Pasuram 14 of Andals Thiruppavai

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76214700/Andal-s-Thiruppavai-in-easy-to-readTamil-text-and-English The full text of all 30 Pasurams may be found here. Also, a scholarly discussion can be found at the link given below. http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru2.pdf A word-by-word translation is given at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/ See below the images of the English and Tamil texts of Pasuram No. 14 of Andals Thiruppavai. For those who wish to read the text in other languages, please go to http://www.prapatti.com Andal is considered to be Sridevis amsaavataaram. She was born at Srivilliputoor (close to Kanchipuram, also the city where Indira Gandhis son and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated), as the daughter of PeriyAzhwar. She is also the only female among the 12 SriVaishNavite Azhwars. She longed for union with Her Lord and insisted that she should be taken to Srirangam where she eventually merged with Lord Ranganatha. You can read more about Andal at the link given above (or click here). The immortal Thiruppavai, attributed to Her, is a divine composition, filled with deep esoteric meanings, on which many commentaries have been written over the centuries. In the first pasuram, ANDAL invites Her friends for the Vratham observance (Sakhi JanAn aahvayanthi). In the second paasuram, She spells out the rites to be observed and the deeds to be abandoned (Karma Phalam upadisanthi). In the third Paasuram, She describes the fruits of the Vratham (Vrathasya Phalam Vadanthi). The aacaaryas who have blessed us are considered to be like the milk giving cows with overflowing udders. In the fourth Paasuram, Andal is directing her prayers to Varuna (actually to KrishNa who had the complexion darker than the darkest rain bearing clouds), the god of the rains, and comparing the bounty bestowing by aacaryas to the bounteous rains showered by Varuna. In Pasuram 5 Andal tells us that He would completely burn off all of our accumulated sins much like a fire burns pieces of straw thrown into it.

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In Pasurams 6 to 15, Andal is trying to wake up 10 different types of bhaktas. The eighth of these bhaktas is described in Pasuram 13.

PAASURAM 14

Courtesy: http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/tamil/naalaayiram/aandaal/tiruppaavai.pdf
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Simple Word for Word meanings (http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/vstp12.html ) uNGkaL puzhaikkataith (In) Your backyard thOttaththu garden vaaviyuL pond

ceN GkazhunIr vaay nekizhn^thu aampal vaay kUmpina kaaN red lilies (their) mouth/petals have opened water lilies (their) mouth/petals have closed See ! ceNGkal poti Red ? powder (saffron) thaNGkaL thiru kkOyil Their sacred temple kkUrai robes veNpal ashes thavaththavar wearing ascetics pOthan^thaar going .

caNGkituvaan to blow conch (are) (you)

eNGkaLai munnam ezhuppuvaan Us first (you) will wake up naNGkaay Hey girl caNGkOtu Conch ezhun^thiraay wake up cakkaram wheel

vaay pEcum boasted/mouth speaks . naavutaiyaay talkative girl .

naaNaathaay shameless girl

En^thum bearing

thata kkaiyan wide armed (Lord) paatu sing about (Him).

paNGkayak kaNNaanaip (with) Lotus (like) eyes (we will) Pangkayak = Pankaja in Sanskrit

El Or empaavaay Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu

Todays Pasuram 14 is sometimes called the Thiruppavai within the Thiruppavai and the most important of all the pasurams because of the message in the 6 th line (Nangaai ezhundhiraai naaNaadhaai naavuDaiyaai) which has been discussed in depth by leading scholars. Andals friend, who is still asleep and being woken up, is known for her great skill in speech (naavuDaiyaai) which would convince even Krishna to grant any boon. Andal wants this gopi to join them, but alas, she is still asleep, after having promised to be the first to get up and also wake all the others up. The whole purpose of the faculty of speech is to engage in talks of the Lord and singing His glories. The great ascetics have all risen and are blowing the conch in the temples and spreading the name of the Lord all around. That is a sure of the dawn, yet you
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are asleep. And in the pond in your own backyard, as we entered, we see that the sengazhuneer (name of a lotus) has bloomed and the aambaal (another lotus) has closed its bud. That too is the sign of the dawn. Now, please wake up and join us. Let us together sing the glories of Krishna. Andal's Pasuram 14 is also supposed to cover the three Pramanams - the means to acquire knowledge or the sources of knowledge. 1. By inference, such as observing the lotuses. 2. By direct observation, such as seeing the yogis walking to the temple with conchs 3. By listening to authoritative sources (shabdam or shaastras, tasmaat shaastram pramaanam te, Krishna in Gita, chapter 16, verse 24), such as the actual sounds and hearing the singing of the glories of the Lord. All these three are mentioned as proofs for the dawn that is advancing to convince the gopi who is still asleep. The same applies to all other topics and the means of acquiring knowledge.

The blooming and closing of the lotuses in the pond

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The blowing of the conches by the great ascetics at the temples From http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/ahobilavalli/thiruppavai.pdf MEANING OF THE 14th PAASURAM (V. SADAGOPAN) The young womenfolk of AayarpAdi had decided to observe the ritual nombu for the well being of the entire community. The lady in this house had agreed to join the ensemble early in the morning and had taken up the responsibility of waking up the rest of the group. But she sleeps tight having forgotten the same. Andal and her maids try to awaken this friend of theirs in this verse. They say, "Oh dear friend, flowers like lotus and senkazhuneer bloom in splendor at daybreak under the rays of the rising sun. Flowers like Aambal (night queen) bloom while the moon is in rise and remain so until daybreak. While on our way, we have seen the bloom of senkazhuneer and the droop of the Aambal into a bud. You may see the same among the flowers too." Thus did they try to wake her up giving here all the signs of dawn. Andal continued saying "You might accuse me of manually flowering the beautiful bud. Let me give you a more satisfactory elucidation". "Are you not able to hear the rhythm of the conch that is being blown from the temple, by the populace, who have freshened up
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themselves into a neat holy attire after having spent an enchanting night relishing on beetle leaves and nuts? It is also the time now for preceptors of the monastic order to take the holy bath, perform their penances, their ordained duties and the worship of the Lord. Wake up now immediately and join us" These pleas also went unheard. With an air of indignation, Andal continues, "Oh friend, well. You told us yesterday to be ready to go to the Yamuna early in the morning and that it would be your responsibility to wake up all those who would still be asleep. It is indeed a noble virtue to do, what one speaks. But it is acceptably a difficult virtue too. It is easy for everyone to make statements. It has come true in your case that people do not do what they promise to. You have spent devoted loving moments with our Kannan. It would therefore not befit you to be a liar". "Since you have been very intimate to Kannan and you have been privileged to receive him and his glories completely in your heart, we are determined not to go to the nombu ritual without you. Kannan would come only if you do so. Arise therefore and quench our cravings for Kannan" said they. These pleas went with the wind as before. Continuing with indignation, they said "We are not ashamed of you for having wronged on your word. Do not question the fact that when so many of us are going, what is your necessity to be there. You are privileged with the most wonderful art of speech. Just as how Sri Rama was enthralled with Hanuman's words in his very first meeting, so will Kannan fall to your words. We request you therefore to help us in uplifting ourselves by singing the glories of Kannan, who dwells in the love filled heart of yours and who captivates us by His divine form adorning the conch and the discus and who enthralls us with his beautiful eyes that are like the lotus in full bloom and whose eye lashes are drawn long and neat" Having listened to these words, the damsel immediately rushed out from her house to join the ensemble to Yamuna.
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The preceptors who are well versed in the shastras, who are blessed with the wealth of erudition, who are endowed with auspicious virtues, who behold inherent virtues like compassion and who have won over the faculties, impart to the subjects of the Lord, the ways and means to emancipate from the cycle of transmigrating samsara and to attain the eternal bliss of beatitude. The following taken verbatim from http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru2.pdf Dear BhakthAs: In this Paasuram, a silver tongued leader of the Gopis is being awakened. This young Gopi had loudly proclaimed the evening before that she will wake up first and then wake all the other Gopis. Now, she has forgotten all about that promise and is sleeping cozily. The Gopis waiting outside are annoyed and yet want to have this silver tongued Gopi with them, when they go to meet KrishNan, since She has the powerful persuasive skills to influence Krishna to grant the boons that they desire. They remind the sleeping Gopi about signs of advancing dawn (PrabhAtha chihnam: RakthaPadmAni vikasithAni, Kumudha mukhAni cha sankuchithAni). BhuvarAhAcchAr Swamy points out the UpadEsam that ANDAL houses in this Paasuram: Use your tongue not merely for tasting delicious dishes, but for singing about the lotus-eyed Lord. That is the main purpose for which it (the tongue) was gifted to you in the first place. LITERAL MEANING (DR. V. K. S. N. RAGHAVAN) (The maidens awaken another group-leader). Already it is day-dawn, for even the Senkazhuneer flowers (red lotuses) have bloomed and Aambal flowers have closed their buds, in the small tank of your back-yard garden. The saints with ochre-robes and white teeth have started to visit their respective holy shrines for blowing the conch. Oh our Lady who boasted (by word of mouth) yesterday that you will come and awaken us at first! now, please get up. You are not ashamed; you are but a chatterer. Let us sing the glory of the Lord of lotus-like eyes (pankayak kaNNan), who holds aloft on His mighty hands, the Conch and the discus (the symbol of His supremacy among all gods). NangAi, NaaNAthAi, NaavudayAi
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NangAi: The Gopis address the sleeping Gopi with above three chosen names and their import is explained by Sri PBA Swamy. Utthama PurushAs are addressed as Nampi and Utthama Sthrees are referred to as Nangai. Nampi is the one, who has advanced skills in all fields (Sakala Paandithyam) and anushtAna sampath. That Nampi is the Swamy as well. The ladies of such outstanding attributes are recognized as Nangai (Swaamini). This Gopi is one such Nangai. NaaNAthAi: NaaN not only means modesty (adakkam) but also ahankaaram in an esoteric context. For instance, Swamy Desikan has stated at the end of one chillaRai Rahasyam (?), nANN periyOmallOm (We do not have ahamkAram/nANN (egotism, conceit, haughtiness, self-love). Swamy Desikan describes himself as one devoid of ahamkAram. This Nangai is free of the dhOsham of ahamkAra-mamakArams and hence the name nANAthAi fits her well. NaavudayAi: Every one in the world has a tongue (Naakku). Naaku produces Vaak or speech. Those tongues producing Vaak that nourishes the universe (like AchAryAs) are the true possessors of Naaku (naavudayavar). SithA pirAtti addresses HanUmAn and says in this context: VachA dharmam avApnuhi (May You obtain the phalan of having Vaak/ Vaai padaittha prayOjanma peRuvAyAha!). That is the blessed Vaak, which is used to eulogize the Lord (Saa jihvA yaa Harim sthouthi). AchArya RaamAnujA has been saluted as Jayathi Sakala VidhyA Vaahini janma saila: He is the Naavudayava Nampi, whose Vaak is fragrant with sakala saasthrams and Vidhyais. Sri PBA Swamy observes further that one should take note of the PramANa NirdhArana-roopa SaasthrArthams housed in this paasuram. VedAnthis accept as PramANam three entities: Prathyaksham, anumAnam and sabdham. These three pramANams are illustrated in this paasuaram. Please refer to Sriman Hari's excellent postings on the above three pramANams in his postings on SaraNAgathi journal. Here, the matter of Ungal Puzhakkadai-- is anumAna PramANam. Tavatthavar tankaL ThirukkOil SankiduvAn pOhinrAr is Prathykasha PramANam. YenkaLai munnam yezhuppuvAn Vaai pEsum NangAi, the aaptha vaakyam (sabdham) is sAsthra pramANam. Thus all pramANams are covered here.

