51-641: Nachiyar Tirumoli ( transl. The Sacred Verses of the Woman ) is a set of 140 verses composed by Andal , one of the twelve Alvars in Sri Vaishnava tradition in Hinduism . In her restlessness and eagerness to attain Vishnu , Andal attempts various methods by which she can attain union with him, which forms the major part of work. Among the tirumolis , Vaaranam Aayiram is very well-known and has
102-607: A Tamil poetic style and Nachiyar means "woman". Therefore, the title means "The Sacred Verses of the Woman". This poem fully reveals Andal's intense longing for Vishnu, her divine beloved, whom she finally married. Utilising classical Tamil poetic conventions and interspersing stories from the Vedas and the Puranas , Andal creates imagery that is paralleled in all of the whole gamut of Hindu religious literature. These 140 pasuram s (verses) are organized in 14 segments and each segment
153-565: A banana fruit, petals of pink oleander flowers, a pinwheelflower are used to prepare this parrot. Andal composed two literary works, both of which are in the rich Tamil verse form and express literary, philosophical, religious, and aesthetic content. Her first work is the Tiruppavai , a collection of 30 verses in which Andal imagines herself to be a gopi , one of the cowherd girls known for their unconditional devotion to Vishnu's incarnation as Krishna. In Tiruppavai, Andal idolized Radha as
204-516: A devotee of Vishnu. She wears the garland before wearing it to Rangamannar in the Srivilliputhur Andal Rangamannar Temple. Periyalvar, who later found it by Andal's hair in the garland, is shocked, but Andal to the old garland and wore it to Vishnu and Vishnu turned into gold, the new garland tore and fell down. Vishnu appeared in his dream and told him to dedicate only the garland worn by Andal to him because when
255-488: A hymn that serves to commemorate or exalt the poet-saint who composed a given work. For instance, such a verse may hope for the poet-saint to live long, or for their names to be remembered for a millennium. The collection, once thought to have been lost, was organised in the form of an anthology by Nathamuni. Nathamuni was born in Veera Naarayanapuram (Veeranam) or present-day Kaattu Mannaar Koil. There
306-479: A pure lamp among the cowherd folk, the Damodara who brought name and fame to His foster-mother Yashoda! We shall approach Him in all purity, We shall strew pure and choice flowers at His feet and worship Him. We shall sing about Him and we shall unceasingly think of him: and thereby shall our sins, those already did and those we will do in the future, all of them will burn like cotton in fire. The second work by Andal
357-455: A special significance. It details Andal's narration of her dream of her experiences with her friends on her way to achieve her purpose of birth, which is to marry Vishnu. These 140 verses are a part of the 4000 divine hymns of Naalayira Divya Prabandham . The verses are classified into fourteen decads, namely, a prayer to Kamadeva for marrying Vishnu, a prayer to Vishnu to not to destroy a sand castle built by Andal, The stealing and returning
408-501: A woman, her fervor for Vishnu grew to the extent that she decided to marry only Vishnu himself. As time passed, her resolve strengthened and she thought constantly about marrying Ranganatha of Srirangam (the reclining form of Vishnu of Shesha in Tiruchirapalli ) and she married him as Rangamannar with she as Ranganayaki . Andal is Nachiyar. She writes Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli . In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Andal
459-670: A work which devotees of Sri Vaishnavism regard as the Tamil Veda. In many temples — Srirangam , for example — the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service. It is also recited in some North Indian Vaishnavite temples, such as Badrinath . The Divya Prabandham is recited along with the Vedas, and it is given equal status to the Vedas in the Tenkalai denomination of Sri Vaishnavism , largely due to
510-510: Is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars . It was compiled in its present form by Nathamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical compilation of the Tamil Alvars who lived between 5th and 8th Century CE, marks the beginning of the canonisation of 12 Vaishnava poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively today. The works were lost before they were collected and organised in
561-689: Is a incarnation of Lakshmi , the wife of Vishnu who marries him ultimately. Further, the poem describes Andal's glory in 30 verses written in the keśādi-pādam style, starting from her hair, going down her body till her feet. Mangalasasanam by Divyadesam : Andal has sung in praise of eleven holy sites: (Thiruparkadal) Naalayira Divya Prabandham Divisions Sama vedic Yajur vedic Atharva vedic Vaishnava puranas Shaiva puranas Shakta puranas The Naalayira Divya Prabandham ( Tamil : நாலாயிரத் திவ்வியப் பிரபந்தம் , romanized: Nālāyira Divya Prabandham , lit. 'Four Thousand Divine Hymns')
