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NaachiyAr Thirmozhi's echo in one of the Purandara Daasar krithi

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • December 16, 1998 


Dear BhakthAs :

Recently Srimathi Kalyani Krishnamachari wrote 
beautifully about the 2nd NaachiAr Thirumozhi ,
where ANDAL begs KrishNA not to destroy the sand castles
that She and her friends were building as part 
of their play . There is a "Bhaaratha pOrr " between 
ANDAL and the "wilful" Krishnan . She points out to Him that 
it is a pity that He does not have compassion for them 
and begs the Lord  not to torment them with His cruel deeds .
She concedes that it is impossible for them to be angry with 
Him , once they lock their eyes with His bewitching eyes .
She tells Him however not to go too far in making their 
minds sour on Him , since even jaggery will taste bitter 
when one's mind gets embittered .

One hears partial echos of this anubhavam of ANDAL in a krithi
by Sri Purandara Dasar ,  a great Bhakthar of Purandara 
Vittlar of PandrApUr .In the case of ANDAL and her friends ,
KrishNA destroyed the sand castles and bimbhams they 
were playing with ,since they dealt with devathAntharams .
He did not relish it that they were not paying attention
to Him as he was standign before them . In the case of 
the krithi of Daasar ,the complaint to KrishNA is " Oh My Lord ! 
what You are doing is not fair .Please save us from ruin ". 
It is a very deep appeal with profound meaning ! 
What did KrishNA do ? let us examine the saahithya 
Vaakhyamsof this beautiful krithi set in the apUrva raga of 
sEkharachandrikA .{{The arOhaNam is SR(1)G(2)M(2) D(1) N(3)S ; 
the avarOhaNam is SN(3)D(1)M(2)G(2)R(1)S }}.
Srimathi Jayasree Varadarajan of California has rendered 
this song most movingly .

The saahithya Vaakhyams are :

Pallavi: sallaDo KrishNaa SallaDo

Anupallavi: Sri vallabha iDa nOdi pAlisabEko

CharaNams(1-5):

bithhi beLesi thale ethhiDa pairanu
mathhe thuruvindu bittu mellisuvuDu

sAvira honnikki saDanava sADhisi
pAvakanurige neenoppisikoduvuDu

kusalaDi baNNisi bareDa chithhArava 
masi maNNU mAdi nee kedisuvuDu

balukAla muDDisi klaisi mAthugaLa  
giLiya sAki bAvugage oppisuvuDu

karuNisu PunDara ViTTalanE namma
hiriDu mAdi mathhe kiriDu mAdiduvuDu

The translation according to my dear friend ,
Srirangam Mudal ThirumALikai (late )Dr.Yaamuna 
TatAchAr Swamy is  as follows :

" This is not fair , KrishNA , what You are 
doing is not fair .It was through much care and 
effort that these seeds sprouted and grew into splendid
plants that are now munched away by (Your )cattle .
Beautiful jewelery crafted out of the purest gold 
is thrown into flames and melted away . The talents 
of skilled artist crafted this superb picture 
and it soiled by mud and grime . This parrot ,
a fine bird tended with love and learning to talk 
has now been grabbed by a mean cat . And here I am made 
to feel so good and important , only to be let down 
suddenly , to find myself low and worthless . You have
given us this life as a reward of good works (karmAs)
of earlier births .You now allow us to waste away this 
precious life in follies that take us away from You.
KrishNA! What You are doing is not fair .Please save
us from ruin ".

Daasar refers to Vishaya Ruchi that turns us
away from thoughts about Him . Daasar takes
on the role of a Gopi arguing with KrishNA ,
who is trying to teach her the futility of
attachments to things other than Him . The clevr
Gopi turns around and puts the blame for such
predilictions right at the feet of the Lord 
and chastises Him for letting things go this way ! 
It is an wonderful anubhavam of a Bhakthar .

DaasAnudAsan , Sadagopan