THE VEDAS AND BHAKTI HARMONIZED-KŌVALŪR: THE MUTAL ĀḺVĀRS AND TIRUMAṄKAI

The unanimous opinion among religious philosophers is that the Vedas and bhakti are two different denominators of approach to God in Indian tradition. However, the Tamil Vaiṣṇava mystics, the Āḻvārs find a harmonious blend of the two modes in ritual worship. The present article examines the pros and cons of the problem from a study of the hymns beginning with the Mutal (Early) Āḻvārs and last in the train, Tirumaṅkai. The cited hymns are replete with the bounties of nature associated with the divyadeśaKōvalūr that we examine for a case study. Bhakti or the Veda is the euphony linked with nature. The present article explains how the Āḻvārs had harmonized the Veda with bhakti. These are complementary modes of approach to God. They are not conflicting phenomena. By the way, data bearing on flora and fauna dumped in the twenty-one hymns on Kōvalūr are presented in a capsule (Attachment).

The Āṟāyirappaṭi-G adds the world was immersed in ajñāna (darkness, avarice leading to terrorism). The Lord appeared to light the lamp of bhakti (devotional reformation). Thus, the tivviyappirapantam/divyaprabandha (literally "divine twine") came to be composed by the twelve Āḻvārs. U. Vē. Vēlukkuṭi Krishṇaṉ, in his popular lectures on the divyadeśas, adds Viṣṇu is the sugarcane of which the juice is the three Tiruvantātis. Furthermore, His Holiness Aṇṇagarācārya declares 'Tirivikiramaṉ' (Figure 6, Figure 7) 4 is the favourite theme of the Mutal Āḻvārs (cf. TI 1-2, Rajarajan, R.K.K., : 1428).
The present article hopes to summarize the hymns bearing on Kōvalūr, focusing on the bhakti and Vedic modes of approach to God. As we understand from the hymns of Tirumaṅkai, the mystic has strived to bridge the Vedic mode with bhakti. A summary of the hymns is presented, followed by an analysis of religious systems and philosophies. Scholars interested in the Roman transcription of the hymns and patavurai (word to word or phrase to phrase meaning) may consult Rajarajan, R.K.K., . Few hymns in Romanized format may of help to compare the Sanskritic usage vis-à-vis their Tamil equivalents. "That day the Lord was pleased to unite with the damsel of the cowherds, Nappiṉṉai 7 and the lady on a lotus flower, Śrīdevī. He was a merciless task-master of terrorists. The abodes where the Lord is pleased to present are Naṟaiyūr gifted with vast groves and floods abundantly flowing sacred Āli, Kuṭantai and the city of ponds, Kōval and Nīrmalai. These are the venues where the Lord is pleased to stand, sit, repose, and walk." 2.10.1. Mañcāṭu varaiyēḻum kaṭalkaḻeḻum vāṉamum maṇṇakamum maṟṟumellām Eñcāmal vayiṟṟaṭakki yāliṉmēlō riḷantaḷiril kaṇvaḷarnta vīcaṉṟaṉṟaṉṉait Tuñcānīrvaḷamcurakkum Peṇṇai 8 tteṉpāl tūya nāṉmaṟaiyāḷar Comucceyyac Ceñcāli viḷai vayaluḷtikaḻntu tōṉṟum tirukKōvalūraṉuḷ kaṇṭēṉ nāṉē* 9 * Redundant in all hymns: "I have seen the Lord at sacred Kōvalūr".
