Friday, 27 January 2017

Sweet 16 and The Left Leg

Thai Ammavasai (27th Jan 2017 – This year) has a close association to  அந்தாதி.  It is a kind of poetic structure where the last word of the previous song or the verse is the first word of the next one. Andham – the end, Adhi – the beginning and both are same.

Trivia states that the first Andhadhi was written by Karaikal Ammaiyar. The next well know is ‘Abirami Andhadhi’. It was sung by ‘Abirami Pattar’ on the new moon day of the tamil month ‘Thai’. The incident happened in the place called Thirukkadaiyur. Abirami Pattar is a great devotee of the presiding deity of the town – Goddess Abirami. He used to forget his senses and devote himself to her. His original name was Subramaniya Iyer. Because of his adherent and unadulterated Bhakthi to the Goddess, he is widely known as ‘Abirami Pattar’.

Once, while he was lost in such a devotion, the King of the region  Serfoji I, a Maratha Ruler came to him and enquired on the ‘Thithi’ of the day. It was a new moon day but he stated it as ‘Full Moon day’. The king called for a challenge. The challenge was he would be killed if Moon isn’t seen for the day. When Abirami pattar came back to his senses he realized his position. He prayed to his Abirami. He was made to stand on a rope structure over burning fire and for each song a rope was cut. While singing the 79th song in the Andhadhi, Goddess threw her earring - tharanga, which shone as moon to lit the sky. Abirami Pattar went on to complete 100 songs and is called ‘Abirami Andhathi’, which tells his utmost devotion to the goddess and each song bestows one ‘Phala’ to the one who meditates.

The 49th song of this epic work destroys Thanatophobia.

பலன்: மரணத்துன்பம் அகலும்

குரம்பை அடுத்து குடிபுக்க ஆவி வெங் கூற்றுக்கு இட்ட
வரம்பை அடுத்து மறுகும் அப்போது வளைக்கை அமைத்து
அரம்பை அடுத்து அரிவையர் சூழ வந்து அஞ்சல் என்பாய்
நரம்பை அடுத்து இசை வடிவாய்  நின்ற நாயகியே

பொருள்:
குரம்பு - உடல். ஆவி - உயிர்.

நரம்புக்கருவிகள் (யாழ், வீணை போன்ற கருவிகள் - string instruments) எழுப்பும் இனிய இசை வடிவான தலைவியே, எனது ஆயுட்காலம் முடிவுறும்போது, இந்த உடலிலிருந்து உயிரை பிரிக்க, எமன் வருவான். அப்போது நான் மிகவும் பயமுறுவேன். நீ தேவமகளிரோடு என்னிடம் வந்து, உனது வளையல்கள் அணிந்த கரங்களை எனக்கு காட்டி, "பயப்படாதே" என்று கூறவேண்டும்.

To hear the song in ராகம் - காம்போதி, தாளம் -விருத்தம்

http://annaiabhirami.blogspot.in/2015/08/49.html?m=1

This song has close relation with the Kshetra. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva in the form of Amirthaghateswarar known as Kala Samhara Murthi. He killed Lord Yama to save his devotee Markandeya. Markandeya is one among the ‘Sapta Chiranjeevis’ and is believed to live in the world now and ever.

The number 16 has a sweet co incidence with the Keshtra. The அபிராமி பதிகம் by  அபிராமி பட்டர் speaks about the 16 boons that are bestowed to the one who meditates on the Goddess Abirami,

கலையாத கல்வியும்
குறையாத வயதும்
ஓர் கபடு வாராத நட்பும்
கன்றாத வளமையும்
குன்றாத இளமையும்
கழுபிணி இல்லாத உடலும்
சலியாத மனமும்
அன்பு அகலாத மனைவியும்
தவறாத சந்தானமும்
தாழாத கீர்த்தியும்
மாறாத வார்தையும்
தடைகள் வாராத கொடையும்
தெலையாத நிதியும்
கோணாத கோலும்
ஒர் துன்பம் இல்லாத வாழ்வும்
தூய நின்பாதத்தில் அன்பும்

உதவி பெரிய தொண்டர்ரொடு கூட்டுக்கண்டாய்

அலையாழி அறிதுயிலும் மாயனது தங்கையே ஆதிகடவூரின் வாழ்வே
அமுதீசர் ஒருபாகம் அகலாத சுகபாணி அருள்வாய் நீ அபிராமியே!

The last two lines states that Goddess Abirami is the the one who is the sister of Vishnu, one lying in the Milky ocean and the one who shares the left part of Lord Shiva.

As the song tells about 16 boons, Lord Shiva saved his 16 year old humble devotee Markandeya here.

Which the great music composer and one among the trinity of music, Muthuswamy Dikshitar beautifully sings on his kriti ‘abhirAmIM akhila bhuvana rakshakIM ASrayE’ in the raga Bhooshaavati which he has composed during his visit to the Keshtra.. As per the temple evidences Lord Shiva was the one who blessed Markandeya the immortality. Lord Shiva killed yama by kicking him with his left leg. By the tatva of ardha-nArI, left leg denotes Goddess Parvati and hence the great composer beautifully sings ‘mArkaNDEya Ayushprada’ - அமுதீசர் (amrithaghadeswarar) ஒருபாகம் அகலாத சுகபாணி அருள்வாய் நீ அபிராமியே!

References:
For Muthuswamy Dikshitar Kriti -
http://guru-guha.blogspot.in/2007/08/dikshitar-kriti-abhiraameem-akhila-raga.html

For Abirami Andhadhi song and meaning:
http://annaiabhirami.blogspot.in/2015/08/49.html?m=1

2 comments:

  1. Good one. There is one more thing interesting with this 16. The 16 kalais of moon - prathamai to chaturdasi - 14 and amavasya and pournami (2) = 16. sodashadhala nitya devi or thithi devi they say.

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  2. Thank you Akka. Oh great! Thanks for sharing a valuable information.

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