Miscellaneous - Religion   

Devotional mysticism

CHENNAI: The works of devotional mystics form a genre of literature of its own, for irrespective of the age or clime they hailed from, they bespeak only of spiritual experience. The hymns of the Azhwars codified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham are exemplars of devotional mysticism. Their importance can be appreciated from the fact that the Prabandham has been accorded the status of scriptural authority on a par with the Vedas (hence the name Ubhaya Vedanta for the Visishtadvita system which is based on both these scriptural sources).

In her discourse, Dr. Sudha Seshayyan said parallel ideas and expressions could be seen in the works of mystics. Nammazhwar, portraying the mystic in him as a maiden in distress due to separation from her Lord (bridal mysticism), describes how everything appeared as Krishna: the food she ate, the water she drank and the betel-leaf she chewed. The modern poet Subramanya Bharathi on the same lines talks of Krishna as the umbrella that protects him from rain and the food that appeases his hunger.

One of the most endearing emotions of devotional mysticism is the mystic visualising the Lord as a small child and himself as the parent. Periyazhwar excelled in this. He adored baby Krishna and composed a range of hymns: from the birth of Krishna to the different stages of His growth, and His frolics.

The opening verse of his cradle song (Talattu) is popular among devotees in which he uses the refrain “Talelo” to soothe Lord Krishna to sleep: “Brahma has sent You this little golden cradle studded with rubies and diamonds. You measured the Earth, Talelo!” Here the mystic in Periyazhwar is able to visualise the babe in the cradle as the omnipotent Lord who measured the worlds in His Trivikrama incarnation.

Other oft-recited hymns in daily worship are the ones in which the Azhwar beseeches child Krishna to come to bathe and decking His coiffure with a variety of flowers. Many have celebrated Lord Krishna’s childhood in verse but few Lord Rama’s, Kulasekhara Azhwar being one. He sang a lullaby to His dear Rama “who obeyed His stepmother’s command and went deep into the forest…”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword 9085
Solution to Puzzle 9084
Devotional mysticism
dated December 4, 1957: Concept of nation state
dated December 4, 1957: Tribute to free India
dated December 4, 1957: Rajendra Prasad 73
Weather

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu