Swami Nammazhwar's Glories...

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

For the forthcoming Swami Nammazhwar thirunakshathram,

(May 30th, adiyEn would like to share with this series

on Swami. By the anugraham of Acharyan, let us enjoy

the glory of Swami Sri Nammazhwaar, also called as

Satakopa.

 

For millions of years, the foundation of our religion

is based on Vedas and Upanishads. Few thousand years

ago, there were 12 saints called Azhwaars who took

avatharams as human beings and composed wonderful

divine verses in Sweet chaste Tamil. The chief among

them is Nammazhwar. Swami’s Thirunakshathram

(birthday) is Vaikasi Visakham). Let us enjoy his

glories in this attempt.

 

Let us first look at who are azhwaars and what are his

works for the sake of novices like myself.

 

AzhwArs - the four thousand Tamil devotional hymns

(pAsurams) sung by the Divine Ten AzhwArs, Sri Andal

and Sri Madhurakavi AzhwAr and Sri Thiruvarangatthu

Amudhanaar are reverentially praised as 4000 and Tamil

vedas. They are called Vedas because they reflect the

relevant portions of Vedas in unambiguous terms and

they do not speak of anything other than Vedas,

directly or indirectly. The PAsurams of the AzhwArs

and Sri Andal praise the Lord with His Divine consort

in his varied incarnations, expressing the depth of

devotion in which they were immersed, their divine

experiences and also praying for the eternal bliss of

association with Him and service to Him.

 

Sri Madhurakavi AzhwAr’s 11 pAsurams were in praise of

his Acharya Sri NammAzhwAr and Sri Thiruvarangatthu

Amudhanaar’s 108 pAsurams on Sri Ramanuja’s glories

are also in 4000. (this 108 Pasurams of Amudhanaar

were added later into this 4000). Owing to the great

esteem in which Sri NammAzhwAr and Sri Ramanujar are

held in the tradition of Acharyas, the PAsurams

extolling them are also included in the four thousand

devotional hymns worshipping the Lord.

 

Before we outline their number of pAsurams (as to how

it gets added to 4000), let us see their origin and

dates of birth. Tradition assigns high antiquity to

the AzhwArs taking them to 4200 BCE to 2700 BCE and

also regards them as Divine incarnations (as amsaas of

the Lord's paraphernalia). According to guru

paramparas, the first four AzhwArs namely Poigai

AzhwAr, BhUtatthAzhwAr, PEyAzhwAr and Thirumazhisai

AzhwAr were born at the end of Dwapara yuga, which

corresponds to 4200 BCE. Madhurakavi also is belived

to be born in Dwapara yuga corresponding to 3200 BCE.

NammAzhwAr, KulasekarAzhwAr, PeriyAzhwAr and ANdAL

were born during the first century of Kaliyuga which

approximates to 3103 BCE to 3003 BCE. The remaining

three AzhwArs ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr, ThiruppAN AzhwAr

and Thirumangai AzhwAr took birth in the years of 298,

343 and 399 respectively in the Kaliyuga which

corresponds to 2803, 2758 and 2702 BCE. (From A

Govindacharya, the Holy lives of Alwars).

 

However, the modern scholars have questioned these

dates and assigned a period ranging from 5th to the

9th centuries CE on the basis of a few historical

evidences, though there is no unanimity among them on

the dates. Whatever it is the order in which they

would have appeared is:

 

Mudhal AzhwArs (First three AzhwArs- Poigai, PhUtha,

PEy AzhwArs);

Thirumazhisai AzhwAr,

Madhurakavi AzhwAr

NammAzhwAr

PeriyAzhwAr

AndAL

KulasekaraAzhwAr

ThoNdaradipodi AzhwAr

ThiruppAN AzhwAr and

Thirumangai AzhwAr

 

Further, the reference is there in Srimath Bhagawatham

to the birth of these AzhwArs:

 

In the beginning of Kaliyuga, persons exclusively

devoted to Narayana and endowed with spiritual

knowledge will be born here and there but in large

numbers in the land of the Draavidas where the flow of

rivers ThaamaraparaNi, Krtamaalaa (Vaigai), Payasvini

(Paalaar), the holy river cauveri, and the MahaanadhI

(PeriyaaRu), which runs westwards.

