Periyazhwar- why is he called so? (let us enjoy on his birthday today)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

srImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

 

Today Periyazhwar Thirunakshathram (Swaathi)

 

It is adiyEn’s intent to ramble something on “Periya AzhwArâ€. ( based on

an excellent article released as 75th Thirunakshathra malar for Swami Sri U Ve

Purisai Krishnamachariar)

 

Soodikkoduttha Naacchiyaar- GodhA PiraaTTi’s dear father is PeriyAzhwAr,

VishNu Chitthar or Bhattar Piraan. Since his mind was always on VishNu, he was

called VishNu chitthar. He was conferred by the Pandya king,

Vallabhadevan, the title of Bhattar Piraan, when he uttered Vedic statements to

prove Parathvam of Sriman Narayanan and was given a bag of gold coins.

 

Swami Desikan says (in GodhAsthuthi) in “thaathasthu thE

madhumidha…â€slOkam, the last line “lEbE mahattharapadhaanuguNam

prasaadham..†Because You had adorned Yourself with those garlands, Emperumaan

conferred Your father with the title “mahattharapadham†(PeriyAzhwAr..)

 

Sri Manavala maauni says

 

“mangaLaasaasanatthil maRRuLLaazhwArgaL/

thangaarvaatthaLavu thaananRi- ponghum/

parivaalE villiputthoor bhattar piraan peRRaan/

periyAzwArennum peyar.

 

Due to that pongum parivu, He was called “PeriyAzhwArâ€- says Yatheendra

PravaNar.

 

Now, just for our enjoyment: - Why should VishNu chitthar be called

“PeriyAzhwAr?â€

 

It should have been NammAzhwAr more suited for this “Periya AzhwAr†title

for 1. being in AchArya Parampara 2. For being an avayavi with all other AzhwArs

as his parts of the body. or It should have been PeyAzhwAr (who is called

mahathaahvayar), who burst out with ThirukkaNdEn ponmEni kaNdEn ..

 

But it is VishNu chitthar who is called PeriyAzhwAr.- WHY???

 

1. NammAzhwAr: He sang 1000’s . But till the tenth decad, He was

longing to join Emperumaan. He declares only in 10.10..

“ini naan pOgalottEn...onRum maayam seyyEl ennaiyE…†(Hereafter

I shall never ever leave You; Don’t deceive me and leave me..). So

When NammAzhwAr was almost through in 10.10, he declared that

he would NOT let Emperumaan go away from him. Since it is only

in the fag end of Thiruvaymozhi, NammAzhwAr loses the race of being

called “PeriyAzhwArâ€.

 

2. pEyAzhwAr: Mahadhaahvayar: He was blessed with the vison

of Lord even before AzhwAr started compsoing pAsurams. But AzhwAr

did never get that fear of losing Him and did not utter to that effect. He

just said “ThirukkaNdEn pon mEni kaNdEn..†He was blessed

With the saakshaathkaaram like what Dhruvan was blessed with.

Since AzhwAr did not have fear of losing Him, nor was he worried

about and started with his kshEthraadnam with other two AzhwArs,

pEyAzhwAr loses the race.

 

Now, what about PeriyAzhwAr? He was blessed with Emperumaan’s

Kattaksham on GarudA and that’s when AzhwAr burst out with “long

live; long liveâ€

 

The Lord, Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan appeared on Garuda to enjoy and

witness His bhaktha’s success, Bhattar Piraan’s procession on elephant along

with whole lot of citizens of Pandya kingdom. That’s when VishNu chitthar

saw the Most exquisitely Beautiful Emperumaan on Garuda and with the

outburst of “Pongum Parivu†(as

nicely explained by Sri Manvala maamuni) (aiyO! ivLO azhagaa irukkaanE!

VeLiyE vandhuttaanE! KaN padumE!†), sang PallaaNdu, PallaaNdu… Long live

and Long live Your Lotus Feet!

 

PeriyAzhwAr, the moment he sings first pAsuram “pallaaNdu, pallaaNdu,

He gets worried whether he will lose this Bhagyam of having Him as He

Was present in front of AzhwAr. Immediately, he sings(“adiyOdum ninnOdum

PirivinRi aayiram pallaaNdu..â€) Long live Your relationship with me… (Your

eternal servant) without any gap /separation and then only, AzhwAr proceeds

to even pray for PiraaTTi and other PanchAyudhams.

 

Since he has realised this, and sought for an eternal bondage with the Lord

right in the first two pAsurams itself, He ALONE DESERVES BEING CALLED

“PeriyAzhwArâ€

 

(If there’s anything good in this write up, the credit goes to the author

who had written in Tamil. Any errors/faults are only MINE. )

 

PeriyAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan