ANDALA (GODA) – MIRA BAI OF SOUTH INDIA

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

ANDALA (GODA) – MIRA BAI OF SOUTH INDIA

 

The following is excerpted from the article of Dr. Kamal Shivkumar

in the March-April issue of Direct Path – Ramana Gyan, bi-monthly

journal of Shri Ramana Kendra, Delhi.

 

When Buddhism and Jainism were spreading their wings in the South,

the Vaisnava and Saiva saints started the Bhakti movement. The

former saints were called Alvars ( ) and the latter

Nayanmars ( ). Alvars, twelve in all, lived in Tamil

land from second to eighth century A.D. They were titled Alvars

because of their deep devotion (bhakti) to God. (`Andal' is from

the word `Alndal' i.e., deep into bhakti forgetting oneself). Among

the twelve Alvars, Andala was the only woman. Alvars spread the

message of bhakti to the masses through their devotional Tamil hymns

to Lord Visnu. The Alvars, revered for their unflinching devotion to

Lord Visnu, are worshipped as a part amsa ( ) of Visnu.

For example, Bhudatalvar is considered His gada ( ),

Tirumalaisaialvar as His sudarsana ( )and

Kulasekharalvar as His koustubha ( ). Andala is

worshipped as Bhudevi, the goddess Lakshmi. The hymns composed by the

Alvars were compiled by Nathamuni (824-924 A.D.) under the title

Divya Prabandham ( ).

 

It is said that Andala as a new born was found by Periyalvar or

Visnuchitta near a Tulsi plant while he was watering it. Both he and

his wife considered her a divine gift to them. She was named Goda, as

she was thought to have emerged out of earth (Bhudevi). She was also

called Kodai which in Tamil means garland of flowers. The pretty

Kodai grew up in a religious surrounding. Visnuchitta used to narrate

to her stories of Lord Krishna from the Bhagavatam. Kodai listened

to them with rapt attention and considered herself as a gopi of

Vrandavan. She loved the Lord deeply and made up her mind in her

childhood itself to marry only Krishna.

 

Vishnuchitta used to offer worship to Lord Visnu through flowers

from his garden. But before these were taken to the temple by him,

Kodai wore them secretly and looked at her reflection in a well

and felt sure that she was quiet suited as a bride to Lord Krishna.

One day, while doing so, she was caught by her father who felt very

sorry for what she was doing and did not take the garlands to the

Lord. That night the Lord appeared to Visnuchitta in dream and

desired to have the garlands for worship as worn by Kodai.

Visnuchitta was struck with wonder and carried out the Lord's order

everyday. He called Kodai as Andal, which means " she who rules " –

and she ruled over the heart of Narayana Himself.

 

As time passed, Kodai grew into a beautiful damsel. As her father

started the search for a groom, she told him firmly that she would

marry none other than the presiding deity, Lord Ranganatha in the

temple of Srirangam. She strongly believed that the Lord would appear

before her and marry her. As nothing like that happened, she began to

grieve beyond measure. Her father was greatly disheartened to see her

worried, and to consol her started telling her the legendary history

of 108 principal shrines (Divya Desam) where Lord Vishnu presides.

She felt extremely happy to learn that her Lord Ranganatha's

dwelling place, Srirangam, was the first and the foremost of all the

Divya Desams. Visnuchitta's elaborate account of Srirangam brought

solace to her heart.

 

When her Lord did not present Himself to her, she thought

of observing a vrata named pavai nonbu. Details of this are

described in her work Tiruppavai in thirty hymns, which are still

sung by young maidens during the Tamil month – Margazhi (mid-December

to mid-January), to have husbands of their choice. She also sang

the Nacciyar Tirumoli which consists of 143 hymns where she narrates

her marriage with Sri Ranganatha and expresses her longing for Him.

When despite her earnest prayers the Lord failed to appeared, Andal

felt overwhelmingly sad. Looking at the agony of his daughter,

Visnuchitta became very unhappy and beseeched the Lord fervently to

fulfill her wish. That very nigh Lord Ranganatha appeared in his

dream and told that He would marry Kodai at Srirangam and that he

should bring her there. Then the Lord appeared in dreams of those who

were in-charge of the Srirangam temple to bring Visnuchitta and his

daughter to the temple with due respect. He also appeared in the

dream of Pandya King Vallabha Deva and asked him to bring Kodai from

Srivilliputtur in a decorated palanquin. Kodai too dreamt of her

marriage with the Lord, as she disclosed it to her friends.

The Pandya King sent a palanquin decked with pearls for Kodai and

appropriate vehicles for others to travel to Srirangam. Dressed up

like a bride, Kodai gleamed like Mahalakshmi. The marriage party set

off towards the shrine of the Lord. Many more anxious to see the

wedding joined them on the way. The big procession was received by

the Pandya King and his ministers at the mandapam in front of the

temple. Kodai got down from the palanquin and went inside the temple

and stood in front of the deity. She then stepped on the snake bed

of the Lord and nearing the Lord embraced Him, and disappeared in

Him. (March 2004 issue of this journal also carried a story about

Andala.)