"muppadUm thappAmE" -- CONCLUSION

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

Today (14th January 2000), AndAl in her "tiruppAvai"

sings the concluding and 30th benedictory stanza

beginning with "vangak kadal mAdhAvanai

kEsavanai....".

 

In this Verse the poetess decalres that those who:

---- merely recite this hymn ("ip-parisu uraippAr")

even without fully comprehending its meaning or

significance

--- and recite all its 30 verses ("muppadUm thappAmE")

 

--- will now and herein in this world ("ingu")

--- and also later and therein in the other world

("engum")

--- reap the Lord's Grace ("selvat-tirumAl") and enjoy

plentiful pleasure, happiness and peace

 

******** ********* *********

Now, reading the above some questions may arise in our

minds:

 

Question 1:

Why does AndAl speak so highly of her own composition?

Is it a form of self-adulation?

 

Answer:

No, it is not. This stanza is called "phala-sruti", a

poetic convention in all religious poetry of India

where the concluding verse will briefly name the

author of the work, sum-up the nature and scope of the

work and also extol the benefits accruing by a study

thereof. Such a convention lends a happy and

auspicious note of ending to the work. AndAl too was

following this poetic convention.

 

Question 2:

We know the name of the author of tiruppAvai. But what

is the subject-matter and nature of the work, if we

were asked to put it in a nutshell?

 

Answer: The subject matter of the "tiruppAvai" is the

substance of the Upanishads. AndAl in this poem dealt

completely with Upanishad-sAram... the essential

truths of the "upanishads". In the "muvAiyapadi" of

Sri.PVPillai it is said, "pirAtti andAlAnAr pOla

upanishattu tamizhAnapadi"." ie. If "thAyyAr", the

Consort of Lord Narayana descended on earth in the

avatar of AndAl then the Vedantic Upanishads too took

their avatar in Tamil as her "tiruppAvai".

 

Question 3:

The benefits of reciting "tiruppAvai" is spelt out

clearly. But it says that even recitation without

knowing the meaning of the stanzas will do alright!

Why should God shower His Munificence on us if we were

to recite the tiruppAvai like parrots or children with

no inkling of its real substance?

 

Answer:

Yes, the benefits will definitely accrue. Nobody could

have given the reason for this matter in a better way

than Sri.Parashara Bhattar who said, "kanru-izhanda

talai-nAgu tOr-kanrukkam irangumAp-pOlE

ip-pAsuramkondu puga namakkUmm pallikkUm." i.e. The

mother-cow that has lost its own calf will continue to

secrete copious milk at the mere sight of a stuffed

effigy of its dead calf. Similarly God will bestow His

Grace upon us even if we recite blindly the tiruppAvai

with neither the "anukAram" (the endearing God-love")

of an AndAl nor the "anushTAnam" of the "gopikAs" (the

enduring faith of the 'aayarpAdi" girls).

 

Question 4:

Why does AndAl say "muppadUm tappAmE"? Why is it so

important to recite ALL 30 verses? Why is it not

sufficient to recite only the few, say 6 or 7 stanzas

which we know are the most significant and contain the

heart and soul of the entire hymn?

 

Answer:

No. Reciting all 30 verses is not negotiable. Reciting

a few important verses is NO SUBSTITUTE for all 30.

The reason has again been given by the

"muvAiyarapadi": "oru rathnam kuraindhAlum nedUmpAzhAy

irUkkUmirE!" i.e." Will you accept to receive a

precious necklace of 30 rare gems with even one of

them missing?"

 

Question 5:

But what if one is unable for reasons of ignorance or

incapablity to learn all the 30 verses? Suppose one

falls ill? Suppose one is travelling in far-away and

alien lands? What if one has no time to recite all the

30 everyday? What then?

 

Answer:

There is no substitute for reciting all 30. But under

special and exceptional circumstances as above, it is

said that reciting Stanza#29 may just about barely do.

Even if that is not possible for a person let him/her

simply imagine in his mind a large gathering of

devotees who are immersed in the joy of reciting the

entire 30 pAsurams. It may perhaps suffice.

 

In this regard, please recollect that Sri.Parashara

Bhattar died young at the age of 32. He was stricken

with an incurable malignant tumour in his neck which

in the last days of his life was given medical

attention but to no avail. When it became insufferably

painful, Bhattar's tumour was surgically operated

upon. No local or general anaesthesia was however

available in those days. It is said that since Bhattar

was a man who was thoroughly "soaked" in the beauty of

the 30 stanzas of the "tiruppAvai" he reportedly told

everyone that his "tiruppAvai" is my anasthesia. When

I recite the tiruppAvai I shall feel no pain!".

