ANDALS THIRUPPAVAI PASURAM 26
FOR DAY 26 OF MARGAZHI, JAN 9, 2015
MaalE MaNivaNNa.
aalin ilaiyaai aruLElor embaavai
See also earlier post https://www.scribd.com/doc/119619594/Pasuram-26of-Andal-s-Thiruppavai for a more detailed discussion and commentaries by
SriVaishNavite scholars.
FAST ON MAALE MANIVANNA DAY AND FEAST ON KOODARI VELLUM
SEER GOVINDAA DAY
Vj Laxmanan 6 mins (As of 1:50 pm ON Jan 9, 2015)
TODAY, DAY 26 OF MARGAZHI, IS EKADASI: FAST TODAY AND FEAST
TOMORROW
Are you wondering what is going on? Yesterday, Jan 8, 2015, was Sankatahara
Chaturthi according to the Sri Balaji Temple religious calendar ... and so
fasting day was actually yesterday and many do observe the fast on
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Sankatahara Chathurthi. (It was also observed by Krishna Himself, according
Kanchi Mahaperiya, see story in Daivaththin kural, following the Symantaka
Mani episode since Krishna observed the Chaturthi moon during that time
when He was being maligned for stealing the Syamantaka Mani by
Satyabhamas father not yet his father-in-law. Krishna was offered
Satyabhamas hand in marriage AFTER the Syamantaka Mani episode.)
Let me explain why today is Ekadasi, which I discovered from a different type
of calendar that is used for the month of Margazhi according to the
Thiruppavai commentaries by SriVaishNavite scholars.
Pasuram 16 (Naayaganaai ninDRu NandagopanuDaiya kovil kaappanE)
describes the arrival of Andal and her friends at the door of the mansion of
Nandagopa Maharaja. The word used for the mansion is kovil, or temple. If we
start counting the days taking day 16 as day 1, then today is the 11th day or
Ekadasi, the day of fasting. Notice that in pasuram 26, Andal describes all that
she needs to perform a nice bhajanai and sing the glories of the Lord and
praise Him. She wants the Lord to give her (and her friends)
1, Shangu (conch) that blows well and loud to wake up all to join her.
2. PaRai (drums) nice and big that make wonderful sounds
3. PallaNDu isaipar (singers) to join and sing the glories and praises
4. Kola viLakku (lamps) to light the way (in the dark hours of the dawn)
and also to perform aarthi during the prayers.
5. koDi (flags) and Vidhaanam (flag posts or canopy) to herald to others
afar what the singing ghoshti is doing and who they are (a solider, a ship,
even athletes during Olympics, are identified by the flag they carry).
This is what one is supposed to do on Ekadasi day - fast and sing the glories of
the Lord. The following day is Dwaadasi, or the day of feasting and, indeed, in
tomorrow's pasuram 27, Andal describes a feast and all the wonderful goodies
that she will taste. Fasting and ritual avoidance of food was described in
Pasuram 2 (no ghee, no milk products, etc.) and a big feasting is described in
pasuram 27, signifying Dwaadasi. This is mentioned in the commentary
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attributed to PerukkaraNai Swamy, see below (and the link given for original
source).
THE FEASTING REFERRED TO HERE (PERUKKARANAI SWAMY) The first
five paasurams of ThiruppAvai are about the rules of the nOnpu andthe state
of preparation. From the Sixth to Fifteenth, it is for the awakening of fellowgOpis. The 16th paasuram is connected with the arrival of the gOpis atthe
Lord's house (NaayakanAi). In this count, MaalE maNivaNNA paasuram
becomes the eleventh. It symbolizes EkAdasi, the day of UpavAsam(fasting).
The Twelveth one (Koodarai vellum Seer GovindhA) denotes DhvAdasi, the
day to break the fast and feast. The nOnpu is for feasting on DhvAdasi day
after observing the vratham. AndAl seems to be saying to the Gopis to present
ther naivEdhyam of KsheerAnnam (akkaara Vadisil) to the Lord (of
ThirumAlirumchOlai): nooRu taDA niRaintha AKKAARAVADISIL SonnEn
yERu ThiruvudayAn inRu vanthivai koLLUnkolO
https://www.scribd.com///Pasuram-27-of-Andal-s-Thiruppavai
P. S. Thus far I had only been sipping coffee and some hot water. I think I will
skip lunch at least and fast on this special Ekadasi of Thiruppavai. The arrival
at mansion (or temple) of Nandagopa can be taken as coinciding with
Amavasya if the first day is taken as full moon day (Margazhi thingaL madhi
niraindha nannaaLaL).
Vj Laxmanan Just now (2:08 am on Jan 9, 2015)
ANDAL'S THIRUPPAVAI PASURAM 26 FOR DAY 26 OF MARGAZHI, JAN 9, 2015
mElaiyar ceyvaNangaL : As done by our elders
VEnDuvana kETTiyEl : Ask then what you would like to have
Jnaalaththai ellam nadunga muralvana: Blown aloud to strike fear in the
hearts of the enemies (chapter 1, verses 15 to 19)
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Paalanna vaNNaththu: with a color as white as milk
Un paancajanyamE : Your conch named Pancajanya
1. pOlvana shankanggaL
conches similar to that pOy(p)
paaDuDaiyanavE can blow loudly (but also gently without instilling
any fear) to wake up all
2. caalap pErum paRaiyE drums that are very big
3. pallaNDu isaipaarE those who can sing Your glories melodiously
4. kola viLakkE lovely oil lamps
5. koDiyE vidhaanamE flags and flag posts
Vj Laxmanan Just now (2:08 am on Jan 9, 2015)
ANDAL'S THIRUPPAVAI PASURAM 26 FOR DAY 26 OF MARGAZHI, JAN 9, 2015
Todays pasuram 26, for day 26 of Margazhi (Jan 9, 2015), marks the
beginning of the final group of five pasurams where Andal is now talking
directly to the Lord (as KrishNa) and submitting to Him what she wants from
Him. In the last ten pasurams 16 to 25, Andal and her friends were described
as having arrived at the mansion of Nandagopa Maharaj (pasuram 16) and all
the residents (Nandababa, Mother Yashoda, Krishna, Baladeva, and Nappinnai,
the eternal consort of the Lord) were awakened from their sleep, one by one
(pasuram 17), with Nappinnai being addressed thrice (pasurams 18 to 20)
and being asked to serve as the intermediary to wake up the still sleeping
Krishna. Then, Krishna Himself is addressed and asked to wake up (thuyil
ezhaay, in line 5 of pasuram 21). All the damsels are at His door, they are
singing His glories (pOTRiyaam vandhom) and praises (pagazhndhElor), as
noted in pasuram 21. The entreaties to wake up the Lord continue in four
more pasurams: He is asked to wake up and destroy all their sins (pasuram
22). He is asked to figure out for Himself and contemplate on why they are at
His door (pasuram 23) and appropriately shower His grace. He is asked to
show His compassion since they are at His door that day (pasuram 24). He is
asked to wipe away all their sorrows and fill them with joy (pasuram 25).
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After all of these entreaties and praises and the singing of His glories, the Lord
finally wakes up and is conversing with Andal and her friends. In todays
pasuram, it is clear she is totally chanted by the beauty of the Lord as revealed
by the way she addresses Him, as MaalE and MaNivaNNa.
When we see a lovely garland of flowers we often like to smell it and hold it
close to our face, press the garland all over to the face, and even gently kiss the
flowers. It is a joyful feeling. The same is the emotion that Andal is displaying
when she the Lord wide awake and seated now. The word maalai means a
garland of flowers and I feel maalE refers to the same. Afterall Andal was
known to make garlands each day for the Lord, smell them, even adorn them
on her self and then send them give them to her father (Periyaazhwaar) to be
taken to Lord Ranganatha. MaNivaNNa is a similar loving address. The Lord is
like a lovely and precious jewel (maNi) and His hue and radiance (bluish hue
like that of a sapphire, VaNNam) are pleasant and captivating.
Andal tells the Lord that it is a very auspicious thing to wake up early in the
morning and take a bath (especially during the month of Margazhi) and
perform the nombu (vratam or religious vow) that she is performing. She is
asked what gives her the authority to do this. She cites the age-old traditions
and the practice of her elders and ancestors. The Lord is pleased with the
answer and now asks her and her friends what they would like from Him.
Thus, begins the list of many entreaties and things that Andal would like from
her Lord. This continues through the rest of the five final pasurams. In this
pasuram Andal lists the various instruments and materials and tools that
would need to perform their nombu with due pomp and glory. They would
like to get conches to blow, like His beautiful white as milk conch Pancajanya,
but not one that blows and strikes fear but one that blows loud, yet gently and
soothingly, to wake up all the devotees so that all can join in the singing and
chanting and the performance of the nombu. The joyous scene of such
celebration is depicted in the artwork accompanying this pasuram above.
They want drums (paRai) too, really nice (caala) big (periya) ones that make
pleasing sounds. She wants to have in her group and number of singers who
can sing melodiously and praise the Lord and bless Him with long life
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(pallaNDu), like her own father did (Periyaazhwar composed the famous
PallaaNDu chanted in the temples). She wants beautiful lamps that can be
carried and used to perform the aarthi for the Lord (and also to dispel the
darkness of the early morning hours). She wants to have a number of flags and
flag posts to wave and signal to those afar the joyous celebration.
The pasuram ends beautifully by calling the Lord aalin illaiyaai, a reference
to the Lord as a lovely baby that the sage MarkaNDeya found lying on the leaf
of a banyan tree (vatapartashaayee). The story of the sage MarkaNDeay and
his sighting of the Lord when he was trapped and being bounded around in
the waters of the pralaya (which continued for eons) is told in the Srimad
Bhagavatam (Canto 12). There are other beautiful slokas describing this form
of the Lord, as baby Krishna, as depicted in the artwork above. The hymn
composed to praise this Lord, known as Baalamukunda (the baby who
bestows moksha, hence mukunda) ashtakam, is also well known.
Andal invokes this form of the Lord. If He can bestow moksham itself, He can
surely give them all the eenie-teenie materials toys that they need to perform
their nombu and celebrate the joyous Margazhi season.
This is the joy that one feels all over India and all over the world where
Hindus and VaishNavites reside, during this Margazhi season. May that Lord
Baalamukunda bless us all and shower us with His grace and the ultimate
boon that Andal seeks moksham or liberation itself.
Reproduced below is the Balamukundaashtakam (eight verses in praise of
baby Mukunda, who bestows us with moksha, mukti). The Sanskrit text and
the English transliteration are included here and the stotram is also available
in
other
languages
(see
http://www.vignanam.org/veda/balamukundaashtakam-devanagari.html and www.prapatti.com click on Stotras
and scroll down to Baalamukunda ashtakam). The story of the sage
Markandeya witnessing Baala Mukunda is found in Canto 12, chapter 9 of the
Srimad Bhagavatam and is reproduced at the end of this document.
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Courtesy: www.prapatti.com See also texts in English, Tamil, Telugu,
Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali at this website. Composed by Adi Sankara.
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Courtesy: http://www.vignanam.org/veda/bala-mukundaashtakamdevanagari.html
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Bala Mukundaashtakam English
0 Comments 11 March 2011
View this in:
| English | Devanagari | Telugu | Tamil | Kannada | Malayalam | Gujarati | Oriya | Bengali |
This is in romanized sanskrit according to IAST standard. View this in plain english.
karravindena padravinda mukhravinde viniveayantam |
vaasya patrasya pue ayna bla mukunda manas smarmi || 1 ||
sahtya lokn vaapatra madhye aynam dyanta vihnarpam |
sarvevara sarva hit vatra bla mukunda manas smarmi || 2 ||
indvara ymala komalgam indrdidev rcita pdapadmam |
santna kalpadrumam ritn bla mukunda manas smarmi || 3 ||
lamblaka lambita hrayai gra llkita dantapaktim |
bimbdhara cru vila netra bla mukunda manas smarmi || 4 ||
ikye nidhydya payodadhni bahirgaty vraja nyikym |
bhuktv yathea kapaena supta bla mukunda manas smarmi || 5 ||
kalindajnta sthita kliyasya phagra rage naana priyantam |
tatpuccha hasta aradindu vaktra bla mukunda manas smarmi || 6 ||
ulkhale baddham udra auryam uttuga yugmrjuna bhagallam |
utphulla padmyata cru netra bla mukunda manas smarmi || 7 ||
lokya mtur mukham darea stanya pibanta saras ruhkam |
saccinmaya devam anantarpa bla mukunda manas smarmi || 8 ||
Bala Mukundaashtakam Plain English
Karaara-viMdEna padaara viMdaM mukhaara viMdE vinivESayaMtam |
vaTasya patrasya puTE SayaanaM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 1 ||
saMhRutya lOkaan vaTapatra madhyE Sayaanam aadyaMta viheenaroopam |
sarvESvaraM sarvahita avataaraM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 2 ||
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iMdeevara Syaamala kOmalaaMgam iMdraadi dEvaarcita paadapadmam |
saMtaana kalpadrumam aaSritaanaaM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 3 ||
laMbaalakaM laMbita haarayaShTiM SRuMgaara leelaaMkita dantapaMktim |
