Dear SrimAn V Sadagopan,
Thank you for your response and interesting viewpoint below to adiyane's query.
You are probably right in your reasoning. In the absence, however, of
incontrovertible historical record to corroborate the traditional
"guru-parampara" accounts of the lives of the AzhwArs, I guess one reasoning is
probably as good as any other.
I have encountered people who reject" or dismiss the story of Tondaradipodi and
DevaDevi as "colourful" or fanciful. But I have been surprised to see them
however hesitating to reject with equal vehemence biographical accounts in the
same "guru-parampara" texts that relate to the life-accounts of other AzhwArs.
The life account of NammAzhwAr or PeriazhwAr would be acceptable; not
Tondaradipodi's! Why not?
Amongst generations of laity and the general community of SriVaishnavites (both
present and past), one suspects, there is always an element of selective and
subjective bias when it comes to accepting or rejecting the traditional
accounts of the lives of the Azhwars. They reject or accept the same
biographical (or hagiographical?) source, or parts of it, depending on what
suits or does not suit their taste. This inconsistency, unfortunately, tends to
interfere with or impair the enjoyment of the poetic and devotional beauty of
the Azhwar's pAsurams. Personally, I hold that either we either wholly accept
the "guru-parampara" biographical accounts or reject it altogether.
*********************
The reason why one flinches away from the details of the traditional
life-account of Tondaradipodi is because, I reckon, it makes no secret of the
fact that it deals starkly and un-apologetically with sexual passion and the
struggle the AzhwAr had to put up to conquer it finally by the Grace of his
beloved Deity, Lord Ranganatha of Sri rangam. This kind of reaction strikes one
as a rather peculiar SriVaishnavite brand of Victorian prudery.
The story of the Azhwar's fall from Grace, his temporary infatuation with the
sensuality of the feminine form and of his eventual redemption thanks to divine
intervention is actually a wonderful and poignant tale of human struggle
against Lust ("kaama") and eventual victory. There is nothing unnatural or
pruriently unsavory in this story nor does it in any way diminish or detract
from the Azhwar's glory. On the contrary, it actually enhances the AzhwAr's
stature. The Azhwar life-story truly succeeds in endearing him to one and all
because in it we see portrayed the naked truth about the human condition: of
how even the noblest amongst us can be tempted and corrupted by the primal
passion of sex that burns within us and how easily it can lead one astray but,
then again, how redemption and reformation too is not out of the reach of a
true devotee whose faith in divine grace remains ever firm.
Tondaradipodi's life is a glorious celebration indeed of the human spirit's
ability to transcend and sublimate itself. It is the best illustration, I would
say, of the oft-quoted saying, "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a
future".
To every aspiring saint and to every repentant sinner of this world, I would
venture so far as to say, this Azhwar's life-story, with all its unexpurgated
details, is indeed a comforting inspiration.
*******************
Whether the "tirupalli-ezhucchi" and "tirumAlai" came to be sung before or
after the Azhwar's encounter with Deva Devi, I fear, can only be a matter of
speculation or conjecture, not scholarly debate.
My speculation is that the former was sung by the Azhwar before the fateful
relationship with the lady who seduced him began; and the "tirumAlai" was
probably sung by him after the relationship ended and he was transformed,
ripened and enriched by that cathartic experience in life.
I base my speculation on nothing more than a simple and direct reading of the
two wonderful poems, each of which has a distinctive mood, tone and vocabulary
that clearly reveal the AzhwAr's mental state.
The "tirupalli-ezhucchi" in its poetic utterances is full of blithe and
childlike innocence whereas in the "tirumAlai", the AzhwAr's sentiments sound
grave and deep ... as if they belong to a sombre man who has grown
worldly-wise over the years and philosophic (Vedantic?) in outlook too and to
one who has tasted both the bitter and harsh as well as the sweet and joy of
life.
Furthermore, in some of the stanzas and phrases of the TirumAlai (which I quote
below from the original Tamil without translation), the AzhwAr makes explicit
references in quasi- or wholly autobiographical terms to those very themes of
human lust, temptation and redemption which, rather strangely and regretfully,
some of us in the SriVaishnava community are so loath to acknowledge are verily
the sacred highpoints of the AzhwAr's glorious life.
(1) peNdiraal sukankaL uyppaan* periyathOr idumpai pooNdu*,
uNdiraak kidakkum pOdhu* udalukkE karainthu nainthu,*
(2) soothanaayk kaLvaNnaakith* thoorththarOdu isaintha kaalam,*
maatharaar kayaRkaN ennum* valaiyuL pattu azhunthuvEnai
(3) kuLiththu moonRanalai Ompum* kuRikoL an^thaNamai thannai,*
oLiththittEn en_kaNillai* nin_kaNum paththan allEn,*
kaLippathen koNdu nampi!* kadalvaNNaa! kathaRu kinREn,*
aLiththenakku aruLsey kaNdaay* arankamaa nakar uLaanE! (25)
(4) thuvarththa sevvaayinaarkkE * thuvakkaRath thurisanaanEn,*
avaththamE piRavi thanthaay
(5) meyyellaam pOka vittu * virikuzhalaaril pattu,*
Thank you and regards,
daasan
Sudarshan Madabushi
***********************
Re: question on biographical detail of Tondar-adi-podi AzhwAr
Posted by: "Dr.V.Sadagopan" yennappan@xxxxxxxxxxxx sadagopan10510
Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:52 am (PDT)
SrIman Sudarsan :
It is good to hear from you .
As you indicated , the encounter with
Deva DEvi is referred to by some accounts
and is rejected by others .
Granting that such an incident took place
in this Naishtika BrahmachAri AzhwAr's life
steeped in bhakthi for Lord RanganAtha ,
we have to remember that he was engaged in
Nandavana Kaimkaryam , when this incident
is said to have happened .
He was engaged in carrying Morning garlands to
Lord Ranganatha and awakening the Lord of the Universe .
It is fair to imagine that the Ranganatha Pativratai AzhwAr
sang ThiruppaLLiyezucchi for SuprabhAtham and woke up
His Lord and offered His MaalA Kaimkaryam .ThiruppaLLiyezucch i
recital in front of the Lord's sannidhi must therefore have been
nithyAnusandhAnam for the AzhwAr
and we are beneficiaries of that nithyAnusandhAnam
even today at Srirangam with the auspicious sound
of VeeNA Naadham .
This Sevai might have been interrupted during His time of
infatuation with Deva Devi , if we concede that such an
event took place . Barring factual references , one has to
make use of ykthi vAdham here .
ThoNDaradipodi AzhwAr was such a VairAgyasAli
and a Naishtika BrahmachAri at that , it is very hard
for AzhwAr abhimAnis to include this colorful inccident
in His life . This incident however has educational value
about the power of Kaamam and the dhivya dampathy's
intervention to set things straight .
In summary , I lean towards the view that these
two Prabhandhams arose from the AzhwAr
before this incident , if it ever took place .
NamO SrI RanganAthAya ,
V.Sadagopan
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