Tiruppavai
Tiruppavai | |
---|---|
← Periyalvar Tirumoli Nachiyar Tirumoli → | |
![]() Painting of Andal, Sri Appan Venkatachalapati Temple, Cheranmahadevi. | |
Information | |
Religion | Hinduism |
Author | Andal |
Language | Tamil |
Period | 9th–10th century CE |
Verses | 30 |
Part of a series on |
Vaishnavism |
---|
![]() |
Supreme deity
|
Important deities
|
Sampradayas |
Teachers—acharyas
|
Related traditions |
|
The Tiruppavai (Tamil: திருப்பாவை, romanized: Tiruppāvai) is a set of Tamil Hindu hymns attributed to the female poet-saint Andal.[1]
The Tiruppavai consists of thirty stanzas referred to as pasurams in praise of Perumal.[2] It is a part of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of the works of the twelve poet-saints called the Alvars, an important part of the devotional genre of Tamil literature. The Tiruppavai has also been translated into Telugu by Mullapudi Venkataramana as Melupalukula Melukolupu.[3] In this work, Andal calls upon to all people to recite the name and glories of Vishnu.[4]
Genre
The Tiruppavai belongs to the pāvai genre of songs. This genre referred to the Tamil tradition of unmarried girls performing rites and upholding a vow (vrata) of their performance throughout the month of Margaḻi.[5] This practice assumes special significance during Margaḻi: each day of this month gets its name from one of the thirty verses. There are references to this vow in the late-Sangam era Tamil classic anthology called Paripatal.[6]
Andal's thirty songs contain the cardinal principles of Vaishnavism during the month of Margaḻi. Andal assumes the guise of a cowherd girl in these 30 verses. Andal appears intent upon performing a particular religious vow to marry Vishnu and remain in his everlasting company, inviting of all her friends to join her to serve him with her.[7]
Theme
According to the religious hymns the symbolic undertone behind Andal's entreaty to her friends to wake up and seek Krishna subsumes the essence of the three basic mantras in the Vaishnava tradition — the Tirumantram, Dvayam, and Charama Sloka that signify the truth of the paramatma or the Supreme being who dwells in everything. There is a hidden meaning in the 27th pasuram, for example, where Andal explains the importance of an acharya whose guidance is mandatory for a disciple to get these trio of mantras.
The Tiruppavai is said to be 'Vedam Anaithukkum Vithagum', meaning it is the seed of the Vedas.[8] As the entire tree and the trees coming from it are hidden in the subtle seed, so is the entire essence of the Vedas is hidden in the Tiruppavai which can be revealed only under the guidance of an acharya or a guru who is well versed in Vedic scriptures.
This entire hidden essence is mentioned in the Andal's verses in the form of poetry.
Overview
The first five stanzas provide an introduction to the main theme, its principle and purpose. According to Andal, one should give up luxuries during this season. Sincere prayers to the God would bring abundant rain and thus prosperity. Offering Krishna fresh flowers would expiate sins committed earlier and those that may be committed in future.
In the next ten stanzas she describes the importance of community participation. She invites her friends to gather flowers. She essays the ambience at her village, the chirping of birds, colorful blossoms, the musical sound of butter-churning, herds of cattle with tinkling bells, the sounding of the conch from the temple.
She visits each household and awakens all her friends to join her for a bath in a nearby pond. She also praises the incarnations of the deity. The next five stanzas describe her visit to the temple accompanied by her friends. She desires to render a suprabhatham gently to wake up the deity. The group appeases the temple guards, enters the temple and recites prayers extolling the parents of Krishna and begging them to wake up Krishna and Balarama. Then they approach Niladevi, the consort of the deity, to have a darshana.[9]
The last nine stanzas are on the glories of the deity. On receiving his blessings Andal lists her demands; milk for the vrata, white conch, lamps, flowers, and rich costume and jewellery, plenty of ghee and butter. The concluding stanza is an envoie identifying her as the daughter of Vishnucitthar (Periyalvar) who made this garland of 30 pasurams and says those who recite with devotion will have Krishna's blessings.[10]
Verses and explanation
The Tiruppavai also includes three taniyans (literally, 'singletons' or standalone verses) composed by later authors to introduce older texts. The first thaniyan, 'Nila tungastana ... ' in Sanskrit was composed by Parashara Bhattar, and the next two taniyans, 'Anna vayal pudhuvai ... ' and "Choodi kodutha..." (translated below) were composed by Sri Uyyakondar.
Taniyan[11]
This song is a prelude to Tiruppavai and is one of the 3 taniyans.
Andal from the swan filled Puduvai,
Sang she, in her sweet voice,
Several enchanting sweet odes,
For being sung during,
The worship and adulation of Pavai.
They are but a garland to him,
From her who wore them first,
Before presenting them to Him.
Each pasuram (ode to Perumal) of Tiruppavai is generally named by the first few words of the religious hymns. These are given first and a translation into verse given then:-
Hymn name | Translation |
---|---|
1. Margaḻi Tingal | In this month of Margaḻi, On this day filled with the light of moon, |
2. Vaiyathu Vaḻvirgal | Oh, people of this world, Be pleased to hear of those penances, |
3. Ongi Ulagalandha | If we sing the praise of Him, Who grew big and measured the world, |
4. Aḻi Maḻai Kanna | Please obey our wishes, Oh rain God who comes from the sea, |
5. Mayanai Mannu | To Him the enchanter of all, To Him the son of Mathura in the north, |
6. Pullum Chilambina | Did you not hear alternate twittering birds making loud noises, Did you not hear the loud sound of white conch, |
7. Kīsu Kīsu | Did you not hear, Oh slow witted girl, The twittering sound of black birds of the morn, |
8. Kīḻ Vanam | The eastern sky has become white, The buffaloes are free to walk and graze, |
9. Tumani Madaththu | Oh my uncle's daughter, who sleeps, In the soft cotton bed, |
10. Notru Svargam | Oh lady fine, who has entered the heaven, Due to penance done in last birth, |
11. Katru Karavai | Oh daughter of the cattle baron, Who milks herds of cows, |
12. Kanaithilam Katrerumai | Hey, sister of the rich one, who owned, The mooing she buffalo with a calf, |
13. Pullin Vāi Kīndanai | The lasses have reached, The place of prayer for Pavai, |
14. Ungal Puḻakkadai | In the pond in the backyard of your house. The lily in the ponds have opened, |
15. Elle Ilam kiliye | "Hey, little bird, Are you still sleeping?" |
16. Nayaganāi Ninra | Hey, He who guards the palace of Nanda Gopa, Hey, who guards the ornamental door with flags, |
17. Ambarame Tannīre | Hey Nandagopa, who does good deeds and charity, Who gives water, cloth and food to others, |
18. Undhu Madha Kalitran | Hey, Who is the fair daughter-in-law, Of Nanda gopa, who has several elephants, |
19. Kuttu Vilakeriya | In the light of the oil lamp, On the ornamental four legged ivory cot, |
20. Muppatu Muvar | Please wake up Oh, deity, Who removed sorrow and fear, |
21. Etra Kalangal | Oh son of him, Who owned several cows, |
22. Angan Mā Jnalathu | Like all the famous kings Of the wide World, that is pretty, |
23. Māri Malai Muḻainjil | Like the majestic lion wakes up with ire, From the mountain cave in the rainy season, |
24. Anru Ivvulagam | We worship your feet which measured the world then, We worship your fame of winning over the king of Southern Lanka, |
25. Oruti Maganāi Pirandu | Being born to woman, And in the same night in hiding. |
26. Māle! Manivanna | Oh Vishnu, Oh lord who is like the blue sapphire, |
27. Kudārai Vellum | Hey Govinda, who is known for victory over enemies, |
28. Karavaigal Pin Chendru | Belonging to the ignorant family of cow herds, Drive we would the cattle to the forest, |
29. Chitram Chiru Kale | Please hear why, In this very early dawn, |
30. Vanga Kadal Kadaintha | He who sings with out error, The thirty odes in sweet Tamil, |
Recital in Thailand
In Thailand, an annual Giant Swing ceremony known as Triyampavai-Tripavai was held in major cities until 1935, when it was abolished for safety reasons.[12] The name of the ceremony was derived from the names of two Tamil Hindu chants: Thiruvempavai (a Shaivite hymn by Manikkavacakar) and Tiruppavai. It is known that Tamil verses from Thiruvempavai — poet pratu sivalai ("opening the portals of Shiva's home") — were recited at this ceremony, as well as the coronation ceremony of the Thai king.[13] According to T.P. Meenakshisundaram, the name of the festival indicates that Tiruppavai might have been recited as well.[14]
See also
References
- ^ K. K. Nair (1 September 2007). Sages Through Ages - Volume IV: India's Heritage. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4670-6410-1.
- ^ Rajarajan, R. K. K. (January 2017). "Samāpti-Suprabhātam – Reflections on South Indian Bhakti Tradition in Literature and Art". New Delhi: Sharada Publishing House.
- ^ Nadadhur, Srivathsan (27 December 2019). "Telugu touch to Thiruppavai goes digital". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ White, David Gordon (26 June 2018). Tantra in Practice. Princeton University Press. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-691-19045-7.
- ^ "Paavai genre of songs". ntyp.org. Archived from the original on 28 December 2001. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
- ^ "Importance of Tiruppavai". namperumal.tripod.com. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
- ^ "Vedas and Thiruppavai". The Hindu. 21 July 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ The Secret Garland: Antal's Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli. Oxford University Press. 30 September 2010. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-983094-7.
- ^ "Thiruppavai - OVerview". Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
- ^ "Thiruppavai" (DOC). ibiblio.org. Translated by Ramachander, P. R. Composed by Andal. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ M. E. Manickavasagom Pillai (1986). Dravidian Influence in Thai Culture. Tamil University. p. 69.
- ^ Upendra Thakur (1986). Some Aspects of Asian History and Culture. Abhinav. pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-81-7017-207-9.
- ^ Norman Cutler (1979). Consider Our Vow: Translation of Tiruppāvai and Tiruvempāvai Into English. Muttu Patippakam. p. 13.