Krishna's cruelty!!

17. நாளுமுயிர்பபெய்து கூத்தாட்டுக்காணும்

This is Nacchiyar Tirumozhi 5-2, வெள்ளை விளிசங்கிடங்கையிற்கொண்ட விமலனெனக் குருக்காட்டான்; உள்ளம் புகுந்தென்னை நைவித்து நாளுமுயிர்ப்பெய்து கூத்தாட்டுக்காணும் veLLai viLicangiDangaiyiRkoNDa vimalanena kurukkAttAn; uLLam pugundhennai naiviththu nALumuyirppeydhu kUththAttukkANum. 

 

There isn't an explicit metaphor here. It must be understood in the subtle form that it is. In the days of kings, people committing heinous crimes would be severely punished. Some sentences would include getting whipped for thirty times or so. The criminal would reach the brink of death after ten strikes. The executioners would then feed him and let him recover. Then, they would hit him until he reached the point of collapsing. They would feed him again and once rejuvenated, continue the punishment. The criminal would end up serving the entire sentence without losing his life. His life would be saved every now and then, for the only sake of delivering the punishment.

What is the use of this cruel story here? Andal reaches the climax of anger against Krishna for His insincere and inconsistent behaviour and compares His actions to that of the above mentioned executioners. He appears to spring up from nowhere every now and then with the pretext of trying to save her, while He really is doing that to trouble her even further. He bewitches her and enters her heart but fails to show up in person. This drives Andal to anger arising out of the sorrow of separation.

Most Painful!

16. விடத்தேளெறிந்தாலேபோலே வேதனையாற்றவும்பட்டோம் 

 

Suffering from the pangs of separation from Krishna, and deciding that future contact would once again result in separation and hence more suffering, the Gopikas decided to go a secluded pond in their village that they believed Krishna did not know. They would then bathe in the cool water to quell the heat of separation.

Being இருளன்னமாமேனியன், having a divine form akin to darkness, He carefully followed them to the pond. When they had left their robes on the shore and had taken the dip, He quickly collected them and rose to a tree top. What ensued thereon was an exchange between Him and them, filled with pleas and condemnations, praises and scorns.

At one stage, the Gopikas reveal the intense pain undergone by them. This comes out through Nachchiyar Thirumozhi, தடத்தவிழ் தாமரைப் பொய்கைத் தாள்கள் எங்காலைக் கதுவ விடத்தேளெறிந்தாலேபோலே வேதனையாற்றவும்பட்டோம் - thadatthavizh thAmaraip poigaith thALgaL engAlaik kadhuva vidaththELeRindhAlEpOlE vEdhanaiyARRavumpattOm. They compare their pain to that endured on the sting of a scorpion. 

 

The Bitter Sweet

15. கட்டியும் கைத்தாலின்னாமையறிதியே 

 

In second decade of Nacchiyar Thirumozhi, Andal takes the mood of gopikas who are in the state of anger, that arises when the lover fails to stand up to their love. They would have suffered several days and nights in separation from their lover that they would take Him to task on His first appearance.

When Krishna approached the Gopikas, they pretended to be busy with something else and ignored Him. He tried to impose Himself upon them. They pushed Him aside, "We know not with how many damsels Thou spent Thy merry times. Do not touch us with those same hands." Astounded by this reply, Krishna says, "O Gopikas! Haven't you told Me that I am like honey, fruit, nectar and milk to you? Whence has this changed? Who do you think I am?" Saying so, He showed them His true form bearing His divine conch and divine discus, and smiled upon them.

They tell Him, "சுடர் சக்கரங்கையிலேந்தினாய்! கட்டியும் கைத்தால் இன்னாமை யறிதியே கடல்வண்ணனே!" 'chudar chakkarangaiyilEndinAy! kaTTiyum kaiththAl innAmaiyaRidiyE kaDalvaNNanE!' - "It is true that Thou art most beautiful and most enjoyable. However, haven't Thou heard that even sweets taste bitter to the sour tongue?" The meaning is, the Gopikas have soured by Krishna's prolonged separation. As a result, they are hurt even by His enjoyable presence, like the sour tongue tasting bitterness from even sweets.

