ISSUE 1 DEC 2015

ISSUE 1 DEC 2015
Adhyayana utsavam and Anadhyayana Kalam
The period between the Krithigai Star of Tamil Karthigai month
and Hastam Star of Thai month is called Anadhyayanam period
and Dhivya Prabandam is not recited in temples and at homes.
Starting with Kritthikai Deepam (Anadya), regular recitation of
Divya Prabandam is suspended. During this time, only Nalayira
Thanian is recited. Only during Pakalpatthu (10 days before
Vaikunta Ekadesi), entire Divya prabandam is recited. During
Irapatthu (10 days after Vaikunta Ekadesi), Thivoimozhi is
recited. These 10 days (Irapatthu) utsavam is also known as
Thiruvoimozhi Thirunal. During entire Dhanur-masam,
Thiruppalliyezhuchi & Thiruppavai are chanted. Starting with
Kurattalvan's Thirunakshatram (Thai Hastam), regular
recitation of Divya Prabandham is resumed.
Origin of Anadhyayanam:
Anadhyayanam originated when Swamy Nammazhwar's dhivya
Mangala vigraham was brought from Azhwar Thirunahari for
adhyayana uthsavam at Srirangam and returned back at the end
of this uthsavam , a period of two months ( approximately).
Since AzhwAr was away , there was no recitation at the dhivya
desam temples and at homes.
Explanation on the origin of Anadhyayanam
Thirumangai Azhwar started the tradition of Adhyayana
Uthsavam in Srirangam. When Thirumangai Azhwar started
this it was only for ten days. That is what we call it now
Irappathu or Thiruvaimozhi Thirunaal. During this time,
Thirumangai Mannan used to bring Swami Nammazhwar's
In this issue:
Adhyayana utsavam and
Anadhyayana Kalam
Thiruppavai – An Introduction
Important Dates in
December
11/12/15 : Amavasai
start Pagal Pathu
17/12/15: start Margazhi
21/12/15: Vaikunta Ekadasi
Please note that some calendars
may change
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thirumeni from Azhwar Thirunagari to Srirangam. For this Thirumangai Mannan will start from
Srirangam on the day of Karthigai Karthigai (his own thirunakshatram). Even today this tradition is
followed in most of the temples where the Kattiyakarar or the Sthalathar who has the traditional
rights alongwith temple's Paricharakas goes to Swami Nammazhwar's shrine and read the message
from the Perumal.The day Swami Nammazhwar arrives in SriRangam was always the Sukla Paksha
Ekadasi (Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi).On this auspicious day, Swami Nammazhwar was adorned with
Muthangi and Namperumal with Rathnangi. Starting from Ekadasi, next nine days, Sri Thirumangai
Azhwar arranged to recite Swami Nammazhwar's prabhandhams in front of Namperumal.
After the days of Sri Thirumangai Azhwar, the practice
was slowly stopped. It was Swami Ramanujar, who
started the practice again. (Some may dispute that Sri
Nathamunigal restarted this.) After Thirumangai
Mannan, due to practical difficulties, a Thirumeni of
Swami Nammazhwar must have been installed in
Srirangam temple. And Sri Ramanujar added ten days
before the Irapaththu and called them Pagal Paththu,
and arranged that during these ten days
Prabhandhams of other Azhwars should be recited.
Also Sri Ramanuja added one more day for the Iyarpa.
Because, Sri Thirumangai Azhwar started it, the day
before the Pagal Paththu Uthsavam first day,
Namperumal listens to Thirunedunthandagam of Sri
Thirumangai Azhwar.
Thus originally started as ten days festival by Sri
Thirumangai Azhwar and was later modified as Twenty
two days (+one day for Thirunedunthandagam) by Swami Emberumanar.
Therefore the Anadhyayana period is the time when Swami Nammzhwar is on transit to Srirangam.
Therefore, our Poorvacharyas thought, it is not appropriate for us to recite, as the entire 4000
Pranbhandhams was considered as the Pranbhandhams of Swami Nammazhwar (Nathnakku
Nalayiramum alithan vazhiye).
Second thing, Nalayiram is considered as The Dravida Vedam. For the Vedas, there is a specific
period (during a year) called Adhyayana kalam and there is a time when you should not recite Vedas
(Anadhyayana kalam). To give that samyam (equality), our Acharyas might have decided to have
this Adhyayana and Anadhyayana kalams.
Anadhyayana kalam starts during Karthigai and normally ends on Thai Astham (Sri
Koorathazhwan's thirunakshatram). But in temples like Sri Parthasarathy temple the day next to
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Iyarpa satrumarai, is the day to start ThirupPallandu. Even though everything started in SriRangam,
we have to follow them. Since SriRangam is our SriVaishnava Rajadhani (Capital) all the great
instructions and the practices started by none other than Sri Ramanuja himself, have to be followed
by all the Sri Vaishanva temples.
(Compiled by Sri Kasturi Rangan from Bhakti List archives)
Thiruppavai – an Introduction*
(By Sri Satakopan based on the commentary by Sri U V Perukkaranai Swamy)
MahA PravEsam (Grand Introduction)
Every one of us is an ANDAL and like Her must long for
union with the Lord. This is SuddhAntha-SiddhAntham,
the doctrine of King's harem, the doctrine of Bridal
mysticism. ANDAL was born as a girl and it was easy for
Her to become a bride for the eternally youthful
Bridegroom, Sri RanganAthan. Other AzhwArs were
males and they had to adopt the sentiments, language and
dress of ANDAL to become the bride, which they did
successfully (as Parankusa Naayaki by Swamy
NammAzhwAr and ParakAla Naayaki by Thirumangai
AzhwAr) to a large extent. THAT MUST BE OUR GOAL;
we must acquire right knowledge sitting at the feet of a
SadAchArya; The AchAryan will transform us as a bride
and offer us to the Lord, who is eager to accept us. So long
as we are in this world , we must try to do KAIMKARYAM
to BhagavAn and His devotees , which is like the foretaste
of what we are going to enjoy ultimately in the Transcendent World "-- Professor A.SrinivAsa
Raaghavan(1986)
Commentaries for Thiruppavai
There are many, many commentaries for ThiruppAvai. They are classified into different groups
based on their length. Twenty four padhams (grantham in Sanskrit and PaDi in Tamil) are the units
of measurement. For instance, MoovAyirappadi commentary (that of Swamy PeriyavAcchAn PiLlai)
has 3000x24 Padhams. The various ThiruppAvai Commentaries are:
(1) OrAyirappadi (1000x 24 padhams)
(2) IrAyirappadi of JananyAcchAr of Melkote (2000x24)
(3) MoovAyirappdi of Swamy PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai (3000x24)
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(4) NalAyirappadi of JananyAcchAr of Melkote (4000x24)
(5) EiyAyirappadi (5000x 24 Padhaams)
(6) ArAyirappadi of Azhagiya MaNavALa PerumAL NaayanAr (6000x24)
(7) Upanishad BhAshyakAra Sri RangarAmAnuja's Sanskrit commentary
(8) Sri UtthamUr Swamy's Prabhandha Rakshai (1986)
(9) Sri PrathivAdhi Bhayankaram Swamy's ThiruppAvai NaRu manam (1983)
(10)Sri PerukkAraNai Swamy's SudhA SvAdham commentary (2000 A.D)
What is Pavai Nonbu?
The Saint-poetess ANDAL , the avathAram of BhUmi DEvi observed Paavai Nonbhu ( Paavai
vratham) to attain Lord KrishNA as Her Husband (BharthA). She observed a Vratham, which is a
variation of the KaathyAyini Vratham described in Srimath BhAgavatham. The Month chosen for
the vratham was Marghazhi or Dhanur Maasam. This vratham takes a whole Month to complete.
ANDAL became one of the Gopis of Gokulam -- who observed the Marghazhi Vratham --and joined
Her young friends to obtain the PurushArtham (the choicest /Highest boon) of Nithya Kaimkaryam
(eternal service to the Lord) and to have Him as their BharthA. ANDAL addresses Her play mates
and fellow Vratham observers as “yElOrempAvAi”. Sri UtthamUr Swamy has explained that this
"yElOrempAvai” refrain found in the 29 of the 30 paasurams of ThiruppAvai as Yel+ ohr+ YempAvAi
(Oh My dear friend! I will describe the facets of this Paavai Nonbhu and please understand them,
accept their meanings and practise them).
The words "NeerAdap pOthuveer" in this paasuram and elsewhere has more subtle connotation than
taking a bath in the YamunA river at early morning as an essentail preparatory step of the Vratham.
NeerAttam (Bathing) means really the KrishNa samsLesham (or Union with Lord KrishNa). Sunai
Aadal is an ancient expression denoting the same and has been used from Sanga Kaalam .
ANDAl considered SrivilliputthUr of South as the AayarpAdi of North, the girls of Her birth place as
Gopis and Herself as one of the Gopis and the temple of Vatapathra Saayee as NandhagOpar's
(Father of KrishNa at Aayar Paadi) house and Lord VatapathrasAyee as Lord Krishna Himself and
performed the Vratham. This feeling state (Bhavaanai) ripened and yielded the sought-after fruits
of that Vratham .She blessed us to follow this vratham and be blessed.
(To be continued)
* - This article is based on the writings of Sri Satakopan. For full write up by him, please see the following link.
(http://www.srivaishnavam.com/tpavai/tpavimeaning_index.htm)
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