Devotees in the Capital were privileged to hear a month-long discourse by Dr K. Ananthachariar on Thiruppavai at Sri Lakshminrisimha Temple, Karol Bagh, which ended last week. It was held to coincide with the Margazhi month of the Tamil calendar and organised under the aegis of the Alwar Divya Prabanda Project of Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD).
The Thiruppavai is a collection of 30 Tamil verses (pasurams) written by Andal. It is part of the Divya Prabandha, a work of the twelve Alwars and is important in Tamil literature, all in the praise of Sriman Narayana. Kodhai Devi or Andal composed a prayer (vratham) called Dhanurmasa vratham in which she requests her friends to wake up and seek Krishna to absorb the essence of the three basic mantras in the Vaishnava tradition — the Tirumantram, Dvayam and Charama shloka –– that signify the truth of the Supreme Being (Paramatma) who dwells in all. This vratham helps in attaining materialistic happiness with eternal bliss. Each day of Margazhi month gets its name from one of the thirty verses. Andal also composed another prabhandha called Nachiyar Thirumozhi.
Thiruppavai is described as “Vedam anaithukkum vithagum” which means it is the seed of Vedas. This signifies that the entire essence of the scriptures is present in Thiruppavai which can be understood and imbibed under the guidance of an acharya or a guru well versed in the Vedas.
Belonging to the Pavai genre of songs, a unique Tamil tradition, Thiruppavai is sung through the Margazhi month.
