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Re: Andal's greatness

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TCA Venkatesan • November 30, 2002 


Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Dear Sri Nanmaaran,

AdiyEn begs to differ on your first point. Nahi ninda
nyAyam applies even when a direct comparison is made.
For example, Mamnavala Mamunigal says that "uNdO
thiruvAymozhikku oppu?" This is a direct comparison
to all works written. However, shortly thereafter he
says "uNdO thiru-p-pallANdukku oppathOr kalai thAn?"
Again a direct comparison to other works. In both cases,
he says that no work can match this work. One can make
a case that each is unique and unmatched and therefore
both statements are ok. But, adiyEn thinks that it is
not the case here. I think Mamunigal is stating that
each is the greatest of all works. This kind of logic 
might not work in the regular world but it is perfectly
acceptable in the Srivaishnava world. My understanding 
is that nahi ninda nyAyam applies even when an acharya 
says that he/she/it is greater than others; however, if 
you differ, that is ok.

Coming to your other questions - these are the exact 
points raised by acharyas in showing that Andal is 
greater than the Azhvars.

As I mentioned before, Periyavaccan Pillai start out 
by saying that Andal is far greater than other Azhvars.
(Andal to Periyazhvar and Periyazhvar to other Azhvars
is like mountain to atom in each case). Then he asks 
why? And follows up with the following reasons: 
1. Azhvars saw Him after He woke them up; Andal woke 
Him up and explained her problem. 2. Just like Sri 
Lakshmana, right from her birth she was submerged in 
the bhagavat guNas 3. Unlike a man liking a man, it is 
natural for a woman to like a man. 4. Her bhakti to 
Him is greater than that of Azhvars.

2000padi starts with the same comparison as 3000padi.
The reasons given are: 1. She is the only child of the
10 azhvars  and received their knowledge as stree 
dhanam. 2. Azhvars got divine knowledge from Him while
she went and gave divine knowledge to Him (that is, 
woke Him up and presented her case). 3. Andal (who 
is attached to Periyazhvar) is like Madhurakavi Azhvar, 
unlike other Azhvars who are like Sri Lakshmana and 
Periyazhvar who is like Sri Bharatha. 4. Like Lakshmana, 
she was attached to Him right from birth.

4000padi presents the following reasons: 1. From her 
ten fathers (Azhvars), she received knowledge as stree 
dhanam. 2. Azhvars destroyed their natural bhAvam and
took on a stree bhAvam while she had stree bhAvam 
naturally. She did not have to take on that bhAvam 
(anyApadesha). 3. She had greater qualities than 
Azhvars (He gave her His beauty and guNa), while the 
pirAttis gave her their svarUpa and svabhAva. 
Therefore, unlike her fathers (the Azhvars) her 
femininity was not made, but natural. 4. She too, 
however has a anyApadesha which is taking on the 
gOpika bhAvam. Their kulam is one that is close to 
Him, as in "kulam tharum" pasuram.

AdiyEn cannot claim to know Manavala Mamunigal's
thiruvuLLam and what were all the reasons he had when 
he wrote that her act was greater than that of Azhvars.
But adiyEn is convinced that Swami would not have 
differed on these points. He does use "anjukudikku oru 
santhathiyAy" to show that she was the heir of Azhvars 
and "pinjAyp pazhuththAL" to show that she was immersed
in bhakti right from childhood. I am sure he had a host
of other points in addition, that show how her greatness.

These are just adiyEn's simple opinions. If you wish 
greater clarification, adiyEn requests you to seek an 
acharya and/or Srivaishnava scholars and clarify your 
doubts.

As I mentioned in my first post, I only presented one or
two points that came to my mind, and that there are 
multitudes of points still left. I will leave with one
anecdote that shows Andal and Thiruppavai's greatness.

Someone once asked Sri Ramanuja to explain the meaning
of one pasuram of Thiruppavai. He replied "One can
find someone to give the meanings of even Thiru-p-
PallANdu; but one will not find anyone to give the
meanings of Thiruppavai". He went on to say that
"Men are not eligible to listen to its meanings; only
women are. Even amongst them, the pirAttis who are
there to enjoy the Lord for themselves are not 
eligible. Why say many things? Andal who is the 
essence of the ten azhvars should say the meanings 
herself and listen to them herself".

So, perhaps one can say that the fact that she wrote 
Thiruppavai alone is sufficient to say that Andal is 
greater than the Azhvars.

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan

--- Nanmaaran  wrote:
> 
> Dear Shri Venkatesan,
> Thanks for your detailed reply. But i would like to know
> how "nahi nindhya nyaayam" will get applied here as Shri
> Manavaala maamuni does not simply say that "Andal is
> great" if the statement is like that, then we can apply
> nahi nindhya and say that by that statement, he is not
> saying that others are not great. 
> But he says specifically " She excels over other alwars"
> (aazhwarkaL than cheyalai vinji niRkum thanmaiyaLaay) and
> we cannot apply nahi nindhya nyaayam here as It was a
> clear statement about Andal very much keeping other
> azhwars in mind.   
> And Natural nayika baavam theory also does not fit as
> "Excelling" attribute. Gopika baavam also cannot be taken
> as "excelling one" over periyaazhvar's thaay baavam and
> kulasekara azhwar's thanthai baavam.
> I think we should investigate more on " by which act she
> excelled over others alwars"  Acharya like Manavaala
> Mamuni would not have said a statement just for enjoyment
> and just to praise Andal. 
> Regards,
> Nanmaaran.

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