thirup pAvai - part 17 - "seer malgum aaypAdi"

[Guest guest]

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

 

mArgazhith thingaL mathi niRaintha nan nALAl

neerdAp pOthuveer ! pOthuminO nErizhiyeer !

 

seer malgum aayp pAdi selvach chirumeergaaL

 

koor vEl kodun thozhilan nantha gOpan kumaran,

eRarntha kaNNi yasOdhai ilam singam

 

seer malgum aaypAdi -

 

gOkulam was very rich and prosperous during this time of Sri

Krishna avatharam. In Tamil Nadu there are certain dairy business

establishments that are very prosperous even today. One cannot

underestimate the revenue or the profitability of the milk dairy

business. In early sixities, there used to be milk maids

supplying thayir (yoghurt), and mOr (butter milk) and butter to

every home from their village. They will be coming on bare feet

and carrying big pots on their heads. However, they will also be

wearing several precious jeweleries. It has been cutomary for

the milk maids to possess precious jeweleries for long even

though their life style on other fronts may not be seen

comparable with the very rich and royal outfits.

 

This "seer" here is the "siRappu" or speciality of the

aaypAdi. Such is the speciality that the aaypAdi milk maids are

"nEr izhiyeer" ie., they wear such precious jewelleries that even

certain royal families would envy them. "malgum" here means

"niRainthu uLLa" ie., such prosperity is full and always

available (due to Sri Krishna avathAram). These are the outermost

and direct meanings.

 

"Seer malgum" or always sepcial is because the Lord who

is the chief in Sri parama patham is an entertainer here.

ie., "kudamAdu kooththan". HE is the one who also performs

certain folk dance standing on top of all the kudams or vessels.

(It also has an inner menaing for the Gowardana giri vaibavam).

He is known as "veNNaikku aadum perumAL" ., it seems as a small

boy Lord Krishna used to perform certain dances to "eran" the

butter from the maids sometimes. ie., They will be so much

meserized by HIS performance that they will give HIM all the

butter they have. It is also said in AzhwAr pAsuram as "aayar

mangaiyar idaiyida amuthu seythu aadiya thoruk kooththu". ie.,

HE will be fed place to place (idai ida) by aayars as HE performs

this kooththu or folk dance at their request.

 

HE dances to the whims and fancies of the aaypAdi (aaypadi

is the place where "aayar" ie., "milk maids" are living and

here it is referred to Gokulam) "sirumeer" (girls). Sri Krishna

is known for his pranks in HIS child hood. HE used to perform the

street corner dances and entertain the milk maids. It is said by

certain vyAkyAna karththas that the Maids were in full control

(responsible for) of Sri Krishna's childhood pranks. Thus certain

vyAkyana karththaas interpret that "aaypAdi" is very special

because the chief of parama patham gave the overseeing role

(role of the chief) to the "aayars" (maids) and HE became their

entertainer.

 

The inner most meaning is that the jivAtmA (sirumeergaL)

are so rich in their nature once they realise their pakkuvam or

patham or jivAtma swaroopam. ie., the swarioopam is such that

their eternal nature is to be subservient to the Lord and serve

the Lord. A place that has Such jivAtmAs is very special. ie.,

"aaypAdi" is very special because of "aayars". The village

"aaypadi" itself got its name from the very aayar sirumiyars

ie., the reliased jivAtmAs here.

 

In Tamil there is a proverb that is used for providing

"reasons" for the downpour of rain during their proper seasons.

 

ie., "nallOr oruvar ularEL avar poruttu intha vaiyammum mummAri

pozhiyum"

 

ie., in english, "if there is a good person (realised soul) is

living here this time, such place will have its seasonal rains

(rains for the three seasons) without fail, just due to his

very presence. ie., It is very important that atleast one

realised soul lives at any time in a place and such place will be

similar to "seer malgum aaypAdi".

 

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

Sampath Rengarajan