Avvaiyar

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The word Avvaiyar, is not the birth name of a particular person. The Tamil word, Avvai, refers to a mature woman who is well respected and it is also a local form of the word ‘amma’, meaning good woman. Avvaiyar is a title of respect, that was given to several older, and saintly female poets, who lived in Southern India between the 1^st and 12^th centuries. As was the custom of the day, they were each referred to as, The Old Lady Avvaiyar.

There were three Avvaiyar’s that seem to be most written about, being distinguished by the periods they were thought to have lived in. All three served as poets and advisors in the Courts of the Kings who ruled during their lifetimes. The Avvaiyar who Gurudev often quoted is believed to have lived close to the 12^th century. Historians and translators have been unable to find much personal information about the Avvaiyar’s. The fact that there were several of them also has resulted in some disagreement about who lived during what time period. The most accurate and detailed information comes from an article by Vidya Hariharan and was written for the Global Journal of Humanities. A link to the full article can be found in Resources at the end of this article.

Although Avvaiyar’s contribution to Tamil literature is widely acknowledged, there is very little historical or academic research done on her origins and socio-economic-cultural background. The little that we can glean about her life are by reading her works themselves. Most of the studies conducted on her life and works are in Tamil.

Avvaiyar l

During the Sangam era, a poet named Avvaiyar lived in Tamil Nadu and is reported to have had friendly ties with two Tamil chieftains. She wrote 59 heroic poems about kings, battles, and public life that are found in the Purananuru. Puram means “exterior” or heroic poetry, and Agam, means “interior” or love poetry. Her poems are on a variety of topics, including bravery, kings, chieftains, conflicts, adversity, social flaws, and the wellbeing of the subjects. The poet's birthdate is suggested by a plaque on a statue of her in Chennai to be the first century BCE.

The Purananuru includes a poem, dedicated to the memory of a Chieftain who is said to have given Avvaiyar a rare gooseberry in order to prolong her life. The poetess praises the brave deeds of her King who was like a father to her and the people of his kingdom.

In the short poem that follows, Avvaiyar l seems to be implying that a land has no intrinsic qualities in it. It is only as excellent as its people. The poem implies a close bond between the natural world and people. It shows that there is harmony and connectivity between people and the Earth, and that both are good things by nature. This theme highlights a widely held notion in numerous spiritual and philosophical systems, that humans are not separate from nature but are an integral part of it. The poem recognizes and expresses gratitude for the variety of habitats on Earth by mentioning several landscape types, including town, woodland, lowland, and hill. The poem celebrates the diversity and complexity of the natural world by recognizing the goodness of people and the Earth in a variety of contexts. “In whatever way people are good” suggests that the poetry has an ethical component. It implies that goodness can take on a variety of shapes and is not restricted to any one set of deeds or behaviors. The final words, “Long may it prosper,” convey a benediction or wish for the planet's and humanity's continued prosperity.

Whether town or forest

Whether lowland or hill,

In whatever way people are good

The earth is good.

Long may it prosper.

Avvaiyar ll

The second Avvaiyar flourished during the time of the Chola dynasty in the 7th or 8th century. An ardent follower of Shri Ganesha, Avvaiyar ll offered pujas to him and there is a story about this.

According to the story, Avvaiyar was told that another follower of Shiva, the poet-saint Sundarar, had set off for Lord Shiva’s abode, Mount Kailasa. Avvaiyar also desired to accompany him and arrive in Kailasa. She began rushing through the Sri Ganesh Puja with this thought in mind. She was confronted by Sri Ganesha, who inquired as to why she was finishing the puja so rapidly. In response, Avvaiyar said that Sundarar had already begun for Kailasa and that she was hurrying through her puja because she wanted to follow him. Avvaiyar was instructed by Sri Ganesha to perform a puja to Him with complete focus and dedication, and he assured her that he would take her to Kailasa before Sundarar at the conclusion of the ritual. With complete trust, Avvaiyar completed the puja, and as promised, Sri Ganesha raised her up and carried her to Kailasa at its conclusion. Following this incident, Avvaiyar performed the song “Vinayaka Agaval,” which is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. In this song, Avvaiyar tells the story of how Shri Ganesha took on Divine form and how he bestowed grace upon her by appearing to her as a mother.

Avvaiyar lll

This Avvaiyar is the poetess that Gurudev more often quoted.

