Goddess Pavai is a reference to Mata Parvathi in Her Gauri form aspiring the Eligible Mahadeva. Pavai, in Tamil means young lass. Goddess Pavai worship is common in the Tamil month of Marghazhi by observing strict vrat or vratham for divine matrimony. The prayer rituals are bhakti boosted with dance and music. Pavai plot is taken up by Poet-saint Andal who gave us Thiruppavai in which She extols the virtues of Sri Krishna, seeking His guidance in Pavai worship. It reveals nayaki-nayaka bhava, along the lines of Gopis in Vrandavan, meaning heroine-hero sentiments and absolute saranagathi. She yearned to serve Sri Krishna and achieve bliss for all eternity. Thiruppaavai of 30 verses, is part of the Tamil literature rich, Nalayira Thivya Prabhandam, collected works of the twelve Alvaars. One simple subtle seed carries and hides within it an entire tree, its growth and an unending cycle of growth, death and a continuum. Thus of the Thiruppaavai, it is said to be the seed of the Vedas, Vedam Anaithukkum Vithagum. The verses have symbolic undertones of the Paramathma dwelling in everything, which Satyam is revealed under the guidance of an acharya. In another work, the Sacred Sayings in 143 verses, the Nachiar Thirumozhi, Aandaal expounds intense longing for Mahavishnu. However this work has erotic undertones along the lines of Gita Govinda by Jayadeva. This is to be seen as divine feelings for the Lord in as much only the blind would see eroticism in RadhaKrishna relationship. As a fifteen year old beauty, it is said of Aandaal that she insisted of getting married to Mahavishnu. Legends have it that the Lord ordered the Srirangam priests to prepare for this wedding. Reaching Srirangam, it is said that an impatient Aandaal ran into the sanctum sanctorum and embraced Lord Ranganatha Deity, a form of Mahavishnu. On this and other recorded accounts, many hold that Aandaal worked Her way up to be a Goddess herself. The first Pasuram, Ode of the Gods of Thiruppavai by Aandaal is: “In this month of Marghazhi, On this day filled with the light of moon, Come for bathing, Oh ladies who are richly dressed, And Oh ladies in rich homes of cowherds, For he with the sharp spear, He who kills his enemies without mercy, He who is the son of Nanda gopa, He who is the darling son of Yasodha, Who wore scented flower garlands, He who is a lion cub, He who is pretty in black colour, He who has small red eyes, He who has a face like the well-lit moon, And He, who is our Lord Narayana, Is going to give us big drums, So that we bathe and worship Our Goddess Pavai, In a way that the whole world sings about.” To these lines in Tamil, Poet Vairamuthu has added lines not moving very far from Aandaal’s bhakti fire-plot. “Come Thalaiva, (hero) is life an illusion, ….the heart is on fire, do the tears rolling down put it off; the palms collect them (tears) while my life is wearing off; are we going to see each other once or You have that benefit alone, O Thalaiva; is it right for you to put off the fire of love …. ?” asks the poet. youtu.be/kt4DS0U0Ldo Hara Hara Mahadeva
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:52:27 +0000
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