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This unique Perumal painting depicts Him seated with His three consorts, then
reclining, and is surrounded with illustrations for all 30 of Andal's Pasurams.
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Sekhar was also a witness to that and posted "Never in all my 70+ years did I connect
the full moon on the first day of Margazhi with the first pasuram of Andal's
Thiruppavai."
shining brightly in the sky. Let us pray with full devotion so that the Lord Sriman
Narayana Himself will be pleased and bless us with moksha (parai tharuvaan).
As noted in a recent post (Dec 11, 2015 @9:59 PM), this first pasuram describes the
Lord Sriman NarayaNa in His Divine Abode, VaikunTha (parama padam, according to
SriVaishNavites). That is the image of the Lord seated with His three consorts - Sridevi,
Bhudevi and Neelaadevi). The next pasuram describes the Lord in reclining posture, in
the milky ocean (paar kaDaLul paiyath thuyinRa). This is the next image below the first
one. Surrounding this are illustrations of all 30 pasurams of Andal's Thiruppavai. The
third pasuram describes the Lord as Vamana (Ongi ulgaLandha Uttaman). Each of the
first five pasurams are describing the five different forms of the Lord.
We will discuss this in more detail in subsequent posts.
PASURAM 1
Margazhi thingaL madhi niraindha nanaaLaal
NeeraaDa(p) pOdhuveer pOdhuminO nErizhaiyeer
Seer malgum aayppaaDi chelva(ch) chirumeergaaL
Koorvel koDun thozhilan Nandagopan kumaran
Eraarandha kaNNi Yashodai iLam chingam
Kaar mEni chengan kadhir madhiyam pol mugatthaan
NaaraayaNanE namakkE parai tharuvaan
Paaror pugazha(p) paDindhElor empaavaai ................... (1)
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Hari Bol.
Om Namo NarayaNaaya
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare l
Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare ll
P. S. Note that I typed the Mahamantram with Krishna first. That's what got typed first
and I decided to let it be. Indeed, Brahma went with Mother Earth (who took the form of
a cow, or "go" in Sanskrit) to the milk ocean and asked the Lord to come down to rescue
those who were suffering. The Lord agreed and came in the form of Krishna with all of
His opulences (Krishnas tu Bhagavaan swayam, as told in Srimad Bhagavatam).
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What is "paar kadal"? Does it really mean far away milk ocean that ordinary mortals like
us cannot reach? You see, when the lord came down as Krishna, he was residing in
Vrindavana (Gokulam) and taking care of all the cows. Even now, a visit to Mathura and
Gokula, Vrajabhoomi, we see the place populated with goshaalas. These cows also
produce bountiful quantities of milk, verily an ocean of milk. This is another
significance of "paar kadal". Andal is inviting us to Gokulam, the place where Krishna
grew up as a cowherd boy.
I have attached the pic from an earlier post (dec 11, 2015), which has a fascinating
depiction of Perumal seated in VaikuNTha (with His three consorts, Sridevi,
Bhoomdevi, and Neelaadevi, usually Neelaadevi is missing but she is invoked by Andal)
and then the reclining posture in Paarkadal, followed by illustrations for all the 30
pasurams going around these two illustrations. The first is the para form of the lord
and the second is the vyooha form. There are three other forms of the lord, which are
described (implicitly) the next three pasurams.
Hari Bol.
Om namo Naarayanaya
Hare Raama Hare Rama Raama Raama Hare Hare l
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ll
The acaryas also tell us that pasuram 1 is invocation of the Ashtaaksharam and pasuram
2 is the Dwayam mantram. The Ashtaaksharam (8 letters) is Om namo Narayanaya
(1+2+5 = 8, as revealed in Om ityagre vyaaharet, etc.) and the Dwayam teaches us the
means of surrender and dos and don'ts of the surrender and our daily prayers. The next
pasuram deals with the Charama sloka of the Gita, "Sarva dharmaan parityajya Maam
ekam sharanam vraja". The Vaishnavite scholar Sriman Sadagopan's compilation of
various commentaries, which have been referenced in earlier scribd documents that I
have posted (in 2010-2011 season), has a fuller discussion of this topic.
Paratvam, Ananya seshatvam, Ananya sharanyatvam, Ananya praapyatvam, and
Mahavishvaasam are four of the qualities of Sharanaagati valued and emphasized in
pasuram 1 (day 1 which is just beginning in the USA).
Also, it should be noted that there is something which I like to call the "Thiruppavai
calendar". In this calendar, day 1 is always the full moon day (Margazhi thingal madhi
niraindha nanaalaal). We all experienced this two seasons ago (see pics of the full moon
I have posted from the 2013-14 season in the scribd document, also here on Facebook).
The waxing fortnight ends with pasuram 15 (elle ilangkiliye). It is then Amasvaya, or
new moon day. This pasuram is considered the epitome of the entire Thiruppavai (see
scribd document from the 2014-15 season). Count 11 more days from here and we come
to pasuram 26 (Ekadashi day, maale manivanna) which describes the strict fasting and
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praying done on that day and then pasuram 27 (Dwadashi, koodaarai vellum seer
govindaa) which describes the sumptuous feasting (mooda nei paidhu muzhangai vazhi
vaara, which means with ghee dripping down to the elbow and at least some Tamils lick
it all to the horror of others from North India!).
Govindaa Govindaa.
Day 1 of Margazhi, Dec 16, 2015 : Perumal darshanam at Sri Balaji Temple,
3325 Middlebelt Road, West Bloomfield, MI.
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Perumal and His consorts, Dec 16, 2015, first day of Margazhi
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Reflect on these six, says Andal via her "Uyyum aaru eNDru yeNNi". Rejoice
(ugandhElor). It should be noted that Andal came BEFORE Ramanuja but is referred to
as "Perumbadhoor maamunikku pinnaanaaL vaazhiyE" in the final Sattrumurai verses.
Perumbadhoor maamuni is Ramanuja and pinnaanaaL means younger sister. Why is she
called the younger sister, if she preceded Ramanuja, and that too by several centuries?
That's a different story.
Hari Bol. Govindaa Govindaa.
Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare l
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ll
The following links have a more detailed discussion of the "six vaarththais".
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ramanuja/archives/nov05/msg00147.html
https://ramanujadasan.wordpress.com/tag/thirukachi-nambhigal/
https://ramanujadasan.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/thirukachi-nambhigal-3.jpg?
w=478&h=749
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scholars who chant the Vedas incessantly for the welfare of all beings.
Third, there are three kinds of benefits of the vratam. With rains three times each month,
the land will be fertile and yield bountiful crops. The paddy grows tall in the fields and
the fish (kayal, as in kayal vizhi, eyes in the shape of fish, or Meenakshi) bounce in the
waters through these tall paddy stalks (Ongu peRum senN nel ooDu kayalugaLap). The
cows will yield abundant milk (kuDam niraikum vaLLal perum pasukkaL) with the
mere touch of their udders. The honey bees (vaNDu) will be dazed into a drunken
slumber within the blue lotus flowers (again three references, poongavaLai(p) podhil
poRi vaNDu kaN paDuppa(th) ).
That the Lord's name is even greater than the Lord Himself is being hinted here by
Andal. If you sing His glories (Utthaman pEr paaDi) you will reap the benefits. The
Lord Himself is asleep within the hearts of the devotees, like a content farmer who has
realized abundant crops. The devotees listen to the acaryas and the efforts of the acaryas
yields the fruits and so the Lord is content and goes to sleep. (This is akin to the
Shanataakaaram Bhujagashayanam verse of Vishnu Sahasranamam, yogi hrud dhyana
gamyam).
The acaryas are like milkman who by merely touching the udder of the cows milk them
and impart knowledge to the shishyas. These are all being alluded to here by Andal.
Hari Bol.
Om Namo NarayaNaaya
Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare l
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ll
Pasuram 3
Ongi ulagaLandha uttaman pEr paaDi*
Naangal nam paavaikku(ch) chaaTRi neeraaDinaal*
TheenginRi naaDElaam thingal mummaari peydhu*
Ongu peRum chen nellooDu kayalugaLa(p)*
PoongavaLai(p) pOdhil poRi vaNDu kaN paDuppa(th)*
Thengaadhe pukkirundhu cheerththa mulai paTTRi
vaanga* kuDam niraikkum vaLLal perum pasukkaL*
Neengaadha chelvam niRaindhElor empaavai ......... .... (3)
P. S. Each pasuram has 8 lines (eTTu aDi). Andal mentions Vamana three times the last
mention being in pasuram 24 (8 times 3).
