A Peep into Periya ThiruMozhi 195

[Guest guest]

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Terazhundoor—The People- womenfolk

 

What about the women of Terazhundoor? Sri Kalian has a lot to say about them.

Rather than ask for human beings’ comments about the damsels of Azhundoor,

Kalian ask the birds and the bees. The bees, for instance, say that they prefer

the heavily scented and sweet hair of Azhundoor women, as a place of residence,

to their normal abodes atop trees—

 

“kombil aarnda maadhavi mel kodi meynda vandinangal

ambu araavum kan madavaar iympaal anayum Azhundoore”

 

These women have beautiful eyes resembling sharp arrows, capable of piercing the

hearts of even the most hard-hearted of men—“”ambu araavum kan madavaar”. The

fragrance of their hair is due to constant exposure to perfumed smoke of “Akil”

wood. Their feet are soft as cotton—(“Panji anna melladi nal paavaimaargal”) and

adorned with anklets and similar ornaments, which make a pleasant sound when

they walk. Their hands are bejewelled with a variety of bangles, which again

emit sweet tones, when the hands are moved. Added to this, the damsels hold in

their hands beautiful parrots, which keep repeating the words taught to them in

their syrupy voices.

 

These beautiful women of Azhundoor are extremely facile dancers—“Aaderu malar

kuzhalaar”—and their heads are adorned with the finest of fragrant flowers.

Even their normal walk is as graceful as to resemble a swan’s—what to say then

of their dance! Of course, the spirit of the verses appears to be that while

the women were well-versed in fine arts and were facile singers and dancers,

these talents were used to portray the glories of the Lord, rather than for

empty and mindless recreation.

 

>From Sri Kalian’s pasurams on this divyadesam, it is apparent that the residents

of Azhundoor excelled in every aspect of human endeavour, be it agriculture,

industry, spiritual endeavours or fine arts, all with an underpinning of

devotion for the Emperuman of Azhundoor.

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan