We have all heard of incidents/episodes on how pets help a sick person to either heal or maintain emotional balance/stability to recover and so on.
Does it seem a surprise that Azhwar refers to this and says unequivocally "yes". Definitely Azhwar's objective was not to just to present this concept but from a pure artistic appreciation of philosophy this is one of the top examples.
திருநெடுந்தாண்டகம் is the glorious climax of Azhwar. As we saw in the posting (on சிறிய திருமடல்) after threatening to destroy Perumal's attributes and Vibhava (Rama, Krishna avatars), Azhwar starts his bigger madal as perumal is still not responding. In பெரிய திருமடல் Azhwar says he is going to destroy all divyadesams and to make sure that perumal ceases to exist (talk of enraged lady!!). Now perumal does not have a choice as Azhwar himself will get destroyed if he ceases to exist and so appears before him in full splendour (having extracted all the divine songs with the exception of the final one). Now Azhwar is happy and compiles திருநெடுந்தாண்டகம் outlining how perumal reached out to him, gave him knowledge of the three tatvas and finally ends it saying he has obtained the ultimate abode.
In this set of 30 songs, the first 10 are from Azhwar singing as himself, the second 10 as the mother of Parakala Nayaki and the last as Nayaki herself.
The songs in question for this topic is number 13 and 14.
This is a background song for the next one (as it is usually). Here Nayaki is down due to her separation. In previous songs the Oracle and Nayaki's mother have said the divine names of Perumal to boost her confidence and brings the parrot which is Nayaki's pet near her. The parrot had been trained by Parakala Nayaki to say the different names of Perumal திருநாமங்கள் . But the parrot is shy to say anything before Parakala Nayaki. The underlying concept being - you do not open your mouth before your acharyan before you are asked to say something.
So Nayaki herself (having obtained strength from the chanting of names by the oracle and Mother in songs 11 and 12) asks the parrot to repeat the names.
கல்லெடுத்து கல்மாரி காத்தாய் - As Krishna , used govardhan to save people from the stone rain
மல்லடர்த்து மல்லரை அன்று அட்டாய் - defeated Kamsa's wresters... and so on
Listening to the fact that perumal saves everyone with his prowess, Parakala nayaki feels even worse as perumal does not seem to save her. While asking the parrot to repeat, she is overcome by despair
துணைமுலை மேல் துளிசோர - her tears have drenched her breasts!! Another interesting query and answer in the commentary. Azhwar sings in parakala Nayaki bhavam. But this despair is as if his மீசை அழிந்து முலை எழுந்தார்போலே - he has truly become a woman ( moustache disappearing and developing breasts!!). no.. his endocrine glands are intact :-) .. the moustache indicates independence which in this case is not going to take the jeevathma anywhere and Breasts indicates absolute and sole dependence (which translates to matured knowledge a.k.a Bakthi) on perumal.
A very special note here in the commentary on our beloved azhwar kaliyan. Other azhwars are like erstwhile folks in the old Malayala country. There is a reference to ஊட்டுபிறை which are like places where food is served to travellers. The travellers will eat a lot during journey so that they can live on that for a few days till the next food becomes available. Basically meaning, other azhwars will enjoy perumal when he comes and then keep crying when he is away. But they survive. Kaliyan (Thirumangai azhwar) is so soft natured that he can neither "store" food nor can he bear separation :-)
So basically parakala nayaki is down and out, unable to say anything more. Now the parrot realizes that the mistress is very weak and time has come to intervene.
The parrot realizes that the divine names will help Parakala nayaki to recover and starts reciting the names one by one..முளைக்கதிரை - குருங்குடியில் முகிலை and so on.
Nayaki slowly recovers and realizes that her beloved parrot has recited and helped her. So she says
வளர்த்ததனால் பயன் பெற்றேன் . I have gotten the benefit for having you and teaching you the divine names. Then she asks the parrot to come near - வருக என்று
She first closes her hands as in கை கூப்பி . The parrot becomes shy on seeing this and then realizes that this is done out of love and comes near. பரகால நாயகி now prostrates வணங்கினாளே .
In the commentary there is a reference to Periya Nambi (acharya of Ramanuja) prostrating to Ramanuja when he was coming with his 100s of disciples. Ramanuja just keeps walking without acknowledging it as if he acknowledges it, it will be accepting his pranam. Periya nambi did it because it reminded him of his own acharya.
So pets do help in recovery :-)
PS: Another side comment here. When something is done out of love, "appropriateness" does not count ;-)
Does it seem a surprise that Azhwar refers to this and says unequivocally "yes". Definitely Azhwar's objective was not to just to present this concept but from a pure artistic appreciation of philosophy this is one of the top examples.
