4000 DIVYA PRABANDHAM: PERIYAZHVAR

PERIYAZHWAR

श्री:

Shree GurubhyO Namah

PERIYAZHWAR CHARITRAM

VATAPATRASAYI - PERIYA PERUMAL, SRIVILLIPUTTOR

PeriyAzhvAr, the incarnation of garuDa (the sacred vehicle of Lord VishNu) was born 47 years after the onset of Kali yugam in the year krOdhanA, in the tamil month of Ani, in the swAti star. He was born to Mukunda BhaTTar and Padmavalli in VilliputtUr. He was also called VISHNUCHITTAN. He was into the service (kainkaryam) of plucking flowers and making it into a garland for vaTapatrasAyee, the presiding Lord of the temple in SrivilliputtUr.

VallabhadEva was the righteous ruler of the PANDYA kingdom ruling from KooDal Nagar (Madurai), during PeriyAzhvAr’s time. He once entered a village to enquire about his citizens' welfare. There, he met a brAhmin who was just returning from his visit to the holy Ganges. He requested him to teach him a shlOka. The brAhmin recited this shlOka which set the king thinking.

वर्षार्थमष्टौ प्रयतेत मासान्निशार्थमर्थं दिवसं यतेत I
वार्द्धक्य हेतो र्वयसा नवेन परत्र हेतोरिह जन्मना च II

VarshArtham aShTau prayatEta mAsAn nishArtham artham divasam yatEta I
VArddhakya hetO vayasA navEna paratra hetOriha janmanA cha II

Meaning: One has to work hard during eight months to save for the rainy season of four months duration. In the same way, one has to work hard during the day time to have a peaceful night, during the young age for a relaxed retired life, and during this lifetime for a supreme life thereafter.

Puzzled by the last phrase of this couplet - "paratra hEtO iha janmanA", the King wanted to know about the supreme path that could grant him the supreme life after death. His family priest and the administrator of TirukOShTiyoor temple, Selva Nambi suggested that he should invite vEdic scholars from various places, ask questions, receive clarifications, and also reward those who came out with the most satisfactory replies.

One night, the Lord appeared in PeriyAzhvAr’s dream and asked him to make a presentation to the king. PeriyAzhvAr said, "Oh Lord! I do not know anything, I have used my hands only for cultivating the flower garden. I have not learnt the vEdas'. The Lord told him not to worry and that he would assist him totally during the presentation. So when the appointed day came, PeriyAzhvAr left for Madurai. Well known vEdic scholars came to Madurai. A bag of gold coins (porkizhi) was hung on the top of the king’s court and it was announced that the porkizhi would fall before the presenter, whose presentation represented the truth.

PeriyAzhvAr came and stood before the king, closed his eyes and began his presentation. The Lord came and sat on his tongue, and out flowed a glorious presentation-the statement of the supreme truth. He concluded by saying that Shreeman NArAyaNa was the supreme being and hence He should be meditated upon to get a supreme life. The porkizhi fell before PeriyAzhwAr, proving that His explanation was the best.

VallabhadEvan was overwhelmed and conferred Sri PeriyAzhvAr with the title "BHATTAR PIRAN". As a special honour, PeriyAzhvAr was taken along the streets of Madurai on the royal elephant. As he was going along, the Lord appeared in the sky on GaruDa vAhanam along with MahAlakshmi to bless PeriyAzhvAr.

In a rhapsodic response, PeriyAzhvAr immediately sang 12 verses called 'PALLANDU', fearing for the safety of the Lord and to keep all evil eyes away from Him. The first pAsuram goes thus:

pallAnDu pallAnDu pallAyirattANDu*
palakODi nooRAyiram*
mallANDa tiN tOL maNivaNNA!* un-
sEvaDi sevvi tirukkAppu.

Long live dear Lord (pallANDu pallANDu)! Long live for many thousand years to come! (pal Ayirattu ANDu). May you be praised for many crores of years to come and for ever and ever (palakODi noor Ayiram) . Oh blue gem colored one, maNi vaNNA! The one who conquered all enemies with his thousand shoulders! (mallANDa tin tOL), We take refuge beneath your divine feet for ever (un sEvaDi sevvi tirukkAppu). ( (1)

He further wrote 361 more pAsurams on KrishNa. All 473 pAsurams are classified as 'PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi' which is the first prabandham under the 'Mudal Ayiram' section of the 4000 Divya Prabandham texts. He lived for 85 years and ascended the abode of Shreeman nArAyaNa.

