollidam.”
“What has the new moon got to do with Kollidam?”
“Today is the Grand Convention of Kaalaa-mukha supporters. My disciple is an adherent of Kaalaa-mukha beliefs.”
“Mr. Astrologer, I have been thinking about giving up my Saiva faith.”
“And after giving it up, …?”
“Remember your friend Mr. Azlvar-adiyan Nambi ….?”
“Are you speaking of Thirumalai?
“I plan to take initiation from him; cover my whole body with namam marks of Veera Vaishnavas and convert.”
“Why is that?”
“I had seen some Kaalaa-mukha Saivas. Saw some of them even on the way here. After seeing them and seeing the skulls that they carry, I felt like giving up Saiva faith.”
“Thambi, you are a veteran of so many wars and battlefields; why are you afraid of skulls?”
“Not frightened; disgusted. Where is the connection between killing enemies on the battlefield and wearing garlands of human skulls?”
“Didn’t your liege lord Prince Aditya Karikala, cut off Veera-Pandiyan’s head and bring it in a procession?”
“He did that because he had taken some sort of an oath. But later he regretted it very much. Even he, did not garland himself with human skulls. He did not wander about carrying it in his hand. Why do these Kaalaa-mukhas do this?”
“They do that in order to never forget that life does not last forever. You and I do not hesitate to wear the ashen marks. Why do we do so? We do that to never forget that this human body is impermanent; one day, this body too shall turn in to ashes.”
“A human body does not last forever. It burns down to ashes or becomes one with the earth in which it is buried. But divine Lord Shiva’s form is no such thing. Why is he shown carrying a human skull?”
“Thambi, the skull head in Lord Shiva’s hand represents Pride. It shows that if one over comes pride, one would attain a state of bliss. Lord Shiva dances in bliss –ananda thandava -- with the skull in his hand.”
“Why is the skull said to represent pride? I do not understand.”
“There are still many things that you do not comprehend, Thambi. For now, understand how a skull came to represent pride. Lords Brahma and Vishnu became very proud once upon a time. They quarreled saying ‘I am the greatest, I am the greatest.’ Lord Shiva came amidst them and said, “One of you go find the top of my head and the other go find the bottom of my feet. Whoever comes back first after the search is the greatest between you two.’ Lord Maha Vishnu took the form of a mighty boar and tunneled through the worlds trying to find Shiva’s feet. Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and flew high above the skies. Lord Vishnu, came back and spoke the truth saying he could not find Shiva’s feet. Lord Brahma came back and lied that he had seen the top of Shivas head. Lord Shiva punished him for the lie, by plucking one of his five heads. Brahma lied because of pride and because of lying he lost his head; his head came to be a symbol for pride.”
Thinking of something, Vandiya Devan burst forth in hearty laughter.
“What have you seen to laugh like this Thambi?”
“I have not seen anything to laugh about. Thought of something and laughed.”
“What is that? What did you think about, there is no secret about it, is there?”
“There is no secret. If I were to be punished in the fashion Brahma was punished, I will need to have at least ten thousand heads. That is what made me laugh.”
“You have spoken that many falsehoods, have you?”
“Yes Mr. Astrologer, it must be destined in my horoscope chart. After meeting Prince Ponni’s Beloved, I made a decision only to speak the truth. At one time I spoke a very important truth. Those who heard laughed. None believed me.”
“Yes Thambi. The times are bad these days; people don’t even believe lies; how will they believe truths?”
“Perhaps your astrology is in the same situation. Mr. Astrologer, do you remember what you said about Prince Arulmozli? Did you not say that Ponni’s Beloved Prince was like the Pole star always shining steadily in the northern horizon?”
“Yes, I said that. So what?”
“Have you not heard the news about him?”
“The Pole star will not drown in the ocean. Sometimes clouds may hide even a steadfast star. Even today, clouds rumble in the north. Tonight, you cannot see the Pole star however much you try. Does it mean that the star is lost?”
“And that is what you are saying. Do you know any true news about the Prince?”
“How can I know anything? The rumor is that you were the last person who jumped into the ocean with him. If anything, you should be the one who knows something. I was thinking of asking you about that.”
Vandiya Devan wished to change the topic, “Sir, how is the comet these days? he asked.
“It can be seen late in the night with its tail extending to a great length. From now the length must decrease. If any accident were to happen because of this Dhoomaketu comet, it is likely to happen very soon now. Gracious God! What harm is likely to fall upon which among the royal nobles?” worried the astrologer.
Vandiya Devan’s brain raced very quickly, here and there. Emperor Sundara Chozla, paralyzed and bedridden in Tanjavur, Prince Arulmozli gripped by a shivering poison fever on a sickbed at Nagaipattinam, Prince Aditya Karikala heading to Kadamboor Fort to meet Nandini, Prince Madurandaka eager to rule the kingdom and disliked by the angry masses, Nandini caressing the killing sword she had in her hands – all paraded through his thoughts.
“Forget all that Mr. Astrologer. Why worry about the affairs of royalty? Tell me about this mission on which I am going. How will it end? “
“I will have to repeat what I had told you before. You will encounter many catastrophes; you will get unexpected help to overcome all those difficulties,” said the astrologer.
Vandiya Devan began to wonder if what was approaching outside would be a calamity or a help, for at that time several voices both male and female were heard outside. Both he and the astrologer turned to look outside. Lady Vanathi and her maid, entered in the next instant. Vandiya Devan stood up and spoke respectfully, “My Lady, forgive me. If I had known that you were coming here, I would not have come.
***