Episode 01 - Pillaiththamizh - Kannan is Born.

Kannan is Born

In Periyazhwar’s Thirumozhi, the Azhwar begins to sing Kannan from the time of his birth  -

வண்ண மாடங்கள் சூழ் திருக்கோட்டியூர்க்

கண்ணன் கேசவன் நம்பி பிறந்தினில்

He goes on to present the different phases of the infant’s growth beginning with a poetic adoration of the infant’s rapturous beauty. Then follow the different phases prescribed in ‘PiLLaith Thamizh’ grammar interspersed with several other adjuncts to these phases. In all, 189 of his verses in his Thirumozhi could be adduced to this ‘PILlaith Thamizh’ component – drawing a line at the ten verses on ‘காப்பிடல்’ fitting Kannan with sanctified, protective bracelets ‘Kaappu’ meant to protect the child from harm. Subsequent verses relate with that divine child beyond the twenty-one months limit that Tholkaappiyam would define for PiLLaith Thamizh.

The Azhwar becomes one of the ladies of the cowherd community (Aaichchiar) and relates with the other women in presenting this marvellous ‘Paadhaathi Kesam’ of this divine child. (Later on, he would become Yasodha, far outdoing the mother in investing motherly love, pride, complaining, wonderment, possessive protection of the child.)

We would find here, as in several other instances in most Thamizh epics, that there is an ‘inverted time projection’ by the author while presenting a character. For instance, here, in these very verses, we would find the Azhwar celebrating episodes that would come much later in Kannan’s life – the killing of Sakatasura, felling of the Marudham trees, dealing death to Poothanai and even as far ahead as lifting the Govardhana Giri, killing the Kuvalaya elephant and the killer wrestlers of Kamsan, etc. And, in order to remind us that this is really the Supreme Being incarnate as Krishna, we would be notified of this child having devoured all the worlds during the deluge, His incarnation as Vamana, Narasimha, et al. When we enjoy these paasurams, understanding this feature would help us travel with the poet seamlessly.

We would begin this presentation with one or two verses celebrating the birth of Kannan:

Kannan is born in Thiru Aayarpaadi. The world was oblivious of the switch of the infants between Devaki and Yasodha. For the world, Yasodha and Nanda Gopan had been blessed with a most captivating, dark-complexioned male baby. The whole Yadava community is ecstatic. They are beside themselves, lose themselves in this joy. Simple, innocent, emotionally driven people, engaged in a noble, uncomplicated profession of nourishing cows and calves and dispensing their bounteous dairy – milk, curd, butter, ghee – around the communities, they would find themselves overwhelmed by a different, all-consuming emotion – bhakti – with the arrival of this very special child. (The blessed residents of Thiru Aayarpaadi would now shun all other purposes of life. Kannan would be their soul, would be their world; they would see Kannan in themselves and Kannan everywhere – like the Isopanishad mantra would assert – ‘yas tu sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmany evānupaśyati; sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṁ tato na vijugupsate - He who systematically sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, who sees all living entities as His part and parcel, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything in the Universe, never hates anything or any being. ’Periyazhwar presents that celebrated, divine, event –

வண்ண மாடங்கள் சூழ் திருக்கோட்டியூர்க்

கண்ணன் கேசவன் நம்பி பிறந்தினில்

எண்ணெய் சுண்ணம் எதிரெதிர் தூவிடக்

கண்ணன் முற்றம் கலந்து அளறு ஆயிற்றே  

Periyazhwar invokes the Thiru Ayarpaadi in Thirukoshtiyur. How does Thirukoshtiyur come in here? We would recall that Sri Selva Nambi, the Royal Guru of the Pandya kingdom was instrumental in getting Vishnuchittan to Madurai and that was the transformational point that saw Vishnuchittan becoming Periyazhwar. Periyazhwar dedicates the ultimate tribute and reciprocation of that life-changing role of Sri Selva Nambi, who hailed from Thirukoshtiyur. With deft poetic grace, he uses his benefactor’s name in the paasuram superimposed on Kannan Himself கேசவன் நம்பி.

In the grand city of Thirukoshtiyur resplendent with colourful, terraced palaces, as the divine child Kannan was born, all the residents celebrated, throwing powdery colour and bright oily paint on each other, those coming in to see that captivating infant and those returning; and the whole front yard of Kannan’s birth place greeting each other in that revelling, rejoicing melee – Nanda Gopan’s residence – became a colourfed mess.

ஓடுவார் விழுவார் உகந்து ஆலிப்பார்

நாடுவார் நம்பிரான் எங்குத்தான் என்பார்

பாடுவார்களும் பல்பறை கொட்ட நின்று

ஆடுவார்களும் ஆயிற்று ஆய்ப்பாடியே  

They ran around – in reckless abandon. They stumbled on each other. They screamed in delight. Looked in and clamoured – Where is the divine one? The whole Aayarpaadi community turned into one mass of singing, dancing to drumbeats.

உறியை முற்றத்து உருட்டி நின்று ஆடுவார்

நறுநெய் பால் தயிர் நன்றாகத் தூவுவார்

செறி மென் கூந்தல் அவிழத் திளைத்து எங்கும்

அறிவு அழிந்தனர் ஆய்ப்பாடி ஆயரே

They would heave and roll milk pots on to the courtyard, climb on them and dance. They would smear the whole place with fresh butter oil, butter, curd and milk. They had their long and luxuriant tresses unwound and bobbing around as they danced. The whole of Thiru Aayarpaadi seemingly had lost its mind – seized in that irrepressible celebratory mood.

‘Uththaanam’ – Namakaranam on the 12th day:

பத்து நாளும் கடந்த இரண்டாம் நாள்

எத் திசையும் சயமரம் கோடித்து

மத்த மா மலை தாங்கிய மைந்தனை

உத்தானம் செய்து உகந்தனர் ஆயரே

Two days after the tenth day (of the birth of this divine infant) – on the 12th day – after decorating all of Thiru Aayarpaadi with victory poles (சயமரம்), the infant (who would lift the Goverdhana giri to shelter the entire Aayarpaadi and the cattle herds from the seven days of rock-rain that Indra delivered on them), was brought out of the confinement chamber and His namakaranam ceremony was grandly celebrated to the delight of all the Aayar people.

‘உத்தானம்’ here refers to ‘Uthapanam’ the samskara performed to bring the infant from the delivery chambers to the larger house precincts. உத்தானம் செய்து உகந்தனர் ஆயரே

Means that after the infant was brought out of the mother’s chambers, it was bathed and dressed, the assembled ‘Aayars’ all of them by turn, held the infant in their hands and whelmed by the divine allure of the infant, were immersed in joy.

This ceremony is prescribed to be performed on a convenient day between the tenth and twelfth days. This ceremony is followed by the naming one. South Indian households would also combine with this the ceremony of laying the infant in a cradle for the first time.