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"SiRRam SiRu KaalE Vanthunnai sEvitthu": Part I

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • September 21, 2002 


SrI:

Dear BhakthAs:

It is delightful to follow the threads of the recent discussion
in one list on GodhA PirAtti's Divine Text and Precious Context 
relating to "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" passage of our SaaRRumuRai
Paasuram .

On August 15 , 2002 "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" , adiyEn was blessed 
to join the SaaRRumuRai GhOshti in front of ThiruvEngadamudayAn
and recite this verse with the ghOshti. it is my bhAgyam 
to share some reflections on the above passage from 
GodhA PirAtti's "Sanga Tamizh Maalai ". Being  a Thursday ,
the SaaRRumuRai took place around 7 A.M (SiRRam SiRu
Kaalai /after Sun rise ) instead of "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" 
(Brahma  MuhUrttham/before Sun rise/Ushath Kaalam ). 
We will focus on the " SiRRam SiRu KaalE "
instead of SiRRam SiRu Kaalai " . Bhagavath Jn~Anam 
PiRakkum Kaalam is "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" . 

At the outset , it is heartening to note the emphasis 
placed by the contributors to the thread forfollowing 
the PoorvAchAryAL's commentaries .

To understand the reference  to "Sirram SiRu KaalE ",
one has to go to a passage in the SrI Sookthi of
ANDAL's own AchAryan , Her dear father , "aNi Puthuvai
Paimkamala taNN theriyal Bhattar PirAn ", where 
the revered PeriyAzhwAr uses the word passage "SiRRam
SiRu kaalE" ( PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi: 3.2):

Kanni nann maamathiL Soozhtaru poompozhil Kaavirit-thennarangam
 manniya seer MadhusoodhanA KEsavA paaviyEN vaazhvuhanthu
unnai iLankanRu mEykka " siRu KaalE "oottiyoruppadutthEn
 yennil manam valiyALoru peNNillai yenn KuttanE muttham thaa

(Meaning): Oh Lord resting in the middle of the timeless 
temple (azhivaRRa VilakshaNamAna Koil) with its big ramparts 
surrounded by the green groves of flower gardens nourished by 
the fertile Cauvery river ! Oh the Lord of limitless KalyANa guNams ! 
Oh MadhusoodhanA! Oh KEsavA! The sinner that I (YasOdhA) am ,
made You get up in the "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" ( Vidiyar Kaalam/
crack of the dawn), made You eat so that You can get ready 
to go out and graze the cattle for our livelihood (jeevanam). 
Cruel me ! I consented to submitting You to this difficult
task ! (PaaviyEN PaaviyEnE!) Is there a woman (Mother) ,
who would equal me in hard heartedness to send You to 
the woodlands(kaanakam ) to graze the cattle ! Oh my
dear KuttikkaNNA ! please give me a peck (muttham/kiss) !

ANDAL's usage of "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" with its deep
Vedic meanings is thus connectable to use of "SiRRam
SiRu KaalE " in His Paasuram passage in a different 
context. The time however is the same Brahma muhUrttham.

The sound images of that early morning hour has been
captured and tresured by ANDAL in many of the early
paasurams of ThiruppAvai.Here , She says: " Oh Lord !
We have arrived at Your palace at this tender hour 
since You will be difficult to get hold off , once 
the morning advances .You will go away on the cattle
grazing task at the behest of Your dear Mother !
hence we have come now to get Your undistracted
attention. "SiRRam SiRu kaalE vanthunnai Sevitthu,
Unn PoRRAmarai adi pORRum poruL " Nee kEtkka vENUm .
If You ask as to what that boons that we seek are:
(1)inseperable  association with You now and forever 
(yeRRaikkum yEzhEzh piRavikkum UntannOdu uRROmE aavOm /
here PraNavArTam is included)(2)to perform nithya kaimkaryam 
to You and You alone ( UnakkE NaamAtccheyvOm/avyapachAra
Bhagavath Paricharyam ; here , the meaning of NaarAyaNa
sabdham of Moola Manthram is incorporated)(3) Oh GovindhA!
You as Sarva Sakthan and AthimAnusha ChEshtithan should
transform all of our other desires /distractions and 
make our minds totally devoted to Your PoRRAmARai
ThiruvadikaL (MaRRai namm kAmangaL MaaRRU( Here Nama:
sabdhArtham is woven in by ANDAL for our benefit).

" SiRRam SiRu KaalE " has also been intrepreted as 
"Prapathti " , which is KashNa Karthavyam , performed
in a trice of time .Prapathti is done in "athi-svalpa Kaalam ".
This is a Sacred Yaj~nam of placing one's AathmA
at the PORRaamaRai Thiruvadi " of the Lord.We have
travelled here (Vanthu) and standing at Your ThiruvadivAram
eulogising You (Vanthu Unnai sEvitthu)and seeking the boon 
of Prapatthi anugraham . After that we  seek from You,
the Sarva Seshi and our YajamAnan , nithya kaimakrya prApthi
( sEshikku abhimadhamAna kaimkaryam/KuRREval) . SarvEswarA!
" KuRREval YengaLai KoLLAmaRp-pOhAthu--UnakkE NaamAtccheyvOm ".
ANDAL reminds us to perform the noblest of upAyams (Maarga Seerhsam),
Prapatthi at "SiRRam SiRu KaalE" at the lotus feet of Her Lord
and perform "Sarva dEsa , Sarva Kaala , SarvAvasthA " Kaimkaryam
to Him and Him alone.

Ushath Kaalam or the time of dawn is a  special time
(SiRRam SiRu KaalE) in Vedic connotation. The Ushas-Sookthams
of Rg Vedam give us both the physical and spiritual splendour
of this unique time of the day and its inner meanings. Vedic
Dawn (Ushas) is not the physical dawn ; It means divine light,
which is radiant , luminous (GOmati).It is time for 
the banishmnet of samsAric darkness and the birth of 
dhivya Jn~Anam ( Samm tE gAvastama aavarthayanthi 
jyOthir-yacchanthi SavithEva BAhU..Rg Vedam VII.79.2).

adiyEn will conclude with the Vedic prayer relating to
the fruits of SaraNAgathy performed at "SiRRam SiRu KaalE",
the dawn of the luminous delight in anticipation of 
SaraNAgathi Vratha anushtAna Poorthi and nithya
kaimakrya Praapthi and the paripoorNa BrahmAnadham 
arising from that Bhara SamarpaNam :

utha nO GomathIrisha Aaa vahA duhithardhiva:
Saakam Sooryasya rasmibhi:

--Rg Vedam : V.79.8

Luminous plentitude arising  from ( " Kaalai nann 
Jn~Anat-thuRai padinthAdi") gained from SadAchArya UpadEsam , 
SaraNAgathi Vratha anushTanam (offering the havis
of aathmA to the owner , the Lord ) with the MahOpakAram
of that SadAchAryan and the observance of Post-PrapannA 
way of life can be derived from this powerful Veda Manthram . 

adiyEn will cover the SaaRRumuRai particiation
anubhavam at Thirumalai further in subsequent postings.

SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan/SaThakOpan

 
 
 

 



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