Tiruppavai 01

 

Tiruppavai 01

16-12-25 | Bhagavatha , Gopika , Tiruppavai

Introduction:

 

Andal is an avatar of Bhoodevi. 

She was found by Periyazhwar or Vishnuchitta - an avatar of Garuda, in a Tulasi grove.

He brought her up as his daughter. Vishnuchitta offered garlands for the Lord Vatapatrasayee in Srivilliputtur. Andal used to wear the garland, admire herself in a mirror and keep it back in the basket before Vishnuchitta took it to the temple.

This happened every day. Vishnuchitta discovered this practice of Andal. Admonishing her, he offered a fresh garland for the Lord, removing the one worn by her. That night, the Lord appeared in his dream and said that he liked the garlands worn by Andal and asked Vishnuchitta to continue the practice.  

 

Describing the greatness of Andal, Sri Parashara bhattar (of Srirangam) says that Andal handcuffed Krishna with her garland, and announces her subservience to Krishna, as mentioned in the scriptures. He praises Andal’s ecstatic devotion, and says he prostrates to her again and again and surrenders to her. 

 

Among the avataras, Krishna’s was the most lovable, and especially easily accessible one. Most of the azhwars (drowned in Bhakti) composed verses praising the pastimes of Krishna. Andal’s avatar was exclusively  to propagate the devotion to Krishna and servitude to him. He is not sleeping somewhere in the milky ocean. He has made himself accessible to all of us. He is amongst us, here and now. Andal decides to wake up all the sleeping souls. She leads them all to Krishna in Gokula and wakes him up from his pretended sleep and seeks his blessings. 

 

Tiruppavai 01 

 

Composed by Andal, Tiruppavai is a step by step approach in the path of love. 

 

The grammar of Bhakti.

 

She begins by asserting that Narayana is the only refuge. 

 

She creates a scenario, where everyone imagines to be in Gokula, with the entire family of Krishna in her own village of Srivilliputtur. Yashoda, Nandagopala, the gopikas, the cows etc., 

There was a drought in Gokula. The elders decide to have some austerities to propitiate Varuna, the rain god. She takes the lead in a vow to propitiate the rain god Varuna for rains. 

 

“Let’s have our bath early morning. We need a drum, as an instrument for the austerities.”

 

Any pretext to have access to Krishna. Andal’s vow will continue for a whole month, when she will reveal the ultimate objective of the vow.