A 'mArgazhi' diary: some reflections-4

[Guest guest]

Dear friends on the bhakti-list,

 

Through the phrases "neyy-unnOm, pAl-unnOm...etc."

gOdA-pirAtti reveals to us the central place that

"yagnyAm" or "sacrifice" has come to occupy in the

Vedic way of life.

 

Yesterday (21st December) we alluded in this

connection to the words of the "purusha-suktam":

"yagnyEna-yagnya-maya-janta devAh:, tAni dharmAni

pratamAnnyAsann...etc. ... yatra-purvE sAdhyA santi

devA:".

 

The "devA-s", the celestial beings performed "yagnya"

for the creation of the world. And thereafter they

also established it as the fundamental basis

("dharmA") on which all the world sustains and

perpetuates itself.

 

The observance of ritual-sacrifice during mArgazhi (or

the "nOnbu" or "vratam" that is carried out then) in a

spirit of solemn sacrifice (described poetically by

Andal as "mai-yittu ezhudOm malarittu nAm mudiyyOm,

seyyAdana seyyOm...etc.") is also a sort of "yagnyAm".

>From AndAl's lines we gather humans too have to

perform "yagnyam" in order to reap the benefits of

"rains" ("mazhai") and universal well-being

("teenginri-nAd-ellAmneengAda-selvam neeraindhu!").

 

 

Thus, in these verses of the tiruppAvai, pirAtti

reveals how both mortals and super-mortals must abide

by the Vedic covenant of "yagnyam".

 

We may ask ourselves a question here:

 

Why should the Veda enjoin "devas" and "mAnusha-s" to

perform "yagnyAm"? And why does AndAl allude to this

Vedic principle right at the beginning of the

"tiruppAvai"?

 

The answer is in the lines of the "bhagavath-gita":

 

"dEvAn bhAvayatA nEna tE dEvA bhAvayantu vah:

parasparam bhAvayantah: srEyah: param'avApsyatha "

 

Krishna spoke: "Oh, ye men! You keep the devas

satisfied with the performance of sacrifices. And they

in turn shall look after your welfare by producing

rain on earth. Thus, helping each other ("parasparam

bhAvayanta"), may you both be more and more prosperous

and happy!."

 

In the tiruppAvai, in Verse 3 and 4, we see the

poetess of Villiputtur praying to devas, the

"rain-gods" (parjanya). She asks them to show

themselves up in the skies in the form of dark, dense

clouds ("mEy-karuthhu"), streaks of lightning

("aazhi-pOl minni") and bolts of thunder

("valampuri-pOl ninratheernthu"). She asks them to

send cascades of showers down from the heavens. She

beseeches them for "thrice-blest" rains

("tinggaL-mummAri-peyyduvAzha-

ullaganil-peyydhiDai!"). And she finally asks for the

gifts of prosperity and plenitude on earth

("kudam-niraikkum ...neengAdha selvam niraindhu!").

 

But Andal's prayers to the "devas" in the 3rd and 4th

"pAsurams", if you notice carefully, are not voiced in

helpless tones! We must note that she has made sure

first to preface her prayers with ample references to

the sacrifices ("yagnyam") preceding the petition.

Which is why in Verse 2 itself she takes pains to

elaborate on a host of "sacrificial" harships

undergone for the sake of the devas..."neyy-unnOm,

pAl-unnOm" and "maiyittu-ezhudOm,

malarittu-nAmuddaiyyOm" and "seyyAdana-seyyOm".

 

PirAtti therefore would have us believe that if we are

prompt and faithful in the performance of our various

Vedic duties such as "vratam" and "yagnya-kArma", then

our prayers attain a certain rare potency. When our

prayers attain power we have also earned our right to

boldly petition the devas for plentiful rains and

prosperity on earth. We are then empowered to call the

attention of the 'devas' to honour their own

obligations under the Vedic covenant between Man and

Celestial --- a covenant that had been duly notarised

in the Bhagavath-gita by Bhagavan Sri.Krishna Himself

as "parasparam bhAvayantah:".

 

Thus, through these wonderful "pasurams" in the

'tiruppAvai', 'pirAtti' reveals to us a spiritual

truth: she shows us how without "yagnyam", or without

due performance or observance of Vedic sacrifice,

there can be no potency in our prayers too!

 

And when prayers lack potency, how can they ever be

heard by the 'devas' or celestials residing in

elemental forms such as "water", or rain ("parjanya"),

"varuna", "vAyu","agni" etc.?

 

There is an old Tamil saying:

 

"vEdam Odhiya vEdiyyark-Or mazhai

needhi-mannar nEriyinarkk-Or mazhai

mAdhar karpudai mangaiyarkk-Or mazhai

mAdham munru mazhai-ena pEyummE !

Meaning:

 

"In season's month, thrice shall the rains reward us:

Once, in reward for the Vedic chanteur;

The second, in honour of the king who rules his land

justly,

And once more,yet,for the chaste woman of the land!"

 

AndAl-pirAtti had exactly the above idea in mind when

she uttered the immortal phrase: "tinggaL

mummAri-peyydu" !

 

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

 

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Sri Sampath Kumar wrote:

> The observance of ritual-sacrifice during mArgazhi (or

> the "nOnbu" or "vratam" that is carried out then) in a

> spirit of solemn sacrifice (described poetically by

> Andal as "mai-yittu ezhudOm malarittu nAm mudiyyOm,

> seyyAdana seyyOm...etc.") is also a sort of "yagnyAm".

> From AndAl's lines we gather humans too have to

> perform "yagnyam" in order to reap the benefits of

> "rains" ("mazhai") and universal well-being

> ("teenginri-nAd-ellAmneengAda-selvam neeraindhu!").

>

> Thus, in these verses of the tiruppAvai, pirAtti

> reveals how both mortals and super-mortals must abide

> by the Vedic covenant of "yagnyam".

 

Dear Bhaktas and Sri Sampath Kumar:

 

It should be understood that our pUrvAcharyas have

a different conception of Andal's "nOnbu". According to

them, Andal engages in this vrata or vow merely as a

pretext to serve Lord Krishna and engage herself

in bhagavad-anubhavam. They point to the following

as evidence of this:

 

(a) Though Andal says "come, let us take our early

bath (for our vratam)" (neeraada pOdhuveer pOdhuminO),

in the poem we don't see the girls bathing in a river

but rather only approaching Krishna and praying for

everlasting connection with Him. This means that

that the "bathing" Andal refers to is "bathing in

Krishna" (Krishna samslesa) and doesn't refer to a

mundane vrata.

 

(b) In the "Ongi ulagaLandha paasuram", Andal herself

implies that the "paavai" vrata is a mere pretext,

and not a yajna to seek personal benefit. Here words

here are "If we go under the *guise* of bathing for

our vow..." (naangaL nam paavaikku caaRRi neeraadinaal).

 

© She declares in the "siRRam siRukaalE" paasuram that

she is not approaching the Lord, i.e., performing this

vrata for any personal benefit. "Dear Govinda, we have

not come here (even) for the drum which we claimed to

ask for." (iRRai paRai koLvaan anRu kaaN govindhaa).

 

So, the undecaying wealth (neengaadha selvam) and bountiful

rainfall that she promises in the second and third verses are

not an outcome of any vrata, but purely a result of the grace

of Lord Krishna. Notice how she doesn't *pray* to the god

of rain (Varuna deva) for succor in the second verse,

"aazhi mazhaik kaNNaa". Instead, she *commands* him as only a

mystic of her stature can do -- "don't withold your rain!"

(onRu nee kai karavEl), and "Let those showers fall now!"

(peydhidaay).

 

It is very important to keep these ideas in mind. If the paavai

nOnbu is not understood as merely a pretext, and not a method by

which to seek personal favors, the entire intent of Andal will

be lost.

 

daasan,

Mani

[Guest guest]

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Dear Sri.Mani and all Bhagavatas,

 

I appreciate Sri.Mani's mail that 'Nonbu's performed by Andal Ghosti was only to

attain HIM and not for any material benefits.

I am sure that it was also not the intention of Sri.Sampath's Swamy to

introduce any concept of Action-benefit analysis. on'Nonbu'.

 

This is the essence of our sampradayam. We do not believe in any yagnas or

practice done as a Kaimyartham , ie, looking for any Material benefit.

 

this also includes even Sudharsana Homam performed by our elders. That it is

done only with intention to please the Lord for lokashemem and not for any

material benefits.

 

In some other place, Swami Pillai lokachar says that we should behave like the

flowers and sandal paste which adores lord. they never think that THEY are

giving fragrance to lord. rather they simply do the duty of adoring him.

 

similarly a true prapanna would never think that HE is performing any

yagna/sandayavandanam/homam or any karma either with an eye on benefits or

expecting any recognition that he has performed something.

 

though Vedas have prescribed certain rituals which brings rains, grants wealth,

children etc...etc, a true Sri vaishnava would perform those things as per

sastras strictly to please Him or consider that it HIS snakalpam that he is

simply performing.

 

Lastly Sri.Andal very clearly says that She is interested only in HIM and none

else (Marru Nan kamangal)

 

Her thinking is akin to the meaning of 'Sarva Darman'... Sarama slokam in

Srimad Bhagavat gita..

 

No doubt why Tiruppavai is considered as 'the seed of all vedas'

 

 

Dasan

 

K.M.Narayanan

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[Guest guest]

--- Mani Varadarajan <mani wrote:

> It is very important to keep these ideas in mind.

> If the paavai> nOnbu is not understood as merely a

pretext, and not> a method by> which to seek personal

favors, the entire intent of> Andal will> be lost.

> daasan,

> Mani

----------------------------

 

It is very interesting to see Sri.Mani raise some

points in response to adiyen's 'reflections'.

 

adiyen's feels Goda's poetry is a many-splendoured

gem. It appeals in a variety of ways to varied

literary tastes and religious dispositions. It offers

infinite scope for "yukti" and adiyen is not at all

pretending to offer authentic SriVaishnava achArya

"vyAkhyAnam". That is why adiyen is openly saying in

my posts that these are 'diarized reflections' of

mine. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Be that all as it may, Sri.Mani must kindly note this:

 

The tiruppAvai 'vratam' is not for "personal

favours".(How Sri.Mani gets this impression from

adiyEn's few posts, I really don't know, especially

when adiyen had taken pains to indicate the exact

opposite!).

 

Goda asks for "teenginri nAdellAm tinggal mummAri

peyydu...". She is not asking for any personal gain

here. She is asking the rain-gods to shower their

bountiful blessings on all the world! And for that,

she says the "aayarpAdi" maidens have duly observed

the sacrificial norms of "neyy-unnOm, pAl-unnOm...

etc". In other words they have performed it all in the

true spirit of a Vedic "yagnyAm". Hence pirAtti boldly

asks the rain-devas to pour down and to honour their

obligations under the pact between mortals and

super-mortals hailed by Sri.Krishna in the "gita" as

"parasparam bhAvayantah:".

 

GodA thus shows how "yagnya-kAryam" like "vratam" etc.

are performed not for personal gain but for universal

welfare. The performer of "yagnyam" willingly subjects

himself/herself (like the "aayarpAdi" girls did) to

the pains of sacrifice for the sake of the larger good

of the world. He/she who does so is truly "uttaman",

for the definition of "uttaman", it has been said, is

he or she who strives for the welfare of others even

at his/her own expense.(Significantly, Andal uses this

very same extraordinary word: "Ongi-ullagalandha-

uttaman" in Verse3)

 

adiyen finds it very difficult to believe that

"vratam" and "yagnyam" are to be regarded as, what

Sri.Mani calls, "pretexts" in the 'tiruppAvai'. AndAl,

adiyen thinks, intended them as real. They ARE real.

Reading the lines of the "pasurams" you cannot deny

that there is a clear message viz.: "perform "yagnyam"

and reap universal welfare".

 

If the tiruppAvai was all about a "vratam" which is

merely "pretext" then why would Goda-pirAtti have gone

to the extents she has done in the 30 pAsurams to

celebrate the "mArgazhi-nOnbu"? I find it rather

difficult to be persuaded by Sri.Mani's point of view.

 

adiyen suspects Sri.Mani perhaps is thinking that the

"vratam" or "yagnyam" adiyen talked about has some

sort of "kAmyArtha" colouring to it or has the fatal

blemish of selfishness attached to it.

 

Well, adiyen asks what is wrong? The Vedas wish well

for all Creation. And the Vedas are "brahma-

nisvasihitam" ... the Almighty's very breath. If Vedic

"yagnyam" can fetch rains and universal welfare for

all creatures on earth and it is, indeed,

"kAmyArtham", then should it not be welcomed

wholeheartedly? Surely, there is nothing shameful in

this special kind of "kAmyArtha" which secures the

good of the whole world?!

 

adiyen still believes that the subject-"pAsurams" of

the 'tiruppAvai' are categorical in the message they

send out viz.:

 

"Keep the fires of the "yagnyam" (sacrifice) burning.

And ye shall earn the blessings of the devas who are

your inseparable partners in life ("parasparam

bhAvayantah:"). They shall send down rains in the

seasons; there shall be cows and milk aplenty; and

this world shall remain ever happy and prosperous."

