[asiasri] Sri Andal Vaibhavam -Part One

[Guest guest]

NaarAYaNa Hari Naama SankIrthanamEva Jayathi

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

I am attaching an article by SrIman Haresh Balasubramanyan ,

a deep devotee of Andal from Singapore . Please enjoy.

 

V.Sadagopan

 

Sri:

 

Dear Athma Bandhus!

 

It is adiyen's Mahabaghyam to be associated with such a wonderful

community of devotees.In view of the celebrations during the Dahnur

Masam or Margazhi Month,I have made a sankalpam to post a series on

the importance of Goddess Andal in the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam.

 

In the first portion we will cover

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the background of Andal and the purpose of her Avatara, the

connection of Andal's birth with the varaha charama shloka based on

the works of Sri Vaikuntavasi U.Ve Mukkur Lakshminarasimhacharya

 

the Second portion will cover

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the marriage of Sri Andal to Lord Ranganatha and the essence of Pavai

Nonbu according to HH Srimad Paravakkotai Andavan Sri Gopaladesika

Maha Desika Swmi of Poundrikapuram Andavan Ashrama.

 

The final portion will include

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some verses and a simple prayoga for the busy asthikas who wish to do

Anil Sevai during this month for Andal.

 

Without much further ado let us begin with a prayer by Sri Vedanta

Desika.

 

Invocation

Sri VishNuchittha Kulanandana Kalpavalleem

Sri RangarAja Harichandana yOga dhrusyAm|

 

SaakshAth KashamAm KaruNayA KamalamivAnyAm

GOdhAm ananya Sarana: SaraNam PrapadhyE||

 

Meaning by Sri U.Ve Oppilliappan Koil Varadachar Satakopan Swami

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GodhA Piraatti is the wish-granting Kalpaka tree in flower garden of

the kulam of Sri VishNu Chitthar; She is most beautiful as She gives

us Her darsanam as the Karpaka creeper united with Her Lord Sri

Rangarajan standing majestically as the Harichandana tree in that

Nandavanam ; She is the incarnation of BhUmi Devi known for Her

auspicious qualities of forbearance ; indeed ,Godhai is the

embodiment of forbearance; When it comes to the quality of Her Mercy,

Godhai is a veritable MahA Lakshmi (KamalA). AdiyEn , who has no

other refuge seek Her as my sole refuge

 

– Godha Stuti of Sri Vedanta Desika , Verse One

 

 

A long time ago in the holy village of Sri Villiputtur ,near Madurai

lived a pious Brahmin named Vishnu Chitta or Peryazhwar. Once, Sri

Vishnu Chitta participated in a philosophical debate in the Pandya

court. Upon the successful explanation of the Vedic texts, he was

given a grand appreciation ceremony by the king. While seated on the

processional elephant, Sri Vishnu Chitta had a vision of Lord Vishnu

and his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi riding on their mount , Garuda.

Unable to control his emotions Sri Vishnu Chitta burst into a series

of hymns , requesting the lord's weapons to protect the delicate and

beautiful form of Lord Vishnu under all circumstances. This mystic

outpourings are documented in Tamil and are known as "

Thirupallandu " . Since Vishnu Chittar was the only Alwar to have this

opportunity to pray for the Lord's well being, he earned the

title " periya alwar " or " grandsire among the saints " .

 

Sri Vishnu Chitta was a dedicated bhaktha and his only joy was

serving Lord Vadaptrasayana of Sri Villiputtur.He maintained many

flower gardens and Thulasi groves on the lands he owned.One morning

while Vishnu Chitta was gathering thulasi for the service of Lord

Vishnu he found a beautiful newborn female child under one of the

thulasi plants. The child had all the lakshnas of the Goddess and

was radiant like Maha Lakshmi Herself. Sri Vishnu Chitta took the

child to his residence and resolved to raise her as his own. He named

the child Godha. Godha in Sanskrit means flower garland.

 

Let us pause for a moment and attempt to understand the Andal avatara

rahasya or the purpose behind this divine birth.

 

Vaikuntavasi Sri U.Ve Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhacharya in his

monograph " Kurai Onrum Illai " describes this episode as follows.

After the completion of Krishna Avatara, the Lord returned to his

abode. From there he observed the plight of the bhuloka vasis or

human race and began to feel sad. The Lord said , " After so many

incarnations, and presenting the Bhagavad Gita, these humans still

do not wish to repent. Perhaps I have failed in my mission " .

He then looked at Mahalakshmi and asked her if she would manifest on

earth and correct the situation. Goddess Lakshmi then sighted

several " negative " episodes from the previous avataras of Sri Rama

and Sri Krishna and excused herself from the task. Lord Vishnu then

looked at Bhudevi. Bhudevi then answered, " Swamin! I was only

waiting eagerly for the order from you .I am ever willing to execute

your will " .

 

It is my humble request to the reader to note that this episode is

not to place Mahalakshmi in lesser light or over glorify the

character of Bhudevi. The Lord and Goddess Lakshmi had a reason for

appointing Goddess Bhudevi for the task. This traces back to the

Varaha Avatara.