Be Mindful!

உழுவதோரெருத்தினை நுகங்கொடுபாய்ந்து ஊட்டமின்றித் துரந்தாலொக்குமே

This is from Nacchiyar Thirumozhi (1-9) "தொழுது முப்போது முன்னடி வணங்கி" - "thozhudhu muppOdhu munnadi vanNanGgi" hymn. Andal, due to intense suffering arising from Krishna's separation, takes the agency of Kamadeva. 

She tells Manmatha, "O Kamadeva! Though you are like my son, I am seeking your agency respectfully to unite Krishna with me! My worship, this, should not fail. If it runs waste, you would incur terrible sin." What is the nature of the sin? Here, Andal offers a comparison. "Your act would become similar to that of a farmer who uses his oxen for ploughing the field but beats them and chases them away without feeding them. You will incur the sin of that farmer! So, you cannot take all this worship from me and ignore my request to unite me with Krishna. Be conscious of what is expected from you!"

The soul is very valuable!

13. மறையவர் வேள்வியில் வகுத்த அவி - நரிபுகுந்து கடப்பதும் மோப்பதுஞ் செய்வதொப்ப

In Nacchiyar Thirumozhi 1-5, Andal expresses that her very existence is only for the sake of Lord Krishna and any stray word that Andal's existence is for someone else would not only be intolerable to her but destroy her completely.

She offers an example to such a damaging exercise:

"வானிடைவாழுமவ்வானவர்க்கு மறையவர் வேள்வியில் வகுத்த அவி கானிடைத் திரிவதோர் நரிபுகுந்து கடப்பதும் மோப்பதுஞ் செய்வதொப்ப"

"vAnidaivAzhumavvAnavarkku maRaiyavar vELviyil vaguththa avi kAnidaith thirivadhOr NaripuguNdhu kadappadhum mOppadhunY cheyvadhoppa"

The Brahmins, who perform rituals prepare sacred offerings with much care and devotion, intending to offer them to the gods worshipped by the ritual. If that offering were to be only kicked about or smelt by a fox from the forest though not consumed by it, the whole offering would still have to go waste, as it cannot be used for any sacred purpose. Likewise, Andal's existence is exclusively for the sake of the Lord. A stray word spoken at some distant place by some fool would be sufficient to destroy her. While superficially it may be understood that Andal is in love with Krishna as much as He is with her, and that any stray word would be unbearable to her, our divine mother hides a very important concept of our tradition beneath these words. Swami Pillailokacharya, out of sheer grace for dull heads like us, shows us the underlying concept by using the same comparison in Mumukshuppadi as

"தேவர்களுக்கு சேஷமான புரோடாசத்தை நாய்க்கு இடுமாபோலே ஈச்வரசேஷமான ஆத்ம வஸ்துவை ஸம்ஸாரிகளுக்கு சேஷமாக்குகை"

"dhEvargaLukku chEshamAna purOdAchaththai NAykku idumApOlE IchvarachEshamAna Athma vasthuvai samsArigaLukku chEshamAkkugai"

[ Expending the soul, which exists only for the sake of Lord Srimannarayana, for the sake of materialists is like expending the offering prepared for the gods on a dog. ]

சிம்ம நடை!

12. cIriya cingam ... pOdarumApOlE - Like the stride of a great lion

Courtesy: pbase ramanujadasargal

This phrase occurs in Thiruppavai - 23rd hymn "mArimalai muzhainjil". As Lord Krishna rises from His sleep and strides towards His SimhAsana throne, Andal is reminded of the stride of a great lion. This is a not a new comparison. Lord Rama had a similar stride and made Sage Valmiki make the same comparison in Sri Ramayana as "parvatAdiva nishkramya simhO giriguhASaya:" - Rama's walk is like the stride of a lion that sets out from its mountain den.

Kings and Conquests

11. paruppadatthukkayalpoRittha pANDiyar kulapadipOl - Like the Pandya King who marked the Meru mountain with his "fish" emblem

Courtesy: pbase ramanujadasargal

Periyazhwar has already been seen talking about Chelva Nambi, a fellow Srivaishnava of his times, in his hymns. From the hymns of invocation to Periyazhwar and from his history, it is understood that Periyazhwar established the supremacy of Srimannarayana upon the request of the Pandya King. King Malayadwajan was a devout Srivaishnava and worshipped the Lord of Thirumalirunsolai. Periyazhwar, himself says in Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 4-2-7, "konnavil kUrvEl kOn neDumARan thenkUDalkOn thennan koNDADun thenthirumAlirunsolaiyE!", describing the deep love of the king for Thirumalirunsolai. Swami Koorathazhwan quotes the same in Sundarabahusthavam, "idamimE SruNumO malayadwajam nrupamiha swayamEva hi sundara! caranasAtkrutavAniti".

The phrase of interest occurs in Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 5-4-7, "paruppadatthukkayalpoRittha pANDiyar kulapadipOl, thiruppolindha chEvaDi en chenniyinmEl poRitthAiy". The King Malayadwaja Pandiyan conquered the lands all the way to the Meru Mountain. To enable his subjects to travel with ease, he cleared the path to Meru and destroyed all the enemies on the way. He marked the Meru with His "fish" emblem as a symbol of his conquest.

Alright! A great king and devotee, no doubt, is King Malayadwajan. But, what is the use of this phrase in a compilation of figures of speech. We will come to that now. Periyazhwar uses the above described action of the king as a comparison to the action of emperumAn. How? EmperumAn cleared the path infested by forests of sins and destroyed the enemies (like prApya virOdhi - upAya virOdhi - swarUpa virOdhi) of Periyazhwar. To herald this victorious conquest over Periyazhwar's obstacles, emperumAn marked His divine feet on PeriyAzhwAr's head.

Periyazhwar beautifully compares the conquest of the king to the conquest of emperumAn, the former in the material domain and the latter in the spiritual domain, integrating the information about a devotee--king and the Saviour Lord in the one go!

An important truth...

10. cheyththalaiyezhunARRuppOl - Like the crops of the field

Unlike the previous comparisons, this one is deeply philosophical. This is from Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 3-7-7 "cheyththalai yezhunARRuppOlavan cheyvana cheydhukoLLa; maiththaDamugil vaNNan pakkam vaLaraviDumingaLE". This hymn delivers the final word on the true character of the soul.

Swami Pillai Lokacharyar - Courtesy : Pbase Ramanujadasargal

In Mumukshuppadi, Swami Pillai Lokacharya beautifully describes the meaning of the "namas" of Thirumanthram. In this, the Acharya describes our state before and after the realization of the meaning of the "namas". Prior to this realization, the soul thinks that the Lord is for Himself alone, the non-sentient world is only for everyone else and the soul is for both oneself and others. In other words, the soul thinks that the Lord is sovereign; matter is subordinate to the Lord and the souls; the soul is both sovereign and subordinate. A deep philosophical realization dawns upon the soul after knowing the "namas". Post-realization, the soul considers itself as much subordinate to the Lord as non-sentient matter itself, with no tinge of sovereignty. The soul allows itself to be used by the Lord to the best of His wishes in the same manner that He would use a non-sentient object.

Swami Periyazhwar brings out this truth through a comparison in this hymn. "As the crops cultivated by a farmer are his own and are available to be used as he desires, the souls must adhere to the sense of complete subordination to the Lord and let themselves be used as He wishes." As this dwells into esoteric concepts of our tradition, greater elaboration is left to the feet of scholars and preceptors.

Naughty Krishna gets a reprimand!

9. puNNiR puLippeydAlokkunthImai - misdeeds akin to pouring tamarind essence over wound

Courtesy : ISKCON

In Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 2-9-1, veNNey vizhungi hymn, a lady pours out the problems caused by Krishna to His mother Yasodha. "puNNiR puLippeydAlokkunthImai purai puraiyAlivai ceyyavalla ... maganaippeRRa asOdai nangAiy un maganaik kUvAiy" - "O nice lady, Yasodha! You have got such a wonderful son who takes delight in performing misdeeds in every house of this village. Please call Him back. His actions are like pouring tamarind essence onto our wounds." Pouring tamarind essence on the wound would heighten the pain and irritation.

The same comparison is also used by Andal in Nacchiyar Thirumozhi 13-1 "puNNiR puLippeydARpOlap puRaninRazhagu pEsAdE". However, the usage is for a different reason. Andal is suffering from separation from Krishna; she is already hurt. In addition, her relations pour unnecessary advice in a futile bid to comfort her. Their words heighten her pain and thence she uses this comparison.

The Little Cloud

8. polindamugiRkanRupOlE - like the offspring of the cloud

In Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 2-7-4, "theruvinkaNNinRu" hymn, Periyazhwar runs out of comparisons in the real world to describe Krishna's beauty and makes comparison to an imaginary object. "puruvangarunguzhal neRRi polinda mugiRkanRupOlE uruvamazhagiya nambi" - the beautiful form alike the offspring of the cloud that has eyebrows and dark hair with a forehead between them. This is an exercise in the imaginary world as there is no offspring of the cloud that also has eyebrows and dark hair on either side of the forehead!  Words and objects appear to materialise from diverse domains, even the imaginary, to serve as suitable comparisons to the Lord's beauty. 

The Divine Bee

7. minnanaiyanuNNiDaiyAr virikuzhalmEl nuzhaindavaNDu innisaikkum villiputthUr - Srivilliputthur, the city of the singing bee that likes the elaborate hair of women with lightning-like waists

Courtesy: Pbase ramanujadasargal

This is Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 2-2-6. To the average eye, there is no significant figure of speech here. Srivilliputthur is the place of a bee. This bee sings as it enjoys the beautiful elaborate hair of women whose waists are as slender and sharp as lightning. The comparison of waists to lightning exists; true; but of what consequence is it?

Kanchi Swami throws light on the esoteric aspect of this otherwise innocent verse. This verse is sung on the unique relationship between Andal and Vadaperunkoiludaiyan. How? The bee, spoken here is none other than the Lord Himself. Nammazhwar names the Lord in his Thiruvoymozhi as "thUviyampuLLuDait theiyvavanDu" or the Divine Bee. The damsel with lightning-like waist and beautiful hair is Periyazhwar's own daughter Andal. The Lord only accepts the garlands that have decorated Andal's hair. The Divine Bee likes to enjoy the relationship of this damsel's hair. This Bee happily resides in Srivilliputthur.

The best of truths are always secrets, aren't they?

Happy Bees

6. chengamalappUvil thEnuNNum vaNDEpOl - as the bee that drinks honey from lotus flowers.

This is Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 1-8 "ponniyal kiNkiNi", where Periyazhwar, in the mood of Yasodha asks infant Krishna to come running and hug her. In the second hymn, Yasodha describes the beautiful hair of Krishna that swings across His face. "chengamalappUvil thEnuNNum vanDEpOl pangigaL vandunpavaLavAy moyppa" - "as the swarms of bees hover around fresh lotuses to drink their honey, Thy dark hair should hover over Thy red lotus lips, while Thou come running to hug me".

His hair and His lips seize Periyazhwar's attention; he wants Krishna to coming running as a baby rushes towards its mother and in the process, His dark hair should merrily dance to His steps and sway about His face, hovering over His red lotus lips. Surely, this looks like a swarm of bees who are hovering excitedly over red lotuses that looks like ponds of nectar. 

 

Periyazhwar's daughter Andal, also makes the comparison of His joyfully swaying hair to happy swarms of bees hovering over honey in Nacchiyar Thirumozhi 14-8, "kaLivaNDengum kalandARpOl kamazhpUnguzhalgaL thaDandOLmEl miLira ninRu viLaiyADa virundAvanaththE kaNDOmE"!