"The seven mountain ranges (Kulaparvatas), the seven oceans, the vast sky (Milky Way), the earth-world and all other cosmic installations are contained in the sacred stomach of Vaṭapatraśāyī that repose's on a leaf of the banyan tree, ālilai/vaṭapatra. The Lord has not left out anything. The immaculate Caturvedis are chanting the Sāmaveda on the southern Peṇṇai River ( Figure 2). Everywhere ripe paddy crops are found proclaiming the prosperity of the land." 2.10.2. Kontalarnta naṟuntuḻāy cāntam tūpam tīpaṅkoṇṭamarar toḻap paṇaṅkoḷ pāmpil Cantaṇi meṉmulai malarāḷ taraṇimaṅkai tāmiruvaraṭi varuṭumtaṉ maiyāṉai Vantaṉaicey ticaiyēḻāṟaṅkamaintu vaḷarvēḷvi nāṉmaṟaikaḷ muṉṟutīyum Cintaṉaicey tirupoḻutu 10 moṉṟuñcelvat tirukKōvalūrataṉuḷ kaṇṭēṉ nāṉē "The celestials carry fragrant holy basil, sandalwood, incense, and lights to offer worship. The Lord is reposing on the hooded serpent. The maid-Śrī of soft-breasts anointed with sandal-paste and the earth-maid (Bhū) gently massage the feet. The Lord is offered worship by tuning the seven musical notes, following the six Vedāṅgas, five sacrifices ( Figure 8), recital of the four Vedas, and cultivating the triple fires. These are incessantly performed day and night. I have seen the prosperity assuring dignitary, Varadarāja at sacred Kōvalūr." 2.10.3. "In a pond abounding with flowering plants, a demonic crocodile had caught hold of the elephant's leg by its sharp teeth. The Lord appeared in the sky to confer grace and lifted the disc to redeem the suffering mammoth, Gajendra. See, the blue-lily emerging from water shows the hue black. The Alexandrian laurels are shining like pearls in reddish-golden buds. Vibrant lotus flowers are projecting as lamps in pools full of water." 2.10.4. "To cause the fall of Mālī, the Lord Rāma had to stage a battle. His customary operation is to arrive seated on the Garuḍa-vāhana (cf. Parthiban, R.K. & R.K.K. Rajarajan (2016): fig. 12) to redress the gods' grievances. He is the panacea for Bhāgavatas that shed tears under the impulse of devotion. In the groves therein, you find flowers of ironwood, gamboges, and blossoming common-bottle. The swarms of striped beetles are generating sweet music to exhilarate the atmosphere. Sweet sugarcane plants have mushroomed in watery fields." The Vedas and Bhakti Harmonized -Kōvalūr: the Mutal Āḻvārs and Tirumaṅkai 2.10.5. Karaivaḷarvēl Karaṉmutalākak Kavantaṉ Vāli kaṇaiyoṉṟiṉāl maṭiya vilaṅkaitaṉṉuḷ Piṟaiyeyiṟṟu vāḷarakkar cēṉaiyellām peruntakaiyōṭutuṇitta pemmāṉṟaṉṉai Maṟaivaḷarap pukaḻvaḷara māṭantōṟum maṇṭapamoṇṭoḻiyaṉaittum vāramōtac Ciṟaiyaṇainta poḻilaṇainta teṉṟalvīcum tirukKōvalūrataṉuḷ kaṇṭēṉnāṉē "The Lord Rāma was pleased to extirpate the race of terrorists represented by Khara, Kabandha, Vāli, et alii by the shot of an arrow (Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2015): Figure 1). The operation included emasculating the demons' race with teeth protruding as a crescent and their chief, Rāvaṇa. The peace assuring Vedic scriptures 11 recited in each household, in pavilions ( Figure 9) 12 meant for cultivation of the Vedas, in groves near brooks where the gentle breeze moves, and in all inns without fail." 2.10.6. "Kṛṣṇa was intelligent enough to detect the butter stored in pots tied to the roof of the huts of milkmaids. He was pleased to dine his share when caught redhanded by Yaśodā. He was tied to a mortar where the little-Master, Dāmodara, stood as a black elephant. His eyes were brimming with snowy tears. The "lady on flower attended him", Lakṣmī, along with the "lady of eloquence", Sarasvatī, and the eightarmed "lady of the buck-vehicle", Durgā 13 . All are present in the shining maṇimāṭam "bell-tower" temple." 2.10.7. "Kṛṣṇa had to take to task the war-elephant, Kuvalayapīḍa. He smashed the snaffle of the horse-demon, Keśi. The seven bulls of fine-breed were dislodged 14 .