biMbaadharaM caaru viSaalanEtraM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 4 ||
SikyE nidhaayaadya payOdadheeni bahirgataayaaM vraja naayikaayaam |
bhuktvaa yathEShTaM kapaTEna suptaM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 5 ||
kaliMdajaaMta sthita kaaliyasya phaNaagra raMgE naTana priyaMtam |
tatpucCahastaM SaradiMdu vaktraM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 6 ||
ulookhalE baddham udaara Sauryam uttuMga yugma arjuna bhaMga leelam |
utphulla padmaayata caaru nEtraM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 7 ||
aalOkya maatur mukhamaadarENa stanyaM pibaMtaM sarasee ruhaakSham |
saccinmayaM dEvam anaMta roopaM baalaM mukuMdaM manasaa smaraami || 8 ||
The story of sage Markandeya and Baala Mukunda
Canto 12: The Age of Deterioration
http://vedabase.net/sb/12/9/ Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: rmad
Bhgavatam
SB 12.9 Summary
The appearance of baby Mukunda is described starting with 12.9.19. The
description in 12.9.22-25 matches Andals description of Maale MaNivaNNa.
The babys radiance was that of a shiny flawless emerald.
SB 12.9.1: Sta Gosvm said: The Supreme Lord Narayana, the friend of Nara,
was satisfied by the proper glorification offered by the intelligent sage
Markandeya. Thus the Lord addressed that excellent descendant of Bhrgu.
SB 12.9.2: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Markandeya,
you are indeed the best of all learned brahmanas. ou have perfected your life
by practicing fixed meditation upon the Supreme Soul, as well as by focusing
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upon Me your undeviating devotional service, your austerities, your study of
the Vedas and your strict adherence to regulative principles.
SB 12.9.3: We are perfectly satisfied with your practice of lifelong celibacy.
Please choose whatever benediction you desire, since I can grant your wish.
May you enjoy all good fortune.
SB 12.9.4: The sage said: O Lord of lords, all glories to You! O Lord Acyuta,
You remove all distress for the devotees who surrender unto You. That you
have allowed me to see You is all the benediction I want.
SB 12.9.5: Such demigods as Lord Brahm achieved their exalted positions
simply by seeing Your beautiful lotus feet after their minds had become
mature in yoga practice. And now, my Lord, You have personally appeared
before me.
SB 12.9.6: O lotus-eyed Lord, O crest jewel of renowned personalities,
although I am satisfied simply by seeing You, I do wish to see Your illusory
potency, by whose influence the entire world, together with its ruling
demigods, considers reality to be materially variegated.
SB 12.9.7: Sta Gosvm said: O wise aunaka, thus satisfied by Markandeya's
praise and worship, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, smiling, replied, "So
be it," and then departed for His hermitage at Badarikrama.
SB 12.9.8-9: Thinking always of his desire to see the Lord's illusory energy,
the sage remained in his rama, meditating constantly upon the Lord within
fire, the sun, the moon, water, the earth, air, lightning and his own heart and
worshiping Him with paraphernalia conceived in his mind. But sometimes,
overwhelmed by waves of love for the Lord, Markandeya would forget to
perform his regular worship.
SB 12.9.10: O brahmana aunaka, best of the Bhrgus, one day while
Markandeya was performing his evening worship on the bank of the
Puspabhadra, a great wind suddenly arose.
SB 12.9.11: That wind created a terrible sound and brought in its wake
fearsome clouds that were accompanied by lightning and roaring thunder and
that poured down on all sides torrents of rain as heavy as wagon wheels.
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SB 12.9.12: Then the four great oceans appeared on all sides, swallowing up
the surface of the earth with their wind-tossed waves. In these oceans were
terrible sea monsters, fearful whirlpools and ominous rumblings.
SB 12.9.13: The sage saw all the inhabitants of the universe, including
himself, tormented within and without by the harsh winds, the bolts of
lightning, and the great waves rising beyond the sky. As the whole earth
flooded, he grew perplexed and fearful.
SB 12.9.14: Even as Markandeya looked on, the rain pouring down from the
clouds filled the ocean more and more until that great sea, its waters violently
whipped into terrifying waves by hurricanes, covered up all the earth's
islands, mountains and continents.