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the antaryaami who makes the clouds pour. Andal recognizes that and appeals to
KaNNaa to pour down upon us, in incessant torrents, showering us with jnanam
(knowledge) to live in this world.
After invoking the "Para" form NaaraayaNa, in pasuram 1, the "Vyooha" form,
Ksheeraabdhi shayana, in pasuram 2, the "Vibhava" form, Vamana, in pasuram 3, Andal
is now invoking the "Antaryaami" form, KaNNaa, in pasuram 4. This "antaryaami" form
of the Lord is present within each one of us. We simply have to recognize Him. Let's
keep chanting the Thiruppavai (and the Gita) so that we are able to see Him within us.
Pasuram 4
Aazhi mazhai KaNNaa onRu nee kai karavEl*
aazhiuL bukku mugandhu koDu aarthu ERi* (koDaarththERi)
oozhi mudhalvan uruvam pOl mey kaRuththu(p)
paazhiyam thOLudai(p) PaRpanaaban kaiyil*
aazhi pOl minni Valamburi pOl ninRadhirndhu*
thaazhaadhE saarngam udhaiththa saramazhai pOl*
vaazha ulganil peydhiDaai* naangaLum
Maargazhi neeraaDa magizhndhElor empaavai ............(4)
Aaazhi, mazhai, aazhiuL, oozhi, paazhi (that's 5), aazhi, thaazhaadhE, saramazhai,
vaazha, Maargazhi (that's 10), and one more magizhndhElor for a total 11 times Andal
has used the unique Tamil consonant "zha" in this verse. Her father, Periyaazhwar, used
it 10 times in one pasuram (285th pasuram of Divya Prabandham), according to the
commentaries compiled by Sriman Sadagopan.
The acaaryaas are indeed the rain-bearing clouds who shower their jnanam upon their
shishyas and that is what being alluded to here by Andal. Like the rain-bearing clouds
they too move from place to place showering their compassionate mercy upon all.
Hari Bol.
Govindaa Govindaa
Om Namo NaaraayaNaaya
Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare l
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ll
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Arjuna that the prakriti I have created, I lord over. I control it. I am literally seated on
top of it. In other words, I appear by own "power", without requiring any ingredients
from "prakriti".
All of us are products of prakriti, or nature. Prakriti is made up of eight ingredients, as
clarified later in chp 7 Gita verse 4. The five gross elements (earth, water, fire, air, and
sky) plus the manas, buddhi, and ahankaram make up the eight ingredients. It is NOT
just "Mother Nature" as we Western educated like to think (from our study of the
sciences, particularly, physics and chemistry). That refers just to the inaminate nature the five gross elements. The manas (mind), buddhi (intellect) and ahankaram (ego) are
also part of "prakriti" as defined in our scriptures. The last three are required for all
creation to function. The jada or sthaavara vasthus (like stones, trees) have components
beyond just the five gross elements. You have to attend some serious Gita and
Bhagavatam discourses to understand what I have just alluded to here. In summary,
"maayaa" is NOT what we are commonly used to thinking. It refers to a very special
creative power of the Lord. Every incarnation, every body assumed, when the Lord
appears is "special". (And, the incarnations of the Lord do NOT follow the theory of
evolution, as some, very educated Indians, seem to believe!)
There is another way of looking at Maayaa. Maa means Mahalakshmi, as in Maadhava,
where dhava (#) means a husband and so Maadhava means the Husband of
Mahaalakshmi. Maa yaa therefore refers that (yaa) which is maa - in other words, the
creative power, which is ALWAYS FEMALE. (This is also the reason the priest will ask
ladies to start the fire when we perform a homam. Two ladies will typically drop a
burning camphor, held in a plate, into the homa kundam to start the fire. In bigger
yajnas, the priest will create the fire himself by using a stick and twirling and gridning it
on top of sticks placed in the homa kundam. The fire is then produced by "friction" and
is
latent
within
the
stick.
NO
MATCHES
ARE
USED!)
_____________________________________
# Vidhavaa means one without (vi) a husband (dhava). We add "aa", long vowel sound
since we are talking of a female. Okay, ok, I know what you are thinking! wink emoticon
_____________________________________
Even plants and trees have a male and a female! And, if you think about it, even an atom
is made of opposites - a positively charged nucleus and negatively charged electrons - a
male and a female if you wish. Even the familiar electricity flows only when we plug
(the male) into an outlet (the female). The female, or feminine, power is indeed the basis
of all creation.
So, that is what "maayanai" means - One with great powers, not "mystic" powers,
beyond our imagination. He can appear from a pillar, as Nrusimha, where no ingredients
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of prakriti were used, as demanded by Hiranyakashipu - none from your creation should
be able to kill me. "Your" here means Brahma's creation. Brahma creates using the eight
ingredients
of
prakriti
just
mentioned
(##).
___________________________________________
## As an aside, the word is "Nru"simha NOT Narasimha. "Nru" means either man or
woman but "Nara" means a man. We are limiting Bhagavan when we say Narasimha. It
was a human-lion form not a man-lion. Among the many words for king in Sanskrit is
one "nrupa" which means protector of his subjects - not just the protector of men. The
word "Nru" precedes "pa" for "palayati" (protects) because subjects can be both male or
female.
_____________________________________________
Brahma is like a chef who prepares a nice meal and charms everyone. But, how does the
chef prepare the meal? Besides culinary skills, he or she needs a well-stocked kitchen
and on top of it all the ingredients that make the kitchen appliances (like stove, blender,
etc) work. That was created by Bhagavan - the so-called Mahat-tatvas described in the
Srimad Bhagavatam. After that He turned over the responsibility of "creation" to
Brahma. (Brahma tried many things first and finally a male-female pair issued out of his
body, when he was in deep meditation, and invoking Bhagavan. Mithuna dharma, or
sexual union of male and female for procreation, was thus established as the primary
mechanism of creation.)
Tam adbhutam balakam ambhujekshaNam, is the description we find in Canto 10,
chapter 3, verse 9, of the Srimad Bhagavatam regarding the appearance of baby Krishna.
Devaki and Vasudeva saw the baby and were wonder struck and filled with awe. The
word that comes close to describing what I am trying to convey here "adbhutam", or
wonderful, awesome, powers of the Lord that are beyond our imagination and totally
indescribable.
So, that is meaning of the first word "maayanai" of the fifth pasuram. The next "mannu"
means the most desired, dearest of all (derived from manas in Sanskrit, very dear to ones
heart or mind). Vadamadurai, means the Madural of the north. Andal was born (rather,
she actually "appeared") at Srivilliputtoor, near Madurai. She was not produced from the
womb of a female, which is what "birth" means. So, Andal talks about the Mathura,
where Krishna "appeared" as Vadamadurai. Both are very holy places.
The rest of this pasuram tells us about the benefits to be reaped by singing the glories of
this Krishna (vaayinaal paaDi) and thinking about Him (manadhinaal sindhikka). How
do we do this? We must come with a pure body and a pure heart (thooyomai vandhu), in
other words, at least take a nice bath in the morning to cleanse the external malam (dirt)
on the body and then say a few mantras which also cleanse the inside so that we can
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contemplate and pray. That is what the priest does for us when we wish to perform some
pooja. He will say, and make us repeat, "ApavitrO pavitrO vaa sarvaasthaam gatOpi vaa
l Yah smaret PunDareekaasham sa baahyaabhatarah shucih ll" Here baahya means
external purity (the body) and antara means the internal purity (shucih).
What else?
Thooyomaa vandhu thoomalar thoovi(th) thozhudhu we come with pure body and a pure
heart and offer pure and fresh and fragrant flowers (thoomalar), tulasi, etc. and chant
(thozhudhu).
If we do all this (thooyomaai vandhu thoomalar thoovi(th) thozhudhu* vaayinall paaDi
madhinaal sindhikaa), all our sins will be combusted like cotton coming in contact with
fire (theeyinil thoosaagum). Andal concludes with "chepElor", which means say loudly.
Sing the glories aloud. Do nama sankeertanam aloud.
In Telugu, we say "cheppu or cheppaNDi". That's what Andal is using here in Tamil,
although more commonly we say "chollu or chollungo".
This is the second half of the pasuram 5. The first half describes the birth of Krishna and
all the leelas that He performed. He "appeared" in Mathura from the womb of Devaki
but then moved to Gokula. In the dead of the night, his father Vasudeva (short vowel,
first vowel of the alphabet) carried Him in a basket over the top of his head and placed
Him next to Mother Yashoda who was fast asleep (and came back to the prison with a
baby girl; she had given birth too and totally unaware of the gender of the baby that she
gave birth to; this too was part of Bhagavan's maayaa). When Vasudeva came with the
baby Krishna, he had to cross the Yamuna. The Yamuna was flooded but she parted and
made way thus providing passage to Gokula. Yamuna was thus literally purified (thooya
peru neer yamunai thuRaaivanai). Yamunaa was also purified by the frolicking in her
waters by Krishna and His friends, the gopas and gopis (SriVaishNavite commentators
call this deha sambandham.) Indeed, she is even more pure than Godavari, who when
asked by Raama refused to answer, being a witness to the abduction of Sita by Ravana.
Mother Yashodaa was also blessed (yenna dhavam chedhaayo, goes a famous Tamil
composition) since she fed Him with her breast milk and enjoyed all the leelas of baby
Krishna and was even able to bind the baby Krishna with ropes (daama+udara =
Damodara, thaayai kuDal viLakkam cheydha Daamodaranai). She chased Him around
the house through all the pranks and mischiefs of baby Krishna. It is said that Yashoda,
while chasing Krishna, would be careful to lay each of her own foot on top of the
footsteps left by Krishna (heejaya mElE heejaya nikkuta, goes the first verse of
Bhagayadha Lakshmi baarammaa, a famous composition in Kannada by
Purandaradasa). But, Krishna was only "naughty" with His mother. When His father
Nandababa (Nandagopan in Andal's Thiruppavai) appeared, it was all different and He
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become very obedient. "Nobody like my Krishna" is what Nandababa would say.
The word used by Andal is "thonDRum" which means "appeared". When He appeared in
the family of the cowherds, He brought great honor to them (aayar kulaththinil
thonDRum aNi viLakkai). His mother Yashoda was also honored (thaayai kuDal
viLakkam cheydha).
This has turned into a long post. This is the fifth form of the Lord that Andal is
describing - the "arca" form or the "vigraham" form that we see in our temples.
The part of offering flowers and saying mantras (arcanai) as we offer, keeps our body
occupied and the mind focused. This is what we do in our poojas at home and in our
temples but increasingly it is the priest who does so. At the least we can listen, or listen
and follow, and keep our minds and hearts focused on what the priest is doing and
admire the "arca" vigraham of the Lord.
Andal is painting a mental picture of Krishna in her pasuram. She appeared much later
and wanted none other the Lord for her husband. She used to make garlands, as
instructed by her father Periyaazhwar, to be offered to the deity at Srivilliputtoor. But,
unbeknowst to her father, she would try them on herself first and then give them to her
father. One day, a strand of her hair was stuck to the garland and was found by her father
who was horrified (it was "apachaaram") and prohibited her from doing so. When she
acceded to his instruction, Perumal refused to accept the garland! "I prefer the garland
that Andal has tried since it is more fragrant with the fragrance of her hair" said the
Vatapatrashaayin Perumal of SriVilliputtoor. (In pasuram 26, Andal says, aalin illaiyaa,
which means the baby Mukunda lying on His back on a banyan leaf (aalin ilai). )
That is the power of true devotional service.
VatapatrashaayinE Govindaa
Bala Mukundaa Govindaa
Pasuram 5
Maayanai maanu vadamadurai maindhanai*
Thooya peru neer Yamunai thuRaivanai*
Aayar kulaththil thonDRum aNi viLakkai(th)*
Thaayai kuDal viLakkam cheydha Daamodharanai(th)*
Thooyomaai vandhu thoomalar thoovi thozhudhu*
Vaayinaal paaDi madhinall sindhikka*
POya pizhaiyum pugutharuvaan ninDRanavum*
Theeyinil thoosaagum chEpElor empaavai ...............(5)
POya pizhai are the sins that have been accumulated already and pugutharuvaan refers
to any sins that are committed after and ninDRanavum means "standing", performing
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SharaNagati, or prapatti, consciously. Once you stand in front of the Lord, with a pure
body and heart, sing His glories, offer flowers and chant with full devotion "Om
Acyataaya namah, Anataaya namah, Govindaaya namah, etc." , Andal assures us that all
your sins will be burnt off, turn into ashes (theeyinil thoosaagum).
Hari Bol.
Govindaa Govindaa.
Hare Raama Hare Raama Raama Raama Hare Hare l
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ll
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