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IDU OR ARPUDAM KELEER - PART 7

From the Bhakti List Archives

L&T-ECCG-Buildings & Factories • October 1, 1999 


Dear Sri Vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

Sri lakshmi nrusimha divya paadukaa sEvaka SrivaN satakOpa Sri Vedaanta
desika yateendra mahaa dEsikaaya namah:

In the previous posting parts 1 to 6 on this topic, we saw 
* How periyaazhvaar identified KaNNan with thirumaal, 
* How he described the entire world was tied down by his divine music thru
the paasurams (without the meanings of the paasurams), 
* Certain points on observations of bagavathaas. 
* The meanings in detail for the first six paasurams 
* Verses of few other bakthas who relished the kuzhal oothal episode of
krishna leelai

Before we really take up the next arpudam of periyaazhvaar, I would like to
add few points in the fourth arpudam "menakaiyOdu" and how aaNdaaL has
enjoyed this kuzhal oothi episode of krishna leelai.

Menakai, rambai, oorvasi thilOththamai are all dancers of repute in the
dEvEndran sabai in the dEvalOkam- so naturally they have the vidhyaa garvam
- "I am an expert in music and dance". 

They were looking for their servants- the vaaniLampadiyar- these servants
were lured to the brindaavan by kaNNan's music and they came down from
dEvalOkam. Simply these folks were tied down in the music and did not turn
up when they were wanted.

When the servant is not available at the beck and call, it is but natural
for the master to look or search for the servant. Since not even one fellow
was available / not traceable, the masters Rambai and all came down, in
search, to the vaanagampadi looking whether these servants are seen around
some where. These servants were along with gOpiyar of brindaavan enjoying
kaNNan's music (as we saw in 3-6-3).

Now these damsels got curious. A small boy is playing music- karunchirukkan-
let us see how this boy plays- we are experts - so we can judge very fast -
so, they stood at the vaanagampadi. Once started listening to kaNNan's
music, the dancers started dancing to the music, but soon got intoxicated
and lost the rhythm, so started singing. The vidyaa garvam is crushed. The
singers started on music but missed the raagam and taalam, due to the sheer
joy, so in joy started dancing- the balance on music is lost. Really not
knowing what they were doing, they did all different things. Reason kaNNan's
music.

One more reason also. These damsels did not come down to boolOkam- these
human folks will laugh at us - hey - you dEvaas - you think you are great-
but see your position- after hearing OUR kaNNan's music you missed your
routine. This "kEli pEsi sirippaargalE" thought, parihaasam- sarcastic
remarks from brindaavan gOpiyar- human folks- prevented them to come down
and enjoy the music mingling with brindaavan folk.

Another added reason is- When the master follows the servants, it is below
master's dignity. This also prevented them from coming down.

Actually boolOka people could not see these mEnakai, oorvasi and others but
periyaazhvaar has seen and given to us.

What an arpudam - what a visualisation- oh krishnaa - your music changes the
course of everybody.

2. We have seen the daddy picturising and giving arpudam after arpudam. Will
the daughter, who is brought up by such a krishna bakthaa, have a different
notion than the daddy? 

"Kamban veettu kattuth thariyum kavi paadum" is the proverb. "The weaving
implement in the kambar's house also can compose tamil songs because of the
association with kamban, the poet, who wrote raamaayaNam. Similarly
periyaazhvaar peRReduththa peN piLLai aaNdaaL - will she have a different
route or routine?

Definitely not. Now let us see what aaNdaaL has to say on this kuzhal oothi
episode. "ThuvaraippiraanukkE sankarpiththu thozhudhavaL aayiRRE aandaaL".
Please see what she wants.

"Thazhaiyil pozhil vaai niraip pinnE nedumaal oothi varuginRa kuzhalin
thoLai vai neer koNdu kuLira mugaththu thadaveerE" says in 13-5- kaNNan enum
karum deivam decad in naachiyaar thirumozhi.

I am physically sick, because of thinking, visualising, seeing, describing,
writing, singing, dancing, enjoying all about kaNNan - "kaNNan enum karum
deivam kaatchi pazagi kidappEnai says aaNdaaL" - the word pazhagi is a
beauty here- always enjoying kaNNan- so an intense heat generated. I need
medicine to cure this thaapam -heat. 

The medicines are the peethakavaadai kaaRRu - air from yellow dress -
vaijayanthi maalai- tulasi garland. Please bring me the water (?) or
"nectar?" flowing out of the holes of the flute, held in the mouth of
kaNNan, while he rains out the soul stirring music.  Where is he giving the
music as per aaNdaaL? Thazhaiyil pozhil vaai- at the entrance of leafy green
gardens- nirai pinnE- nirai is flock- flock of what? All living creatures
-daddy has given the composition of the flock -so I am not giving it says
aaNdaaL- it is nirai only.

Nedumaal is pouring out the music- the long? The big?- oh no! -the
thrivikraman - very very... big maal- naaraayaNan- oothi varuginRa kuzhalin
thoLai neer- the water oozing out of the flute while he is playing the
music.

AaNdaaL does not ask the music but the water from flute. Why? The music will
tie down and make her as a servant. But asks the vaayamudham - available
only for the wife- so indirectly wants a very big status. If the person is a
child then vaayamudham of the child is available for the parents and others.
But here KaNNan is a grown up boy. 

Already aaNdaaL had a wordy duel with the sangu- the conch- paancha janyam-
hey - you are drinking daily the vaayamudham of my maadhavan -un selvam
saala azhagiyadhE- you are really gifted etc. So she wants, not the music,
but the nectar from the mouth.

3. In 3-6-5 periyaazhvaar nicely linked narasimhan with flute playing
kaNNan. See how nicely his daughter is also bringing out her thoughts on
narasimhan at the most appropriate places. These subtleties are to be
relished by every word of it.

In the dream sequence of marriage vaaraNamaayiram, poorvaacharyargaL have
pointed out the vedic rituals are very nicely brought as per the veda mantra
sequences etc. 

Now let us see where all narasimhan is there in the marriage.

KOLari maadhavan gOvindhan enbaan Or kaaLai pugutha kanaa kaNdEn - 6-2.
KOLari is narasimhan. Tomorrow the marriage is going to take place. The
bridegroom enters the marriage hall or venue today. At that stage aaNdaaL
says kOLari. Narasimhan enters. First name is narasimhan- next maadhvan -
then gOvindan. See the order of priority. Calling by the first name is
always an intimacy creation step - is it not?

Next- arimugan achyuthan kai mEl en kai vaiththu pori muganthu atta kanaa
kaNdEn - 6 -9. In the performance of marriage according to vedic procedure, 

Step 1 - kaiththalam parruthal (paanigrahaNam- holding the hands), 
Step 2 - theevalam seithal - agni pradakshaNam -coming around the sacred
fire, 
Step 3- ammi mithiththal- sapthapathi- placing the girls foot on the stone, 
Step 4 - pori muganthu attuthal- placing the scorched rice in the fire-
laaja homam
Then only the marriage is complete and firm.

[Actually the maangalya dhaaraNam is a later day insertion in the rituals as
I could understand from senior bhagavathaaL].

Now see the order in which aaNdaaL lists the names -
KOLari maadhavan gOvindhan - pugutha- enters the hall
Madhusoodhan- kaiththalam paRRa- grasping the hand
KaLiRu annaan- krishnan- theevalam seyya- going around the fire
Arimugan- narasimhan- laaja homam
Avan - mangala veedhi valam - no names.
 
The starting and ending is narasimhan- see the beauty- recalling the correct
names at the appropriate places.

[KaLiru annaan- walking like an elephant- the male should walk like an
elephant
The female should like a swan- hamsam.
In kamba raamaayaNam - kamban says seethai is a anna nadaiyaaL]

In first naaraNan nambi- no confirmation yet that he is the bridegroom. So
he is naaraNan nambi.

Next naaLai vadhuvai- confirmed that he is the groom- so he is identified as
kOLari- narasimhan

It is also said according to the saastram after the sapthapathi and laaja
homam only the marriage is confirmed. So when laaja homam is taking place it
is arimugan- narasimhan- achyuthan. 

Why? Because both narasimhan and achyuthan are kai vidaatha deivam- who will
not let down- instantaneous avathaaram not to let down the baktha
prahlaadhan- narasimhan. Achyuthan- as the name suggests one who will not
let down.

In the dream first, later actually, the hands of aaNdaaL taken by arimugan
and joined together for ever.

This I am not saying but daddy periyaazhvaar- sengaNmaal thaan koNdu pOnaan
- in 3-8-4 nallathOr thaamarai- see here also- daddy also says narasimhan
only took her sengaN maal- any trace of doubt is also removed by the
"thaan'- he only.

AaNdaaL also refers guNdu neer uRai kOLari in 2-2 naamam aayiram- decad.
Bbhagavathaas can add the context and the meaning for this.

Another place where she refers narasimhan is oon koNda vaLLugiraal
iraNiyanai udal idanthaanai in 8-5 viNNeela mElaappu but this is more
explicit.

So "mun narasingamadhaagi" has a deep impact on aaNdaaL and is also nicely
linked with kaNNan.

Now let us see a "paapanasam sivan" song on Kannan who is playing flute: 

In the raaga thanyaasi

Baalakrishnan paadamalar paNivorkku idar illai- varaguNa (baala)

Neela mugil pOl azhagan, nirai mathi vathanam athanil 
iLa nagai nilava aruL oLi thavazhum (baala)

GOkulam brindhaavanam yamunaa vihaari gOpaalan 
gOpijana mana mohana murali gaana vilOlan
Vyakulam thavirkkanbar manathil vaazh karuNaalavaalan
Mazhai thadukka gOvardhdhanan malai yeduththa sinthOLan
Pizhai poruththaruL dhayaaLan paNiyum raamadaasan (baala)

[Sri Sivan was a tamil music writer who has written many songs on krishnaa,
raama, naaraayaNa mahalakshmi besides ambaal sivan & others. To quote a very
famous song on krishnaa is 'enna thavam seithanai yasodhaa, engum nirai
parabrahmam amma enrazhaikka' in the raaga kaapi famous song sung by many
especially Maharajapuram Santhaanam who gives his soul in this song].

Since the length of this post is creeping slowly long and long, we will see
the seventh arpudham in next post

Dasan Vasudevan M.G.