 

Question 6

The world is not all filled with Parashara Bhattars

and Peria-vAchAn-pillais. What happens to those people

amongst us who are either unaware of the "tiruppAvai"

or simply don't care about it?

 

Answer:

Sir, those who choose to remain unware or indifferent

to the "tiruppAvai" can please consider themselves as

an "unqualified burden to this earth." :

 

"pAthagang-gaL theerkumm paraman-adi-kAttum

vedam-anaittukkum vitthAkum kOthai tamizh

aiy-aiyndu maiynddum ariyAda mAniddarai

vaiyanja sumappathum vambu".

 

meaning;

 

"The tiruppAvai eradicates the sin of men; it contains

the distilled essence of the holy Vedas.Hence, knowing

this to be true, if there is one among the species of

men, with all his senses intact, who yet chooses to

remain ignorant of the 30 verses of the Song

Celestial.... then what can be said of such a one save

that he is an unqualified burden to Earth?"

 

andAl tiruvadigaLE sharanam

 

******** CONCLUDED *********

 

dAsanu dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

http://im.

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

adiyen's last post on "tiruppAvai" was in the format

of Q&A (Questions & Answers).

 

One young "bhAgavatA" member (who says he is "afraid"

to post his questions on the main-list!) sent adiyen

the following 2 additional questions by private mail.

He does not mind adiyen sharing the answers on the

main list.

> > "... one can enjoy the tiruppAvai as you have >>

done.. like religious/devotional poetry. But does the

tiruppAvai have any place in religious practice?""

> > "you have generously quoted in your

> > posts from traditional sources and yet you have

taken > > liberties at many places with interpretation

according to 'sampradAya'. Is this right?

> >

> >

 

Adiyen's reply:

 

Yes, the "tiruppAvai" can also be put to great use in

religious practice both in temples and at homes on a

daily basis. For. e.g. in the great Tirupati temple of

Venkateshwara there is the famous "sAttrumorai-sevA"

every morning soon after, I think, the "suprabhAtam"

and "tOmAla-seva". The local temple jeeyar leads a

band of worshippers into the temple for this quick

'darshan'. The eligibility for entrance into this

'sevai' is that one should arrive at the portals of

the temple straight after a dip in the waters of the

"swAmi-pushkarani" in nothing else but a wet "dhoti",

one should be wearing the "yagnyOpavitam", the

"urdhvapundram" and one's hair-dress should be

appropriate ...i.e. it should look like a blend of

"prAcheena-sampradAyam" and "naveena-sampradAyam" ...

or in other words your hair-style should look like a

cross "between a traditional "sikhA" and a modern

"punk-cut"...

 

At the gates of the temple the "jeeyar" will be ready

to lead you into the 'sAttrumorai-seva" but only if

the "gate-jawAn", a lowly temple security-official

stamps your visa. At the gate the official will give

you a 'look-over', and if he "likes the look" of you

and is satisfied that you are a "genuine Sri

Vaishnava" he will let you in. If not, bad luck, you

will not be allowed to go along with the "jeyar" for

the "sevai".

 

Once you are inside the temple precincts you can join

the virtual "stampede" that is part of the

"sAtrumorai- sevai". Inside the sanctum-sanctorum the

"sAtrumorai" will commence with a verse from the

"tiruppalAndu" and then the "jeeyar" and the

"sAtrumorai" chorus will sing (more often "yell out")

the last 2 verses of the "tiruppAvai".

 

As far as the practical use of "tiruppAvai" in the

home is concerned, it is an extremely handy litany for

the SriVaishnavite daily "tiruvAdhAranai" -- the offer

of daily worship to the domestic deity.

 

(1) When one arises from bed in the morning one chants

the 1st, 29th and 30th verse of the "tiruppAvai".

(2) Before throwing opening the "doors" of one's

puja-room one should recite Stanza#22..."anganmAlat-

arasar" and then chant Stanza#16 "nAyakanAy ninra..".

After that the doors of the puja-room or closet can be

opened.

(3)Then the householder will "fan" the deity gently,

set right the divine bed-chamber (a sort of "making up

the bed"), and then taking a leaf of basil ("tulasi")

and placing it as it were a virtual throne, the

householder will mentally request the Deity to take

his Seat or Throne upon it... At which point he will

chant Stanza#23 "mAri-malai-muzhanjil...".

(4) When the Lord is thus seated the householder will

chant Stanza#24, the 'mangalAsAsanam' of

"anru-ivullagam aLandAy....".

(5) When the householder offers "food" for the Lord,

he will chant Stanza#27 ..."koodArai-vellUm..."

