Part 7: "There is Salvation in numbers"- The Theme of 'satsangh' in TiruppAvai

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

(7) "kalandhu pEsina pEccharavam kEttu…"

 

"kallandhu pEsina pEcchU" is a beautiful Tamil

expression rich in its poetic suggestion of the Gita

phraseology we saw earlier -- i.e. "kathayantascha mAm

nityam" and "bOdhyanta: parasparam".

 

AndAl's expression "pEsina pEccharavam" is an

amazingly creative use of words in Tamil. It seems

like tautology and sounds like alliteration. (As

tautology it is akin to that familiar cyber-world

term, "chat-room chatter", but it alliteratively

conveys the idea that the "chatter" of milkmaids in

the TiruppAvai is no "empty chatter" but "eloquent,

euphonious speech" --it is "pEsina pEcchu").

 

"pEccharavam" immediately strikes us as being the

"earnest and intimate conversation" carried on

constantly by members of a 'satsangh'. They meet, they

talk, they freely share thoughts and feelings and

experiences of God; they ask and tell each other

stories from the 'pUrAna'; they recollect scriptural

passages; they compare notes on the sayings of wise

men, of preceptors and their holy books…

 

In the true 'satsangh' people make as much effort to

listen as they wish to speak ("kalandhu pEsi…" and

"kalandhu kEttu…" is how AndAl's expression of this

idea in this verse may be read by us). There can be no

"satsangh" if everyone within it wants centre-stage

space for himself. A true 'satsangh' delights more in

listening than in being heard; it is far keener to

learn than to preach; and more eager to freely give

and share than to grasp or hoard.

 

The first ever 'satsangh' of such ideal devotees

occurred in a distant period in "purAnic" pre-history.

The members gathered in the deep and sylvan forests of

ancient "naimishAranya" (India) around the great

story-teller, Sri Soota PaurAnika, and engaged him in

long, earnest conversations ("pEccharavam"). The

interactive and animated discourses of "naimishAranya"

eventually became sacred and exalted copy for that

classic 'pUrANa' of the Vedantic tradition viz. the

'Srimadh BhAgavatham'.

 

Even today, the truly devout ones that go on

pilgrimage to "naimishAranya" swear that when they

went into the deep woods and listened intently

("kallandhu kettu"), they thought they could hear

within their hearts, faintly but clearly, Soota and

his august "satsangh" conversing -- or "chattering" --

away happily ("kallandhu pEsi…").

 

That ancient "pEccharavam", that "holy chat" of

"naimishAranyam" has never indeed stopped echoing, the

pilgrims of today's "satsangh" keep insisting… and

never will it stop echoing across the endless expanse

of Time…

 

***********

(to be continued)

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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