| You are here: Sri Vaishnava Home Page : Bhakti List : Archives : December 1997 |
From: Krishna Kalale (kkalale_at_qualcomm.com)
Date: Mon Dec 15 1997 - 09:49:47 PST
>Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 19:19:53 +0500 (GMT+0500)
>From: Bharat A <kbharat@giasbg01.vsnl.net.in>
>To: sbelur@capaccess.org
>Cc: kkalale
>Subject: Pavai-1
>
>Dear Sheela
>I'm enclosing Sri ESB's notes for the first paasuram
>of Tiruppavai.Being the basic stanza it is a little
>long.The rest will be shorter.
>I'll send them as and when I get them.
>adiyen
>BHARAT
>
>
>
> SRI
> SRIMATE RAMANUJAYAYA NAMAH
> SRIMATE BALADHANVI MAHAGURAVE NAMAH
>
>
> SRI ANDAL's TIRUP-PAVAI
>
>
> INTRODUCTION: Sri ANDAL is the Quintescence incarnation
> of Sri BHUMI DEVI the Divine Consort of SRIMAN NARAYANA,
> who took birth on this earth to liberate suffering human
> beings from worldly bondage.She sang thirty sweet songs
> containing the cardinal principles ofSriVaishnava Dharma
> during the month of MARGAZHI.Singing these songs,with
> understanding of their inner meaning, will bring to us
> peace, prosperity and above all Divine Grace.
>
> ANDAL, though a Brahmin girl, assumes the guise of a
> cowherdess and yearns for Everlasting Happiness and
> Service of the Lord.It is the age-old practice of
> Sri Vaishnavas to sing these stanzas every day of the
> year in the presence of the Lord in the temple as
> well as in their homes.This practice assumes special
> significance during MARGAZHI so much so that each day
> of this month gets its name from a pasuram,like for
> example the first day (12.16.97) is called MARGAZHI-
> TTINGAL.
>
> It may appear in the beginning that Andal is intending
> to perform a particular religious vow to marry the Lord
> and thereby obtain His Everlasting Company,and that she
> is inviting all her girl friends to join her.It is only
> towards the end of TIRUPPAVAI that we learn that she
> did not actually go to any pond or river or perform
> a religious rite; SHE IS ACTUALLY PRAYING TO BE GRANTED
> THE SERVICE OF THE LORD FOR ALL ETERNITY.It is the
> Soul's inner craving to redeem itself and to reach
> His Divine Nearness in order to serve him (" Attaani-
> cchevagam" as her father PERIYAZHWAR calls it) which
> forms the real purport of this poem.
>
> 1. MARGAZHI TTINGAL
>
> The first stanza which states the central premise to be
> elaborated in the rest of the poem contains the
> following ideas:
> 1.Andal praises the day (NANNAL)that has appeared of
> its own accord for the observance of the vow.What it
> means is that for a soul,that day is the Good Day when
> he understands all about himself and God and their
> mutual relationship of Lord and Servant which is stated
> in the Tirumantram.
> 2.The fruit in getting one's body is for serving the
> Lord here and hereafter (NEERADA PODUVIR)
> 3.All those who have a longing for the service of the
> Lord are qualified to join her.(PODUVIR PODUMINO)
> 4.She speaks of the radiance that attended on the face
> of her companions on hearing her requisition.(MADI
> NIRAINDA ;the moon is not in the sky alone!)
> 5.The prosperity of Gokula consists of Sri Krishna's
> amiable pranks in stealing butter and girls; i.e.,the
> wealth of a Sri Vaishnava consists of his intoxicating
> love for and enjoyment of Lord's company.
> 6.Nandagopa's vigilance in guarding Krishna with his
> very sharp spear in hand symbolises the "ASTHANE
> BHAYA-SANKA" and "MANGALASASANA-PARATA" which
> characterises a SriVaishnava.
> 7.Yasoda's over-indulgence of Krishna is responsible
> for all his pranks and misbehaviour towards the young
> gopis.
> 8.SrimanNarayana is the SOLE MEANS of attaining His Feet.
> This strikes the keynote of the Song Divine-TIRUPPAVAI.
> NARAYANANE (Upaya Nirdesa) NAMAKKE (Adhikari nirdesa)
> PARAI (Phala nirdesa) TARUVAN.The safest means of securing
> Him is not Karma yoga etc but His Grace only.
> That is the sum and substance of this verse.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>