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காதல் நிறைவேறாது வருந்துபவருக்குப் பாதுகாப்பான
மடல் ஊர்தலைவிட வலிமையான துணையே இல்லை!
Mrs. RR., I read this post a few days back and wanted to share a few lines from two Prabhandhams by Thirumangai Azhvar called Siriya Thirumadal and Periya Thirumadal. In these two, the Azhvar, taking on nAyakI bhavam, declares "she" is going to ride the madal because her lover, Sriman Narayana, is ignoring her. These two poems are among the most mellifluous of Azhvar pasurams. Please permit me to submit a few comments from these two madals of Thirumangai Azhvar.
At the very start Azhvar declares that his love is for the Archa moorthees (for SVs, there are five kinds of avatharas, all equal, full, and complete, and one of them is the idols we see in temples and at hoomes). He is so much in love with the experience of love for these archa moorthees, he says he does not even care for the lord in parama padam, i.e. Sri Vaikuntam. In fact he says Sri Vaikuntam is a sorry excuse for the pleasure he derives from the adulation of earth bound archa moorthees. Here is what he says about the two.
"ஏரார் முயல் விட்டு காக்கைபின் போவதே"
For a hunter after meat, rabbit is an easier catch yielding sumptuous tender meat, and in contrast a crow is hard to hit and yields only scraps.
Taken over by what Azhvar says,
"கடல்போலும் காமத்தராயினார்" the desire for union with "her" lover (a metaphor for mOksham, SVs explain), Azhvar says one becomes oblivious to any shame. This is how "she" describes that state.
"வாரார் வனமுலை வாசவதத்தையென்று ஆரானும் சொலப்படுவாள், அவளும் தன் பேராயம் எல்லாம் ஒழிய பெருந்தெருவே தாரார் தடந்தோள் தளைக்காலன் பின் போனாள், ஊரார் இகழ்ந்த்திடப்பட்டாளே..."
This is a reference to a lady who followed her lover openly along the main street to the taunts of the general public.
In the course of "her" expression of ocean of desire for Sriman Narayana, the Azhvar observes that the practice of மடல் ஊர்தல் is forbidden for women among the Tamils, yet "she" says she does not care, she still wishes to openly do it for all to see. Here is what "she" says:
"அன்ன நடையார் அலர் ஏச அவ் ஆடவர் மேல் மன்னு மடல் உரார் என்பதோர் வசகமும் தென் உரையில் கேட்டு அறிவதுண்டு, அதனை யாம் தெளியோம், மன்னும் வடநெறியே வேண்டினோம்"
All this is interspersed with some of the most exquisite poetry on the beauty of various Archa Moorthees of Sriman Narayana.
Finally "she" ends both the short version and the long version, with a determined declaration that "she" will ride that madal for all to see, such was the deep love "she" had for her beau, Sriman Narayana.
The short version ends with:
"ஊரார் இகழிலும் ஊராது ஒழியேன் நான் வாரார்பூம் பெண்ணை மடல்!"
and the long version ends with:
"உன்னி உலகறிய ஊர்வன் நான் முன்னி முளைத்து எழுந்து ஓங்கி ஒளி பரந்த மன்னிய பூம் பெண்ணை மடல்!"
It is this captivating poetry of Azhvars that took me down to the depths of piety in what I call my "poorvashrama". If only we can live in delusion, I would never want to leave the company of Azhvars.
Cheers!
. . . :blah:
by the way, I am going to not be that active for a while.. I will catch up a bit later.. I might read some, but may not comment that much.. Take care.. 
out: