Andal 02. Andal, A Brief Life Sketch Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Of the well known 12 Alwars,
The only female saint was,
Andal, the jewel among jewels,
What our South India gave us.

The year of her birth to guess,
In 800 AD or 300 BC, it was,
In the Tamil Month of Adi,
At Srivilliputhur near Madurai.

In the early hours of dawn,
By the side of Tulsi garden,
As a just born little child,
Her adopted father found.

Vishnucitta, was his name,
Well known for his fame
As a devotee of the Lord
Vishnu, he daily worshiped.

As Godai, he called her,
Meaning, a gifted daughter,
From the kind Mother Earth,
In pursuit of the spiritual path.

All the love and affection
He gave her with devotion.
She too with all her respect
Came up close to his heart.

Thus in an atmosphere
Of worship and prayer,
Surrounded by people holy,
Her life went on smoothly.

From her very childhood,
As a lover of the Lord
Krishna, her chosen God,
She, life long, worshiped.

Vishnucitta, as her guardian,
Maintained a beautiful garden,
That gave all kinds of flowers
For making colorful garlands.