Pasuram 26 of Andals Thiruppavai

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76214700/Andal-s-Thiruppavai-in-easy-to-readTamil-text-and-English The full text of all 30 Pasurams may be found here. Also, a scholarly discussion can be found at the link given below. http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru3.pdf A word-by-word translation is given at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/ See below the images of the English and Tamil texts of Pasuram No. 26 of Andals Thiruppavai. For those who wish to read the text in other languages, please go to http://www.prapatti.com Andal is considered to be Sridevis amsaavataaram. She was born at Srivilliputoor (close to Kanchipuram, also the city where Indira Gandhis son and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated), as the daughter of PeriyAzhwar. She is also the only female among the 12 SriVaishNavite Azhwars. She longed for union with Her Lord and insisted that she should be taken to Srirangam where she eventually merged with Lord Ranganatha. You can read more about Andal at the link given above (or click here). The immortal Thiruppavai, attributed to Her, is a divine composition, filled with deep esoteric meanings, on which many commentaries have been written over the centuries. In the first pasuram, ANDAL invites Her friends for the Vratham observance. In the second paasuram, She spells out the rites to be observed and the deeds to be abandoned. In the third Paasuram, She describes the fruits of the Vratham. The aacaaryas who have blessed us are considered to be like the milk giving cows with overflowing udders. In the fourth Paasuram, Andal is directing her prayers to Varuna (actually to KrishNa who had the complexion darker than the darkest rain bearing clouds), the god of the rains, and comparing the bounty bestowing by aacaryas to the bounteous rains showered by Varuna. In Pasuram 5 Andal tells us that He would completely burn off all of our accumulated sins much like a fire burns pieces of straw thrown into it.

Page 1 of 11

PAASURAM 26

Courtesy: http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/tamil/naalaayiram/aandaal/tiruppaavai.pdf
Page 2 of 11

Simple Word for Word meanings (http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/vstp26.html )

maalE!maNi vaNNaa! Maarkazhi (O) Lord (O) gem hued Lord ! do the) penance

nIraatuvaan * Margazhi month

(we who

mElaiyaar ceyvanakaL vENtuvana elders(as)done by what we want

kEttiyEl * , if you ask (are) -

NYaalaththai ellaam natuNGka muralvana * (1)(making the)universe whole tremble(the)sound(made by) paal anna vaNNaththu un paaNYcacanniyamE * milky white Your pancha sayanam pOlvana caNGkaNGkaL pOyp paatutaiyanavE * like that ; conches ,(2) powerful caalap perum paRaiyE pallaaNtu icaippaarE * very big drums ,(3) pallandu singers , kOla (4) oil viLakkE kotiyE vithaanamE * lamps ,(5) flags (&)(6) big canopy aruL grace (us) .

aalin ilaiyaay O Lord

El Or empaavaay Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiruppavai In Pasurams 6 to 15, Andal finishes waking up 10 different types of bhaktas and they all join her in the performance of the Paavai nombhu. In Pasuram 16, the arrival of the entire party at the palace of Nanda Maharaja is described. They ask the doorkeepers to let them in. Pasuram 17 describes their entering the inner bedchambers to wake up Nanda Maharaja, Mother Yashoda, Krishna and His younger brother Baladeva. Each of them is praised. In Pasurams 18 to 20, Andal
Page 3 of 11

and her friends try to wake up Nappinnai, the eternal consort of the Lord, since attempts to wake up Krishna (Kannan) proved futile. In Pasuram 21, they address Krishna directly since Nappinnai has by now agreed to join them. Andal and her friends plead that they have come to Him, on their own, unlike others, with no other expectations other than His grace and to sing His glories. In Pasuram 22, Andal and her friends are assembled at His bedside. They just want Him to glance at them with His beautiful lotus-like eyes, like the cool moon, or the sun, when they rise. In Pasuram 23, ANDAL describes how the Lord should majestically come out of His chamber and be seated on the perfectly suited and well-deserving throne; and then, May You kindly look try to understand the purpose of our coming here (to awaken You). In Pasuram 24, one of the most auspicious pasurams in the entire Thiruppavai, Andal waxes into eloquent poetry with the repeated use of PoTTRi, which is roughly equal to Jai ho in Hindi, or All glories to You. And with each PoTTRi she describes one of the divine lilas of the Lord, performed in various incarnations. In Pasuram 25, Andal sings about the glories of Krishnas birth in the womb of one (Devaki, who is not named) and His being raised as the son of another (Yashoda, who is also not named). In Pasuram 26, Andal and her friends are requesting Krishna (who is called Maale MaNivaNNaa) to join them (following the long tradition set by the ancestors) in the ritual bathing during the holy month of Margazhi. She wants this to be a great joyous celebration. She asks for all the paraphernalia (drums, lamp, flag, canopy etc.) to complete this ancient ritual (nombhu) with fanfare. They would like SIX things (for this vratham): (a) superior conches similar to His great Paanchajanyam, which have the white hue of milk and which through their tumultuous sound shakes all the worlds (b) giant size drums/bhEris (c) PallANDu singers, those who sing His glories (d) decorative lamps (e) dhvajam-banner& flags and (f) a big canopy. Finally, Andal invokes the image of the Lord as the great MaayAvin, the One who just reposed as a baby on a banyan leaf (Vatapathra-saayin) in the waters of PraLayam! She asks for His kind blessings and His limitless grace.

Page 4 of 11

From http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/ahobilavalli/thiruppavai.pdf MEANING OF THE 26th PAASURAM (V. SADAGOPAN):

In this verse, Andal and her maids seek from Kannan all the prerequisite materials for their nombu ritual that was being observed on the banks of the river Yamuna. Having obtained Kannan, their only wish was to have a blissful time with Him. They decided then to continue with the nombu and prayed for the materials from Kannan. To spend the time delightfully with Kannan, a serene place of solitude is of much need. On the pretext of performing the nombu ritual, they planned to take Him to the outskirts of the city to the banks of the river Yamuna, which is a place of solitude and serenity. The nombu ritual helped them to behold the visage of Kannan in front of their dwellings. It helped them to recite the infinite names of Kannan with devotion and also enabled the elders to accept the Gopis mingling so freely with Kannan. The Gopis say, Oh Maale! Who preserves limitless affection for those who seek Him. Oh Manivanna! Whose divine form is of a dark bluish hue. Sri, who was born in a beautiful lotus stood captivated by your charm and took Her throne in the cosmos of your heart. Similar to the

Page 5 of 11

preserving of the precious stone in the tresses of ones attire, you have so humble a nature that enables others to rule you over so easily. Kannan then requests them to speak out their wants. The Gopis reply maargazhi neeraaduvaan It is considered fortunate to take a holy dip in the sacred rivers during the months of thula and maasi. Similarly, in the month of margazhi, it is prescribed to bathe very early in the morning and to observe this nombu ritual. Kannan then questions them about the authority of this practice, as He was unaware of it. The Gopis reply mElaiyaar seyvanagaL We are only following the footsteps of our wise ancestors. Have you forgotten your statement in the Bhagavad Geetha, that the practices followed by posterity based on the footsteps of their ancestors is to be considered as authoritative. Kannan then says vEnduvana kEttiyEl Fine. Please ask your needs and it shall be bestowed. NYaalaththai ellaam nadunga muralvana paal anna vaNNaththu un paancha sanniyamE pOlvana sankangaL We need conches similar to the milk white conch Panchajanya that you hold in your hand. But we do not need the conches whose resound shivers the whole universe. Especially we do not need the kind of conch that you made use of on the battlefield of Kurukshetra that had sent shivers down Duryodhana and his allies. We only need a conch that may be used to awaken everybody from their morning slumber. pOy(p) paadudaiyanavE We need percussion instruments that are wide and well sounding. They may be used during processions. pallaandu isaippaarE We need savants who would sing the songs of Pallandu. kOla viLakkE We need auspicious lamps for everyone to carry along on the path. kodiyE vidhaanamE We need tall flag posts to let know that we are observing the nombu. To keep us away from the showering mist we need a pandal to be erected. Pray grant us with all these requistes.
Page 6 of 11

Kannan then says that he does not have all these in His possession. The Gopis reply aalin ilaiyaay You donned the guise of a small baby and swallowed the entire universe and reclined on the palm leaf. Is there anything that you do not possess? Kannan then says Fine. Here it is. I have given you all. Take it and retire back. Gopis say aruL Retiring back? Where would we go without you? Just as how, a day without the Sun, a night without the moon and cattle without the ox, do not have any appeal and do not bear any exquisiteness, similarly we are nothing without Kannan. We therefore pray unto you to bless us with your benign grace and to come along with us to the banks of the Yamuna for the nombu. The Gopis reinstate with clarity that without His volition, not even an atom would move. Artistic image of the joyous celebration with Maale MaNivanna (Krishna) in Pasuram 26 of Andal. The Pasuram concludes with invoking of the blissful image of baby Krishna lying on a banyan leaf in the waters of the Pralaya (as seen by the sage MarkaNdeya). In other words, He is our final refuge -- going all the way up to the time of Pralaya.

Page 7 of 11

The following taken verbatim from http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/sundarasimham/ebooks/Thiru3.pdf Dear BhakthAs: SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 26TH PAASURAM This 26th Paasuram is about Isvaran, the 26th Tatthvam. The Upanishad points Him out as the 26th Tattvam (Tamm shat-vimsakam ithyAhu:). The importance of the number 26 among the Tattvams is seen at Hasthigiri of Lord VaradarAjan. The chEthanam (the Jeevan as the 25th tattvam) climbs the 24 steps (SarIram with 24 tattvams, which is an obstacle for mOksham) to get to the sannidhi of Isvaran on top of the Hasthigiri waiting for it (jeevan) patiently as the 26th and the Supreme Tattvam. LITERAL MEANING OF MAALE MANIVANNA PAASURAM (DR. RAGHAVAN) (Here, the young gOpis request the granting of drum, lamp, flag, canopy et al). Oh the embodiment of pure disinterested love! Oh Lord of wonderful colour of the blue sapphire gem! May You listen to us (1) who perform the bathing during Maargazhi, an observance the great ancient people followed and (2) who are in the need of following SIX things (for the vratham): (a) superior conches similar to Your great Paanchajanyam, which have the white hue of milk and which through their tumultuous sound shakes all the worlds (b) giant size drums/bhEris (c) PallANDu singers (d)decorative lamps (e) dhvajam-banner& flags and (f) a big canopy. Oh Lord MaayAvin! the One who just reposed as a baby on a banyan leaf (Vatapathra-saayin) in the waters of PraLayam! Kindly bless us with these six vrathOpakaraNams through Your limitless grace. BHUVARAHACCHAR SWAMY'S OBSERVATIONS ABOUT HIS PAASURAM Lord KrishNA seated on His simhAsanam asks the Gopis to explain the selfcontradiction in their appeals: Oh Gopis! You say You have come to get materials from me for Your nOnbhu and in the same breath say that You have come to enjoy My company. Those who desire my company need to eschew all other desires. Moreover, What is this nOnbhu that You refer to? Who has prescribed it and what are the accessories recommended for that nOnbhu?.
Page 8 of 11

Gopis respond: Oh Lord, the Cowherds proposed this vratham to gain auspiciousness. We readily responded since it came handy to see Your face and sing about Your glories. We observe this nOnbhu also to express our gratitude towards those cowherds, who have brought about our union under this pretext. Although there is no direct Vedic injunction (to perform this nOnbhu), we do it because our ancestors have performed it (mElayAr seyvanagaL). We give more importance to our learned ancestors than to any other injunctions. ANDAL is giving us the message (upadesam) that age old customs, traditions and practices of our AchAryAs are to be respected and observed with great care. By enumerating all the accessories for the nOnbhu, ANDAL is speaking about SAAMYAPPATTHI --where the liberated soul gets emblems and insignias similar to that of the Lord, Sri VaikuntanAthan. The address of the Lord as MaalE is to depict the Lord's unlimited love and concern for the Jeevan. It is the stand-in for the word Maam (MAmEkam SaraNam Vraja) in the Charama SlOkam. The address of the Lord as AalinilayAi in the final paadham of this paasuram refers to His immense prowess as revealed by the word AHAM in the same charama slOkam (AHAM thvaa sarva paapEbhyO MokshayishyAmi maa sucha:). Maam shows His easy accessibility (Soulabhyam) and AHAM, His omnipotence. THE INNER MEANINGS OF THE PAASURAM (ABHINAVA DESIKAN) We perform hrudh-Yaagam (mAnasIka aarAdhanam) first and then engage in BhAhyArAdhanam (external aarAdhanam). Latter has six steps (aasanams) as established by sishtAgresarars (done by the leaders of righteous conduct: mElayAr seyvanakaL). The word group mElayAr seyvanakaL vENDuvana is the essence of this paasuram, where sishtAchAram (Conductof the noble ones)is celebrated as the way to follow, whenever one is in doubt. The six Aasanams are: (1) manthrAsanam (2) SnAnAsanam (3)alankArAsanam (4) bhOjyAsanam (5) punar-manthrAsanam and (6) paryankAsanam. We have to seat the Lord in each of the six aasanams and offer upachArams. The six accessories desired by Gopis for the AaarAdhanam match with the six aasanams: (1) blowing of the conch (pranava nAtham) is manthrAsanam (2)Vadhya ghOsham is performed in SnAnAsanam/Thirumanjanam (3)during alankArAsanam, manthra pushpam and recitation of aruLiccheyalkaL & Vedic chanting. This is equivalent to singing PallANDu (4) The samarpaNam of NaivEdhyam for the Lord is
Page 9 of 11

known as lighting a lamp (5)During punar-manthrAsanam, vij~nApanam is made whether the Lord desires any sanchaaram on Garudan, His kodi (Dhvajam) and (6) in paryankAsanam, the vidhAnam (canopy) is spread over the Lord's bed. Thus, the six upakaraNams (Sankhu, Parai, PallANDUisaippAr, Kola ViLakku, Kodi and VidhAnam) are mappable to the six Aasanams prescribed for the six stages of external AarAdhanam for the Lord. This Bhagavath AarAdhana Kramam is covered in detail in the AchArya RaamAnujA CD ROM released last year. INNER MEANINGS BY SRI PBA SWAMY The Gopis seek Maarga seersha AvagAhanam (Marghazhi neerAtam) as the most illustrious Bhagavath prApthi margam (the means to attain the Lord), namely, resting under the comforting doctrine of AchArya abhimAnam and total visvAsam in that AchAryan. Swamy Desikan's NyAsa Tilakam passages (viz), andhO anandha grahaNa vachaka: and dhatthE Rangi nijamapi padham DesikAdEsa kaankshi are cited as illustrations as how we should follow AchArya Niyamanam to attain full phalan of Prapatthi. The Gopis driven by BhAva PradhAna nirdEsa nyAyam (revealing their dominant bhAvanai/behavior of following AchArya Nishtai) want to become the six accessories that they seek: Sankhu (to become suddha Saathvikars and not to leave Lord's hand ever); PaRai (to become like sounding to celebrate the glories of achAryan and their paramparai); PallANDu isaippAr (like PeriyAzhwAr to sing PallANDu to Him); Kola ViLakku (to become endowed with Svayam PrakAsam); Kodi is Dhavajam (to hold the flag of Srimallakshmana YogIndhra siddhAntha Vijaya dhvajam); VidhAnam (Like the nithya-sUri, Garudan, who is equated to VidhAnam by Swamy AaLavanthAr in His sthOthra rathna slOkam: DaasassakhA vaahanamAsanam dhvajO vidhaanam vyajanam ThrayImaya:. They seek like Garudan, sarva desa, sarva Kaala, sarva avasthOcitha asEsha Kaimkaraya anubhavam from KrishNA. mElayAr SeyvanakaL is the jeeva naadi for this paasuram. ANDAL, received Upadesam from Her AchAryan, PeriyAzhwAr, the GarudAmsar, about the GithOpanishad slOkam 3. 21 and She blesses us with that upadEsam: yadhyadhAcharathi srEshtastatthEvEtarO Jana: sa YathpramANam kuruthE LokastadhanuvarthatE
Page 10 of 11

(Meaning): Whatever a great man does, other men also do. whichever standard he sets, the world follows it. With regard to any duty, which is being performed with all its ancillaries by an eminent personage, the people with incomplete knowledge will do it with the same ancillaries. SVAPADESARTHAMS BY PERUKKARANAI SWAMY MaalE MaNivaNNA! = Oh Lord of exquisite beauty and who has unlimited love for the chEthanams Maarghazhi = for performing the superior act neerAduvAn of SaraNAgathi mElayAr vENDuvana seyvanaikaL kEttiyEl = if You want to hear about the rites to be performed by us for that upAyam recommended by our noble ancestors, we will tell You about them. pOlvana sankhangaL= The aanukoolya sankalpam arising from the sankha dhvani, which is like the Jn~Anam-giving Pranava nAdham pOypAdudai paRayE = the prAthikoolya varjana sankalpam arising from the vast, apourushEya Vedam serving as the resonating BhEri (PaRai) naadham pal aaNdu = for a long time isaippArE = (accumulating) the pahala thyAgam arising from those with visvAsam kOla VilakkE = having mahA visvAsam (in YOU) kodi = experiencing utter helplessness about our ability (to protect ourselves) and seeking Your grace like a flag fluttering in the fierce wind (KaarpaNyam) vidhAnam = (seeking) gopthruva varanam, all these angams of SaraNAgathi, aruL = Oh Lord, please bless us with them. PerukkAraNai Swamy has 30 pages of commentary on this paasuram. His elaborations on Karthavyam (that which must be done), ThyAjyam (That which needs to be abandoned), the daily duties of Men and Women as Sri VaishNavAs are very important areas for reflection. adiyEn can capture only a limited portion due to limits of space and time.

Page 11 of 11