Episode 01 - Pillaiththamizh - Kannan's Play.

Kannan's Play

In nine elevating verses, the Azhwar scintillates us presenting Kannan’s play - கண்ணன் அப்பூச்சி காட்டுதல்.

அப்பூச்சி???!!!  - Etymologically an undefined word. Phonetically derived? Variously understood but converging on the inclination of the child at that stage of development to learn and play out – ‘hide and seek’, that the elders encourage the child to engage in. Varyingly understood between – the child or the elder entertaining the child, (actually frightening it)  flapping the eyelids inside out and making a fearsome face; the child or the elders using the tresses or the hands to cover the eyes  and removing - like the full moon emerging out of an eclipse; like the child being adamant to have his or her shadow being caught and brought to him/her.

(A distracting nugget - Those among us who could relate with the 40s, 50s and 60s would say – ‘it rings a bell’ – when someone brings up the old-fashioned child’s play -  கண்ணாம்பூச்சி aka கண்ணாமூச்சி. This is actually a colloquial distortion of கண்ணன் அப்பூச்சி, the topic of these nine delectable verses. Children of 5 to 7 years usually engage in this absorbing play. They would do a shake up of hands – like pulling a card for deciding the designated joker. And, either a nonplaying child, elder or even a pillar would be designated as ‘thaaiychi – தாய்ச்சி which would represent a ‘no-play’ (No-war) zone touching which would neutralize a player from being caught. And the joker’s eyes will be closed by a non-playing child or elder and a count of ten would be called out. The other children would run out and hide themselves as the joker child closes his/her eyes and counts ten. After the count of ten, the joker child would have to find one of the hiding players and touch him’her. There would be a spirited chase. If the pursued player reaches the Thaiychi before he or she is caught, he or she would not be a target any more. The joker child has to go and hunt for another quarry. If the joker child succeeds in finding and catching another, that one would become the joker. The play would go on thus. )

Back to Kannan and his அப்பூச்சி play with Periyazhwar:

மெச்சு ஊது சங்கம் இடத்தான் நல் வேய் ஊதி

பொய்ச் சூதிற் தோற்ற பொறை உடை மன்னர்க்காய்

பத்து ஊர் பெறாது அன்று பாரதம் கைசெய்த

அத் தூதன் அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான் அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்    

This one, who, holding his Panchajanya on his left hand and blows it – and his flute as well – producing delightful swaras, walked to the Kauravas for negotiating peace and gaining the legitimate share of the kingdom for the Pandavas, who had lost everything in an evil-plotted dice play, and failing to secure for them even ten villages – two for each – gone on to help them destroy the Kauravas and regain their rightful kingdoms, that divine messenger is showing அப்பூச்சி to me. மெச்சு – adorable, splendid; பொறை உடை மன்னர்க்காய் – Pandavas, the patient, quiet ones.

Krishna using his conch for herding the cattle that he was caring for is a rare narrative; here the Azhwar brings that in. This also occurs in ஆநிரையினம் மீளக்குறித்த சங்கம்

காயும் நீர் புக்குக் கடம்பு ஏறி காளியன்

தீய பணத்திற் சிலம்பு ஆர்க்கப் பாய்ந்து ஆடி

வேயின் குழல் ஊதி வித்தகனாய் நின்ற

ஆயன் வந்து அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான் அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்

Climbing a Kadamba tree and diving into waters of a Yamuna lagoon that were blistering with Kalinga’s poison, he danced over the killer-hoods of that Kalinga, with his anklets jingling in concert, and playing on his flute, he expressed himself as an Almighty one. That Aayan (shephered) is showing அப்பூச்சி to me.

வேயின் குழல் ஊதி வித்தகனாய் நின்ற … is found again …

Here:

மாயச் சகடம் உதைத்து மருது இறுத்து

ஆயர்களோடு போய் ஆநிரை காத்து அணி

வேயின் குழல் ஊதி வித்தகனாய் நின்ற

ஆயர்கள் ஏற்றினைப் பாடிப் பற !

ஆநிரை மேய்த்தானைப்  பாடிப் பற

(உந்தி பறத்தல் … 314 … மூன்றாம் பத்து ஒன்பதாம் திருமொழி – paasuram 9)

இருட்டிற் பிறந்து போய் ஏழை வல் ஆயர்

மருட்டைத் தவிர்ப்பித்து வன் கஞ்சன் மாளப்

புரட்டி அந்நாள் எங்கள் பூம்பட்டுக் கொண்ட

அரட்டன் வந்து அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்   அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்   

Born in pitch darkness (eighth day or waning moon) in a prison, he moved to Thiru Aayarpaadi; there He delivered the innocent Aayars from their mortal fears (seeing the successive bids of Kamsan to get rid of this divine child to whom they were so hopelessly devoted). He travelled to Mathura and killed that wicked Kamsan with His own hands; and as the unsuspecting gopis (shepherd women) were frolicking in the Yanuna’s waters, leaving their silk robes on the shore, he stole those clothes, embarrassing these devoted women and making them cringe and plead with him for the return of the robes, to restore their modesty - that Kannan is showing me அப்பூச்சி.

சேப் பூண்ட சாடு சிதறித் திருடி நெய்க்கு

ஆப்பூண்டு நந்தன் மனைவி கடை தாம்பால்

சோப்பூண்டு துள்ளித் துடிக்கத் துடிக்க அன்று

ஆப்பூண்டான் அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான் அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்   

He kicked to smithereens the huge, speeding, wheel-form Asura (சாடு  - distortion of சகடு  - a wagon wheel) with His tiny feet; he stole butter from the homes of Aayars. As these folks complained to His mother Yasodha, she proudly admonished them: ‘He is not capable of stealing, if it is true, why not catch Him in the act and bring him to me. I shall see then’ He of course couldnot resist stealing butter and gets caught. The Aayars bring Him to Yasodha - கையும் களவுமாக – with stolen butter still spilling in his hands. Embarrassed and enraged Yasodha boils over and flagellates herself verbally : “What kind of a parent am I, having brought you up to this?” and then belts little Kannan with the churn rope (கடை தாம்பால்). The little child screams and hops around in pain from the repeatedly falling, angry rope lashes - துள்ளித் துடிக்கத் துடிக்க – the Azhwar is hopping around in pain himself not bearing to visualize little Kannan going through this punitive rage of His mother. And, her anger not doused still, she ties him to the wooden pestle with the same churn rope – and the child earns the appellation, DAMODHARAN – the One who is bound by a rope – that becomes one of the twelve principal appellations of Sri Maha Vishnu (Dwadasa Namam). That Kannan is showing அப்பூச்சி to me.

துள்ளித் துடிக்கத் துடிக்க – the Azhwar goes through the flagellation and its pain himself and hops around and cries in pain, as a little child going through this ordeal would. This phrase is worth a whole epic, is it not?

தத்துக் கொண்டாள்கொலோ தானேபெற் றாள்கொலோ

சித்த மனையாள் அசோதை யிளஞ்சிங்கம்

கொத்தார் கருங்குழல் கோபால கோளரி

அத்தன்வந்து அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான் அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்.

Did Yasodha really deliver this child? Or, is this one an adopted one? Why are these questions coming up? The Aayarpadi sees in Kannan and his mind-blowing pranks – சேஷ்டிதங்கள் – a huge asymmetry between the normal children born in that quiet, peace-loving and sadhu community and the pranks and deeds of Kannan that cause a huge unbridgeable chasm of disbelief in the minds of those simple -minded Aayars. They all knew that Yasodha delivered an infant; but none could actually say he or she was witness to the birth of THIS CHILD. For, the would-be mother was not in her senses at the time; and the Aayars with her were lulled into an unwelcome snooze. But the infant was beside Yasodha. How could anyone assert that this was not born to her? But then how could Yosodha be the mother of THIS ASTONISHING CHILD?

பதக முதலைவாய்ப் பட்ட களிறு

கதறிக் கைகூப்பி என் கண்ணா கண்ணா என்ன

உதவப் புள் ஊர்ந்து அங்கு உறுதுயர் தீர்த்த

அதகன் வந்து அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்  அம்மனே அப்பூச்சி காட்டுகின்றான்

The legend of Gajendra here:

As the majestic elephant – striding into a pool full of lotus blooms to fetch fresh blooms for offering to his favourite archa murthi – Sri Maha Vishnu – a killer crocodile (பதக is for பாதகம் – heinous sinner) clutched his foot with its murderous teeth. The elephant, in deep distress, unable to retrieve himself from that murderous assault, bellowed out pleas – “Kanna! Kanna!” – partly in pain and partly in anguish that the offering of flowers to his Lord has been ruined. Responding to that plaintive call from His devoted soul, he sped across to the poolside astride Garuda and delivered his devotee elephant from his distress. (As He arrived at the poolside, He glanced at the Sudarsana on his right hand; Sudarsana, taking the hint from his master, sped across and sliced through the wicked crocodile, relieving Gajendra the devotee-elephant of his distress. That one is showing அப்பூச்சி to me.

களிறு கதறிக் கைகூப்பி என் கண்ணா கண்ணா என்ன – The Azhwar reduces all the puranic events, the divine graces of Sri Bhagavan in responding to His devotees, to one denomination, one appellation, one form, one name – KANNAN.  The legend would tell us that the elephant trumpeted plaintively - ஆதிமூலமே! – The Bhagavata Purana has a distinct chapter that contains the ‘stutis’ of Gajendra – ‘NamosthuthE! Akhila KaaraNaaya! Adbutha KaaraNaaya! NishkaaraNaaya!’. But for the Azhwar, the plaintive calls were ‘KANNA! KANNA!’.