The Divine Devi Andal’s Poetry: One of Our Great Alvars

Andal composed two significant works in her short life. Both are in Tamil and are unique in their literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic content. Her contribution is even more remarkable considering that she was a teenage girl when she composed these poems, at a time when there is no other record of Tamil women composing poetry. Far from being the prattlings of a youngster, Andal’s verses display a literary and religious maturity far beyond her years.

Her first work is the Tiruppavai, a poem of thirty verses in which Andal imagines herself to be a cowherd girl during the incarnation of Lord Krishna. She yearns to serve Him and achieve happiness not just in this birth but for all eternity, and describes the religious vow (paavai) that she and her fellow cowgirls will take for this purpose.

The second is the Nacciyar Tirumoli, a poem of 143 verses. Tirumoli, literally meaning “sacred sayings,” is a Tamil poetic style in which the work is composed. Nacciyar means goddess, so the title means “sacred sayings of our Goddess.” This poem fully reveals Andal’s intense longing for Vishnu, the Divine Beloved. Utilizing classical Tamil poetic conventions and imitating stories from the Sanskrit Vedas and Puranas, Andal creates imagery that is quite possibly unique in the entire history of Indian religious literature.

The impact of these works on the daily religious life of South Indians has been tremendous. Just like the Ramayana, people are never tired of listening to the Tiruppavai. The poem itself is recited with great religious fervor by women, men, and children of all ages, particularly in Tamil Nadu. The daily services in most Vaishnava temples and households include its recitation.

Both of these works, particularly the Tiruppavai, have been commented on extensively by innumerable scholars in a number of languages over the centuries. Today, we are fortunate to have many translations of the Tiruppavai in Western languages, which make these poems available to an even wider audience.

Kulasekara Alvar’s Devotion to Lord Rama and Lord Krishna

Kulasekara Alvar was a King of the Chera country of Tamil Nadu (present-day Kerala). He is credited with one poem called Perumaal Thirumozhi (Lord’s Sacred Poem), containing 105 verses in Tamil, many of which are dedicated to Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.

Kulasekara Alvar was a legendary Rama bhakta. He devoted almost a third of his verses to Lord Rama. While other Alvars celebrated Rama’s victory over the evil Ravana, Kulasekara Alvar chose to sing a lullaby to Rama, with “Raaghavene thaalELO.” In another part of his poem, he pours out his heart and wails “emm iraamaa!O,” expressing Dasaratha’s sorrow upon Rama’s departure. Alvar’s Rama bhakti was so intense that one day, during a discourse of Srimad Ramayana, he became distraught and ordered his generals to get his armed forces ready so that he could rush to the aid of Lord Rama!

For Sri Vaishnavas, there is no greater expression of devotion for our Lord Sriman Narayana than devotion for our Lord’s devotees. Sri Vaishnavas consider reverence towards our Lord’s devotees as the culmination of our reverence to Lord Sriman Narayana. No other Alvar expressed this principle as eloquently as Kulasekara Alvar. This is completely in character, for he is said to have unhesitatingly put his hand inside a pot with a cobra to prove the innocence of our Lord’s devotees maliciously accused of stealing the royal jewels.

Unlike Thondaradippodi and to some extent Nammazhvar, whose relevant verses tend to be guidance for our behavior towards fellow devotees, Kulasekara Alvar expressed these sentiments in the first person. There are several verses where he starts out with beautiful descriptions of our Lord, and then, when we expect him to finally be surrendering to such a Lord, he ends with a surrender to the devotees of such a Lord!

Summary

Andal, a teenage poetess from Tamil Nadu, composed two significant works, Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli, which stand out for their literary, philosophical, and religious depth. In Tiruppavai, a 30-verse poem, she envisions herself as a cowherd girl yearning to serve Lord Krishna and attain eternal happiness. Nacciyar Tirumoli, with 143 verses, expresses her intense longing for Lord Vishnu, using vivid imagery and classical Tamil poetic conventions. These works have had a profound impact on South Indian religious life, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where Tiruppavai is recited with great devotion by people of all ages. Andal’s contributions have been extensively commented on and translated, making her works accessible to a broader audience.

Kulasekara Alvar, a king from Tamil Nadu and a devout follower of Lord Rama, composed Perumaal Thirumozhi, a 105-verse poem dedicated to both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. His devotion to Lord Rama was so profound that he once ordered his army to assist Rama during a discourse on the Ramayana. Kulasekara Alvar also emphasized the importance of devotion to Lord Vishnu’s devotees, considering it the highest form of reverence. Unlike other Alvars, he expressed his sentiments in the first person, often surrendering not just to the Lord but to His devotees, highlighting the importance of devotion within the Sri Vaishnava tradition.

Important Points

1. Andal composed Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli, two significant Tamil works.
2. Tiruppavai is a 30-verse poem expressing Andal’s yearning to serve Lord Krishna.
3. Nacciyar Tirumoli is a 143-verse poem revealing Andal’s intense longing for Vishnu.
4. Andal’s works are unique for their literary, philosophical, and religious depth.
5. Tiruppavai is widely recited in Tamil Nadu, reflecting its deep cultural impact.
6. Kulasekara Alvar was a king and devout follower of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.
7. He composed Perumaal Thirumozhi, a 105-verse poem dedicated to both deities.
8. Kulasekara Alvar’s devotion to Rama was so strong that he wanted to assist Rama in the Ramayana.
9. He emphasized the importance of devotion to Lord Vishnu’s devotees within the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
10. Kulasekara Alvar expressed his sentiments in the first person, highlighting personal devotion.