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#1732772883961612-434: Is a long time gap between Tirumangai Alvar (the last Alvar) and Nathamuni. In this dark period, nobody knew what happened to the 4,000 verses of the text. Legend has it that once Nathamuni heard some people reciting the cantos of Āravāmude of Nammalvar at Kumbakonam . Captivated by these pasurams (hymns), he wanted to know more about them. One of the verses also mentioned Āyiraththul Ippaththu ( Tamil : these 10 out of
663-860: Is also called Godha , and her contributions to the arts have created Godha Mandali (circle of Andal) in the Vaishnava tradition. Through poetry of saints (such as Andal) women are thought to be able to connect with Vishnu directly and those words are thought to encapsulate their personal emotions. Godha Mandali (circle) which was named after Andal was formed in 1970 and reorganized in 1982 spreads Andal songs widely through TV and radio programs. The group would gather weekly to learn songs and would sing at events such as festivals where they would raise money for shrines. In contemporary commentaries on Tamil bhakti poetry, A.K. Ramanujan 's work remarks on how many other religious traditions would keep and treat passionate love and devotion to Vishnu as separate, while in
714-574: Is also worshipped as a goddess because she is an incarnation of Lakshmi in the Sri Vaishnava tradition of the Indian subcontinent, and she is enshrined in all of the Vishnu and Lakshmi temples of the Indian subcontinent. The verses of the Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli are sung commonly in all the households and temples during the month of Margali (December - January). Andal's Vaaranam Aayiram
765-434: Is an ardent devotee of Vishnu and he used to string garlands to Vishnu every day. He was childless and he prayed to Vishnu to save him from the longing for a child. One day, he found a girl under a Tulasi plant in the garden inside Sri Andal Rangamannar Temple, Srivilliputhur . This child is an avatara of Lakshmi herself without any parents as a self created incarnation. He named the child as Godhai, who growed up as
816-464: Is both here and beyond, both tangible as a person and intangible as a principle-such is the nature of the ground of all being. It is not or, but both and; myth, bhakti, poetry would be impossible without the presence of both attitudes". Several contemporary interpretations view her act of marrying Vishnu as feminist. Divine marriages and virginity allowed women's subjectivity, as she is able to choose her husband, and given an "aristocratic freedom". It
867-534: Is called as a tirumoli . Each tirumoli deals with one specific topic. The first decad is a set of verses to pray to Kamadeva to get Vishnu as her husband. Andal expresses that she will die if she is married to someone else other than Vishnu. The second decad is a compilation of Andal's prayer to Vishnu, the preserver the sand castle she built on the Vaippar river. The third decad is the Vastrapaharana ,
918-498: Is celebrated as Panguni Uthiram in the Panguni month. Andal's hairstyle and ornamentation are unique to ancient Tamil culture . The tuft of the hair is bunned to the side and adorned with jasmine flowers and elaborate jewellery. Srivilliputhur Andal's hand-crafted parrot is made with fresh green leaves each and every day. This parrot is kept in the left hand of Andal. A pomegranate flower for beak and mouth, bamboo sticks for legs,
969-521: Is followed during modern times when the garland of Andal from Srivilliputhur Andal Rangamannar Temple is sent to Tirupati Venkateshvara Temple and Tirupati Padmavati Temple on Garudotsavam during the Tamil month of Purattaasi (September – October) and Kallalagar Sundaravalli Koyil during Chitra Pournami . Andal is also called as Nachiyar or Andal Nachiyar. Godhai is brought up by Periyalvar in an atmosphere of love and devotion. As Godhai grows as
1020-562: Is in lying in the hands of Vishnu, and loving with him: My life will be spared, only if he will come, to stay for me for one night, If he will enter me, so as to leave, the imprint of his saffron paste, upon my breasts, mixing, churning, maddening me inside, gathering my swollen ripeness, spilling nectar, as my body and blood, bursts into flower! Tell him I will survive, Only if he will stay with me, For one day, Enter me, So as to wipe away, The saffron paste, Adorning my breasts! (p. 140) Andal whilst admiring herself wearing
1071-471: Is included in Ilaiyaraaja 's score for Kamal Haasan 's movie Hey Rama , and Andal is mentioned as one of the lyricists for this song in this movie. Andal Andal ( ISO 15919 : Āṇḍāḷ), also known as Godhai , Nachiyar , and Godhadevi , was the only female Alvar among the twelve Hindu poet-saints of South India . She was posthumously considered an avatara of the goddess Lakshmi . As with
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#17327728839611122-525: Is possibly unparalleled in the whole gamut of Indian religious literature. In Nachiyar Tirumoli , Andal wants to marry Vishnu and she marries him as Rangamannar and says she would offer Vishnu 1000 pots of akkaravadisal when he marries her, which was later fulfilled by Ramanuja in the 12th century CE. Nevertheless, conservative Vaishnava institutions do not encourage the propagation of Nachiyar Tirumoli as much as they encourage Tiruppavai because Nachiyar Tirumoli belongs to an erotic genre of spirituality that
1173-602: Is remembered for her pure love and devotion. In the Tiruppavai, Andal, as a Gopi in Ayarpadi ( Vrindavana ), emphasizes that the ultimate goal of life is to seek surrender and refuge at Vishnu's feet. Ranganatha of Srirangam married Ranganayaki as Andal, both of whom miraculously went to Vaikuntha , the highest heaven. Her birthday is celebrated as Adi Puram during the Adi month and her wedding day and subsequent ascension
1224-484: Is said that Tiruppavai is the nectar of Vedas and teaches philosophical values, moral values, ethical values, pure love, devotion, dedication, single-minded aim, virtues, and the ultimate goal of life. Andal extols Vishnu's incarnation as Krishna thus in this text: My dear girls! You all know Vishnu's incarnation as Krishna, who was born in Mathura and who plays in the large waters of the river Yamuna, who shines like
1275-473: Is said that by devoting herself to Vishnu and rejecting to marry humans, she avoided the regular works involved with being a wife that would inhibit her freedom. In one of her poems, Andal says that her voluptuous breasts will swell for Vishnu alone, and hates the idea of marrying people, comparing that with the Yajnas made by Brahmanas being attempted to be violated by jackals and driven away and completed in
1326-565: Is sent to Srivilliputtur Andal for marriage festival of Andal. Andal garland is also sent to Madurai Kallalagar temple for the Chithirai Festival. In poetry, 8th-century Andal became a well-known Bhakti movement poet, states Pintchman, and historical records suggest that by 12th century CE she was a major inspiration to Hindu women in south India and elsewhere. Andal continues to inspire hundreds of classical dancers in modern times choreographing and dancing Andal's songs. Andal
1377-742: Is similar to Jayadeva 's Gita Govinda . Andal is one of the reputed poet-saints of the Tamils. Hinduism shows that she is a incarnation of Lakshmi to show humanity the way to Vishnu's lotus feet. In Southern India, representations of her next to Vishnu are present in Vaishnava temples, many temples also have a separate shrine for Andal. During the month of Margali , discourses on the Tiruppavai in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi take place all over India. The Srivilliputhur Andal Rangamannar Temple at Srivilliputhur consists of twin temples, one of which
1428-526: Is the Nachiyar Tirumoli , a poem of 140 verses. "Tirumoli" literally means "Sacred Sayings" in a Tamil poetic style and "Nachiyar" means Goddess. Therefore, the title means "Sacred Sayings of the Goddess." This poem fully reveals Andal's intense longing for Vishnu, her lover. Utilising classical Tamil poetic conventions and interspersing stories from the Vedas and Puranas, Andal creates imagery that
1479-513: Is to Andal and another temple to Rangamannar. There are a number of festivals dedicated to Andal, among the most notable being the Pavai Nonbu in the Tamil month of Margaḻi (December – January), Andal Rangamannar Thirukalyanam in Panguni , Pagalpathu, Rapathu, Adi Thiruviḻa , when Andal is depicted seated in the lap of Ranganathar. Andal is known for her unwavering devotion to Vishnu ,
1530-599: The Tirupallantu , a benedictory hymn written by Periyalvar, wishing long life to Vishnu. The hymns or songs sung by the Alvars dedicated to Vishnu are specifically designated the term pasuram in Tamil. The works that make up the Naalayira Divya Prabandham are usually preceded by a taniyan. A taniyan refers to a stray verse, also referred to as a laudatory verse, that offers a brief synopsis of
1581-437: The bhakti tradition, they can be in resonance with one another: "All devotional poetry plays on the tension between saguna and nirguna, Vishnu as person and Vishnu as principle. If he were entirely a person, he would not be divine, and if he were entirely a principle, a god, one could not make poems about him. The Vaishnavas, too, say that Vishnu is characterized by both 'paratva, 'otherness' and soulabhaya, 'ease of access'; he
