Paranjothi
7th century Indian army general and monk
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Paranjothi (Tamil: பரஞ்சோதி), popularly known as Sirruthondar was an army general of the great Pallava king Narasimavarman I who ruled South India from 630–668 CE. He also led the Pallava army during the invasion of Vatapi in 642 CE. In the later years of his life, Paranjothi gave up violence and became a wandering Saivite monk, Sirruthonda nayanar. He is venerated as one of the 63 Nayanmars.[1]
Early life
Paranjothi, was of the Pallava dynasty with Kanchipuram as its capital.[2][3] Paranjothi, who had mastered the art of war moves to Kanchipuram to learn literature and saivite scriptures, Kanchipuram was then a renowned knowledge capital in India.[4][5]
Conquest of Vatapi in 642 AD
King Mahendravarman I, impressed by the courage and valour of Paranjothi appointed him as a commander in his army.[6] After the death of Mahendravarman in 630 CE, his son Narasimavarman became the ruler of the Pallava dynasty and Paranjothi became his army general. Paranjothi was also a close friend of king Narasimavarman. Paranjothi as a trusted general of Narasimavarman, led his forces to Vatapi in 642 CE for war against the Chalukya king, Pulakeshin. Pulakeshin was killed in the battle and Vatapi was burnt to the ground to avenge the defeat of Mahendravarman by Pulakeshin in the battle of Pullalur in 618 CE.[7]
Vatapi Ganapathi
During the dawn of war, Paranjothi worshipped a Ganesha sculpture on the walls of Vatapi fort. On the return from the victorious battlefield, he took the statue of Ganesha to his birthplace Tiruchenkattankudi to be worshipped as Vatapi Ganapathi. The statue and shrine to Vathapi Ganapathi is located in a temple in Tiruchenkattankudi in Nagapattinam district in the Tamil Nadu state of India.[8]
Second Expendition to Vatapi
During the reign of Parameshwaravarman l vikramaditya invade kanchi and defeated Pallavas but parameshwaravarman gather his forces and drove out Vikramaditya in 675 AD in the battle of Peruvallanallur and even parameshwaravarman l counter Invasion Against chalukyas which led by Paranjothi. Paranjothi is said have second expendition to Vatapi and it's sacked again. In this campaign Pallava army led by Paranjothi successful encounter with Vinayadiya and vijayaditya the Son and Grandson of Vikramaditya . Then return to much booty after the Campaign [9][10][11][12][13][14]
Siruthondar
On the victorious battle field Paranjothi underwent a change of heart and devoted himself to Lord Shiva. Paranjothi became an ardent devotee of Lord Siva and was then called as Siruthondar (meaning : Small Devotee). He later became one of 63 Nayanmar Saints. Siruthondar's life and devotion are narrated in Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam.[15][16]
In popular culture
Several Kongu section of Senguntha Kaikolars or Mudaliars have Irayamangalam, the descendant of Paranjothi Nayanar as their guru.[17][18] His seat is at Irayamangalam by the Kaveri in the Namakkal District.
Paranjothi is one of the prominent characters in Tamil historical fiction novel Sivagamiyin Sapatham by Kalki Krishnamurthy. This talks about the young years of Pranjothi where he raises in the ranks of the Pallava army and becomes the army general, his deeds in securing the Kachi fort from the imminent Vatapi invasion, his war on Vatapi Pulikesi and his eventual win over the Chalukyas.[19]