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THE INNER MEANINGS FOR PAASURA VAAKYAMS (PERUKKARANAI SWAMY) 1. UngaL Puzhakkadai thOttatthu vaaviyuL Senkazhuneer vaai nehizhnthu:= Jn~Anam has blossomed in the heart of the tree in SamsAram allocated for the chEthanams. 2. Aambhal vaai Koombina:= The flowers like Kaamam, mathsaram et al associated with aj~nam have closed their petals. 3. SenkaRk kodikkURai veNN pall tavatthavar tankaL thirukkOil sangiduvAn pOhinRAr= Many wearing the sacred clay (ThirumaNN) originating from SvEtha dhvIpam, wearing red bordered vasthrams and possessing the power of great penance are meditating on the Lord in their Hrudhaya PuNDarIkam through PraNavOpAsanam. 4. YenkaLai munnam yezhuppuvAn vaai pEsum NangAi YezhunthirAI= May You as UtthamAdhikAri, who stated to wake us immersed in the timeless samsAram, get up and bless us! 5. NaaNAthAi NaavudayAyai Oh Uthama AdhikAri, who is not reticent about instructing us on sadh Vishayams! Oh Nangai who is blessed with sadhVaak to recite the names of our Lord! 6. Sankodu Chakkaram yEnthum Tatakkaiyaan Pankayakkananai paada= Please instruct us on the margam of UpAsanai of the Lord who holds the unique symbols like Sankam and chakkaram in His hands to denote His Parathvam. This Paasuram is considered by our AchAryAs as ThiruppAvayilum ThiruppAvai. Among the dhivya prabhandhams, Godhai's Prabhandhams are the most exalted; even among Her two Prabhandhams, ThiruppAvai has the loftiest position. In all the thirty paasurams of ThiruppAvai, this paasuram is the most important. Even in this paasuram, the passage naanE thaan aayiduha is the supremely important one with depths and depths of meaning. PerukkAraNai Swamy has elaborated on the deeper meanings of the paasurams for almost 25 pages based on the four pages of Abhinava Desikan. We will cover the highlights of this abiding message of naanE thAnn aayyiudaha briefly due to the restrictions of space and time. This message can see us through many storms and controversies that we face during our lives as Sri VaishNavAs, when it comes to BhAgavatha daasyam, an essential prerequisite among the codes of conduct for a true Sri VaishNavan.

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