One of the impressive styles of poetry in Thamizh is andhAdhi (அந்தாதி). Though the word itself has Sanskrit origins (அந்தம் – andham – end, ஆதி – aadhi – beginning), many exquisite poems have been composed in this format – a further proof of Thamizh imparting its creativity and uniqueness even on concepts that may have originated elsewhere.
At its core, the structure of the poem is such that the last word (or alternately letter, syllable, phrase) of one stanza becomes the first word of the subsequent stanza and then looping all the way back to the first stanza, thereby forming a garland of words, typically sung towards a deity as an offering.
Easy as it may sound, one can but imagine the thought that might have gone into composing such works, ensuring the structure while also taking care to preserve the overall intent of the poem as a whole.
While the exact starting point of this format is not clearly known, it is believed that one of the earliest works that is currently available is அற்புதத்திருவந்தாதி (arpudha thiru andhAdhi – an exquisite garland for the Lord) by காரைக்கால் அம்மையார் (kAraikkAl ammaiyAr) – one of the few famed female Thamizh poets.
The poem is remarkable in its simplistic language but yet is packed with the spiritual and philosophical crux of Hinduism or sanAtana dharma. As a staunch devotee of Shiva, her poem brims with her devotion, but at the same time, it is not just blind devotion – she brings about the depths of her philosophy and surfaces them in words that can be easily understood and related – as a mother would explain something to her child – no wonder she is praised as ammaiyAr!
Let’s explore some gems from her amazing work!
Who is the One?
AmmaiyAr, in this work, describes the greatness of Shiva and her profound devotion to Him. Throughout the verses, she gives glimpses of the reasons for her devotion, why it is deserved, how to go about being devoted, and what comes out of that.
அறிவானும் தானே அறிவிப்பான் தானே
அறிவாய் அறிகின்றான் தானே – அறிகின்ற
மெய்ப்பொருளும் தானே விரி சுடர் பார் ஆகாசம்
அப்பொருளும் தானே அவன் (20)
In this beautiful verse, she describes who the “One” is:
“He is the One who realizes. He is the One who provides that realization. He is the One that needs to be realized. He is the One that is the purpose of that realization. He is the One that spans and spawns all the elements and also is the One within those elements.“
The observer, the observed, the observation, and the essence of all those is governed by the One without which nothing essentially exists. When this realization is achieved, all the differences, biases, and variations that comes in one’s mind goes away and the mind sees nothing but the One everywhere.
How does the One look like?
A natural question that then comes up is, “How does the One look like” once the One is realized? In different religions, God is depicted in various ways (or not at all depicted). In Hindiusm specifically there are various representations of God, often described dersively as “idolatry”. More specifically when it comes to Shiva, this becomes even more interesting because Shiva is often described as having made some questionable choices. AmmaiyAr ponders over this:
இங்கிருந்து சொல்லுவது என் எம்பெருமான் எண்ணாதே
எங்கும் பலி திரியும் எத்திறமும் – பொங்கு இரவில்
ஈம வனத்து ஆடுவதும் என்னுக்கு என்று ஆராய்வோம்
நாம் அவனை கானல் உற்ற ஞான்று (25)
From “here” when we look at Shiva, it seems odd that he is roaming around like a beggar and dancing in a cemetary in the middle of the night with skulls and bones as decorations. Why should the One act this way? I will ask when I meet Him!
அன்றும் திரு உருவம் காணாதே ஆட்பட்டேன்
இன்றும் திரு உருவம் காண்கிலேன் – என்றும் தான்
எவ்வுருவோன் நும்பிரான் என்பார்க்கு அக்கண் உரைக்கேன்
எவ்வுருவோ நின்னுருவம் ஏது?
Potentially once she meets Him, she now has a different problem – how can she explain the tacit knowledge of her realization to others? How can she describe Him? She asks the One to provide an answer.
“Even when I didn’t fully realize your form, I became devoted to you. Even now (after having realized you), I am still not able to fathom your form. If someone asks me how you look like, how can I provide a good answer?”
This is a classic problem that we have – the “curse of knowledge” – once we understand something, it’s hard to explain that to someone who doesn’t have the same understanding – the bane of many projects!
While she gives a hint while even pondering at the question, she later clarifies (as a mother, you don’t keep your children in suspense for too long!)
இவரை பொருள் உணரமாட்டாதார் எல்லாம்
இவரை இகழ்வாரே கண்டீர் – இவர் தமது
பூக்கோல மேனி போடி பூசி என் பணிந்த
பேய்க்கோலம் கண்டார் பிறர்
“Those who haven’t truly realized Him will mock His looks. But those who have achieved realization will see beyond the outwardly looks and see the inner beauty that He is.“
According to ammaiyAr, the outwardly form is just a test. Those who haven’t taken the trouble will be deceived or even deterred by the outwardly looks but those who persevere and look beyond the initial distractions will be rewarded with the true form – much like most stories where there are snakes and scorpions before one finds the real treasure in a cave!
The same sentiment is expressed in future works such as:
மரத்தை மறைத்தது மாமத யானை
மரத்தில் மறைந்தது மாமத யானை
பரத்தை மறைத்தது பார் முதல் பூதம்
பரத்தில் மறைந்தது பார் முதல் பூதம்
“In a piece of wood, the unrealized see the wood and not the potential of a beautiful elephant carving that can be made with that wood, while the realized see the elephant in the wood (even if not sculpted). Similarly, the One is hidden within the senses.“
What is also interesting to note is that even in her own life, ammaiyAr opted for a gory look (pei kolam) by shunning her normal beauty when she opted to become a saint!
Does it mean that we cannot trust any form in which we are worshipping the one? Does it mean that we should not put a form to the One? Then, is idolizing the One wrong?
நூலறிவு பேசி நுழைவு இலாதார் திரிக
நீல மணி மிடற்றான் நீர்மையே மேல் உலந்தது
எக்கோலத்து எவ்வுருவாய் எத்தவங்கள் செய்வார்க்கும்
அக்கோலத்து அவ்வுருவே ஆம் (33)
No. AmmaiyAr categorically states this: “Let those who read books (scriptures) and espouse how the One looks like or doesn’t look like do what they do. I don’t care. Once a person realizes the One, then the One will be present in whatever form that a person worships the One.“
This is a profound statement that summarizes idol worship and purpose of idol worship – it is not for rituals or getting power or anything else as may be outwardly understood. It is simply to provide a form to the formless so that we can focus on the One.
This sentiment is also emphasized by other saints in the future across Shaivaite and Vaishnavite philosophies.
Where is the One?
But where to find the One? It all seems so elusive. How can one put faith in something that they cannot see or understand with their senses?
வானத்தான் என்பாரும் என்க மற்றும் அம்பர்கோன்
தானத்தான் என்பாரும் தாம் என்க – ஞானத்தான்
முன் நஞ்சத்தால் இருண்ட மொய்யொளிசேர் கண்டத்தான்
என் நெஞ்சத்தான் என்பேன் யான் (6)
AmmaiyAr says “Let people say that he is out of our reach and somewhere beyond our reach; let them say that he is an embodiment of energe / knowledge; let them say that he is God who lives in the heavens with other Gods; I say categorically that he resides in the hearts of those who believe in Him!“
Fully surrendering to the One
Realizing that the One is everywhere, she conveys her unwavering faith in Shiva’s grace:
இடர்களை யாரேனும் எமக்கு இரங்காரெனும்
படரும் நெறி பணியாரேனும் – சுடர் உருவில்
என்பறாக்கோலத்து ஏரியாடும் எம்மானார்க்கு
அன்பு அறாது என்னெஞ்சு அவர்க்கு (2)
“Even if he does not get rid of my troubles, even if he does not relent to my pleas, even if he does not show me the right way to live, my devotion in my heart for him will never cease.“
What is interesting to note here is that one normally prays to a higher being when they are troubled, or want something (even if moksha), or is lost in worldly pleasures. AmmaiyAr states up front that such objective-driven actions are not the right approaches; instead one must have unwavering faith and devotion. This also is the crux of dharma as explained in Bhagavad Gita and other works, explained in very simply yet profoundly.
What is the definition of “full devotion”? She provides the answer in her starting verse.
பிறந்து மொழி பயின்ற பின் எல்லாம் காதல்
சிறந்து நின் சேவடியே சேர்ந்தேன் – நிறம் திகழும்
மாய் ஞான்ற கண்டத்து வானோர் பெருமானே
என் ஞான்று தீர்ப்பது இடர் (1)
Ever since I was born and learned to speak I have constantly thought about you and have spoken your praise – when will you come and relieve me from these worldly ties?
Complete surrender – in ammaiyAr’s words – is shown through thought, speech, and action. We see similar qualities in hyperfocused individuals such as sportspersons or scientists or in the negative case, despots. Of course, the intent and objective of that focus leads to positive or negative results!
The power of singular focus
What next after realizing that the One that people search for is right within their hearts? And why should one focus on the One?
ஒன்றே நினைத்து இருந்தேன் ஒன்றே துணிந்து ஒழிந்தேன்
ஒன்றே என் உள்ளத்தின் உள் அடைத்தேன் – ஒன்றே காண்
கங்கையான் திங்கள் கதிர் முடியான் பொங்கு ஒளி சேர்
அங்கையால் ஆளாம் அது
“I have thought of the only One; knowing that the One is the only thing that matters, I let go of everything else and kept the One locked in my mind. That One is the one that provides the water in this world that makes things be born; it’s the One that shines the sun light and makes things thrive in this world; and it’s the one that transforms into the fire that also consumes the living beings in the end.“
How easy is it to focus?
It’s all well and good to ask someone to focus, but is it really that easy?
பிரான் அவனை நோக்கும் பெருநெறியே பேணி
பிரான் அவன் தன் பேரருளே வேண்டி பிரான் அவனை
எங்கு உற்றான் என்பீர்கள் என்போல்வார் சிந்தையினும்
இன்குற்றான் காண்பார்க்கு எளிது (45)
In all humility, ammaiyAr says, “He graces even me – one who has varied thoughts – because I believed that he is the One. If He can grace me, so wil he for you!“
What is the result of the focus?
With all the focus, what happens?
திரை மருவு செஞ்சடையான் சேவடிக்கே ஆளாய்
உரை மருவி யாம் உணர்ந்தோம் கண்டீர் – தெரிமினோ
இம்மைக்கும் அம்மைக்கும் எல்லாம் அமைந்தோமே
எம்மை பூரன் உரைப்பது என் (91)
By having complete devotion to the One, I have realized his form beyond all forms. That is the result – to realize the freedom that comes from being untethered from the worldly obsessions and to get to the One.
Brief history
kArakkAl ammaiyAr was born as punidavati (புனிதவதி) in the city of kAraikkAl around 6th century CE. She was a staunch devotee of Shiva and lived a normal life with her husband paramadattan (பரமதத்தன்) at her father Danadattan’s (தனதத்தன்) home, as his father was a merchant who wanted to have his son-in-law take care of the business with him.
One day, Paramadattan got a couple of mangos from one of the traders and sent them home to be eaten later. Before he returned home that day, a Shaiva saint visited their house seeking alms and as was the custom, Punidavati served him food. However, she was short of typical vegetables to prepare the food and so took one of the mangoes and served the saint.
Upon returning home, Danadattan asked his wife to serve him the mangoes he had sent home earlier, which Punidatvati did dutifully with the remaining mango. Then the trouble began!
Dandattan enjoyed the taste of the mango so much that he asked for the other mango. Since she had given the mango away already and not wanting to tell her husband that she had done so, she prayed Shiva for a way out. Lo and behold, a new mango appeared for her. Punidavati then dutifully served the mango. Now, this mango was way more delicious than the other one! Suspicious, Danadattan asked how she got the mango. Not wanting to tell a lie, Punidavati told him about how it came by due to Shiva’s grace. Not fully trusting her, Danadattan asked for her to get another mango. Punidavati prayed again and a mango appeared in front of Danadattan and promptly disappeared!
Thoroughly spooked with all this, Danadattan realized that his wife was not an ordinary woman and had divine qualities. Not seeing her as a wife anymore but rather a divine being, he quitely left her in the guise of doing business elsewhere, settled in the neighboring Pandya kingdom, married another lady, got a daughter and named her Punidavati!
Unaware of this Punidavati was waiting for her husband at kAraikkAl. After a while, some of her neighbors found about Danadattan’s new life and brought her to him. Danadattan explained her feelings on how he does not see her as his wife anymore and asked for forgiveness.
Punidavati realized her destiny was to be a Shiva disciple and requested Shiva to shed her normal form and change her into one of his gaNas (typically represented in a ghostly form) and got her wish. The story further goes that she climbed up Kailasa on her head to meet Shiva not wanting to have her feet touch the holy mountain and Shiva presented himself with pArvati – his consort – and said “அம்மையே வா” (mother, please come!), implying the kind and compassionate nature of Punidavati. Henceforth, she came to be called as kAraikkAl ammai (காரைக்கால் அம்மை). Shiva then asked her to go to thiruvaalankAdu (திருவாலங்காடு) to see his divine dance, which was her wish. She eventually did and attained moksha.
While a rational lens on the story may come up with varying questions and interpretations, will stick to her literary prowess and spiritual wisdom in this post. One thing that is interesting to note however, is the names of her husband and father have Sanskrit origins (dattan – one who gives – is a common suffix for the merchant folk), her poems have very minimal or no use of Sanskrit origin thamizh words, something that is more common in the works of the poets after her time. We take this as another testament to how the two languages were intertwined in the culture at that time while not losing their uniqueness.
Sources
- Arpudha thiruvandaadi – S Kunjitapaadam Pillai
- https://arangameena.blogspot.com/2021/08/blog-post.html
- Abhidaana chintaamani – SingAravelu mudaliyAr
Kaaviya Varigal (Literary Verses) 