Tirupavai Part 2 - Tuyelizlai (The awakening)

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Tirupavai Part B – Tuyelizlai – The Awakening

 

Stanza 6 to 15 describes how the Gopis have arisen first and go to the house of those who are still in bed and awake them so that they may all go in a group to Krsna’s mansion and enjoy His companionship under the pretext of celebrating the vow (nombu). In the Gita (X:9) Krsna says “bodhayanatah parasparam” the devotees should constantly be enlightening and encouraging each other.

 

Each of the gopis who is awoken hasa particular characteristic of her own, Some commentators have taken these to be cryptic reference to the Alvars. Vanamamalai Jiyar in his swapadesa (commentary) on Tirupavai opines that Andal here awakens the 10 Alvars in the following order:-

 

Stanza 6 – Poigai Alavar

Stanza 7 – Pey Alvar

Stanza 8 – Bhutata Alvar

Stanza 9 – Tirumalaisdai Alvar

Stanza 10 – Kulasekhara Alvar

Stanza 11 – Peria Alvar

Stanza 12 – Tondarpodi Alvar

Stanza 13 – Tirupana Alvar

Stanza 14 – Nam Alvar

Stanza 15 – Tirumangai Alvar

 

Others opine that stanzas 6 to 15 indicate the awakening of the 10 acaryas in accordance with the sri vaisnava acarya parampara

 

Stanza 6 - Guru

Stanza 7 - Parama guru

Stanza 8 - Sarva guru

Stanza 9 - Sri Ramanuja

Stanza 10 - Sri Parankusa dasa

Stanza 11 - Sri Yamuna acarya

Stanza 12 - Sri Rama misra

Stanza 13 - Sri Pundarikaksa

Stanza 14 - Sri Natha muni

Stanza 15 - Sri Satagopan

 

God can be approached through the mediation of the spiritual preceptor and so Andal (Goda) is approaching the acaryas, seeking their aid and intercession for attaining Krsna Himself.,

 

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Stanza 6

 

The birds are chirping, can’t you hear in the Bird King’s Temple

The thunderous sounds of the great white counch?

Awake, O young maiden, ever contemplating in your mind

The One who drank the milk of Putana, the One who with a kick destroyed the Sakatasura,

The One who is the Primal cause of the whole cosmos,

And the One who reclines on the Serpent in the Milky Ocean:

The sages and yogis have just arisen slowly from their yoga loudly chanting the names of Hari, resounding let that Name enter our hearts and refresh us.

 

Stanza 7

 

“Kisu Kisu “ the king crows screech in chorus

Conveying senseless notes: can’t you hear O deluded girl

The matrons of the cowherd clan with fragrance wafting from their locks

Churn the curd, their arms going back and forth,

Their bangles and necklaces making tumultuous sound, do you not hear it?

O headman’s daughter, how can you hear our hymns?

In praise of Narayana: The Killer of Kesi , and yet sleep on ?

O damsel of glittering splendour, open the door!

 

The Jiyar is of the opinion that the Gopi awaken in this pasuram is Peyalvar. Confirmed by the expression “pey-penne”. Further the girl has knowledge of God but has forgotten to go to Him, in the company of others. Peyalvar says in Tiruvandadi stanza 1 that he has forgotten and neglected all that he knew about Krishna.

 

Stanza 8

 

Dawn breaks in the east, and the buffaloes

Lt loose a short while, are grazing all over.

We detained many would have gone

And have come here to call you out. O jubilant Maiden,

Rise up! Let us sing that He may give us the drum.

Let us go to the killer of Kesi the slayer of the wrestlers,

To the God of gods let us go and offer obeisance and service.

Taking pity on us indeed, Krishna will bestow upon us His Grace

 

 

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Very nice, please post more.

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Stanza 9

 

With the lamps in the bejewelled chamber on the soft bed,

Fragrant smoke of incense wafting around, you lie asleep.

O cousin Arise! Open the bolt on the ornate door!

Auntie Dear! Won’t you awaken her? Is your daughter

Dumb, deaf, exhausted or tired?

Or has she been bound by a spell of stupor?

Let us all recite as a remedy the name of Govinda:

O Lord of Maya! O Madhava! Lord of Vaikunta!

 

This pasuram refers to Tirumalisai alvar. This is inferred from the address “maman mahale” (cousin) which indicates the relationship between Andal nad Tirumalisai Alvar. Sri Andal is an avatara of Laskmi as Vedanta Desikan claims in his Goda stuti – kamalami vanyam Godam and Laksmi is said to be born of the Bhrgu clan according to the puranas and Amarakosa, That’s why She is called Bhargavi. Tirumalisai Alvar was born in the Bhrgu clan and hence one can easily posit a relationship between the two.

 

Un mahal than umaiyo – Is your daughter dumb, deaf? Tirumalisai Alvar was seating in a veranda taking rest, where some vedic priest were chanting the vedic mantra . Seeing him as a sudra, they stopped chanting the vedas. Realising this the Alvar rose and took his seat at a distance. When the Brahmins wished to resume chanting, they all forgot where they left off. The Alvar helped them to remember the verse by nipping a variety of black padi with his nail. (krsnam vrhinam nakha nirbhinam).. They feel at his feet and begged his pardon.

 

"Ma Mayan Madhavan Viakuntan" – these 3 expressions are the favourites with this Alvar.

 

Stanza 10

 

With fasting and prayer you would gain heaven

But will you open neither the door nor your mouth ?

If we praise Lord Narayana with tulasi on His Head

He will surely bless us with His drum.

Has Kumbhakara, killed in days of yore Rama

Transferred to you his sleep everlasting: vanquished, but

in his sleep alive? O lazy One! Our precious Jewel!

Shake off your stupor and open the door

 

This pasuram is addressed to a Gopi who is immensely in Krsna consciousness (Krsnanubhava). The sleep of this Gopi is really deep meditation and the help of such a Gopi is required to complete the vow. Such a devotee is required to help others to open the door and gain access to Krishna.

 

The Gopi address in this pasuram is Peyalvar. This alvar first experienced the beatitude of the Lord, in the light kindled by Poigai alvar and Bhutatalvar and called out in ecstasy. Hence being the first to be fortunate in obtaining the Grace of the Lord, he is entitled to be called “jewel” o our group.

 

Not opening the door, is the indication off of Peyalvar not ahvig the opportunity to open the door at the meeting in Tirukkoilur, as he was the last to enter and none came after him. Peyalvar’s favourite theme in his hymns was the scent of Krishna’s tulasi garland.

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Stanza 11

 

O golden creeper of that clan of cowherds

Expert milkmen of many milch cows

Faultless, skilled warriors who rout their foes in open battle

O Charming peacock like damsel! With hips like a snake’s hood

Will you not come out and join us , when we your kinswomen and friends have entered your courtyard

And are canting the praises of the Lord the colour of the rain cloud

Wherefore now this sleep? Rich Maiden immobile.

 

In this pasauram is awaken a Gopi who o\occupied the highest rank in all aspects. She is described as a creeper which indicates that she is a great devotee who entirely dependent upon the Lord.

 

The Jiyar school holds the view that the Gopi mentioned resembles Periya Alvar. Periya alvar is considered to be an amsam (aspect) of Garuda. So Porkodi (Golden banner) denotes Garudadhvaja.

Besides Periya Alvar hoisted the Garuda banner in the Pandyan court after establishing the superiority paratatvam of Narayana.

 

The first 3 lines support this conjecture. This alvar mastered the quintessence of the vedas and then under the direction of the Lord went of his own accord bravely to the Pandya court, where his antagonist had assembled and after a faultless argumentative debate won a tremendous victory for vaisnavism.

