"venn pull tavattavar": The Funny side of TiruppAvai

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Dear friends,

 

The TiruppAvai is not all high poetry and grave Upanishad "sAram". It

has moments of light-heartedness, comic relief, laughter and bathos

too.

 

Today's "pAsuram" (Stanza 14), "ungall pUzhakkadai tOtatthu

vAviyULL..." is a good example of how ANdAl introduced some elements

of wry hilarity too into the TiruppAvai proceedings.

 

In this "pAsuram", we see a group of "aaypAdi" girls gathering at

dawn at the doorstep of one of their friends and trying their best to

awaken her by calling out loudly, "Wake up! Come join us quickly!

Let's all go together to Krishna's house!".

 

The slumbering one, however, refuses to budge from her bed and so the

girls join in chorus to remind the sleepy one that all the beautiful

signs of dawn are out -- the lovely "sengazhuneer" flowers in the

backyard ("puzhakkadai") have all blossomed while the night-flower

"Ambul" has closed its buds -- and that it is not proper for a girl

like her to be still lazing around in bed! She must awaken, arise and

hasten to perform the ceremonies prescribed for maiden-girls like

them during the month of "mArgazhi".

 

Then the girls also say something that is very funny indeed:

 

"... venn pull tavattavar tangal tirukoil changiduvAn pOdandAr..."

 

Literally, this means, "Wake up, you girl! Can't your hear the blare

of conches being blown by white-toothed sages ("venn pull

tavattavar")in the temples? It is dawn now! Wake up!"

 

(Readers, please be careful, the Tamil "pull" should be pronounced as

the English "cull" or "hull", and not as in "pull").

 

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

 

This is a very strange and amusing observation indeed of AndAl! We

understand the reference here is to the general custom in Saivaite

temples to blow conches loudly while ringing the temple-bells at dawn

to signal throwing open the doors of the shrine. But what we cannot

understand quite as easily is the intriging phrase, "venn pull

tavattavar", by which we are given to learn that those who blow the

temple-conches are sages and ascetics ("tavattavar") distinguished

for the brilliantly white ("venn"), sparkling set of teeth ("pull")

they possess!

 

Now "venn pull tavattavar" leaves us really bemused! We wonder about

the reason why AndAl should want to associate Asceticism with 'pearly

teeth'!

 

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

 

Some years ago, in India, there used to be a popular brand of

tooth-paste called "Vicco Vajradanti". The makers of the tooth-paste

used to promote it vigorously in the market (in competition against

the likes of giant-multinational products like Colgate and Lever) as

a product based on a unique formulation of Ayurvedic herbs, roots

and seeds. The product was promoted upon the back of a unique

brand-logo each tube of tooth-paste carried on its attractive

carton-pack.

 

The logo consisted (believe it or not!) of a little silhouette image

of a "rshi", a sage or "tavattavar" in classic, meditative sitting

posture -- that archetypal pose in which we normally picture the

ascetic in our minds.

 

At the time "Vicco Vajradanti" was first promoted in the market,

adiyane always used to wonder why the picture of a "rshi" had been

chosen by the makers to serve as brand-logo! What did white teeth and

dental sparkle have to do with "rshi-s"? Why on earth would one

expect ascetics to behave like movie actresses and be particularly

conscious, of all things in the world, of the "venn-mai" of their

"pull" when, in fact, the whole purpose of their life was to mortify

the Body in order to elevate the Soul!

 

It was not until many, many years later, and not until I had read and

re-read many times over, and pondered long the 14th "pAsuram" of

AndAL's TiruppAvai, and had grasped better the meaning and

significance of the phrase "venn pull tavattavar", that I was willing

finally to concede that makers of "Vicco Vajradanti" had not been

foolish, but indeed had shown rare spiritual wisdom and creativity,

in choosing the image of a "rshi" to be the logo for their brand of

tooth-paste!

 

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

 

Putting jokes aside, let us now seriously examine AndAl's phrase

"venn pull tavattavar".

 

To understand AndAl's this expression, we have nowhere else to go but

to the Upanishad again since it is the basis ("pramANa") of the

entire TiruppAvai.

 

"... yuvAs-syAth-sAdhU-yuva-adhyAyaka:

aashishTO DridishTO balishTa:"

 

(Taittiriya Upanishad- "anandavalli")

 

According to the Upanishad 'vAkya' above, a typical Vedantic ascetic

("sAdhu") should look youthful ("yUvA") and sprightly ("aasishta:)

with a charming air of earnest studiousness ("adhyAka:") about him.

Even by looking at such a "yuvAssAdhu" one should be able to easily

tell that he is of strong, hardy body ("balishTa:") and firm

("DridishTa:) of character. Asceticism, in the Vedantic tradition,

thus, has simply no room for weaklings and hobos.

 

>From the Upanishad's description above of how a typical Vedantic

ascetic looks, we may easily infer that AndAl's "tavattavar" too must

be one of those "balishTa-s". No surprise, therefore, that such a

"tavattavar" should also have strong, firm teeth!

 

In the age old days, when horses and cattle used to be bartered at

village-fairs called "sandhai-s", a prospective buyer of a horse

would first evaluate the animal's health and condition by putting his

fingers inside its mouth and first feeling its teeth ("pull"). A good

look at all the teeth inside the horse's mouth would tell him if the

animal was really the worth the price quoted! Not dissimilarly, we

might venture to say, AndAl's "tavattavar" too must have been one of

pretty high eminence since, as she says, he possessed "venn pull" --

strong, pearly teeth!

 

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

 

Another, reason why "tavattavar's" are observed by AndAL to be

flashing their "venn pull" is that truly enlightened ascetics or

'sAdhu-s' of the world generally radiate Joy all around them. They

exude a certain indefinable cheerfulness wherever they go.... The

followers of Swami Ramakrishna-Paramahamsa of Belur Math remember

this about him -- that he had a cheery air about him that made

everyone around smile and dance! Ramakrishna himself used to smile a

lot -- a charming but powerful smile ... one can see this in old

photographs of his, showing him with that characteristic "toothy

smile" accentuating the glow on his beatific face ... "venn pull

tavattavar" again!

 

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

 

The phrase "venn pull" is actually a very eloquent and effective

metaphor that AndAl employs to denote the quality called "vairAgya",

or Renunciation, present in ascetics and "tavattavar-s". Ascetics are

expected to abjure from all the ordinary pleasures of this world,

especially the one that most tantalizes all mortals viz. Good Food.

 

Food is Man's greatest indulgence, his greatest temptation. Sometimes

it is quite difficult to decide if Man eats to live or lives to eat!

Good food includes delicacies, gourmet dishes, exotic flavours,

palate tickling recipes, aperitifs, soups, starters and desserts...

In India even the post-prandial "vettrilai-paaku" or "thAmbulam"

(betel-leaves) is part of the great allure of food. After a good

meal, chewing upon a mouthful of betel-leaves takes one to the

heights of enjoyment!

 

The only problem with chewing "betel leaves" is that it leaves one's

teeth ("venn pull") permanently stained beyond repair! It is quite an

ugly sight to see such stained "pull" on a person's face for it shows

up its owner for what he or she really is --- someone given to

unbridled gluttony! A person who has no control over love of good

food! A person with no 'vairAgya' -- no power of renunciation!

 

Such a person could never be said to be a "tavattavar" for, with his

badly stained teeth, he would never possess what AndAl has called:

"venn pull" -- the proud badge of asceticism hailed by the

TiruppAvai!

 

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

 

The "ubhaya-vEdAnta" exponent, (late) SrimAn Mukkur Lakshmi-

narasimhachariar (1945-2001 CE) used to recount in many of his public

discourses a humorous anecdote illustrating the quality of 'vairAgya'

or renunciation -- that shines through in ascetics when they reveal

their teeth, their "venn pull". The incident was narrated to him, he

said, in breezy raconteur style by the 44th Jeeyar, the pontiff of

Ahobila Mutt, Srimadh Azhagiyasingar,

 

In his 'pUrvAshramam' (period before he entered the ascetic Order),

the pontiff was known as Swami Rajagopalachariar, a short-term

resident of Mannargudi, S.India. As a resident there, he used to

frequent the great Rajagopalaswamy 'sannidhi' (shrine) there.

 

It was 'gokulashtami' one day (the day of celebration over the advent

of the Krishna avatar) when Swami was returning from a visit to the

temple. Just as he was about to step out of the temple, Swami was met

by an old, wizened friend of many years.

 

This friend who had his 'mEl-vastram' (a light cotton cloak) tied

into a bundle suddenly untied it on seeing our Swami.

 

"Hello, Rajagopala," the elderly friend said, untying his little

bundle, "Hello, Rajagopala, how are you? Did you have a good

'darshan' of the Deity?Yes, sir, indeed and what about you? Did

'gokulAshtami' celebrations go off well in your house?" enquired our

Swami.

 

"Oh, yes, very well, indeed, Rajagopal. And here, I have some

'bakshaNam' (sweets) from home for you! Please accept these." So

saying, the old friend offered Rajagopala Swami some home made sweets

and delicacies like 'mysore-pAk' etc. Our Swami accepted them all

with touching kindness.

 

Next the old friend offered Swami a very special snack called in

Tamil "cheedai". This is a famous delicacy without which no

"gokulAshtami" is consummated in Tamil homes. It is made of flour

rolled into small balls the size of playing-marbles and deep-fried in

oil to a magnificent golden hue. After it is well done, "cheedai"

serves as everyone's favourite snack because, being cute and

ball-like in appearance, they look adorable; and also because they

are good and crunchy to bite into. Believe me, one gets a strange,

pleasurable experience when one lobs a "cheedai"-ball into one's

mouth and proceeds to gnash it with gusto, producing through

masticating jaws peculiar grating sounds ("kaRRu-muRRu", in Tamil!)

which are in themselves a sort of music to gourmet ears!

 

All in all, eating "cheedai"-balls is a delight that only

"cheedai"-eaters would truly know!

 

Anyway, to return to our tale of the pontiff, the 44th

Azhagiyasingar, the old friend of his in the Mannargudi temple, seems

to have offered our Swami a lot of 'cheedai' to enjoy. Swami began

munching delightedly.

 

In a moment, seeing his old friend not partaking of his own delight,

Rajagopala Swami offered some 'cheedai' back to the older one,

saying,

 

"Sir, why don't you enjoy some "cheedai" yourself?" The old one

remonstrated, "No, no, Rajagopala, don't force me. You know I am

indeed extremely fond of 'cheedai'; I used to love them. But these

days I shun them."

 

"And pray tell me why, Sir?" said our Swami, the Azhagiyasingar of

'pUrvAshramam'.

 

"Well, you could say, Rajagopala, I am practising a kind of

'vairAgyam" replied the old friend.

 

"Oh, I see, and what is the cause for such severe renunciation, Sir,"

queried Swami politely.

 

The old friend replied sadly, "Rajagopla, you know, in the old days I

would have gobbled up all the "cheedai" in the world to my hearts

content. But alas today, as you can see, I have lost every single one

of my molar-teeth ("venn pull"!). So I'm unable these days to enjoy

this delicacy on 'gokulAshtami' day."

 

The 44th Azhagiyasingar, it seems, that day learnt a very important

lesson on true "vairAgyam" that Mukkur Lakshminarasimhachariar

related as follows:

 

"When we practice 'vairAgya'' and deny ourselves enjoyment of things

like "cheedai", we should ask ourselves first whether the self-denial

or renunciation is genuine. Do we shun it because (A) we, like good

and genuine "tavattavars" have resolved to renounce it, or whether

(B) we abjure it only because we do not have the necessary means or

capacity to indulge in its pleasurable enjoyment (like teeth or "venn

pull", for example!)?

 

ANdAL tiruvadigaLE saranam,

 

Regards,

 

dAsan

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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