(6)Finally during the "sAtrumorai" at home, the

householder will again sing Stanza29 and 30.

 

As for the question: > > "you have generously quoted

in your > > posts from traditional sources and yet you

have taken > > liberties at many places with

interpretation according to 'sampradAya'. Is this

right?

 

Adiyen does not know if it is right or not. Who can

judge except God Himself? But adiyen views are like

this: "sampradAyam" must become a living inspiration

for all us present-day SriVaishnavas, both old and

young, both learned and laymen and for both

religious-minded and not-so religious-minded. Adiyen

does not believe in regarding our 'sampradAyam' like

an old, 78 RPM gramaphone record-plate ---- which has

enormous antic value, sure, but if one were to play

it, would produce nothing but "scratchy" noise and

maudlin memories for days and centuries bygone.

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

http://im.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri. Sampath/Bhagavatas,

 

Sri. Sampath Wrote:

Adiyen does not believe in regarding our 'sampradAyam' like an old, 78 RPM

gramaphone record-plate ---- which has

enormous antic value, sure, but if one were to play it, would produce

nothing but "scratchy" noise and maudlin memories for days and centuries

bygone.

 

Response:

 

I respect your view on the issue, but I myself do not prescribe to such a

view. Note, I am simply commenting on the last sentence in your post; I

have no right to comment about tiruppAvai as my knowledge of tiruppAvai is

nil. In my opinion Vedanta is idealistic and should not be approached from

a mundane point of view. Terms like refinement and evolution are not

applicable to Vedanta (since Vedanta is accepted as being eternal and

immutable.) We may not able to relate to this aspect of Vedanata, but that

does not mean we should dismiss it. Great men have said it is so, so it is!

The defect is with us not with Vedanta!

 

What is our sampradAyam?

- SampradAyam means tradition; our tradition is the vedic tradition. The

basis

of Vedic tradition is Vedanata; which is an exposition on the nature of

reality. A vedantain accepts Vedas as beginningless and endless (the

eternal immutable truth.) Since vedanta is simply a detailed description of

the truth contained in the vedas it is also eternal and immutable. The

philosophy of Vedanata is immutable but so are the prescribed codes of

conduct.

 

Here is some support from Sri. Vedanta Desika's TMK (by Sri. S.M.S. Chari):

 

"The teachings of Manu correspond to what is taught in the Vedas. In view

of this it is stated that all that is said by Manu is like medicine (to the

sick) implying that it is beneficial to humanity. Its teachings are free

from delusion and deceit. They are not expounded on the basis of

perception, inference and verbal statements of ordinary human beings. they

owe their origin to the Vedas."

 

ramanuja dasan,

Venkat

[Guest guest]

--- ashwin sadhu <nagarajv wrote:

> I respect your view on the issue, but I myself do

> not prescribe to such a

> view. Note, I am simply commenting on the last

> sentence in your post;

> ramanuja dasan,

> Venkat

> >

 

Dear Venkat,

Please don't comment on last sentence alone. Pls.also

comment on the last but one sentence of mine also

which reads as follows:

 

....."sampradAyam" must become a living inspiration

for all us present-day SriVaishnavas, both old and

young, both learned and laymen and for both

religious-minded and not-so religious-minded....".

 

Why don't you comment on the above sentence also and

make a fairer judgment please?

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

http://im.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri. Sampath,

 

Before I comment on the last but one statement let me first clear a

misunderstanding. I am not passing judgement on you; I am merely expressing

my take on the issue. I have no right to pass judgement on you or anyone

else as I am far less spritually eveolved than yourself and many others.

That however, does not mean there is no truth in what I say.

 

I think we are approaching the issue from different angles.

 

Last but one Sentence:

....."sampradAyam" must become a living inspiration for all us present-day

SriVaishnavas, both old and

young, both learned and laymen and for both

religious-minded and not-so religious-minded....".

 

What do terms like "must become" and "Present-day" imply?

 

-If they imply change then it goes against the fundamental premise that

Vedanta is immutable truth. If these terms imply that the exposition must

be presented in a different manner but without modifying the substance, then

I agree with you.

 

ramanuja dasan,

Venkat

[Guest guest]

--- ashwin sadhu <nagarajv wrote:

> Dear Sri. Sampath,

I am merely expressing

> my take on the issue. I have no right to pass

> judgement on you or anyone

> else

 

Dear Venkat,

>From your posts I can see you are very young

(definitely younger than I!) but please relax, and

feel free to express yourself. Adiyen will never take

it amiss as long as we post to each other in a

friendly, conversational style and in a spirit of

mutual enrichment.... "parasparam bhAvayantah:"...

instead of trying to deliver sermons to each other.

> I think we are approaching the issue from different

> angles.> What do terms like "must become" and

"Present-day"> imply?

> Venkat

 

Venkat,

This is a very complicated subject but let's both

continue to think aloud and see where our "differing

angles" can converge, shall we?

 

What I mean is very simply this:

(1) SriVaishnava "sampradAya", or "tradition" as you

have yourself defined it, is nowhere seen today to

have the hold over people it had in its heydays. Why?

 

(2) Some of the most basic and externally visible

features of SriVaishnavam are (a) wearing

"urdhvapundhram" (b) doing "trikAla-sandhyAvandanam"

© undergoing "samAshrayanam" and (d) "kainkaryam".

Tell me how prevalent are these external marks of

"sampradAyam" visible in our lives?

 

(3) How many children in SriVaishnava homes are taught

by their own parents to recite "tiruppAvai"? How many

of them grow up getting to naturally appreciate it as

great religious poetry in the tradition of

"srisampradAyam"? In how many homes do SriVaishnava

families perform "tiru-ArAdana" to their domestic

deities with those select, simple stanzas of the holy

tiruppAvai adiyen explained in his post yesterday?

 

(4) How many SriVaishnavas who join the "stampede" for

the "sAtrumarrai-seva" at Tirumala realise the mockery

they make of it when they clamour to get into it by

hurriedly shaving off their "side-burns" and painting

higgedly-piggedly "tirumann-srichurnam" on themselves?

How many of them insist that inside the sanctum-

sanctorum in the presence of the Lord the

"sAtrumarrai" must be conducted with the somemnity and

reverence that "sAtrumarrai-seva" must actually be

held? Given a chance all of us will hold forth

eloquently on the philosophical wealth contained in

the Stanzas#29 and #30 of the tiruppAvai but to what

use all those perorations if we allow the "tiruppAvai"

to be short-changed during "sAtrumarrai" in our

temples?

 

What kind of "sampradAyam" is this?

 

Please think about what adiyen is really trying to

say. Adiyen writes more in sadness than in bitterness.

 

 

And please do give your views too. Adiyen is always

willing to listen to the other point of view

especially from younger people with fresh minds.

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

Talk to your friends online with Messenger.

http://im.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri. Sampath,

 

I think a well thought out discussion in the spirit of mutual

enrichment will be very fruitful. Repeated exposure to

issues related to nature of ultimate reality can never

be fruitless; with each iteration our understanding of

the nature of reality is refined. All our postings do not

represent knowledge, but rather objects that may act

as a catalyst for the Self-manifesting knowledge.

 

Sri. Sampath Wrote:

 

(1) SriVaishnava "sampradAya", or "tradition" as you

have yourself defined it, is nowhere seen today to

have the hold over people it had in its heydays. Why?

 

Addressing (1) and (2) (3) and (4)

 

Sri. Sampth having read your comments and questions the following

question comes to my mind.

What is Sri. Vaishnavaism?

- My conviction, which has been greatly influenced by objects

(books and individuals) I have exposed to, is as follows:

Sri. Vaishnavism is the term used to denote the codes of

conduct part of Vis'istAdvaita Vedanta. Vis'istAdvaita

Vedanta is nothing but an exposition on the beginninless truth

contained in the vedas. The key source for the prescribed

codes of conduct (the means to achieve the ultimate reality

and minimize misery in karmic life; there are codes for

those who seek heaven and so on, but those are not relevant

for us) is the dharma shastras. There are certain elements

which may not be contained in dharama shastras, but

these represent additions and do not supplant the codes prescribed

in the dharma shastras. The codes of conduct represent an

ideal (optimal path which results in misery minimization -post tilted topic

for discussion referred to this.) Why is it not prevalent, i.e.,

vedic-dharma? The reasons were explicated in the posts titled "Topic for

discussion"

 

To summarize Sri. Vaishnavism is not something new,

(i.e., something that originated with Sri. RamanujAcharya.)

It is simply an explication of what is in the dharma shastras.

There are some additions but these are meant to augment not supplant

what is in the dharma shastras.

 

Like yourself I am also saddened by the sorry state vedic culture is

in, I expressed this in the post tilted "Quintessential Profound Idealist vs

the Quintessential Pedestrian Dilettante" I also posed many questions

in the two posts titled "Topic For Discussion" but no one wants to

address these very pertinent questions.

 

With regards to lack of knowledge of the works of Alwars, I can only talk

about my lack of knowledge and not in general. I will do so in another

post.

 

ramanuja dasan,

Venkat