White Mountain Kid and Black Mountain Kid

5. veLLip perumalaikkuTTan - karumalaikkuTTan - Baby of the silver mountain and Baby of the black mountain

The baby of the big silver mountain goes in the front; the baby of the black mountain dashes after him from behind. What is going on? Mountains chasing one another? What is happening to our world? Relax.

This is Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 1-7-5. munnalOr veLLip perumalaikkuTTan moDu moDu viraindODap pinnait thoDarndadOr karumalaikkuTTan peyarndaDiyiDuvadupOl, panniyulagam paraviyOvAppugazhp paladEvanennum thannambiyODap pin kUDac chelvAn thaLarnaDai naDavAnO!

veLLip perumalaikkuTTan and karumalaikkuTTan-Courtesy: ISKCON

This mountain-chasing-mountain episode takes place inside Nandagopa's mansion. A closer look reveals that the silver mountain and the black mountain are actually small kids. The bigger kid is silvery white in complexion and is called Balarama. The smaller kid is dark in complexion and is called Krishna. The two kids are running hither-thither all over the house. Balarama runs in front; Krishna follows Him from behind. To an observer, they look like sons of mountains going after one another. moDu moDu viraindODa - They run with accelerating speeds or as they run their feet make the sound "moDu moDu moDu moDu....".

Here comes the elephant!

4. vAraNam paiya ninRUrvadupOl - as the trudging elephant in rut

Coutesy: PBASE ramanuja dasargal

This is from Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 1-5-1. "thoDar changiligai chalAr pilArennat thUnguponmaNiyolippa paDumummadap punal chOra vAraNam paiyaninRu uRvadu pOl uDankUDi kiNkiNi AravArippa uDaimaNi paRaikaRangat thaDanthALinai koNDu cArngapANi thaLarnaDai naDavAnO".

Lord Krishna walks unsteadily as a child. As He walks, His anklets ring "kiNkiN". The small jewels around His waist swing across and sound a gentle music. The small child sweats at His small effort. Periyazhwar finds comparison to this scene in an elephant in rut. As the passionate elephant breaks free and trudges along, the chains bound to its feet sway about making clashing sounds, the bells hung about its neck on a golden rope make music in their sway and the waters of rut exude from its face. Having sung the Thirupallandu on the back of an elephant using its very bells for the music, Periyazhwar makes a most beautiful comparison indeed!

Come here O maidens! The best gems and gold of the world are here!

3. muththum maNiyum ... thalaippeydARpOl - With toes like gems and gold!

Courtesy: Sri Krishna Swamy

Periyazhwar sings in the voice of Yasodha in Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 1-2-2 as he sets out to describe the toes of Baby Krishna. The mention of a few gems is representative of the whole set. Rubies, pearls, corals, emeralds, yellow and blue sapphires, diamonds, hessonites and chrysoberyls shine on the toes of His feet. These nine gems alongside gold constitute the ten toes of Krishna.

Isn't it customary to apply henna decorations to the toes of children? If it is true for ordinary children, it must be done several times better for the divine Lord Himself manifest as Krishna. So, Yasodha applies colourful decorations to His toes, one in each colour of the nine gems and gold.

She, herself, is in awe at the result. The ten toes of His feet shine so beautifully as gems and gold, that she calls out to her fellow maidens to catch an "eyeful" of His gold-and-gem studded feet.

maNivaNNan pADangaL oNNudalIr vandhu kANIrE!

Divine Ladies

2. chIdakkaDaluLamudhanna thEvagi - Devaki who is like the inner nectar of the seas

This is from Periyazhwar Thirumozhi 1-2-1. Devaki, who had let her son to grow under Yasodha, is called the inner nectar of the seas. In the same hymnal decade, she is also called "thiruvin vaDivokkum thEvagi peRRa", where she is compared to Goddess Mahalakshmi, the dear consort of the Lord, Herself!

The same meaning is intended in calling her "the inner nectar of the seas". It is well known of how the Lord churned the seas for the sake of the Devas and gave them nectar. Really, not one, but two nectars arose from the sea at the time of churning. One, the Lord gave to the Devas; the other, He took for Himself. Bewildered? Look at what Thirumangai Mannan says, "viNNavaramuduNa amudhil varum peNNamudhuNDa emberumAnE!" - dismissing the Devas with the superficial nectar, Thou took the nectar-like lady for Thyself! No doubt, this nectar-like lady is Goddess Mahalakshmi who rose from the seas at the time of churning and made Him worthy of the name "Madhava". "Inner nectar" means "real nectar"; the other nectar is superficial. Hence, the comparison of Devaki to the "inner nectar" of the seas is a comparison to Mother Mahalakshmi.

In Nacchiyar Thirumozhi, "mandharam nATTiyanRu madhurakkozhunjARu koNDa cundaratthOLuDaiyAn", Swami Koorathazhwan interprets "madhurakkozhunjARu" as Mahalakshmi. He, himself, says in Sundarabahu Sthavam, "udadhiga mandarAdri mathimanthana labdhapayO madhurarasEndrAhvasudha sundaradO: parigham".

In short, Devaki is celebrated by comparison with Mahalakshmi. As they look in awe at the fortune of that Goddess who is consort to the Lord Himself, they wonder at this lady Devaki as well, whose fortune was to be the mother of the Birthless One! 

Is it also not true that these two divine women are together in being our greatest benefactors as well?

A compilation of comparative figures of speech in Aruliccheyal

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Srimad Varavaramunaye Nama:

Translated from the authentic words of Perumal Koil Prathivadi Bhayankaram Sri. U.Ve. Annangaracharya Swami


1. abhimAnathungan chelvanaippOla : Like Chelva Nambi This phrase occurs in the collection of hymns, Thiruppallandu of Swami Periyazhwar. Periyazhwar being dissatisfied with singing benediction to the Lord in isolation, assembles a congregation formed out of diverse devotees to sing benediction together. They fall under three classes - seekers of the Lord, seekers of the soul and seekers of material wealth. At the end of the book comes the song of the materialist that commences with "alvazhakkonRumillA". Chelva Nambi is the person of interest in this discussion. History shows us that he was instrumental in making a Periyazhwar out of Vishnu Chittha. The place of descent of this Srivaishnava sage is Thirukkoshtiyur and hence he is called by the name "aNikOTTiyarkOn". He also finds mention in Periyazhwar's Thirumozhi in the "nAvakAriyam" decade dedicated to Thirukoshtiyur as "naLirndhasIlan nayAsalan abhimAnathunganai nADoRum theLindha chelvanaich chEvagangoNDa chengaNmAl thirukkOTTiyUr". Sri Vishnu Purana says, "Sri Prahlada is the standard of comparison for the sages". Any sage would be deemed important if his conduct justified comparison to Prahlada. Likewise, it can be said that Chelva Nambi was the standard of comparison for the greatest of Srivaishnavas. A doubt can be raised here. The song is that of the materialists, who have long craved for material benefits. They have been redeemed by Periyazhwar to sing benediction to the Lord. Their past, however, is in conflict with the conduct of Chelva Nambi. While Nambi's devotion to the Lord is as natural as the unique fragrance of Thiruththuzhaiy, the erstwhile materialists, in contrast had only offered some vestige of devotion in expectation of receiving material fruits. How could they compare themselves to Chelva Nambi? A gem that lies in dirt, visibly offering no sign of any brilliance, shines beautifully once the dirt is dispensed of it. Once cleaned, it is as good as any other pristine gem. Likewise, the freshly inducted souls are worth being compared to souls who have been devoted to the Lord since long. In Acharya Hrudaya, it is said, "onRu kUDinadAyp paRRaRukka mINDozhigaiyAlE pazhavaDiyEnennumadhonRumE ozhikka vozhiyAdadu", which along side Mamunigal's commentary would make interesting reading in this context.

Azhwar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam