Madal

I was listening to Siriya Thirumadal today and I was reminded of something that my husband had shared with me. He has had the blessing of listening to the Kalakshepams of HH the 45 Jeer of Ahobila Madam in His Poorvashramam - which refers to the period of life prior to becoming the Jeer. From when he was literally in the cradle - around one and half years of age, M has been attending the lectures with amma. HH had also given Kalakshepams in my MIL/FIL house at one point.

There are things which give a deep sense of loss in one's life. As though we have lost something - something which we may never have been aware at that point of time. For me, it has been never been to listen to MSS -though she was performing at a point of time when I realized music was divine and she was divinity herself. The next thing which I realized only after I got married - The association of great people and listening to their words - their Asirvadams which is higher and difficult to get - even than Emperuman Anugraham.

This was association with the then Villivalam swami , now the 45th Jeer of Ahobila Mutt - My Acharayan. But there was a difference in the cases. In this instance Emperuman was kind enough to give me Aacharya Sambandam. But the voice of MSS, I lost permanently. But that is a different story altogether. I cannot compare.

So back to what I started with. I was listening to Siriya Thirumadal which is from 4000 Divya prabhandam and is sung by Swami Thirumangai alwar. Thirumangai Alwar is special in many respects esp. that Thirunaraiyur Nambi, Srinivasan - The Emperuman Himself was His Acharyan. He performed Samashreyanam to the Alwar in His very Sannidhi in Thirunaraiyur - Naachiyar Kovil.

A popular epithet of the the Lord is " Azhwargal madal edukkum azhagudaiya Peruman!"

Madal refers to a set of poems where the the lover - expresses his/her love for the beloved through poems and gestures,etc. But tamil grammar has a whole different set of rules regarding madal or madal erudhal which I do not seek to elaborate.

In this set of hymns, Azhwar assumes Himself to be "Parakala nayagi", a woman who is not able to bear her love for the Lord and is totally lost to the world sunk in her love for Him -who might not even be attainable. Her parents do not know who this Man is - who has bewitched their daughter. So goes the madal.

So has Swami Nammazhwar written as Parangusa Nayagi.

But the azhwars are basically men. They are not women. So they do not realize what a woman may shy away from in public when approached by her lover. This is reflected in their hymns when they ask the Lord to come to their "imagined female form" and ask Him to show His affection for them in a very public form.

But Aandal who was a woman knew that certain displays of affection are not welcome to a woman even when she has been long separated or is pining to see her lover. So she says to the Lord in her hymns not to bother her with these public gestures which embarass her to a point unimaginable.

Swami HH had commented on this to a gathering that even though Azhwars composed madals, they truly were only imagining. Andal was the only one among them who could most realistically pine for and then enjoy His love for Her as a lady.

Adiyen has not expressed this well at all. Blame a part of it to English and most of it to me. Yet it was a eureka moment for me.