Shoodi Koduttha Thaayaar

        SHOODI KODUTTHA THAAYAAR – The mother who “wore and bestowed”

The tiny cave could provide shelter to only one person. He snuggled like a foetus and slept under the cave shelter. The rains lashed the earth like as if, the apocalypse had set in. He continued to snuggle in the small space, praying to his favorite, “The omniscient Lord Narayana”.

Just when slumber approached his physical being, another poor man appearing to be worthy of great knowledge requested if he could use the shelter of the cave. The poor soul immediately got up and offered him space to sit. The shelter was just adequate for two people to sit like a couch potato. 

The rains severed with heavy thunders and lightning. The two men shivered in the cold. They continued chanting their favourite, “The omniscient Lord Narayana”. Just when they were getting accustomed to the cold, another traveler approached the cave asking for shelter to be provided. The two men obliged and provided him with some space. It was just adequate for them to stand incompletely. The three travellers adjusted in the tiny cave not knowing each other, but praying to their favorite, “The omniscient Lord Narayana”.

The rain continued but the intensity had somewhat reduced. The travelers continued to stand under the cave restlessly but carrying no regrets. They felt a presence of another being trying to occupy the cave. They felt the urge of the being pushed across and making space for itself. With great spiritual insight, they knew who the fourth being was.

“Kalau khalu bhavishyanti Narayana Prayanaha

Kwachit kwachit mahabhagaha dramideshucha bhurishaha

Taamraparnee nadee yatra krutamala payaswinee

Kavericha mahabhagaa prateecheecha mahanadee”   

                                                                                                     

     (Sanskrit verse)

Sage Veda Vyasa had mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatham that, Kaliyuga would see the dawn of Azhwars, who were some part representations of Sriman Narayana himself. They would appeal for Bhakthi (devotion) towards the Lord supreme and whose devotion would not be measurable (infinity). They would be born on the banks of the rivers Vaighai, Thamirabharani, Cauvery and Pratheechi.

The travellers were Poi Azhwar, Poodat Azhwar and Pei Azhwar. They understood that the fourth being who had occupied the cave along with them was none other than Sriman Narayana himself. Through their enormous spiritual insight and utmost Bhakti (devotion), they understood that the presence had come all the way to protect them.

$$$

A worthy, sacred and godly figurine of a man was plucking flowers and the divine Tulasi in his garden, which he had exclusively equipped for the daily worship of the deity Vatapatra-sayin. He would regularly string a garland of flowers and Tulasi for the lord all by himself and harness it on the deity. He found great pleasure in doing this every day. There was not a single day he missed offering the divine Tulasi and flowers to Vatapatra-sayin.

One fine morning, the divine looking man strode into his garden, as his regular customary would go and began plucking flowers and Tulasi to string it into a garland. A soft chuckle disturbed him. He brushed it off thinking he was imagining. The chuckle was longer this time. He walked further into his garden, now curious to find out who it could have been.

A beautiful girl baby, with heavenly features and doe eyes, skin emanating like she was washed in gold, was looking straight into his eyes. Her eyes dissipated great charm that he couldn’t not behold her in his arms. When he held her, her soft skin touched his palm and he felt like, she was his own. She smiled at him heartily and pressed his bosom with her tiny toes. He cried in joy. “The heaven had showered him with a beautiful baby”, he thought. With a joyous heart, he called her Kodhai. He repeated her name thrice into her ear, like the commonly followed customary. He had become her father. The divine man was none other than Vishnuchitthar (Peri Azhwar).

Kodhai had become the life line of Vishnuchitthar. He would recite stories of Narayana to her. Her mind was full of Krishna, whom she began having feelings for. She would often tell her father that, she was going to marry the Lord himself. Vishnuchitthar always laughed at his child’s innocence, not knowing that, he would one day become the father in law of Sriman Narayana himself.

“Pallandu Paalandu pallayirathaandu

Palakodi noorayiram

Mallanda thin thol manivanna

Un sevadi sevvi thirukaappu”

(Tamizh verse)

Vishnuchitthar’s eyes filled with tears with this recollection.

Vallabharaya was the ruler of the Pandiya Empire of Madurai. He was a competent and able ruler who allowed religious prosperity to flourish in his kingdom. He raised a topic in his court one day, that he would give away precious gifts from his kingdom to the one who would make him understand, “who the most supreme being was?”

When the news spread far and wide, Vishnuchitthar laughed in dismay. He thought to himself that it couldn’t be anyone but Vatapatra- sayin who was the most supreme of all beings. However he was unwilling to go to the kingdom to make him aware.

The same night, Vatapatra-sayin made his very presence in his dream to approach the Kingdom of Madurai to make the King aware of the facts. When he hesitated that he was a man of meagre knowledge and that he wouldn’t be able to vouch for illustrious compositions, the Lord promised that he would remember every line when he begins his explanation.

With no further nuances, Vishnuchitthar marched towards the Kingdom of Pandiyas. As Vatapatra-sayin had promised, he remembered every detail of the Vedas and scriptures which appeared crystal clear to his mind. He defended many questions with detailed explanations, thus satisfying the King. There was nothing left to explain. Vallabharaya announced him as “Pattar Piran” (The chief of Brahmins).

To commemorate his victory, the King arranged for a ceremonial procession to honour the knowledge he had acquired. The procession was attended by thousands of people, singing praises on Vishnuchitthar.

What caught Peri Azhwar’s attention was the Sriman Narayan along with consort seated on the Garuda appeared to witness the procession. His joy knew no bounds at the sight of the Paramathama, but he feared upon the evil eyes that would befall on his dear Lord. He recited the above verse, along with another eleven verses, which together made up twelve verses, which form a part of Divya Prabhandam.

“Let you live for many many years.

Let you live for many thousands of years.

Let you be protected always.

Let harm never befall upon you”

Kodhai’s eyes were filled with tears at her father’s recital of the verses. Her love towards Krishna only became immeasurable.

The doe eyed beauty helped her father in all chores related to the temple. She would help him in milking the cows, fetching water, preparing food, plucking flowers and Tulasi from the garden, singing hymns in the lord’s praise and even stringing the flowers together into a garland.

Her love for the lord was so intense that, she always felt it was mandatory to check if the garland was proportional and if it would look good on the God who wore it. She began to wear it on herself, looking into the mirror, she would visualize the same on the Lord and then give it to her father to bestow the same upon him. Her father however, remained ignorant about the happening.

When there was a drought, she was advised by her father to perform a Nombu /fasting ritual, which most of the Gopis in Dwaraka performed to please Lord Krishna for the rain.

She was ecstatic to perform the fasting and took it very seriously. In her Pasurams/verses of Thiruppavai, she emphasizes on how much she would long for the sun to rise so that, she could take bath, dress herself up, go around waking up her friends in the neighborhood and wait at the entrance of the temple to get the blessings of the Lord.

The Thiruppai with thirty Pasurams/verses depicts the divine love in the form of devotion, Kodhai portrays towards the lord. She emphasizes on how she could not wait day after day to see her lord, whom she desired to marry. She began her fasting ritual praying to god, to flourish the beings with health, wealth and prosperity.

But all that she asked for herself was “Kanna” (Krishna).

One fine morning, Vishnuchitthar proceeded towards the temple with the garlands strung by Kodhai. To his surprise he found a strand of hair adhering to the garland. He realized that the hair strand belonged to Kodhai, since the hair had curled up naturally just like hers. He went back home without garlanding god but to find out the truth.

She revealed to him that she harnessed the garland every day before he bestowed it on the lord. A shocked Vishnuchitthar ran back to the sanctum to ask for forgiveness.

Sriman Narayana appeared in the dream of Vishnuchitthar and questioned him about, why he wasn’t garlanded? The supreme lord confessed that, he was well aware of the fact that Kodhai harnessed the garland every day. He continued that, he loved to be served with the same garland every day because he had accepted her divine love.

Sriman Narayana had accepted the “Shoodi Koduttha Shudar Kodi” (The Garland which was harnessed on Kodhai).

Vishnuchitthar was dumbfounded. He begged Kodhai for forgiveness.

Tears of joy flew down Kodhai’s eyes.

She knew her Krishna had accepted her.

She dreamt of her marriage, which is described as “Vaaranam Aayiram” glorifying her wedding to Lord Krishna.

She imagined that,

“Sriman Narayana arrived on an elephant, dressed in his favourite yellow Pithambari, carrying the mace and discus accompanied by his friends. Her father and bridesmaid would welcome him with great pomp and galore. They would exchange dresses and gold that would be worn on the day of the wedding.

The sacred yellow thread would be tied on the hands of the bride and the groom, marking the auspiciousness of the entire wedding.

The father of the bride would insist the groom to marry his daughter and not seek to become a hermit (Kashi Yatra)”.

She continued imagining,

Her father would hold her hand in “his” and would give her in marriage to Krishna (Kanyadhanam). They would circum-ambulate the sacred fire keeping him as the witness for the beginning of a divine life.

 The Lord would hold her hand in his and walk seven steps, representing the responsibilities of the couple after marriage. After the completion of the holy marriage, the couple would be bathed in scented water and taken on a ceremonial procession.

When her father Vishnuchitthar, decided to offer her hand in marriage to the God, she merged into him as a beam of bright light. 

 

For Kodhai, it was a dreamy wedding. But her dream, even to this date has been the practice of the traditional Iyengar (Tamizh Brahmin community) wedding. The girls of the community relive Andal Thaayar’s (mother) dream.

The “Shoodi koduttha Andal Thaayar” lives forever in the heart of her Kanna Manivanna (Krishna)!!

                     

ANDAL THAAYAR THIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM!!!

My prostrations to mother Andal/Kodhai!!!