Part 6: "There is Salvation in numbers"- The Theme of 'satsangh' in TiruppAvai

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Dear friends,

 

(4) "nAnggaLUm mArgazhi neerAda maguzhndhu.."

 

The (first-person-plural) expression "nAngalLUm.." in

this verse, literally means "even we…". It is

suggestive of the essentially democratic character

that the 'satsangh' of milkmaids in the TiruppAvai

possessed.

 

True "satsangh" is an "open society"… it is a conclave

open to all God-seekers irrespective of individual

qualification or worth. Everyone is welcome to join

'satsangh'… even poor, "spiritually naïve" and

unschooled souls such as humble cowgirls from the

"aayarpAdi"… The TiruppAvai calls them

"ariyAda-pillaigaL".

 

The lesson here is: Even the lowliest of the world

must be allowed admission into and embraced by a

'satsangh'. (There is no such thing in the world as an

"elitesatsangh". There are really no "country club

retreats" to which "VIP devotees" may wish to

leisurely retire over the weekend to indulge their

pious airs or righteous pretension.)

 

(5) "tUyOmaay vandu-nAm …"

 

This expression is very suggestive of the inner purity

of the soul of a 'satsangh'. A true 'satsangh'

possesses power to render even the grossest of men

into pure and tranquil souls… "tUyOmaay nAm…"

 

The purity of the serene mind is what is hailed as

"nishchala-chitta" -- the exalted state of Bhakti the

verse from Sankara's "bhaja-gOvindam" we saw earlier

spoke about. All God-seekers yearn for "tUymai" all

their lives. They long to rid themselves of the dirt

of delusion and the grime of earthly bondage which the

human spirit naturally and effortlessly collects in

simply going through the business of daily living in

this world.("nirmOhatvam" and "nissangatvam", Sankara

calls it). And "satsangh" is the best means they can

find to wash and cast it all off.

 

Just as pieces of soiled clothes, when soaked, slaked,

rinsed, tumble-washed, thrashed, washed, speed-spun

and tumble-dried inside an automatic washing machine,

finally eject out altogether as spotlessly white and

clean pieces… so do men with soiled minds and defiled

spirit who willingly go into "satsangh" and choose to

live amidst it and throw in their fate with it... they

too emerge pure and serene --- "tUyOmAy vandu nAm..".

 

The statement about Purity in the soul of a 'satsangh'

is also found in Stanza 16 of the TiruppAvai in the

phrase "tUyOmaay vandOm…".

 

(6) "ullathukkondu munivargaLUm yOgigaLUm

mella-ezhundhu ariyenra pEr-aravam ullam pUgUndhu…"

 

This is one of AndAl's finest and most imaginative

expressions indeed!

 

The phrase immediately evokes impressions in our minds

of a large 'satsangh' of ascetics and hermits

---"munivargaLUm yOgigaLUm" i.e. yogis and 'muni-s'

immersed in the private bliss of deep, meditative

slumber.

 

Without meaning any disrespect to them, "munis" and

"yOgis" are what one may call "lone wolves" of the

spiritual world. They like to hunt for God all on

their own. They shun human company and even when they

are compelled to live amongst ordinary men, they

prefer not to interact too much with their fellowmen.

They prefer solitude to company and "mowna" (silence)

to the ceaseless "small talk" of common humanity.

(That's why one finds, even in this day and times,

that there is no dearth of "mowna-muni-s" or

"mum-monks" of all hue and denomination amidst the

crowded metros and cities of India!).

 

Yet, as this expression seeks to gently convey, even

such severe ascetics and monks, do awaken now and then

from the bliss of yogic sleep or silence, and shedding

their natural reserve and reticence, begin to behave

in the manner of a merry 'satsangh' -- ecstatically

crying out the names of God: "Hari! Hari!" … as in

"ari-yenra pEr aravam…".

 

If the sternest of yogis and the severest of ascetics

cannot resist the temptation of fraternizing with a

'satsangh', why should we ordinary souls shy away?

Such is the meaning we may derive from this verse.

 

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

(to be continued)

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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