Ma
gic ,M ira cle s
and the
e Mystical Twelv LAKSHMI DEVNATH
The Light Beckons
The Stories of Nammaazhvaar and Madhura Kavi
The author is a researcher and writer with various books and articles on Indian music and culture to her credit. lakshmidevnath@gmail.com Illustrator: Smt. Lalithaa Thyagarajan. lalithyagu@gmail.com
July 2020
D
ays passed into months and rolled into years. Poorva saw Madhura Kavi fill up palm leaves by the dozen. She had a strong hunch that Madhura Kavi was himself an Aazhvaar. “Swami Thaatha,” she began, but Madhura Kavi’s singing interrupted her. What a fabulous voice! thought Poorva admiringly. “Marvellous poetry too!” joined in the Swami. “Listen to this: ‘I chanted his name and found my joy, Sincerely did I serve at his feet. I do not know any other God, I wander singing Kurugoor Nambi’s sweet songs.’ “‘Kurugoor Nambi’ — the famous son of Thirukkurugoor — is, of course, Nammaazhvaar.” “Why is he describing Nammaazhvaar as God?” Poorva spoke rapidly, flabbergasted by Madhura Kavi’s description of his master. “I always thought God had many arms, ornaments and —” She abandoned that comment midway to ask bluntly, “Swami Thaatha, is Madhura Kavi also an Aazhvaar?” Her forthrightness evoked a smile from the Swami, and he replied, “Yes and no. The title ‘Aazhvaar’ is not generally used with his name. I suppose it could be because all his eleven verses are in praise of Nammaazhvaar whom he calls his teacher, father, mother, and God too! By the way, Poorva, did you notice something unusual?”
31 The Vedanta Kesari
PA G E S P O N S O R : A D E V O T E E , K A R A P PA K A M , C H E N N A I
(Continued from previous issue. . .)
