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thirup pAvai - part 17 - "seer malgum aaypAdi"

From the Bhakti List Archives

Rengarajan • December 29, 1997 


Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam

mArgazhith thingaL mathi niRaintha nan nALAl
neerdAp pOthuveer ! pOthuminO nErizhiyeer !

seer malgum aayp pAdi selvach chirumeergaaL

koor vEl kodun thozhilan nantha gOpan kumaran,
eRarntha kaNNi yasOdhai ilam singam

seer malgum aaypAdi -

gOkulam  was  very  rich  and  prosperous during this time of Sri 
Krishna avatharam. In Tamil Nadu there are certain dairy business
establishments  that  are  very prosperous even today. One cannot 
underestimate the revenue or the profitability  of the milk dairy 
business.  In  early  sixities,  there  used  to  be  milk  maids 
supplying  thayir  (yoghurt), and mOr (butter milk) and butter to 
every  home  from their village. They will be coming on bare feet 
and  carrying big pots on their heads. However, they will also be 
wearing  several  precious  jeweleries.  It has been cutomary for 
the  milk  maids  to  possess  precious  jeweleries for long even 
though  their  life  style  on  other  fronts  may  not  be  seen 
comparable with the very  rich and royal outfits.  

        This "seer"  here  is  the "siRappu" or speciality of the 
aaypAdi.  Such is  the speciality that the aaypAdi milk maids are 
"nEr izhiyeer" ie., they wear such precious jewelleries that even 
certain royal  families  would  envy  them.  "malgum" here  means  
"niRainthu  uLLa"  ie.,  such   prosperity  is  full  and  always 
available (due to Sri Krishna avathAram). These are the outermost
and direct meanings. 

       "Seer malgum" or always sepcial is because  the  Lord  who 
is  the  chief  in  Sri parama patham  is  an  entertainer  here. 
ie.,  "kudamAdu  kooththan".  HE  is  the  one  who also performs 
certain  folk dance standing on top of all the kudams or vessels. 
(It also has an inner menaing  for  the Gowardana giri vaibavam). 
He is known  as  "veNNaikku aadum perumAL" ., it seems as a small 
boy Lord  Krishna  used  to  perform certain dances to "eran" the 
butter  from  the  maids  sometimes.  ie.,  They  will be so much 
meserized  by HIS performance that they will  give  HIM  all  the 
butter they have. It is also  said  in  AzhwAr pAsuram  as "aayar  
mangaiyar  idaiyida  amuthu seythu aadiya thoruk kooththu".  ie., 
HE will be fed place to place (idai ida) by aayars as HE performs 
this kooththu or folk dance  at their request.
                                
       HE dances to the whims and fancies of the aaypAdi (aaypadi 
is  the  place where "aayar" ie.,  "milk maids"  are  living  and  
here it is referred to Gokulam) "sirumeer" (girls).   Sri Krishna 
is known for his pranks in HIS child hood. HE used to perform the 
street corner dances and entertain the milk maids. It is  said by 
certain vyAkyAna karththas that the Maids  were  in full  control 
(responsible for) of Sri Krishna's childhood pranks. Thus certain 
vyAkyana  karththaas  interpret  that  "aaypAdi"  is very special 
because the  chief of  parama patham  gave  the  overseeing  role  
(role of the chief)  to  the "aayars" (maids) and HE became their 
entertainer. 

        The inner most meaning is that the jivAtmA  (sirumeergaL)
are so rich in their nature once they realise  their pakkuvam  or
patham or jivAtma  swaroopam. ie.,  the  swarioopam  is such that 
their eternal  nature is to  be subservient to the Lord and serve 
the Lord. A place that has Such jivAtmAs  is very special.   ie., 
"aaypAdi"  is  very  special because  of  "aayars".  The  village 
"aaypadi" itself got its name  from  the  very  aayar  sirumiyars  
ie.,  the reliased jivAtmAs here. 

        In Tamil there is a proverb that  is  used  for providing
"reasons" for the downpour of rain during their  proper  seasons. 

ie., "nallOr oruvar ularEL  avar  poruttu intha vaiyammum mummAri 
pozhiyum" 

ie., in english, "if there is a good  person  (realised soul)  is 
living here this time, such place will have  its  seasonal  rains  
(rains  for  the three  seasons)  without  fail,  just due to his 
very  presence.  ie.,  It  is  very important  that  atleast  one 
realised soul lives at any time in a place and such place will be
similar to "seer malgum aaypAdi".  

Sri ANDAL thiruvadikaLE saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan