An ancient temple is SwAmimalai
Accessible by rail and road,
Better known also as Gurumalai
It is MurugA’s fourth abode.
To this treed shrine folk do flock,
The tree is a gooseberry;
Hence the name for this hillock
Indeed is Daathrigiri!
Now hear the story quite exquisite
How Gurumalai came to be;
For Brahma during his Kailash visit
Walked past Kumaran you see!
How dare he! Ranted his lordship wild,
Can such a “halo of hollowness” roam?
So imprisoned him did the divine child
For he knew not the meaning of Aum!
Further without any compunction
He broke the celestial norm;
Usurping BrahmA’s prime function
That he began to perform!
Now come, dear child- is this fair
To take thus the creator to task?
PraNava mantra won't you share,
Or do you know it? - Siva did ask!
With an impish smile came the reply tact:
“Oh I well know what it does mean;
But can I be sure that ‘you’ in fact
From me are not trying to glean??
The mantra if you wish I will tell
But you must bow, accept and learn,
That I am the master to YOU as well
And you are my disciple in turn.”
The pleased lord did then realise
His son to be no mortal sage,
And that ‘respect’ to the guru wise
Must be paid irrespective of age!
So father and son reversed roles fine
However strange it be or odd;
Yes, in SwAmimalai did the son divine
Become the Teacher of the Lord!
Interestingly here he does reside
With one consort alone,
No wise VaLLi to be his guide
Or peacock for his throne.
Instead we see IndirA’s gift
“AirAvatam” - the elephant white;
For his release from Asuras swift
By Murugan the valorous knight.
Master of all - he gently condones,
“Swum” meaning “One who owns”;
So come, come and see where it all began
Where “Child is indeed the Father of Man”!
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Swamimalai
