/aum namO nArAyaNAya |
This is Part 2 of the Review of the book:
Book: /saGkat/tamiZ mAlai in (/tamiZ) by
PrapannA Tirumati Kotai Venkatapathy
192 pages + 18 pages of Introduction
Price: In India Rs. 100; in the U.S. $10.00.
Author &Publisher: PrapannA Tirumati Kotai Venkatapathy
Also available with (/SrI aZhagiya singar maTam (/SrI ahObila /maTam)
Address: Tirumati Kotai Venkatapathy
India: M 106/8, 29th Cross Street
Besant Nagar
Chennai 600 090
Ph. 4464516
E-mail: kothaiv@xxxxxxx
Address: Smt. Vishnu Venkatapathy
U.S.A. 5206 Quail Ridge Drive
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
E-mail: vishnupriya_vp@xxxxxxxxxxx
2. STRUCTURE OF /SrI vaishNava WORSHIP: /artha paJcakam
The /rahasya/tryam is the essence of the /vEdAhs in /SrI vaishNavism. We saw in
the previous posting how the book under review on /tirup/pAvai addresses all
three securities of /rahasya/trayam in the same order maintaining the theme of
/tiru/mantiram as a central current flowing through the 30 /pAcurams, The
relationship with the Lord being inalienable is present both here and in the
hereafter. /prapannA tirumati kOtai focuses as the main theme of her research
the request of the young girls to be in the personal service of the Lord here
on Earth now and in the many births to come. The concern for rebirth and
liberation from /samsAraH has yielded to the new /paRai: a Declaration from the
Lord Himself that the girls and others worshipping Him shall have the Blessing
of serving Him personally. The end (upEyam or /prApyam) has shifted
dramatically from Heavens, /SrI vaikuNtam or parama/padam to the Earth, this
birth and the series of rebirths to follow.
This shift in focus is a consequence of the way the Lord’s /avatArAHs have
evolved. In order to fully grasp the significance of the new declaration, we
have to understand what personal service to the Lord means. For this we need to
take a look at the structure of /SrI vaishNava worship. /prapannA tirumati
kOdai again and again returns to the central goal of /tirup/pAvai and /srI
vaishnavism, namely the first security ever-present in the relationship between
the /jIvAtmaH and the /param/AtmaH: “Be secure that you have an inalienable
non-dissolvable bond with Me” .
These structures of the relationship between the /jIv/AtmaH and the
/param/AtmaH are collectively called /artha paJcakam (Five Structures); they
are classified under five headings (Pp.33-39). They are at the core of worship
in /SrI vaishNavism. The five structures are:
1) /param/Atma sva/rUpam (/pAcurams 1-5: p.33): Representations of the Lord
2) /jIvAtma sva/rUpam (/pAcurams 6-15: p.35): Representations of the
/jIv/AtmaH
3) /SaraNa/gati as /upAyam (/pAcurams 16-22: p.36): Submission and Surrender
4) upEyam (/pAcurams 23-27: p.36):Means, and
5) /UZ/vinai (/pAcurams 28-30: p.36): or relationship to /prakruti. The
/UZ/vinai, for example, may act as obstacle. That is why, /SrI ANDAL sings in
/pAcuram 29: /maRRai nam kAmaGkaL mARRElOr empAvAy: Convert our tendencies for
personal pleasures to the gift of making You pleased with our service.
On pp. 33-38, the /prapannA authoress discusses in detail how the five
structures of the /artha paJcakam are set forth in /trup/pAvai. In a book
review, it is not possible to go over the beauty and order of the structures. I
will deal here with the second structure on /jIv/AtmaH. But before we enter
into it, we need to see the role of /tirup/pAvai in the life of /bhagavat SrI
rAmAnujaH. The connection is important to understand the significance of the
giant step that /SrI vashNavism and social reform took under /bhagavad SrI
rAmAnujaH.
What stands out as unique in /tirup/pAvai is the concept of fellowship. Social
participation, social reform, and social progress are the concepts that propel
/tirup/pAvai to the forefront. Item 4 of the concluding summary of /prapannA
tirumati kOtai’s research findings states: “It is shown [in this research] how
the spirit of social participation, a life of devotion, and the way of life are
set forth in the two works of /SrI AnDAL (/tirup pAvai and nAcciyAr moZi)”.
Social dynamics and caring for our fellow beings is a major theme in
/tirup/pAvai situated appropriately within the structural framework outlined
above (P.191).
It is not an accident that /bhagavad SrI rAmAnujaH is called /tirup/pAvai
jEEyar (P.175). For like /SrI AnDAL he also took the Lord to one and all. The
statement by /bhagavad SrI rAmAnujaH, “Acaiy/uDayarkk/ellAm, AriyarkAL,
kURUm” appears on p.7 of the book. Through this command commanding his
disciples, “Take this [tirumandiram] to all those who desire it”, /bhagavad SrI
rAmAnujaH brought the message of /SrI vaishNavism to one and all. It is also
/em/perumAnAr who christened tirup/pAvai as /kOdO[u]panishat. It is also /SrI
rAmAnujaH, who named /SrI ANDAL as /pattu AZVArkaL/uTAya sAra bhUtai. That is,
/SrI ANDAL is the Being formed of the Substance of the ten /AZVArs.
/periy/AZvAr is excepted from this list of ten /AzvArs, because he was also the
/guru of /SrI ANDAL. From this, it is clear that /SrI ANDAL is unique among the
/AzvArs by virtue of the ideas and philosophy encapsulated in /tirup/pAvai.
The idea of meaningful social participation is not possible without
understanding the structure named /jIv/AtmaH sva/rUpam, the second structure in
the /artha paJcakam. The /jIv/AtmaH is not one, but many, while the
/param/AtmaH is Only One. So when we speak of the ordered pair (/param/AtmaH,
/jIv/AtmaH), we are not talking of one pair, but many pairs. Thus the form of
worship must take into account the intricate nature of this structure. Since
worship is awakening the consciousness of the dormant soul (p.35), and taking a
bath is akin to baptism of the awakened soul, the form of worship must arouse
within the individual /jIv/AtmaH, the relationship or bonds of that individual
/AtmaH not only to the /param/AtmaH, but also to other /jIv/AtmaHs. Without it,
there is no structure, as we will be studying only one pair (one /nara,
/nArAyanaH) and the many /kalyANa/guNAHs of the Lord along with perhaps some of
the opposing attributes of the individual /jIv/AtmaH, /kAmam being one of them.
How to then create a form of worship, which calls the individual soul to become
actively conscious of the other /jIv/AtmaHs? /tirup/pAvai is perhaps the only
work in the /nAlAyira divya prapantam that produces the answer to this
question. That is the claim of the /prapannaH authoress (Pp.24-29). The
foundations of social progress lie in the conscious worship of this second
element of the /artha paJcakam.
In /pAcurams 6 through 15 /SrI ANDAL brilliantly gives a structure to this form
of social worship (p.35). Singing /tirup/pAvai and participating in the
ceremonial bathing in the prescribed manner as a group produces the desired
fellowship structure. In these /pAcurams, /SrI ANDAL brings to the surface of
active consciousness ten forms of /cEtanarkaL (/jiv/AtmaHs) and calls upon
three representatives of the Lord’s Kingdom: /aiSvary/Arthi, /arth/Arthi, and
/jnAn/Arthi (P.35): One who desires the Lord’s Favors, one who prays for
meaningful wealth, and one who requests emancipating knowledge.
Moreover, the call to society cannot stand alone as a secular act. Thus this
structure involving the plurality of the /jiv/AtmAHs must necessarily follow
after a discussion of /param/AtmaH. The worship first awakens in the assembled
/jiv/AtmAHs the consciousness that each one is secure through the bonds of the
/param/Atmah to it and the many individual /jIv/AtmAHs; second, the the worship
presents the dynamics of action to reconcile the plurality into a wholesome
unit through the /paRai principle. This must be an /upAyam not just for the
individual /jIvaTmaH, but for all the /jIvAtm/AHs assembled for worship, as
well as those not assembled for the worship to whom the call for worship is
extended. Then the rewards are presented as /upEyam or /pRapyam for ONE AND
ALL. Then the obstacles and the slippery roads are posted. Thus the form of
worship addresses the five structures in a gradative organized manner, drawing
upon the consciousness of the worshipper. This /SrI ANDAL builds all the
structures in an organized manner in a mere 30 /pAcurams, where children are
involved preeminently in the singing.
The prapannA authoress thus makes a claim as to the uniqueness of /SrI ANDAL’s
/tirup/pAvai as a form of worship that places emphasis on the awakening of the
soul to society and its nature among others. In fact /Sri ANDAL devotes 5, 10,
7, 5, and 3 /pAcurams to the respective structures of the /artha paJcakam. The
maximum number is devoted to the second structure involving not only the
individual but also society, and how society is secure, when it is conscious of
the relationship expounded as /rahasya/tryam (/pAcurams 1, 28, and 29).
The above reasoning is part of the argument as to why /tirup/pAvai is
/vEdam/anaittiRkkum vittu ---- a seed to the /vEdam including the drAviDa
vEdam, /nAlAyira divyap prapandam. The /divyap prapandam forms the core in
/tamiZ of /SrI vaishNava sam/pradAyam. The principle and practice of fellowship
is fundamental to the /SrI vaishNava philosophy. For example, SrI ANDAL’s /guru
and father /SrI periy/AZvAr himself as a leading missionary of his times makes
an invitation to people to join his /kuZu (group: /periy/AZvAr tiru/moZi 3) and
/kuZam (association: /periy/AZvAr tiru/moZi 4).
/SrI ANDAL uses a classical word /saGgam for the association of fellows
(/tirup/pAvai 30). The 30 /pAcurams in /tirup/pAvai being songs sung in chorus
as part of fellowship offerings, /SrI ANDAL christens her songs as a garland
offered in public to the Lord. It is shown in Chapters 6 and 7 (Pp.40-60), how
the name /saGgat/tamiz mAlai encompasses in a single expression four major
ideas: (1) /tirup/pAvai is a seed for the /vEdAHs and in particular it is a
seed for the classical tradition of the /nAlAyira divyap prapandam; (2)
/tirup/pAvai is an offering of garland in the /tamiZ classical tradition where
a garland to the Lord is composed by flowers of songs (/nAma kIRtanai); (3)
/tirup/pAvai is an offering made to the Lord in public as part of a ceremonial
gathering of fellows in the classical tradition of /tamiZ /caGgam; (4)
/tirup/pAvai is sung as /ARRup/paDai. An ARRUp/paDai generally sings the glory
of a person, and in the process conduces to the well-being or redemption of the
singer by showing the person the path to happiness and salvation. /tirup/pAvai
sings the glory of Lord /krishNa in all His aspects and is a boon giver
blessing the singer.
/prapannA tirumati kOtai uses the word /kUTTam to indicate /saGgam (/iyal 6,
pp.40, 41). Other words she cites are /kOTTi (/gOshTi: /periy/AZvAr), /kuZAGgaL
(/kurukUr saDakOpan, alias /namm/AZvAr), and the expression: /Eka svAt na
bhuJcita --- Tasty food (/bhagavd anubhavam) is not to be enjoyed as a single
person. On p. 62 and again on p.191, we see that /tirup/pAvai is an
/ARRup/paDai and is a passport to life and salvation Here on Earth and the
Hereafter.
The qualifications of /tirup/pAvai for bestowing happiness here on Earth are
further supported by two lines of argument: (1) /SrI ANDAl herself is an
incarnation of /bhUmi/pirATTI --- Mother Earth (pp.11, 13); (2) /SrI ANDAL
demonstrated by personal example that “the bonds between the /jivAtmA and the
/paramAtmA are inalienable and that in order for her as jiv/ATmA to realize
these bonds explicitly, she asked the Lord for everlasting personal service to
the Lord, obtained the same, and realized the exaltation of the soul”. Thus by
presenting herself as a realized model for /SaraNagati, SrI ANDAL exemplifies
the carama slOkam. /tirup/pAvai then is a formula for /SaraNagati; it is /vEdam
anaittiRkkum vitt/Akum: A seed for all the /vEdAHs.
/prapannA tirumati kOtai presents further support for her findings through the
Lord’s /avatArams and His message for our /kaliyugaH, the Age of Afflictions.
We will see her argument and further applications in the next and final posting.
/vantanam.
/nalan/tarum collai nAn kaNDu koNdEn, nArAyaNA ennum nAmam.
Visu
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