The Story of Andal

'Māsānāṁ mārga-śhīrṣho'ham'

'Of the months, I am Mārgaśīrsha' says Bhagavān Srī Krishna in His Bhagavad Gītā. On the occasion of Gītā Jayantī, let's see the story of Kodhai, who explained the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gītā in 30 short and sweet Tamil verses in Nārāyana's dearmost month, which is none other than Mārgazhi.

On the day of Thiruvādipūram, Kodhai descended in the Tulasi gardens of Vadapathrashayī temple, Srīvilliputtūr and was found by Periyāzhwār Vishnuchittar. What Sītā was to Janaka, what Rādhā was to Vrishbhānu, what Rukminī was to Bhīshmaka and what Padmāvatī was to Ākāsharāja was Āndāl to Periyāzhwār. Vishnuchittar raised His dear Daughter with love and care. He himself was a person whose thoughts were always filled with Lord Vishnu. Then what about Āndāl?

She is known as Āndāl because She rules over the Lord with Her love. In Her mind She beheld Krishna everywhere. She played with Him, laughed with Him and thought about Him all the time. She imagined Herself as the Bride of the Lord and adorned Herself with flower garlands before adorning the Lord of Villiputtūr with the same garland. One day, Periyāzhwār discovered a strand of Kodhai's hair in the garland. He was shocked. After expressing His disapproval, he immediately made a new garland but the Lord didn't accept that. Rangamannar didn't get happiness on wearing ordinary Garlands. He became elated only after adorning the flower garlands that became more fragrant after Kodhai had worn them. He told Vishnuchittar the same. Periyāzhwār was astonished! He realized that his dear Daughter, whom he had brought up by narrating the pastimes of Krishna, was divine and had blessed him by being his child! So, till this day, the Lord adorns Himself with the garlands that are first worn by Kodhai. She is known as Soodikodutha Sudar Kodi- the delicate creeper-like maiden who presented garland to the Lord after adorning Herself with the same flower garland.

Āndāl, who is Bhū Lakshmī Herself, turned Her Srīvilliputtūr into Vraja in the month of Mārgazhi. She preached the essence of Vedas, devotion and the glories of the Lord in a simple and touching manner for 30 days. She imagined Herself as a Gopikā doing Vratā to attain the Lord, just like the Gopikās of Vrindāvana observed the Kātyāyinī Vrata. Kodhai enlightened the young girls in Her village and woke them up every morning to go to the Lord's abode and sing His glories. She, who is the Queen of Vishnu's heart, approached Him like a devotee would and addressed Him with His divine names like Keshava, Nārāyana, Mādhava, Govinda and gave us the Gem called Thiruppāvai in which She narrated the greatness of Mārgazhi month and Pāvai Nombu, woke Her friends up with love, humour and knowledge, walked towards the palace of Krishna and approached the guards, Yashoda, Nanda Gopa and Balarāma. She requested Nappinnai, the beloved of Krishna to grace Her and Her companions and finally glorified and sought refuge in Gopāla.

(The verses will be explained in detail in the next Mārgazhi, since this year we are exploring Thiruvempāvai, which is very similar to Tiruppāvai. Further analogies will be made between these two pearls of Mārgazhi month the next year.)

As days passed, Her soul slowly yearned to attain Her Lord. She became love-lorn, Her bones became weak according to Her and the pain of separation was unbearable. She declared that She was born only for Her Lord and desired nobody else. She sent messages through cuckoos and clouds to Nārāyana residing in many temples. She pleaded with a young Krishna to stop demolishing Her sand castle. She promised Lord Kallazhagar of Madurai that She would gift Him 1000 pots of Milk and Jaggery pudding. She wanted to hear the twang of Rāma's Sāranga (like Sītā desired) and the blowing of Krishna's Pānchajanya (like Rukminī yearned). Āndāl said all this in Her beautiful work called Nāchiyār Thirumozhi which has 143 verses. One night She dreamt about Her wedding with Madhusūdhana. The Lord appeared in Her dreams with His party and wedded Her beautifully following all rituals. The account describing Her dream is Vāranam Āyiram which is a part of Nāchiyār Thirumozhi.

One day Srī Ranganātha of Srī Rangam appeared in the dream of Periyāzhwār and told him that He was seeking Āndāl's hand in marriage. Periyāzhwār was astonished and made arrangements to take Kodhai in a palanquin to Srī Rangam as the Lord desired. Āndāl's joy knew no bounds. She became one with the idol of the Lord of Srī Rangam after beholding Him! Another version says that Rangamannar came to the house of Periyāzhwār, married His beloved Kodhai according to all the rituals described in Her lovely dream, took Her in a palanquin to Srī Rangam and merged with the Archa Vigraha of Srī Ranganātha. Kodhai clasped the feet of the reclining Perumāl and became one with Him! How lucky was Periyāzhwār to become the Father-in-law of Rangamannar!! He was filled with grief on being separated from His Daughter. After being assured by the Lord, He went to Srīvilliputtūr and continued serving Vadapathrashayī.

What has Kodhai taught us? 

She has taught us to consider the Lord as our own and express it freely. Pure devotion always binds the Lord and brings Him closer to us! 

May the one who incarnated in this Universe on Thiru Ādipooram live long!

May the one who uttered the thirty verses of Thiruppāvai live long!

May the daughter of Periyāzhwār live long!

May the one who became the younger Sister of Rāmānuja live long!

May the one who rendered 143 verses (of Nāchiyār Thirumozhi) live long!

May the one who happily offered flowers to the Great Ranganātha Himself live long!

May the city of Madurai which cleanses us of our sins live long!

May the lotus feet of Kodhai who was born in Srīvilliputtūr live long!

Srī Āndāl Sameta Rangamannar Thiruvadigale Sharanam!

Yours,

Hari Priye