Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Abuse and Adulation
Most of the things and concepts in this world are relative: but for a few
tenets which we hold absolute, all others are interpreted with reference to the
time, place, person and context. If we take Dharma or righteousness for
instance, it differs from Yuga to Yuga, the requirements of Krita Yuga being
vastly different from those of the current Kali Yuga. Dharma differes too from
person to person, the King having duties entirely dissimilar to those of a
trader or farmer. Similarly, what is Dharma in a particular context may not
hold good for other situations. For instance, the primary requirement of
honesty is waived, if the situation is such that it would involve a life being
lost, whether one's own or others'. The purpose of this piece is to divine Sri
Kodai Nacchiar's tiruvuLLam, when She apparently calls Sri Krishna all sorts of
names, the most insulting of which is perhaps "Dharumam ariyA Kurumban" (the
miscreant devoid of all sense of right and wrong).
Azhwars are exemplary bhaktas, with nothing but unalloyed love, affection and
devotion for the Lord. Their infatuation with the Lord and His endearing
attributes is phenomenal, each of His characteristics appearing to them to be
beyond compare. They wax eloquent on every single aspect of His kalyana gunas,
losing themselves totally in their unfathomed depths. It is therefore
inconceivable that any of their outpourings should contain even a single
derogatory reference to the Lord, however remote, whether implicit or by
inference. It is in this context that Sri Andal's reference to "Dharumam ariyA
Kurumban" too has to be viewed.
Sri AmudanAr says in IrAmAnusa NoottrandAdi that words of abuse from the
ignorant and uninitiated should be deemed indeed as praise-"isayakillA
manakkuttra mAndar pazhikkil pugazh". For instance, if a nototrious criminal
were to pass a disparaging comment about the sentencing judge for his
arbitration, it could be very well construed as a compliment to the arbiter's
impartial implementation of statutory provisions. If a fool abuses a vidvAn as
being ignorant, the latter could justifiably accept the abuse as an accolade.
The same analogy holds good for Azhwars too, when they apparently call the Lord
uncomplimentary names. Even if Azhwars are neither ignorant (far from it, they
have been blessed with unblemished wisdom) or biased, whatever they say about
the Lord has to be adulatory, anything appearing otherwise being merely a
matter of interpretation. Thus, even if a particular appellation addressed by
an Azhwar appears uncomplimentary, it merely masks an accolade.
If Sri Andal really feels that the Lord is an unrighteous urchin, why would She
pine day and night to wed Him and record the same for posterity too in such
prabandams as "VAraNamAyiram"? And why should She go to considerable trouble
and expense to offer Him 100 huge pots of butter and "akkAravadisil" (whether
She Herself did it or had it done by Sri Ramanuja)? Unless all She felt for the
Lord was unalloyed affection and admiration, She would hardly have devoted 143
nectarine pasurams in His praise. Taking all this together, we would have to
conclude that the lone reference to "Dharmam ariyA Kurumban" too is indeed
adulatory, albeit it may appear otherwise, prima facie.
The Lord is the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, the Emperor of all
Emperors-"RajAdhi RAja: SarvEshAm". The role of any King is to preserve the
rule of law in his territory. This involves rewarding the righteous and
punishing the delinquents. Establishment of Dharma on a firm footing
necessarily comprises of both protecting the good and destroying the wicked, as
the Lord Himself lays down in the Gita-"ParitrANAya sadhUnAm, vinAsAya cha
dushkritAm, dharma samstthApanArtthAya sambhavAmi yugE yugE". Though it is a
two-fold function, while the Lord performs SAdhu paritrANAm with boundless joy,
to destroy anyone is anathema to Him, which He does as an unavoidable chore
incidental to the main purpose of preservation of Dharma.
We thus find that it is the duty of the Lord, His Dharma, to weed out the
wicked. However, He is loathe to performing this unpleasant task and prefers to
look the other way, wherever the offences of His devotees are concerned-"Bhakta
dOshEshu adarsanam", as pointed out by Swami Desikan. Even if we sinners commit
a hundred transgressions, He magnanimously forgets them-"na smarati apakArANAm
satamapi AtmavattayA" (Srimad Ramayanam). Thus the Lord hardly performs His
appointed role of the Universal Father, intent on meting out just punishment
for all infringements, major and minor. For all practical purposes, He adopts
the role of a lenient mother, saying to Himself, "Boys will be boys!", whenever
His deovtees commit some misdemeanour or the other. Instead of awarding them
appropriate punishment, He brings them to the notice of a merciful Acharya, who
takes the sinners under his wing and brings them back to the straight path
leading to Paramapadam, through repentance and adoption of strategies like
Bhakti or Prapatti.
