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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00072 May 2007

 
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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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