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SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya/

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anubadravam anudhinam samvardhaya//

KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava:/

SrI RanganAthO jayathu SrI Ranga SrIs cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL. 2/12 dated 24th July 2001

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SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRATING TIRUNAKSHATRAM OF ANDAL

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It is customary to celebrate the time and place of any auspicious event.

Today is one such auspicious day being the Tirunakshatram of the bridal

mystic – Andaal.

 

Let us enjoy her Vazhi Thirunaamam.

The first line reads:

“Tiruvaadip Poorathu Jagathudithaal Vaazhiye”

Meaning that she was born in the month of Aashaada in the constellation of

Poorva Phalguni. This was about 5000 years ago (7C Ad). When Swami Desika

visited Srivilliputtur (Sridhanvinayapuram), it was a “Mahaapradosham” day.

He used to observe silence during “pradosham” But, he made an exception and

suddenly burst into a panegyric to Goda in his “Goda Sthuthi”, when he

witnessed in the main streets of Srivilliputtur the grand procession of Goda

Rangan. He surrendered immediately at the lotus feet of Goda, the

quintessence of mercy and forgiving saying-

“Saakshaath Kshamaam karunayaa kamalaamivaanyaam

Godaam ananyasarana: Saranam prapadhye”

In the very next Sloka, he gives the reason why he broke his silence. It was

her overwhelming quality of “daya” that made him loquacious despite his own

limitations (mounaan mukharayanthi gunaa: tvadheeyaa:)

 

Referring to the direction of her birthplace, he observes in the 11th stanza

“Oh! Gode! By your birth the Southern direction itself became blessed as the

best of directions, so that even while asleep, Lord Ranganatha looks at your

Avatara Sthalam.

Dik dakshinaapi pari pavitram upalabhyaath

Sarvottaraa bhavathi Devi thava avataaraath /

Yatraiva Rangapathinaa Bahumaana purvam

Nidraalunaapi nisatham nihitha: kataakshaa: //

Thondaradippodi Azhwaar described the supine posture of Lord Ranganatha

saying that the Lord had His head on the West, feet in the East, showing His

back to the North, but was looking at the South. But, he gives a different

reason for this, saying that HE was looking at Lanka, the land of

Vibheeshana.

“Kuda dhisai mudiyai vaithu Guna disai paadam neetti

Vada dhisai pinbu kaatti then dhisai Ilangai nokki

Kadal nira kkadavul enthai aravanai thuyilumaa kandu

Udal enakku urugumaalo! Yen seigen ulagathhre!”

 

Swami Desikan, however, felt that the Lord could not take His eyes off the

birthplace of His beloved Andal and therefore, was facing South.(Before the

Rajagopuram of Srirangam was built, the Rajagopuram of Srivilliputtur was

considered the tallest).

The Lord also seems to be enjoying the cool, refreshing and soothing

Southern breeze called “thenral”.

 

Veda piraan Bhattar celebrates:

“godai pirandavoor Govindan Vaazhumoor

Jodhi manimaadam thonrumoor – needhiyaal

Nalla patthar vaazhumoor naan marai Odhumoor

Villiputtur Vedakkonoor”

Meaning

“Srivilliputtur is the birthplace of Goda: Lord Govinda (Vadapatrasayee) has

His abode here: here are gem studded uprising palatial mansions: great

devotees of the Lord live here chanting the 4 Vedas; and, this is also the

abode of the great Bhattarpiraan (Vedakkone)”

Though Govindan was born in Mathurai, brought up in Nandagokulam and ruled

from Dwaraka, His final abode (as Vatapatrasayee) is the birthplace of Goda

(Govindan Vaazhum oor)

 

Swami Desikan celebrates thus:

“ Veyar pugazh Villiputtur Aadip Pooram

Menmelum miga vilanga Vittuchittan

Thooya Thirumagalaai vandu arangarkku

Thuzhaai maalai mudi Soodik kodutha maadhe!

Neyamudan Tiruppavai Paattu Aaraindum

Nee uraitha thai oru thingat paamaalai

Aaya pugazh Nootrunaarpattu moonrum

Anbudane adiyenukku arul sei neeye

Meaning

”Oh! Goddess Gode!, the one who has offered to Lord Ranganatha of

Srivilliputtur the garland of Tulasi (holy basil) after wearing it (the

garland) on the locks of your tresses being – as ayonijaa (Nat taking birth

from the garbha of any mortal being) – the benign foster daughter of Sri

Vishnuchitta at Srivilliputtur on the Poorvaphalguni constellation of

Aashaada (Aadi) month – doubly making auspicious and lustrous birth, (both

Aadipooram and the sacred town of Srivilliputtur) which are hailed by the

cowherds and other devotees of the Lord!. May you lovingly and

affectionately shower your graceful blessings on me, your humble servant so

that I will understand the quintessence of your two great compositions –

Tiruppaavai consisting of six pentads (30 verses)and Naachiyaar Tirumozhi,

the garland of songs beginning with “thai oru thingal” consisting of 143

verses” *

 

Praising the 30 verses of Tiruppaavai, Vaazhi Tirunaamam says –

Tiruppaavai muppadhum cheppinaal Vaazhiye”

These are not ordinary literary verses. They have layers and layers of deep,

deeper and deepest meanings and messages for liberating our souls. Let us

see what they can do?

“paathakangal theerkkum”- They will remove all our sins that stand in the

way of moksham. (Cf Poya pizhaiyum pugu taruvaan ninranavum theeyinil

thoosaagum)

“Paraman Adi Kaattum”: They will show us the means to reach the divine feet

of the Lord (Paraman)

“Vedam anaithukkum vithu aagum”: they are the very seeds of the Vedas.

Nammaazhwaar’s Srisookthis may be the essence of Vedas, Mahaabhaarata may be

the fifth Vedam, But, Tiruppaavai is hailed as the very seed from which the

Vedas sprouted.

 

What happens to those who do not know these 30 verses? They are verily a

burden on mother earth Remember that Goda is Herself Bhoodevi (mother Earth)

“Godai tamizh aiyaindum aindhum (5x5+5=30) ariyaadha maanidarai vaiyam

sumappathum vambu”

 

The 3rd line says:

“Periyaazhwaar petredutha pannpillai Vaazhiye”

meaning that she was “born” to Periyaazhwaar. But, is this true?

She was an “ayonijaa” as already mentioned. She took Her Avataara as the

“just born” baby girl in the muddy pit of the holy basil nurtured by

Periyaazhwaar. So, elders would say that it would be more appropriate to

describe Her Avataara true to fact as “Periyaazhwaar 'pEtru' edutha penn

pillai Vaazhiye” - the one who was picked up when the mud in the pit was dug

up!

 

Like the holy basil with its natural fragrance right from its sprouting,

Andal was immersed in the fragrance of Bhakti right from the moment of Her

appearance at the pit.

 

The 4th line reads: “Perumpudur maa munikkup pinn aanaal Vaazhiye” meaning

“She became the younger sister of Perumpudur Maamuni (Bhagavad Ramaanujar).

The period of Andal was in 7c AD. The Sage lived from

1017 to 1137 AD. Is it not anachronism to call him the elder brother of

Andal? This expression is not historical but is figurative. It is said that

Andal desired to offer the Lord of Tirumaalirumsolai, a 100 vessels of sweet

pudding (Akkaara adisil). Bhagavad Raamaanuja is said to have fulfilled her

desire by actually offering the same on her behalf. The general practice in

those days was that the elder brother is the one who usually fulfills the

desires of his younger sister. Thus, Perumpudur Maamuni is deemed

figuratively to be her elder brother.

 

The 5th Line says: “oru nootrunaarpathu moonru uraithaal Vaazhiye”

meaning that She composed a poem of 143 verses. This is “Naachiyaar

Tirumozhi” which contains details of every step of her “Dream Wedding” with

the Lord.The portion called “Vaaranam aayiram” is recited in the weddings of

Srivaishnava girls even to this day.

How and why this practice?

Sastras declare: ”Jaamaathaa Vishnuvath Poojya”. The word

“Jaamaathaa” means both Son-in-law and the Lord. At the time of wedding, the

bridegroom is deemed to represent Lord Vishnu and the bride as Andal. Even

today, we see the bride being decorated like Andal under the wedding canopy.

 

The 6th line says: Uyar arangarkkE kanni uganthu alithaal Vaazhiye” meaning

“She happily gave Herself up to Ranganatha, the Supreme Lord”.

Andal hoped; She dreamed; She persevered; Now, Her hour of triumph had

arrived. Indeed, Her prophetic “dream came true”. She married Lord

Ranganatha. She offered not only the garland of flowers (poomaalai) and

garland of poems (paamaalai) but also She gave Herself up to the Lord.

 

The 7th line says “maruvaarum tirumullai valanaadu Vaazhiye” meaning

" Hail the prosperous land (Valnaadu) permeated by fragrance of flowers”

This refers to the prosperity of Her birthplace and the fragrance of Bhakti

that filled the air there. “maru” means “fragrance’ and “Valanaadu’ means

Land of abundance”

 

Andal Herself refers to this prosperity of Srivilliputtur (which She

imagines to be Ayarpaadi itself) in several verses (cf Selva Sirumeergaal,

Narchelvan nangaai, Vaiyathu Vaazhceergaaletc).

 

The last line reads: “Vann Pugazh nagar Godai malar padangal Vaazhiye”

meaning

“ Hail the lotus feet of Goda of the prosperous city of Puduvai " (here,

means Srivilliputtur).

 

Varavaramuni celebrates Her Avataaram in 3 verses as below:

Inro Tiruvaadip ppooram, namakkaaga

Vanro ingu Andal avatharithaal – kunraadha

Vaazhvaan vaikunta vaan bhogam thanai igazhndhu

Aazhwaar Thirumagalaai

Meaning

Today is Tiruvadippooram. Forsaking the pleasures of Paramapadam, She

descended “down to earth” for our sake as the daughter of Azhwaar.

 

Pariyaazhwaar penn pillaiyaai Andal pirantha

Tiruvaadip poorathin seermai – oru naalaikku undo maname! Unarndu paar

Andaalukku undo Oppiu itharkku

Meaning

Today is the Pooram day in the month of Ad when Andal appeared on earth. Oh!

Mind! Understand this. Is there any other day any more auspicious than this?

Is there any one comparable to Andal?

 

Anju kudikku oru santhadhiyaai, Azhwaargal

Tham seyalai vinji nirkkum thanmaiyalaai

Pinjaai pazhuthaalai Andaalai Bhaktiyudan naalum

Vazhuthaai maname Magizhndhu

Meaning

Andal is the single descendent of the five great families of Azhwaars. But,

she excelled all of them by ripening even while being a tender unripe fruit.

Oh! Mind! Pray to Her with delight and devotion daily.

Who are the five Azhwaars? The three mudal Azhwaars together are the first

family Tirumazhisai, the second; Nammaazhwaar and Madhurakavi (together form

one family),the third; Kulasekarar, the fourth and Her own foster-father,

Periyaazhwaar,the fifth. Other Azhwaars viz. Tondaradippodi, Tiruppaann and

Tirumangai Azhwaars were born much later after her. Still, Andal is

generally considered as the inheritor of the traditions of all the Azhwaars.

 

Soodikkodutha Sudarkkodi Andal Tirvadigale Saranam

 

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

------

*(Translation by Sri V.K.S.N. Raghavan,

Reader, Department of Vaishnavism, University of Madras)

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