Alwars and Acaryas - Part I Alwars- Sections 1 and 2

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Dear Bhagavatas'

I am presenting the series on Alwars and Acharyas commencing with Part I on

Alwars - Sections 1 and 2

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

ALWARS AND ACHARYAS

 

[Note : The following words should be pronounced as indicated against each A:

lwar : Aazhwaar; Acharya : Aachaarya; Andal : Aandaal]

SECTION 1 : INTRODUCTION

No work on any philosophy can be complete without an understanding of the

architects who made it possible. This is even more so in the case of

Religious philosophy because the hagiographic background of the great

savants who had the 'savoire faire' thereof would reinforce the credibility

in the system which they not only preached but also practiced in their

lives.

 

The works of Alwars stood mysteriously a replica of the Vedas themselves and

therefore came to be known as Dravida Veda. In fact, there is a view that

even the great Rishis are no match to the greatness of the Alwars because

these Rishis got their 'Gnanam'

( wisdom0 as a result of their own actions of 'spiritual merit'

( Punyam) and therefore called ' Aarsha' whereas the wisdom of the Alwars was

the direct result of the Lord's divine grace and therefore called ' Divyam'.

It is because of this that the works of Alwars is called ' Divya Prabandham'.

 

 

These works are non-pareil in every sense- be it in sentiment, style or

syntax.They take even a casual reader on a guided tour into the esoteric

exegesis of the Vedas without offending the provisions of exclusions and

prohibitions enjoined in the study of the Vedas in original.

 

Due perhaps to historical reasons, much of these treasures had been lost to

humanity for a while. It was given to the great Nathamuni to retrieve and

revivify them in their pristine glory for the benefit of posterity. The long

line of the lineage of preceptors who followed him kept the torch burning and

handed them over to successive generations . We can justifiably be proud of

the rich heritage . It is our bounden duty, therefore, to familiarize

ourselves with the lives and works of these preceptors , the least we can do

as a token of our gratitude for the invaluable treasures bequeathed to us.

Hence, this Chapter on ' Alwars and Acharyas' - which purports to be a very

brief introduction to their lives and works. We would like to remind our

readers that this does not claim to be a complete list of the great souls nor

exhaustive in point of details of even those included. It does not mean that

any of the Acharyas not mentioned here are any the less important. The

omissions reflect only the author's lack of exposure to the full facts of

the invaluable contributions of these innumerable savants.

SECTION 2 : LIFE OF ALWARS

2.1. Poigai Alwar, 2 .2., Budat Alwar and 2.3. Pey Alwar

are the first three Alwars ( Mudal Alwars)

They were contemporaries who were born in the same Siddharti year and in the

same Aippasi month of Aippasi in the same Suklapaksha on successive Tuesday,

Wednesday and Thursday, in the constellations of Tiruvonam, Avittam and

Sadhayam, on the Ashtami, Navami respectively.

 

Poigai Alwar , an incarnation of Panchajanyam, the divine conch of Lord

Vishnu appeared on the lotus bud in a pond in Tiruvekka near Kanchipuram.

Budat Alwar , an incarnation of Kaumodhaki, the divine mace of Lord Vishnu

appeared in a Kurukkatti flower in Mahabalipuram, also near Kanchipuram

where the Lord instead of reclining on his divine couch of Adisesha, reclines

onthe floor and hence is called ' Stala Sayana Perumal'.. Pey Alwar, an

incarnation of Nandaki, the divine sword of Lord Vishnu appeared in a red

lily in the well of the temple of Adhikesava Perumal at Mylapore, Madras.

 

Nammalwar calls them ' In Kavi Paadum Parama Kavigal'- the greatest poets who

sang the sweetest songs'. Tirumangai Alwar hails them as ' Senthamizh

Paaduvaar'- ' Those who sang in chaste Tamizh'. Periyavaachan Pillai known as

the 'Vyaakhyaana Chakravarti'- Emperor among commentators says Poigai Alwar

established the ' Paratvam' of Lord Narayana and thus has declared the

'Tattva Gnana ' and represented ' Para Gnana' '; Budat Alwar explains how

this ' Gnana' blosssoms into 'Para Bhakti' and Pey Alwar demonstrated how

these lead to the ultimate ' Parama Bhakti' or ' Saakshaat kaaram'- the

very realization of the Supreme Lord. Thus they represented the three stages

of spiritual unfoldment. Therefore, the works of all the three Alwars are

considered together as a single ' Prabandha' known as 'Iyar Paa'.

 

All the three were so much devoted to the Lord that they had no other

thoughts and lived as recluses in the forests. They were constantly

meditating and moving from place to place like mendicants offering obeisance

at various temples consecrated to Lord Narayana but they had not known each

other nor had ever met with each other and hence were ' perfect strangers'.

 

Once, they chanced to meet at 'Tirukkoyilur' accidentally. Feeling sleepy at

nightfall, Poigai Alwar found a small pial at the entrance of a house just

enough for a single person to lie down and sleep. After a while, there came

Budat Alwar who requested permission to stay with him. Poigai Alwar

permitted him saying that the pial was sufficient for two people to just sit

down and spend the night. No sooner had they seated themselves, than came

there Pey Alwar also seeking a place to rest. It had by then started to rain.

The two earlier occupants accommodated the newcomer saying that the

threesome could stand for the space was just enough for that and spend the

night. And, indeed 'three was company'

 

As they started to share their experiences in their itineraries, they found

that an invisible fourth person was trying to turn the company into a crowd

by pressing them hard together in an obvious attempt to accommodate himself

in the already cramped space. The three Alwars found out in their divine

vision that the fourth person was none other than Lord Vishnu, who had

brought them together.

 

Poigai Alwar composed the first 100 verses starting with the words ' Vaiyam

Tagaliya, Varkadale Neyyaaga' ( the universe being the lamp and the oceans

being the lubricant).

Vaiyam Thagaliyaa Vaar Kadale Neyyaaga / Veyyak Kadirone Vilakkaaaga / Sudar

Aazhiyaan Adikke Soottinen Son Malai / Idar Aaazhi Neengukave Enru /

" Lord Narayana is the cause of this wonderful universe and the seas; He

holds the divine discus; As a means to cross the miserable ocean of

'Samsara', I am dedicating this garland of verses. I had His vision in the

light of the lamp of earth, the lubricant ghee being the waters of the ocean.

The bright Sun is the one that sheds light on this."

Vaiyam : Universe, VaarKadal : The sea surrounding it, Thagazhi : Lamp,

Veyyak Kadirone : The hot Sun, Seyya : Beautiful, Sudar Aazhi : Lustrous

discus, SonMalai : Garland of words (verses), Idar Aazhi : ocean of misery (

Samsara)

 

Next, Budat Alwar sang the second 100 verses sarting with the words " Anbe

Tagaliya, Aarvame Neyyaaga' ( with love as lamp and devotion as the

lubricant).

Anbe Thagliyaa Aarvame Neyyaaga / Inburugu Chintai Idu Thiriyaa / Nanpurugi

Gnaana Chudar Vilakku Etrinen / Naaranarku Gnaana Thamizh Purindha Naan

"I who wrote this song that bestows wisdom, with love as the lamp, endearing

involvement as the lubricant ghee, and knowledge as the wick of the burning

torch, dedicated myself to the service of the Lord"

Aarvam : Parabhakti-to feel the love of God intimately, Inbu : endearing

 

Lastly, Pey Alwar concluded by singing the third 100 verses starting with the

words ' Tiruk Kanden, Pon Meni Kanden'

( I found the glorious, golden form of the Lord').

Tiruk Kanden Pon Meni Kanden- Thigazhum / Arukkan Ani Niramum Kanden- Seruk

Kilarum / Pon Aazhi Kanden Puri Sangam Kai Kanden / En Aazhi Vannan Paal Inru

On witnessing the glorious vision in which the entire universe was the very

body of Lord Narayana, the Alwar proceeds to describe all that he had seen. "

I have seen the glory of SRI, the consort of the Lord; I have seen hos

bewitching body that is azure in color as the sea; I have seen his brilliance

like that of the Sun; on his one hand, he holds his divine discus that

reverberates in the battlefield and on the other he holds the divine conch.

Seru : Battle, Aazhi Vannan : One whose color is like that of the blue seas.

 

The verses were so constructed that the ending word of each verse became the

commencing word of the next verse - a special kind of prosody characteristic

of Tamil literature called 'Anta Adhi' 'Anta' means 'end' and 'Adhi' means '

beginning'. The three works were thus called First Antadhi, Second Antadhi

and Third Antadhi respectively and set in motion the mellifluous flow of

Bhakti literature to follow.

 

Thanians on the three Alwars ( Dedication verses)

Thanian on Poigai Alwar is as follows:

Kaidai Ser Poompozhil Soozh Kachi Nagar Vanduditha / Poigai Piraan Kavignar

Per eru- / Vaiyathu Adiyaarkal Vaazha Arum Tamizh Nootrantaadhi / Paadi

Vilanga seidhan Parindu/

"The foremost among poets- Poigai Alwar was born in the Garden city of

Kanchipuram. With utmost compassion to redeem the devotees on the earth and

take them to the feet of the Lord, he composed the rare composition of 100

psalms in the Antaaadhi style" Por Eru : Like a great bull, Padi Vilanga : To

redeem the earth(ly beings), Parindu : Being compassionate

 

Thanian on Budat Alwar composed by Tiruk Kurugai Piran

En Piravi Theera Irainjinen Innamudhaa / Anbe Thagali Alithaanai- Nun Pugazh

Ser / Seedathaar Muthukkal Serum Kadan Mallai / Budathaar Ponnan Kazhal /

" I prostrate at the beautiful feet of Budat Alwar to secure redemption from

Samsara. It is he who gave us the insatiable nectar " Anbe Thagaliya"

pasuram; the one who is known for his ' Paragnaanan' - the supreme wisdom. He

was born on the shores of Mahabalipuram ( Kadan mallai) wher the cool streams

of the sea contain precious pearls"

 

Thanian on Pey Alwar

Seeraru Mada Tirukkovilur Athanul / Karaar Karu Mukhilaik Kaanap Pukku /

Oraat Thiruk Kanden Enru Uraitha Seeraan Kazhale Uraik Kandaai Nenje! Ugandhu

/

" O! My mind! On the corridors of the ramparts of the lovely Tirukkovilur

where reclines the Lord with the color of the rain bearing clouds.

Experiencing an intimate bonding with him, the great Pey Alwar has bequeathed

to us his psalm "Tiruk Kanden" in Antaadhi style. You can derive divine

ecstasy by concentrating on his holy feet"

 

Since he was one different from others, he was called ' Pey'. He represents '

Parama Bhakti' which means his intensity of the love of Lord was such that

without this Anubhava, he would die as a fish out of water.

 

The Divya Desams consecrated by the three Alwars

Poigai Alwar : ( 7) Tiruvarangam, Tiruvinnagar, Tirukkovilur, Tiruvekka,

Tiuvenkadam,Tirupparkadal and Paramapadam

Budat Alwar : ( 13 ) Tiruvarangam, Tanjai, Tirukkudanthai, Tirumaliruncholai,

Tirukkoshtiyur, Tiruthankaal, Tirukkovilur, Tirukkachi, Tiruppaadakam,

Tiruneermalai, Tirukkadanmallai, Tiruvenkadam, and Tiruppaarkadal

Pey Alwar (14) Tiruvarangam, Tirukkudantai, Tiruvinnagar,

Tirumaliruncholai,Tirukkoshtiyur, Ashtabuyakaram,Tiruvelukkai, Tiruppaadakam,

Tiruvekka, Tiruvallikkeni, Tirukkadikai, Tiruvenkadam, Tiruppaarkadal and

Paramapadam