PRABANDHAM: PERIYAZHVAR TIRUMOZHI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi is a delightful garland of 473 tamizh poems composed by Shri PeriyAzhwAr also called VishnNu Chittan or BhaTTar pirAn.

In the first 12 pAsurams called "TIRUPPALLANDU", AzhvAr prays for the wellness of Lord VishNu out of concern that nothing should trouble Him. 'TirupallANDu' is an important prabandham and so takes the first place in the sevAkAlam of divyaprabandhams and the sARRumurai pAsurams recited in the daily prayers called nityAnusandhAnam ( in some sampradAyams it is recited after chiRRanchirkAle pAsurams of ANDAL, his daughter and the only female AzhvAr).

In the next 315 pAsurams, AzhvAr assumes the role of Mother YashOdA and enjoys krishNa as his baby. This mode of bhakti is called "vAtsalyam" - mother's lover for her child. Vaatsalyam is listed as one among the eleven kinds of bhakti mentioned by nArada muni in "Naarada Bhakti Sootram". In these pAsurams, PeriyAzhvAr takes us through Lord KrishNa's miraculous childhood and mesmerizing youth. The poems are set in 'piLLai tamizh style' - one of the 96 types of tamizh literature compositions. Filled with cuddly words, any mother would love to sing these pAsurams that bring baby KrishNa in front of our eyes.

In the next 43 pAsurams, AzhvAr describes with admiration a few diya dEshams like TirumAlirunchOlai, DevaprayAg and Tiruvarangam.

The last set of 103 pAsurams advise us not to wait for our last days to surrender to the Lord but act immediately. AzhvAr finally concludes his tirumozhi with gratitude to Lord vishNu who entered His heart.

A close observation of PeriyAzhAr Tirumozhi reveals that saint PeriyAzhvAr has covered in 473 pAsurams almost all the topics covered by Tirumangai AzhvAr in his voluminous 1253 pAsurams.

May we experience our dear little krishNa's baby steps in the eyes of PeriyAzhvAr through these pAsurams and share his bliss!

19 DIVYA DESAMS SUNG BY PERIYAZHVAR:

In this list, TirukanDankaDinagar Divya Desam has been sung only by PeriyAzhvAr.

1. TIRUVARANGAM

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 35 pAsurams
2.7.2 2.7.8 (183 ,189),
2.9.11 (212), 3.3.2 (245), 4.8 (402 - 411), 4.9 (412 - 422), 4.10 (423 - 432)

2. TIRUVELLARAI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 11 pAsurams
1.6.8 (71)
2.8 (192 - 201)

3. TIRU PERNAGAR

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 2 pAsurams
2.6.2 (173), 2.9.4 (205)

4. TIRU KUDANDAI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 5 pAsurams
1.4.7 (50), 1.7.4 (78), 2.6.2 (173), 2.6.6 (177), 2.7.7 (188)

5. TIRUKANNAPURAM 1.6.8 -1 pAsuram

6. TIRUMALIRUNCHOLAI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 34 pAsurams
1.5.8 (71)
3.4.5 (258)
4.2 (338 - 348)
4.3 (349 - 359)

5.3 (453 - 462)

7. TIRUKKOTIYOOR

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 21 pAsurams
1.2 (13-22)
2.6.2 (173)
4.4 (360-370)

8. SRIVILLIPUTTOR 2.2.6 (133) - 1 pAsuram

9. TIURKKURUNGUDI 1.6.8 (71) - 1 pAsuram

10. TIRUVENGKADAM

PeriyazhvAr Tirumozhi - 7 pAsurams

1.5.3 (56)

1.9.8 (104)

2.6.9 (180)

2.7.3 (184)

2.9.6 (207)

3.3.4 (247)

5.4.1 (463)

11. TIRUVAYODDHI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi- 6 pAsurams
3.9.6 , 3.9.8 , 3.9.10 (312 , 314 , 316)
3.10.4 , 3.10.8 (321 , 325) 4.7.9 (399)

