கூடாரை வெல்லும் சீர்க்கோவிந்தா ~ Koodarai Valli today .. 2015

Today ~  11th Jan 2015  is a very significant day,  the 27^th  day of the tamil month of Margazhi.  Colloquially known as “Koodarai Valli” – this is a day, when  sweet pongal [made of jaggery with ghee flowing] is offered to God and then shared with all near and dear.. This day assumes significance from the pasuram of Chudi Kudutha Nachiyar – Andal.  In the month of Margazhi starting from day one, one verse of Thiruppavai is ascribed to a day and today is the 27th verse “Koodarai vellum Seer Govinda”

The true quality of Sri Vaishnavaite is to renounce everything, fall at the Lotus feet of  Sriman Narayana and feel happy of the fact of being his  eternal follower, allowing the Master to decide, determine and dictate the future. The best of wealth that one can get is the chance to do kainkaryam (service) to the God Himself and to Bhagavathas (His followers)

கூடாரை வெல்லும் சீர்க்கோவிந்தா உன்றன்னைப்*

பாடிப் பறைகொண்டு யாம்பெறு சம்மானம்*

நாடு புகழும் பரிசினால் நன்றாகச்*

சூடகமே தோள்வளையே தோடே செவிப்பூவே*

பாடகமே என்றனைய பல்கலனும் யாமணிவோம்*

ஆடை உடுப்போமதன்பின்னே பாற்சோறு*

மூடநெய் பெய்து முழங்கை வழிவாரக்*

கூடியிருந்து குளிர்ந்தேலோரெம்பாவாய். 

In this pasuram, Kothai Piratti expresses her great joy over the acquirement of the boons that she and her friends entreated Lord Krishna to grant them. Now She is in the eternal state of bless having been fully blessed by the Lord and is in a celebratory mood. This pasuram ascribes the benign supremacy of Lord conquering all His opponents with His anantha kalyana gunams like Vathsalyam,  Soulabhyam,  Souseelyam, Swamithvam, Soundharyam, Gnanam. To celebrate,  Andal  calls beating the drum, wearing new clothes describing all the ornate ornaments that are to be worn and eating sweet rice prepared in milk with ghee overflowing. In the early pasurams of Thiruppavai, it is the Paavai Nonbu – now it is nearing completeion and is the time for sanmanam from the Lord for those who observed the vratham. 

The Pasuram starts with “Koodarai Vellum Seer” – which speaks of His greatest Quality of winning the hearts of even those who want to fight against Him.  To us, the bakthas, it is not only of getting that much sought benevolence of God but more of sharing them with all bhakthas ‘koodi irunthu kulirnthu’. Thiruppavai is also about Govindha Naama Sankeerthanam which reaches its peak in the concluding verses where She ponders ‘kurai ondrum illatha Govinda’. The myriad meanings of Thiruppavai are detailed in many many discourses of Sri Vaishnavaite Periyavars, especially during this month.

Let us all get the great éclat and glory of all the Worlds by adorning ourselves eating rice food prepared using milk with sumptuous ghee and who eats this ksheerannam will stand ever united and remain cool in heart and joyous by the blessings of the Lord.

I offer my obeisance again and again to Goddess Godhadevi – to her alone – who awakened Lord Krishna and binded him with floral garlands already worn by her.  Here are some photos of Sri Andal taken at Thiruvallikkeni during the Neeratta Uthsavam which is on way.  Sri Andal was exquisitely draped in golden yellow  silk [மாம்பழ வண்ண பட்டு] and gave darshan in a grand sitting posture. 

Sri Andal thiruvadigale saranam.

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.