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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00046 Apr 2003

 
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Dear Members,
ALVARS are the holy saints who lived in Tamil Nadu
between the 3rd and 7th century A.D according to
modern scholars. They had the divine blessings of
Lord Narayana and sang in praise of the Lord. Their
devotional outpourings came in the form of Tamil
hymns. The Alvars were 12 in number and their hymns
are collectively the Nalayira Divyaprabhandam(the 4000
verses of divine composition). The holy hymns which
remained a floating literature as it were retrieved by
Sriman Nathamuni during the 9th century A.D. He
codified and systematized the recitation of the hymns
in temples. He also started giving explanation to
these verses of Alvars. Until the emergence of Acharya
Sri Ramanuja during the 11th century, explanations and
expositions on the Divyaprabandham were carried only
by oral tradition. For the first time Sri Ramanuja
ordered his desciple Pillan to write a commentary on
Thiruvaimoli and Pillan wrote a commentary. Following
this Nanjeeyar, Nampillai, Periavachanpillai, Vedanta
Desika and Manavala Mamunigal wrote commentaries on
the Divya Prabhandams. There were elaborate
discussions, dialogues and discourses on the inner
meanings of the hymns of Alvars. Various
interpretations given by Acharyas who lived in
different periods were passed on to the generations
through these commentaries. Also, important incidents
that took place in the lives of these Acharayas were
cited to corroborate and elucidate the inner meanings
of the hymns. These incidents and the interpretations
which are known as AITHIHYAS and NIRVAHAS respectively
are recorded in the commetaries of the Acharyas above
mentioned. The immortal hymns of Alvars, the noblest
of the souls, and their interpretations by the
Acharyas which actually became a part of their lives,
are bound to have a great impact on the lives of
modern men who feel restless in their pursuit of
mundane pleasures which leave them more frustrated and
distracted.
All these aithihyas and nirvahas found in the
commentaries are in manipravala style and hence
without proper explanation it will be very difficult
to understand the inner meening of aithihyas and
nirvahas. Dr. M.A.Venkatakrishan, Professor of
Vaishnavism, University of Madras, who had the good
fortune of learning the traditional texts under the
feet of great scholars like Sri P.B.Annangaracharya 
Swami, Sri Sthabhishekam Govinda Narasimhacharya
Swami, Sri Velukkudi K.Varadacharya Swami & Sri
T.A.Krishnamacharya Swami for over 20 years, took the
task of analysing, elucidating these aithihyas and
nirvahas, with brief explanations in simple Tamil. He
took this as a research project for the past five
years and now he is preparing to publish this in the
form a book. This book entitled AITHIHYA NIRVAHA
VILAKKAM consists of about 850 pages (in A4 size i.e.
21cm x 30 cm). 
This book will help in reviving the value system of
the ancient society, which will pave the way for the
modern man to learn, appreciate, live and strive for
building a better society. Since the aithihyas and
nirvahas are the products of a very high order of
saintly people viz., the Acharyas, a careful
analytical study of these would set the trend among
the younger generations to exhibit a high level of
behavioural pattern so that the modern society would
be in a better place to live amicably, as envisaged in
these aithihyas and nirvahas recorded in the vast and
hoary commentaries of the Acharyas. 
As this book consists of about 850 pages (in A4 size
i.e. 21cm x 30 cm), the total cost of publishing comes
around RUPEES TWO LAKHS for 1000 copies.
We request you , to donate liberally for publishing
this valuable book.
Donations may be sent in the name of 
GEETHACHARYAN, 
7, South Mada Street,
Triplicane,
Chennai - 600005.
Tamil nadu.
India.

For further details contact geethacharyan@xxxx

thanks
geethacharyan

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