 

adiyen quoted the following lines in Tamil yesterday:

 

"vEdam Odhiya vEdiyyark-Or mazhai

needhi-mannar nEriyinarkk-Or mazhai

mAdhar karpudai mangaiyarkk-Or mazhai

mAdham munru mazhai-ena pEyummE !"

 

THe same message of 'tiruppAvai' resounds in the above

words too. Three types of "sacrifical fires" (yagnyam)

must be kept burning in the land if we must have

"thrice-blest rains" ("mummAri-peyddhu"). The Vedic

practitioner keeps the "agni-hOtra" fire burning. The

king ensures the "kitchen fire" in every household in

the kingdom is ever lit.(i.e. there is no hunger in

his reign). And woman of the land keeps the "fire" of

her chastity burning ever bright.

 

When such Vedic fire burns brightly in the land, the

rains shall surely bless us all.

 

dAsa-bhutan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

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Sri Sampathkumar writes:

> The tiruppAvai 'vratam' is not for "personal

> favours".(How Sri.Mani gets this impression from

> adiyEn's few posts, I really don't know, especially

> when adiyen had taken pains to indicate the exact

> opposite!).

 

with further elaboration excerpted below.

 

Dear Sri Sampathkumar,

 

Please feel free to offer your personal anubhavams of

Tiruppavai. Certainly many others over the years have

explored the depths of this poem over the years. But,

honestly, if you are going to publicly "muse" and offer

position statements authoritatively about Andal's

intention, it behooves you to study our Purvacharyas'

opinions on the matter. All of them have analyzed this

poem in far greater depth than we have and can offer

sublime insights into Andal's mind. It is a matter of

standard procedure to "stand on the shoulders of

giants" who preceded us, to use a phrase from Newton.

 

It is with this idea that I offered Swami Periyavaaccaan

Pillai's careful elucidation of Andal's mindset in my

email yesterday. Honestly, if one studies the words of

ancients such as Swami PVP as well as modern scholars

such as Sri Uttamur Viraraghavacharya, all of whom have

thoroughly researched the context of Andal's nOnbu and

the purpose with which she must have wrote, one simply

would not be able to write, as you do, that

> adiyen finds it very difficult to believe that

> "vratam" and "yagnyam" are to be regarded as, what

> Sri.Mani calls, "pretexts" in the 'tiruppAvai'. AndAl,

> adiyen thinks, intended them as real. They ARE real.

> Reading the lines of the "pasurams" you cannot deny

> that there is a clear message viz.: "perform "yagnyam"

> and reap universal welfare".

 

Quite frankly, it is not *I*, dear Sudarshan, who describes

the 'pAvai nOnbu' as a pretext. It is Periyavaaccaan Pillai (PVP),

based on what actually is described by Andal in the

tiruppAvai. It is critical to understand what Swami PVP sees

as his basis, and why describing Andal as performing a

"yajna" for "universal welfare" takes away from the central

theme of the poem.

 

As I stated yesterday, Andal describes herself as seeking

a "paRai" (drum), signifying bhagavat-kainkaryam, in the

first verse. Contrary to what you are saying, she is not

asking for rain or worldly welfare. These are mere pretexts

for her to get up early and seek the service of Lord Krishna.

In the phalaSruti verse (v.30), the fruit of recitation of

tiruppAvai is described only as "the grace of Lord Krishna"

(thirumaalaal engum thiruvaruL peRRu). Uttamur Swami writes

that if she were truly seeking worldly welfare, she would have

stated this as a fruit of the nOnbu in the phalaSruti.

 

Instead, she describes these as side-effects, in the second

and third verses. You write:

> pirAtti boldly asks the rain-devas to pour down and to honour

> their obligations under the pact between mortals and

> super-mortals

 

Unfortunately, nowhere is this indicated. Andal is only intent

on serving Krishna and is using the pAvai nOnbu as a pretext,

as she herself says -- "nam paavaikku *caaRRi* neeraadinaal".

 

We have to understand why this is a pretext. While it is

noble to seek worldly welfare (lokakshema) by performing a ritual,

quite frankly, from Andal's perspective, even this would be a "kAmya"

rite, and runs contrary to her desire to only serve Lord Krishna.

To ask other gods to rain because of her performance of a vrata

would be tantamount to seeking personal gain, in her mind.

 

How do we know that Andal does not perform this nOnbu for this

reason? Here, once again, our acharyas cite examples from the

poem itself.

 

(a) She boldly *commands* Varuna Deva to rain in the *second*

verse (she does not pray or ask). If this were all she desired,

she should have stopped here and not written 28 more verses.

(b) Whenever she describes her vrata, she mentions it in the context

of Krishna-anubhavam. Please note that she has declared her

sole object in the first verse -- "Narayana alone will give us

drum (of divine service)" (naaraayaNanE namakkE paRai tharuvaan)

© Her descriptions of worldly prosperity ends at the beginning of

the poem itself, and here too, they are merely a side-effect of

singing the Lord's name and engaging in his service (ulagaLandha

uththaman pEr paadi). She evinces no serious interest in securing

such a lesser goal.

(d) While waking up the girls for the supposed nOnbu, time and time

again she mentions service of Krishna and nothing else. Let's take

one example. In the eighth verse (keezh vaanam), she declares that

"if we fall at the feet of the God of gods, he will carefully look

into our concerns, thoughtfully saying, 'Ah, ah!'." (dEvaadhi dEvanai

cenRu naam seviththaal, 'aa aa' enRu aaraayndhu aruL).

(d) To make the point clear, in her penultimate verse, she even abandons

the idea of asking such a lofty goal as the drum, and makes it clear to

Krishna that she seeks nothing whatsoever for herself. (siRRam siRukaalE

vandhunnai sEvittu ... pORRum poruL kELaay ... iRRai paRai koLvaan anRu).

She concludes that she wishes *all* desires of hers to be changed to match

whatever's Krishna's wish is (maRRai nam kaamangaL maaRRu). This being

the case, why would she evince an interest in praying to ordinary

"super-mortals" to pour rain down?

 

Given all this, I find it hard to see the Vedic model of "yajna"

for worldly welfare as being Andal's purpose in this poem. Only if

one were ignore the last 27 verses could someone conclude in such

a fashion.

> Goda asks for "teenginri nAdellAm tinggal mummAri

> peyydu...". She is not asking for any personal gain

> here. She is asking the rain-gods to shower their

> bountiful blessings on all the world! And for that,

> she says the "aayarpAdi" maidens have duly observed

> the sacrificial norms of "neyy-unnOm, pAl-unnOm...

> etc". In other words they have performed it all in the

> true spirit of a Vedic "yagnyAm".

 

[...]

> If the tiruppAvai was all about a "vratam" which is

> merely "pretext" then why would Goda-pirAtti have gone

> to the extents she has done in the 30 pAsurams to

> celebrate the "mArgazhi-nOnbu"? I find it rather

> difficult to be persuaded by Sri.Mani's point of view.

 

I trust that your doubts have been answered above. However, please

don't think that I have conjured these ideas up out of thin air.

They are based solely on the expositions of pUrvars such as

Swami PVP et al. At the very least, please read their words

respectfully before performing solo elaborations that contradict

their principal conclusions.

 

To read a detailed analysis of the textual and historical sources

of Andal's nOnbu, please see Uttamur Swami's carefully treatment

of the theme in the introduction to his "prabandha rakshai"

commentary on tiruppAvai.

 

raamaanuja daasan,

Mani

[Guest guest]

Dear friends on the bhakti-list,

 

Re: adiyen's posts on some pAsuram's of the tiruppAvai

and the ongoing dialogue with Sri.Mani on "kAmyArtha".

 

Adiyen feels Sri.K.M.Narayanan has correctly

understood the substance and spirit of what was

posted.Thank you Sir for your patience and

understanding.

 

Sri.Mani has taken the opportunity to give an

elaborate gist of PVPillai's tiruppAvai anubhavam

garnished by references to Uttamur swamy. Thank you

Sir for your erudition.

 

Actually, adiyEn sees nothing to take great issue in

all this as there is hardly any issue at all here.

 

"kAmyAtham" or not, the fact remains that

"yOga-kshemam" ("universal welfare", to which one of

the principal contributories is "rain") is to be

attained through manifold "yagnya-kAryam" entailing

observance of sacrifice and sacrificial practices like

"vratam" etc. This is what the Vedas say and it is

what Sri. Krishna himself refers to in that verse from

the Gita referring to "parasparam-bhAvayantah:".

(Ch.3 . V.11).

 

'veda-vAk' is 'vAk' of Bhagawan.

 

adiyEn shall continue with some more reflections

during 'mArgazhi' and hopefully there will be more

such discussions such as what Sri.Mani has inspired in

the last few days.

 

Thank you,

dAsan,

Sampathkumaran

 

 

 

 

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