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UpadEsa Rathna Maalai: Part 6:Upadesam on the glories of ANDAL , Madhura kavi and EmperumAnAr

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Sadagopan • October 24, 1999 


Why focus on the avathAra dinams of Madhura kavi and ANDAL ?
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AzhwAr ThirumakaL ANDAL , Madhurakavi
-yAzhwAr yathirAsarAm ivarkaL , VaazhvAha 
vanthu udhittha maathankaL nALkaL tamin vaasiyayum
intha ulahOrkku uraippOm naam .....(21)

In the previous five paasurams , Sri Soumya Vara Muni
celebrated the greatness of PeriyAzhwAr and ThiruppallANDu.
Now , he shifts his focus to the daughter of PeriyAzhwAr ,
Sri VishNuchittha Kula Nandhana Kalpavalli , Sri ANDAL .
He includes in this paasuram an announcement as to what
he is going to dwell on in the next seventeen paasurams
as well . He states that he is going to pay his reverence
to Madhura kavi and EmperumAnAr in addition to Godhai of
SrivillipputthUr .We will study the meaning of this paasuram now:

(Meaning ): AdiyEn will now describe the uniqueness 
( VailakshaNyams) of the birth days and the months of 
the incarnations of ANDAL, the daughter of PeriyAzhwAr , 
Madhura Kavi and EmperumAnAr . They descended on this 
earth for the upliftment ( lOka UjjIvanaartham ) and
spiritual nourishment of the people of this world. 

(Commnets): Sri MM describes ANDAL as " AzhwAr ThirumakaL " 
specifically to stress the AchArya-Sishya relationship
between PeriyAzhwAr and ANDAL. She was not only his 
Jn~Ana Puthri , but She considered herself as his direct
disciple and refers to that relationship in one
of the NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi (NTM)Paasuram Passage:

nalla yenThOzhi NaahaNisai namparar
  Selvar Periyar SiRu MaaniDar naam seyvathen ?
Villipudhuvai Vittusitthar tankaL dEvarai 
  valla parisu VaruvipparEl athu kaaNDumE --NTM:10.10

ANDAL says to Her dear friend here that the Lord 
is " PeNNIn varutthamaRiyAtha PerumAn ". He is hard hearted
and She gives up on Her own efforts to succeed in getting
His (Selvar's ,Periyavar's ) attention and states that as
SiRu Maanidavar , She has now decided to rely on Her 
AchAryan, PERIYAAZHVAAR , who performed the PallANDu
mangaLAsAsanam on the " PERIYAVAR". She is fully confident 
that her dear father and AchAryan will bring the Lord 
in front of her as a present because of His special
relationship with Him (Her MaNavALan) .

In the NTM 11.10 , ANDAL reminds the " tEsudaya dEvar 
ThiruvarangacchelvanAr " about His " peruvArthai" 
( Charama SlOkams during Varaaha , KrishNAvathArams)
and reminds the Lord that Her father , the AchAryan
is Her witness regarding His " PeruvArthai " :

Semmai udaya Thiruvarangar Thaamm paNittha 
meymaip peruvArthai Vittuchitthar kEttiruppar
tammai uhappArait thaamm uhappAr yennum soll
tammidaiyE poy aanAl saathippArrAriniyE --NTM : 11.10 

What a lovely transition form PeriyAzhwAr to ANDAL
with the choice of the beginning words of this URM 
Paasuram : " AzhwAr ThirumakaL  ANDAL ".
Daasan, V.Sadagopan