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thirup pAvai - ANDAL - part 3

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Sampath Rengarajan • December 12, 1997 


Dear bAgwathALs,

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

     While the azwArs  delivered so many  pAsurams and enjoyed the
immense  beauty  of  the  lord  it  is  said   sometimes  in  some
perspective that they also did so, for themselves.  But it is said
by some vyAkyAana karthAs that periyAzwar who saw the Lord in kali
didn't  want the lord to get the bad omen from the eyes of many of
the kali folks.  Hence he delivered pallANdu for the Lord, wishing
the  Lord  many  thousands  of years of life.  HE is ever  present
i.e., present  beyond the measure of the time.  However the notion
to wish  someone is  spontaneous  in good  people's  mind and that
makes them tens of  thousands  of time  superior to others.  i.e.,
pala muRai  periya azwar anAr ivar.  But his daughter  ANDAL, sang
pallANdu for the thoNdars and bAgwathALs by delivering the essence
(Sri Varadhan will touch on this important aspect of Srivaishnavam)
of the upAyam that she  undertook  for the benefit of the kaliyuga
vAsis.  Thus she stands as "pala kOdi  periyavaL  and thus she not
only rules the ithayam or heart of the Lord (She is living  there,
ie.,"thiru  mArbinan",  but also  rules over all of our hearts and
hence known as "ANDAL" or "the one who rules our  hearts".  thirup
pAvaiyum  thirup  palliezhuchchiyum  seyalAl peyar peRRavai.  ie.,
The  whole of thiru  pAvai  is  itself  considered  as Nonbu  ie.,
undertaking "saranAgathi or surrender at the feet of the Lord" and
it is  considered  that one who is  chanting  these 30 verses  and
surrender  to  the  Lord,  the  Lord  accept  it as a  paripoorana
saraNAgathi.

     It is believed  that Sri ANDAL has  delivered  the essence of
all the upanishads in 30 pasurams known as thiruppAvai.  Among the
several upAyams to attain the Lord, undertaking saraNagathi at the
feet of the Lord and requesting HIM to be the "upAyam"  HIMself is
considered  easiest and  feasible for many of the jivAtmAs of this
kali  yugam.  Though  this  is not  the  first  time  around  that
saraNAgathi mArgam is demonstrated to the jivAtmas, It is believed
by vyAkyAna  karththAs that Sri ANDAL has taken the important role
in showing  us all the  niceties  of this  "nOnbu" of  saraNagathi
through these 30 verses.

Sri ANDAL thiruvadaikaLE saraNam
Sri Boomi dEvi thAyAr samEtha Sri Oppiliappan thiruvadikaLE
saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan