THE HINDU article on Tiruppavai part 5 of 5
From the Bhakti List Archives
• January 19, 1996
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Tiruppaavai-the soul's quest
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Date: 07-01-1996 :: Pg: 36 :: Col: a
Cl: Religion
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The concluding article in the series by S. SWAMINATHAN on
Andaal's garland of verse.
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THE thirty hymns which together constitute Sri Andaal's
Tiruppavai bring out the spiritual ardour of an earnest devotee
of God. There is little doubt that the hymns represent Bhakthi in
its most chastened form. The craving for personal boons is not
what the prayer of the cowherds in Tiruppaavai is all about. The
yearning, instead, is for eternal service to God with the devotee
surrendering himself/herself unconditionally to the will of God.
The lyrics in Tiruppavai (which is believed to belong to
the ninth century A. D.) represent Tamil literature of vintage
tracing its lineage to the hoary Sangam age. An amazing majority
of these words are still very much a part of spoken and written
Tamil. A more amazing feature of the hymns is that they represent
Tamil at a stage of evolution when Sanskritic influence had not
yet crept in.
Learned commentaries on Tiruppavai dwell on the
philosophical import of each hymn which is not directly
discernible from the words used but which is often derived from
association of words with concepts which belong to religious
doctrine. Diverse as these interpretations are, there can be
little doubt that Tiruppavai is an exemplification of
Visistaavaita which holds that the devotee and the Lord are of
the same cosmic spiritual unity and that the best means for God-
realisation is intense obedience and devotion.
Hymn 25
Oruththi maganaai-p-pirandhu or iravil
Oruththi maganaai oliththu valara
Tharikkilaanaagi-th-thaan theengu ninaindha
Karuththai pizhai-p-iththu kanjan vayittril
Neruppenna ninra nedumaley! Unnai
Aruththithu vandhom parai tharudhi yaagil
Thiruththakka selvamum sevakamum yampaadi
Varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhu el or empaavaai.
Oh Lord of the three worlds! Born of the matchless Queen
Devaki, you were taken on the same night in concealment to
Gokulam, to be brought up by another peerless noble woman,
Yasodha. The evil King Kamsa who would not bear the thought of
your growing up, tried many stratagems to harm you. But you
foiled all his wily schemes virtually tormenting him like in his
stomach. We have come to beseech you for favours. If only you
could condescend to give us the drum, we would sing extolling
your great prosperity befitting your consort, Mahaalakshmi and 93
your valorous deeds. And then we will rejoice with all our pining
coming to an end.
Hymn 26
Maaley! Manivanna! Maargazhi neeraaduvaam
Melayaar seivanangal venduvana ketliyel
Gnalath-thai ellaam nadunga muralvana
Paalanna Vannathu un Paanchajanyamey
Polvana sangangal poi-p-paadu udaiyanave
Saalap-perum paraiyey pallaandu isaipparey
Kola vilakkey kodiyey vidhaaname
Aalin ilayai! Arul el or empaavai.
God, you are the embodiment of pure love for your
devotees! Oh Lord with the fascinating blue colour of Saphire!
Please listen to us as we prepare ourselves for the sacred river-
bath in the serene month of Maargazhi! In keeping with the
traditions set up by our great forbears, we require, for our
austerities, conches similar to your Paanchajanya, shining white
like milk and which produces sound that threatens to shatter the
entire universe. Also big drums, a group of musicians who would
sing your glories, decorative lamps, flags and canopies. Lord,
the light of the race of cowherds! You who recline on the banyan
leaf, as a child, at the time of the great deluge, please grant
us our request!
Hymn 27
Koodaarai vellum seer Govindaa! Unthannai
Paadi-p-paraikondu yaamperu sammaanam
Naadu pugazhum parisinaal nanraaga
Choodagame thol valaye thoday sevi-p-poovay
Paadagame enranaya pallalanum yaam anivom
Aadai uduppom adhanpinnay paar choru
Mooda nei peidhu muzhangai vazhivaara-k
Koodi irundhu kulirndhu el or empaavai.
Oh Lord! The protector of cows! You overwhelm your
enemies with your valour and virtues! The rewards we get by
singing your praise and getting the drum (for spreading your
word) are no less than those which the whole country commends us
for. Now that our austerities have borne fruit, we shall bedeck
ourselves with sparkling jewellery bangles, armlets, anklets and
ear-rings. We shall dress ourselves in lovely robes. And then,
with Nappinnai and yourself, we shall sit down for a gorgeous
meal of rice cooked in milk and suffused with ghee. That will be
our bliss!
Hymn 28
Karavaigal pinsenru gaanam serndhu unbhom
Arivonrum illaadha aai-kulaththu unthamai
Piravi Perunthanai punniyam yaanudaiyom
Kurai onrum illaadha Govindaa! Un thannodu p73
Uravel namakku ingu ozhikka ozhiyaadhu
Ariyaadha pillaikalom anbinaal unthannai
Siruper azhaiththanavum seeri arulaadhe
Iraivaa! Nee thaaraai parai el or empaavai.
Oh blemishless Lord! What a great blessing for us that
You are one with us! After all, we are unlettered clan of
cowherds who tend cattle, sing carelessly and eat their food in
the open. The bond between You and us can never be dissolved. If
ever we have out of ignorance and our love for you, caused you
hurt by calling you by names which belittle your unbounded
magnificence, please do not take offence. Oh compassionate Lord,
grant us the drum and eternal devotion to you!
Hymn 29
Sittran sirukaale vandhu unnai seviththu un
Pottraamarai adiye pottrum porul kelaai
Pettram mayththunnum kulaththil
pirandhu nee
Kuttreval engalai kollaamal pogaathu
Ittrai parai kolvaan anru kaann Govindaa!
Ettraikkum ezh-ezh piravikkum un thannodu
Uttrome yaavom unakke naam aatcheivom!
Mathai nam kaamangal maattru el or
empaavaai.
Oh Lord Govinda (Krishna)! Why have we come so early at
dawn to worship You and to adore your lotus feet? You have taken
birth in our cowherd community and You live amidst us who tend
cattle for a living. It is only proper that you permit us to
render our humble service to You. It is not only today that we
would seek your grace but in all our births to come. You and You
alone we shall ever be committed to in servitude. Everything else
is of no concern to us.
Hymn 30
Vanga-k-kadal kadaindha
maadhavanai kesavanai
Thingal Thirumugathu seyizhayaar senru irainji
Anga-p-paraikonda aattrai ani puduvai
Painkamala thantheriyal pattar piraan
kothai sonna
Sangath-thamizhmaalai muppadum thappaame
Ingi-p-parisuraippaar eerindu maalvarai-th-tholl
Senkann thirumugaththu selvaththirumaalaal
Engum thiruvarul pettru inburuvar em paavaai.
This garland of thirty verses in classical chaste Tamil,
celebrating the devotional fervour of the beautiful cowherd women
who worshipped Naaraayana, variously incarnating Himself as
Maadhava (the Lord who churned the ocean of milk) and Kesava (the
Lord who slayed the demon Kesi), has been strung together by
Kothai, the daughter of Periaazhwaar, who belongs to the lovely p73
place called Srivillipuththur.
All those who recite these hymns with passion and
sincerity are bound to receive the favour of Naaraayana, the Lord
with four mighty arms and resplendent face with crimson eyes.
Theirs will be joy eternal and bliss manifold.
\#\#]3
S. SWAMINATHAN
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