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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00057 Dec 2002

 
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Dear Smt Nappinnai,

I am attaching a recent post of mine to Bhakti-list
dealing with the question of why Andal was considered
greater than the Azhvars?

It was based on extracts from several vyakhyanams to
Thiruppavai by our pUrvAchAryas.

Periyavaccan Pillai starts out in 3000padi by saying 
that Andal is far greater than other Azhvars. (Andal 
to Periyazhvar and Periyazhvar to other Azhvars is 
like mountain to atom in each case). Then he asks 
why? And follows up with the following reasons: 
1. Azhvars saw Him after He woke them up; Andal woke 
Him up and explained her problem. 2. Just like Sri 
Lakshmana, right from her birth she was submerged in 
the bhagavat guNas 3. Unlike a man liking a man, it is 
natural for a woman to like a man. 4. Her bhakti to 
Him is greater than that of Azhvars.

2000padi starts with the same comparison as 3000padi.
The reasons given are: 1. She is the only child of the
10 azhvars and received their knowledge as stree 
dhanam. 2. Azhvars got divine knowledge from Him while
she went and gave divine knowledge to Him (that is, 
woke Him up and presented her case). 3. Andal (who 
is attached to Periyazhvar) is like Madhurakavi Azhvar, 
unlike other Azhvars who are like Sri Lakshmana, and 
Periyazhvar who is like Sri Bharatha. 4. Like Lakshmana, 
she was attached to Him right from birth.

4000padi presents the following reasons: 1. From her 
ten fathers (Azhvars), she received knowledge as stree 
dhanam. 2. Azhvars destroyed their natural bhAvam and
took on a stree bhAvam while she had stree bhAvam 
naturally. She did not have to take on that bhAvam 
(anyApadesha). 3. She had greater qualities than 
Azhvars (He gave her His beauty and guNa), while the 
pirAttis gave her their svarUpa and svabhAva. 
Therefore, unlike her fathers (the Azhvars) her 
femininity was not made, but natural. 4. She too, 
however has a anyApadesha which is taking on the 
gOpika bhAvam. Their kulam is one that is close to 
Him, as in "kulam tharum" pasuram.

Andal Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan

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