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Sri Andaal
Period 9th C. AD
Place Sri Villiputhur
Other Names Soodi Kodutha Naachiyaar, Kodai, Kodai Piraatti
Month Aadi
Star (Natshatram) Pooram (Poorva Phalguni)
Hamsam Bhoodevi
The life story of Sri Andal is very well known in South India and to a few people in the north.
However, a brief narrative is given here for the fresher. The Sri Vaishnava tradition holds that Sri
Andal was found in the flower garden in kali yuga 98, Adi (Ashata month), Shukla Chathurthi,
Tuesday with Puram star in SRIVILLPUTHUR in the Pandiya dynasty. Accordingly, her date of
birth is 8th of June 3004 B.C. But modern historians fix a date the first half of the 8th century A.D.
Be that as it may, our account follows the "Guru Parampara" tradition.
As Sita was found by king Janaka, while tilling the land for doing yagna, Vishnuchitha (a great
vedic scholar, poet, Vishnu devotee also known as Periyazhvar found the divine child under a tulasi
plant while he was tending his nandavana(garden) in Srivilliputhur. He brought her up in simple and
godly surroundings natural to a pious, vedic, dhwaija. The child prodigy thus fostered lovingly grew
into a beautiful maiden and became an embodiment of love for Sri Krishna.
Being a devotee of "Sri Vadabhatrasayee", the presiding deity of srivilliputhur, Vishnuchitha would
weave a garland of tulasi leaves daily and keep it sacredly rolled in a flower basket so that he may,
after attending to his other course, take the garland later to the temple for offering to the lord. The
child ?kodai?(Andal) in her profound innocence would take out the garland daily without her
father's knowledge, adorn herself and look into the mirror to satisfy herself whether she was
suitable bride to the lord and then would remove the garland and replace it in the basket in its
original form. This was going on for days and without actually knowing that her daughter had
adorned the garland around herself, Vishnuchitha would offer this to the deity who wore it
beatifically.
One day to his surprise, Vishnucitha saw the child wearing the garland before he could take it to the
temple. He was shocked for he considered this as a great defilement. He remonstrated her for this
act. He fasted that day and did not offer the garland and was all repentant. But lo! What a surprise?
At night, the lord appearing in dreams asked Vishnuchitha, why you did not offer me the tulasi
wreath today? I am ever eager to have the things touched by my devotee. Think not Andal kodai to
be a mere mortal.?
To his wonder Vishnuchitha found that tulasi wreath worn on the previous ay by Andal had not
faded. But, was fresher than a freshly made garland. Thereafter, he offered the garland to the deity
after being worn by Andal. The lord continued to give his the bliss of ineffable ?darshan?. (Even
today, this practice is being observed at the temple of Srivilliputhur.)
When Andal attained her marriageable age, her father was worried to find a suitable match for her.
But, the divine child would not marry anyone except lord Krishna.
Therefore, Vishnuchitha narrated all the KALYANA GUNAS of all the Archa-Murthis of the one
hundred and eight Sri Vaishnava Kshetras in India, so that she may for herself choose the deity.
When she heard of the Soundarya of lord Sriranganatha, tears of joy came over her and her heart
prayed to HIM to come and accept her in wedlock.
At this, Vishnuchitha, knowing not what to do, meditated. Sri ranganatha spoke to him in a dream: ?
Do not hesitate to offer your daughter to Me, for she is Bhudevi herself.? Simultaneously the lord
bade the sthanikas(officials in charge) of Srirangam to go to Srivilliputhur and bring Andal in a
palanquin in all royalty.
King Vallabhadeva along with his retinue joined the procession from Srivilliputhur to Srirangam
with Sri Andal in a palanquin.
The whole route was decorated on either sides with flowers and wreaths of finely weaved green
saplings (called thoranam). As sri Andal entered the inner shrine of Sri Ranganatha, the magnetic
beauty of the lord instantly attracted her. She boldly mounted up His serpent couch and joined the
eternal lustrous light of Sri Ranganatha in the presence of the gathering.
NAACHIYAAR THIRUMOZHI (143 verses) which are considered as the summum bonum by the
Srivaishnavaits.
Saakshaath kshamaam- In Your infinite patience with the aparAdhis , You are
Bhumi dEvi and in your limitless compassion, You are like Maha Lakshmi
Herself.
I offer my Prapatthi at your sacred, lotus feet as the one who has no other
means!
Thus, Swamy says: She is BhumA dEvi and Sri Devi as well.
On such occasions when the Lord turns away from Lakshmi, on the other side
there sits equally Most Merciful (if not more) BhUmi Piraatti GodhA
Piraatti- who is taking her turn to recommend us again to the Lord! He,
simply smiles at both of You (Periya Piraatti and GodhApiraatti) and
forgives us! When you and Periya Piraatti are there, GodhA! What is there to
worry about?
Thus Swamy beautifully narrated GodhA PiraaTTI's greatness and Swamy blessed
the devotees with sakala sowbhAgyam with nArAyaNa smaraNam.
Dear Bhaktas,
On this most sacred Tiruvadi Pooram day, the Tirunakshatram of Andal, adiyen wishes to share the
following reflections.
Srivilliputtur, the birthplace of Andal is sanctified because, Andal chose to incarnate there. Unlike
avatarams of the Lord where He incarnated through GarbhavAsam, Periya Azhwar found Andal in
his flower garden. Therefore, Her birth was Avirbhava. It is significant to note that two months of
the year designated as Shoonya masams are - Adi and Marghazhi. Significantly, both of these
months have been rendered sacred by Andal - Adi due to Her incarnation and Marghazi due to the
brilliant delivery of the Tiruppavai verses, at the end of which She attained eternal union with Lord
Narayana. Significantly, Lord Krishna Himself declares in the Bhagavad Gita "mAsAnAm
marghashIrshOsmi"(among the months I am the MargashIrsha) in anticipation of His union with
Andal. For Andal, expression of Her pangs of separation from Her Beloved (Lord Narayana) came
naturally. Therefore, She did not need to adopt Nayaki Bhavam in her outpourings like Swami
NammAzhwar or Tirumangai Azhwar.
Andal, being an Amsham of Bhumi Piratti is the epitome of compassion. This is glorified in the
Purusha Sooktam rk "HrIscha thE lakshmIscha pathnyoU". The term Hri denotes compassion-
Andal's compassion. Since Lord Narayana is the father of the entire universe, Andal as His consort
becomes the mother of the entire universe.
Her limitless compassionfor Her children (erring baddha jIvans, who are subject to a seemingly
endless cycle of births and deaths), who perform SharaNagati manifests itself in the form of Her
impassioned appeals to Lord Narayana to forgive their sins. The act of granting refuge to a
Prapanna is a yajna performed by Lord Narayana. The term Patni is reserved for exclusive use in
the context of yajna. Andal's elevated role in this yajna of protecting Prapannas is glorified in the
Bhu Sooktam Rk
"shrungE shrungE yajnE yajnEviBhishaNIi"
A remarkable feature of Andal's incarnation is the harmonious unison of theory and practice
underlying SharaNagati. We may remember that when Bhumi Piratti was rescued from the depths of
the ocean by Lord Narayana, in his incarnation as Varaha (jnAna Piran), her overwhelming
compassion for Her Children (errant baddha jivans) took the form of a question seeking the upayam
for redemption. The
response from Bhagavan Varaha is the famous Varaha Charma Shlokam, which briefly outlines the
theoretical principles underlying SharaNagati. We may observe that Swami Desikan dedicates an
entire Chillarai Rahasyam entitled "rahasya shiKhamaNi" to the discussion of the esoteric meanings
underlying the Varaha Charma Shlokam.
Not satisfied with this, Andal's extreme compassion for Her children is such that She undertook the
performance of the Vratam (nombu) of SharaNagati to llustrate the jiVatma -ParamAtma
relationship. The 30 verses of Tiruppavai contain a consummate description of this relationship,
which has been elaborated upon in the Upanishads and in the Bhagavad Gita. It is instructive to note
that recitation of Vedic hymns have significant restrictions in that one must be aware of the time and
place to recite these hymns. Furthermore, not everyone is qualified to recite these hymns. Only
Gruhastas can recite some hymns, while some are the privy of Sanyasis alone and so forth. Whereas
no such restrictions apply to the recitation of verses from Tiruppavai. Also, the Vedas are quite
cryptic in their reference to the margam of SharaNagati. Therefore, they are often termed as Marai
(that which is not visible to the naked eye). However, Andal being an Amsham of Bhumi Piratti
beautifully intuited the nuances and prescriptions of SharaNagati from the Vedas and described it a
simple-to-understand language using 30 delectable verses of Tiruppavai. The following important
messages are contained in this outstanding literary masterpiece.
(1) Every jivAtma is irrevocably the property of the ParamAtma, Lord Narayana, who is its Sheshi,
ruler, Swami.
(2) The existence and activities of every jivAtma are solely for the pleasure of Lord Narayana.
Andal illustrates (1) and (2) through the "ariyAdha piLLaihaLO"
salutation in the Tiruppavai.
(3) The surest way to restore the property (jivAtma) to its rightful owner is through the path of
unconditional, total surrender to the Lord's Lotus Feet, i.e., SharaNagati.
(4) The performance of sharaNagati is simply Atma vivAham, i.e., a wedding between the jivAtma
and the Paramatma.
(5) The rules underlying the performance of this nOmbu are clearly stated in the Tiruppavai. For
example, verse 2 elaborates on the yama and niyama exercises. The term yama means that which
must be given up, whereas the term niyama means that which must not be given up, i.e., that which
must be followed. Some of the rules contained here are significant in that they echo important
upanishadic messages. First, upon waking up one must recite the name of Lord Narayana-this seems
to be the basis of Swami Desikan's Vaishnava Dinasari, where he notes that upon waking up one
must recite the name Hari 7 times. Next, Andal discusses that which must be given up-neyyuNNOm
pAluNNOm. This is not interpreted to mean that one must give up partaking of ghee and milk.
However, it is merely an instruction that these should be partaken only upon offering to Lord
Narayana. Further, Andal discusses what must be given in charity.
(6) The thirty verses of the tiruppavai represent the condensed essence of the esoteric messages
contained in the three Srivaishnava rahasyams. The gist of these three rahasyams is that (i) Lord
Narayana is the supreme being-Tattvam (ii) Performance of SharaNagati (unconditional, total
surrender) at His Lotus Feet is the surest way of redemption-Hitam (iii) Upon performance of
SharaNagati,
one must take delight in performing Kaimkaryam for Lord Narayana, His Bhagavatas, and
Acharyas. Nithya Kaimkaryam at the behest and for the pleasure of the Divine Couple follows at
the end of one's earthly existence-PurushArtham
(7) It may be questioned as to what is the authority for performing this Nombu of SharaNagati?
Andal answers this through the salutation "melayAr seyvanagal", i.e. treading the path established
by elders. The reference here is to the mahOpakaram of Swami NammAzhwar-the Prapanna jana
Kootasthar, who established the efficacy of SharaNagati beyond doubt.
(8) The salutation "unakkE nAmATchaIvOm" is the condensed essence of the sAma vedam, which
glorifies Lord Narayana to the exclusion of all other deities.
(9) The glorification of Lord Narayana as dhamOdharanE is a succinct illustration of the Bhrahma
Sutra "janmAdhyasyayathOnvayAdhitharaThaschArthEshva vijnya svarAt"
Swami Desikan's Goda Stuthi seems to follow the path of Andal's 30 verses in letter and spirit.
Specifically, Swami Desikan's opening contains a surrender to the Lotus Feet of Goda ". In the
concluding verse of this Stuthi, Swami Desikan elqouently describes the fruit of this surrender
through the salutation "charaNa kamala sevAm shAshvatIm abhyupAishyan". The bountiful
blessings arising from the performance of SharaNagati are also described by Swami Desikan as he
echoes the message of Andal's "shara mazhai pOl" salutation in the Daya Shatakam verse "shArnga
DhanvAnukampa" It is instructive to note that in the war against Ravana, after the killing of
Indrajit, Ravana
was grief stricken and ordered his fiercest hordes of demons to launch a full scale offensive on Lord
Rama and the Vanara army. The Vanara army suffered heavy casualties as a result of this attack by
the asuras, who used the darkness of the night to full advantage. Lord Rama entered the fray at this
juncture and rained an unending stream of arrows from his bow, which effortlessly repelled the
attack of the Asuras. Adikavi, Valmiki, states in the Ramayana that the arrows came so swiftly from
Lord Rama's bow that it appeared as if a multitude of Ramas were present on the battlefield. This is
illustrative of the
fact that every baddha jIvan is unaware of its true swaroopam and is thus steeped in the darkness of
ignorance on account of its bondage to samsara by the rope of Karma. Sri Sookthis from Acharyas
bestow the light of knowledge upon the Baddha jIvan causing the baddha jivan to realize its true
swaroopam (eternal servitude to Lord Narayana), resulting in the performance of Prapatti. The
bountiful
fruits arising from the performance of Prapatti are akin to the copious stream of arrows from Lord
Rama's bow. This is indicative of the Vedic messages "tamasOmA jyOtirgamayA" and
'mruthyOrmA amruthanga mayA". The bliss arising from the performance of eternal Kaimkaryam
at the behest and for the pleasure of the Divine Couple is described in the VishNu Sooktam Rk "Tad
vishNO: Paramam padagam sadhA
pashyanthi soorayaha" and the Taittriya Upanishad salutations
"sa yEkO brahmaNa Ananda:", "AhamannAdO"
and the Chandogya Upanishad salutation
"na cha purnarAvarthathE na cha purnarAvarthathE".
Namo Narayana,
Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy
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3. ANOTHER WRITE UP ON ANDAL
BY SRI MADHAVA KANNAN SWAMI OF SINGAPORE
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Sri:
SrimathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya Namah:
Today Aug 1st is a Great day. The day of our Dearest Mother GodhA Piraatti's Thirunakhsthram,
Thiru Adi pooram- Sri AndAL's Birthday. BhUmi Piraati took the avatar as an ordinary girl
amongst us to bless us with rich, philosophical, easy-to-understand pAsurams of ThiruppAvai and
Naacchiyaar Thirumozhi (30+143 verses). She is so merciful that she sang the 30 verses that are
simply the essence and seed of all vEdAs.
Thiruppavai (30 verses) can alleviate all our enormous Greatest sins; They can show us the Lotus
Feet of Paraman (Sriman Narayanan) and bless us. They are the seed of all VedAs. Those who do
NOT know these 30 (5x5+5) verses of GodhA are simply burden to the Earth (BhUmipiraati - Sri
AndAL). (Let us pray to Her for granting us the determination so that we will recite these 30 verses
everyday morning POSITIVELY and NOT cause further burden to our dearest Mother
GodhAPiraatti- BhUmi Piraatti.) Let us meditate on the most compassionate and most merciful
Divine Godha PiraaTTi and surrender to Her Lotus feet.
Swami Desikan starts off the GodhAsthuthi, which is reported to have been sung by Swami, when
he was greatly captured by GodhA's Divine Beauty in the streets of Sri Villiputthur during a
procession (Uthsavam) on the day of which Swami was observing Mouna vratham (perhaps,
PradhOsham time).
GoDhA looked gracefully at Swami and her divine beauty appeared as if allured him to say "Hm....
Sing .. Come out..VedantaAchAryarE!" Swami had to break his silence and blessed us with the
most brilliant divine 29 excellent verses of GOdhAsthuthi. (one less than 30 pAsurams of
ThiruppAvai)
(Meaning ) : O GodhE ! I perform Prapatthi at Your sacred feet as one, who has no other recourse! I
have no one else to save me. You are the Kalpaka creeper adorning the Lord standing as the
auspicious HarichandanA tree in the flower garden of the Kulam of VishNuchitthA, your father. The
darsanam of You united with Your Lord tightly as the divine kalpakA creeper and the celestial
HarichandanA tree is a blessed sight to see. In Your infinite patience with the aparAdhis, You are
Bhumi dEvi and in your limitless compassion, You are like Maha Lakshmi Herself. I offer my
Prapatthi at your sacred, lotus feet as the one, who has no other means!
In the most famous, great Sri villiputthUr, (famous due to Bhattar Piraan?s place, with his
establishment of Parathvam and the Lord appearing with Mahalakshmi on GarudAzhwAn to
witness the grand celebration of his devotee VishNuchitthan - Bhattar Piraan), in Veyar kulam,
GodhA (Sri ANdAL) appeared in the garden of Sri VishNu chitthan in order to enhance its (Sri
villiputthUr?s) greatness to the greatest extent by Her appearance. She adorned herself with the
garland meant for Arangan (Lord Ranganathan) and then adorned the dhivya mangaLa vigraham of
the Lord! (which was actually preferred by the Lord!- please read the life of Sri ANdAL). She
lovingly and devotedly sang the 6 * 5 = 30 verses of ThiruppAvai and 143 pAsurams (verses) of
Naacchiyar Thirumozhi which starts with thaiyoru thingaL..
Swamy Desikan prays to her.. ?Oh GodhE! Please bless aDiyEn mercifully those bhakti laden
pAsurams of yours (namely ThiruppAvai and Naacchiyar Thirumozhi)..
Beautiful and simple: Maamuni says: Today is Thiruvaadipporam. Andal appeared only for us; She
sacrificed Her eternal Vaikunta enjoyment and living and appeared here as the human daughter of
AzhwAr. (What a compassion of Bhumi Piraatti!)
Let us pay our obeisance to Sri AndAL on Her Birthday and pray to Her for Her Most Merciful
Glances on us always to forgive us for all our trespasses and apachaarams/sins..
Let us make a sincere attempt to recite her ThirupPAvai everyday as it takes only 15 minutes to do
the same.
AndaL ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Namo Narayana
dAsan
Referring to the direction of her birthplace, he observes in the 11th stanza ?Oh! Gode! By your birth
the Southern direction itself became blessed as the best of directions, so that even while asleep,
Lord Ranganatha looks at your Avatara Sthalam.
Dik dakshinaapi pari pavitram upalabhyaath
Sarvottaraa bhavathi Devi thava avataaraath /
Yatraiva Rangapathinaa Bahumaana purvam
Nidraalunaapi nisatham nihitha: kataakshaa: //
Thondaradippodi Azhwaar described the supine posture of Lord Ranganatha saying that the Lord
had His head on the West, feet in the East, showing His back to the North, but was looking at the
South. But, he gives a different reason for this, saying that HE was looking at Lanka, the land of
Vibheeshana.
?Kuda dhisai mudiyai vaithu Guna disai paadam neetti
Vada dhisai pinbu kaatti then dhisai Ilangai nokki
Kadal nira kkadavul enthai aravanai thuyilumaa kandu
Udal enakku urugumaalo! Yen seigen ulagathhre!?
Swami Desikan, however, felt that the Lord could not take His eyes off the birthplace of His
beloved Andal and therefore, was facing South.(Before the Rajagopuram of Srirangam was built,
the Rajagopuram of Srivilliputtur was considered the tallest).
The Lord also seems to be enjoying the cool, refreshing and soothing Southern breeze called ?
thenral?.
What happens to those who do not know these 30 verses? They are verily a burden on mother earth
Remember that Goda is Herself Bhoodevi (mother Earth)
?Godai tamizh aiyaindum aindhum (5x5+5=30) ariyaadha maanidarai vaiyam sumappathum
vambu?
Like the holy basil with its natural fragrance right from its sprouting, Andal was immersed in the
fragrance of Bhakti right from the moment of Her appearance at the pit.
The 4th line reads: ?Perumpudur maa munikkup pinn aanaal Vaazhiye? meaning
?She became the younger sister of Perumpudur Maamuni (Bhagavad Ramaanujar). The period of
Andal was in 7c AD. The Sage lived from
1017 to 1137 AD. Is it not anachronism to call him the elder brother of Andal? This expression is
not historical but is figurative. It is said that Andal desired to offer the Lord of Tirumaalirumsolai, a
100 vessels of sweet pudding (Akkaara adisil). Bhagavad Raamaanuja is said to have fulfilled her
desire by actually offering the same on her behalf. The general practice in those days was that the
elder brother is the one who usually fulfills the desires of his younger sister. Thus, Perumpudur
Maamuni is deemed figuratively to be her elder brother.
The 6th line says: Uyar arangarkkE kanni uganthu alithaal Vaazhiye? meaning
?She happily gave Herself up to Ranganatha, the Supreme Lord?.
Andal hoped; She dreamed; She persevered; Now, Her hour of triumph had arrived. Indeed, Her
prophetic ?dream came true?. She married Lord Ranganatha. She offered not only the garland of
flowers (poomaalai) and garland of poems (paamaalai) but also She gave Herself up to the Lord.
Andal Herself refers to this prosperity of Srivilliputtur (which She imagines to be Ayarpaadi itself)
in several verses (cf Selva Sirumeergaal, Narchelvan nangaai, Vaiyathu Vaazhceergaaletc).
The last line reads: ?Vann Pugazh nagar Godai malar padangal Vaazhiye? meaning
? Hail the lotus feet of Goda of the prosperous city of Puduvai" (here, means Srivilliputtur).
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy