THE HINDU article on Tiruppavai part 5 of 5

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Tiruppaavai-the soul's quest

 

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07-01-1996 :: Pg: 36 :: Col: a

 

Cl: Religion

 

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The concluding article in the series by S. SWAMINATHAN on

Andaal's garland of verse.

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THE thirty hymns which together constitute Sri Andaal's

Tiruppavai bring out the spiritual ardour of an earnest devotee

of God. There is little doubt that the hymns represent Bhakthi in

its most chastened form. The craving for personal boons is not

what the prayer of the cowherds in Tiruppaavai is all about. The

yearning, instead, is for eternal service to God with the devotee

surrendering himself/herself unconditionally to the will of God.

 

The lyrics in Tiruppavai (which is believed to belong to

the ninth century A. D.) represent Tamil literature of vintage

tracing its lineage to the hoary Sangam age. An amazing majority

of these words are still very much a part of spoken and written

Tamil. A more amazing feature of the hymns is that they represent

Tamil at a stage of evolution when Sanskritic influence had not

yet crept in.

 

Learned commentaries on Tiruppavai dwell on the

philosophical import of each hymn which is not directly

discernible from the words used but which is often derived from

association of words with concepts which belong to religious

doctrine. Diverse as these interpretations are, there can be

little doubt that Tiruppavai is an exemplification of

Visistaavaita which holds that the devotee and the Lord are of

the same cosmic spiritual unity and that the best means for God-

realisation is intense obedience and devotion.

 

Hymn 25

 

Oruththi maganaai-p-pirandhu or iravil

Oruththi maganaai oliththu valara

Tharikkilaanaagi-th-thaan theengu ninaindha

Karuththai pizhai-p-iththu kanjan vayittril

Neruppenna ninra nedumaley! Unnai

Aruththithu vandhom parai tharudhi yaagil

Thiruththakka selvamum sevakamum yampaadi

Varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhu el or empaavaai.

 

Oh Lord of the three worlds! Born of the matchless Queen

Devaki, you were taken on the same night in concealment to

Gokulam, to be brought up by another peerless noble woman,

Yasodha. The evil King Kamsa who would not bear the thought of

your growing up, tried many stratagems to harm you. But you

foiled all his wily schemes virtually tormenting him like in his

stomach. We have come to beseech you for favours. If only you

could condescend to give us the drum, we would sing extolling

your great prosperity befitting your consort, Mahaalakshmi and 93

your valorous deeds. And then we will rejoice with all our pining

coming to an end.

 

Hymn 26

 

Maaley! Manivanna! Maargazhi neeraaduvaam

Melayaar seivanangal venduvana ketliyel

Gnalath-thai ellaam nadunga muralvana

Paalanna Vannathu un Paanchajanyamey

Polvana sangangal poi-p-paadu udaiyanave

Saalap-perum paraiyey pallaandu isaipparey

Kola vilakkey kodiyey vidhaaname

Aalin ilayai! Arul el or empaavai.

 

God, you are the embodiment of pure love for your

devotees! Oh Lord with the fascinating blue colour of Saphire!

Please listen to us as we prepare ourselves for the sacred river-

bath in the serene month of Maargazhi! In keeping with the

traditions set up by our great forbears, we require, for our

austerities, conches similar to your Paanchajanya, shining white

like milk and which produces sound that threatens to shatter the

entire universe. Also big drums, a group of musicians who would

sing your glories, decorative lamps, flags and canopies. Lord,

the light of the race of cowherds! You who recline on the banyan

leaf, as a child, at the time of the great deluge, please grant

us our request!

 

Hymn 27

 

Koodaarai vellum seer Govindaa! Unthannai

Paadi-p-paraikondu yaamperu sammaanam

Naadu pugazhum parisinaal nanraaga

Choodagame thol valaye thoday sevi-p-poovay

Paadagame enranaya pallalanum yaam anivom

Aadai uduppom adhanpinnay paar choru

Mooda nei peidhu muzhangai vazhivaara-k

Koodi irundhu kulirndhu el or empaavai.

 

Oh Lord! The protector of cows! You overwhelm your

enemies with your valour and virtues! The rewards we get by

singing your praise and getting the drum (for spreading your

word) are no less than those which the whole country commends us

for. Now that our austerities have borne fruit, we shall bedeck

ourselves with sparkling jewellery bangles, armlets, anklets and

ear-rings. We shall dress ourselves in lovely robes. And then,

with Nappinnai and yourself, we shall sit down for a gorgeous

meal of rice cooked in milk and suffused with ghee. That will be

our bliss!

 

Hymn 28

 

Karavaigal pinsenru gaanam serndhu unbhom

Arivonrum illaadha aai-kulaththu unthamai

Piravi Perunthanai punniyam yaanudaiyom

Kurai onrum illaadha Govindaa! Un thannodu p73

Uravel namakku ingu ozhikka ozhiyaadhu

Ariyaadha pillaikalom anbinaal unthannai

Siruper azhaiththanavum seeri arulaadhe

Iraivaa! Nee thaaraai parai el or empaavai.

 

Oh blemishless Lord! What a great blessing for us that

You are one with us! After all, we are unlettered clan of

cowherds who tend cattle, sing carelessly and eat their food in

the open. The bond between You and us can never be dissolved. If

ever we have out of ignorance and our love for you, caused you

hurt by calling you by names which belittle your unbounded

magnificence, please do not take offence. Oh compassionate Lord,

grant us the drum and eternal devotion to you!

 

Hymn 29

 

Sittran sirukaale vandhu unnai seviththu un

Pottraamarai adiye pottrum porul kelaai

Pettram mayththunnum kulaththil

pirandhu nee

Kuttreval engalai kollaamal pogaathu

Ittrai parai kolvaan anru kaann Govindaa!

Ettraikkum ezh-ezh piravikkum un thannodu

Uttrome yaavom unakke naam aatcheivom!

Mathai nam kaamangal maattru el or

empaavaai.

 

Oh Lord Govinda (Krishna)! Why have we come so early at

dawn to worship You and to adore your lotus feet? You have taken

birth in our cowherd community and You live amidst us who tend

cattle for a living. It is only proper that you permit us to

render our humble service to You. It is not only today that we

would seek your grace but in all our births to come. You and You

alone we shall ever be committed to in servitude. Everything else

is of no concern to us.

 

Hymn 30

 

Vanga-k-kadal kadaindha

maadhavanai kesavanai

Thingal Thirumugathu seyizhayaar senru irainji

Anga-p-paraikonda aattrai ani puduvai

Painkamala thantheriyal pattar piraan

kothai sonna

Sangath-thamizhmaalai muppadum thappaame

Ingi-p-parisuraippaar eerindu maalvarai-th-tholl

Senkann thirumugaththu selvaththirumaalaal

Engum thiruvarul pettru inburuvar em paavaai.

 

This garland of thirty verses in classical chaste Tamil,

celebrating the devotional fervour of the beautiful cowherd women

who worshipped Naaraayana, variously incarnating Himself as

Maadhava (the Lord who churned the ocean of milk) and Kesava (the

Lord who slayed the demon Kesi), has been strung together by

Kothai, the daughter of Periaazhwaar, who belongs to the lovely p73

place called Srivillipuththur.

 

All those who recite these hymns with passion and

sincerity are bound to receive the favour of Naaraayana, the Lord

with four mighty arms and resplendent face with crimson eyes.

Theirs will be joy eternal and bliss manifold.

 

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S. SWAMINATHAN

 

 

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