Thirumangai AruliccheyalgaL --Part 2

[Guest guest]

Significance of today and tomorrow

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The memories of the Thirunangoor Manjal Neerattal and the

Padinoru Garuda Sevai of the Archa Murthys of

Thirunangoor Divya Desams nudged me to post the sequel to

Part 1 (Thiruvezukkorrurikkai ) of Thirumangai .

Significance of this weekend

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Today is Thai AmaavAsyai and tomorrow is the day of the

Padinoru Garudasevai.Sri Dillepan's forwarded posting of the

two events is moving tribute to the two events related to the

Bhagavad Anubhavam of Thirumangai and the Bhagavata

Anubhavam of Sriman Narayana enshrined at these temples

as well as at Srirangam and Thirukkudanthai. Let us think of the

holy feet of Thirumangai and offer our tribute on this special weekend.

The works of THirumangai

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The Azhwar's works are six in number and have been called the six

Vedangas for the four Tamil Veda Samhitas of Nammazhwar. I am

doing research on the Veda Samhita and Vedanga References . I will

share them with you later. In this and the subsequent postings, I will

attempt to summarize the essence of (1) Siriya Thirumadal and Periya

Thirumadal (2) Thirukkurunthaandakam and the Thirunedumthaandakam.

I will leave the Periya Thirumozhi out, because the upcoming CD ROM

might include references to many verses associated with the Archa

Murthys of the various Divya Desams sung by the Azhwar.

 

Source Literature for the posting

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The source Literature for these studies are:

1. Kamattuppaal: ThirukkuraL

2.Sri P.BAnnagaAcharyAr, Iyarpaa, Divyartha Dipikai, Granthamala Office,

Vishnu Kanchipuram, 1959.

3.Utttamoor Veeraraghavaacchaariyar"s commentary (Prabhanda Rakshai),

Vishitaadvaita Pracharani Sabha, Madras, 1979.

4.K.C.Varadachari, Azhwars of South India, Bhavan Press, 1966

5.The Thirumadals ofTHirumangai, A Study, Dr.R.Gopalakrishnan,

Journal of the Madras University: SectionA: Humanities,September 1983.

6.Naaliyira Divya Prabhandam, Mayilai Madhava Dasan, 1950.

 

The themes& structure of the two Thirumadals: Siriya and Periya Thirumadals

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Invocatory Verse for Siriya Thirumadal

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The Taniyan for this Aruliccheyal is by Pillai Thirunarayoor Arayar.

It is appropriate an Arayar associated with Thirunarayoor is the

author of this Taniyan inview of the special role played by the

Archamurthy of Thirunarayoor( Sugnada Giri Nambi) ).

 

The Taniyan is as follows:

 

MuLLicchezhumalaroh taaraan muLaimadhiyam

KoLLikkennuLLam kodhiyameh --vaLLal

ThiruvaaLan siirkkaliyan kaarkkaliyai vetti

MaruvaaLan tanthaan Madal.

 

(meaning ): The mighty Generous Thirumangai ,who wears both the

flower garland of thorns and a becoming sword in his hand is the most

auspicious Azhwar. He has cut asunder the darkness generated by Kali

Yuga and given me the Madals so that my mind tortured by greif over the

separation from my Lord will not boil uncontrollably at the sight of the rising

moon . (Nayakis suffering from the painful experience of pleasure -giving

objects

during the times of separation from their Nayakas is alluded to here.)

 

The Rules of Tamil Poetry and the Madals& the Azhwar's breaking of the

convention

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The rules of Tamil poetry require that the Madals should be set in

the KaliveNN paa meter. PannirupAttiyal describes further

the form and content of the ancient style of Madal poetry as one

set in KaliveNpaa and having the poetic features of Ethugai

and Monai(Consonance and Rhyme).

 

The grammar for this poetry

also restricts the subject matter to focus on Inbam or Kamam at the

expense of other three goals of life( Purushaarthams) such as Dharmam

(Aram), Artham (PoruL), Moksham (Veedu). In the Tamil poetry , Madal is

a practise restricted to a Male lover , who has been spurned by his lady love.

