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aNNA , appA , aaryA

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Sadagopan • July 22, 1998 


Dear Friends : 
It is fascinating to learn about the nomenclature used
to address one's Father.In my house , my doting grandfather
used to address me as "aNNA " , when I was a small child . 
 
Among all births , the birth called Jn~Anap piRavi 
resulting from the blessings of Moola Manthram as 
Mother and one's AchAryan as the Father providing that
"BrahmOpadEsam " elevates the role of parents , who are
endearingly called ammA /ambhA/aaryAmbhA ( the most merciful ) 
and appA/appan  (the most sacred ) .aNNan is typically 
the name for the elder brother in Tamil Naadu .
aNNal seybhavan is aNNal .aNNal is the leader . 
aaryA is the term for a very revered one 
and the term AchAryA mihgt be interpreted as AchArEna
aarya : , or anushtAnEna prasiddha aarya :
In old formal Sanskrit , when a revered one 
( mahaneeya or pUjaneeya ) arrives at your home ,
you prostrate before them and invite  them to
sit ( aasana parigrahENa alankarOthu imam 
pradEsam Aarya : ) . 

The connection to all these nomenclature can be found
in Divya Prabhandhams , when Thirumangai and NammAzhwAr
address the Lord in their SaraNAgathi Paasurams .Examples are :

Periya Thirumozhi : ThiruveLLak KuLam paasurams:

** 4.7.1-- ThiruveLLak KuLatthuL aNNA adiyEn idaraik kaLayAyE 
                                 ^^^^^ 

** 4.7.2: ThiruveLLak KuLatthuL yenthAi ----
                                ^^^^^^^

Periya Thirumozhi : Thiruvenkata Pasurams

** 1.9.5: --yenn appA vanthadainthEn  adiyEnai aatkandaruLE 
                 ^^^^^

** 1.9.6--aNNA vanthadainthEn ---
          ^^^^^

** 1.9.7--Gana maamalai VenkatavA ,
          ariyE ( HariyE ) vanthadainthEn --

**1.10.1 -10 : aNNaa adiyEn idarik kaLayAyE ,
               ^^^^^
               aNDA         "   
               kOnE         "               
               yenthAi , ini unnai yenRum vidEnE 
               ^^^^^^^

NammAzhwAr : ThiruvEnkatam paasurams ( Thiruvaaimozhi )

3.3.1: Ozhuvil kaalamellAm---ThiruvEnkatatthu ,
       yezhil koLL sOthi yenthai tanthai tanthaikkE 
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

6.10.3 : aNNalE unnadi sEra adiyErkkAvennAyE
         ^^^^^^

PriyAzhwAr PallANdu : Paasuram 6 

yenthai tanthai tanthai  tam mUtthappan  yEzhpadikAl thodangi
        ^^^^^^^              ^^^^^^^^^^^     

The sum of it all is that one's father revered by 
Vedam as "pithru dEvO bhava " is deservedly addressed as 
"appA , aNNA , tanthai , appan , aNNal , Aaryan et al "
to indicate the reverence for givng us the JN~Anap piRavi . 
In the days past , a son never sat in front of his father .
He always stood unless asked by his father and even then at a 
place below his father's seat . 

The exemplary case of Father-AchArya-Son relationship 
is that of Kumara VaradAchAr  and  Swami Sri Desikan ,
His father , AchAryan and God . 

KrishNArpaNam asthu 
V.Sadagopan