"U", "ku" and "mu" -- The sound of "piratti-vAchakam" in the TiruppAvai

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Dear friends,

 

Tomorrow's verse of the day (2 Jan'03) is Stanza # 18 beginning with

"undhu madha-galitran OdAtha tOl valiyan...". This verse begins with

the sound "u".

 

The next verse (3 Jan'03) Stanza # 19 begins with"kuttuvillak-eriya

....". It begins with "ku" also containing the sound "u".

 

And the following verse, Stanza# 20, (4 Jan'03), also begins with

"muppatu-mUvar amararkku mun senru...". Here also the first syllable

is "mu" containing the sound "u".

 

So all three verses #18, #19 and # 20 of the "tiruppAvai" in seriatum

begin with the sound of "u" which in Sanskrit is called "u-kAra

shabdham" or the letter denoting "pirAtti-vAchakam"... the vowel that

constitutes "U" in the primordial sound of the "praNava-mantra",

A-U-M.

 

Within the sonic timbre of the "U" in the A-U-M, the Divine

Mediatrix, the Consort of Lord Narayana, "sAkshAt-mahAlakshmi" is

said to reside.

 

"AchArya-s" point out that the three "u's" used here in 3 contiguous

stanzas by AndAl are not without significance as each of them denotes

respectively the following:

 

(1) the nature of "purushAkAratvam" of thAyyAr which makes Her

actively intercede with the Almighty on behalf of "jivA-s"and secure

for them His Grace; this is denoted by the expression

"kadai-tira-vAy" and

"vandu-tira-vAy".

 

(2) the nature of "nithya-yogam" of thAyyAr which makes Her

inseparable from the Almighty and which constitutes His essential and

inalienble Self; this is pregnant in the expression "ettanai-yElum

pirivAtrakilAyAl..".

 

(3)the nature of "upEyatvam" of thAyyAr which holds within it the

power of rendering a "jivA's" condition acceptable to the Almighty;

this is latent in the expression "un maNAlaNai emmai nirAttu...".

 

All 3 essential aspects of thAyyAr are howeversplendidly brought

together in one single piece of poetic imagery through the use of

AndAl's rare expression: "pandAr-viraLi" in Stanza 18.

 

This phrase "pandAr-viraLi" is brilliantly explained by that

extraordinary one amongst 'tiruppAvai' commentators, Sri.PVPillai who

wrote along the following lines:

 

The literal meaning of "pandAr-viraLi" denotes thAyyAr,

'napinnai-pirAtti', as a "playful lass" in the aayarpAdi and found to

be ever distracting herself twirling a ball on her nimble fingers

("pandhu").

 

When such a lass got the better of Sri.Krishna Himself at playing

ball, "napinnai-thAyyAr' came to be affectionately known as

"pandAr-viraLi"... a sort of "expert ball-player".

 

So deeply does "thAyyAr" savour her victory over Krishna, and so

delighted over her exploits with the ball, that even while asleep she

keeps the ball tightly clasped in one hand, while with the other, she

lies embracing the Lord. And so lost is she in her wonder-filled

slumber that "nappinnai" does not heed other "aayarpAdi" girls

calling out to her from her doorstep to awaken and allow them

audience with Her

Lord Paramour, Bhagavan Krishna.

 

It is to such a lass that in this verse of the tiruppAvai that the

"aayarpadi" girls call out: "pandAr-virali".

 

Sri.Peria-achhAn pillai here explains that it is Krishna who is the

"instrument to be enjoyed" by "nappinai"; the ball is merely her

plaything!

 

She holds in one hand "that which is contained" i.e. "naram" ... the

"ball" ... while in the other hand she holds "the container" i.e.

"narAyanan". While in one hand she holds "vibhuti" ... i.e.

substance... in the other she holds "vibhutimAn" ... viz. the

underlying principle of all Substance.

 

In one hand she holds "chetanA-s"; in the other she holds "Iswara"...

both are so dear to her she clasps the one no less tightly in her

embrace than the other!

 

Thus, is clearly established thAyyAr's nature of "purushAkAratvam"...

being the all-compassionate universal mother ...the Divine

Mediatrix... to whom her errant and wayward children ("chetanA-s")

are no

less precious than her own Lord Paramour ("Iswara" itself).

 

"pandAr-virali" also subtly brings out pirAtti's "nitya-yOgam" ---

inseparability with not only the Lord in whose embrace she ever

resides but also, seemingly, with the "pandhu" -- this great Ball of

Creation. She keeps it tightly clasped in her hand never letting it

slip out of her hands for even a moment... the poetic imagery of a

mother who will

never let go of her infant even when in the embrace of her husband is

indeed exquisite here. It reveals an important SriVaishnava doctrine

that says that a relationship between "iswara" and "chetana" would be

well nigh impossible without the intervening agency of divine

intercession.

 

"pandAr-virali" also suggests how by virtue of being clasped in her

hand, a ragged piece of "ball" ("chetana") attains to the elevated

status of intimate proximity with the Lord. If not for "pirAtti"

would

the "ball" ever attain the kind of proximity to God that is available

in his own bedstead? Is it not she who renders "acceptability" to the

lowly "jivA" and enables it to achieve "parama-gathi"? Here thus is

established the "upEyatvam" of thAyyAr!

 

A most wonderful explanation by Sri.Peria-AcchAn Pillai indeed !!

 

Stanza#18 is very important for one other reason. It contains the

lines

 

"sendhAmarai-kaiyAl seerAr vaLai-olippa

vandu tiravAy mahizhendElor embAvAy !"

 

The above lines literally mean : "With thy hand of lotus-red hue and

with the jingling of your beautiful bangles, come forth, O napinnai,

and fling the doorway of thy abode open!".

 

Sri.Ramanuja in his early days in SriRangam lived in the traditional

"yati" style... going around begging for food ("bIksha") through the

streets of the holy city. He was fond of reciting the stanzas of the

"tiruppAvai" as he went around. (A habit which earned him the

sobriquet, "tiruppAvai-jeeyar").

 

One day on one of his alm-gathering rounds he found himself at the

doorstep of his achAryA, 'peria-nambi'. It remained bolted shut.

 

Coincidentally, it so happened that Ramanuja happened to be uttering

the above lines of the "tiruppAvai" at that very instant, and lo

behold! no sooner were those words uttered than the bolted door

opened and "attulAy", peria-nambi's little daughter sallied forth

daintily with that day's alms for the YatirAja-r!

 

So sudden and intense was the coincidence that it simply took

Ramanuja's breath away! For a moment he seemed to have a vision of

"napinnai-thAyyAr' herself in the form of Peria-nambi's little

daughter! He grew giddy and fell into a deep and rapturous swoon !

 

Peria-nambi was not present at home then. But the fact that Ramanuja

had swooned and collapsed at his doorstep quickly reached him in

another part of the town where he was tending to some other personal

chore. When the news reached him the venerable guru of Ramanuja

seemed to have already had a prevision of what had transpired at his

home, for he is reported to have cooly commented,

"undhu-madha-gaLitru

anu-sandhAnam- AyirrukkavadUkkum!" ...meaning, "it's alright, I know

what might have happened to that fellow Ramanuja. He must have

recited the tiruppAvai stanza beginning "undhu-madha-gaLitru..." at

my

doorstep and must have lost himself in a trance!".

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

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