Dhanur Maas
The sun transits through one sun sign every month. Dhanur Maas begins when the sun enters Sagittarius (whose sun sign is Dhanur). And ends when the sun exits through Sagittarius on Bhogi, a day before Sankranti. Dhanur Maas is of great significance in South India.
During Dhanur Maas, we specifically worship Vishnu, do not host any festivals and focus only on nurturing Bhakti. We call the Ekadashi that falls during Dhanur Maas as Vaikunth Ekadashi and consider it an extremely auspicious day.
We believe that the six months of Uttarayana are equal to one day of lord Vishnu. And the 6 months of Dakshinayana His night. Since Dhanur Maas is the last month of Dakshinayana, it is lord Vishnu’s Brahma Muhurat. So, we believe that if we pray to lord Vishnu before the sun rises during the Dhanur Maas, we will gain His most special blessings.
The story of Vishnu Chitta and Goda (Andaal)
Vishnu Chitta, an ardent devotee of the deity at Vadapadrasayi, lives in Sri Villiputtur, a small town near Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He routinely strings Tulasi and other floral garlands and offers them to His lord.
One day, when Vishnu Chitta goes to his garden to collect Tulasi he finds a beautiful baby girl there. He decides to bring her up as his daughter. And names her “Kodai” which means a string of Tulasi in Tamil. But fondly calls her Goda.
Lord Vishnu appears in his dream that night and says, “When I rescued Bhoomi Devi from the depths of the sea during my Varaha avatar she asked me, “Tell me, O lord how I can please you and become one with you.” And I said, “O Bhoomi Devi, compose songs and help other mortal beings connect with me. That will give me utmost pleasure.” Bhoomi Devi said, “Then let me be reborn in the mortal plane and do so.” I agreed to fulfil her wish. O Vishnu Chitta, Bhoomi Devi has been reborn as Kodai.” When Vishnu Chitta realizes Goda’s divine nature he addresses Goda as Andaal.
The story of Andaal and Vishnu’s garlands
Andaal grows up listening to Vedic and Upanishadic chants and forges a deep bond of affection with all forms of Vishnu. She becomes fond of the devotional Tamil poems composed by the Alwaars.
One day, Vishnu Chitta asks Andaal to check if the garlands he makes for the lord are strung properly every day. Andaal naively drapes the garlands around her shoulders and checks her reflection in the mirror. And since they look perfect on her, Andaal places them in the basket so that her father could offer them to the lord. She does this every day.
Several days later, Vishnu Chitta finds a strand of hair on the garland. He realizes what Andaal had been doing every day. And reprimands her. Andaal wonders why her father was rebuking her. She feels she has not done anything wrong. But remains silent because she knows her father was very disturbed by her actions.
That night lord Vishnu appears in his dream and says, “O Vishnu Chitta, I will accept your garlands only if Andaal wears them first. I experience Andaal’s Bhakti through your garlands. And as Devi’s Amsa avatar, Andaal will fulfil her divine mission soon.”
Andaal and the Tiruppavai
Andaal, however soon realizes that her mission was not easy. She had to deal with rigid societal norms like casteism. And in those times women were denied the right to education.
But Andaal courageously breaks all these norms and learns Sanskrit and Tamil. She then studies the Vedas, Upanishads and other sacred Tamil texts. And at the age of 13, composes the Tiruppavai – a set of 30 poems called Paashurams.
In her Paashurams, Andaal uses simple language to convey her messages. She praises the Para brahman and explains how we can gain Moksha through Gyan and Bhakti.
The essence of Tiruppavai is very beautiful. That is why we sing Andaal’s Paashurams in the presence of lord Venkateshwara instead of the Suprabhatam – and call him Madhusudana during the entire Dhanur Maas.
The story of Andaal and Krishna
As a young girl, Andaal often imagines she is Radha. And the river that flows through Sri Villiputtur is the Yamuna. So, Andaal treats her friends like gopikas. And explains the philosophy of complete surrender and love for all beings through her Paashuraams. Soon Andaal and her friends get into the habit of singing and dancing to the melodious tunes of each Paashuraam.
Katyayani Vrat or Goda Vrat
Andaal also believes that Krishna had prescribed the norms of the Katyayani Vrat. And had asked all the gopis to observe the Katyayani vrat during the Dhanur Maas so that they could all marry Him. She knows that Parvati too had observed the Katyayani Vrat during the Dhanur Maas to get Shiva as her husband.
So, Andaal too decides to observe the Katyayani Vrat during Dhanur Maas. Every day she goes to her friends’ houses and wakes them up. They all fast and observe all the norms of the Katyayani Vrat religiously. And together they all sing aloud a specific Paashuraam every day while offering their prayers to Krishna. All with the firm belief that like the gopis and Parvati they too would get a good husband. That is why we also call the Katyayani Vrat as the Goda Vrat.
Today, unmarried girls create Gobammas using dung balls, decorate them with flowers and place the Gobammas in the centre of their rangolis. They believe their Gobammas to be an incarnation of Gauri. So like Andaal, they sing songs and dance around their Gobammas during the Dhanur Maas.
Andaal and lord Ranganatha Swamy
When Andaal grows up, she nurtures a soft spot for Sri Ranganatha Swamy of Sri Rangam. She dreams of marrying this particular form of lord Vishnu every day. Andaal clearly expresses her desire of becoming His wife through a poem called Nachiyar Tiruvai mozi.
Lord Vishnu answers Andaal’s fervent prayers on the 27th day of the Dhanur Maas. He manifests as Sri Ranganatha Swamy in Sri Rangam appears in the dreams of the temple authorities and says, “Send a palanquin to Sri Villiputtur. And request Vishnu Chitta to get Andaal married to me. Ask him to perform our marriage in Sri Rangam.”
The temple authorities do so. And much to everyone’s surprise, when Andaal enters the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Ranganatha Swamy after the wedding, she merges into His idol forever.
We acknowledge Andaal’s divinity by celebrating the Kalyana Utsav of Ranganatha Swamy and Andaal on the 27th day of Dhanur Maas even today.
The essence of Andaal
Yes, it is because of courageous people like Andaal that restrictions of caste, gender or age cease to matter now. Today, we are all well-educated and aware of the value of our scriptures. But that does not automatically make us wise or spiritual.
Andaal’s Paashurams are sacred. And their essence is timeless. Fasting, chanting and singing the glory of Krishna with Bhakti in the early hours of Dhanur Maas do help us evolve spiritually.
But let’s remember Andaal sage words too. For she rightly says, “You may have access to Gyanam. But after that, the onus rests squarely on you. It is entirely up to you to put your knowledge to appropriate use and evolve spiritually.”
So. Yes. Andaal has mapped several beautiful paths for our spiritual progress. Very clearly. Let’s do our best to make our spiritual journey a beautiful one too.
Last two photos given by Supraja.
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