Selected excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy's ThiruppAvai Monograph: Part XXXVI.1 -> Thirtieth day : "VANGAK- KADAL KADAINTHA MAADHAVAN " dinam

From the Bhakti List Archives

• January 13, 2001


VIKRAMA SAMVATHSARA UTTHARAAYANA PUNYA KAALAM
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JANUARY , 14 , 2001:(PONGAL/SANKARAANTHI)
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Srimathyai GodhAyai Nama:
SrimathE RaamAnujAya Nama:

Significance of the 30th Paasuram
**********************************
Dear BhakthAs: 

Today is the day , when the MahA Prabhandam of 
Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr comes to the stage of SaatthumuRai.
It is UttharAyaNa PuNya Kaalam .It is Makara SankarAnthi dinam.
May Subhiksham spread all over the lands , where ANDAL
BhakthAs are there and May her endearing message for our
upliftment to reach Her Lord's Lotus feet easily serve as 
a beacon light for us all !Today is indeed a Parama MangaLa 
Dinam for us all !The 30th paasuram has the benedictions 
for a Kaimkaryam-filled life ,the fruits of Bhagavath
Daasyam .BhAgavatha dAsyam is the yellai nilam for
that Bhagavath dAsyam .

Sri PBA Sawamy's summary of the Thirty Verses 
***********************************************
To appreciate the context of the 30th verse , we should 
reflect on the summary of the 29 passurams that preceded it. 

In the first Paasuram , Andal celebrated the time for 
the nOnbhu , the adhikAris performing the nOnbhu and the Lord 
who is the object of this nOnbhu .

In the second paasuram , She mentioned about the Karthavyam
and ThyAjyam for the nOnbhu ;in the third paasuram, She
pointed out that for the successful performance of the nOnbhu , 
the aanushankika Varsha roopa phalan (Copious and timely rains 
for desa kshEmam) will be realized. In the fourth paasuram, 
She invited the parjanya devan, VaruNan to bless the land 
with the nourishing rains .

In the fifth paasuram, She pointed out that all the obstacles 
to the performance of the Paavai nOnbhu will be eliminated 
quickly , if we sing and reflect on the name of the Lord. 

>From the sixth to the fifteenth paasurams , ANDAL went around
the streets of Gokulam and awakened the pancha laksham kudis
of fellow Gopis to join the ghOshti to NandhagOpan's mansion. 

In the 16th paasuram, Gopis wake up the dhvAra PaalakAs 
at the Lord's mansion and remind them about the earlier
promise of KrishNan to grant them the PaRai ; in the 17th pssuram , 
they awaken NandhagOpan, YasOdhai PirAtti , KaNNapirAn ,
Nampi Moottha PirAn(BalarAman)in that order.In the 18th paasuram , 
they wake up Nappinnai PirAtti with reverence ; they awaken 
(next) Nappinnai PirAtti and KaNNan together in the 19th and 
the 20th paasurams.

In the 21st and the 22nd Paasurams , the Gopis submit that 
they have arrived at the Lord's mansion after being defeated
by the power of His GuNams in a state of AbhimAna bhangam
and with expectation of receiving His katAksham as taarakam .

In the 23rd paasuram , They request Him to travel to
His lofty simhAsanam ;they perform mangaLAsAsanam for
Him there in His throne room in the 24th paasuram .

In the 25th pasuram , they submit to Him that they 
have arrived in a state of ananyagathithvam ( with no
others to protect them) and in the 26th paasuram they spell
out the VrathOpakaraNams needed for the nOnbhu.
In the 27th paasuram ,they describe the sanmAnams (rewards)
desired after the completion of the Paavai nOnbhu .

In the 28th paasuram,they point out their lowliness and celebrate
His loftiness and remind Him of their inseperable relationship
with Him and seek aparAdha KshAmaNams for earlier 
trespasses. In the 29th paasuram of yesterday ,
they press Him for the granting of the desired 
boons and He agrees heartily .

In the 30th and concluding Paasuram , ANDAL comes to
the fore and acknowledges the fulfillment arising from 
the observance of the paavai nOnbhu of the Gopis and 
declares that those , who recite Her ThiruppAvai paasurams
would become the objects of Her Lord's grace and threy would
be filled with bliss. There will be bliss in Ubhaya
VibhUthi for those , who recite the thirty paasurams of
ThiruppAvai blessed by SaakshAth PirAtti Herself.This
Phalan is for "ThiruppAvai KaRppAr". They earn 
the lotus-faced Lord's ThiruvaruL and become Bhgya-
saalis ( SenkaNN Thirumuhatthu SelavtthirumAlAl
yengum ThiruvaruL peRRU InbhuRuvar ).

ParAsara Bhattar's upadesam
****************************
The great AchAryan , ParAsara Bhattar , has observed 
appropriately that we should get up early in the morning 
and recite the 30 paasurams ; if that were not possible ,
we should atleast recite the "SiRRam SiRu Kaalai " paasuram;
If even that were not to be possible, we should think of
the  the joy we had in reciting the paasurams  and 
hearing the kaalakshEpam about them in earlier times .

ParAsara Bhattar, the creator of the great Taniyan
for ThiruppAvai(NeeLA Tunga --),has also revealed to us
that the grace of the merciful Lord  is sure to fall on us 
from  His listening to our recitation of His PirAtti's 
Thiruppaavai:" KanRizhantha Talai Naaku , thOl kanRai 
madukka ,athukku irangumAppOlE , ippaasuram koNDu puha namakku 
palikkum ". He reveals that one gets this albhya laabham 
( obtaining the wealth that is "unattainable") in
DhrushtAdhrushtam ( here and in the other world) from 
the Lord through our recitation of the ThiruppAvai Paasurams
(Sanga Tamizh maalai muppathum tappAmE) of His PirAtti.

Literal Meaning of the 30th Paasuram (Dr.Raghavan):
****************************************************
Approaching Him --the Lord Kesavan (of lovely curly 
locks of hairs) , the Lord Maadhavan ( the husband of
Goddess Sri) who (enabled the gods) to churn the seas 
abounding in ships , and praying to Him , the Young 
charming damsels (of Gokulam ) with exquisite faces of 
Moon-like beauty and good ornaments , obtained 
the unparalleled drum.

Describing their observances , prayer and getting the drum 
(from the Lord) , GodhA , the foster-daughter of Bhattar PirAn 
adorned with the cool garlands of fresh lotuses , and
a resident of beautiful SrivilliputthUr has composed this 
ThiruppAvai --sangat Tamizh maalai(Garland of Tamizh songs , 
sung in group by the devotees of the Lord ; or hailed as 
the lyric poem in Tamizh of the great Sangam poets and
poetesses) consisting of thirty paasurams (equal to 
the number of Vowels and Consonants of the Tamizh
alphabet).Whosoever recites this hymn --referring to 
the award of paRai , faithfully will get the divine bliss
here and  hereafter , through the benign grace of 
the Lord ThirumAl ( Sriya: Pathi) endowed with a supreme ,
divine form , namely four strong mountain-like shoulders,
beautiful face with eyes of reddish hue along with 
other prosperous glory.

adiyEn will conclude the series of postings on
ThiruppAvai with a companion piece next.

(To be continued)
ANDAL< Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE saraNam 
RaamAnjua Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan 
        





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