CHIRRAM CHIRU KALE!

 

ANDAL'S TIRUPPAVI 29
THE POSTLUDE OF ANDAL’S PENANCE

‘ChiRRam chiRu kAlE’, the 29th TiruppAvai is the quintessence of the thirty tiruppAvai verses and the culmination of Prapatti as well.  Having performed the mArgazhi nOnbu with all fervor, ANDAL finally tells KrishNa that the ‘paRai-drum’ she asked for was not the material one, but the supreme everlasting servitude to krishNa called ‘nitya kainkaryam’.

Reminding krishNa that she had followed the five limbs or five angas of prapatti during her journey to meet Him, a confident ANDAL also mandates Him to grant the fruits of her penance.  This beautiful pAsuram which is recited daily in every VaishNava’s house has been depicted through Mandala Art (see picture above).  

1.The inner most circle houses the first two angas of Prapatti.  

Anukoolya Sankalpam: Doing things that please the Lord:

ANDAL tells krishNa that she and her friends rose in the early hours of the morning and extolled His divine pair of lotus feet. 

PrAtikoolya varjanam: Shunning actions that do not please the Lord:

 It appears that the girls did not engage in material desires or waste time in gossip but used their trikaraNas to worship krishNa alone. Hence, ANDAL tells krishNa to give a patient hearing and understand their objective.

#(chiRRam chiRu kAlE vandu unnai sEvittu, un poRRAmarai aDiyE pORRum poruL kELAy! – picturized with symbols of sunrise, paDukas and anjali mudrA.

2.The second circle houses the third anga of prapatti.

kArpaNyam: Expressing helplessness – KrishNa was born in the cowherd clan who earned their living by grazing cattle. Simple and innocent as they were, they sought KrishNa alone unwittingly and He also protected them readily.   In the same way, ANDAL pleads Him not to turn her appeal down but to take control of her as His servitor.  

# (peRRam meittu uNNum kulattil piRandu nee, kuRREvaL engaLai koLLAmal pOgAdu – picturized with krishNa leelAs for sAdhu samrakshanam)

3.The third circle houses the fourth anga of prapatti.

gOptRutva varaNam – As a next appeal, addressing him as GovindA the master, ANDAL begs that it is not enough if KrishNa blesses her for a day, but tthat He should keep her close to Him and protect her forever just the way He had performed all His leelas taking with HIm His inseparable consort Shreedevi.

 #(iRRai paRai koLvAn anRu kAN gOvindA, eRRaikkum Ezh Ezh piRavikkum undannODu – picturized with ten avatAras of VishNu)

4.The fourth circle houses the fifth anga of prapatti.

mahAvishvAsam:  Promising krishNa that she will ever remain faithful and do uninterrupted service to Him alone, ANDAL in turn requests krishNa to keep away all her other desires.   

#(uRRomE AvOm, unakkE nAm ATseiyvOm, maRRai nam kAmangaL, mARRElOr empAvAi – picturized with insignia of VaishNava sampradayam which a prapanna should be associated with on a daily basis).

ANDAL started the first pAsuram saying ‘nArAyaNanE namakku paRai taruvAn’. She performed her actions taking His names like padmanAbha, dAmodara, etc. Finally, she called Govinda to protect her in ananta kainkaryam. May we follow suit. Govinda, Govinda, Govinda!!!

aDiyEn,

Smt. Malathi Balaji