Swami Nammazhwar Life

[Guest guest]

Dearest all,

 

Love and Love alone....

 

I have received this from Ramanuja (mostly Tamilian-based) Digest,

which I would like to share with you all. Enjoy!

 

Love and Love alone....

 

P. Gopi Krishna

 

====

 

Swami Nammazhwar Life

 

Nammazhwar was born to a devout couple by name Kaariyar and Udaya

Nangai with the divine anugraham of the Lord of Thirukkurungudi, on

the forty-sixth day of Kali yugam, which is around 9th century CE, in

the year of Pramadi, month of Vaikaasi, Pournami, Friday in the

constellation of Vishakha, as the divine incarnation (amsham) of

Sriman Narayanan and Sri Vishwaksena Azhwan, the chieftain of the

Lord's army, at a place called Thirukkurugur situated in the land of

Pandyas, on the banks of Tamraparni river. Even after twelve days,

the baby didn't have milk, didn't cry, didn't move and did not open

its eyes. It was then taken to the temple of Polindu NinRa

Piraan at Thirukkurugur and named as Maaran.

 

At the temple the baby crawled towards the tamarind tree

(Puliyamaram), which was considered as the amsham of Adi Sheshan, and

sat under the tree in a yogic posture and started meditating which,

lasted for 16 continuous years without any food, water or sleep.

Vishwaksena Ahzwan then in ekaantham (solitary environment)

administered the sacraments of Panchasmaskaram on Maaran and

initiated him into the manthrams and their esoteric meanings. Maran

was known as 'Shathakopan' since he resisted the shatha vayu?

or the binding wind that encompasses a newly born.

 

He also came to be known as 'Vakulabharana' when he accepted the

garland of Magizhumpoo presented to him by Polindu Ninra Piraan. With

his powerful and profound writings he subdued many other faiths and

philosophies and came to be known as 'Parankusha' and having born at

Thirukkurugur, also came to be known as 'Thirukkurugaippiran'.

 

It is said that just as the name Rama always refers to Sri Sita Rama,

similarly the name Azhwar, though twelve in number, always refers to

Shathakopa. Lord Krishna in his Geetha says ?Vaasudevas sarvamithi

samahAthmA sudhurlaba: which means, ?One who is totally dedicated and

surrendered to Vasudeva is very rare to be found?. May be it is

because of the reason that the Lord during his incarnation as Lord

Krishna couldn't see Nammazhwar who, throughout his life saw

Kannan or Lord Krishna, in whatever he ate or drank and remained with

his mind contemplating on the Lord all the time.

 

Nammazhwar is also said to have lamented upon his fate, for, had he

born a few days earlier in dwapara yugam then he would have had the

bhagyam of seeing Kannan directly during his manifestation on the

Earth as Lord Krishna.

 

Madhurakavi Azhwar, who incarnated in dwapara yugam before Maaran,

was touring the northern lands on a pilgrimage. During this time at

Ayodhya, when he looked towards the southern direction and paid his

respects to the Lord there, he saw a strange brilliance flashing in

the sky. He followed that brilliance and carried himself southward

and finally reached Thirukkurugur and saw the great luminary who

laid meditating under the tamarind tree. He clapped his hands and

Azhwar awoke from his yoga nidra hearing the sound and opened his

eyes and glanced at Madhurakavi Azhwar. Madhurakavi Azhwar immediately

addressed Maaran with a question: If a young one is born out of a

dead one, what will it eat (have) and where will it live? If a

Jeevatma that is atomic in nature enters into a body created due to

the influence of a lifeless primordial nature or prakruthi, then what

will it experience and where will it live? To this maaRan replied

that, it shall have the same and there it shall live. That is, due to

its association with the body, it shall experience happiness and

sorrow and shall live there.

 

After hearing this, Madhurakavi Azhwar immediately adopted Sri

Nammazhwar as his acharya and prostrated before him and requested

Maaran to impart to him the esoteric manthras. Maaran accepted his

request and after initiating him into the high truths, appointed

him as a scribe to record all his divine works.

 

Such Greatest AzhwAr, by being away and separated from the Lord, born

in this earthly world, longed to have a darshan of Emperumaan Sriya:

pathi. He suffered with terrible pangs of love and languishing with a

nAyikA bhAvam, as Paraangusa nAyaki. Due to the grace of Divya

Dampati, He was blessed with growing Para bhakti, ParajnAnam and

Parama bhakthi, and was shown the arcchiraadhi maargam too (refer

10.9), welcomed by Nithya sUris.

 

After living for 35 years he wished to reach His abode (and so did

the Lord, too). Madhrakavi's eyes were welled with tears and was

immensely pleased and excited when he saw his AchAryA became one with

the Lord and united with Him. Simultaneously, he was also blessed

with a swarNa vigrahA (Golden statute) of nammazhwAr which he

consecrated at the Tamarind tree. He performed daily ArAdhanA to his

AzhwAr and even ignored the Lord Sriman nArAyaNana since then.