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The Moustache

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sadagopan iyengar • March 19, 2002 


  
Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra
Mahadesikaya Nama:

                           The Moustache
                      _________________

“What a frivolous subject to write on!” said adiyen’s
daughter, commenting upon the title. However, little
did she know that the matter had been sanctified by
mention in the Upanishads. One might wonder as to what
the unshaved hair on a manÂ’s upper lip might have to
do with such exalted works as the Upanishads. It is
indeed true-the subject finds a mention in none other
than the Chandogya Upanishad, one of the most
comprehensive bodies of knowledge.
 
Describing the TirumEni of the ParamaPurusha, the
Upanishad has the following to say-
“Ya EshOntar AdityE hiraNmaya:Purusha:drisyatE
  HiraNmaya:smashru:hiranya kEsa:AprNakhAt sarva Eva
suvarNa:”
The Lord is seen in golden splendour amidst the Solar
system, adorned by golden hair with a golden moustache
to match. From head to toe, he is all glitter like the
yellow metal. Thus the moustache too seems to be a
distinct feature of the LordÂ’s vigraham. And the
Upanishad goes on to say that whoever meditates on
EmperumanÂ’s tirumEni as described above, is absolved
of all sins. It is noteworthy that the aforesaid
passage mentions the moustache ahead of the LordÂ’s
golden locks, indicating perhaps the primacy of the
former. It is also clear from this that the moustache
is an inseparable part of the Lord, as are His other
adornments. We must remember that the Upanishad is
commenting about the LordÂ’s primordial anatomy, the
Parama Purusha Vigraham.

In vibhava avatArAs too, Srimad Ramayana bears
testimony to Sri Rama sporting a moustache.
Preparatory to His Coronation, Sri Rama is attended
upon by expert hairdressers, who give Him a
comfortable and expeditious shave. In preference to
other words indicating barbers, Sri Valmiki uses the
term “smashru vardhakA:”, meaning those who beautify
the vegetation on the upper lip. Here is the Yuddha
Kanda sloka-
“tata: shattrugna vachanAt nipuNA: smashru vardhakA;
  sukha hastA: susheegrAscha Raghavam paryupAsata.”

Sri Valmiki pays a rare tribute to the barbers of
Ayodhya- they were highly dexterous at their work,
extremely fast, with nimble fingers and soothing
hands, which made you hardly feel the blade on your
countenance. And it is significant that the barbers
were chosen by Sri Shatrughna-though he does not find
frequent mention in the epic as do his illustrious
brothers, wherever he does figure, the occasions are
important and display his knowledge and prowess. On
this occasion, he was perhaps acting upon the
instructions of Sri Bharata, who wanted his elder
brother to wipe off all traces of his long sojourn in
the jungle, and present a clean-shaven countenance to
the citizens of Ayodhya on the Coronation day.

The moustache finds mention also in the third Ashtaka
of the Taittiriya Brahmana, more specifically in the
Aswamedha prasna. Following is the mantra there-
“KEsa smashru vapatE----pApmana: apahatyai”
Probably in preparation for the important Aswamedha
sacrifice, shaving off of oneÂ’s moustache is laid
down, and with other purificatory ceremonies, this is
supposed to absolve one of oneÂ’s sins.
  We may find it difficult to picture the Almighty
with a moustache, for all the pictures and vigrahAs we
have seen of Him depict Him being clean-shaven. It is
perhaps to convince such doubting Thomases that He
appears to us with a beautiful moustache at
TiruvallikkENi.  Those who have had the good fortune
to perform mangalAsAsanam of Sri Parthasarathy would
agree that this distinguishing feature adds a virile
look to Him, which is perhaps not to be found in any
other divya desam. And the slight upward curl to the
moustache at both ends makes His visage dashing and
natty, bringing to oneÂ’s mind the MaharshiÂ’s words
“pumsAm drishti chittha apahAriNam” and “SAkshAt
Manmata Manmata:”.  Adiyen might be mistaken, but even
Sri Namperumal, on a close scrutiny,appears to sport
the contours of what could be a mousache.

Another Emperuman who sports a moustache, along with a
veritable mane of dense hair is Sri Nrisimha. On this
Lord, the moustache adds to His fearsome appearance.
However, to His ardent devotees such as Sri Prahlada,
amidst all that ferocious forest of hair, the eyes do
smile out kindly like beacons of love.
When we were adolescents, parents used to chide such
of us who tried to grow a fledgling moustache as an
expression of manliness. And those in TiruvallikkENi
always used to remonstrate with their parents,
pointing to the Emperuman himself sporting a dashing
moustache. While predictably this argument did not
find favour with the parents, they might have been
better impressed, had they known of the Upanishadic
sanction for the ubiquitous moustache.
Srimate Sri LakshmiNrsimha divya paduka sevaka Sri
Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
 ____dasan,sadagopan.



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