She is believed to have lived in the 12th Century during the reign of the Chola kings. She is well-known for her compositions of "Moodhurai," "Aathichoodi," "Kondrai Vendhan," and "Nalvazhi." The lives of little children brought her a great deal of happiness. Even now, young children still read and enjoy her books, Aathichoodi and "Kondrai Vendhan," which were written for them. Mooturai and Nalvali, her other two compositions, were composed for older children. All four of the works clarify the fundamental principles that ought to guide everyday existence. Avvaiyar addresses a wide range of subjects in these poems, such as moral behavior, societal ideals, spirituality, and the significance of education. Her teachings place a strong emphasis on values like kindness, humility, honesty, and the quest of knowledge. She urges readers to live morally upright lives by sharing insightful life lessons in her poetry. Her poetry is compelling and relevant because she illustrates great truths via regular settings and experiences. Her writing is straightforward but effective, touching the heart as much as the mind.

Gurudev would quote Avvaiyar when he spoke about the tendency in human nature, to blame others for our misfortunes. And, he added that it is better to prevent problems in the first place.

Sri Gurudev:

“If you are walking on the road, looking everywhere except where your feet are stepping, you might trip on a stone and fall. If your leg begins to bleed, you will say, “The stone hit me.” But, it was you who tripped and hit the stone. If you are carelessly using a needle, and get hurt, you might say, “the needle pricked me.” It’s just human nature to react that way but it’s better not to blame anybody or anything for what happens to you. And it’s even better to stay away from certain situations, to prevent misfortunes from happening in the first place.

Avvaiyar:

Keep at least five feet away from animals who have horns so that you cannot get hit by them. If you come across a horse keep ten feet away because in the front it will bite and in the back it will kick. And, if you see an uncontrolled elephant, keep one thousand feet away! And, if you come across a person who keeps on doing wrong, don’t even look in their eyes.

In other words, you should keep away from them by not allowing them to see you. We are probably all familiar with this next advice, attributed to Avvaiyar by Gurudev:

“The good and the bad, the likes and dislikes that you encounter, are not given to you by somebody else. You create them because you are dependent on something and you think you are happy by having it. Anything that comes and makes you happy cannot be with you always. Nothing is permanent; when there is a coming there is a going.”

During the 12^th Century, in which Avvaiyar lived, social reformers focused their efforts in conveying ethical messages to adults, without much success.

Avvaiyar had a different strategy, which was to teach these important behaviors and attitudes to young school children, whose minds were more open and receptive.

She is very well known in India for her composition, Aathichudi. The word, Aathichudi, means a person who wears a garland made out of the flower ‘aathi’. This composition consists of 109 short, single line verses, in the exact sequence of the Tamil alphabet. Each one-line verse of the poem was not only alphabetically sequential, but also consisted of a practical message that encourages children to live an ethical life. The verses are easily memorized and become imbedded in their memories for the rest of their lives. Even to this day, these verses are taught in schools in the form of a song, to help children learn the Tamil alphabet.

The first few lines of the Aathichoodi are:

Aram seiya virumbu - Have a wish to do your duties and moral acts.
Aaruvadhu sinam- Anger should always be controlled.
Iyalvadhu karaveal -Offer Help as much as you can.
Eevadhu vilakkeal -Don’t stop people from doing charity.
Udaiyadhu vilambeal -Do not brag about your possessions.
Ookamadhu kaivideal -Never lose hope. Always stay motivated and enthusiastic.
Enn ezhuthu igazheal -Learning numbers and letters is very important. Do not undervalue those.

Some of the poems written by Avvaiyar appear in the book, Give, Eat, and Live: Poems of Avvaiyar, by Thomas Pruiksma, translator. Two of those poems are:

Real Freedom

Real vision is that which sees the One only beyond the many;

Real valor is that of the person who has conquered for good the senses five;

Real learning is that which places you in the state of Deathlessness;

And real food is what you consume when you are totally Liberated and where you are not

under any command and where you are neither slave nor servant…

Worth Four Crores (A crore suggests “of great value”)

(I) Not crossing the threshold of those that disrespect you is worth a crore indeed;

(ii) Not partaking of food in the homes of those that do not with full heart invite you to do so, is worth a crore indeed;

(iii) Expending crores even in order to cultivate association with those of noble lineage is worth a crore indeed;

(iv) Not allowing your tongue ever to swerve from Truth, even if you are offered crores and crores as bribe is worth a crore indeed;

Avvaiyar l

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