Andal- a vaishnavite goddess? ( A repost )

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adi_shakthi16

 

There lived in srivilliputtur in southern Tamilnadu, a priest named

to Perialwar. it is believed perialwar discovered an infant girl in

his garden under a tulasi tree and named her " kothai"

 

The priest perialwar showered all love on his his foster daughter and

the little girl learned all the ways of worshipping lord rangnathar

from her father. she spent her time assisting her father in serving

the Srivilliputtur temple, and in meditating upon Vishnu, with the

desire of being his bride. Assigned the task of making garlands for

the presiding deity at Srivilliputtur, with flowers picked from the

grove in which she was discovered, Kodai would try out the garland on

herself, without the knowledge of her foster father, and only then

have it sent to the temple. Upon discovering a strand of hair on a

garland meant for the presiding deity, a distraught Periaalwaar

suspended the offering of the garland to the temple. It is said that

the presiding deity of Srivilliputtur appeared in the saint poet's

dream, and revealed to him that he actually preferred garlands that

had been pre-worn by Kodai. Realizing that Kodai's purpose in life

was a special one, Periyaalwaar named her 'Aandaal' or Soodikkodutta

Naachiyaar, and looked upon her as an incarnation of Divinity.

 

When Periyaalwaar, attempted to find a groom for the nubile Aandaal,

she thwarted his efforts with the assertion that she was destined to

be the bride of none other than Maha Vishnu. She urged him to

describe to her the attributes of Vishnu enshrined in several of the

shrines that he knew of. Upon hearing of Vishnu enshrined at Sri

Rangam, Aandaal decided that she was to become the bride of Vishnu's

manifestation of Ranga Mannaar at Sri Rangam.

 

Aandaal then spent her youth in purposeful pursuit of her aim to

realize oneness with Maha Vishnu - Ranga Naathar (i.e. to become his

bride). Her literary masterpieces Tiruppaavai and Naachiyaar

Tirumozhi exhibit the passion expressed by a lover yearning for her

beloved, and the rigorous penance of Paavai Nonbu, undertaken to

achieve her surreal objective.

 

In Tiruppaavai, Aandaal visualizes Srivilliputtur as Brindavanam, the

grand temple there as the home of Nandagopan, and the presiding deity

of Srivilliputtur as Krishna.

 

Perhaps, one of the most romantic works of Aandaal is Kanaakkanden

Tozhi, in which - she narrates in vivid detail, her dream of marrying

Narayanan (Vishnu). This is a celebrated work - an essential part of

the Sree Vaishnavite liturgy, chanted during wedding rituals even

today, in a manner similar to the recitation of Vedic hymns.

 

Legend has it that Ranganathar appeared in Periyaalwaar's dream and

directed him to bring his bride Aandaal to the temple at Srirangam,

where he would marry her. Following the divine ordinance,

Periyaalwaar led Aandaal in a bridal procession to the grand temple

at Srirangam, where Aandaal walked in with a sense of purpose and

disappeared into the sanctum of the temple.

 

The colorful story of Aandaal has its parallels, with the much more

known legends associated with the more recent Saint Poetess Mirabai

of North Western India. Both these poets are known for their

inspiring poetry as well as their passion for Krishna. While Mirabai

lived upto a ripe old age, singing praises of Krishna, visiting

shrines associated with the life of Krishna, Aandaal of South India,

is said to have merged with her consort at Srirangam, as a young

bride. The only two Sree Vaishnavite shrines directly associated with

Aandaal are Srivilliputtur and Srirangam, although she has referred

to Mathura, Brindavanam (Aaippaadi), Tirukkannapuram, Azhagar Koyil,

Tirupati, Dwarka in her Tamil hymns.

 

Aandaal is regarded as more than a saint or a poet, although she is

considered to be one of the Aalwaars, by virtue of her contribution

in Tamil verse - to Sree Vaishnavite liturgy. Aandaal is regarded as

Bhu Devi - or Mother Earth, the consort of Vishnu, and a shrine to

Aandaal adorns several of the Sree Vaishnavite shrines. She is also

regarded as a symbol of the strength of womanhood, a person with a

sense of sublime purpose, complemented with a strong determination to

attain the purpose successfully. An acknowledgement of these virtues

is reflected in the belief that prevails that reliving this

determination, through the chanting of the Tiruppaavai hymns would

aid one in attaining their objectives.

 

from web sources