Andal's Hydrological cycle.

Anyone can make anything upside down but not the power of nature. Understanding the nature gives one a wisdom to prosper. Nothing is spontaneous. Everything is pre-determined. Nature conveys you its progress through some indications. Capturing that requires a strong wisdom(gnanam). Our Bharat has no short of it. It has contributed timeless and countless self-realisers to this universe.

Andal – A daughter of such a self-realised Periyazhwar from Srivilliputhur, TamilNadu was guiding light for many in many aspects. Her work “Thiruppavai” is renowned across the globe till date. A beautiful divine compilation of 30 hymns in Tamil is usually sung in the month of Margazhi in all the temples. Thiruppavai is one of many timeless knowledge treasures that Bharat has contributed to the world.

Scientifical analysis in a divinely compiled grantha is usually not recommendable and not acceptable. Doing so might divert the cause of the grantha. But We are in the time to reiterate that our Divinity is not just blind belief. Our gnanis and mahatmas had exceptional wisdom on every branch of life and Science is not exceptional to it. This is evident from various literatures, puranas, itihas and granthas. Bharatiya Gnan (Indian Wisdom) stands as root cause for many of the later scientific inventions.

To take this argument forward, trying to decipher deep rooted science in the divine work “Thiruppavai”. In that series, this stands as first article.

Hydrological cycle is very prominent concept. This has been in the part of school syllabus since the beginning. Water stands as one of the fundamental elements in the universe. Rain is the main source of water. The rain received on the earth undergoes many stages of formation. This process is well captured through hydrological cycle. In 1580s, A French Naturalist by name Bernard Palissy was the first one to bring out this concept of Hydrological cycle. Many naturalists and climatologist took his study has referral and developed the concept to its fuller form as it is today.

But, Way before all the western stalwarts, Our Andal said it in the 4^th hymn of Thiruppavai. Andal lived in 8^th Century which is way before Palissy. The breakdown of 4^th hymn is given below in which she explains hydrological cycle in a beautiful manner:

1. ஆழிமழைக் கண்ணா (Azhi Mazhaik Kanna): Explains the colour of the rain bearing clouds(torrential rain clouds) which is as dark as Krishna.

2. ஒன்றும் நீ கை கரவேல் (Ondrum nee kaikaraveL): “Without holding a single droplet”

3. ஆழியுள் புக்கு (Azhiyul pukku): Airmass diving deep into the ocean

4. முகர்ந்து கொடு ஆர்த்தேறி (Mugarnthu kodu ArththEri): “Suck the water as vapour” – After diving, capturing the moisture from the water bodies as vapour through evaporation and rising high in the atmosphere for cloud formation.

5. ஊழி முதல்வன் உருவம் போல் மெய்கறுத்து (Oozhi Mudalvan Uruvam pol mei karuththu): The primordial cause of everything is Bhagavan and he is very dark in colour. When the clouds are completely filled with absorbed vapour and ready to condense and make a downfall, The colour of them appears as dark as him. 

6. பாழியந் தோளுடைப் பற்பநாபன் கையில்; ஆழி போல் மின்னி வலம்புரிபோல் நின்றதிர்ந்து (Pazhiyan thOludai Padmanabhan kaiyil; Azhi pOl minni valampuripOl nhinRathirnhthu): Bhagavan has a conch (Shanku) in his left hand and a discus (Chakram) in his right hand. If the clouds are ready to make a down pour after all the process of evaporation and condensation, the lightnings will be as intense as those ray lights emanated from the chakra of Bhagavan. The thundering will be as noisy as those emanated from the Valampuri Conch once it is blown. This clearly pictures sequence of rain formation.

7. தாழாதே ஸார்ங்கம் உதைத்த சரமழைப் போல் (ThaazhathE saarngam uthaiththa saramazhaip pOl): When the clouds are ready and every situation is set right for the downpour, the rain falls in the ground as the stakes of arrow hits the target. Well absorbed clouds pour out rains as the stakes of arrow hits the target.

8. வாழ உலகினில் பெய்திடாய் (Vazha ulaginil peythidaay): Offering prayers for good rains in order to lead healthy life.

Hence in a simple way, Sri Andal in her own divine world, Captured this beautiful science. Sri Andal had captured the whole formation of rain in a very sequential manner. She didn't change the order of formation for beautifying the hymn. This is evident to the fact that she had very deep wisdom on this. When the cause of everything is well understood, the products of the cause are easy to capture. No modern equipment, no theories, no referrals, But the inevitable truth has been conveyed through the Self-realised wisdom. India’s beauty lies not in its economic means, it lies in its deep-rooted wisdom. We must uphold our indigeneity. This indigeneity is invincible. This has been the timeless excellence our Bharatiya gnan. Will see yet another scientific marvel from thiruppavai in the next article.