Further the expression “kutra monrillada” “faultless” suits him well; or when the Lord appeared before him. Periyalvar instead of asking for some personal rewards began to pray for the lord’s welfare by exclaiming “Pallandu …Blessings blessings be unto thee, O Thou Mighty One, who dids’t overcome that Mallas!

Infinitely blessed be Thy holy feet for many many years, for Thousands of years, for cores of years for evermore”! So this benediction (mangalasassanam) denotes that he is faultless.

Then the word “celvam” – wealthy for Periyalavr refers to the glory of singing benediction to Bhagavan Himself: furthermore he also enjoys the wealth of possessing Sri Andal as his foster daughter and having the Lord Himself as his Son-in –law

 

Stanza 12

 

Sister of that prosperous cowherd: whose buffaloes

Yarning for their calves bellow and drip milk.

The door turned into mire from the flow.

Standing here at your door, unmindful of our

Heads soaked with morning dew,

We sing the praises of the Lord our hearts, Rama

Who in wrath slew the king of Lanka, yet you’re silent!

Kindly arise now! The neighbours are scandalising.

 

Esoteric Purport

 

O Swamin! Rise uo now. You are the sibling of the great acarya by hose grace the disciples are able to enjoy Lord Krsna’s presence. Though the enjoyment of the qualities of the Lord and His devotees detract us from doing service unto you, yet we are able to surmount them and stand before Your presence awaiting Your grace.

We have uprooted the ‘ego’ in us, which is responsible for our cycle of birth and death and we are singing the glories of Rama,. In spite of this you don’t arise. What kind of sleep is this?

If it is common sleep of humans, you should have awoken by now because it si morning; if it’s a sleep like Vishnu’s. it should have dissipated the moment we called out to you.

O Swamin! You are quite aware that Bhagavat guna anubhava is not a secret practice, so please come and join us so that our kainkarya nombu may end successfully.

 

 

 

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Stanza 13

 

All the girls have reached the meeting ground

They went, singing the praise of the One who killed Bakasura

Venus has arisen and Jupiter has already set

Look! The birds are chirping away, O lotus and doe eyes one!

Will you forgo the dip in the freezing water and

lie abed and asleep? Dear girl, on this auspicious day

Kindly leave off your aloofness, don’t lie there, join us!

 

Esoteric Purport

 

O swamin! Who has attained God realisation ! olease wake up from your bed and join us. The bhagavatas have already reached the hall of culture, singing about the qualities of that Lord who destroys the arisat vargas – kama –selfish desire, krodha – anger, lobha – greed, moha – delusion, and matsraya – envy and the ego in us.

 

Consequently Ignorance has vanished and sublime knowledge dawned. Other bhagavatas have quickly assembled and its not proper on your part to contemplate the Lord’s qualities alone in solitude. AS the day is nquite auspicious, you should abandon this mental isolation and come forth and join us so that our vow may be successful.

 

Stanza 14

 

Look in your backyard pools, already the day is dawning

The red lotus have bloomed and the blue lilies closed

The ascetics in their saffron robes and white teeth

Have gone to the temple to blow their conches

You boasted that you would awaken before us.

Shameless braggart, get up girl, you adroit talker!

Let us sing the glory of the Lotus eyed Lord who holds aloft

The Conch and Disc in His mighty Hands

 

Esoteric purport

 

O mediatrix between the Lord and ourselves! Please arise; you are the repository of knowledge: for in you the “paratantriyam” (dependence on God) denoted by the middle word namah in the Tirumantram became manifested and the Svatantriyam (self dependence) dissolves.

 

Those who have knowledge of service of the Lord (sesatva-jnana) and who want to attain their desires, have gone to their respective temples to owrship the Lord. Even before we expressed our desire, you, out of your profound grace , desired our enlightenment, and made a statement to that effect, Are you not bound to act according to your declaration?

 

If you don’t it will bring you shame. O adroit speaker, even Isvara is captivated by your speech! Come join us and let us all sing about Lord Krsna, who bears the Cakra and Sankha in His Hands and Who has Lotus eyes. He will see that our vows is successful