Her Secret Love

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

 

 

Her Secret Love

 

 

The Lord tells us in the Gita that it is He who forms the profound

purport of the Shruti and that it is He who is to be found in every syllable,

word and sentence of the glorious VEdAs- " VEdaischa sarvam ahamEva vEdya: " .

Tiruppavai is acclaimed to be the very seed of the Vedas- " VEdam anaittukum

vitthu " . Hence it follows that Sri Andal's outpouring too has for its content

only the Paramapurusha. It is a garland of thirty eternal and evergreen verses

strung together with boundless affection by a passionate devotee.

 

 

 

Sri Andal might speak of several avatArAs of the Lord in Tiruppavai-She

talks about the " Ongi ulagaLanda Uttaman " (Trivikraman), " ManatthukkiniyAn " (Sri

Rama), " NandagOpan

 

Kumaran " (Sri Krishna). It would appear, from a superficial study, that the Hero

of the Prabandam is indeed KaNNa PirAn, the darling of YasOda, the apple of

NandagOpA's eye, the heartthrob of all the girls of Gokulam and the undisputed

leader of all its urchins. It would also appear that every alternate line of

these pAsurams bears a mention of Sri Krishna, attesting to their mission of

eulogising Him. Tiruppavai would thus seem to be an elaboration of the obsession

with Krishna that characterised Sri Nammazhwar's existence, to the exclusion of

all else- " uNNum sOru, parugum neer, tinnum vettrilai yAvum KaNNan Emperuman " .

 

 

 

However, if we go in for a deeper and discerning analysis, we would find

that Sri Andal's real intent is to adulate not Sri Krishna alone, but, in the

guise of that, to direct Her praise to yet another entity. Her words might

appear on the surface to eulogise the son of YasOda, but the spirit behind those

words indicates quite a different person. While She might hold the garland in

Her hand and stare at Sri Krishna, Her real intent appears to be to adorn

someone else's neck with it. Who could that be, who is exalted enough to steal

Sri Andal's affections, while Sri Krishna looks on in disappointment?

 

 

 

Poets normally give an indication of what lies in their mind, in the very

beginning of their composition as well as in the final verse, providing a clue

to what undercurrent of emotion runs through the entire work. Thus " upakramam "

(the beginning) and " upasamhAram " (the conclusion) provide a definite indication

as to what the work is all about. Adopting this rule, we find a leonine motif

dominating the broad canvass of Tiruppavai. We may therefore safely conclude

that the secret lover Sri Andal had enshrined in Her heart was Sri Nrisimha and

none else. To those supporters of Sri Krishna who rise up in arms against this

statement, my request is to read on and find for themselves the irrefutable

evidence in favour of Andal's infatuation with Nrisimha mUrthy.

 

 

 

In the very first pasuram, Kodai Naachiar speaks about the glorious

lion- " iLam singam " . To the superficial reader, this may appear to be a reference

to the irrepressible lion cub that the young KaNNan was. However, if we care to

look beyond the obvious, we find that it is indeed an allusion to Sri Nrisimha,

who alone is the undisputed owner of the brand name, " Simham " . There might be

any number of contenders to the throne of " Simham " like the RAghava Simha and

the YasOdai's Simham-but the genuine article, the original and magnificent lion,

is only our Nrisimha. If anything, the words " iLam singam " would emphasise the

immaturity of the toddler Krishna, when compared to the splendorous, mature and

majestic Lion that Sri Nrisimha was. The further reference to " SenkaN " , a

reddish eye, would suit Sri Nrisimha to a T, as His eyes were veritable orbs of

fire, blazing with rage at Hiranyakasipu.

 

 

 

" Kadir madiyam pOl mugatthAn " is also very much an allusion to Sri Nrisimha,

whose one eye, directed at Hiranya, resembled the scorching Sun, while the

other, looking with love at Sri Prahlada, was cool as the Moon. And the word

" Narayanan " in this pasuram must indeed refer only to Sri Nrisimha, for it was

He who resided as antaryAmi in all beings and objects, ready to spring out of

whichever place or being Hiranyakasipu smote with his mace. Thus Sri Nrisimha

fits the definition of the Narayana Sabdam ( " NArA: yasya ayanam, sa Narayana: " ),

as all sentient beings and non-sentient objects had Him inside them- " TrailOkyam

Etat akhilam Narasimha garbham " .

 

 

 

The " Ongi ulagaLanda Uttaman " too is Sri Nrisimha only, for during this

unprecedented avatAram, the Lord's tirumEni was huge beyond measure, tall and

broad enough to pervade the entire universe.

 

 

 

" Azhi mazhai KannA! " too is a call to Nrisimha, whose eye showered benevolence

on Sri Prahlada like a veritable torrent of rain, drenching the latter in a

deluge of Mercy, as sought by Sri Tirukkacchi Nambi- " KAruNya mAruta Aneetai:

sheetalai: abhishincha mAm " .

 

 

 

" MAyan " has to be Sri Nrisimha. The name denotes the ability to perform the

impossible- " aghatita ghatanA sAmarthyam " . Sri Nrisimha's glorious avatAra,

springing out of Hiranyakasipu's palace pillar the moment it was smitten by the

asurA, in a form which was neither lion nor man ( " na mrigam na mAnusham " ) but a

mixture of both, totally devoid of any serious weapon with which to slay the

demon, is indeed a splendid demonstration of making Mission Impossible come true

and of the display of unprecedented prowess. Hence this " adbhuta KEsari " is

indeed the " MAyan " of the fifth pasuram.

 

 

 

" ari endra pEraravam " -It is this lion-god whom Rishis and Sages have in their

mind when they wake up from sleep, for " ari " in Tamizh refers to the lion. If

you have any doubt, listen to Sri PeriyAzhwar telling us that this " ari " is

indeed Sri Nrisimha- " ari uruvAgi ariyayi azhittavanai bandahnai teera pallANdu

pallAyiratthAndendru pAdudumE " . Another Azhwar confirms that " ari " is indeed Sri

Nrisimha- " azhagiyAn tAnE, ari uruvan tAnE " . Immediately after waking up, these

Sages chant the name of Sri Nrisimha with devotional fervour, filling the air

with Nrisimha nAmam- " ari endra pEraravam " . And why should the wise think of such

a terrifying form as Nrisimha, first thing in the morning after waking up?

Because He is auspiciousness personified- " Bhadram " .

 

 

 

In the next pasuram, " Keesu Keesu " too, we have evidence of Sri Andal's secret

love. When She says, " Kesavanai pAdavum nee kEttE kidatthiyO " , She obviously

refers to the Leonine Lord with His beautiful mane. If Kesava: is taken to mean

one with beautiful hair, then it is Nrisimha who is alluded to here.

 

 

 

The three hallowed names that find a mention in the eighth pasuram, " MAmAyan,

MAdhavan and Vaikunttan " refer to the lion god. The " MAya " sabdam's connection

with Nrisimha was indicated in the context of the fifth pasuram. MAdhavan refers

to Sri LakshmINrisimha, who is forever in the company of His Consort- " MAlOlan " ,

whom Sri Kalian adulates as " alli mAdar pulga nindra Ayiram tOLan " . The

irrepressible Lord is also known as " Vaikuntta: " , which word has a special

connotation to Sri Nrisimha, as can be seen from the DasAvatAra

Stotram- " Vaikuntta kanteerava: " .

 

 

 

" PuLLin vAi keeNdAn " refers to the exploit of Sri Nrisimha in subjugating the

" Sarabha " pakshi, which dared to confront Him immediately after the slaying of

Hiranyakasipu, which episode is indicated by " pollA arakkanai kiLLi

kaLaindAnai " .

 

 

 

" Sangodu chakkaram Endum tada kaiyan " too is Sri Nrisimha only. During this

avatara, in which the Lord could not use weapons for destroying the asura due to

the special boons the latter managed to obtain, the inseparable Sudarsana

Chakram transformed itself into the deadly nails the Lord sported, we are told.

" Pangaya kANNAn " -The Lord did not forsake His lotus eyes even during this

terrifying avatara and they remained as lotus-like as ever, says an Acharya, who

addresses Sri Nrisimha as " VArija vilOchana! " ( " VArija vilOchana! mad antima

dasAyAm, klEsa vivaseekrita samasta karaNAyAm-Ehi RamayA saha sharanya!

VihagAnAm nAtham adhiruhya Narasimha! Narasimha! "

 

 

 

The boundless infatuation the Lord has for Piraatti and the pleasure He derives

from Her company, are described in the pasuram " kutthu viLakkeriya " . This must

doubtless refer to Sri Nrisimha, who is always to be found in the embrace of His

Consort- " LakshmyA samAlingitha vAma bhAgham " .

 

 

 

All the thirty-three crore and odd celestials were paying tribute to

Hiranyakasipu, who had them all under his thumb. By liberating them from the

dreaded asurA, Sri Nrisimha became the " Muppatthu moovar amararku mun chendru

kappam tavirkkum kali " . As the whole world witnessed His prowess in slaying the

asura with His bare hands, He is indeed the " Tiral udayAi " . And, as Hiranya

found out to his chagrin, Lord Nrisimha is indeed a terror to His

foes- " SettrArkku veppam kodukkum Vimalan " .

 

 

 

The next pasuram, " Ettra kalangaL " too contains several references to this Lion

God. " PeriyAi " -Sri Nrisimha's was a mammoth figure, striking terror with His

very form. And He shone with the brilliance of a thousand rising Suns- " tOttramAi

nindra sudar " .

 

 

 

Fearing the blazing orbs that the Lord sported during His encounter with the

asurA, Sri Andal prays to Him to look at Her with merciful glances out of

pleasant, lotus-like eyes, one like the Sun to destroy all the gloom of

ignorance in our hearts and the other cool and consoling like the Moon, to

provide us the instant bliss of Bhagavat anubhavam- " TAmarai poo pOlE sengaN siru

siridE emmEl vizhiyAvo, TingaLum Adityanum ezhundAr pOl angaN irandum koNdu

engaL mEl nOkkudi " .

 

 

 

It is the next pasuram, " MAri malai muzhainjil " that speaks graphically about

Sri NrisimhA's fragrant and bountiful mane ( " VEri mayir " ), His majestic gait

( " pOtharumApOlE " ), His stentorian voice ( " muzhangi " ) which is enough to strike

terror in the heart of His foes, etc. The beautiful allusion to " Seeriya Singam "

identifies beyond doubt the real Hero of this Prabandam, for the word " Seeriya "

speaks volumes about Andal's admiration for this loftiest of Lords. And the word

" SimhAsanam " can refer only to the seat of Sri Nrisimha, as it can be construed

as " Simhasya Asanam " . As befits a " Seeriya Singam " , His throne too is a " Seeriya

SingAsanam " .

 

 

 

It is Sri Nrisimha who triumphs over His detractors with ease- " KoodArai vellum

seer Govindan " .

 

 

 

It is He who has as His profession, the Creation, Sustenance and Destruction of

the myriad varieties of life, which is symbolised as cows ( " pettram " ), in the

pasuram, " Chittram siru kAlE " . And it is to Him that Sri Andal offers eternal

service. It is with this Nrisimha that She professes eternal bondage and desires

everlasting kainkaryam to- " ettraikkum EzhEzh piravikkum un tannOdu uttrOmE AvOm,

unakkE nAm AtcheyvOm " .

 

 

 

In the final pasuram, " Vanga kadal " too, Sri Andal refers to Sri Nrisimha with

the epithets, " MAdhavan " , " Kesavan " etc. The words " SengaN Tirumukham " indicate

conclusively that is Sri Nrisimha who is Her Hero, for it was during this

avatara that the Lord's eyes blazed with the reddishness of anger against the

unrepentant asurA. " Selva TirumAl " is indeed the lion god, who is forever in the

embrace of the Goddess of Wealth and who has incredible and unfading infatuation

for Her, despite innumerable millennia of married life. And it is the worship of

Sri Nrisimha, which would confer upon us all types of auspiciousness and

ultimately the endless bliss of Bhgavata anubhavam- " engum tiruvaruL

 

pettru inburuvar " .

 

 

 

To those who are inclined to scoff at the aforesaid as being far-fetched,

 

I would recommend a visit to Srivilliputtur, where, till date, the shrine of a

majestic Nrisimha greets everyone and whom we have to worship before passing on

to the sannidhi of Sri VatapatrasAyee, as Sri Andal must have done too, in Her

times.

 

 

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana

Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dasan, sadagopan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamin,

another classic piece. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful

Gunanubhavam. Please continue to bless us with more of such articles.

 

Adiyen Ramanujadasan Kannan