“maRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu!” (Part 1): The TirupAvai as Vedantic exposition on “kaama”: the problem of Desire in human life =20?=

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Upanishad ‘sAram’

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The great SriVaishnava philosopher and preceptor, Sri

RamanujAchArya (10th century CE) was known to always

regard the TiruppAvai as “upanishad sAram”: the

essence of lofty Upanishadic thought. It is the chief

reason why this balladic but allegorical song of

ANdAl, containing thirty dainty verses in chaste,

marvelous Tamil poetry -- with its simple, pastoral

theme about a group of rustic cow-maidens (“aaypAdi”)

in rural Tamil country going about their annual vow

(“vrata”) of a ritual bath in the early hours of dawn

(“neerAda pOdhuvIr”) --- it is the chief reason why

the TiruppAvai has attained the tall status of holy

scripture accorded to it by tradition -- a status

equal to the very best found anywhere in the age-old

Bhakti literature of India.

 

Ever since the time of Sri RamanujAchArya it has

become unbroken sacred custom in SriVaishnava homes to

dedicate the whole of the wintry month of “mArgazhi”

(Dec-Jan of the Tamil calendar) to the TiruppAvai,

with each day of the month being devoted to the

chanting and re-enacting, to the contemplation and

celebration of each of the 30 verses the divine

poetess of SriVilliputtur (Tamil Nadu, S.India) strung

together in what has since come to be known as “sangha

tamizh mAlai” – the “garland of poetic gems” strung

together by ANdal (“soodikkodutha-nAcchiyAr”).

 

During the holy month of “mArgazhi” (a salubrious

period of the Tamil calendar which in Vedic tradition

has always been regarded as exceptionally conducive

for one and all to intensify their spiritual effort

and exertion (“mAsAnAm mArgasheershO’aham”)), in most

SriVaishnava households, rich and lowly, learned and

unlearned, either in India or abroad, the TiruppAvai

today constitutes an especial and integral part of

daily religious life and practice.

 

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(to be continued)

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

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