 

kalau khalu Bhavishyanthi nArAyaNa parAyaNa:

kvachin kvachi mahAbhAga drAmidEsu cha bhUrisa:

thAmaraparaNi nadI yatra krtamaalaa payasvinI:

kAvErI cha mahAbhAgA prathIchI cha mahAnadhI (Srimad

Bhagawatham- XI-5- 38-39)

 

It is to be noted that NammAzhwAr and Madhurakavi

AzhwAr were born in the banks of ThamaraparaNi;

PeriyAzhwAr and ANDAL in a place close to Vaigai

(madurai); Poigai AzhwAr, PhUthathAzhwAr, PeyAzhwAr,

and Thirumazhisai AzhwAr near the Paalaar and

ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr, ThiruppANAzhwAr, Thirumangai

AzhwAr on the banks of the river Cauveri.

 

The dates are not however relevant for enjoyment of

their divine pAsurams of course. The important point

is that they were all born before Sri Nathamuni (823

CE) and Ramanuja (1017 CE) who were greatly influenced

by their pAsurams and teachings and after period of

Agamas, the epics and Puranas, as their PAsurams

reflect the deep knowledge of these Agamas, epics and

puranas.

 

Let us look at the count:

A composer wise count of 4000 given by Swamy Sri

Vedantha Desikan: from Prabhandha saaram- 15 and 16).

 

If we keep a count of the 4000 Divya prabandhams:

1. Mudhal AzhwArs (Poigai, PudhathAzhwAr, and

PeyAzhwAr) sang 300; (mudhal,

irandaam and moonRaam nooranthaadhi- 100 each)

2. Thirumazhisai AzhwAr sang 216 (120- Thirucchandha

viruttham; 96- Naanmukhan Thiruvandhaathi)

3. MaaRan (Sri NaamAzhwAr) sang 1296 as the essence of

Vedas containing true spiritual teachings-[

Thiruviruttham- 100; Thiruvaaasiriyam- 7; Periya

ThiruvandhAthi- 87; Thiruvaaymozhi- 1102; ]

4. MadhurakavigaL (who showed the path of devotion to

Aacharya) sang 11 (Kanninun chRrutthambu);

5. Kulasekara AzhwAr (king of Vanji land) sang 105

(PerumAL Thirumozhi)

6. PeriyAzhwAr (Bhatta nAthan) sang 473 pAsurams which

shines as the literature for music.

7. Kodhai (Sri Andal) who was an incarnation of Sri

BhUmi PiraaTTi Herself) sang 173 (ThiruppAvai-30;

Naacchiyaar Thirumozhi- 143)

8. ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr- (Patthar adippodi) sang

fifty five (Thiruppalliyezhiucchi- 10; Thirumaalai-

45)

9. PaaNar (ThiruppANAzhwAr) sang 10 Amalanaadhipiraan)

10. Parakalan (Thirumangai AzhwAr) sang 1253 in all

praising the glorious Lord of Thirumalai Sri

Srinivasan, the father of the world, [Periya

Thirumozhi- 1084;

ThirukkuRunthANDakam- 20; ThirunedunthANdakam- 30;

ThiruvezhukkuRRirukkai- 1;

SiRiya Thirumadal- 40;

Periya Thirumadal- 78]

 

11. Sri Thiruvarangatthu Amudhanaar- (during Sri

Ramanuja¡¦s time) sang 108 pAsurams praising the

beautiful Lotus Feet of YathirAjar (Sri Ramanuja) who

showed us the path to mOksham (Salvation).

 

Add the above:- You get 4000. These four thousand

hymns sung and left by these saints for the welfare of

all in all directions of the world are the source of

prosperity for the lives of ours -who are servants of

the Lord and His devotees.

Let us enjoy Nammazhwaar vaibhavam tomorrow.

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

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