திருநெடுந்தாண்டகம் is the glorious climax of Azhwar. As we saw in the posting (on சிறிய திருமடல்) after threatening to destroy Perumal's attributes and Vibhava (Rama, Krishna avatars), Azhwar starts his bigger madal as perumal is still not responding. In பெரிய திருமடல் Azhwar says he is going to destroy all divyadesams and to make sure that perumal ceases to exist (talk of enraged lady!!). Now perumal does not have a choice as Azhwar himself will get destroyed if he ceases to exist and so appears before him in full splendour (having extracted all the divine songs with the exception of the final one). Now Azhwar is happy and compiles திருநெடுந்தாண்டகம் outlining how perumal reached out to him, gave him knowledge of the three tatvas and finally ends it saying he has obtained the ultimate abode.
In this set of 30 songs, the first 10 are from Azhwar singing as himself, the second 10 as the mother of Parakala Nayaki and the last as Nayaki herself.
The songs in question for this topic is number 13 and 14.
This is a background song for the next one (as it is usually). Here Nayaki is down due to her separation. In previous songs the Oracle and Nayaki's mother have said the divine names of Perumal to boost her confidence and brings the parrot which is Nayaki's pet near her. The parrot had been trained by Parakala Nayaki to say the different names of Perumal திருநாமங்கள் . But the parrot is shy to say anything before Parakala Nayaki. The underlying concept being - you do not open your mouth before your acharyan before you are asked to say something.
So Nayaki herself (having obtained strength from the chanting of names by the oracle and Mother in songs 11 and 12) asks the parrot to repeat the names.
கல்லெடுத்து கல்மாரி காத்தாய் - As Krishna , used govardhan to save people from the stone rain
மல்லடர்த்து மல்லரை அன்று அட்டாய் - defeated Kamsa's wresters... and so on
Listening to the fact that perumal saves everyone with his prowess, Parakala nayaki feels even worse as perumal does not seem to save her. While asking the parrot to repeat, she is overcome by despair
துணைமுலை மேல் துளிசோர - her tears have drenched her breasts!! Another interesting query and answer in the commentary. Azhwar sings in parakala Nayaki bhavam. But this despair is as if his மீசை அழிந்து முலை எழுந்தார்போலே - he has truly become a woman ( moustache disappearing and developing breasts!!). no.. his endocrine glands are intact :-) .. the moustache indicates independence which in this case is not going to take the jeevathma anywhere and Breasts indicates absolute and sole dependence (which translates to matured knowledge a.k.a Bakthi) on perumal.
A very special note here in the commentary on our beloved azhwar kaliyan. Other azhwars are like erstwhile folks in the old Malayala country. There is a reference to ஊட்டுபிறை which are like places where food is served to travellers. The travellers will eat a lot during journey so that they can live on that for a few days till the next food becomes available. Basically meaning, other azhwars will enjoy perumal when he comes and then keep crying when he is away. But they survive. Kaliyan (Thirumangai azhwar) is so soft natured that he can neither "store" food nor can he bear separation :-)
So basically parakala nayaki is down and out, unable to say anything more. Now the parrot realizes that the mistress is very weak and time has come to intervene.
The parrot realizes that the divine names will help Parakala nayaki to recover and starts reciting the names one by one..முளைக்கதிரை - குருங்குடியில் முகிலை and so on.
Nayaki slowly recovers and realizes that her beloved parrot has recited and helped her. So she says
வளர்த்ததனால் பயன் பெற்றேன் . I have gotten the benefit for having you and teaching you the divine names. Then she asks the parrot to come near - வருக என்று
She first closes her hands as in கை கூப்பி . The parrot becomes shy on seeing this and then realizes that this is done out of love and comes near. பரகால நாயகி now prostrates வணங்கினாளே .
In the commentary there is a reference to Periya Nambi (acharya of Ramanuja) prostrating to Ramanuja when he was coming with his 100s of disciples. Ramanuja just keeps walking without acknowledging it as if he acknowledges it, it will be accepting his pranam. Periya nambi did it because it reminded him of his own acharya.
So pets do help in recovery :-)
PS: Another side comment here. When something is done out of love, "appropriateness" does not count ;-)
Hmm
ReplyDeleteLeave alone a summarised meaning, even to understand the tone, tune and tenor of what Azhwars want to convey with out some basic knowledege like Raja, is well nigh very difficult if not possible for normal pamarans like me!!
well done Rajahhh
@babu - At the risk of "artificially sounding" modest I have to say this. I had the same feelings similar to what you describe. Even when i was referred to the traditional commentaries before, I thought they were too inaccessible. Even now, I am not proficient enough to read through them in full (particularly the never ending references to Sri Ramayana). The reality is that all angles and viewpoints have been exhaustively analyzed in our traditional commentaries to the point that nothing is left to be interpreted or discovered by us!! What is left for us to do is to rediscover and enjoy this!! After all, I am able to do it without any significant sanskrit or tamil knowledge. In the meanwhile, I will keep posting these tanglish versions of the snippets that I find :-)
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