 

According to the Varaha Purana,when the Lord rescued her from the

clutches of the demons, He found that Bhu Devi was still shivering

and Sri Varaha Bhagavan questioned the reason for her shivering. Sri

Bhu Devi answered the Lord , " As I am your consort you came at once

to my rescue. But I still shiver whenever I think of the plight of

our children, the people of the world.Would you do the same for

them? " In response to Bhu Devi's question, the Lord answered

 

" Stite manasi susvaste sareere sati yo narah Dhatu samye stite smarta

viswaroopam cha maam ajam Tatastham mriyamaanam tu kashta pashana

sannibham Aham smaraami mad bhaktam nayaami paramaam gathim "

 

meaning by Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar:

 

LORD VARAAHASWAMI SAID, " When your mind is sound, your body is in

best of health, when you are in prime of life if you think of me

once, even when you are in " Coma " like a log of wood or stone and

when you are ready to exit from this world 'AHAM SMARAMI' I will

think of you "

 

 

Sri Mukkur Lakshminarasimhacharya further expands upon the meaning of

the above verse( known as Varaha Charama Shloka) as follows:

 

He who performs prayer to me with offerings of flowers ,chants my

name and performs " Sharanagati-Atma Samarpanam " at an age when his

mind is clear and free of worry before it is contaminated by Kama or

Lust and has an understanding of my form or viswaroopa, I will

remember such a devotee at the Anthima dasa or life's end run at

moment's notice to such a person.

 

Sri Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhacharya then summarizes purpose of Andal's

birth as follows :

 

– To teach the world to offer prayer to Lord Srimannarayana

– To propagate Chanting of the Holy name of Lord Narayana

– To perform Athma Samarpanam or Sharanagati at the feet of

Lord Narayana

 

Having thus understood the Avatara Rahasya of Goddess Andal ( Godha

Devi), let us proceed to enjoy the Leela's of Bhu Devi's Earthly

Manifestation in the village of Sri Villiputtur.

 

As a child, Godha grew up in holy surroundings where much time was

spent in prayer and glorification of Lord Krishna, the family deity

of Sri Vishnu Chitta.Andal assisted her father in whatever way

possible in his day to day service.As a result of this exposure to

vaidika kramams or holy activities, Godha developed a strong

attraction towards Lord Krishna and began to visualize Him as her

companion. She began to think of the temple of Vatapatrasayanar as

the home of Nandagopa and the village of Sri Villiputtur as

Thiruayyarpadi or Brindavan, the childhood residence town of Lord

Krishna.Godha began to imagine herself and friends as Gopikasthrees

or young cowherd maidens.

 

Vishnu Chitta was fond of making garlands for Lord Vishnu and would

take the completed garlands to the temple. Godha Devi as a young

teenage girl used to take the garland without her father's knowledge

and try it on herself ( thirumeni-divine form) before it was sent to

the temple. One day, the temple archaka ( priest) found a strand of

hair on the garlands and complained to Vishnu Chitta. Little did

Vishnu Chitta know of his young daughter's playful activity. Vishnu

Chitta observed his daughter closely and eventually caught her in the

act and chided her for her behavior.He then discarded the garlands

touched by his daughter's thirumeni and prepared fresh ones. That

night in a dream Lord Vadapatrasayanar appeared in his dream and

spoke thus :

 

" My Dear Vishnu Chitta, I am most pleased with your efforts in

preparing nice garlands for my daily worship.However the fresh

garlands aren't as pleasing to me as those with the thirumeni

sambadham ( association with Andal's divine form) of your daughter "

 

Vishnu Chitta awoke with a jolt and thereafter realized that his

daughter is no ordinary being. Thereafter Godha came to be known as

Andal – the girl who conquered the Lord. As days went by, people

began to speak negatively about Vishnu Chitta and how he had

neglected arrangements for his teenage daughter's wedding. This began

to worry him and he decided to put word out for suitable match for

his daughter. He discussed the marriage plans with his daughter and

she refused his suggestions by declaring that she would marry no

mortal and that Lord Krishna was her one and only love.

 

Vishnu Chitta then decided to pray to Bhagavan for a solution. That

night Lord Vishnu in His form of Sri Ranganatha appeared in a dream

and offered to marry His daughter and told him to proceed with the

arrangements. The next morning ,Vishnu Chitta awoke early and

completed his nithya karmanushtanams ( daily rituals for a sri

vaishnava such as Sandhya Vandanam, Abhigamanam ,etc).As he stood at

the entrance of his house, he saw a huge retinue of Brahmins chanting

vedas approaching his doorstep. They were pundits from the temple of

Sri Rangam .The chief pundit addressed Vishnu Chitta , " O best among

the Brahmana's, we represent the marriage party of Lord Ranganatha of

Sri Rangam who desires the hand of your daughter, Godha Devi in

marriage " .

 

 

( to be cont'd)

 

Sri Godha Devi sametha sri ranganatha swami thiruvadigale saranam

Swami Desikan Thiruvadigale saranam

 

Dasanudasan

 

B.Haresh

Morderator,Asia Pacific Sri Vaishnava Forum