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1632-502: The 1000). When Nathamuni enquired about the remaining 990, the people who sang the 10 did not know anything about the other verses. But as the song mentioned the name and place of the Alvar (Kurugoor Satakopan), Nathamuni proceeded to Thirukurugoor and asked the people there about Nammalvar 's 1,000 verses. The people did not know the 1,000 verses that Nathamuni wanted, but they told him about 11 pasurams (hymns) of Madhurakavi Alvar ,
1683-571: The Alvar saints, she was affiliated with the Sri Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism . Active in the 8th-century CE, Andal is credited with two great Tamil works, Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli , which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margali. Andal is a prominent figure for women in South India and has inspired several women's groups such as Goda Mandali. In literary and religious tradition, Periyalvar
1734-532: The arms of Vishnu, making love to him: My life will be spared, Only if he will come, To stay for me for one night, If he will enter me, So as to leave, The imprint of his saffron paste, Upon my breasts, Mixing, churning, maddening me inside, Gathering my swollen ripeness, Spilling nectar, As my body and blood, Bursts into flower! William Dalrymple- In search of Tamil Nadu's poet-preachers. Quoted from Feminism and world religions by Arvind Sharma, Katherine K. Young: "What Andal and other women poets did by living
1785-536: The clothes of the Gopis done by Vishnu in his Krishna avatara, Andal securing union with Vishnu, Andal requesting a cuckoo to call Vishnu, Andal's wedding and reunion with Vishnu, Andal eulogising Vishnu's Panchajanya and Sudharshana , Andal sending clouds to call Vishnu and she successfully calls him, Andal's sadness of separation from Vishnu, Andal seeking help to attain Vishnu, and in praise of Ranganatha and Ranganayaki . Tirumoli literally means "sacred verses" in
1836-525: The efforts of Ramanuja who enshrined the Divya Prabandham on the same pedestal as the Vedas. Prominent among its 4,000 verses are the over 1,100 verses known as the Tiruvaymoli ("verses of the sacred mouth"), composed by Nammalvar (Kaari Maaran, Sadagopan of Alvarthirunagari Temple ) and which forms the third portion of the overall Divya Prabandham . Nammalvar self-identifies as a lovelorn gopi pining for Krishna . The compendium begins with
1887-587: The eighth day of the Tamil month of Aadi . For Tirupati Brahmotsavam , garlands worn to Andal in Srivilliputhur temple are sent to Tirupati Venkateshvara Temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh . These traditional garlands are made of tulasi, sevanthi and sampangi flowers. These garlands are worn by Venkateshvara during the Garudaseva procession. Every year, Tirupati Venkateswara's garland
1938-625: The end. In the process, she wins finally, and finally in Patti Meindor Karerur Tirumoli , the fourteenth tirumoli , she marries Vishnu as an incarnation of Lakshmi . Some of Andal's verses express love for Vishnu, written with bold sensuality and startlingly savage longing, hunger and inquiry, that even today many of her most desirous poems in Nachiyar Tirumoli are rarely rendered publicly. In one such verse, Andal dispenses with love and shows that she herself
1989-643: The forests, and in another verse she dedicates her swelling breasts to Vishnu who carries a conch and a discus. Feminist interpretations look at some of Andal's verses as her open acknowledgement of her love for Vishnu, written with bold sensuality and startlingly savage longing, hunger, inquiry as widely found in Tamil Sangam literature that express women's longings and their separation from their men which ends in their union; even today, her most desirous poems are rarely rendered publicly. In one such verse Andal dispenses with metaphor and imagines herself lying in
2040-609: The form of an anthology by Nathamuni. The Divya Prabandham sings the praises of Narayana ( Vishnu ) and his many forms. The Alvars sang these songs at various sacred shrines known as the Divya Desams . The Tamil Vaishnavites , also known as Ubhaya Vedanti follow both the Sanskrit Vedas ( Rigveda , Yajurveda , Samaveda , and Atharvaveda ) as well as the Tamil-language Tiruvaymoli ,
2091-564: The garland which was meant for Vishnu, The guilt glazed love lay on Andal's breasts, Thick and heavy as him. Frightened with force, And locked away, she conjured him every night, her Vishnu, her god. My surging breasts long to leap to the touch of his hands which hold aloft the flaming discus and the bright conch! Coax the world-measurer to caress my waist, to encircle the twin globes of my breasts! In one of her poems, Andal says that her voluptuous breasts will swell for Vishnu alone, and hates mating with humans, comparing that with
