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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Part II:

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

Azhvars 5000 years ago.

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History: How did we get the Tamil VEDAS

 

During the 9th century the tamil Vedas in its entirety were

lost.

The Tamil Vedas were collected and brought out by Svami Nathamuni in

9th century A.D.

 

By the grace of Lord, Sri Nathamunigal came to hear some devotees

visiting his home town, singing 11 Tamil paurams starting with

"Aaraa amudhE adiyEn" and ending with "... kurugoor

sadagOpan kuzhalil maliyach sonna orAaayiratthuL ippatthum, …."

(This ten of the thousand)

Nathamunigal was greatly excited and enchanted with the exquisite beauty

of the poems. He requested the devotees for the other 1000.

Unfortunately, they were unaware of any other pasurams. They

suggested enquiring in the town of thiruk kurugoor,

(Azhvar thirunagari).

Nathamunigal went to Azhvar thirunagari and upon

enquiring found Sri Vangeepurattu Nambi, who revealed to him

kanninun siruthAmbu of Madhuravi Azhvar; 11 Pasurams in praise of

NammAzhvar.

Sriman Naathamuni was excited to have these 11 pasurams, but still

was asking for the 1,000 as listed in the 11 paurams of “Aaraa Amudhe”.

He was told that reciting the kanninun siruthAmbu 12,000

times will get him Nathaminigal and he can ask HIM for the 1000 pasurams.

 

NammAzhwar was waiting for a able and qualified devotee to pass on this

treasure for the benefit of all devotees.

He revealed the 1000 Thiruvaimozhi pasurams of his own

and all the rest of the Dhivya Prabhanda pasurams composed by the

other Azhvars.

We can justifiably be proud of the rich culture, lineage, knowledge and

heritage. It is our duty to familiarize and preserve the works and

the meanings for our next generations.

As herein is contained the purpose of Life and the path way to fulfill

the purpose.

Question: How to preserve this.

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Answer: Spend at least 30 minutes a day chanting, learning and

understanding

the meanings of the Tamil Vedas (known as Arulicheyal)

Do not change/ modify Arucheyals because of our lack of

understanding.

We see many versions of Arulicheyal now (done with very good and noble

intentions)

but the fact that the Mulam is modified is hurtful to the cause and to

the Tamil Vedas itself.

Question: Where can we learn the basics to chant.

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Answer: Across USA, Vedics has many volunteers, who conduct classes

for free. Send a mail to vedics

with your phone number, and a local volunteer will contact you.

Question: Where about those of us who cannot come to class

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Answer: Usually we would like to see the students fact to face,

but there are classes being conducted over the phone bridge,

supplemented with santhai CDs.

To learn the full 4000 will take about five years.

To learn just the basics will take about six months.

To support these efforts please visit:

http://www.vedics.net/products/santhai/srirangam/

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=== 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