Andal’s Nacchiyar Thirumozhi

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About the Author

The author of this book Sri Venkeepuram Rajagopalan born in a middle class orthodox family that had its moorings in Kancheepuram a heritage temple town, before migrating to the city of Madras.

Sri Rajagopalan is a retired Govt. servant with a successful career spreading over a span of 36 years. He is a pensioner of CSIR under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. During the tenure of his service, before retirement, he has served as Senior Finance and Accounts Officer at Central Leather Research Institute, National Aerospace Labs, and National Geophysical Research Institute. He was nominated in 1986 as a member to the All India Sub-group for Computerisation of Finance records in CSIR and also as one of the prime Co-ordinators for building up of interfaces of various software packages.

Sri Rajagopalan has published in 1974 Goda’s Garland of Songs (Tiruppavai) a maiden attempt. And, it was received well as an “effective transcription of mystic vibrancy of Goda”. He has also to his credit metaphysical and religious poems and articles. These were published in Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanam Bulletin (The Pilgrims Way, Oct. 1959). The Bhavan’s Journal, The Call Divine, Sapthagiri ete.,

The “unique rendition” of “Andal’s Tiruppavai (Sublime Poetry of Mysticism) with brief introduction and select suggestive, short notes, was published in December 2003 (Margazhi, Subhanu) ... ISBN 81-902979-0-2. And this was welcomed as a “gift to Srivaishnavism in the English· Language”; We loose ourselves in the Goda Devi’s poem rendered in English; “a unique and different from anyother study”, etc., etc.

Foreword

I am immensely delighted to write this note of appreciation on the English metrical rendition of Andal’s Nacchiyar Tirumozhi presented by Sri U.Ve. Vankeepuram Rajagopalan. His style reflects the spirits of the original and brings out the depth of the emotional outpourings of the lady saint in a commendable way. Andal (alias Goda), the foster daughter of Sri Vishnuchitta (Periyazhvar) is the only lady saint in the galaxy of Azhvars. Her longing for union with the Lord of Her choice Lord Ranganatha (sometimes called Rama, Krishna,Venkata and so on) is intense, natural and uninhibited. Her love for the Lord is that of an innocent, simple, sweet, young girl stepping into fresh youth. Her language is archaic, but artlessly beautiful, marvellously mellifluous and mysteriously mystic. Catching the beauty and spirit of the original is a difficult task for any translator. It is a tight rope-walk. I am happy to note that Sri U.Ve. Vankeepuram Svami has attained unqualified success in this difficult attempt. That he has chosen English as the medium is all the more laudable, since he is eager to convey the beauties of the original to a wider audience across the globe. That he employs the metrical pattern to catch the beauties of the original is all the more laudable.

The Nacchiyar Tirumozhi in 143 Pasurams may be described as the acme of bridal mysticism. It has no equal in the whole gamut of the Srivaishnava Bhakti-literature, stemming as it does, from the depths of the heart of a girl who was destined to become the chosen bride of the Lord. In the words of the present translator, “this is an ecstatic spiritual autobiography”. Many are already aware of the beauties of the Thiruppavai. The Nacchiyar Tirumozhi, being its sequel, may be described as the companion volume of Tiruppavai. The intensity of the love of Andal, her fertile imagination, poetic ravings, quick and apt reminiscences of anecdotes from the Itihasas and the Puranas, her messages of love through flowers and birds, clouds and sea, and ultimately, her vision of the Lord in Brindavan are very moving and capable of transporting an ardent reader, to the world of divine experience, alongside Goda.

I congratulate Sri Vankeepuram Swami for his perfect portrait of Nacchiyar. His masterly handling of the brush and his choice of colours have brought Goda “live” within the frame of this translation. The portion describing the dream of Andal marrying Krishna, entitled Varanamayiram may be desrcibed as the pinnacle of bridal mysticism. The translator has done an excellent job in rendering this portion with brilliant touches of light and shade. In his introduction Sri Vankeepuram Swami has rightly stated that this is the spiritual marriage (atma-vivaha), which a young girl of 15 had with the Divine Spouse. He has provided valuable relevant information in the form of cross-references to other Azhvars and to a number of modern saints and philosophers. The Select Suggestive Short Notes he has provided at the end is of immense value to all students and teachers of the texts. The glossary and bibliography are extremely valuable. This work, in short, is bound to be an inspiration to all astikas in general and to students of the Srivaisnava bhakti literature, in particular.

Preface

God’s bride Gda. Known as Andal, the fondling daughter of Vishnu Chitta (Periyazhvar) gifted us two immortal poems viz., Tirupavai and Nacchiyar Tirumozhi. These reveal the uniqueness of bridal mysticism, successfully practised by Sri Andal in all their colourful briliant facets and glory. She was the only Azhvar who became the consort of the Lord. The generic name Andal has become the distinctive appellation of Sri Goda Devi and speaks volumes of her spiritual eminence ever shining as guiding star of bridal mysticism.

Tiruppavai is a sublime poem of 30 stanzas. In this we come across marvellous blend of artistic excellences, metaphysical symbolism, religious articulations and devotional fervour in simple and innocent pastoral environment, par excellence.

Whereas, Nacchivar Tirumozhi, a fairly long poem in 143 verses consisting of 14 cantos, is aesthetically beautiful, mystically vibrant, graciously devine and takes us to the great heights of Love Transcendental. It also shapes us to be the worthy sons, becoming self-less and self-forgetting servitors of the Lord, diligently and intently pure. to walk in the splendorous path of self- surrender. (Saranagati).

Nacchiyar Tirumozhi brings out varicoloured emotions and pathos; describes tragic circumstances of cruel separation; expresses tender hopes and grave fears; keen anguish, the orison of union; earnest appeals to the spouse with the help of cloud, rain, sea, cuckoo, et. al. It also bursts-forth irksome stress; anxious moments of long wait; mild rebukes and caressing chides; joyance of connubial pleasures; playful mischiefs of mysteriously mystic Lord which reminisces the glorious episodes of puranas like Sri mad Bhagavata, Vishnupurana and epics Ramayana and Maha-bharata: and in short, transports us in the canoe of Vaikuntan’s grace, to the synthesis of heavenly bloom!

It is indeed a difficult task to render in another language the out-pourings of Azhavars, particularly of Sri Andal with all emotions and mystic vibratons. But I am upheld and encouraged by the traditional view that if one speaks about Ramayana or Bhagavata or Gita, with all humility, however inadequate one’s ability is, the pious noble listeners who are already influenced by these would tolerate him. And I hope and believe that my humble effort of rendering Nacchiyar Tirumozhi, may perhaps be acceptable with all its merits and demerits.

“A translation to serve its purpose”, says Dr. Radhakrishnan, “must be clear as its substance will permit. It must be readable without being shallow, modern without being unsympathetic. But no translation can bring out the dignity and grace of the original. Its melody and magic of phrase are difficult to re-capture in another medium. The translator’s anxiety is to render the thought, but he cannot convey fully the spirit.”

But, it is Andal’s grace bestowed on me to render Nacchiyar Tirumozhi also in vers libre form and style, as she guided me to render and publish Tiruppavai, about two years ago.

It is only due to her grace benign, Dr. Prema Nandakumar and Prof. M. Narasimhachary could spare their precious time to persue the script and provide me, excellent, enriched and enthusiastic Foreword for whcih act of kindness, I am deeply indebted to them.

Introduction

It is indeed a resolute fact that spirituality is a firm faith in the awareness of the Supreme Power (God) as the transcendental and also as the immanent spiritual reality. For “Faith” is as much a faculty of man as “reasoning” is. It enables one to step out and feel free from what is empirical in mundane world.

The scriptures inform us that the Transcendent being is truly the one who is the God-head whom mankind knows and loves, for, He is with man and is revealing Himself to man. God created the universe, and entered into it or rather, is entering into it to keep it going on the path ‘righteousness’. His incarnations have only revealed that He is immanent at once while remaining transcendent.

“He is the swan seated in the midst of light;

the Lord of wealth seated in the mid region

the priest seated by the altar, the Guest seated in the house;

The Dweller among men, the Dweller in the noblest place,

the Dweller in Eternal Law, the Dweller in the

infinite sky; born of water, born of light,

born of Eternal Law, born of the mountain,

He is the Eternal Law

“The beginning of the verse may suggest a material phenomenon, the sun surrounded by bright light. But soon it becomes apparent that the swan is a symbolic term, signifying the Ultimate Being; and the idea expressed is that of the supremacy and all pervasiveness of the Divinity. Finally the idea goes from the concrete to the abstract: He is in Eternal Law: He is the Eternal Law”

_ A study in the realm of mysticism will reveal the facets of truth, though it is rather difficult to understand the various phenomena. And yet more difficult it is, to realise the underlying factor of bridal mysticism.

Bridal mysticism in its pure form is as lofty as loftiness can be. It stands for an undivided loyalty and exclusive devotion to the Lord and intense longing for union with Him.

The bridal mysticism has its unique value as well as its peculiar dangers. The devotee who is an adept in this type of mysticism considers himself or herself to be the bride of God.

In the course of such a study we come to know that the soul is said to be passive in the case of mystics; and passivity is certainly not a state of inactivity or lassitude. The will is neither in abeyance nor are the faculties inert.

In the process, the entire faculties of man are directed towards one centre though expressed in different ways. It opens the realm of consciousness at higher planes. It narrows down completely through intense concentration of one’s will to a focal point. It appears as if there is a wide opening for a pined soul to receive from what the loved one has to give; of course with all piety, tension, poises, trials and tribulations, pangs of separation, re-union and intimacy that gets developed between the two.

In such a path divine as we proceed we come across the life sacred of Sri Goda Devi otherwise known as Andal, the only woman Azhwar of the twelve Vaishnavite mystics of South India.

Azhwar is written also as ‘Alvar”, Azhwar and “Alwar”, Azhwar the word as such refers to the supreme devotee of Lord Vishnu. It literally means “one who sinks or dives deep”. Goda’s life was one of shining example for bridal mysticism. She being a woman could bring out the feelings and aspirations of a Lady pining for Lord in ecstatic expression that leads to rapturous harmony in her own inimitable way.

Sri Goda Devi was the fondling daughter of Vishnu-Chittar known as Periyalwar. As the tradition goes, she was found in the basil (Tulasi) garden of Periyalwar.

Traditional account runs thus: “In Srivaikuntam, Sri Narayana got up from His yoganidra and was in the company of His three consorts, Sri Lakshmi, Sri Bhoo Devi and Sri Neela Devi. Sri Bhoo Devi asked the Lord as to whom He loved most on earth. He replied that He loved the one who was desireless and constantly thought of God sans selfishness and without expecting any benefit for his/her work done.

Sri Bhoo Devi prayed that she should be born on earth to serve Him to sing His praise and later to become one with Him. The Lord ordained that she become a child in a pit below the Tulasi (basil) plant in the flower garden of Sri Vishnu Chittar, since he was childless.

And when Periyalwar found the child, incarnate of Bhoo Devi, in his garden while gathering flowers to make garland to offer it to the Lord Sri Vata-Patra-Sayee in the temple, it was the year Nala and the month Adi (Ashad) on the Suklapaksha, Chaturdasi Thithi, when the star Pooram (Purva Phalguni - 11th Stellar mansion) was ruling. He brought her up in the most sublime and spiritual atmosphere.

The tradition has it that the date of birth of Sri Goda was 98th year of Kali yuga i.e., it is said to be the beginning of Fourth millennium B.C. i.e., around 3005 B.C. Whereas the modern scholarship ascribes with the help of internal evidence available in Alwars’ hymns and historical inscriptions discovered and correlated well, that Sri Goda’s descendency in the world as 716 A.D. and she wrote her priceless work Tiruppavai In 731 A.D.

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