Auspicious 3

 Āṇḍāl is different from Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī. Her own Tamil hymns are primarily devotional and do not give us a single formal “head-to-toe” portrait. For her, the beautiful Gōdā Stuti of Swami Vedānta Deśika and traditional iconography give us the visual description. Āṇḍāl is also described as the daughter of Periyāḻvār and as one whose devotion is wholly directed toward Śrī Raṅganātha. 

1. ĀṇḍĀḶ — Gōdā Devī

One especially beautiful verse from Gōdā Catuḥślokī says:

नित्याभूषा निगमशिरसां निस्समोत्तुङ्गवार्ता

कान्तो यस्याः कचलुलितैः कामुको माल्यरत्नैः ।

सूक्त्या यस्याः श्रुतिसुभगया सुप्रभाता धरित्री

सैषा देवी सकलजननी सिञ्चतां मामपाङ्गैः ॥

The emphasis here is not simply on physical beauty. Āṇḍāl's hair, garlands, words and loving glances are presented as sources of auspiciousness to the world. 

Stotra Ratna.

Word by word

नित्याभूषा — nityābhūṣā — the eternal ornament

निगमशिरसाम् — nigama-śirasām — of the crowns/head of the Vedas

कान्ता — kāntā — beautiful, beloved, radiant

कचलुलितैः — kaca-lulitaiḥ — with flowing, curling locks of hair

माल्यरत्नैः — mālya-ratnaiḥ — precious garlands

सूक्त्या — sūktyā — through her beautiful words

श्रुति-सुभगया — śruti-subhagayā — made beautiful and pleasing to hear

सुप्रभाता धरित्री — suprabhātā dharitrī — the earth awakens to a beautiful dawn

देवी — devī — the divine lady

सकलजननी — sakala-jananī — Mother of all

अपाङ्गैः — apāṅgaiḥ — by her sidelong glances

सिञ्चताम् — siñcatām — may she shower/bless

माम् — mām — me.

And another verse beautifully connects her with the garland she offered to the Lord: the fragrance of the garland, touched by Gōdā, enhances her divine glory. 

Stotra Rathna

So for an Āṇḍāl picture, we should portray her as a young divine Tamil maiden, with her characteristic side-arranged hair, flowers, ornaments, garland and the parrot associated with her.

2. Śrī Lakṣmī

Here we have an exceptionally good textual description — Śrī Sūktam.

हिरण्यवर्णां हरिणीं सुवर्णरजतस्रजाम् ।

चन्द्रां हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं जातवेदो म आवह ॥

Word by word

हिरण्यवर्णाम् — hiraṇya-varṇām — golden-hued

हरिणीम् — hariṇīm — graceful, radiant, deer-like

सुवर्ण-रजत-स्रजाम् — suvarṇa-rajata-srajām — adorned with garlands of gold and silver

चन्द्राम् — candrām — radiant and pleasing like the moon

हिरण्मयीम् — hiraṇmayīm — golden, filled with golden radiance

लक्ष्मीम् — lakṣmīm — Goddess Lakṣmī, embodiment of Śrī

आवह — āvaha — bring/invoke

जातवेदः — Jātavedaḥ — O Agni, knower of all.

Then comes an even more visual verse:

कां सोस्मितां हिरण्यप्राकारामार्द्रां ज्वलन्तीं

तृप्तां तर्पयन्तीं ।

पद्मे स्थितां पद्मवर्णां तामिहोपह्वये श्रियम् ॥

She is:

सोस्मिताम् — sa-smitām — smiling gently

हिरण्यप्राकाराम् — hiraṇya-prākārām — surrounded by golden radiance

आर्द्राम् — ārdrām — tender, compassionate

ज्वलन्तीम् — jvalantīm — shining brilliantly

तृप्ताम् — tṛptām — completely fulfilled

तर्पयन्तीम् — tarpayantīm — satisfying and nourishing others

पद्मे स्थिताम् — padme sthitām — seated upon a lotus

पद्मवर्णाम् — padma-varṇām — lotus-coloured

श्रियम् — śriyam — Śrī, Lakṣmī herself.

So the textual Lakṣmī is golden, luminous, moon-like, gently smiling, compassionate, lotus-associated, richly adorned and radiating auspiciousness.

3. Sarasvatī

Here the description is perhaps the clearest of all.

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला

या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता ।

या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा

या श्वेतपद्मासना ॥

Word by word

या — yā — she who

कुन्द — kunda — jasmine flower

इन्दु — indu — moon

तुषार — tuṣāra — snow

हार — hāra — garland

धवला — dhavalā — brilliantly white

शुभ्र-वस्त्र-आवृता — śubhra-vastrāvṛtā — clothed in pure white garments

वीणा — vīṇā — the Vīṇā

वर-दण्ड — vara-daṇḍa — its beautiful/auspicious staff

मण्डित-करा — maṇḍita-karā — whose hands are adorned with it

श्वेत-पद्म-आसना — śveta-padmāsanā — seated upon a white lotus.

And the next verse adds:

दोर्भिर्युक्ता चतुर्भिः स्फटिकमणिमयीमक्षमालां दधाना ।

हस्तेनैकेन पद्मं सितमपि च शुकं पुस्तकं चापरेण ॥

She has four arms; a crystal-like rosary, a white lotus, a parrot and a book are described among the objects held in her hands. Her radiance is compared to jasmine, moonlight, conch and crystal. 

So the three pictures are wonderfully different

Āṇḍāl — the Divine Bride:

Flowers, garlands, beautiful hair, youthful grace, devotion and loving eyes turned toward her Lord.

Lakṣmī — Śrī:

Golden radiance, lotus, gentle smile, jewels, abundance and compassionate auspiciousness.

Sarasvatī — Vāgdevī:

Pure white, white garments, white lotus, Vīṇā, book, crystal rosary and the serene radiance of knowledge.

Bho yo bho yo namamya ham