"pOtri", "pOtri" and ...more "pOtri" - (1 of 2)

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Dear friends,

 

On the 24th day of 'mArgazhi' Goda-pirAtti decided to

sing a benediction to Krishna in the "tiruppAvai".

 

This Stanza is a rather unusual one for the following

reasons:

 

--- It marks a sudden but pleasant "break" in the

narrative sequence or the "story-line" of the

"tiruppAvai".

 

Until the previous Stanza i.e. #23, AndAl step-by-step

builds up a proper logical sequence of unfolding

events. The "aayarpadi" girls first proceed to perform

their ritual "neerAtam" and pray for rains and

prosperity; then the girls go around to one another's

house and awaken each from slumber; then they approach

the quarters of Krishna but first wake up the

gate-keepers ("kAval-kAppan"), then Nandagopan, then

Yasodha, then Baladeva; thereafter they wake up

Napinnai and finally the Lord Himself.

 

In Stanza#23, Krishna finally comes out of his inner

chambers ("like a lion striding out of its winter

retreat in a cave") and seats himself on a throne in

the outer assembly-room. He prepares solemnly to hear

the the girls, about the purpose of their visit to his

abode and their petitions ("yAm-vanda- kariyam").

 

Now, at this point in the narration, when they have at

last managed to get the audience of Krisha, the reader

expects the "aayarpAdi" dames to immediately commence

relating their plaints to the Lord. After all that is

precisely what they'd wanted to see Him about, isn't

it?

 

But instead what happens? A strange thing happens!

Watching Krishna seated right before them, waiting to

hear them out, the girls suddenly and momentarily

forget their errand entirely! They just blank out! In

a moment they simply forget all about their woes and

instead are thoroughly bewitched by the Lord's

effulgent beauty... "saukumAryam"! Watching the

"gambheeryam" of the "seeriya-singam" enthroned on a

"seeriya-singAsanam" waiting for them to begin

talking.... that glorious sight of Him suddenly takes

their breath away!

 

At that instant of time, the girls lose awareness of

their cup of worldly woe and anxieties. Instead their

minds at once are filled with rich and vivid memories

of the several exploits of Krishna both in his present

and previous 'avatArA-s'! They are filled with the joy

of recollecting those exploits... as an infant and

mere boy... and even as Rama in his previous

incarnation...!

 

They all immediately and spontaneously break out into

a song of benediction! They heap blessings on Krishna

and wish him long, long life... as though by some

curious reversal of fortunes, it is He who is in dire

need of their blessings and not the other way around!

 

What an irony! What a twist of the tale! What a

splendid anti-climax! To adiyen's mind the scene is

almost like this: A sick and troubled man visits a

doctor in his clinic. After securing an appointment

with great difficulty and after waiting in queue in

the sick bay with others for 1-1/2 hours.... and after

humouring and ingratiating himself with the medical

clerks, the attendents and all the ward-boys there...

after all the ordeal, the patient finally gets his

consulting audience with the doctor. When he actually

meets the physician, however, instead of relating his

illness, suppose the sick man breaks out into a song

and dance on how healthy and handsome the doctor

himself looks...how wonderful that he is an MBBS, MD,

FRCS... and how glorious that he is the Dean of the

great Madras Medical College... and so on and so

forth... and finally also tells him, "May you remain,

O great Doctor, as glorious as ever for a 100 years...

Amen, Amen and Amen....!". Now, what would be our

reaction to such a sight?!.

 

Unusual, right!?

 

--- The other reason why Stanza#24 of the "tiruppAvai"

is unusual is that it is the most "straight-forward"

verse in the entire poem. The words carry simple clear

meaning ("semmporul") and have less of difficult,

hidden significance ("illakanai- porul") than is

usually the case with other verses.

 

Now, we may ask ourselves why this sudden and unusual

"break" in the story-line of the "tiruppAvai"? What

happened to our Poetess of SriVilliputtur here? What

happened to the"aayarpAdi" girls? Why this unusual

behaviour? And what is the real significance ... the

"svApadesArtham"... of this simple, beautiful and

uncomplicated Stanza?

 

Such questions are interestingly explained by

traditional commentators like Sri.PVPillai and

Sri.Azhagiya ManavAlaperumal Nayanar in their

"muvAyirapadi" and "ArAyirapadi" respectively.

 

adiyEn's accompanying post titled "pOtri", "pOtri" and

evermore "pOtri"(2 of 2) will briefly summarise their

"anubhavam".

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

 

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