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SrI:
SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.09 / ISSUE # 26 dated 4th August 2008
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Special article on AndAL ? by Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swami 
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ISSUES RELEASED
With this issue, about 289 Regular issues of SRS have been released
so far, apart from numerous "Special Issues" as indicated below:
27 Issues of Vol. 1
15 Issues of Vol. 2
42 Issues of Vol. 3
35 Issues of Vol. 4
28 Issues of Vol. 5
30 Issues of Vol. 6
50 Issues of Vol. 7 and
36 Issues of Vol. 8
26 Issues of Vol. 9 (including this)
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SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRATING TIRUNAKSHATRAM OF ANDAL
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It is customary to celebrate the time and place of any auspicious 
event. Today is one such auspicious day being the Tirunakshatram of 
the bridal mystic ? Andaal.

Let us enjoy her Vazhi Thirunaamam.

The first line reads:

"Tiruvaadip Poorathu Jagathudithaal Vaazhiye"
Meaning that she was born in the month of Aashaada in the 
constellation of Poorva Phalguni. This was about 5000 years ago (7C 
CE). When Swami Desika visited Srivilliputtur (Sridhanvinayapuram), 
it was a "Mahaapradosham" day. 

He used to observe silence during "pradosham" But, he made an 
exception and suddenly burst into a panegyric to Goda in his "Goda 
Sthuthi", when he witnessed in the main streets of Srivilliputtur 
the grand procession of Goda Rangan.  He surrendered immediately at 
the lotus feet of Goda, the quintessence of mercy and forgiving 
saying-

"Saakshaath Kshamaam karunayaa kamalaamivaanyaam
Godaam ananyasarana: Saranam prapadhye"

In the very next Sloka, he gives the reason why he broke his 
silence. It was her overwhelming quality of "daya" that made him 
loquacious despite his own limitations (mounaan mukharayanthi gunaa: 
tvadheeyaa:)

Referring to the direction of her birthplace, he observes in the 
11th stanza "Oh! Gode! By your birth the Southern direction itself 
became blessed as the best of directions, so that even while asleep, 
Lord Ranganatha looks at your Avatara Sthalam.

Dik dakshinaapi pari pavitram upalabhyaath
Sarvottaraa bhavathi Devi thava avataaraath /
Yatraiva Rangapathinaa Bahumaana purvam
Nidraalunaapi nisatham nihitha: kataakshaa: //

Thondaradippodi Azhwaar described the supine posture of Lord 
Ranganatha saying that the Lord had His head on the West, feet in 
the East, showing His back to the North, but was looking at the 
South. But, he gives a different reason for this, saying that HE was 
looking at Lanka, the land of Vibheeshana.

"Kuda dhisai mudiyai vaithu Guna disai paadam neetti
Vada dhisai pinbu kaatti then dhisai Ilangai nokki
Kadal nira kkadavul enthai aravanai thuyilumaa kandu
Udal enakku urugumaalo! Yen seigen ulagathhre!"

Swami Desikan, however, felt that the Lord could not take His eyes 
off the birthplace of His beloved Andal and therefore, was facing 
South.(Before the Rajagopuram of Srirangam was built, the 
Rajagopuram of Srivilliputtur was considered the tallest).
The Lord also seems to be enjoying the cool, refreshing and soothing 
Southern breeze called "thenral".

Veda piraan Bhattar celebrates:
"godai pirandavoor Govindan Vaazhumoor
Jodhi manimaadam thonrumoor ? needhiyaal
Nalla patthar vaazhumoor naan marai Odhumoor
Villiputtur Vedakkonoor"

Meaning:

"Srivilliputtur is the birthplace of Goda: Lord Govinda 
(Vadapatrasayee) has His abode here: here are gem studded uprising 
palatial mansions: great devotees of the Lord live here chanting the 
4 Vedas; and, this is also the abode of the great Bhattarpiraan 
(Vedakkone)"

Though Govindan was born in Mathurai, brought up in Nandagokulam and 
ruled from Dwaraka, His final abode (as Vatapatrasayee) is the 
birthplace of Goda 
(Govindan Vaazhum oor)

Swami Desikan celebrates thus:

" Veyar pugazh Villiputtur Aadip Pooram
Menmelum miga vilanga Vittuchittan
Thooya Thirumagalaai vandu arangarkku
Thuzhaai maalai mudi Soodik kodutha maadhe!
Neyamudan Tiruppavai Paattu Aaraindum
Nee uraitha thai oru thingat paamaalai
Aaya pugazh Nootrunaarpattu moonrum
Anbudane adiyenukku arul sei neeye

Meaning

"Oh! Goddess Gode!, the one who has offered to Lord Ranganatha of 
Srivilliputtur the garland of Tulasi (holy basil) after wearing it 
(the garland) on the locks of your tresses being ? as ayonijaa (Nat 
taking birth from the garbha of any mortal being) ? the benign 
foster daughter of Sri Vishnuchitta at Srivilliputtur on the 
Poorvaphalguni constellation of Aashaada (Aadi) month ? doubly 
making auspicious and lustrous birth, (both Aadipooram and the 
sacred town of Srivilliputtur) which are hailed by the cowherds and 
other devotees of the Lord!. May you lovingly and affectionately 
shower your graceful blessings on me, your humble servant so that I 
will understand the quintessence of your two great compositions ? 
Tiruppaavai consisting of six pentads (30 verses)and Naachiyaar 
Tirumozhi, the garland of songs beginning with "thai oru thingal" 
consisting of 143 verses" *

Praising the 30 verses of Tiruppaavai, Vaazhi Tirunaamam says ?
Tiruppaavai muppadhum cheppinaal Vaazhiye"

These are not ordinary literary verses. They have layers and layers 
of deep, deeper and deepest meanings and messages for liberating our 
souls. Let us see what they can do?

"paathakangal theerkkum"- They will remove all our sins that stand 
in the way of moksham. (Poya pizhaiyum pugu taruvaan ninranavum 
theeyinil thoosaagum)

"Paraman Adi Kaattum": They will show us the means to reach the 
divine feet of the Lord (Paraman)

"Vedam anaithukkum vithu aagum": they are the very seeds of the 
Vedas. 

Nammaazhwaar's Srisookthis may be the essence of Vedas, 
Mahaabhaarata may be the fifth Vedam, But, Tiruppaavai is hailed as 
the very seed from which the Vedas sprouted.

What happens to those who do not know these 30 verses? They are 
verily a burden on mother earth Remember that Goda is Herself 
Bhoodevi (mother Earth)

"Godai tamizh aiyaindum aindhum (5x5+5=30) ariyaadha maanidarai 
vaiyam sumappathum vambu"

The 3rd line says:

"Periyaazhwaar petredutha pannpillai Vaazhiye"
meaning that she was "born" to Periyaazhwaar. But, is this true?
She was an "ayonijaa" as already mentioned. She took Her Avataara as 
the "just born" baby girl in the muddy pit of the holy basil 
nurtured by Periyaazhwaar. So, elders would say that it would be 
more appropriate to describe Her Avataara true to fact 
as "Periyaazhwaar 'pEtru' edutha penn pillai Vaazhiye" - the one who 
was picked up when the mud in the pit was dug up!

Like the holy basil with its natural fragrance right from its 
sprouting, Andal was immersed in the fragrance of Bhakti right from 
the moment of Her appearance at the pit.

The 4th line reads: "Perumpudur maa munikkup pinn aanaal Vaazhiye" 
meaning

"She became the younger sister of Perumpudur Maamuni (Bhagavad 
Ramaanujar). 

The period of Andal was in 7C CE. The Sage lived from
1017 to 1137 CE. Is it not anachronism to call him the elder brother 
of Andal? This expression is not historical but is figurative. It is 
said that Andal desired to offer the Lord of Tirumaalirumsolai, a 
100 vessels of sweet pudding (Akkaara adisil). Bhagavad Raamaanuja 
is said to have fulfilled her desire by actually offering the same 
on her behalf. The general practice in those days was that the elder 
brother is the one who usually fulfills the desires of his younger 
sister. Thus, Perumpudur Maamuni is deemed figuratively to be her 
elder brother.

The 5th Line says: "oru nootrunaarpathu moonru uraithaal Vaazhiye"
meaning that She composed a poem of 143 verses. This is "Naachiyaar 
Tirumozhi" which contains details of every step of her "Dream 
Wedding" with the Lord. The portion called "Vaaranam aayiram" is 
recited in the weddings of Srivaishnava girls even to this day.

How and why this practice?

Sastras declare:  "Jaamaathaa Vishnuvath  Poojya". The word
"Jaamaathaa" means both Son-in-law and the Lord. At the time of 
wedding, the bridegroom is deemed to represent Lord Vishnu and the 
bride as Andal. Even today, we see the bride being decorated like 
Andal under the wedding canopy.

The 6th line says: Uyar arangarkkE kanni uganthu alithaal Vaazhiye" 
meaning:

"She happily gave Herself up to Ranganatha, the Supreme Lord".
Andal hoped; She dreamed; She persevered; Now, Her hour of triumph 
had arrived. Indeed, Her prophetic "dream came true". She married 
Lord Ranganatha. She offered not only the garland of flowers 
(poomaalai) and garland of poems (paamaalai) but also She gave 
Herself up to the Lord.

The 7th line says "maruvaarum tirumullai valanaadu Vaazhiye" meaning
" Hail the prosperous land (Valnaadu) permeated by fragrance of 
flowers" This refers to the prosperity of Her birthplace and the 
fragrance of Bhakti that filled the air there. "maru" 
means "fragrance' and "Valanaadu' means Land of abundance"

Andal Herself refers to this prosperity of Srivilliputtur (which She 
imagines to be Ayarpaadi itself) in several verses (cf Selva 
Sirumeergaal, Narchelvan nangaai, Vaiyathu Vaazhceergaaletc).

The last line reads: "Vann Pugazh nagar Godai malar padangal 
Vaazhiye" 

Meaning " Hail the lotus feet of Goda of the prosperous city of 
Puduvai" (here, means Srivilliputtur).

Sri Manavala maamuni (Sri Varavaramuni) celebrates Her Avataaram in 
3 verses as below:

Inro Tiruvaadip ppooram, namakkaaga
Vanro ingu Andal avatharithaal ? kunraadha
Vaazhvaan vaikunta vaan bhogam thanai igazhndhu
Aazhwaar Thirumagalaai

Meaning

Today is Tiruvadippooram. Forsaking the pleasures of Paramapadam, 
She 
descended "down to earth" for our sake as the daughter of Azhwaar.

Pariyaazhwaar penn pillaiyaai Andal pirantha
Tiruvaadip poorathin seermai ? oru naalaikku undo maname! 
Unarndu paar Andaalukku undo Oppiu itharkku

Meaning

Today is the Pooram day in the month of Ad when Andal appeared on 
earth. Oh! Mind! Understand this. Is there any other day any more 
auspicious than this? Is there any one comparable to Andal?

Anju kudikku oru santhadhiyaai, Azhwaargal
Tham seyalai vinji nirkkum thanmaiyalaai
Pinjaai pazhuthaalai Andaalai Bhaktiyudan naalum
Vazhuthaai maname Magizhndhu
Meaning

Andal is the single descendent of the five great families of 
Azhwaars. But, she excelled all of them by ripening even while being 
a tender unripe fruit. 

Oh! Mind! Pray to Her with delight and devotion daily.
Who are the five Azhwaars? The three mudal Azhwaars together are the 
first family Tirumazhisai, the second; Nammaazhwaar and Madhurakavi 
(together form one family),the third; Kulasekarar, the fourth and 
Her own foster-father, Periyaazhwaar,the fifth. Other Azhwaars viz. 
Tondaradippodi, Tiruppaann and Tirumangai Azhwaars were born much 
later after her. Still, Andal is generally considered as the 
inheritor of the traditions of all the Azhwaars.

Soodikkodutha Sudarkkodi Andal Tirvadigale Saranam

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
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*(Translation by Sri V.K.S.N. Raghavan,
Reader, Department of Vaishnavism, University of Madras)
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