Thiruppavai - The epitome of Bhakti and Saranagathi

            The works of Azhwars are collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabandham. Out of the 12 azhwars, one azhwar is a little girl who lived in this Bhooloka no more than 10 years. In these 10 years, she sang 2 prabandas, Tiruppavai and Naachiyar Thirumozhi. Tiruppavai is hailed to be one of the important text in the Sri Vaishnava Ramanuja Sampradaya and is included in Nithya anu sandhaanam. 

                 Aandal was named Kothai by birth and she was found under Tulasi maadam in the garden of Periazhwar. She was born Ayonija  which means without a stay in human womb. She is termed to be the amsam of Bhooma Devi and her sole purpose of her birth is to make sure that she gives us the meaning of Varaha Charama sloka through her tamizh pasurams. Tiruppavai is said to "Vedham anaithukkum vithu" which means it is the root of Vedas. The meaning of Vedas are enshrined and provided in easy Tamil for everyone. Ramanuja who is a great Vedic Sanskrit scholar and a proponent of Vishishtadvaitha philosophy had a great interest in Thiruppavai and has been known as Thiruppavai Jeeyar.   Several acharyas have written commentaries on Tiruppavai and it is important to understand Thiruppavai to understand the Bhakti bhaava of Aandal and the Bhaava of azhwars. It is not easy enough, since it is a feeling and Saranagathi and Azhwar's bhaava can be understood only if we are in that wavelength. It would take years for us, may be janmas for us to understand the bhaava of azhwars. But our acharyas who are competent enough to understand it, have given us their experiences through Vyakyanams and interpretation.  Let's look at one of the vyakyaanams by Sri Perukkarunai swamigal through the book called "Godha sukti Sudhaasvadam."

               This is a huge effort, especially writing and understanding Tiruppavai and Adiyen is not competent enough to go through this. However, it is important at this time that we need to understand about Aandal and her works so that we can appreciate the beauty of the prabandam and its meaning. I prostrate before my asmad acharyan and all the great acharya Purusha's of this sampradayam before the discussions of Tiruppavai is started. May Asmad Acharyan, Perukkarunai swamigal, Vedanta Desika, Ramanuja, Aandal give me the strength and the tools to make this effort a grand success.

Swami Desikan's Anubhavam of Aandal

            Vedanta Desikan is a distinguished acharya of our Sampradayam who blessed us with so many sloka granthas and Rahasya granthas. Out of these sloka granthas, Godha stuti stands out as a sloka done for Aandal. 

              Swami Desikan undertook a yatra to Srivilliputtur to perform a mangalaasasanam to Aandal. He reached Srivilliputtur in the late morning and was planning to go to Aandal temple in the early evening. He was in his Thirumaaligai working on some of the granthas. Suddenly, he heard mangala vaadhyam in front of his Thirumaaligai. He went out to take a look. Lo!! Behold!! It is Aandal who is on purappaadu in front of his Thirumaaligai. Swami was so pleased and was filled with Bhakti. Out came the first verse of Godha Stuti as a flow of Bhakti.

Sri Vishnu Chittha Kula Nandhana Kalpa Valleem

Sri Rangaraja Harichandana Yoga Drishyaam

Sakshaat Kshamaam Karunayaam Kamalaamevaanyam

Godhaam ananya saranaha saranam prapadye

Look at the brilliance of Swami. Each padam or word is laden with intricate meannings.

Sri Vishnu Chitha - Periazhwar is known as Vishnu Chitha. In another perspective, Vishnu Chithha means those who have Vishnu in their mind. It could as well mean Azhwars in general. This correlates along with Manavaala maamunigal's "Anju kudikku oru sangathiyaay". She is a only daughter of all azhwars like the Mudhalazhwars, Thirumazhisaiazhwar, Nammazhwar, Madhurakavi azhwar and Periazhwar. 

Kula Nandhana - The word Kula nandana denotes or exemplifies the above. She is the Kula vilakku, Kula magal of the Azhwargal paramparai. 

Kalpa Valleem - She is a creeper called Kalpaka which provides all that people wants. Creepers always need a tree or a pole on which it will grow. Now look at the next line

Sri Rangaraja Harichandana Yoga Drishyaam - This creeper is growing around a Harichandana tree called Rangaraja. Wow!! What a depiction. Sriranga nathar is the tree and Aandal is the creeper that surrounds the tree blessing all of us.

Saakshat Kshamaam - She is exactly Bhooma Devi who is known as Kshamaa. Desika says her sole avatara objective to translate the teachings of Varaha Perumal through her Tamil paasuram. "Vaayinaal Paadi, Manasinaal Sindhikka, Theeyinil Thoosagum". We will discuss this in detail when we come to this paasuram.

Karunayaam Kamalaam - She is equal to Mahalakshmi Thaayar on the Karunaa Guna.

I surrender to Godha and no one else.

Who can give a better introduction for Godha than Vedanta Desika. We will look at the avatharikai and the thaniyan explanations in the next posting. Till then, Let's keep Godha devi and Ramanuja in our mind and do a Govinda smaranam.

Aandal Thiruvadigale Saranam

Asmad Acharyan Thiruvadigale Saranam