12. SALAGRAMAM

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 2 pAsurams

2.9.5 (206)
4.7.9 (399)

13. TIRUBADARI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi 4.7.9 (399) - 1 pAsuram

14. TIRUKANDANKADINAGARAM

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi 4.7 (391 - 401) - 11 pAsurams

15. TIRUDWARAI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 7 pAsurams
4.1.6 (333)
4.7.8 , 4.7.9 (398, 399)
4.9.4 (415)
5.4.10 (472)
4.7.8 , 4.7.9 (398, 399)

16. VADAMADURAI (Mathura, Brindaavanam and Govardhanam are considered as one divya desam)

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 6 pAsurams (MathurA)

1.1.10 (10)
3.6.3 (277)
3.8.1 (297)
4.7.6 (396), 4.7.9 (399)
4.10.8 (430)

PeriyazhvAr Tirumozhi - 12 pAsurams (Govardhanam)

3.5 (264 - 274)

4.2.4 (341)

17. TIRUVAYPADI

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 10 pAsurams

1.2.2, 1.2.4 (14 , 16)

2.2.5 (132)

2.3.7 (145)

3.1.9 (231)

3.2.2 , 3.2.4 , 3.2.6 (235 , 237 , 239)

3.4.10 (263)

3.6.7 (281)

18. TIRUPPARKADAL

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 5 pAsurams

3.3.7 (250)

4.10.5 (427)

5.1.7 (439)

5.2.10 (452)

5.4.9 (471)

19. PARAMAPADAM

PeriyAzhvAr Tirumozhi - 4 pAsurams
1.3.21 (43)
3.6.3 (277)
4.7.9 (399)
5.4.10 (472)

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THE NAME PERIYAZHVAR

PERIYAZHVAR SRIVILLIPUTTUR

1. Why is PeriyAzhvAr considered great?
UpadEsha RatnamAlai -18 by Sri MaNavALa mAmunigal
மங்களாசாசனத்தில் மற்றுள்ள ஆழ்வார்கள்
தங்கள் ஆர்வத்தளவு தான் அன்றி பொங்கும்
பரிவாலே வில்லிபுத்துர் பட்டர் பிரான் பெற்றான்
பெரியாழ்வார் என்னும் பெயர்.

mangaLAshAsanattil maRRuLLa AzhvArgaL
tangaL ArvattaLavu tAnanRi – pongum
parivAlE villiputtUr bhaTTarpirAn peRRAn
PeriyAzhvAr ennum peyar.
'MangalAshAsanam' means “a prayer wishing for auspiciousness”.
In doing mangalAshAsanam for PerumAL, He surpassed all the other AzhvArs in expressing his overflowing concern and love for the Lord’s well-being. Hence he, bhaTTarpirAn, who incarnated in SrivilliputtUr, was given the name “PeriyAzhwAr”, meaning the 'greatest among AzhvArs'.
2. He had the darshan of 'GaruDa vAhana VishNu with ShreedEvi in His chest', and had the bhAgyam of singing pallANDu to the sAkshAtkAra roopam of VishNu, which is a very rare anubhavam to come by.

3. He composed poems detailing every stage of KrishNa's childhood in the same way mother YashOdA would have admired and nurtured KrishNa.

4. As a father, he brought up his daughter ANDAL as a true vaishNava, telling her stories of KrishNa and infusing krishNa bhakti in her. Mesmerised by krishNa, ANDAL sang 173 inspirational tamizh pAsurams classified as TIRUPPAVAI and NACHCHIYAR TIRUMOZHI.

5. As a Guru, He mentored ANDAL and helped her attain krishNa. ANDAL refused to marry any human being and merged with Lord RanganAtha. PeriyAzhvAr must have been the proudest Guru ever, seeing his shiShya merge with Lord RanganAtha of Shreerangam in front of his eyes, an emotional incident for a father though.

6. His bhakti gave us the only female saint ANDAL.

7. Ultimately, PeriyAzhvAr became the father-in-law of Lord RanganAtha when the Lord ordered PeriyAzhvAr in his dream to conduct a grand wedding ceremony for Him to marry ANDAL.

In all ways, the name PeriyAzhvAr befits his lofty life history.

PALLANDU, PALLANDU, PALLANDU TO PERIYAZHVAR!!