The Significance of Markazhi Month !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

The holy month Dhanur/Markazhi is an propitious month to worship Lord Sriman Narayana at the early hours of dawn.  Sri Andal sung praising the glories of Lord in her sacred nectar like composition ‘Thiruppavai’ consists of thirty Verses.  Sri Andal was born in Srivilliputhur was the daughter of Periyalwar a staunch devotee of Lord Vadapatra Sayee.  She was found in a Tulsi garden, Periyalwar brought up her with great affection and divine love for Lord Vadapatra Sayee.    Her divine love for the Lord turned into greatest liking towards Him to attain Him as her husband.   Sri Andal emphasizes the importance of Markazhi Nombu in the holy month of Markazhi and the importance of austerities one has to follow to attain the Lotus feet of Sriman Narayana in her beautiful composition ‘Thiruppavai’.

 

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Life of Sri Andal !! Part IV !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

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’.

 

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Life of Sri Andal !! Part III !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

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. 

 

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Life of Sri Andal !! Part II !!

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 9^th 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. 

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Life of Sri Andal !! Part I !!

Jai Sriman Narayana!!

Srimathey Nigamandha Desikacharyaya Nama:

 

 

Sri Vishnuchitha Kula Nandana Kalpavallim

Sri Rangaraja Hari Chandana Yoga Drushyam

Sakshath Kshamam Karunaya Kamalami Vanyam

Goda Ananyasarana: Saranam Prapadhye

 

Thiruvadipuram is the birth star of Sri Andal, an incarnation of Sri Boodevi Nachiyar.  Andal was born in Thiruvilliputhur (Shembakaranya Kshetram) in Madurai, it is situated  in Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu.   This is one of 108 Divya Desam of Lord Vishnu.  Significance is that, this is the birth place of Sri Periyalwar and Sri Andal (Godha).   Periyalwar (Vishnuchithar) was born in 9^th Century – Aani Month – with the birth star Swathi and was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu’s celestial vehicle – Garuda - Nithyasuri.

 

The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Vatapathra Sayee – in His reclining posture with His consorts Sridevi and Boodevi Nachiyars.  Sage Brigu and Sage Markandeya also presents on the Head and Feet of the Lord respectively.  At the time of deluge (Pralaya) Lord Vishnu undergoes Yoganidra on a Banyan tree leaf. Thus the Lord Vishnu came to known as ‘Vatapatra Sayee’.

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!