ANDAL

ANDAL
The remarkable girl who would marry none but the Lord

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Andal is one of the most extraordinary personalities in religious history. She is known in her native tongue of Tamil as an Alvar, one who is "immersed" in the depths of enjoyment of God, theomnipresent mysterious One. Tradition reckons 12 Alvars, of which Andal is the only female. Between the fifth and ninth centuries, in the Tamil-speaking region of South India, these saints revitalized the Indian religious milieu, sparking a renewal of devotional worship throughout the subcontinent. Traveling from place to place, from temple to temple, from holy site to holy site, they composed exceedingly beautiful poetry to their Divine Beloved, Vishnu, as an expression of their love for Him. Anyone can see why their poetry was so attractive; at once both impassioned and philosophical, their words cut across all barriers of caste and class, attracting all to their faith. In doing so, they sculpted a new religious heritage of intensely emotional bhakti, or love of the Divine, whose impact is still felt today in the Indian religious life. Andal, whose life and poetry are celebrated every December-January, is the most visible contributor to this heritage.

[ Biography - Further Thoughts - Tiruppavai ]

Life of Andal

The life of Andal is remarkable in its romantic simplicity. A devout brahmin named Vishnucitta lived in Villiputtur, a town near Madurai. His daily duties included procuring

Vishnucitta discovering Andal. Scultpure above the tulasi garden in Srivilliputtur

flowers for the worship of the Lord at the local temple. One morning, as he went about his business, he discovered a baby girl lying under a tulasi plant in his flower garden. Having no family of his own, Vishnucitta felt it was God's grace that gave him this child and named her Godai, or "gift of Mother Earth."Filled with joy, he took her home and raised her as his own.

Godai grew up in an atmosphere of love and devotion. Vishnucitta doted on her in every respect, singing songs to her about his Beloved Krishna, teaching her all the stories and philosophy he knew, and sharing with her his love of Tamil poetry. The love Vishnucitta had for his Beloved Lord intensified further in his daughter, and before long she was passionately in love with Lord Krishna. Even as a 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. Unknown to her father, she adorned herself daily with the flower garland he prepared for the Lord at the temple. After admiring her reflection and thinking of herself as His ideal bride, she would put the garland back for her father to take to the temple and offer to the Lord.

Traditional Painting of Andal

One day, Vishnucitta noticed a strand of Godai's hair on one of the garlands. Shocked and saddened by this desecration of what was meant only for the Lord, he scolded Godai for her misuse of the garland and discarded it. He carefully prepared a new one and offered it to the Lord, begging His pardon all the while.

That night, the Lord appeared to Vishnucitta in his dream and asked him why he discarded Godai's garland instead of offering it to Him. He told Vishnucitta that He missed the scent of Godai's body in the flowers, and that He preferred them that way. Would he please continue to give the garlands once worn by Godai? Overcome with emotion, Vishnucitta awoke and cried tears of both joy and remorse. It dawned on him that his daughter was someone whose love of God was so intense and pure that even he had not comprehended its extent. Her spiritual greatness was such that the Lord Himself wished to share her presence. From this day on, she became known as "Andal", the girl who "ruled" over the Lord.

Andal blossomed into a beautiful young woman as she came of marriageable age. When asked to marry, however, she stubbornly refused, saying that she would only agree to marry Sri Ranganatha, the Lord at the great temple town of Srirangam. Vishnucitta despaired, wondering what was to become of his daughter. One night, Lord Ranganatha appeared in his 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

The Divine Couple: Andal and Rangan in Srivilliputtur

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 shrine. 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.

Andal is now one of the best loved poet-saints of the Tamils. Pious tradition reckons her to be the veritable descent of Bhumi Devi (Mother Earth) in bodily form to show humanity the way to His lotus feet. She is present in all Sri Vaishnava temples, in India and elsewhere, next to her Lord, as she always desired.

Historicity

The hagiography of Andal as presented above is undoubtedly historically true in most important respects. 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.

Most of all, however, Andal is remembered for her poetry, in which she often strikes autobiographical notes about her love for her Lord. She describes herself as a young girl, still not fully mature, pining away for Him. She beseeches her friends, the god of love, and even animals for help in her quest to attain Him. Finally, she describes her good fortune of being the daughter of Vishnucitta, the best of the devout, who lives in Srivilliputtur and adores the Lord.

Andal's Poetry

Srivilliputtur Andal

Andal composed two works in her short life. Both are in Tamil and are unique in their literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic content. Her contribution is even more remarkable considering that she was a teenage girl when she composed these poems, at a time when there is no other record of Tamil women composing poetry [2]. Far from being the prattlings of a youngster, Andal's verses display a literary and religious maturity far beyond her years.

Her first work is the Tiruppavai, a poem of thirty verses in which Andal imagines herself to be a cowherd girl during the incarnation of Lord Krishna. She yearns to serve Him and achieve happiness not just in this birth, but for all eternity, and describes the religious vow (pavai) that she and her fellow cowgirls will take for this purpose.

The second is the Nacciyar Tirumoli, a poem of 143 verses. Tirumoli, literally meaning "sacred sayings", is a Tamil poetic style in which the work is composed. "Nacciyar" means goddess, so the title means "sacred sayings of our Goddess." This poem fully reveals Andal's intense longing for Vishnu, the Divine Beloved. 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.

The impact of these works on the daily religious life of the South Indian has been tremendous. Just like the Ramayana, people are never tired of listening to the Tiruppavai. The poem itself is recited with great religious fervor by women, men, and children of all ages, particularly in Tamil Nadu. The daily services in most Vaishnava temples and households include its recitation.

Both of these works, particularly the Tiruppavai, have been commented on extensively by innumerable scholars in a number of languages over the centuries. Today, we are fortunate to have many translations of the Tiruppavai in Western languages which make these poems available to an even wider audience.

During the month of Margali (December-January), discourses on the Tiruppavai in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English take place all over India.

[ Further Thoughts ]

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1. Vishnucitta is also known as Periyalvar, or "the great alvar". [Back]

2. Overall, the record of Tamil literature has been far better than any other Indian language in this respect. We know of many women poets from the (pre-Andal) Sangam period of Tamil literature. However, in the post-Sangam age, the number of women writers dwindles to almost zero. The only other woman at all close to Andal's time is Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Siva who lived between the 5th and 6th centuries. [Back]

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References - http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/alvars/andal/

Vishnu Offering His Eye in Place of the Missing Lotus (Illustration to the Shiva Purana)

This painting, a pata-chitra rendered by blending the folk styles of Orissa, its palette, iconography and the style of embellishing the canvas, especially the border, and Bengal, especially its power to reveal its narrative, represents one of the lesser known legends in the Shiva Maha Purana. It relates to Vishnu's acquiring the famed Sudarshana-chakra - disc, contrary to what the common mind believes, from Shiva by his rigorous penance and unique sacrifice made in its course. The legend appears in Chapter 34 in Chaturtha Koti Rudra Samhita. The painting represents Shiva towards the upper side of the canvas with the Sudarshana-chakra in his hand, Vishnu offering his eye to Shiva-linga and a mass of lotuses strewn around the deity.

As the text has it, once gods, unable to confront some mighty demons who ousted them from Heaven and stripped them of all their powers and possessions, approached Vishnu for rescuing them from the clutches of their foes and regain their lost abode and belongings. Vishnu consoled them but also expressed his fear that he might not eliminate them as they were great warriors and exceptionally powerful. He however assured them that he would seek Shiva's blessings and with his help would surely destroy them. This revived their confidence and well assured they returned. For fulfilling gods' errand Vishnu meditated on Shiva and began thinking how to please him. Considering penance to be its most potential instrument he retired to the Himalayas and close to the Mount Kailash, Shiva's abode, made a fire-place, installed fire in it, collected fresh lotuses from the nearby Mansarovara lake, adorned with them the yajna premises, and seated by it began doing rigorous penance.

He started with ritual worship by making offerings to the Agni, reciting sacred syllables and hymns hailing Lord Shiva and praying him for his favour. This, however, did not please Shiva. Vishnu thought of other ways. He then indulged in every mode of penance but this too did not yield result. Suddenly in his mind occurred Shiva's Sahastra-nama-japa - recitation of Shiva's one thousand name-hymns. He collected one thousand lotuses with the vow to offer one lotus each time the nama-mantra - name-hymn, completed, and after so deciding resorted to the japa-rite. To test his commitment Shiva secretly removed one of his lotuses. Hence, when Vishnu completed the last hymn and with closed eyes directed his hand to pick up the last lotus, it was not found. He opened his eyes but only to find it missing. With no part of the world beyond him, Vishnu searched every inch of its space but with failure. He remembered suddenly that in hymns hailing him he was admired as 'lotus-eyed' and hence he could offer one of his eyes in place of the missing lotus. With this he removed one of his eyes and accomplished his vow by offering it. Finally, convinced with the genuineness of Vishnu's devotion Shiva appeared and gave him the Sudarshana-chakra, the weapon never to fail in achieving its target, and blessed him to succeed against gods' foes.

References - www.exoticindiaart.com

Shanti Mantra – Om Sahana Vavatu

शांति मंत्र

ऊं सहना ववतु
सहनौ भुनक्तु
सहविर्यम् करवावहे
तेजस्विना वधीतम् अस्तु
मा विद विशावहै
ऊं शांति शांति शांति


Om Sahana Vavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu
Sahaveeryam Karavavahai
Tejas Vinavati Tamastuma vidhwishavahai
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi


Sanskrit to English Word Meaning:
Saha- both; nau-us; avatu- may he protect; bhunaktu-may he nourish; viryam karavavahai-may we acquire the capacity; tejasvi-be brilliant; nau-for us; adhitam- what is studied; astu-let it be; ma vidvisavahai-may we not argue with each other.

Translation:
May He protect both of us. May He nourish both of us. May we both acquire the capacity (to study and understand the scriptures). May our study be brilliant. May we not argue with each other. Om peace, peace, peace.

Brief explanation:
At the beginning of a class, the teacher and students generally recite this peace invocation together. Both seek the Lord’s blessings for study that is free of obstacles, such as poor memory, or the inability to concentrate or poor health. They also seek blessings for a conducive relationship, without which communication of any subject matter is difficult. Therefore, this prayer is important for both the teacher and the student.

Hanuman Slokam

Anjana garbha sambootham Kumaaram Brahma Charinam

Dhushta graha vinaashaya Hanumantham Upasmahe

Shri Raama dhootha Maha veera Rudra veerya samadhbhava

Anjana garbha sambhootha Vaayu putra namosthuthe

AsAdhya sAdhaka swAmin asAdhyam thava kim vaDa

Ramadootha KripAsindhoe MathkAryam sAdhaya prabho!

Dhanvantari Mantras

Om Namo Bhagavate

Vasudevaya Dhanvantaraye

Amrutha Kalasa Hasthaaya

Sarvamaya Vinasanaya

Thrilokya Nadhaya

Sri Maha Vishnave Nama

Saraswati Mantras

Sarasvathee namasthubhyam varadae kaamaroopinee

Vidyaarambam karishyaami siddhirbhavathumaesadaa

Sree vidyaroopini sarasvathi sakala kalaavalli chaaru

bimbhaadharee s(h)aradaa devi s(h)asthravalli veenaa

pusthaka dharinee vanee kamala paanee vaagdevee

varadaayaki pusthaka hasthae namasthuthe(y)

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Nāmarāmāyaṇam

Bālakāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who is the pure Brahman, superior to the (most) superior! O Rāma, Who is the supreme Lord, forming the nature of Kāla! O Rāma, Who is sleeping peacefully on the bed of Śeṣa (serpent)! O Rāma, Who is worshipped (or desired) by the Devas like Brahmā!¹[1]

