Mysticism in the composition of Azhwars - by Dr. NSA - Part 3

[Guest guest]

ShrimatAm Shri KavitArkikasimha Sarvatantraswatantra VedAntAchArya Thooppul

Nigamantha Maha Deshikan ThiruvadigaLE SharaNam

 

The third and the concluding part in this series.

 

Mysticism in the composition of Azhwars - Part 3

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The billing and cooing of the lovebirds with their mates remind the

lonely and passionate 'nAyaki' of her own frustration. As evening comes and

a lover is still absent, passion and frustration increases. The sounds,

smells, visions of the night deepen the longing. As evening turns to dark

night the pangs of separation are intensified.

 

" The whole world is sleeping now, the whole world is black calmness,

the prolonged night stretches before me. If the God who swallowed the

universe and lies sleeping on the serpent does not come to me, who will save

the soul? "

(Thiru 5-4-1)

 

The love poetry portrays separation much more vividly than union. At such a

stage the 'nAyaki' thinks of sending a message to her lover through the

birds, the bees, the clouds and others.

 

The Azhwars have also described the joy of divine communion. The mother sees

her daughter in a happy mood and concludes that she had the vision of the

Lord. She has increased beauty. She adorns herself with tasteful dress and

jewels. She speaks his name longingly. The mother comes to know that the

Lord has granted her His love.

 

When the love of the bride is not granted, the lover thinks of committing

even suicide. It is called 'madal'. The 'madal' is stated to be a palmyra

stalk which the lover rides in order to make public the love that he bears

in an acute form.

 

The 'tolkAppiam' mentions this 'madalmA' a horse made of palmyra stalk. The

one aim here is to achieve the beloved or die. It is said that man only is

qualified to undergo this trial. But Thirumangai Azhwar makes this threat

come from a woman.

 

The call of divine love is at once most satisfying and permanent. God is the

staff of love. In 'madal', the psychology of 'kAma' is involving a martyr

principle. Real love is always love unto death.

 

1. Madal is a fanatic appeal to God to come down from His

transcendental kingdom to accept the purest flower of love offering (kAma

pushpam).

2. It is what the individual soul cannot but do.

3. It is the final act of throwing away all pride and vanity.

4. It is a non-violent resistance. This is to be held as an extreme

step. It is that state in which love is all-absorbing and the only refuge.

5. 'Madal' is utilised in a spiritual way for a spiritual goal and as

an 'anga' to 'sharaNAgati' or surrender.

 

The gist of the 'madal' is - Among the four ends viz - dharma, artha, kAma

and mOksha, kAma is the single goal of man. It is the basic 'purushArtha'

which we pursue for it's own sake. The call of the divine love is that one

which is most satisfying and permanent.

 

" thannaruLum Ahamum thArAnEl thanrainAn - minnidaiyAr shEriyilum vEdiyargaL

vAzhvidaththum - thannadiyAr munbum tharayu mithALum-konnavilum vElvEndar

kUttaththum nAttahaththum - thannilaiyai ellAm arivippan "

 

God the lover should come to save the soul. The soul is so evolved as to

bear no separation any more and hankers after the Lord. The motif of 'madal'

is employed by Thirumangai Azhwar. Two beautiful poems, 'shiriya thirumadal'

and 'periya thirumadal' are the dramatisation of the acute psychosis set up

by his faith in absolute self-surrender to the Lord.

 

Bridal mysticism is thus a mental process which transforms and transports

the mystics to a supra-physical plane. Love of God is like love of a woman

for a 'purusha' - here 'PurushOttama'. Both men and women have only the

feminine tendencies as far as love is concerned. Single-centredness in love

pining away in separation, intense emotional feeling and silent resignation

to the will of the Lord are its characteristics.

 

The mystic experience may be cultivated just sa the maid may prepare for her

lover. The Lord's purpose, tormenting and teasing, is only to intensify love

and when one reaches that state, the grace of the Lord certainly flows on

him and culminates in the climax of love union.

 

 

dasan,

Balaji (Rajiv)

 

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai !!!