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.