This morning “Eepa” — a doyen of Tamil literature known for his Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novels and plays — Indira Parthasarathy sent me a sharp question as a WhatsApp message. It tested my familarity if not knowledge, as a Sri Vaishnava (albeit an “Unknown and Unusual” one!), of age-old temple customs and traditions in theContinue reading “Bhakti’s triumph over plunder and mayhem: revisiting the legend of Sri Rangam “thulaka naachiyaar” with “Eepa””
Tag Archives: Andal
How the mantric “ma” syllable (“म”or “ம”) inspired Andal’s “Tiruppavai” and Vedanta Desikan’s “Paduka Sahasram”
Today’s Tiruppavai “paasuram” is Verse 9 which reads as follows : தூமணி மாடத்து சுற்றும் விளக்கெரியத்* தூமம் கமழத் துயிலணைமேல் கண்வளரும்* மாமான் மகளே மணிக்கதவம் தாழ்திறவாய்* மாமீர் அவளை எழுப்பீரோ உன்மகள்தான்* ஊமையோ அன்றி செவிடோ அனந்தலோ* ஏமப் பெருந்துயில் மந்திரப் பட்டாளோ* மாமாயன் மாதவன் வைகுந்தன் என்றென்று* நாமன் பலவும் நவின்றேலோர் என்பாவாய்! ஆண்டாள் நாச்சியார் In this verse , it is intriguing to see theContinue reading “How the mantric “ma” syllable (“म”or “ம”) inspired Andal’s “Tiruppavai” and Vedanta Desikan’s “Paduka Sahasram””
Ageing, “Kama” as “purushaartha”, “Chamaka Prashna” and Andaal “Tiruppavai”
A very well-read and dear relative of mine — himself who just recently turned an octogenarian— forwarded to me this morning via WhatsApp a very interesting and insightful message on what is “GROWTH in OLD AGE” and really what it means with reference to the famous Vedic passage known as “CHAMAKA PRASHNA” (Krishna Yajurveda, specificallyContinue reading “Ageing, “Kama” as “purushaartha”, “Chamaka Prashna” and Andaal “Tiruppavai””
A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-12)
The Mahasamprokshanam ritual (also known as Kumbhabhishekam or Samprokshanam), holds significant historical importance in Hindu temple tradition. Its primary purpose is to “homogenize, synergize and unite the mystic powers of the deity” — essentially, it is a reconsecration ceremony that recharges and revitalizes the spiritual energy of the temple and its deities. Historically, this ritualContinue reading “A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-12)”
Ruminating “punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam”
Who hasn’t come across these immortal lines of Adi Sankara in his famous Sanskrit hymn, “Bhajjha Govindam“? पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं,पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम्।इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे,कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे ॥२१॥“punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi janani jathare sayanam,iha samsare bahudusare krpaya’pare pahi murare” – 21 Being born again, dying again, and again lying in the mother’s wombContinue reading “Ruminating “punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam””
Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part- 3.2 (Concluded)
To truly understand Eroticism in Hindu mythology — explained earlier in Part 3.2 above with reference to the Brihadaaranyka Upanishad — one has to got open up one’s mind to the fact that it is the Esotericism of the Vedic motif of Universal Creation that has been woven into the human microsom of Procreation. Therefore,Continue reading “Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part- 3.2 (Concluded)”
Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part- 3.1 of 3.2
Finally, signing off on his rather prurient essay titled “The Parrot’s Erotic Secret” published in The Hindu dt. 19 January 2025, Devdutt Pattnaik urges his readers, especially womenfolk, to go and read an obscure and most probably a Jainist literary work in Sanskrit called “shukasaptati”… He wholeheartedly endorses the 70 lewd tales in that ancientContinue reading “Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part- 3.1 of 3.2”
Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part-1 of 3
When I read the Jan 19th 2025 article below in THE HINDU (“Wide Angle” feature article) penned by the well known Hindu mythologist, Devadutt Patnaik (the author of 50 books on mythology, art and culture), it at once reminded me of the controversial speech the Tamil Cinema lyricist, Vairamuthu had made seven years ago inContinue reading “Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part-1 of 3”
Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part-2 of 3
In his article, “The Parrot’s (Andal’s) Erotic Secret”, published in THE HINDU dt. 19 January 2025, Devdutt Pattnaik, in my view, erred on two principal counts. He failed to fully understand what the word Eroticism means. And secondly, he erred in conflating Andal’s religious feelings of Bhakthi towards her beloved deity with feelings of Eroticism.Continue reading “Devdutt Patnaik ( À la Vairamuthu) unable to discern the Esotericism in Mystic Eroticism – Part-2 of 3”
The “Tiruppaavai” of Andal and “Nyaasa Dasakam” of Vedanta Desika
At the fag end of the holy month of Dhanur Maasam (Dec 16-Jan 15) on Sunday, 12th of January 2025 marking the day when the 28th Stanza (“karavaigal pin senru …”) of Andal’s Tiruppavai is specially chanted in Vishnu temples and in Hindu homes all across South India, a young friend noticing that I tooContinue reading “The “Tiruppaavai” of Andal and “Nyaasa Dasakam” of Vedanta Desika”