He pulled down the Queen's flower trees, Yamalārjunabhaṅga; and shattered the wheel-demon, Śakaṭāsura. He finished the wrestlers, Muṣṭikāsura and Cāṇūra. The little-Master was mandragora Alexander, P. (1965): 1362 to the craftsman of all these devilish machinations of Kaṃsa. The black areca trees yield green shoots from which white pearls scatter, shining as emerald and coral. The pear tree has produced golden buds in the honey pouring groves." 2.10.8. "To relieve the earth from the burden of misrule, Kṛṣṇa was sent a dūta on the eve of the Bhārata War. He served as sārathi of Arjuna to resist the mighty army. The pride of the enemies, ruined in the Great War. The venue we resort to is the equal of devaloka, where the master of the single-bull, Śiva, Kubera, Indra, and the four-faced Brahmā are present. Several experts in the Vedas are busy with their avocations." 2.10.9. "The Lord is a garden of the kalpaka trees united with the Goddess of the Earth, Bhū and the Lady of rank seated on the flower, Śrī. The disc and the conch are beaming on either side. He is inclined to bless those that unite with him. The sacred image is molten gold, hemavigraha, endowed with crimson feet, handsome hands, red lips, and yellow garments. Śiva and Brahmā are waiting to have a darśana." 2.10.10. "Lord Black was pleased to redress the miseries of the devoted elephant-Gajendra. He is the blue emerald akin to the hue of the rain-drenched cloud. His abode is full of optimistic experts in the Holy Scriptures. These hymns bearing on 'I have seen the Lord at the auspiciously sacred Kōvalūr' are the words of the king of Maṅkai-city. The experts in the ten hymns of the gladiator-Kaliyaṉ 15 are sure to obtain liberation from mundane bondages. They are blessed to have a darśana of the omnipresent Lord." 7.3.2. "As a calf thinks of its mother; I am persuaded to follow the Lord. The Patriarch is merciful Benedictine. His mouth that day swallowed and vomited the world, Viśvarūpa. His ears fitted with makarakuṇḍalas. the youth rushed to the courtyard of fortified Kōvalūr when the Mutal-Āḻvārs were bewildered. The bull of a lion among the celestials, my beloved; I know the Lord only, none of the other paradevatās". 7.10.4. "Our Lord is the little-Master, Kṛṣṇa that sucked forth the soul of the ogress-Pūtanā. He is the Māya worshipped by the clear-minded philosophers, sages, and seers. He is the youth that appeared to enlighten the Mutal Āḻvārs in the iṭaikkaḻi of fortified Kōvalūr. He is the Supreme God that governs the thoughts of the experts in the Vedas. The immaculate magnifying Light, Jyotisvarūpa. He is the horde that assures prosperity full of gold and gems if a devotee is impoverished. I went in search of the Lord and found Him at the holy land, Kaṇṇamaṅkai in the Kāviri estuary." Tiruneṭuntāṇṭakam (Tirumaṅkai) 6. "The king of gods, Trivikrama's long hand, varadamudrā confers benevolences on devotees. He is the sole master of the bird-Garuḍa endowed with suparṇa. He admonishes demons and shows no mercy. Sing the praises of venues where the Lord's feet are set. The River Peṇṇai (Figure 2) is forcefully inundating bunds. It is dragging bamboo plants that pour pearls, move into fields yielding gold. Kōvalūr 16 is a venue full of flowering ponds. My mind, do pay reverence to the Lord and the venue." 7. "Lord Paraśurāma lifted his graceful battle-axe to extirpate the race of kṣatriyas. Lord of the earth, his lance pierced the ocean projecting with hills (creation myth of Kēraḷa?). It is the city of the Lord that exhibited his heroism by wielding the axe. The chaste maiden, Durgā, is the protector of the city who hails from the Vindhyas 17 . The city is full of groves, long and wide streets, and lotus ponds all along the pathways. The ruler of the hills, Malaiyamāṉ, 18 is offering homage to the Lord in the flowery venue at Kōvalūr. My mind is pleased to visit the venue." 17. "The love-sick girl's 19 soft breasts are beaten to acquire the hue of gold. She is prepared to elope and get away from her troublesome mother with tears bubbling in fish-like eyes. She listens to the cryptic languages of doves that they talk to their mates. She is deeply engrossed. She starts singing the glories of Taṇkāl and cold-Kuṭantai and listens to the musical recitals on Kōvalūr. Looking at her fantasy, the mother enquires, 'is my girl befitting our house's status?' On hearing these words, she starts extolling the fame of Naṟaiyūr." The Ciṟiya Tirumaṭal (69) and Periya Tirumaṭal (123) of Tirumaṅkai Āḻvār make a note of 'Kōvalūr' and Kōvalūr maṉṉum iṭaikkaḻi 20 yemmāṉ (my Lord resorting to the iṭaikkaḻi of Kōvalūr).
Though Tirumaṅkai is the last 21 to follow others, his hymns are of great value to single out the mode of inviting the Lord in ritual worship, i.e., the Vedic and bhakti (cf. Czerniak-Drożdżowicz, M. (2014): 258-259). The two-way process gets stabilized in the Mahābhārata, e.g., Viśvāmitra conducting the yajña (Rajarajan 2015c: fig. 15) and the Viṣṇusahasranāma piously uttered by Bhīmācārya. Again, the Buddhists, Jains, and certain later medieval sectarians, e.g., Vīra-Śaivism, did not accept the brāhmaṇical imposition of the Vedas 22 . It seems the Āḻvārs strived to compromise bhakti, the Vedas and yajñas 23 .

Vedic Rituals
Several Vedic rituals are recorded in the hymns, which the south Indian rulers seem to have adopted since the few centuries before the Common Era. Kings of the Caṅkam Age (c. 250 BCE to 250 CE) 32 were credited with a name such as Palyākacālai-mutukuṭumip-peruVaḻuti (the Pāṇḍya performing several Vedic sacrifices) and Irācacuyam-veṭṭaperunaṟ-Kiḷḷi (the Cōḻa performing the rājasūya).
The righteous Caturvedis are nurturing the Sāmaveda on the southern bank of the River Peṇṇai in the sacred venue at Kōvalūr (PTM 2.10.1). Sāmaveda in this verse is Cāmu, Somaveda, according to PVP. 33 But for the intonation, no much difference between reciting the Vedas and sahasranāmas may be detected. The vital idea is to extol the Praise of the Lord; let that be Māl/Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu and Indra or Varuṇa. Sectarians may claim, it should be performed only by the vaidīka[suddha]brāhmaṇas (Rajarajan et al. : 1516; cf. the vaṭakalai approach and Śrī Rāmānuja permitting the non-brāhmaṇas to utter the aṣṭākṣara (Rajarajan 2015c citing the Tirumālai [vv. 39, 42-43] of Toṇṭaraṭippoṭi Āḻvār) resulting in vaṭakalaiteṉkalai schism.
The Lord is offered worship by tuning the seven musical notes (saptasvaras 35 cf. Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2017): Figure 1), chanting the four Vedas 36 , examining the six Vedāṅgas 37 , conducting five sacrifices (Figure 8) 38 , and invigorating the triple fires (cf. PTM 2.10.2,3.8.4,3.10.7,4.2.2) 39 . PTM (4.4.8) includes kēḷvikaḷum, i.e., itihāsapurāṇas (PVP) involving questions and answers. These were incessantly performed day and night, a clear pointer that in addition to stimulating the bhakti-oriented rituals, the Vedic offerings took place simultaneously. This compromise should have been initiated to satisfy both the groups of priests that had given room for differences of opinion on ritual code (cf. Stietencron, H. v. (1977): 126-38 and Czerniak-Drożdżowicz, M. (2014. Today in temples, both the parties coexist (cf. PTM 2.10.2), one reciting the Vedas and the other reciting the Tamil pirapantam in key-centres of Viṣṇuism such as Veṅkaṭam, Śrīraṅgam, Śrīvilliputtūr 40 ( Figure 9) and so on. The counter-reformation within Viṣṇuism. Even then, the two parties are rebellious at times on trivial matters such as whether the temple elephant should be graced with "v" or "u" type of ūrdhvapuṇḍra 41 (see Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7). A few scholars have a big issue with deciding whether a temple is vaṭakalai or teṉkalai oriented Kalidos, R. (2015a): 137-39).
Tirumaṅkai was great among the Indian mystics, the coadjutor of Nammāḻvār. The later medieval bhakti savants (Nāmadeva, Mīrābāī, Jayadeva, Kabīr et alii followed the footsteps of the Tamil mystics (cf. Brockington, J. (1996): chap. 8. The naked fact is that Nammāḻvār and Tirumaṅkai were not brāhmaṇas 42 but were experts in the Vedic lore. Their contribution to Tamil bhakti literature constitutes nearly 2/3 of the 'Nālāyiram'. They were not prejudiced by modern politics-oriented ideas such as regional chauvinism, linguistic fanaticism, religious bigotism, and caste disparity. The Āḻvārs were universal in outlook to facilitate Cosmic Harmony. They wanted to see the world a paradise and not a den of devils; cf. the long list of flowering plants over-spilling with nectar (see Attachment), symbols of "Universal Religion" (Gallico 1999: fig. pp. 52-53). The Āḻvārs were vociferously lovers of the bounty of nature. They wanted man to live in peace with nature and assure fellowship for "beauty of the world and the paragon of animals" (Shakespeare: 'Hamlet' II, ii). "Love thy neighbour as thyself" should be the message adumbrated in any inter-religious platform. Let us not propagate "vain wisdom and false philosophy" (Milton: 'Paradise Lost,' II, 265).
The Mutal Āḻvārs showed the way to Tirumaṅkai to propagate the philosophy of "Universal Love". The mūlabera in the Kōvalūr temple is Trivikrama assuring peace and prosperity for the Cosmos. A hymn from Āṇṭāḷ (Tiruppāvai 3) may be cited to this effect.
Ōṅki yulakaḷanta uttamaṉ … Tīṅkiṉṟi nāṭellām tiṅkaḷ mummāri peytu … Nīṅkāta celvam niṟaitēlōr em pāvāy (cf. PTM 7.10.4) His Majesty that grew taller and taller … Let the rains shower thrice a month unfailingly … We are promised the Paradise of everlasting peace and prosperity  Taylor, B. (2013): 239) "aborphilia". Birds and bees fly freely, relieved from the molestation of camouflaged jungle monsters (when we write today [15 September 2017], the TV announced the bombardment of a metro rail station in London). L'homme est né libre, et partout il est dans les fers: the good job the terrorists could do to undo environmental resources! I am just presenting a catalog of flora and fauna and related data appearing in the cited hymns.