AzhwArs: Introduction

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs :

 

The work on the creation of the Lives and works

of the AzhwArs and the 108 Dhivya Desams is

progressing well.The graphics, the voice overs

are nearing completion. The scanning of the images

are yet to be done.

 

The reference material for those intersted to know more

about the AzhwArs as side bars is being compiled.Here is

the first of those sets of information in detail .

 

The nexttask is to compile the lives and prabhandhams of

individual AzhwArs. The document on madhura Kavi, who

established the importance of AchArya Bhakthi has been

completed and will be posted. rest will follow.

 

May the SaraNya Dampathis bless the progress

of this project in service to the Sri VaishNavA Community,

 

RaamAnuja Daasan , V.Sadagopan

 

 

The Life and works of AzhwArs: Introduction

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The twelve AzhwArs flourished in south India

somewhere between the fifth and ninth centuries

of the first millenium . The Bhakthi movement in

India got a great boost from their Tamil hymns,

which are profound and spontaneous outpourings

of their bhagavath anubhavam ( the enjoyment of

the Divine being) . Their hymns add up to 4000

in number and are revered as " the sacred collect "

(Dhivya Prabhandham ). They house a rich vein of

philosophical and theological ideas central to

the VisishtAdvaitha VedAntham : TattvA (ultimate

reality ), HithA (the means for attainment of

that reality )and the PurushArthA ( the supreme

goal of life) .In the second millenium , AchArya

RaamAnujA developed further the theory of Supreme

reality expounded by AzhwArs into a clear doctrine

with all its philosophical implications and

underpinnings.

 

Dr.S.M.S.Chari has commented in his excellent book

on AzhwArs ( Philosophy and the Theistic mysticism of

the ALwArs ) that the AzhwAr's works belong to

the fourth period of development of Sri VaishNavam.

He identifies Sri VaishNavam as the oldest monotheistic

religion rooted in the VedAs and upanishads that developed

in four stages during its growth: (1) Vedic and Upanishadic

period (2) IthihAsA and PurANic period(3)Agamic period

and (4)the AzhwAr's period. The mystical hymns of

the AzhwArs laden with the highest experience (anubhavam)

of the Supreme being as Sriman NaarAyaNA is consistent with

the teachings of VedAs, Upanishads , IthihAsAs , Saathvika

PurANAs and Sri VaishNavite AagamAs.

 

The essence of the twenty four dhivy prabhandhams of

the twelve AzhwArs as summarized by Dr.S.M.S.Chari is

as follows: " The most striking feature of the Reality

as portrayed prominently by the ALvArs is that

the Supreme Being of VedAnthA is a personal God

in the name of Sriman NaarAyaNA , who possesses

not only infinite auspicious attributes but also

a spiritual body bedecked with weapons and ornaments " .

 

Swamy NammAzhwAr , who is considered as the doyen of

all the AzhwArs considers this Supreme Reality

(Sriman NaarAyaNA )as the One endowed with

" infinite auspicious attributes par excellence " .

Swamy NammAzhwAr's definition of this Supreme Reality

has been brilliantly summarized further by Dr.S.M.S. Chari

this way : " He possesses infinite , unsurpassable bliss .

He is essentially of the spiritual knowledge and bliss .

He is distinct from the material objects , which are cognized by

the sense organs and also (distinct )from the sentient souls,

which can be comprehended by the mind cleansed of all

impuriites through yogic practice. He exists at all times

and in all places. There is none , who is higher than Him

and equal to Him. "

 

Dr.S.M.S. Chari goes on further to comment on

the special relationship between this Supreme Reality

and the sentients(jeevans) as well as the insentient

(prakruthi).Dr.Chari states : " All the sentient

beings and the non-sentient entities in the universe

derive their existence (sattA ) from that One Supreme

Person . Their sustenance (sthithi) also is dependent

on Him . All their activities are controlled by His will

(Sankalpam) . He abides in ALL that exists in the universe

as their anthrAthmA and controls them from within.He pervades

every particle of water in the ocean , every minute

particle of ehter and earth and all the subtle

individual souls. Though He is in every object and in

every place, He is invisible. He is the One , who creates

the universe and dissolves it. The universe is organically

related to the Supreme Being in the same way as the physical

body is related to the soul within... This ParamAthman

as a transcendental reality remains unaffected by

the defects of the universe (and its beings) even though

He is hidden in all objects as antharyAmin... The fact

that ParamAthman though abiding in all entities in

the universe is free from defects and also endowed with

auspicious attributes reveal the twofold characterestric

of Brahman known as Ubhaya-lingathvA , as pointed out by

the VedAntha SUtrA and strongly upheld by the VisishtAdvaitha

VedAnthA . This theory is fully reflected in the hymns of

NammAzhwAr (and the other AzhwArs).

 

The significant feature of the philosophical theory

of reality is the presentation of the concept of

the organic relationship of body and soul . The Supreme

Being , which is equated with the universe is conceived as

the Universal Soul (Athman) and all that exists in

the universe as its body(SarIra). This concept of

body-soul relation ( SarIrAthma-bhAva) constitutes

the unique doctrine of VisishtAdvaita VedanthA (PradhAna-

paritanthrA ) as expounded later by RaamAnujA ...The relationship

that exists between IsvarA and the universe is of the nature of

AdhAra-AdhEya.That is, IsvarA is AdhArA, the Supporter and

the universe is AdhEyA , the supported , as in the case of

jIvA and the body. "

 

Dr.S.M.S. Chari analyses brilliantly the concept of

Godhead as a Supreme person (PurushOtthamA ) and the way

in which the Upanishads , IthihAsAs and PurANAs, AgamAs

and the AzhwArs dwell on them. He says: " The concept of

Godhead as a Supreme Person (PurushOtthamA ) has

several aspects. It covers God's essential nature

(SvarUpA ) , the divine attributes (djivya-guNAs),

the divine personality ( dhivya mangaLa vigrahA ),

the divine incarnations( dhivya avathArAs), and

the divine activities ( dhivya leelAs). The Upanishads

have accorded greater importance to the essential

nature of God as the Supreme Being. The AgamA treatises

have paid more attention to the visual aspects of the divine

personality .The IthihAsAs and PurANAs , on the other hand,

have emphasized the divine attributes and divine functions.

The religious have developed their attention to such

selected divine attributes as are of emotional appeal

to the devotees. The AzhwArs on the other hand , have

dwelt on ALL these aspects of the Divinity (Divine

Attributes, Divine Personality, Divine Incarnations and

Divine Activities). The uniqueness of the Dhivya Prabhandhams

(of the AzhwArs ) lies in presenting a grand description of

the Divine Being full of emotional appeal to the devotees. "

 

The Dates of the Twelve AzhwArs

********************************

 

Both VedAntha Desikan and MaNavALa Maamuni support

the chronological order of the twelve AzhwArs in

this sequence :

 

1. Poygai AzhwAr

2. PUthatthAzhwAr

3. PEy AzhwAr

4. Thirumazhisai AzhwAr

5. NammAzhwAr

6. KulasEkarar

7. PeriyAzhwAr

8. TonDaradippodi

9. PaaNAzhwAr

10. Thirumangai

 

ANDAL and Madhura Kavi are remaining two of

the set of twelve AzhwArs . ANDAL is the avathAram

of one of the divine consorts of the Lord and is

the foster daughter of PeriyAzhwAr . Madhura Kavi is

the prime disciple of Swamy NammAzhwAr . ANDAL and

Madhura Kavi are thus contemproaries of PeriyAzhwAr and

NammAzhwAr in a cheonological sense.

 

There is a wide variation in the dates of

the twelve AzhwArs. They range from dhvApara YugA

to Kali YugA . Modern scholars accept dates ranging

from the 5th to the 9th centuries A.D based on

historical facts referred to in the Paasurams

of the AzhwArs. It is important to know that

the precise determination of the dates of birth

and the length of their lives of the AzhwArs

are not " really relevant " for the study of

their philosophy and the understanding of

their upadEsams as AchAryans to uplift those

suffering from SamsAric afflictions.

 

The 24 Prabhandhams of the Tweve AzhwArs

******************************************

 

The divine -collect of the Four Thousand

has been classified into 24 individual prabhandhams

with four parts.

 

The first part consists of the ThiruvAimozhi of NammAzhwAr

with 1,102 hymns.

 

The second part houses the Periya Thirumozhi of

Thirumangai with 1,084 hymns along with ThirukkurunthANDakam

(20 hymns) and ThiruneDunthANDakam (30 hymns).

 

The third part, MudalAyiram, is constituted by

the two prabhandhams of PeriyAzhwAr (ThiruppallANDu

and PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi), ANDAL (TiruppAvai and

NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi) , KulasEkarar (PerumAL Thirumozhi) ,

ToNDaradippodi ( ThiruppaLLIyezucchi and ThirumAlai),

ThiruppANAzhwAr (AmalanAdhipirAn ) , Madhura Kavi

(KaNNInuNN SiRutthAmpu) and the Thirucchandha Viruttham

of Thirumazhisai .

 

The fourth and the final part , IyaRppA , contains

the three ThiruvandhAthis of Mudhal AzhwArs

(Poygai, PUtham and pEy ),Naanmukhan ThiruvandhAthi

of Thirumazhisai , the remaining three prabhandhams

of Swamy NammazhwAr ( Thiruviruttham , ThiruvAsiriyam and

Periya ThiruvandhAthi) ,the three more prabhandhams of

Thirumangai ( ThiruvEzhukURRIrukkai , SiRiya Thirumadal,

Periya Thirumadal ) and RaamAunsa nURRandhAthi of

Thiruvarangatthu AmudanAr .

 

The dhivya Prabhandham (divine collect of 4,000 hymns)

is considered as the elaboration of the three rahasyams,

ashtAksharam, Dhvayam and Charama slOkam ,sacred to

the Sri VaishNava samprahdAyam.

 

The Commentaries on the Dhivya Prabhandhams

*********************************************

 

All the 4,000 hymns have been commented on by our

poorvAchAryAs. Among them , the entire set of of

24 prabhandhams have been commented on by only

two poorvAchAryAs , PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai and

the Periya ParakAla MahA Desikan .

 

The first of all these commentaries is by

ThirukkurhaipirAn PiLLAn , a direct disciple of

AchArya RaamAnujA; latter commissioned PiLLAn

to write this commentary on Swamy NammAzhwAr's

ThiruvAimozhi. This commentary is known as

Bhagavath Vishayam and consists of 6,000 padis

or granthAs( a unit of 32 letters). PiLLAn has

followed his AchAryan's views strictly in

this grantham. This commentary is terse and precise

at the same time.Swamy Desikan salutes this commentary

as the most authentic one to comprehend the mind

and message of Swamy NammazhwAr.

 

There are seven other commentaries on ThiruvAimozhi

in the following chronological order. Most of them,

unless otherwise indicated are in MaNipravALam,

Sanskritized Tamil :

 

1. NanjIyar(1113 A.D), the disciple of ParAsara Bhattar(9,000 padi)

2. PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai (1168 A.D)(24,000 Padi)

3. Vadakku ThiruveedhippiLLai (1167 A.D) (Idu 36,000 padi)

4. VaadhikEsari Azhagiya MaNavALa Jeeyar(1242 A.D),12,000 padi

5. RangarAmAnuja Muni (1650 A.D), Sanskrit Commentary : 9,000 padi

6. Periya ParakAla Swamy (1676 A.D),18,000 padi

7. SaakshAth Swamy (1700 A.D),24,00o padi.

 

Swamy Desikan's detailed commentary (Nigama parimaLa )

unfortunately does not exist anymore. It would have been

wonderful to enjoy the ParimaLam (fragrance ) of Nigamam

( Tamizh vedam) from NigamAntha MahA Desikan. We are

fortunate however to have his other two Sanskrit works ,

Dramidopanishad SaarA and DramidOpanishad Taatparya-

RathnAvaLi.To these commentaries , we have to add

the insightful grantham of Azhagiya MaNavALa PerumAL

Naayanar (brother of Sri PiLLai LokAcchAr and a

contemproary of Swamy Desikan )dealing with the inner

meanings of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi. Among

these commentaries , those of Swamy Desikan , Azhagiya MaNavALa

Jeeyar (1242 A.D),SaakshAth Swamy and Periya parakAla Jeeyar

are close to PiLLAn's 6,000 padi. Those of Nanjeeyar,

periyavAcchAn PiLLai and Vadakku ThiruveethippiLLai

are considered by Dr.S.M.S Chari as somewhat independent

commentaries of ThiruvAimozhi.

 

The Life and the upadEsams ofthe AzhwArs:

******************************************

1-3. Mudal AzhwArgaL (Poygai, Putham and Pey )

4. Thirumazhisai AzhwAr

5. NammAzhwAr

6. Madhura Kavi

7. PeriyAzhwAr

8. ANDAL

9. KulasEkarar

10. ThoNDaradippodi

11. ThiruppANAzhwAr

12. Thirumangai AzhwAr

 

These will be described under individual headings.

 

RaamAnuja Daasan , V.Sadagopan