Srivilliputhur
Andal Temple – Literary Mention
Mangalasasanam:
Periyalwar had sung 1 Paasuram and Andal had sung 1
Paasuram about Lord Vishnu of this Temple in Nalayira Divya Prabandhams.
Periyalwar
Paasurams:
Periyalwar sang the 12 Paasurams of Thiru
Pallaandu and 461 Paasurams of Periyalwar Thirumozhi.
Nachiyar
Thirumozhi:
Andal sang 143 Paasurams of Nachiyar Thirumozhi. Andal
in her Nachiyar Thirumozhi has sung an important Paasuram on Tiru
Maliruncholai Perumal starting as “Naaru Narum Pozhil Maaliruncholai
Nambikki Naan Nooru Thada Vennai Vaay Nerndhu Paravi yaithen; Nooru Thada
Niraindha Akkara Adisil Sonnen; Eru Thiru Udayan Indru Vandhu Ivai Kolungalo”. This
wish of hers was later fulfilled by Acharya Ramanuja. Hence, she is said to
have invited Ramanuja, when he came to Srirangam
temple as “Kovil Annan Vaareer”! And in her Vaazhi Tirunamam we say
thus , “ Perum Poodoor Mamunikki Pin Aanal Vazhiye”!
Thiruppavai:
Andal sang the 30 Paasurams of Thiruppavai. Andal’s
Thiruppavai (30 verses in praise of Lord) is one of the most beautifully
composed songs among the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. It is believed that singing
these 30 verses will bring peace and prosperity as well as God’s grace. It was
in the month of Margazhi (December to January) that Andal composed Thiruppavai
at the tender age of five.
Thiruppavai celebrates, in 30 songs, a certain simple
ritualistic observance on the part of the devotees. While it appears in the
early stanzas that Aandal’s intention is to pursue the Lord to marry her, as
one reads through the later verses, one finds that she is actually praying to
be allowed the service of the lord. The first ten songs celebrate the fruits of
the devotional observance, the second ten songs seem to wake up Lord Krishna to
pray for their grace and the last ten songs inspire devotees to take the path
of service to Lord.
During Margazhi, the Vishnu temples open very early,
around 4.00 am, and the entire 30 songs of Thiruppavai are chanted in a special
rendition. It has been an age-old belief that unmarried girls who bathe in a
pond and visit temples to recite the Thiruppavai with sincere devotion will
attain spiritual husbands.
It is said that one song of the 30 Thiruppavai verses is
dedicated for each of the thirty days of Margazhi. A unique feature in
centuries gone by was that letters written during Margazhi used to start with
one Thiruppavai Paasuram (relevant to the day) that would serve as an
indication of the date of the letter (The date itself was not written in the
letter).
Thiruppavai
and Thiruvembavai - Vaishnavism and Saivism acknowledging each other:
An interesting facet of Thiruppavai and Thiruvembavai is
that the first verse in Thiruppavai begins with the Maa (Margazhi Thingal), the
syllable with which Manikkavacakar’s name begins and the first verse in
Thiruvembavai too begins with the syllable Aa (Aadhiyum), with which Aandal's
name begins, an indication of the mutual respect the two great saint poets had
for each other - a tale of Vaishnavism and Saivism acknowledging each other.
Villibaratham:
Villiputhoorar who wrote
the Villibaratham in Tamil based on the Mahabharata of
Sage Vyasa was also born here.
