mArgazhi thingaL

SrI:

SrImatE rAmAunjAya nama:

SrImath varavara munayE nama

In her first pAsuram, AndAL glorifies the element of time. At a deeper level, AndAL’s glorification of the auspicious time of mArgazhi is a sublime illustration of the significance of kainkaryam. Below are glimpses of thiruppAvai vyAkyAnam for select words of the first pAsuram that are relevant to the context.

The illustrious mArgazhi

“சைத்ர: ஸ்ரீமாந் அயம் மாஸ:” என்று ஒரு ஸ்மருத்தியைப் பார்த்துக் கொண்டாடிற்றிறே.

 "பாவநஸ் ஸர்வலோகாநாம் த்வமேவ" என்றும்; பும்ஸாம் த்ருஷ்டிசித்தாபஹாரிணம் என்றும்; 

பெருமாள் பொன்முடி சூட, காடு பூமுடி சூடிற்று.

mArgazhi is celebrated as the most illustrious month of the year.  This time of the year is perfect in climate - it is neither too cold (nAthishIta) nor too hot(nagharmada). The onset of mArgazhi denotes the commencement of uttarAyaNam for dEvatAs, which is the start of morning (brahma muhurtam) for devatAs. Further, SrI geethAchAryan says, “mAsAnAm mArghashirsha: aham”- ‘Of the months, I am mArgazhi”.

AndAL finds this time to be the most befitting for the commencement of her kainkaryam of observing the pāvai nonbu vratam for emperumAn and hence she glorifies the kAlam as “nannAL”. 

“nannAL”

முதற்பாட்டில் இந்நோன்புக்கு ஒரு காலம் நேர்படுவதே என்று காலத்தைக் கொண்டாடுகிறார்கள். ப்ராப்யம் பிராபகம்ஸங்கரஹமென்றுமாம்.மார்கழித்திங்கள்- ஒழிவில் காலமெல்லாம் என்றும்,  “அநாதிர்பகவாந் கால: (எதிர் வழிபுக்கு)”என்றும் சொல்லுகிறபடியே பகவத்விஷயத்தில் இவனுக்கு ஆபிமுக்யம் பிறந்தால் ,பின்னை, அவன்றன்னையல்லகாணும்கொண்டாட அடுப்பது;

To drive home the importance of mArgazhi, our poorvAchAryAs beautifully cast light on different instances where kAlam (time) is glorified. The kAlam in these places is glorified owing to the birth of bhagavath sambandam.

chiththirai vaibhavam-

“சைத்ர: ஸ்ரீமாநயம் மாஸ:” என்று ஒரு ஸ்மருத்தியைப் பார்த்துக் கொண்டாடிற்றிறே. 

பும்ஸாம் த்ருஷ்டிசித்தாபஹாரிணம் என்றும்; பெருமாள் பொன்முடி சூட, காடு பூமுடி சூடிற்று.

SrI rAma pattAbhishEkam

“chaitra: SrImAn ayam mAsa: punya: pushpitakArana ”- The chiththirai month is glorified as “SrImAn” (divine and auspicious) in SrI rAmAyaNam. Just like how SrI rAman is the first and oldest among his brothers, the chiththirai is the first among the twelve months. The month of chiththirai obtains its auspiciousness from the occasion of Sri rAmA’s thiru-avatAram and paTTAbhishEkam, both of which took place in chiththirai.  On account of SrI rAmA’s thiru-avatAram, the residents of ayOdhyA were blessed with bhagavath sambandam.  And, on account of SrI rAma pirAn’s paTTAbhishEkam, SrI rAma took to protecting his thonDargaL- the ayOdhyAvAsigaL. Hence, the month of chiththirai is celebrated as divine (punya:) and pleasurable (bhOgyam). During this time, even the flowers and leaves extraordinarily bloomed out to be able to do kainkaryam to SrI rAma by way of adorning his beautiful thirumEni- here, the ornamental paraphernalia (alankAra vasthu) such as flowers and plants enslaved themselves to grace emperumAn’s radiant tirumEni, which by itself doesn’t warrant any adornment.

akrUra’s spiritual enlightenment-

“anAdhirbhagavAn kAla:”-  emperumAn has been continuously endeavoring to show his special anugraham on the jIvAtmAs for infinite ages. When, at the appropriate time, the jIvAtmA realizes emperumAn’s nirhEtuka kaTAksham, bhagavath Abhimukhyam is born. During this time, he favorably accepts bhagavath viShayam and does not deny sath viShayam. Subsequently, he desires to please emperumAn by doing kainkaryam.  

akrUra visits kriShNa

In this context, the example of akrUra is stated. akrUra served as a minister for kamsA. Disturbed about the fact that none of the asurAs sent to kill kriShNa were successful in their mission, the ill-wishing kamsA ordered akrUra to go and invite kannan and balarAman for a wrestling contest (vil vizhA). While akrUra understood kamsA’s evil intentions, he thought to himself, “adhyame saphalam janma suprabhAtA cha mEnishA”. For akrUra, the order of kamsA was indeed a divine blessing in disguise. Deeply touched in ecstasy, akrUra considered this particular day to be the advent of the real morning for him, for all the past days of his life were nights of ignorance. akrUra had led a life in subservience to kamsA and had eaten the food given to him by the means of kamsA and hence, akrUra cherished the opportunity of meeting SrI kriShNa. It is said that the most auspicious time was conferred upon akrUra for he was bestowed with emperumAn’s special kaTAksham, which wiped off his kArmic vAsanAs owing to his interactions with the demoniac Kamsa. Here, kAlam (time) is honored owing to the advent of bhagavat darShanam and sambandam.

“madhi niraindha”

“madhi niraindha” refers to pournami (full moon) day. “ApUryamAnE pakshE punyE nakshatrE”- per the shAstrAs, any auspicious event must be conducted on a suitable paksham (shukla paksham), nakshatram and titi.

ALavandhAr

In this context, it is explained that when revered elders and SrIvaiShnavAs desire and decide to do sath kAryam, an auspicious day automatically arrives without having to look for any. “hrdayash cha vaidikA: tvadIya gambhIra manOnusArina:” (SrI ALavandAr’s stOtra ratnam)- vEda vAkk i.e.vEdic utterings/injunctions simply follow the footsteps of adiyArgAL vAkk. Likewise, when the AndAL/gOpIs decided to perform the pAvai nOnbu vrata to attain emperumAn, the pournami day automatically came by for the initiation of the ceremony.

TRANSLATED from the works of Īrāyirappadi (SrI. Āijananyāchāryar SwAmi), Mūāyirappadi (swAmi Periyavāchchān Piļļai) & Ārāyirappadi (swAmi Azhagiya Manavāļā Perumāļ Nāyanār).  

  

 AndAL thiruvadiklaey sharanam | emperumAnAr thiruvadikaley sharanam