SB 12.9.15: The water inundated the earth, outer space, heaven and the
celestial region. Indeed, the entire expanse of the universe was flooded in all
directions, and out of all its inhabitants only Markandeya remained. His
matted hair scattered, the great sage wandered about alone in the water as if
dumb and blind.
SB 12.9.16: Tormented by hunger and thirst, attacked by monstrous makaras
and timigila fish and battered by the wind and waves, he moved aimlessly
through the infinite darkness into which he had fallen. As he grew increasingly
exhausted, he lost all sense of direction and could not tell the sky from the
earth.
SB 12.9.17-18: At times he was engulfed by the great whirlpools, sometimes
he was beaten by the mighty waves, and at other times the aquatic monsters
threatened to devour him as they attacked one another. Sometimes he felt
lamentation, bewilderment, misery, happiness or fear, and at other times he
experienced such terrible illness and pain that he felt himself dying.
SB 12.9.19: Countless millions of years passed as Markandeya wandered
about in that deluge, his mind bewildered by the illusory energy of Lord isnu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 12.9.20: Once, while wandering in the water, the brahmana Markandeya
discovered a small island, upon which stood a young banyan tree bearing
blossoms and fruits.
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SB 12.9.21: Upon a branch of the northeast portion of that tree he saw an
infant boy lying within a leaf. The child's effulgence was swallowing up the
darkness.
http://www.harekrsna.de/fotos/krishna-on-leaf2.jpg The tormented sage
sees Baala Mukunda
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SB 12.9.22-25: The infant's dark-blue complexion was the color of a
flawless emerald, His lotus face shone with a wealth of beauty, and His throat
bore marks like the lines on a conchshell. He had a broad chest, a finely
shaped nose, beautiful eyebrows, and lovely ears that resembled pomegranate
flowers and that had inner folds like a conchshell's spirals. The corners of His
eyes were reddish like the whorl of a lotus, and the effulgence of His coral-like
lips slightly reddened the nectarean, enchanting smile on His face. As He
breathed, His splendid hair trembled and His deep navel became distorted by
the moving folds of skin on His abdomen, which resembled a banyan leaf. The
exalted brahmana watched with amazement as the infant took hold of one
of His lotus feet with His graceful fingers, placed a toe within His mouth
and began to suck.
SB 12.9.26: As Markandeya beheld the child, all his weariness vanished.
Indeed, so great was his pleasure that the lotus of his heart, along with his
lotus eyes, fully blossomed and the hairs on his body stood on end. Confused
as to the identity of the wonderful infant, the sage approached Him.
SB 12.9.27: Just then the child inhaled, drawing Markandeya within His body
like a mosquito. There the sage found the entire universe arrayed as it had
been before its dissolution. Seeing this, Markandeya was most astonished and
perplexed.
SB 12.9.28-29: The sage saw the entire universe: the sky, heavens and earth,
the stars, mountains, oceans, great islands and continents, the expanses in
every direction, the saintly and demoniac living beings, the forests, countries,
rivers, cities and mines, the agricultural villages and cow pastures, and the
occupational and spiritual activities of the various social divisions. He also
saw the basic elements of creation along with all their by-products, as well as
time itself, which regulates the progression of countless ages within the days
of Brahm. In addition, he saw everything else created for use in material life.
All this he saw manifested before him as if it were real.
SB 12.9.30: He saw before him the Himlaya Mountains, the Puspabhadra
River, and his own hermitage, where he had had the audience of the sages
Nara-Narayana. Then, as Markandeya beheld the entire universe, the infant
exhaled, expelling the sage from His body and casting him back into the ocean
of dissolution.
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SB 12.9.31-32: In that vast sea he again saw the banyan tree growing on the
tiny island and the infant boy lying within the leaf. The child glanced at him
from the corner of His eyes with a smile imbued with the nectar of love, and
Markandeya took Him into his heart through his eyes. Greatly agitated, the
sage ran to embrace the transcendental Personality of Godhead.
SB 12.9.33: At that moment the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the
original master of all mysticism and who is hidden within everyone's heart,
became invisible to the sage, just as the achievements of an incompetent
person can suddenly vanish.
SB 12.9.34: After the Lord disappeared, O brahmana, the banyan tree, the
great water and the dissolution of the universe all vanished as well, and in an
instant Markandeya found himself back in his own hermitage, just as before.
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