“Māmān Mahaḷe!” — Aandal’s Loving Knock on the Door of Comfort

“Māmān Mahaḷe!” — Aandal’s Loving Knock on the Door of Comfort
In the ninth Thiruppāvai pāśuram, Aandal’s voice is soft yet more insistent. She not calling to the sleeping village at large now. The call is more intimate and personal to her cousin 'māmān mahaḷe' her mama’s ( maternal uncle's) daughter.
Aandal is not standing outside a poor hut but in front of her Mama's home, a house of abundance and beauty. A home with gem-studded doors, lamps glowing all around, " ThoomaNi maadaththu sutRum viLakkeriya", prosperity shining visibly outside and fragrance inside, "Thoopam kamazha" as incense wafts gently, suggesting ritual, refinement, and comfort. And within this richness, her cousin is sleeping. 

Aandal’s concern here is subtle and piercing. She conveys that comfort has quietly become inertia and prosperity has turned into a warm cocoon. And typically like many of us, spiritual thoughts have been postponed for just a little more sleep.
So she turns not just to the girl, but to the mother asking her, Mami,( maternalaunt) why dont you wake her up? Maameer! avaLai yeLuppeerO ? 
Her voice is tender too as she knows that sometimes the soul does not wake on its own but needs another loving voice, a guide, a parent, a teacher, a fellow seeker to motivate. 
And then Aandal  becomes mischievous as well as philosophical as she asks,
OomaiyyO? — Is she unable to respond?
anRichchevidO?— Has she lost her hearing?

 anandhalO? - Is she incapable of understanding?
 YEma perumthuyil mandhirappattaalO? - Or has she fallen under some deep, spellbound sleep?
There is no mockery but compassionate impatience as if Aandal is asking all of us -
What is keeping you unmoved when the call of Bhagavān is ringing so clearly?
Is it ignorance?
Is it indifference?
Or is it the most dangerous sleep of all in which comfort feels safe?
In this pāśuram, Krishna is addressed as "Maamaayan Maadhavan Vaikunthan" , the great enchanter, the one whose māyā does not merely bind but attracts. His māyā is love. His spell is grace.

If Krishna can draw the entire universe toward Himself, why should His other bhakta remain unmoved in her cosy bed?
Aandal’s insistence is not harsh. It is affectionate urgency. She knows that the blessings of Vaikuṇṭhan do not wait for convenience. They respond to readiness.
This pāśuram becomes a mirror for our lives.
We often say, “ I will begin omorrow. ”
Don't we often delay prayer, reflection, service  not because we are incapable, but because we don't want to give up our comforts,?
Aandal does not condemn comfort but challenges attachment to it. As usual Her call is timeless. Leave the warmth of excess ease, open the doors of the heart, step into collective devotion and join the journey, not alone, but together.
In Margazhi, Aandal may be walking from house to house  but in reality, she is walking from heart to heart.
And today, once again, she stands at our door and calls softly yet firmly: The lamps are lit, the many names of Mādhavan are being sung so do not sleep through grace, wake up and join us to receive blessings of Bhagawan Krishna, "navinRElOr empaavaay".

ThoomaNi maadaththu sutRum viLakkeriya
Thoopam kamazha ththuyilaNai mEl kaN vaLarum
Maamaan magaLE! maNikkadhavam taaL tiRavaay;
Maameer! avaLai yeLuppeerO, un magaL thaan-
OomaiyyO? anRichchevidO! anandhalO!
YEma perumthuyil mandhirappattaalO?
Maamaayan Maadhavan Vaikunthan enRenRu
Naamam palavum navinRElOr empaavaay.

Aandal Thiruvadigale Sharanam 

R.Vimala, IAS, 

Resident Commissioner  & Secretary,  Government of Maharashtra & PhD Scholar at IIT Bombay