ANDAL'S ENVY CONCH'S PRIDE-4

[Guest guest]

ANDAL S ENVY CONCH'S PRIDE

 

The same sound from the sangam is perceived differently according to

the circumstances. In the morning when Lord krishNA makes the sound

from it, the cows comprehend it to be a call for the day outing. In

the evening, it is a sound call for return. The same is also call for

girl-folks in thiru AippAdi that He is returning from the outing.

 

" surigaiyum theRivillum cheNdu kOlum, mEal Adaiyum thOzhan mAr koNdOda,

oru kaiyAl oruvan than thOLai vUnRi, Anirai inam mELak kuRitha sangam.." peiryAzhwAr thiru mozhi

3-4-3

 

periya jEyar's commentary is a must for the understanding of the

multifaceted role of the pAnchajanyam

" ..pasu niRaiyin udiaya thirALAnadhu mELumpadiyAga vUdhina sangathai

pidithuk koNdu. sangam kuRikkum pOdhu:

AniRaiyin mELgaikkuRuppAga kuRikkumadhum, mELugaikkuRuppAgak

kuRikkumadhum, pakkathu vilangAmaikkuRuppAga kuRikkumadhum, vUdhugiRa

dhvani vishEshathAlE vAsanai paNNina pasukkaL aRiyum iREa."

 

The cows understand the tone of the sound emanating from the conch as

they are used to it. ippOdhu sAyankAlam AgaiyAlE, mElak kuRitha

sangam engiRadhu. indha dhvanidhAn pungkoL thirumugathu maduthUdhiya

sangolipOl, thiru AippAdiyil pengaLukkum than varavai vuNarthugaikku

vudalAi irEa iruppadhu.

 

The parallel functional role of the conch is being highlighted by

periAzhwAr and explained by swAmi maNavALa mAmunikaL.

AndAL being the daughter/disciple of periyAzhwAr, no doubt is also

fascinated by the conch which we have seen in the earlier postings

also.

The endless attraction for AndAL for the conch has already been seen

in thiruppAvai and nAchiyAr thiru mozhi. However, we have been

scratching only the surface.

(to be continued)

vanamamalai padmanabhan