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From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • July 25, 1997 


Dear Mr . Layne Little : VaNakkam .Thanks very much 
for your note.I am delighted to know of your 
Graduate studies in Tamil at Berkeley . 
Best wishes to you in your academic program .

I agree that AndAL's outpourings thru her
two master poems have a profound and lasting 
message for all of us . I went to school at
ANNAmalai University at Chidambaram , where 
Sri Ramalinga SwamigaL attained union with 
the cosmic dancer , NatarAjA . His poems are 
the distillation of the intense bhakthi he had  
for Sri NatarAjA . Hope you will be able to meet 
some great Tamil scholars in India and visit the temples
of AndAL at SrivillipputthUr and that of Sri NatarAjA
at Chidambaram .

By copy of this note , I have advised Mr. Mani Varadarajan ,
the owner of the Bhakthi private list about your interest to
join this mailing list . I have copied the other members
as well since your introduction about your interests
would be helpful to them .You should be hearign further
from Sri mani VaradarAjan .
With Best wishes ,
V.Sadagopan    
By  


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TO:	V. Sadagopan, 75041,3037
DATE:	7/24/97 7:47 PM

RE:	Tiruppavai

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Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 16:40:08 -0700
From: Layne Little 
Reply-To: anjaneya@ix.netcom.com
Organization: So. Asian Studies (Tamil) @ Berkeley
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0C-NC320  (Win95; U)
To: 75041.3037@compuserve.com
Subject: Tiruppavai

vaNakkam,
	My name is Layne Little.  I am a Tamil graduate student at Berkeley,
and have since my early youth been blessed with the sweet ecstacy of
being immersed in aanjaneyaavin aruL.  I was intriged to read your
discussion of Tiru Andal's bridal mysticism.  Tiruppavai has made such a
profound impact upon me, though my Tamil is limited I have always
enjoyed her composition and contemplated the elements that follow
perfect suit with the great mythologist Lord Rangan, who first outlined
the stages of the Hero's quest.  I particulary love how she draws the
hearer into the quest through emploring her pavai-friend to awaken and
begin the quest; for the soul sleeps until the heart's call is heard. 
Such a classic vision of the quest is also induced in the Cittar
tradition in works such as Ramalingar's AaNi pon ambalttae, but this
quest is through the mansion of the soul.  Western alchemical tradition
provides a striking parralel to this work in the story known as 'the
Mystic Tower'.  Where the seeker like Ramalingar is guided through the 7
level tower of the soul.  The same kind of numerical significance in
evidenced in Tiruppavai by the number of verses parraleling the solar
cycle, as her lord Narayan will ever be proclaimed by the eternal
radience of the sun.

Please send me information regarding participation in Sri Vaishnava
discussion group.  I'de be happy to share correspondences with other
traditions or confine my discussion to Tamil Vaisnava tradition.

Jaya Sri Ram!