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2142-487: The ideal gopi and also invoked the gopis of Vrindavana . Rukmini is a form of Lakshmi , who is accorded the status of the supreme consort of Vishnu in Sri Vaishnavism. In these verses, she describes the yearning to serve Vishnu and achieve happiness not just in one lifetime, but for all eternity. She also describes the religious vows (pavai) that she and her fellow cowherd girls will observe for this purpose. It
2193-482: The life of the Alvar poet, a summary of the themes of the hymns, and emphasises the merit gained from the recitation, listening, or reading of the given text. It serves to glorify both the hymns as well as the composer of the hymns. Six taniyans precede the Tiruvaymoli, the most of any text in the compendium. Following the customary recitation of the hymns of the work, a vāḻi tirunamam is chanted. This refers to
2244-565: The new garland was put on Vishnu's idol, it fell down but when the garland was worn by Andal, Vishnu turned into gold. Godhai is named Andal and was referred to as "Sudikodutha Sudarkodi Nachiyar", meaning the woman who wore and gave her garland to Vishnu as an incarnation of Lakshmi. Periyalvar took Andal to the Ranganatha Ranganayaki Temple in Srirangam and Lakshmi as Andal married Vishnu as Rangamannar. The practice
2295-562: The option to avoid childbearing, male domination and live a new life of devotion to deities. Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagar Dynasty composed the epic poem Amuktamalyada in Telugu , which is considered as a masterpiece. Amuktamalyada translates to one who wears and gives away garlands , and describes the story of Andal, the companion of Periyalvar . Amuktamalyada describes worries of separation experienced by Andal, who
2346-404: The playful story in Vishnu's Krishna incarnation's life when he took away garments of the gopikas and then telling him to get them back, for which he gives all of them back and they wear all of it. The fourth decad has poems where she expresses her union with Vishnu. Kuyil Pattu forms the fifth decad where Andal tells a cuckoo to sing in praise of Vishnu and the cuckoo sings so. Experts attribute
2397-514: The preserver god. Adopted by her caretaker, Periyalvar, Andal avoided earthly marriage, the normal and expected path for women of her culture, to marry Vishnu, both spiritually and physically. In many places in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu , Andal is treated more than a saint and as a form of god herself and a shrine for Andal is dedicated in several Vishnu temples. Thousands of people from
2448-512: The sacrificial offerings to the deities made by Brahmanas being attempted to be violated by jackals in the forests and be driven away and completed finally, and in another verse, she dedicates her swelling breasts to Vishnu who carries a conch and a discus. The hymns of the Naalayira Divya Prabandham are regularly sung in all of the Vishnu and Lakshmi temples of the Indian subcontinent daily and also during festivals. Andal
2499-466: The state of Tamil Nadu participate in the "Aadi Pooram" festival celebrated in the Andal Temple. After early morning special pujas, the presiding deities, Sri Rengamannar and Goddess Andal are taken in decorated palanquins to the car. The festival marks the adoption of presiding deity, Andal, by Periyalvar after he found her near a Tulsi plant in the garden of Rangamannar Temple at Srivilliputhur on
2550-670: The verses to Pancharatra Agamas , a type of worship books used in Vaishnavite temples. The sixth decad indicates her dream to marry Vishnu according to the rituals in her and Vishnu's marriage. The eighth tirumoli called Vinneela Melappu and it deals with Andal telling the clouds in Srivilliputhur and sending them as her messenger to Vishnu, who is present in Tirupati . The remaining ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth tirumolis are dedicated to different things done by Andal to speed up her union with Vishnu which happened finally in
2601-412: The way they did was to negotiate a space within a marriage-dominated society and made at least some sections of society make room for them". Andal fulfilled the expectation of becoming a wife by marrying Vishnu, but since her husband is a god, she gained her freedom. This act is referred to as virginal feminism by numerous scholars in patristic and matristic theology. Virginity is viewed as giving women
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