O Rāma, Who is the adornment of the lineage of the Sun! O Rāma, Who is the son and delight of the prosperous Daśaratha! O Rāma, Who increased the pleasure of Kauśalyā! O Rāma, Who is the wealth dear to Sage Viśvāmitra![2]

O Rāma, Who is the slayer of the dreadful Tāṭakā! O Rāma, Who made Mārīca and others fall down [far away]! O Rāma, Who is the protector of yajñas of Sage Kauśika (Viśvāmitra)! O Rāma, Who is the redeemer of the fortunate Ahalya![3]

O Rāma, Who greatly honoured by Ṛṣi Gautama! O Rāma, Who is extoled together by the multitude of Deva and best sages! O Rāma, Who entranced the people of Mithilā city! O Rāma, Who pleased the mind of King Janaka![4]

O Rāma, Who broke the bow of the three-eyed Śiva! O Rāma, Who was offered the Varamālā by Sītā! O Rāma, Who completed the solemn ceremony of marriage! O Rāma, Who destroyed the arrogance of Paraśurāma! O Rāma, Who is the guardian (protector) of Ayodhyā with Sīta!²[5--6]

Ayodhyākāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who is adorned by collection of innumerable virtues! O Rāma, Who is loved by the daughter of earth (Sīta)! O Rāma, Whose face is (pleasant) like the moon in the night ! O Rāma, Who was exiled in forest by the words (order) of father![1]

O Rāma, Whose feet (arrival) were announced by the dear Guha! O Rāma, Whose gentle feet were washed by him (Guha)! O Rāma, Who gave pleasure to sages led by Bharadvāja! O Rāma, Who made the Citrakūṭa hill his home![2]

O Rāma, Who was constantly thought of by Daśaratha! O Rāma, Who was entrusted by Bharata, the sone of Kaikeyī! O Rāma, Who performed His father’s Pitṛkarma!³ O Rāma, Who offered his Padukā (wooden slippers) to Bharata![3]

Araṇyakāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who sanctified the beings of Daṇḍaka forest! O Rāma, Who destroyed the wicked Virādha! O Rāma, Who was worshipped by Sage Śarabhaṅga and Sage Sutīkṣṇa! O Rāma, Who was gladdened by the favours of Sage Agastya![1]

O Rāma, Who was served by the king of vultures (Jatāyū)! O Rāma, Who stayed at the Pañcavaṭī banks! O Rāma, Who arranged the loss of Śūrpaṇakhā! O Rāma, Who destroyed the (armies) led by Khara and Dūṣaṇa![2]

O Rāma, Who followed the dear Sītā wanted! O Rāma, Who swiftly completed the destruction of Mārīca! O Rāma, Who searched for the missing Sītā! O Rāma, Who gave liberation to Jaṭāyū, the king of vultures! O Rāma, Who ate the fruits offered by Śabarī! O Rāma, Who severed the arms of Kabandha![3--4]

Kiṣkindhākāṇḍam: O Rāma, Whose feet were served by Hanumān! O Rāma, Who granted the genuflecting Sugrīva his wish! O Rāma, Who killed the haughty Vāli! O Rāma, Who sent out the monkeys as messengers! O Rāma, Who stayed with the favourable Lakṣmaṇa![1]

Sundarakāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who was constantly remembered by Hanumān, the best among monkeys! O Rāma, Who destroyed the obstructions in his way!⁴ O Rāma, Who sustained the life of Sītā! O Rāma, Who was calumniated by the rogue ten-headed Rāvaṇa![1]

O Rāma, Who was praised by the wise Hanumān! O Rāma, Who was presented by Sītā as (Her) protector from the crow!⁵ O Rāma, Who was shown the cūḍāmaṇi of Sītā (by Hanumān)! O Rāma, Who was comforted by the words of Hanumān, the best Monkey![2]

Laṅkākāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who departed to kill Rāvaṇa! O Rāma, Who was surrounded by the armies of monkeys! O Rāma, Who was worshipped by the dried-up Ocean! O Rāma, Who gave assurance of protection to Vibhīṣaṇa![1]

O Rāma, Who got the bridge of rocks constructed! O Rāma, Who beheaded Kumbhakarṇa! O Rāma, Who crushed the hordes of demons! O Rāma, Who was taken away (to Pātāla) by Ahirāvaṇa and Mahirāvaṇa![2]

O Rāma, Who cut off the ten heads of Rāvaṇa! O Rāma, Who was together extolled by demi-gods led by Brahmā and Śiva! O Rāma, Who was seen by Daśaratha situated in heaven! O Rāma, Who was delighted by the sight of Sītā![3]

O Rāma, Who was praised by the anointed Vibhīṣaṇa! O Rāma, Who climbed on to the Puṣpaka Vimāna! O Rāma, Who honoured the likes of Sage Bharadvāja! O Rāma, Who as dear as life to Bharata![4]

O Rāma, Who was the ornament of the city of Ayodhyā! O Rāma, Who was bowed upon by all His people (subjects)! O Rāma, Who sat on the throne resplendent with precious stones! O Rāma, Who was adorned by the royal anointment with a crown![5]

O Rāma, Who was respected by the families of kings! O Rāma, Who was offered the red colour by Vibhīṣaṇa! O Rāma, Who conferred favours on the families of monkeys! O Rāma, Who is the protector of all living beings! O Rāma, Who is the saviour of all worlds![6]

Uttarakāṇḍam: O Rāma, Who was together praised by the group of visiting sages! O Rāma, Who heard the (story of) birth and rise of Rāvaṇa! O Rāma, Who was pleased by the embrace of Sītā! O Rāma, Who protected the subjects with prudence![1]

O Rāma, Who abandoned Sītā, the progeny of Janaka, to the forest! O Rāma, Who arranged for the death of Lavaṇāsura! O Rāma, Who was worshipped by heaven-entered Śambūka! O Rāma, Who was delighted by his sons Kuśa and Lava!⁶[2]

O Rāma, Who was initiated into the Aśvamedha Yajña (sacrifice)! O Rāma, Who was communicated the time of His (return to) state of Viṣṇu! O Rāma, Who provided Mokṣa to the people of Ayodhyā! O Rāma, Who gave bliss to demi-gods led by Brahmā![3]

O Rāma, Whose form is full of brilliance! O Rāma, Who is the liberator from the bondage of transmigration (birth and death)! O Rāma, (ever) eager to establish Dharma (righteousness)! O Rāma, Who is the provider of Mokśa to those with Bhakti as the ultimate resort![4]

O Rāma, Who is the nourisher of all animate and inanimate! O Rāma, Who is the remover of all diseases of (this) world! O Rāma, Who settled in his abode of Vaikuṇṭha! O Rāma, situated in the state of eternal bliss (Nityānanda)![5]

Footnotes:

¹ This composition consists of only Bahuvrīhi samāsa as adjectives and the name Rāma.

² Alternately, O Rāma, Who is the guardian (protector) of prosperous Ayodhyā)!

³ Śrāddha or Yāga performed for ones deceased forefathers

⁴ Surasā, Siṁhikā and Laṅkinī were the three hurdles Hanumān faced on his way to Laṅkā, signifying Sātvikī, Tāmasī and Rājasī Māyās respectively.

⁵ The reference is to haughty crow, who pecked at Sītā to examine the strength of Rāma. Tulasīdāsa refers to the crow as Jayanta, the son of Indra.

⁶ Kuśa and Lava sang the Rāmayaṇa in the court of Rāma.

References

Poet: Lakṣmaṇācārya

Translator: Akhandanandaprasada

Submitter: Akhandanandaprasada, Animesh

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Date added:	2011-09-08
Last modified:	2011-09-08
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