(Late Dr BKS Varma’s painting, Karnataka)
‘Nila tungastana … ‘is beginning of Tiruppavai thanyans. The Thiruppavai also includes three thaniyans (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 thaniyans, ‘Anna vayal pudhuvai … ‘ and “Choodi kodutha…” (translated below) were composed by Sri Uyyakondar.
Taniyan by ParAsara bhaTTar
neeLaa thunga sthana giri thadi padi suptha mudhbOdhya krishnam paaraarthyam sthvam sruthi sada siras sidhdham adhyaa bhayanthee| svOchchishtaayaam sraji nigaLidham yaabalaathkruthya bungthE gOdhaa thasyay nama idamidham bhooya Evaasthu bhooya: ||
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. On the breasts of such a woman does the Ayanukku Ayan Lord
Sri Krishnan rests his head and sleeps. Sri PiLLai lOkam jeeyar compares Lord Sri Krishnan resting on Sri Nappinnai to the dazed state of a person who has taken poison; This denotes the bOkthruthvam (enjoyment) of nappinnai by the Lord. thungam denotes loftiness, the superlative. PiLLai lOkam jeeyar says thungam enradhAlE aLaviRandha BOgyathA dhishayam sollu kiRathu’- boundless enjoyment. sva uchchishtAyAm -soodik kaLayappatta – worn and removed(by Sri ANdAL),sraji – garland, nigaLitham – handcuffed. She handcuffed Him with the garland that was worn by her and after that worn by the Lord. Sri PiLLai lOkam jeeyar says ‘ The one who cuffs everyone with karma gets cuffed by the garland that was worn by this girl” – an example of His swatantriyam.
Sri Uyyakkondaar Arulicheydhathu
anna vayal pudhuvai aandaal arangaRkup
pannu thiruppaavai palpadhiyam – innisayaal
paadik koduththaaL naRpaamaalai poomaalai
soodik koduththaaLaich chollu.
Recite the name ANdAL, who was born in Srivillipuththur (where swans roam the fields), and who adorned Renganaathar with a garland of pAsurams (pAmaAlai – thirup paavai), and garlands of flowers. Our poorva AchAryAs interpret that in this thaniyan Sri uyyakkondaar delivered that reciting the name “ANDAL” is better than reciting her paasurams. It is well conceived in adiyEn’s anubavam that in thiruppAvai, Sri ANDAL mainly talks about Lord Sri Krishnan. Then how is it possible that Sri uyyakkondAr refers to Sri ANDAL adorning Sri RengnAathar with pA mAlai (garland of “pA” or pAsurams or poems) and poo mAlai (garland of flowers)?
Law professor and eminent columnist
Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu, author of 63 books (in Telugu and English), Formerly Central Information Commissioner, Professor of NALSAR University, Bennett University (near Delhi), presently Professor and Advisor, Mahindra University, Hyderabad. Studied in Masoom Ali High School, AVV Junior College, CKM College, and Kakatiya University in Warangal. Madabhushi did LL.M., MCJ., and the highest law degree, LL.D. He won 4 Gold Medals at Kakatiya University and Osmania University.
