AzhwArs- chronolgical order and 4000 sequence

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SrI:

SrImathE Ramanujaya namah:

Dearest srivaishnavas,

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 protions 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 sis 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).

(I am not going to transliterate those prabandhams ¡V just the meanings.

Should some one need, I will send them) :

(meaning of the 15 and 16 prbandhams of Prabandha saaram, of Swamy desikan)

 

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.

 

The Naalaayiram (4000) is organized as follows:

1. FIRST 1000- PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi; ThiruppAvai; Naacchiyaar Thirumozhi;

PerumAL Thirumozhi; Thirucchandha Viruttham; Thirumaalai;

Thiruppalliyezhucchi; Amalanadhipiran; KaNNinunchIrutthaambhu; - nine works.

(Total- 947 pAsurams)

2. Second 1000- Periya Thirumozhi; ThirukkuRunthANdakam;

ThirunedunthANdakam; - three works (Total- 1134 pAsurams)

3. Third 1000- Thiruvaymozhi alone- (1102 pAsurams)

4. Fourth 1000- mudhal, iraNdaam and mooNraam nooRanthAdhi; Thirumazhisai

AzhwAr¡¦s naanmukhan ThiruvanthAdhi; Thiruviruttham; Thiruvaasiriyam; Periya

ThiruvanthAthi; ThiruvezhukkuRRirukkai; SiRiya Thirumadal; Periya

Thirumadal; Iraamaanusa NooRanthAthi (11 works- Total- 817 pAsurams)

 

TOTAL- 4000.

 

Now- if we notice; PeriyAzhwAr comes in the 6th chronologically; But still

his prabandhams are the first to be taken in 4000. WHY?

 

1.PeriyAzhwAr saw the PerumAL and Thaayar first, before reciting the

pAsurams- Even Pey AzhwAr saw. ThirupPANAhwAr saw. NammAzwAr is in the

Acharya lineage. It is He who blessed us with all 4000. He is also reported

to be the angi while all other AzhwArs as parts of His ThirumEni (Body) His

work should have been taken as the first. But, it is PeriyAzhwAr who sang

PallAndu for PerumAL.

 

2. Sri ANDAL is the incarnation of PiraaTTi (BhUmi PiraaTTI). Hence,

PiraaTTi should be given top preference. Hence, ThirupPAvai and Nacchiyaar

Thirumozhi to be taken as the first in 4000. But AndAl would not have been

happy to receive that special treatment. She would not be pleased because

her Acharya (as claimed by her in each of her works- as Bhattar Piraan

kodhai) PeriyAzhwAr should be given higher position than Hers. That¡¦s why

first PeriyAzhwAr PAsurams and then immediately followed by AndAL¡¦s works.

 

3.Who else can have the rarest distinction of being called Father in law of

PerumAL? He needs to be TOP position and the first position.

 

4.PeriyAzhwAr¡¦s ThiruppallANDu is the meaning of PraNavam enshrined most

beautifully. And the 4000 is the Tamil Vedas; hence, the praNavam

(Thiruppallandu) is the beginning of 4000.

 

Due to the above the PeriyAzhwAr¡¦s works have been taken first in 4000.

The first Ayiram (first 1000) is also considered as PraNavam; while second

1000 is considered as ¡§nama¡¨ sabhdham;

The Third 1000- is considered as Narayana sabhdham and the last is

considered as the ¡§Aya¡¨ sabhdham, thereby the whole 4000 is the

elaboration of ThiruashtAksharam manthram.

 

Let us not enjoy the podhu thaniyans. (in next postļ

PeriyAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

aDiyEn dAsan

 

 

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