Nachiar Tirumozhi

Old Painting of Aandaal

nAcciyAR tirumozhi is a set of 143 verses. In her restlessness and eagerness to join with Kannan, Sri Andal attempts various methods by which she can attain union with Kannan which forms the major part of Nachiyar Thirumozhi. Among the Thirumozhis, Vaaranamaiyiram is very well known and has a special significance. It details Andal's Narration of her dream of being married with kannan to her thozhi's(friends).

One can view nAcciyAr tirumozhi as godA devi’s advice to us on how a jIva in this life should dedicate itself single-mindedly to attaining the paramAtman. What we see at display is the intensity with which this effort should be undertaken, and the impatience that the jIva should feel in achieving this objective at all costs, until the objective is realized. In samskRt, this is called tvarA - it means unbearable haste or speed. An example given to illustrate tvarA is a fish out of water that tries to get back into the water one way or the other to save its life.

These 143 verses are a part of the 4000 hyms of Nalayira Divya Prabandham

Thirumozhis

The 143 pASurams are organized in 14 segments, each one called a tirumozhi. Thus, the first set of 10 pASurams – the first tirumozhi, is called “tai oru ti’ngaLum”, based on the first phrase of the first pASuram. Similarly, all the other tirumozhi-s are named based on the first few words of the first pASuram of that tirumozhi.

Each tirumozhi deals with one specific topic. For example, the 8th tirumozhi called “viNNIla melAppu” deals with kOdai telling her plight to the clouds and sending them as her messenger to gOvindan, who is stationed in tirumalai. The first tirumozhi starts with a plea by Andal to kAmadevan for his help in uniting her with her nAthan, emperumAn. The remaining tirumozhi-s are dedicated to different efforts by Andal to somehow speed up her union with perumAL. In the process, she goes through lots of impatient waiting, and finally in paTTi mEindOr kArERu tirumozhi, she is reunited with perumAL.

Trivia

1. vAraNam Ayiram, is a very renowned tirumozhi. Even today, this sixth tirumozhi is being sung in all the Vedic weddings during the time called paccai pUSuthal. Traditional belief is that when this ritual is performed, the newly wedded couple's lives will forever remain sweet. kOdai herself has declared that those who chant this tirumozhi will beget children with brahma jnAnam and sattva guNam. The wedding scenes that kOdai describes are full of beauty and superb in imagination, and have a divine vedic flavor.

2. Vaaranamaiyiram has also featured in a song in the film Keladi Kanmani. There is another song by P. Susheela in the movie thirumAl perumai with lyrics starting varanam ayiram . This song does not have the lyrics of 6th Thirumozhi.

Audio Link

• Nachchiyar Tirumozhi audio
• Varanamayiram by S.P.B
• Varanamayiram 6.6

References

• Short essay on nAcciyAR tirumozhi
• Detailed Commentary
• - Nachiyar Thirumozhi Audio