Tiruppavai 06

21-12-25 | Bhagavatha , Gopika , Tiruppavai , Dashavatara , Bala Leela

In another ten verses, Andal wakes up devotees of Krishna to participate in the austerities for the rains.

 

It is said that something good, like the joy of experiencing Krishna, should not be enjoyed alone - it should be shared and enjoyed with many.

 

The first Gopi is very young and a novice in devotion to Krishna. Andal slowly tells her to wake up.

 

“O’ Gopi, get up! Don’t you hear the birds chirping? Don’t you hear the sound of the conch from the temple? Don’t you hear the slow chanting of ‘Hari, Hari’ by the many yogis and ascetics? You have to make an effort to experience Krishna anubhava. He is an embodiment of Rasa.”

 

Andal gently tells the young Gopi about the Lord’s different manifestations as

 

Param (the primordial cause of creation),

Vyuham (his four forms as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumba and Aniruddha in the cosmic ocean),

Vibhavam (his avatars on the earth as Rama, Krishna etc.,), and

Antaryami (his presence in every soul) and Archavatara (his worship as deities in various temples).

 

Andal expands on the Krishna avatar with Putana samhara and Shakatasura vadha. She says Krishna’s deeds are atimanushyam - super human. But still, even Arjuna, a close friend of Krishna had to be shown the Vishwaroopa.

Tiruppavai 05

 20-12-25 | Bhagavatha , Gopika , Tiruppavai , Damodara

The Mayavi.

 

Everyone has a doubt. 

Does God talk to us? Does he mingle with us like normal folk? Can he sit amongst us to chat and have a conversation with us? Will he play with us? He answered all this with his avatar as Krishna - pure Joy. He also restores dharma. 

 

Andal calls Krishna as Maayavi. She elaborates the power of his Maya. He jumps out of a pillar as Narasimha, goes to Mahabali as Vamana and transforms into Thrivikrama, and now incarnates as Krishna, living amongst the cowherds.

 

That’s the wonderful power of Maya. He leaves his comfy snake-bed in Ksheerasagara and chooses Mathura as his home. It is here that Krishna does wonders — he played with everyone in the banks of the Yamuna. When the scriptures were searching for the Supreme, he enriched them with complete Brahmanubhava (the experience with the divine).

 

He chose to be with the cowherds and became a leading light of that community. The gopikas were overjoyed and celebrated Krishna for having chosen to be with them all. Above all, he allowed himself to be tied to a grinding mortar by his mother, Yashoda — showing that he can be won over by love. 

 

Now Andal tells the young gopikas about the ways to worship Krishna. She stresses primarily on purity of the mind. She says Krishna is here, as the antaryami. Where you are. A place which is pure and clean is where god resides. We need not go anywhere in search of him. The gopikas do not know how to string a garland. They just collect different flowers from the plants and offer it gently at his feet. 

Andal says one can sing his glories folding their hands (Anjali) and thinking about him in the mind. When the prayer is sincere, all their sins in the past, present and future will be erased without a trace like dust on fire. 

Antaryami