ThiruvaLLuvar describes the Madal custom practised by the lover as follows:

" In ancient times those who had failed in their love used to ride over a

horse- like

carrier(contraption ) made of dry palm-leaves (Madal). The pain (Self-torture)

of

pricking ride they endured in preference to their pain in failure (to win the

hand of

the lady-love) ." This unusual testimony of love was aimed to soften the heart

of

the woman whom he loved and to win her over. Grief is shamelessly proclaimed

in public through the stunt like act of riding on the jagged stems of palm

leaves to

shame the lady loveand hopefully acheive a change of her attitude of

rejection.

Clearly, the performance of Madal(Madalerutal) is not recommended for women

as an act of public protest and lamentation against her hard-hearted lover ,

who did

not reciprocate her intense love. It was considered immodest for a woman

to engage in such public displays.

 

Thirumangai, Nammazhwar assumed the Naayika Bhavam

in their respective Bhaghavad Anubhavams and adopted

the practise of Madalerutal to express their intensity of suffering

caused by their separations from their objects of Love(Viz)

Sriman Narayana. Both of them rejected the Tamil poetry

traditions, which restricted Madalerutal to men , but followed the

Tamil grammar recommendations that this type of ancient poem

should deal with the worldly love and that it should be set in KaliveNpaa.

Thirumangai justifies his practise of Madalerutal by referring to the

extensive use of this type of demonstration in the Northern tradition and

cites the behavior of Sita,Usha ,Vegavati and Ulupikai , the heroins of

Ithihasas like Ramayanam and Maha Bharatam . He says that they

expressed openly their love and sought their company through a variety of

means. He describes in the Periya Thirumadal the behavior of his role models

this way: " Sita followed Rama and lived with him in the forest (against the

advices of the elders); Vegavati went in search of her lover into the battle

field,

not heedin gher brother's protest and she enjoyed her lover's company.

Ulupikai , aNaga woman made Arjuna be a prey to her lustful advances as

alluded in Maha Bharatam. Usha , the daughter of Banaasura had her lover

transported by her friend ,Chitralekha.Above all Parvati rejected her parents

advise

and engaged in arduous penance for union with Siva".

 

Thirumangai with his extraordinary mastery of Tamil poetry and its grammar

decided to portray his acute pangs of separation from her Nayaka and decided to

practise the ancient custom of Madalerutal , an act prohibited in south for

women.

He had become Parakala Nayaki to express his pain of searation and to taunt the

Lord for his act of abandonment.

 

What Type of Madal is Thirumangai's Madal ?

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Tolkaapiyam , an ancient and authoritative work on Tamil grammar distinguishes

berween two kinds of Madal . One type of Madal DECLARES the intention of

riding a Madal(IntiNai) and the other consists of actual mounting on the

carrier made up of dry and prickly palm leaves and riding on it (PeruntiNai).

The

Madal literature of Thirumangai Azhwar belongs to the IntiNai variety of Madal.

Just

a threat to shame the Lord and gain His change of mind. It has been pointed out

that

"the Azhwar might have wished to make a literary revolution on a spiritual

basis.

He did break the convention (of Tamil rules of Poetry) an dintroduced a new

tradition

that a love-smitten lady can develop an inexhaustible and immortal love

towards the

supreme Lord. If the lady fails in her endeavour to unite herself with the Lord

,

she resolves that she has no other alternative than to ride on a Madal."

 

Madal and Ninda Stuti

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Another distinguishing feature of the Madals is the Ninda Stuti or praise in the

form

of censure are no aspersions on the glory of the Lord, but the outbursts of

great bhakthas taking liberties with the Lord because of their special

relationships with Him a stheir Nayaka. Traducing His name and fame

throughout the world is their threat to gain Him back. The deep love of the

Azhwar takes the forms of both Ninda or Negative Stuti and postive stuti

in the two Madals of Parakala Nayaki. Negatively, the Azhwar abandons all

human values (Purusharthas) as worthless except Kamam for Him ; on the

positive side, the Azhwar emphasizes the importance of Bhakti , Kainkaryam

(service ) and Thyagam(sacrifice ) of other temptations that take one away

from Him.

Distinguishing features of Siriya and Periya Thirumadal

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The two Madals differ in the length of lines. The breif statement

finding its home in Siriya Thirumadal is elaborated upon in

Periya Thirumadal(PTM). The second difference is that Siriya Thirumadal(STM)

is set as anarration of of the God-intoxicated experience of the Nayaki

through some one else ; the Periya Thirumadal houses the profound

experiences of the Nayaki a s statements by the Nayaki herself.

In STM< the Nayaki overcome with love for the Nayaka does not know

the identity of the one, who is causing her agony. The identity of

the culprit is revealed to the Nayaki through a sooth-sayer. Through

the latter, The Azhwar praises the kalyana Gunas of the Lord and His sacred

Divya Desams. In PTM, The Azhwar describes his harrowing experiences as

the rejected lady and speaks out about her devotion.

 

Deeper Vaishnavite Meanings of the Madals of Thirumangai

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The Rakshakatva (Ability to protect the Bhakta in distress) , the

Saulabhya (ready accessibility ) , the Karpanya ( prostration born out of utter

hopelesnes ) are identified by Sri K.C.Varadachari as the inner meanings of the

Madals.

He says that the Azhwar transfers his affection from his dearly loved wife ,

---who had been his teacher too-- to Sriman Narayana. He experiences in that

state "a love most all-absorbing " , and appeals to His qualities of Mercy and

Grace and come down from his divine heights to accept" the Love-offering

(Kama Pushpam ) from one, who has thrown away all concerns arising from

modesty and Lokaabhavaadham. The Madal threatens to question the sincerity of

the Lord's assurnaces in Bhagavad Gita in the Sarama Sloka. Sri K.C.Varadachari

the assumptions of the Madals of the Azhwar this way: " God's assurance

to the soul (Jivan) that loves Him alone and to whom the soul has

totally dedicated itself,is of greatest spiritual value to the soul , and it

is on this truth of God"s word that the madals revolve".

 

Special features of Periya Thirumadal

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The taniyan was composed by Kambanaatazhwar, the author of

Kamba Ramayanam. One poet can appreciate another poet, it

seems! While the STM begins with the describtion of the Earth,

the PTM begins with an exquisite describtion of Paramapadam

and its resident, Sri Vaikundanathan attended by His Devis. on experiencing

the conjugal pleasures of the Lord in his supreme abode,the

Azhwar suffers the pangs of separation and cries out: " If my body and soul

are not subservienbt to You,then, for waht else are they for? What is the use of

 

fragrant flowers grown in an uninhabited forest? Similar is the state of my

bosoms

untouvched by the Lord."She looks for her Nayaka in the Divya Desams of

Thiruvinnagar, Thirukkudantai ,Kurungudi, Aali nagar, Kannamangai, Vellarai,

Vallavazh , Srirangam, Idavendai,Tillai Chitrakootam, Mallai, Venkatam and many

other

THiruppathis. In the final verse, she complains that the Lord knows

all her sufferings . She threatens him that she will perform the act of Madal

if he does not come to her rescue and unite with her . She implies that she will

be a martyr for his love and become immortal through her sacrifice . After

the practise of Karpanyam , the sixth limb of Saranagati through the vow of love

unto death,

Sri Varadachari points out that the Azhwar goes on to take the Dhandakam (staff)

of

Sriman Narayana to ascend and to reach Sriman narayana"s abode to become

a Nitya Suri and to enjoy the eternal bliss of Kainkaryam to HIm . The

Thirukkurmthaandankam

and the Thirunedumthaandakam are describtions of the lofty journey with the

staff of the Lord.

 

Azhwaar , Achaaryar, Emperumaanaar Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

Thirumangaimannan Thiruvadigaleh Saranam

 

Oppiliappankoil Varadachari Sadagopan