Nambiyandar Nambi(10th century AD) was a Shaivite saint and scholar of Tamil Nadu who has compiled the wonderful songs of Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. Nambiyandar Nambi was born in the town of Thirunaraiyur into the family of priest community, and he was a staunch devotee of Lord Vinayaka.
It is believed that during his young age, in order to appreciate his bhakti, Lord Vinayaka (Pollapillayar) himself had emerged from his idol, and ate the tasty Holy Prasad items offered by him. This Vinayakar is called as “POLLAPILLAYAR”, and this PollaPillayar Temple is located in Thirunaraiyur, Cuddalore District, at Tamil Nadu. Here Lord Vinayaka is also called as Sundara Pillayar, since Lord Vinayaka looks very beautiful and excellent in appearance, and he also acts as the child for the issueless couples. In order to recollect the wonderful divine incident, Sri Nambi has written a nice poem in praise of Sri Pollapillyar, and the poem came to be known as “SRI POLLAPILLAYAR PAAMALAI”, and some of the contents present in that wonderful poem are as follows:-
I offer my humble prayers to Lord Ganesha. You are the one who is very beautiful, who has appeared before me, and willingly ate the Prasad items offered by me. You are the one, who would appear before your devotees like Sri Vallala and Purushundi, in order to enlighten them.
I offer my humble prayers to the supreme Lord Ganesha. After seeing your beautiful elephant face, I forget even to eat and sleep, and I have been occupied with full of your memories only. After my death, I don’t want to live even in the divine worlds like Vaikunta and Swarka Loka, since I always feel proud to live under your lotus feet only. You wore beautiful garland of flowers and jewels, you contain the lotus liked eyes and your head is decorated with a beautiful golden crown. During my next darshan, I am ready to offer you sweets like laddus and appams, apart from your favourite dish Mothakam, after getting permission from my father.
I offer my humble prayers to my dearest Lord Ganesha. You are very bright and your face looks like the bright sun. You are the purest among the pure, richest among the rich, beautiful among the beauty and you are the best Shivagana among the Ganas.
I offer my humble prayers to the first god Lord Ganesha. If your superiority cannot be fully explained even by your parents, Lord Shiva and Parvati, and then how would I be able to explain about your significance fully?
I offer my humble prayers to the pretty Lord Ganesha. After seeing you, I have become more and more saintly and I am not interested in any worldly affairs, I am very much interested to do deep meditation on you even without taking food and water.
I offer my humble prayers to the kind Lord Ganesha. You have been blessed with good knowledge, wisdom and immortality. Those who recite your name even once in a day, would be filled with happiness, would forget their worries, and they would cheerfully dance and dance with great peace of mind. Those who circumambulate you would be considered as if they have circumambulated the entire universe itself.
I offer my sincere prayers to the excellent Lord Ganesha. You have been praised by various Sages, saints, Kings, Queens, Humans, gods and goddesses, and, by your devotees, and you dwell on all of the objects present in the universe, and we can find your divine presence even in the small insects like ants.
I offer my honest prayers to the marvellous Lord Ganesha. Those who recite your Mantras are to be considered as if they have recited the Mantras of all other deities. And those who thinks about you, chants your names, sing songs in praise of you, would get the divine nectar directly from the heaven, and they would attain immortality. Those who worship you sincerely and build a temple for you on their souls are to be considered as your true devotees, and they are to be honoured similar to you. Oh! My Dear Ganesha, You are the most favourite god and guru for me.
“OM SRI GANESHAYA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR