Q & A: Azhvars and their contributions. - Discussion with students.

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Q & A: Azhvars and their contributions.

Transcript from discussions with students at - University of Illinois Chicago

The questions are by students who have limited exposure to SriVaishnavam.

 

Learned devotees are requested to add/ comment on this information as

applicable.

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Question: Who are the Azhvars and why are they important?

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Answer: Azhvar in tamil means “One who is immersed” in GOD and His qualities. As

per tradition, there are 10 Azhvars.

Two more saints ­ Andal and Madhurakavi Azhvar are also considered as Azhvars.

They took birth in all walks, communities, castes and strata of society. They

are important to us, because they are the ones through whom Lord Sriman Narayana

has given us the divine message in the form of the divine 4000 songs. They

illustrate the irrelevance of caste, status, knowledge or wealth when it comes

to the LOVE of God.

 

Question: What is their tangible contribution for humanity?

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Answer: They have been chosen by the Lord as the instruments for delivering the

pure message of how to fulfill the purpose of life. The 4000 divine verses

(Nalayira divya prabhandham) are laden with bhakti and passion for the Lord.

They have the guidelines for us to lead productive lives. Nalayira divya

prabhandham are the Tamil Vedas. The Azhvars exhort us to place complete faith

in the Lord for our salvation, and surrender to his will. They teach us to serve

Him and his devotees.

 

Question: There is already a Veda in Sanskrit, what is the is need for Tamil

Veda?

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Answer: The Sanskrit Veda is a compendium of knowledge. It contains rituals

(yagas) for any material goal like money, prosperity, going to a higher world

after death etc. It also contains the ultimate truth (the relationship between

the soul and the Lord, and how to attain salvation).

In the Sanskrit Vedas, the ultimate truth is hard to find. Even if we find the

message it is hard to understand it as it is present along with everything else.

Moreover there are many restrictions to learn the sanskrit veda; one has to be a

twice born, and undergo rigorous training for a number of years.

It is commonly said that one lifetime is not enough to learn the Vedas by heart

and understand it completely.

 

The Tamil Veda on the other hand is a very precise body of knowledge. It

contains only information pertinent to our salvation.

 

Question: What are the restrictions and qualifications to learn the Tamil Veda?

And what are the fruits of learning them?

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Answer: There are no restrictions. Anyone with an interest in learning can learn

the Tamil Veda, and understand the meanings through a learned teacher.

 

The fruits of learning are:

1) understanding of the eternal relationship between the soul and God, and

2) development of a liking for service to God and His devotees.

One has to experience this fruit to understand.

 

Question: So how can the Tamil Veda be useful to me in today’s life? (making

money, being popular etc.)

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Answer: That depends on what you want to do today.

If you are interested in spiritual progress, then the Tamil Vedas will help you.

The Tamil Vedas will help change your heart and bring you back to the path of

Love and Surrender to the Lord.

 

One who is immersed in the Tamil Vedas will surrender to the will of GOD and

never go against HIS way.

 

There is nothing wrong in earning money, as long as the purpose of earning money

is to serve God and His devotees.

 

Question: When were the Azhvars born and where did they live?

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Answer: Details of the Azhvars birth and their contributions is listed by Svami

Manavala Mamuni (1270 CE) in his work, Upadesa Rattina Malai.

According to philosophical history, they were in this world prior to, and during

the kali yuga (about 6,000 years ago).

 

Modern scholars, using western linguisitic based methods, say that the Azhvars

lived and walked on this earth between the third and eighth century CE.

 

According to traditional history, the azhvars time is listed as per the Vedic

time cycle.

 

The Sri Vaishnava Guruparampara lists them in the traditional vedic calendar as:

Poigai Azhvar, in the year: siddharthi, Dwapara yuga: 8,62,900, month: thula,

Star: Sravana, Thithi: Ashtami.

This translates to modern western calendar: BCE 4204.

 

Mudal Azhvars: Dwapara: 8,62,900 same as BCE 4202

Thirumazhisai : Dwapara: 8,62,900 same as BCE 4202

Nammazhvar : Kali: 001 same as BCE 3102

Madhurakavi : similar time period as Nammazhvar.

Kulashekara : Kali 027 same as BCE 3075

PeriAzhvar : Kali 046 same as BCE 3056

Andal : Kali 097 same as BCE 3005

Thondaradipodi : Kali 288 same as BCE 2814

Thiruppan : Kali 342 same as BCE 2760

Thirumangai : Kali 397 same as BCE 2706

 

According to the Vedas, time is given in cycles of four yugas:

 

Krutha Yuga 17,28,000 years

Thretha Yuga 12,96,000 years

Dwapara Yuga 8,64,000 years

Kali Yuga 4,32,000 years

 

Question: What is in all the 4000? Can you list them in brief?

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Answer: The 4000 songs are organized in sets of verses.

1. poigai AzhvAr ­ 1st ThiruvandhAdhi

2. bhUdhaththu AzhvAr ­ 2nd ThiruvandhAdhi

3. pEyAzhvAr ­ 3rd ThiruvandAdi

4. Thirumazhisai AzhvAr ­ thiru-ch-chanda viruttam, nAnmugan thiruvandAdi

5. nammAzhvAr ­ thiru-viruttam,thiruvAsiriyam, thiruvAimozhi, periya

thiruvandAdi

6. kulasEkhara AzhvAr ­ perumAL thirumozhi

7. periyAzhvAr ­ thiru-p-pallANdu, periyAzhvAr thirumozhi

8. thoNdar-adi-p-podi ­ thiru-p-paLLi-yezhuchchi, thirumAlai

9. thiru-p-pAN AzhvAr ­ amalanAdipirAn

10. thirumangai AzhvAr ­ thiru-k-kuRundhAndakam,

thiru-nedundhANdakam, thiruvezhu-kURRirukkai,

siriya thirumadal, periya thirumadal and periya thirumozhi

11. AndAL ­ thiru-p-pAvai, nAchchiyAr thirumozhi

12. madhurakavi AzhvAr ­ kaNNinun ciRuttAmbu

 

The divine work on Sri Ramanuja (1017 CE), by thiru-arangattu amudhanAr, called

rAmAnuja nURRandhAdhi, was not a part of the Tamil Vedas as per Swami

Nathamunigal ( 850 CE). As this work was not available during his time. It is

now considered to be a part of the sacred 4000.

 

Question: How did we get the Tamil VEDAS, if they were sung by Azhvars 5000

years ago.

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This is a good question.

During the 9th century the tamil Vedas were almost entirely lost. They were

collected and brought out by Swami Nathamuni.

 

=== Continued ===

 

"Come and celebrate Azhvar and Acharya Thirunakshatrams"

"in Washington DC. November 05th and 06th 2005"

"Register at http://www.vedics.net/utsavam"

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar ThiruvadigalE Saranam

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mukundan Vangipuram Pattangi