thirup pAvai - part 37 - "kathir mathiyam" -

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thirup pAvai - part 37 - "kathir mathiyam" -

 

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

 

Dear bAgawathAs,

 

The word "kathir" represents bAskaran. In ancient days

when there are no photographs and that many small icons of lord

are reproduced in mass scale, people used to worship "Sun" for

the first time in the morning. The aitheeham or belief is such

that they are awakening by looking at the face of the God. Sun

worshipping early in the morning is considered as worshipping

the God's face.

 

In sanskrit the same patham is addressed as "chandra

bAskara varcchasam" (ie., the one whose face has the shining

light such as moon and sun). The word "mathi" means moon. The

word "mathi" also means respect. In this context, the tamil

word "mathi" is used to represent the chracteristics of moon.

ie., When the Lord Has the face that is very bright as the Sun

or "kAthir", HIS holy face is so beutiful as similar to a full

moon. We already discussed in the earlier parts about effect of

"moon" on lovers.

 

It is very common for lovers (in the olden days) who are

separated by a distance to look at the moon and see the face

of their lover in the moon itself. The moon used to represent

the moderen day "long night phone calls" for the lovers. They

used to look at the moon and converse as if they are looking at

the face of the lover and talking. They also used to get a

reply from such face of the moon as if their lover is talking

back to them (*). In a similar way our Lord's face appear in

the moon for those aaychiars as they await HIS arrival for "rAs

leela".

 

When the Lord's face is appearing as scorching sun and

threatening his enemies and men sent by Kamsan, HIS face looks

like a full moon that is sending cool and mesmerizing rays to

those Aaychiars. ie., The same face of the Lord also appears

with cool and shaded rays emitting out of it as similar to moon.

It is not possible to go near Sun due to its excessive heat.

But it is a proven fact that moon is not only approachable and

enjoyable (Apollos ?). When The Lord's face is unapproachable

and scorching to HIS enemies, HIS face is easily accessible for

darshan through HIS divya mangaLa vigraham of Sri namperumAL

even in the streets of Srirangam (*). ie HIS face is so easily

accessible to HIS adiyArs such that they can enjoy the beauty

of this face as similar to the moon that can be seen by any

sAmAnyAL in a clear night. The Sun cannot be seen for long

without a Sun Glass or other UV protection device whereas the

moon can be seen by a naked eye and as long as one wishes to

stare at it in the clear night. ie When kamsAs men attempt to

approach HIM, HE appears as a Sun that cannot be seen for those

"boys". But at the same time when in the night the Aaychiars

approach HIM , HE appears as similar to a full moon that can be

seen and enjoyed by a naked eye as long as one want.

 

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

Sampath Rengarajan

 

note:

(*)

In Srirangam, our family have two "ubayams" as a part of

uabayakArAl for the Lord Sri RanganAtha. One is in irAppatthu.

The other one is most enjoyable as well as Sri namperumAL comes

to our house in panguni ! He stays in our house for a few hours

and accepts all upachArams. Isn't it HIS immeasurable sowlabyam

that HE comes to HIS adiyArs house instead of HIS adoyArs going

to HIM.

 

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