VEDIC VIBES: Srivilliputhur Andal & Her Mystic Marriage

SRI ANDAL KODHAI NACHIYAR

Hi Viewer, Welcome to my 40th Blog - this time on Sri Andal Nachiyar.

Let us first enter the realm of Sri Andal with Her திருப்பாவை:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eq8TbmHqbw

Srivilliputhur is a beautiful town near Madurai, in South Tamil Nadu, India, which came into fame, when it became the birth place of Sri Andal during 7-8th Century. During the reign of Thirumalai Nayak (1623–1659) and Rani Mangammal (1689–1706), this city became very popular. The temple’s gateway tower, 192 ft (59 m) tall is the official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu (Sri Vadapathrasayi Temple Tower).

Srivilliputhur temple Tower

Temple Interiors

Alwars and Saints:

Sri Andal draws parallel to many other devout souls of India, such as Meera Bhai. Her birth is considered similar to that of Sri Seetha Devi during Ramayan period. Both of them came from Bhu Devi or Mother Earth without human involvement in Birth cycle. Andal was the only woman among the twelve Alvars. Another of the twelve Alvars, Periyalvar, found Andal as an infant in the tulsi garden at Srivilliputhur and adopted her. His original name was Vishnuchittan and he became Periyalwar after he turned out to be the father-in-law of Lord Vishnu.

The Alvars were Vaishnavite saints, known to bring people across social divides into the fold, to include marginalised communities and to demonstrate that anyone with devotion would be accepted by God. And Andal was the lone woman among the Alwars.

Vishnuchittan spent his life in serving Sri Krishna, at Vatapatrasai temple, by offering garland of flowers daily.

The name "Vata patra" refers to the Banyan leaf on which Sri Krishna was found to rest during the deluge.

Vatapatra Sai Krishna

Birth of Andal

One fine morning, Vishnuchittan found a baby girl of golden hue near a tulsi plant in his garden. Since he was childless and had been praying to Lord for this purpose, he thought it was god's gift to him and he adopted the child and happily continued his prayers to Lord Krishna with his daily offerings. He named the child as "Kothai", which means garland of flowers. Little did he know that the child was none other than the Bhu Devi Herself, incarnated to marry Lord Vishnu. (That day was Adi Pooram on a Tuesday and is celebrated as Her birthday every year all over India).

Reason for Her name

ஆண்டாளுக்கு ஏன் 'கோதை' என்ற பெயர் உண்டானது? அழகுத் தமிழால் அரங்கப்பெருமானை ஆண்டதால் 'ஆண்டாள்' என்ற சிறப்புப் பெயரைப் பெற்றார் பூமிப்பிராட்டி. அவர் பிறந்தபோது, 'கோதை' என்றே பெரியாழ்வாரால் திருநாமம் சூட்டப்பட்டது. ஆண்டாளுக்கு ஏன் 'கோதை' என்ற பெயர் சூட்டப்பட்டது என கோதாஸ்துதி என்ற நூலில் வேதாந்த தேசிகர் விளக்கியுள்ளார். ராவணனால் தூக்கிச் செல்லப்படும்போது, அன்னை சீதா தேவி தனது அணிகலன்களையெல்லாம் எறிந்து, 'மலைகளே, நதிகளே, எனது கணவர் ஸ்ரீராமச்சந்திரப் பிரபுவிடம் என் நிலையைச் சொல்லுங்கள்' என்று வேண்டினாள். ஸ்ரீராமர் கோதாவரி ஆற்றை அடைந்து நீராடியபோது, ராவணனுக்கு அஞ்சி சீதாதேவியைப் பற்றி சொல்லாமல் இருந்துவிட்டாள் கோதாவரி. இதனால், கோதாவரி நதிக்கு பாவம் சேர்ந்தது. பூமிப்பிராட்டி பிறந்து, அவருக்கு 'கோதை' என்ற பெயர் சூட்டப்பட்டபோதுதான், கோதாவரி தனது பாவத்தைப் போக்கிக்கொண்டாள் என அந்த நூல் தெரிவிக்கிறது. கோதாவரிக்கு, 'கோதை' என்ற பெயரும் உண்டு. ஆண்டாள்நாச்சியார், தான் பிறந்தபோதே கோதாவரியின் பாவத்தை நீக்கி, அவளுக்கு மங்களம் அருளினார். ஆண்டாளின் வாழ்வும், பாடல்களும் இன்றும் என்றும் நமக்கு மங்களத்தையே தரும் என்பது உண்மை.

Early Days of Andal:

He brought up the child with almost care and affection and taught her on a daily basis about Lord Krishna's Leela and His other attributes. The child started to imagine Krishna, right from childhood, as her Lord. She used to help her father in preparing flower garlands. As she grew up, she almost fell in love with the Lord and there was no other thought on Her mind, except worshiping Him.

She was so fond of the Lord that she used to verify the correct fit of the garland by wearing it on her person, of course without the knowledge of her father, as it is not permitted. One day, Vishnuchitta found a long black hair in the garland and he found out the reason soon. He was very sad that the offering to the Lord was thus far not sanctified all these days. Since he was also fond of his girl child, he did not scold her but threw the garland off and did not offer it to the Lord that day. He was so sad that he went to bed with a heavy heart that night.

Vishnuchittan's Dream:

Lord Krishna appeared in his dream that night and asked him why he has not brought the flower garland that day and after hearing the reply, the Lord informed Vishnuchitta that he was fond of the smell of the girl child and asked him to bring him the garland only after the child wears it on her. Vishnuchitta woke up and was really happy about the dream. Then on, he used to make her wear the garland and after her satisfaction on the fitness, he would take it to offer it to the Lord. She came to be addressed as சூடிக்கொடுத்த சுடர்கொடி, the girl who offered garlands after her wearing it. There is a belief that women have natural scent on their hairs, which is doubly proved due to this event.

Just like the flowers offered to the Lord contain fragrance, honey and beauty, all in one, she grew up to be a maiden with beauty, bhakti and steaadfastness on Lord. She heard from her father, stories of Lord Krishna on the banks of the holy Yamuna river and His Leela with the Yadava girls there. She came to know that these girls were undertaking special fasting during the Margazhi month, which was liked by Krishna.

Fasting by Kothai:

Once when She was hearing Srimad Bhagavatham from Her father, She came to know that the Gopikas of Brindavan observed fasting and prayers in the month of Margazhi/Margashirish and attained Him. Thus She developed desire to observe the same fasting in order to get the same benefit of attaining Him. Considering Her birth and residing place of SriVilliputtur as the Gokulam and Brindavan, She observed the fasting and devotional practices in the month of Margazhi for the sake of marrying Sri Krishna. The Gopikas had prayed to Goddess Katyayani in order to attain the Lord. However Andal took to Her father’s guidance and advice that having Bhakthi to Lord Narayana is the best means to attain Him. Thus she wrote “Narayanane, Namakke Parai Tharuvaan” and prayed to Lord Sri Krishna to attain Him.

Andal writes Tiruppavai:

Due to her close association with her father, who was a poet himself, she acquired poetic skills in Tamil and started writing in praise of the Lord. During the fasting month in Margazhi, She delivered the great ‘Tiruppavai’ pasurams in a state of highest Bhakthi & Bhavam. Tiruppavai contains 30 stanzas coded with the essence of The Upanishads in Tamil language.

You can hear the full recital of Thiruppavai sung by Smt. Nityashree Mahadevan in the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq5SVvekLdU

Before long Andal was passionately in love with Lord Krishna. Even as a girl child, Godai made up her mind to marry none but the Lord of Brindavana, and refused to think of any human being in similar terms. She imagined what it would be like to be His bride, playing the role of His beloved, enjoying His presence.

Andal prayed to beget Lord Sri Krishna as Her husband and even vowed to make 100 pot offerings of a sweet called ‘Akkaravadisal’ to Lord Kallazhagar of Kshetram Thirumaliruncholai. She celebrated the Lord Balaji of Tirumala and Lord Ranganathar of Sriragam as the very forms of Sri Krishna. In particular, She yearned for Lord Ranganathar as Her husband.

Andal writes Nachiyar Thirumozhi:

The Lord did not reach Her at the end of Her fasting (Nombu) period. Dejected that the Lord had not accepted Her Bhakthi, Andal delivered Her yearnings for the Lord in the form of written Tamil pasurams called ‘Nachiyar Tirumozhi’. Andal is said to have been around sixteen when she composed the Nachiyar Thirumozhi.

Tirumozhi, literally means "sacred sayings"; "Nacciyar" means Goddess. So the title means "sacred sayings of our Goddess." This poem fully reveals Andal's intense longing for Lord Vishnu. Utilizing classical Tamil poetic conventions and intermixing stories from the Sanskrit Vedas and Puranas, Andal creates imagery that is quite possibly unparalleled in the whole gamut of Indian religious literature. Kodhai gets desperate and explicit, asking monsoon clouds and birds to be her messengers. With each song, there is a perceptible change in her state of mind. We witness her love and longing, her various moods ranging from playful to passionate and pining.

Much longer than the Thiruppavai, it is a set of 143 pasurams / stanzas of poetry, organised as fourteen poems. Andal rages and rants against the creatures of the grove. She becomes morose that the monsoon has come and gone and yet her lord hasn’t appeared. Along with her anguish, we sense her increasing frustration against her beloved. She implores and orders. The tone then changes to one of fury. But Andal remains devoted even when wrathful. Then, in the fourteenth and final song, Andal turns composed, wise, steeped in devotion, devoid of desire.

Andal awaited for Krishna:

Day after day, Andal became increasingly affected that Her Lord had still not reached out for Her. She passed days thinking and singing Kirtans about Him. Understanding the depth of Her love for Lord Sri Krishna, Periyalwar could only watch by, Her agony, unable to help or deter Her. It was Her friends who played a big part in keeping Her occupied either by encouraging Her Bhakthi or by mocking fun at the intensity of Her Love.

Once Andal was playing with Her friends. They suggested that ‘Godhe! Close your eyes and with your fingers try drawing circles on sand. If the ends of your circles meet, then surely Sri Krishna will come to marry you, else He will not”. She prayed that “If The Lord who did Kaaliya Narthanam is going to marry me, then let the circle ends meet” and it did, every time she attempted to close Her eyes and draw. This infused great joy in Her.

Still Andal was greatly affected by the non arrival of Lord Sri Krishna. She became weak physically and lost weight. She forgot to do even basic ‘alankaram’ to Herself; without sleep and food She was always immersed in Lord Sri Krishna’s thoughts – indeed She was in the highest state of being.

Vaaranam Ayiram

One night Andal had a dream in which the Lord came in person to marry Her. On behalf of Lord Sri Krishna, Devas have come home to ask Her hand in marriage with their Lord. With the consent the bride’s father Periyalwar, the marriage preparations have begun. The groom Lord Sri Ranganatha, arrived with 1000 elephants (Vaaranam means Elephant) in a grand manner. The Devas arrived from the Heavens with golden pots of precious and auspicious items. Andal’s house was decorated in a grand manner for the wedding by the devas and sprinkled with Holy waters on all four corners. With Vedic chants, the elders tie a ‘kaappu’ for Sri Andal. Amidst all auspicious settings and Vedic chants, Her Saree is worn to Her by Her Sister in Law Goddess Parvathi and the Lord Sri Ranganathar holds Her hands and She steps on the ‘ammi’. Then after the ceremonies The divine couple is made to sit on an elephant and taken for ‘Veedi ula ‘ – ceremonial rounds around the town of Srivilliputur! All these in a dream. Andal shared this dream of Hers with friends with great joy!

This dream sequence is captured as the wedding hymn Vaaranam aayiram, and forms the sixth song of Nachiyar Tirumozhi. It is now part of the Tamil Vaishnava wedding ceremony. You can listen to this song in the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsjuuC-iA0Y

Following is the text of the song in Tamil:

மாப்பிள்ளை அழைப்பு 
வாரணம் ஆயிரம் சூழ வலம் செய்து, 
நாரண நம்பி நடக்கின்றான் என்றெதிர்,
பூரண பொற்குடம் வைத்துப் புறம் எங்கும், 
தோரணம் நாட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
நிச்சயதார்தம்
நாளை வதுவை மணம் என்று நாளிட்டு, 
பாளை கமுகு பரிசடைப் பந்தற் கீழ்,
கோளரி மாதவன் கோவிந்தன் என்பான், ஓர் 
காளை புகுதக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
பெரியோர்களின் அனுமதி 
இந்திரன் உள்ளிட்ட தேவர் குழாமெல்லாம்,
வந்திருந்து என்னை மகட் பேசி மந்திரித்து,
மந்திரக் கோடியுடுத்தி மண மாலை,
அந்தரி சூட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
காப்பு கட்டுதல்
நாற்றிசைத் தீர்த்தங் கொணர்ந்து நனி நல்கி,
பார்ப்பனச் சிட்டர்கள் பல்லார் எடுத்தேத்தி,
பூப்புனை கண்ணிப் புனிதனோ டென்றன்னை,
காப்பு நாண் கட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
பிடி சுற்றுதல் 
கதிரொளி தீபம் கலசம் உடன் ஏந்தி,
சதிரிள மங்கையர் தாம் வந்து எதிர்கொள்ள,
மதுரையார் மன்னன் அடி நிலை தொட்டு, எங்கும் 
அதிரப் புகுதக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
பாணி க்ரஹணம் 
மத்தளம் கொட்ட வரி சங்கம் நின்றூத,
முத்துடைத் தாம் நிரை தாழ்ந்த பந்தற் கீழ்,
மைத்துனன் நம்பி மதுசூதன் வந்து, என்னைக் 
கைத்தலம் பற்றக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
ஸப்தபதி 
வாய் நல்லார் நல்ல மறையோதி மந்திரத்தால்,
பாசிலை நாணல் படுத்துப் பரிதி வைத்து,
காய்சின மாகளி றன்னான் என் கைப்பற்றி,
தீவலம் செய்யக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
அம்மி மிதித்தல் 
இம்மைக்கும் ஏழேழ் பிறவிக்கும் பற்றாவான்,
நம்மை உடையவன் நாராயணன் நம்பி,
செம்மை யுடைய திருக்கையால் தாள் பற்றி,
அம்மி மிதிக்கக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
பொறி இடுதல் 
வரிசிலை வாள்முகத் தென்னைமார் தாம் வந்திட்டு
எரிமுகம் பாரித்து என்னை முன்னே நிறுத்தி,
அரிமுகன்  அச்சுதன் கைம்மேலென் கைவைத்து,
பொரிமுகந் தட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
மஞ்சள் நீர் தெளித்தல்
குங்குமம்  அப்பிக் குளிர்ச் சாந்தம் மட்டித்து,
மங்கல வீதி வலம் செய்து மணநீர்,
அங்கவ னோடு முடஞ்சென்றங் கானைமேல்,
மஞ்சன மாட்டக் கனாக் கண்டேன் தோழி நான்!
பாராயண பலன்
ஆயனுக் காகத்தான் கண்ட கனாவினை,
வேயர் புகழ் வில்லி புத்தூர்க்கோன் கோதை சொல்,
தூய தமிழ்மாலை ஈரைந்தும் வல்லவர்,
வாயு நன் மக்களைப் பெற்று மகிழ்வரே!!
                                                         

Listen to the following songs followed even today in marriages in Tamil Nadu

Maalai satrinal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eP8zg9BY4s

Ratna unjalil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA5iYyhyW-o

Aanandam Aanandam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYnlDZ7g5U

Vishnuchittan's Second Dream:

One night, Lord Ranganatha appeared in Vishnuchittan's dream and asked that Andal be sent to Him in all her wedding finery. Simultaneously, the Lord appeared before the priests at Srirangam and asked them to prepare for the coming of Andal. Vishnucitta once again was filled with both joy and sadness; joy that his beloved daughter would attain her goal, but sadness at losing her at the same time.

He made all the wedding preparations and arranged for Andal's journey in a palanquin to Srirangam. Andal waited with excited anticipation as the wedding party approached Lord Ranganatha's Temple.

Raja Gopuram - Srirangam

Andal Merges With the Lord:

As they entered the temple, she jumped out of the palanquin, unable to restrain herself any longer. Running into the temple sanctum, she embraced Lord Ranganatha and disappeared in a blaze of glory, having joined her Lord. She was only fifteen at the time. People all around witnessed this sight dumbfounded and were stuck with the extreme divinity of the event. Today, the tulasi garden in which she was found is preserved in Srivilliputtur. Vishnucitta's house, adjacent to Lord Vishnu's temple, has been converted into a temple in honor of Andal and contains the well in which she admired her reflection while wearing the Lord's garlands. She is present in all Sri Vaishnava temples, in India and elsewhere, next to her Lord, as desired by Her.

By the sixteenth century, Andal was worshipped as a goddess. Along with Sridevi (Lakshmi), Andal appears beside Vishnu as his consort, Bhudevi – the personification of earth.

Sita and Andal

Andal's origins bears similarities to that of Sita's. In the Ramayana, Janaka finds Sita in a furrow while ploughing the land as part of a yagna. According to the 'Balakanda', the first chapter of the Valmiki Ramayana (considered to be a later addition to the epic), Sita was born not from the womb of a woman, but from the womb of the earth itself.

In the 'Uttarakanda', the final chapter of (and another later addition to) the Valmiki Ramayana, Sita asks that Bhudevi take her back, and is swallowed by the earth, never to be seen again.

Andal, too, is said to have disappeared in the Sri Ranganatha/Vishnu temple at Srirangam. Legend goes that she reached the doors of the sanctum sanctorum, where she merged into her god.

Koodaravalli (Koodaraivalli) function:

This is celebrated based on Andal's 27th pasuram. On the 27th day, while singing “Koodaarai vellum seer Govinda…”, the Lord blessed her with the boon of marriage. This day every year is celebrated at Koodaravalli to commemorate this event. 27th Day of Margazhi is celebrated as "koodaravalli" since Andal, with her friends, had completed their fasting on this day and started enjoying themselves for the rest three days.

In the 9th stanza of Nachiar Thirumozhi, Andal wishes to offer 100 pails of butter and 100 pails of akkara adisial (rice cooked with milk, ghee and jaggery). In Nachiar Thirumozhi (9.6) Andal sings:

"To the Lord of Malirunsolai surrounded by fragrant groves, I give my word to offer a hundred pots of butter today and a hundred pots of sweet morsel filled to the brim. Will the lord of growing affluence deign to accept them?"

This wish remained in words during the life of Andal and it was Sri Ramanuja who fulfuilled it physically. By revering him as her Annan (elder brother), Andal showed her gratitude to Ramanuja. Henceforth he came to be addressed as the elder brother of Andal though actually, he was centuries younger to her.

On this day, devotees go to the temple, offer Ghee filled Akaravadisal to Lord Govinda and end their fast and also many perform Annadanam.

Srivilliputhur:

Srivilliputtur is an important pilgrim centre, because of the Vataparashayanar or Vatapatrasai temple. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam temples which the 12 alwars have sung praises about. Vatapatrasai means the Lord who sleeps on the banyan tree leaf. The vision of the Lord Krishna on a banyan tree was given to Sage Markandeya when the dissolution of the Universe was happening when the sage finds that the entire universe was drowning in the deluge. He feels helpless when suddenly Markandeya spots a little child floating on a banyan leaf on the dangerous torrents, grabbing his lotus-like toe and placing it in his mouth. At the next instant, Markandeya finds himself sucked into the baby’s body and, to his surprise, discovers the whole world, with all its realms, safely tucked inside the child, quite oblivious to the calamity outside.

In mythology, Srivilliputtur is part of Varahakshetra and was ruled by a queen called Malli, who had two sons called Villi and Kandan. The brothers once set out on a hunting sojourn in the Puthur forest, where unknown to Villi, a tiger killed Kandan. Villi kept searching for him and exhausted he lay under a tree, when he got a dream, where the Lord instructed him to build the city. Hence the city got to be known as Villiputhur. The Sri got added after the divine maiden Andal’s birth. It is believed that the sages Bhrigu and Markandeya were saved here from the demon Kalanerai, who would disturb their worship.

Built in the Dravidian style, it is a grand temple and has a tall Raj Gopuram or tower, and a huge reservoir or Pushkarini. Indeed, the Tamil Nadu government has adopted the 32 feet tall tower of Andal-Sreerangamanar- Vatapathrasayi Temple as its emblem. Of the several kings that gave generous endowments to the temple, a special mention has to be made to Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai, who stayed in Srivilliputtur for a while and beautified the town with palaces, temples, tanks and choultries. The temple consists of two separate divisions, the Vatapatrasai in the north-east and the Nachiyar temple in the south-west. In between these two is the Nandavanam (temple garden).

The principal deity in the Nachiyar temple is Andal and Rangamannar (Vishnu). Andal is also known as Ranganayiki or the consort of SriRanganatha of Srirangam. Lord Garuda, who has supposed to have brought Lord Vishnu from Srirangam to Srivilliputtur, is seen next to Lord Vishnu and there is no separate sannidhi for him. He is known as Mapillai Thozhan (or friend of the groom). The thulasi vanam where Andal was discovered has a separate shrine for Vishnu Chittar. Next to the Andal shrine is a two-tiered temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha on the ground floor and Lord Vatapatrasayi in the second floor. The Vatapatrasayi temple has the Lord in a reclining posture.

In some of the Vishnu temples, the male priests dance to the divine music in front of the deity. In the Vatapatrasai temple too, this old tradition is observed known as Arayar Sevai. During the Margazhi season (December- January), the priests perform to the musical verses of Nalayira Divya Prabandham (4000 sacred hymns praising Lord Vishnu).

Thiru Aadi Pooram is the day for celebration here and the temple chariot is taken out during the festivities.

Andal’s Parrot

Srivilliputhur Andal’s hand-crafted parrot is made with fresh green leaves each and every day. This parrot is kept in the left hand of Andal. It takes approximately four and half hours to make this parrot. A pomegranate flower for beak and mouth, Bamboo sticks for legs, banana plant, petals of pink oleander and nandiyavattai are used to prepare this parrot