Sri NammAzhwar Thirunakshatram

[Guest guest]

SriMathe Ramanujaya Namaha:

Sri NammAzhwar Thiruvadigale Saranam:

 

Dear Bhagavathas,

 

As Smt. Sheela Mami mentioned, you all are very much aware of Sri NammAzhwar

Thirunaksahtram is tommorrow (Saturday).

 

A small description about Azhwar which I collected long back.

 

Place : Azhwar Thirunagari (Kurugur)

Other Names : Sadagopan, Sadaari, Paraankusan, Maaran, Vakulaa Baranan,

Kurugaiyar-kone

Month Star : Vaigaasi Vishaakam (Vishaaka)

Sign : Vishvaksena (Commander)

 

The pAsurams composed by nammAzhwAr contain the depths and visions of

philosophy equal to vEdAs, (or even more). These pAsurams along with those

of other azhwArs were on it compiled by nAthamuni and later propagated by

emberumAnAr (Sri Ramanujar) and hence, is even considered as the foster

mother of ThiruvAimozhi (nammAzhwAr's 1102 pAsurams).

 

NammAzhwAr's parents, kAri (a veLLALa agriculturist) of Thirukkurugoor and

udhayanangai, the childless couple, after praying to the Lord AdhinAthA,

(who himself had announced through the archakA that his amsam will be born

to them soon) were blessed with a male child with a divya tEjas in the year

pramadhi, vaikasi tamil month and visAkam nakshatram on a friday (an

incarnation of Vishvaksena, the Chief administrator of Mahavishnu). The

parents' happiness was shortlived only as the baby did not even cry, move or

open its eyes or mouth. Since the baby was different from others it was

named "mARan" (later called karimaran).

 

NammAzhvar was a child prodigy. A much older Madhurakavi Azhwar was his

disciple. It is believed that it is Madhurakavi who wrote down all the

pasurams that nammaazhvaar sang. When Madhurakavi met nammaazhvaar for the

first time, he asked the child who had not spoken a word since birth,

"setthathin vayiRRil siRiyathu piRanthaal, athu etthaith thinRu engE

kidakkum?" i.e. if the jeevaathmaa enters the body made off lifeless matter,

what will it do? Azhvaar answered,

"atthaith thinRu angE kidakkum." i.e. the jeevaathmaa will experience the

good and the bad of the life in this universe.

 

NammAzhwar composed the following:

 

1. Thiruviruttam (100 verses as the essence of Rg vEdA)

2. ThiruvAsiriyam (7 verses as the essence of yajur vEdA)

3. Periya ThiruvandhAdhi (87 verses as the essence of atharvaNa vEdA)

4. ThiruvAimozhi (1002 verses as the essence of sAma vEdA)

 

The sentiments expressed in every single pAsuram of nammAzhwAr reflect

Bhakti ecstasy of NammAzhwAr and will take us to such an interest and Bhakti

for Divya Dampathis.

 

Parasara bhattar's thanian on nammAzhwAr:

 

vAn thigazhum sOlai madhil arangar vAn pugazh mEl

Aanra thamizh maraigal Ayiraum- EenRa

mudhal thAi sadagOpan moymbAl vaLarttha

Edhat thAi ErAmAnujan

 

" ThiruvAimozhi' 1000 verses are the vedas which declare the auspicious

qualities of Sri Ranganatha. The natural mother is sadagopan(nammAzhwAr) and

the foster mother is Sri Ramanuja, since he based his enire kalakshEpams on

ThiruvAimozhi.

 

mikka iRainilaiyum meyyAm uyir nilaiyum

thakka neRiyum thadaiYAgi -thokkiyalum

Oozh vinaiyum vAzhvinaiyum Odhum kurugaiyOr kOn

yAzhin isai vEdaththiyal.

 

"The ThiruvAimozhi" (tamil Vedam) composed by kurugaiyor kon-nammAzhwAr,

contains the five realities namely.,

 

1. The nature of the Eternal ParamAtma

2. The nature of the Eternal jeevAtma

3. The means for the jeevAtma to attain the goal of ParamAtma

4. The blocks and hurdles on the way and

5. The goal of life i.e mokshA.

 

:: NammAzhwar Thiruvadigale Saranam ::

 

NOTE: Bhagavatha's residing in Secunderabad (India), are requested to

Participate in NammAzhwar Thirunakshtra Uthsavam (tomorrow, saturday) at Sri

Venkateshwara Perumal Devesthanam.

 

ThiruvAimoshi 10-10 sevakalam will begin at 6 pm in the evening and then

procession of Perumal & Azhwar, followed by Sathumurai and Ghosti.

 

dAsan,

K.M. Shantha Kumar.