வாரணம் ஆயிரம் | Thousand Elephants

nAn kanA kaNDEn - Andal's dream on getting married to Narayana

 

vAraNam Ayiram Soozha valam Seidu

nAraNa nambi naDakkinrAn enru edir |

pooraNa porkuDam vaittu puram engum

tOraNam nATTa kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

ANDAL is describing her dream to one of her friends. She dreamt she is getting married to

nArAyaNa. The previous day to the marriage the whole city is decorated giving a festive look. The porkuDam are placed in the marriage hall. nArAyaNa is arriving dressed as a groom surrounded by thousand elephants decorated to suit the function. The ‘vAdyagoSTi’ play musical instruments when He comes.

 

nALai vaduvai maNam enru nALiTTu

pALai kamuhu pariSuDai pandarkeezh |

kOLari mAdavan gOvindan enbAnOr

kALai puhuda kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

Oh! My dear friend! Listen to my dream – when nArAyaNa enter the marriage hall, the elders of both the parties sit together and make engagement and fix that such and such a boy marries such and such a girl at such and such a time. The marriage hall is decorated with auspicious betel nut leaves and bunches. The bridegroom is called by thousand names. They perform certain religious rites previous to marriage.

 

indiran uLLiTTa dEvar kuzhAm ellAm

vandu irundu ennai mahat pESi mandirittu |

mandira kODi uDutti maNamAlai

andari SooTTa kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

ANDAL continues her narration – indra and all the dEvAs came with great enthusiasm to this earth to take part in the kalyANa mahOtsava of their Lord. They do all the arrangement for the marriage. They talked to the bride’s people about how it should be conducted. They decide about the gifts from both the sides, ornaments, dresses etc. Then they arrange the marriage to be conducted on the very next day since any obstacle may come if there is delay. Immediately, as a token of starting of the ceremony the sister-in-law durga gifts the bride the beautiful saree and a garland to be worn.

 

nATTriSai teertam koNarndu nani nalhi

pAppana chiTTarhaL pallAr eDuttu Etti |

pooppunai kaNNi punidanODu entannai

kAppu nAN kaTTa kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

tOzhi! During Sree rAma paTTAbiSEka the vAnarAs brought ‘teerta’ from all the quarters.

Likewise BrAhmaNAs have brought the teerta from all directions and sprinkle several times

chanting mantras on both of us. They tied kankaNa on our wrists.

 

kadiroLi deepam kalaSamuDan Endi

SadiriLa mangaiyar tAm vandu edir koLLa |

maduraiyAr mannan aDi nilai toTTu engum

adira puhuda kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

Oh! My dear friend! I saw in my dream such beautiful young girls who are so beautiful as to attract the attention of all assembled there. They were carrying deepa and kalaSa in their hands to invite the Bridegroom. The King of madura put on the pAduka and started walking in a royal dignity shaking the earth.

 

mattaLam koTTa variSangam ninrooda

muttuDai tAmam nirai tAzhnda pandarkeezh |

maittunan nambi madusoodan vandu ennai

kaittalam paTTra kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

ANDAL says to her friend – ‘He came into the marriage hall with pAduka on. The hall was

decorated with pearl garlands hanging from the ceiling. As He came there was the beating of drums and blowing of conches. He came to take my hand into His (pAnigrahaNa)’.

 

vAi nallAr nalla marai Odi mandirattAl

pASilai nANal paDuttu paridi vaittu |

kAi Sina mA kaLirannAn en kai paTTri

tee valam Seyya kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

After the pAnigrahaNa the couples hold hands and go round the agni (pradakShiNa) with priest chanting the vEda mantras loudly. kaNNan looked like a proud war elephant – proud

because He married ANDAL.

 

immaikkum EzhEzh piravikkum paTTrAvAn

nammai uDaiyavan nArAyaNan nambi |

SemmaiyuDaiya tirukkaiyAl tAL paTTri

ammi midikka kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

kaNNapirAn is the SESi and receives our kainkarya. He puts my foot on stone this is

called ‘aSmArOhaNam’. During the marriage there is some argument between the two parties – of bride and groom. The groom likes her so much that He catches hold of her leg. When BagavAn is in samslESa it is He who falls on her feet. It is not like upadESa samaya – when the SESa holds the master’s feet. It is to symbolize that the bride will be steadfast in her ‘pativrata dharma’.

 

variSilai vAN muhattu ennaimAr tAm vandiTTu

erimuham pArittu ennai munnE nirutti |

arimuhan achchutan kaimEl en kai vaittu

porimuhandu aTTa kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

After ‘ammi midittal’ comes ‘rAja hOma’ i.e., offering rAja into the sacrificial fire. This practice is found in prayOgachandrika. It is done by the bride’s brother. ANDAL says ‘my

brothers came and made me stand in front of the fire and placed my hand on His and offered pori into the fire’.

 

kungumam appi kuLir SAndam maTTittu

mangala veedi valam Seidu maNa neer |

angavanODum uDan Senru angu AnaimEl

manjanamATTa kanA kaNDEn tOzhee nAn ||

 

For a long time ANDAL and kaNNan were sitting in front of the sacrificial fire to do certain

rites. In order to cool their body they smeared kunkum and sandal paste. Then they are taken in a procession along the streets decorated for marriage. Finally they come to the marriage hall where they were given ‘mangala neerATTu’.

 

AyanukkAha tAn kaNDa kanAvinai

vEyar puhazh villiputtoor kOn kOdai Sol |

tooya tamizh mAlai eeraindum vallavar

vAyu nan makkaLai peTTru mahizhvarE ||

 

This is the Pala Sruti. ANDAL has in her dream married kaNNan which she narrates to her

friend. This shows how she desires deeply to be with Him. Those who read them will have good children.

 

Source - srivaishnavan.com

 

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