Sri Vaishnava life style

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The Sri Vaishnavism of Azhvaars and Sri Ramanuja is as

much a social movement as it is a spiritual one. The

social aspect of our religion is encapsulated in the life

style prescribed for Sri Vaishnavas. This life style entails

a heavy dose of devotion not only towards our Lord, but

also His devotees (adiyaar, thoNdar). This is made

abundantly clear in many aazhvaar poems (paasurams.)

 

First, here are just a few examples of what the aazhvaars

say about our Lord's love for "adiyaar/thoNdar."

Thirumangai aazhvaar says that the Lord will raze down

the sorrow of his devotees "adiyaar paduthuyar

aayinavellaam, nilandharam seyyum." He is ever gazing

in the direction of Lanka eagerly awaiting the midnight

visits of his dear devotee Vibeeshnan, says

ThoNdaradippodi aazhvaar, "then dhisai ilangai nOkki."

Namaazhvaar asserts that the Lord is ever contemplating

all the different ways to shower His grace upon the

devotees "unnadiyaarku enseyvan enRE yiriththin^ee."

Periyaazhvaar goes to the extent of suggesting that the

Lord will reject charges made against the devotees even if

they were to come from the thaayaar (Lakshmi) Herself,

"thannadiyaar thiRaththakaththu thaamaraiyaaL aakilum

sidhakuraikkumEl, "ennadiyaar adhu seyyaar, seydhaarEl

nanRu seydhaar."" Why would thaayaar make any such

complaint? The answer is to prove to the masses that the

Lord will not forsake them at all! Such is the love of our

Lord towards His devotees.

 

Next, what about the aazhvaars? What is their outlook

towards "adiyaar/thoNdar?" Kulasekara Azhvaar

epitomizes the state of mind of all the aazhvaars when he

declares that he will proudly wear on his forehead the wet

mud from the feet of devotees, "thoNdar sEvadich

sezhuncEr en sennikku aNivanE." Periaazhvaar

proclaims to the world that the precious feet of the Lord's

devotees are on his head "... iNaiyadi en thalai

mElanavE." Namaazhvaar repeatedly refers to himself as

the servant of servant of servant of the Lord's servant,

"thONdar thONdar thONdar thONdan satakOpan," and

"adiyaar adiyaar thamadiyaar adiyaar thamak kadiyaar

adiyaar tham adiyaar adiyOngaLE."

 

Such is the status afforded to the devotees among sri

vaishnavaas. With this as the backdrop I wish to submit a

few posts on sri vaishnava view of the devotees of our

Lord Narayana in the coming days.

 

 

-- Dileepan