Therefore, Sri Andal finds that the Lord has all but forgotten His Dharma of
being the punitive Arbiter, dealing out just reprisal to all offenders, and,
instead, turns a blind eye to their transgressions. The Lord's line of argument
is that if He were to strictly invoke every rule in the divine statute, there
would be none left in this wide world, who would be beyond the sweep of
rigorous retribution. It is for this reason that He has almost abandoned His
Dharma of awarding exemplary punishment to His devotees for their various acts
of commission and omission. And this is why Sri Andal calls Him affectionately
as "Dharumam ariyA Kurumban", the Judge who has forgotten His gavel and
sentencing procedures. We thus see that what appears prima facie to be a mortal
insult being hurled at the Supreme Lord of the Universe, turns out in fact to
be an encomium par excellence.
Having seen the justification in Sri Andal's words, we must also see who has
made the Lord the "Dharumam ariyA Kurumban" He is accused or adulated to be. It
is said that Periya Piratti knows not what punishment is, however great be the
offence-"nityam agyAta nigrahAm" and is said to be the personification of
benefaction-"Anugraha mayeem". It is to the tunes of this lovely lady that the
Lord dances forever, according to Sri Koorattazhwan-"tat ingita parAdhIna:"
If we take Sri Bhoomi Devi, She is the embodiment of infinite tolerance, so
much so that even the Lord's patience is compared to Hers-"KshamayA prithivI
sama:". And the other Consort, Sri Nila Devi, seduces Emperuman with Her wily
charms such that He has nary a glance to spare for the sins of mortals like us.
Sri Andal being the synthesis of all the three NacchimArs, is thus Herself
responsible for the Lord forgetting His Dharma of punitive reaction and turning
out to be a "Dharumam ariyA Kurumban".
Another of Sri Kodai's apparent insults, "Puram pOl uLLum kariyAn" (one who is
as black of the heart as He is of the skin) is similarly an adulation in
disguise. The Lord's exterior resembles a black, rainbearing cloud-"mEgha
shyAmam" says the prelude to the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra, with which all
Azhwars are in unanimous agreement, describing Him variously as "Mugil vaNnan",
"Kar mEgha vaNNan" etc. Inside too, the Lord is akin to a rain cloud, which is
ready to precipitate a shower of mercy at the slightest provocation, and most
of the times, without any provocation too. Thus, He resembles the rain-bearing
cloud, bringing cheer and joy to parched earth and poverty-stricken humanity,
as much in His interior as His black exterior. This is what prompts Sri Andal
to praise Him as a blackie, in and out.
When we think of Sri Andal and Her bewtiching bridal mysticism, we are indeed
moved beyond measure by Her ananya bhakti, growing up with the Lord occupying
every waking moment of Hers and even Her dreams, devoting Her mind, body and
soul solely to Him, rebelling even at the thought of relationships with mortals
("mAnidavarkku endru Agil vAzhakillEn kandAi ManmathanE"), considering
Emperuman to be Her all ("uNNum sOru parugum neer tinnum vettrilai yAvum Kannan
Emperuman"), loving Him beyond measure, ecstatical when in His company and
desolated when deserted by Him even for a second and living out the tenet
"KannanukkE Amadu kAmam". Azhwars like Sri Nammazhwar and Sri Kalian might pose
to be ParAnkusa nAyaki and ParakAla nAyaki : they are however poor pretenders
at best when compared to Sri Kodai, for it is only She who can voice with any
authority the authentic feelings of joy and misery which a girl feels in the
company or the absence of Her beloved. Is it any wonder that Acharyas have felt
that Andal's outpourings are indeed what the Upanishads are comprised
of-"Shruti shata shira: siddham adhyApayantI" and form the very basis of the
venerated Shruti-"Vedam anaitthukkum vitthAgum Kodai tamizh"?
"VaN Puduvai nagar Kodai malar padangaL vAzhiyE"
Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Dasan, sadagopan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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