Background:

et us now turn our attention a little to Sri Sridhara Ayyaavaal’s family background.  He originally belonged to Mysore.  His father, Sri Lingaraya was a minister in the court of the King of Mysore.  He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva.  He was a person of good repute owing to his learning & wisdom.  It is said that he had a very commanding personality.  He was also well learned as regards the Shaastras and deep in his heart had kept himself detached from the affairs of the world.  In course of time, he was married to a girl who came from a very noble family.  Named as Sridhara Venkatesha, Sri Ayyavaal was born to this illustrious couple in course of time.  Sri Ayyaaval grew up to be a very pleasant young boy and at an early age, was already well versed in shaastras & the vedas.   In due course of time, Sri Ayyaavaal was married to Sow. Lakshmi.  Soon after, his father attained his heavenly abode.  Sri Ayyaavaal performed the funeral rites of his father, as prescribed by the shaastraas, for a full year.   The Maharaja of Mysore was aware of Sri Ayyavaal’s capabilities and offered him the post of Dewan of Mysore. 

Ayyaavaal the bhakta:

ri Ayyaavaal was so steeply involved in his Shiva Bhakti that he did not want any interference to the same.  He therefore politely reclined the offer.

        There was this urge in Sri Ayyavaal to plunge deeper into his pursuit of bhakti and this urge prompted him to move out of Mysore.   He did not have any attachment to either his ancestral property or even the wealth that his father had left for him.  He preferred to rather go around singing the names of the lord and lead a simple life by taking ‘Unchavritti’.   However, by then, he was already married and had an aging mother, both of whom were dependant on him.  He needed to therefore assess their response before he commenced on his mission.  He said to his wife “Oh beloved, you belong to a respectable family and are very well acquainted with what the shaastraas say about the right conduct of a woman as also about stree dharma.   You have been married off to me, who belongs to a respectable family.  I am also aware that you will abide by wishes and shall not act in any manner that would go against it.  However, you would be very well aware by now that I do not possess any attachment to wealth, money, property etc.   I have stayed thus long in the midst of all this as per the wishes of my father, who is now no more with us.  I would now like to take up what I cherished the most ; distribute all this wealth and leave for a pilgrimage, observe the Unchavritti Dharma & do bhakti for the rest of my life.  What do you feel about my decision?".

The pious pativrata that she was, she said: “My lord, you should not speak to me thus.  I am always by your side and shall abide by your decisions.   What is the use of even a hundred sons or any amount of wealth for a woman, if her husband is not by her side?  You need not even ask my opinion in such matters.  I shall follow your tenets without any question or doubt in my mind”.  Needless to mention, this reply from his wife gladdened Sri Ayyaavaal who now proceeded to get his mother’s approval.  He said to her  “Oh Mother, Mysore is a treasure-house of wealth.  My father who was a minister in the court of the Maharaja earned a lot of affection & respect from all the people over here owing to his qualities of righteousness & unswerving and steadfast adherence to the path of Dharma.  I consider it a great fortune that I was born to parents such as you.  It is surely a result of  ‘Poorva Punya’.  However, my mind is not attracted to all this wealth and I would like to rather spend my days in devotion to god.  I would like to take up ‘Unchavrutti’ & delve deeper into the Bhakti maarga.  However, I also consider it wrong to take such a step without your approval; the shaastraas also do not approve of the same. Hence I request your blessings in this matter”.  On hearing this statement from Sri Sreedhara Ayyaavaal, her feelings were akin to that of Kausalya when Rama said to her that he was proceeding to the forest.  At the same time, she also felt proud of her son because what he wanted to pursue was something that an ordinary man would not dare to even think of.   She said “My Son, what you intend to achieve is indeed great & virtuous.  I am convinced that I keep thinking about you as my son only due to the effect of Maya whereas in reality you must be the Lord Parameshwaraa himself.  Else, how could you have attained dispassion at such an young age?  While you have expressed to me your desire, you have not asked me to accompany you.   A woman has to depend on her son when her husband is no more by her side.   Early in life, her father takes care of her before giving her away in marriage.  Her husband guards her in her days of youth and her son protects her in her old age.  Therefore I too shall accompany you”.  Sri Ayyavaal was again glad to receive this reply.  He picked up his Unchavrutti Sootram and Akshaya Paatram and left his house with this wife and mother.  He declared that he no more had any ownership on his property and wealth & that it was now free for anybody who wanted it.  The people in whose midst Sri Ayyaavaal had spent his life right from his childhood till this moment were overcome with grief when the news of Sri Ayyaavaal’s resolve reached their ears.   They had recognised the great soul that Sri Ayyaavaal was and his absence would be a personal loss to one and all. They pleaded with him to stay back and continue his spiritual pursuits from Mysore itself.  He was however steadfast in his resolve bade them goodbye and the people of Mysore including the Maharaja gave him a tearful farewell.