Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Sri Andal was found by Periyalwar in his Tulsi
Garden; he used to pick flowers from this garden to make beautiful garlands for
Lord Vatapatrasayee. Sri Andal was born in 9th century – Adi Month –
with the birth star Pooram – An incarnation of Sri Boodevi Thayar.
Periyalwar was an ardent devotee of Lord Ragamannar and a self-less
devotee of Lord Vatapatrasayee. He makes beautiful garlands for Lord on daily
basis and present before Him. One day, while plucking flowers from his
garden, he happened to listens the cries of a baby. He rushed towards the
Tulsi shrubs. There he found a stunningly beautiful baby girl.
Periyalwar took the baby affectionately and brought up her. He named her
‘Andal’ (Godha). The baby girl assisted her father in plucking flowers
and making garlands for Vatapatrasayee. Andal grew up listening to the
glories of Lord Krishna. She attentively listens to His childhood pranks
and she imagined herself as one of the gopis – childhood friends of Lord
Krishna. Slowly and steadily Andal’s undivided devotion towards Lord
turned into desire to attain him as her husband. She imagined herself as
Gopi, Srivilliputhur as Gokulam and the villagers as Gopis. Her yearning
for Lord Krishna had no bounds. She composed ‘Nachiyar Thirumozhi’ and
‘Thiruppavai’ out of her longing for Lord Krishna.
Once, there
arrived an orator to give speech about Lord Krishna and happened to describe
the ‘Markazhi Nombu’ (fasting) to attain Lord Krishna’s grace. The little
girl Andal earnestly paid attention to the rules for fasting should be followed
and assembled her friends encouraged them to observe Markazhi
Nombu. During the Month of Markazhi , Andal raise in the early morning and
enthusiastically knock at the doors of her friends to take bath in the
river. Her ‘Thiruppavi’ beautiful and divine compositions are
exciting and it grabs the attentions of everyone. The thirty songs under
the title ‘Thiruppavai’ is totally mesmerizing and enthralling.
Witnessing the vivacious acts of Andal, her father started to worry about the
girl. Whenever Periyalwar remind her about her marriage, she replies with
innocent remarks ‘I want to marry only Lord Krishna’. It added
Periyalwar’s worries about his dearest daughter, eventually people
started criticizing at her devotion to Lord.
As the
years passed by, Periyalwar continued to serve Lord Vatapatrasayee with fresh
flower garlands every day. As usual, one day Periyalwar kept ready fresh
garlands for Vatapatrasayee and rushed to attend his chore. Andal
furtively hurried to the place where her father kept the fresh flower garland
and took it in her hand. She stood dreamingly before the mirror and wore
the garland around her neck. She imagined herself marrying to Lord
Vatapatrasayee and kept the garland back on its place. Periyalwar naively
took the garland and went to temple. He handed over the garlands to the
temple priest. The temple priest inspected the garland and called
back Periyalwar ‘ Your garland is not fresh today, there is a long hair
entwine with this. So please take it back.’ Periyalwar shocked to
hear this. His face reddened with anger, he came rushing to home.
There he found his lovely girl anxiously waiting to see his father back.
Thus, Andal has another name too ' soodikodutha Sudar Kodi'. She
was waiting to hear from her father that the garland she had already worn by
her was accepted by Lord as a sign of acceptance to the marriage between
them. She was fully engrossed with the thoughts of Lord; she
envisioned her marriage with Lord Vatapatrasayee.
All of a
sudden, there appeared Periyalwar in a rage questioned her in harsh words and
yelled at her. Abruptly, Periyalwar went to take bath, moved to collect
fresh flowers from the garden and started to construct garland all over
again. Periyalwar
approached the priest with confidence regained and handed over the garland to
him. When the priest moved closer to the idol of the Lord with garland on
his hand, a mysterious voice demanded ‘Bring the garland which was worn by
Andal. I don’t need this fresh garland anymore.’ At this, Periyalwar
astounded and rushed back home. There, he found his lovely girl in tears,
she was crying to Lord for rejecting her proposal for marriage that she was
dreamt from her childhood. Periyalwar informed about the miraculous event
happened at the temple. He rushed back to the temple holding the garland
in one hand and Andal in the other.
Periyalwar
rushed to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple weeping as he had committed an
unforgivable sin. He expressed his grief before Vatapatrasayee and lamented
at his sin of offering used flowers to Lord. Andal was crying silently
and stood before the idol. She convinced herself that she did not commit
any mistake. It was her long cherished wish to marry Aranganathar.
She was already made up her mind and gracefully walked towards the idol as if a
married woman approaching her husband. Periyalwar looked at her
lovely daughter and both exchanged their views at a glance and offered farewell
to each other. Within a blink of an eye Andal disappeared from the sight
and a mysterious voice heard ‘Andal is mine Periyalvar. You need not
worry about her’.
Sri Andal composed enthralling verses
praising the glories of Lord Narayana in her famous work Nachiyar Thirumozhi
(143) and Thiruppavai (30).
Thiruppavai Pasurams with meanings:
Kamalamudan Villiputhur Vilangavandhal Vazhiye !
Karar Nattruzhaikana Avatharithal Vazhiye !
Vimalamam Thiruvadi Poorathal Vazhiye !
Vishnuchithan Valarthedutha Ilamkizhaiyal Vazhiye
!
Amala Thiruppavai Aiyyaru Alitharulval Vazhiye !
Aga Noottraindhu Moonuraithal Vazhiye !
Amudanam Aranganukke Malayitral Vazhiye !
Andal Tham Inaiyadigal Anavartham Vazhiye !
Thiruvadipoorathu Jagathudhithal Vazhiye !
Thiruppavai Muppathum Seppinal Vazhiye !
Periyazhvar Petredutha Pen Pillai Vazhiye !
Perumpudur Mamunikku Pinnanal Vazhiye !
Oru Nootru Narppathu Munnuraithal Vazhiye !
Uyar Aranganukke Kanni Ugandalithal Vazhiye !
Maruvarum Thirumalli Vala Nadi Vazhiye !
Van Puduvai Nagar Kodhai Malarpadhangal Vazhiye !
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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