A 'mArgazhi' diary: some reflections-4
From the Bhakti List Archives
• December 22, 1999
Dear friends on the bhakti-list, Through the phrases "neyy-unnOm, pAl-unnOm...etc." gOdA-pirAtti reveals to us the central place that "yagnyAm" or "sacrifice" has come to occupy in the Vedic way of life. Yesterday (21st December) we alluded in this connection to the words of the "purusha-suktam": "yagnyEna-yagnya-maya-janta devAh:, tAni dharmAni pratamAnnyAsann...etc. ... yatra-purvE sAdhyA santi devA:". The "devA-s", the celestial beings performed "yagnya" for the creation of the world. And thereafter they also established it as the fundamental basis ("dharmA") on which all the world sustains and perpetuates itself. The observance of ritual-sacrifice during mArgazhi (or the "nOnbu" or "vratam" that is carried out then) in a spirit of solemn sacrifice (described poetically by Andal as "mai-yittu ezhudOm malarittu nAm mudiyyOm, seyyAdana seyyOm...etc.") is also a sort of "yagnyAm". >From AndAl's lines we gather humans too have to perform "yagnyam" in order to reap the benefits of "rains" ("mazhai") and universal well-being ("teenginri-nAd-ellAm" "neengAda-selvam neeraindhu!"). Thus, in these verses of the tiruppAvai, pirAtti reveals how both mortals and super-mortals must abide by the Vedic covenant of "yagnyam". We may ask ourselves a question here: Why should the Veda enjoin "devas" and "mAnusha-s" to perform "yagnyAm"? And why does AndAl allude to this Vedic principle right at the beginning of the "tiruppAvai"? The answer is in the lines of the "bhagavath-gita": "dEvAn bhAvayatA nEna tE dEvA bhAvayantu vah: parasparam bhAvayantah: srEyah: param'avApsyatha " Krishna spoke: "Oh, ye men! You keep the devas satisfied with the performance of sacrifices. And they in turn shall look after your welfare by producing rain on earth. Thus, helping each other ("parasparam bhAvayanta"), may you both be more and more prosperous and happy!." In the tiruppAvai, in Verse 3 and 4, we see the poetess of Villiputtur praying to devas, the "rain-gods" (parjanya). She asks them to show themselves up in the skies in the form of dark, dense clouds ("mEy-karuthhu"), streaks of lightning ("aazhi-pOl minni") and bolts of thunder ("valampuri-pOl ninratheernthu"). She asks them to send cascades of showers down from the heavens. She beseeches them for "thrice-blest" rains ("tinggaL-mummAri-peyydu" "vAzha- ullaganil-peyydhiDai!"). And she finally asks for the gifts of prosperity and plenitude on earth ("kudam-niraikkum ...neengAdha selvam niraindhu!"). But Andal's prayers to the "devas" in the 3rd and 4th "pAsurams", if you notice carefully, are not voiced in helpless tones! We must note that she has made sure first to preface her prayers with ample references to the sacrifices ("yagnyam") preceding the petition. Which is why in Verse 2 itself she takes pains to elaborate on a host of "sacrificial" harships undergone for the sake of the devas..."neyy-unnOm, pAl-unnOm" and "maiyittu-ezhudOm, malarittu-nAmuddaiyyOm" and "seyyAdana-seyyOm". PirAtti therefore would have us believe that if we are prompt and faithful in the performance of our various Vedic duties such as "vratam" and "yagnya-kArma", then our prayers attain a certain rare potency. When our prayers attain power we have also earned our right to boldly petition the devas for plentiful rains and prosperity on earth. We are then empowered to call the attention of the 'devas' to honour their own obligations under the Vedic covenant between Man and Celestial --- a covenant that had been duly notarised in the Bhagavath-gita by Bhagavan Sri.Krishna Himself as "parasparam bhAvayantah:". Thus, through these wonderful "pasurams" in the 'tiruppAvai', 'pirAtti' reveals to us a spiritual truth: she shows us how without "yagnyam", or without due performance or observance of Vedic sacrifice, there can be no potency in our prayers too! And when prayers lack potency, how can they ever be heard by the 'devas' or celestials residing in elemental forms such as "water", or rain ("parjanya"), "varuna", "vAyu","agni" etc.? There is an old Tamil saying: "vEdam Odhiya vEdiyyark-Or mazhai needhi-mannar nEriyinarkk-Or mazhai mAdhar karpudai mangaiyarkk-Or mazhai mAdham munru mazhai-ena pEyummE ! Meaning: "In season's month, thrice shall the rains reward us: Once, in reward for the Vedic chanteur; The second, in honour of the king who rules his land justly, And once more,yet,for the chaste woman of the land!" AndAl-pirAtti had exactly the above idea in mind when she uttered the immortal phrase: "tinggaL mummAri-peyydu" ! dAsan, Sampathkumaran __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com
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