What does "Iyengar" mean? (fwd)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Read this mail.

Sending that part of my mail dealing with Iyengar, which I shared

with a private group. This might add some input to the existing views.

-----

Next let me take up Iyer or aiyya.

 

The root word is 'I' or 'Ai'

In Tamil texts of yore, this word is found at places to refer to

leader or chief in II person (munnilai). That is when they call their

leader or chief standing in front of them, they used to say 'Ai' or

en ai, meaning ' en thalaiva' or 'oh, my chief'. You will find this

in verses 78 and 262 in Puranaanuru.

 

Aiyan means 'poojaikka-th-thagundhavan' or 'vaNanga-th-thagundhavan'.

(the one who deserves to be worshipped).

The common usage in times of yore had been to refer to Aiyyappan

originally known as Aiyyan or Harihara kumaran (born to Vishnu as

Mohini and Shivan).

 

Then anyone who deserves to be worshipped by their potential, came to

be addressed as Aiyyan or Aiyyar. (Note that this term was not used

for Kings, but only to those who rose to respectable positions by

virtue of their actions and knowledge)

 

Therefore, the Vediks or Brahmins or paarpanaas (paarpaar is

one 'vedangalai-p-paarpavar') came to be called as ( also note that

the usage is while addressing as in 'ai' in olden days) aiyyar or

Iyer.

 

As per choodamani nigandu, the eldest brother is also known as

Aaiyan, in his being the most resepcted person of the family.

The others called as Aaiyyan by Choodamani nigandu are God (swami,

EEshan, iRai, pathi), father, royals (kOmaan), adigaL, kuravan etc.

 

In common usage all brahmins were addressed to as iyer only.

The formation of Iyengar, in my opinion, is when Telugus came to be

associated with these iyers of Tamilnadu. This could have happened

when Ramanuja migrated to Hoysala region though a kannada populated

area, came to have association with many Telugus only. The addition

of term of respect, kaaru, to Iyer could have resulted in Iyeru kaaru

and Iyengar. The explanation of 5 attributes to Iyengar is

intelelctual and can not have evolved in colloquial usage. Whereas

Ai, Aiyyan and Iyer had been in vogue from time immemorial, as an

address to respectable, worshippable and learned people. It is

possible to think that usage came first and additional attributes

came be added later by the intelligentia.

 

Another reason to justify is that it is customary in Madayam iyengar

families to call their father as Aiyya. These families, settled in

Melkote region during Ramanuja's times must have continued the usage

of Aiyya (for father or for the vediks). Aaiyya or iyer must have

been in usage when Ramanuja settled there and they must have been

addressed as such. The habit could have continued in calling the

father as aiyya and for commoners / public to call them as iyeru

kaaru.

 

Madhavi's address to Kovalan in 'vandhir Aaiyya' in silappadhikaaram,

is in the meaning of 'kOmaganE' or 'kOmaanE' --'vandhIr KOmaanE'

(komaan is called as Aaiyya or Aaiyyan or Iyer)

 

Any corrections to this mail are welcome.

 

Jayasree saranathan

 

 

-------

 

ramanuja, Pattangi <danp@u...> wrote:

> Tue, 27 Sep 2005 03:38:16 -0600

> Madhuri and Mohan <mmsagar@e...>

> hokrishna

>

> Dear Sri Krishna,

>

> This is in response to your e-mail on asking for the

meaning

> of the term "Iyengar".

>

> Contrary to popular belief, the term "Iyengar" is not a Tamil

word, but

> rather has its origins in ancient Telugu, This language had once

been

> very popular among scholars in South India, because of its larger

> alphabet and heavy Sanskrit influence. The word seems to have been

a

> derivation of the root "Iy" (pronounced "eye"), which is same root

for

> the number five (Iydhu), which implies the five-fold set of

activities

> that are the center and fundamental foundation of the SriVaishnava

way

> of life. These are:

>

> 1. Da:sa - recognizing ourselves to be in the service of those

who

> are in service to the Supreme Being

> 2. Tha:pa - taking on the symbols of Sankha and Chakra to

indicate

> to ourselves and others that we are the sole property of the

> Supreme Being

> 3. Pundra - donning the Supreme Being's Lotus Feet on our head

and

> other parts of our body to indicate that He is our only

Protection

> and Strength

> 4. Mantra - meditation on the Supreme Being in our heart through

> contemplation on the Three Great Mantras as gifted to us by

our

> Acharya

> 5. A:ra:dhana - worship of the Supreme Being in His Form as the

Deity

> in our home and temples

>

> It is unfortunate that over the past 100 or so years, the full

meaning

> of this sacred word has been forgotten, and is now just being

considered

> as being a title for a specific subsect of Brahmins. Because, when

> properly understood, the use of this term can be of deep

significance to

> us in our lives, irrespective of our caste.

>

> For a more detailed discussion on this, please click:

> http://www.srivaishnavan.com/tomcat/srivaish5.html

>

> I hope this helps.

>

> Mohan

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Even now a person of higher status is addressed as " Ayyagaru" or

"Ayyangaru" in Telugu. Ayya means the same as in Tamil and garu is an

appendage to show more respect. Tamil and ancient Telugu are sister

languages and many words sound similar and mean the same as in Tamil. In

fact Garu is same as Varu in Telugu and Kannada or Avar in Tamil. A Telugu

person or a Kannadiga settling in parts of Maharashtra will be addressed

with a "Var" succeeding their surname. For example "Kannamvar, Hedgevar etc.

Something like this might have been the origin of the word Iyengar. In some

parts of Telengana in AP, Vaishnavites are called "Ayya garlu"

Regards,

Ramanujam.

 

 

>Pattangi <danp

>ramanuja

>ramanuja

>[ramanuja] What does "Iyengar" mean? (fwd)

>Tue, 27 Sep 2005 08:44:39 -0500 (CDT)

>

>Tue, 27 Sep 2005 03:38:16 -0600

>Madhuri and Mohan <mmsagar

>hokrishna

>

>Dear Sri Krishna,

>

>This is in response to your e-mail on asking for the meaning

>of the term "Iyengar".

>

>Contrary to popular belief, the term "Iyengar" is not a Tamil word, but

>rather has its origins in ancient Telugu, This language had once been

>very popular among scholars in South India, because of its larger

>alphabet and heavy Sanskrit influence. The word seems to have been a

>derivation of the root "Iy" (pronounced "eye"), which is same root for

>the number five (Iydhu), which implies the five-fold set of activities

>that are the center and fundamental foundation of the SriVaishnava way

>of life. These are:

>

> 1. Da:sa - recognizing ourselves to be in the service of those who

> are in service to the Supreme Being

> 2. Tha:pa - taking on the symbols of Sankha and Chakra to indicate

> to ourselves and others that we are the sole property of the

> Supreme Being

> 3. Pundra - donning the Supreme Being's Lotus Feet on our head and

> other parts of our body to indicate that He is our only Protection

> and Strength

> 4. Mantra - meditation on the Supreme Being in our heart through

> contemplation on the Three Great Mantras as gifted to us by our

> Acharya

> 5. A:ra:dhana - worship of the Supreme Being in His Form as the Deity

> in our home and temples

>

>It is unfortunate that over the past 100 or so years, the full meaning

>of this sacred word has been forgotten, and is now just being considered

>as being a title for a specific subsect of Brahmins. Because, when

>properly understood, the use of this term can be of deep significance to

>us in our lives, irrespective of our caste.

>

>For a more detailed discussion on this, please click:

>http://www.srivaishnavan.com/tomcat/srivaish5.html

>

>I hope this helps.

>

>Mohan

>

>

>

>

>

>

>-----------------

>

>

>srirangarAja charaNAmbhuja rAja hamsam

>srimad parAnkusa padhAmbhuja brungarAjam|

>sri bhattanAtha parakAla mukhAbhja mitram

>srivatsachihnna saranam yathirAjameedE||

>

>I pay homage to Sri Ramanuja, the swan who has chosen the Lotus Feet of Sri

>Ranganatha as his refuge;

>who is collecting the pollen and nectar from the flower-like feet of

>Parankusa (NammAzhwAr);

>who brightens like the sun the faces of Bhattanatha (PeriAzhwAr) and

>Parakala (Thirumangai AzhwAr), and

>who is the refuge of Kuresa!

> Links

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have a question that arises from your answer. What does the "ngar" portion

have to do with Iyengar then? I know in Telugu it is common to call a person

respectfully "ayya". I can understand the fact that Iyer may have come from

this as maybe brahmins (when being called upon) were called "ayya" and the term

stuck. So what place does this "ngar" have in the term "iyengar"? Is it just

to specify that one is a vaishnav as opposed to a shaivaite or smartha? Or

does it have some other significance? Also if this initially came from Telugu

roots why are mostly Tamizh people using the terms?

 

Please forgive me if I have made any mistakes in asking this.

 

Jai Sriman Narayana!

ManasaPattangi <danp (AT) uic (DOT) edu> wrote:

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 03:38:16 -0600Madhuri and Mohan

<mmsagar (AT) earthlink (DOT) net>hokrishna Dear Sri Krishna,This is in

response to your e-mail on asking for the meaningof the term

"Iyengar".Contrary to popular belief, the term "Iyengar" is not a Tamil word,

butrather has its origins in ancient Telugu, This language had once beenvery

popular among scholars in South India, because of its largeralphabet and heavy

Sanskrit influence. The word seems to have been aderivation of the root "Iy"

(pronounced "eye"), which is same root forthe number five (Iydhu), which

implies the five-fold set of activitiesthat are the center and fundamental

foundation of the SriVaishnava wayof life. These are: 1. Da:sa - recognizing

ourselves to be in the service of

those who are in service to the Supreme Being 2. Tha:pa - taking on the

symbols of Sankha and Chakra to indicate to ourselves and others that we

are the sole property of the Supreme Being 3. Pundra - donning the

Supreme Being's Lotus Feet on our head and other parts of our body to

indicate that He is our only Protection and Strength 4. Mantra -

meditation on the Supreme Being in our heart through contemplation on the

Three Great Mantras as gifted to us by our Acharya 5. A:ra:dhana -

worship of the Supreme Being in His Form as the Deity in our home and

templesIt is unfortunate that over the past 100 or so years, the full meaningof

this

sacred word has been forgotten, and is now just being consideredas being a title

for a specific subsect of Brahmins. Because, whenproperly understood, the use

of this term can be of deep significance tous in our lives, irrespective of our

caste.For a more detailed discussion on this, please

click:http://www.srivaishnavan.com/tomcat/srivaish5.htmlI hope this

helps.Mohan-----------------srirangarAja charaNAmbhuja rAja hamsamsrimad

parAnkusa padhAmbhuja brungarAjam|sri bhattanAtha parakAla mukhAbhja

mitramsrivatsachihnna saranam yathirAjameedE||I pay homage to Sri Ramanuja, the

swan who has chosen the Lotus Feet of Sri Ranganatha as his refuge;who is

collecting the pollen and nectar from the flower-like feet of Parankusa

(NammAzhwAr);who brightens like the sun the faces of Bhattanatha (PeriAzhwAr)

and

Parakala (Thirumangai AzhwAr), andwho is the refuge of Kuresa! Links

for Good Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.