Nalayira Divya prabhandhas are considered as a canonical text and source for spiritual authority for the Visistadvaita philosophy.
Tremendous effort is required to unravel the meanings hidden in the revelations of the eternal truth in the Upanishads by the vedic seers. Acaryas and preceptors have tried to interpret and simplify these revelations to be accessible to the common folk. But the alwars have scored as preceptors because their hymns in Tamil convey their direct experience of the Supreme being. Who is extrolled in the Vedas as the eternal truth. Each alwars personal experience of God shows that the Lord is accessiblethrough sincere and humble devotion.
Perialzwar sensitized us to the lords infinite mercy and compassion when he spontaneously sang Thirupallandu to the Lord, wishing Him longevity and protection against evil. He inculcated a unique bhava of loving care for him who is in truth the protector.
Andal taught the truth about the enduring relationship between every jivatma and the Lord that continues unbroken through many births. One can meditate on this bond of master and servant that exists between the Lord and us and finally reach Him.
Kulashekar alzwar taught by example the value of vairagya (ability to renounce worldly objects even when one is in the midst of it)
Thirumalzhisai alzwar affirmed the truth of the almighty and the need to remain focused on Him without distractions.
Thondaradipudi alzwar stressed the path of worshipping Gods devotees and taught lesson of humility without which it is impossible to realize god.
Thiruppanalzwars involvement in the Lords beauty in His archa form is inspirational.
Thirumangai alzwar instilled the practice of visiting the lord in the many temples as a means to realize Him.
Poigai alzwar demonstrated that the Lord is the essence of the Vedas.( also known as Sarayogi incarnation of Panchajanya)
Pudatt or Bhutayogi was Kumodaki.
Pudatt or Bhutayogi was Kumodaki.
Peyazhwar extrolled the power of uttering the Lords name and he revealed the truth of the Lords consort Goddess Lakshmi.or Bharantayogi was Nandaka.
Nammazhwar propogated the principle of surrender as the means and end of attaining liberation.
Madhurakavi alzwar taught the essence of Acharya bhakti.
Thiruppallandu consists of 12 verses. It occupies a unique position in the Srivaisnava literature. The Hymn is sung at the commencement of all important functions in temples and homes. In fact it is recited every day at least once. In just 12 verses it explains the true nature of the soul. In the first two verses of this hymn the alzwar seeks the well being of the Lord. In the next three verses he calls those who are keen to reach the Lord, those who are desirous of realizing their own self and those who are after material wealth. The next three verses contain the description of the invitees joining the alzwar in singing the Lords praise. In the following three verses the alzwar sings pallandu with them. The last verse carries the phalasruti.
The Lord is described as blue sapphire like colour, beautiful glittering extremely tender and simple. He fights with the wrestle with rugged shoulders and rock like body. Very unusual in sight. The beautiful feet of the Lord are reddish in colour, offering a contrast to the cloud like complexion of his body. Mahalakshmi’s beauty and radiance enhancing that of the lord, just as a jewel and its brilliance or the flower and its fragrance, so too the lord and his consort can never be separated.
Not being content with singing the pallandu by himself he beackons every one to join him in the mangala shasana. The sincere desire to join is the only qualification required.
The lord is Svatah pure by himself sasvatam sivam auspicious at all times.
Even though he resides in and out of animate and inanimate substances. He is not affected by their nature. His grace alone can grant liberation to the soul in this world.
The Thirumalai of sri tondaradippodi alzwar.
The Thirumalai is the sacred garland of 45 songs offered to Lord Ranganatha by Sri Tondaradippodi alzwar. He says he has no other desire except tasting the sweet names of the Lord. Oh! Lord Achutha possessing a huge emrald mountain like body rosy lips of precious corals hue and reddish lotus like eyes. Lord Ranganatha lying on the serpant like couch with his broad chest permanently forming a seat for goddess sri mountain like frame of emerald hue. Broad shoulders eyes resembling pure red lotuses rosy lips, coral like mouth, extraordinary glorious and long crowns, how could any one move away from seeing such a beautiful Lord. The sain poet who is ever at the service of offering Tulasi garlands has sung in praise of the Lord.
The Kanninunsiruttambu.
The Kanninunsiruttambu, composed by Madhurakavi Alzwar is a prabhandham of 11 verses and is included in the 1st 1000 of the four thousand. In this work Madhurakavi gives full expression to his deep devotion towards his master nammalwar. While all other alwars have sung about the Supreme lord, Madhura kavi alzwar has sung only about his preceptor. With the grace of god sathakopan gave us thousand songs called Thiruvaimozlhi 1102 verses. Madhurakavi says it is equivalent to reciting the Vedas. He says nammalwar who is so full of concern for the suffering humanity has devouted all his thousand and odd songs to explain the method of surrender to god.
Madhurakavi is a great vedic scholar himself and has studied the Vedas under great scholars. He is much senior in age to satakopan, but hs has found that the Thiruvaimolzhi sung in simple Tamil by sathakopan is much more easier to follow. This realization has made Madhurakavi seek total refuge under Satakopan. One of the most important actions of a good preceptor is to correct the faults in his disciples and make them useful for service to the Lord. This is an arduous task calling for compassion patience and a genuine interest in their welfare, but such preceptors are rare. Satakakopan madurakavi says is one such. Madhurakavi has shown the way to the entire humanity that surrender to the preceptor and approaching God through him is the sweetest way to liberation.
The Amalanadipiran of Tirruppan alwar.
Amalanadipiran is a hymn of ten verses sung by Tiruppan alwar. Tiruppan alwar was musically inclined and from a very young age used to sing the praise of God. He was taken to the presence of the Lord on the shoulders of Lokasaranga Muni. It is said that when the alwar was bought before the idol of the Lord he was overwhelmed with exstasy and started feasting his eyes on the Lords feet and gradually moved his sight towards the Lords face.( This is how one should look at the lord when we visit holy places and temples) Looking at each limb of the lord and breaking into a melodious song in praise of that limb. Finally when he looks at the entire form of the Lord he cries out. Having experienced this nectar my eyes shall not see anything else. At that moment he was absorbed into the Lords idol and was seen no more.
The holy lotus feet of the Lord who is free from blemishes who is the primordial God, who has enabled me to serve his devotees, who is the Lord of the eternally free souls who resides on the venkata hills surrounded by fragrant groves who is immaculate ever pure and sacred who is the Lord of heaven and who is the benevolent Lord Rabganatha of Srirangam giri with long ramparts have entered my eyes by themselves.
We get to see the lords power to grant liberation. His creating protecting and destroying the universe. His compassion to elevate people without partiality, His independent nature. His lordship and administration of sri vaikunta and its inhabitants, His forginving nature. His affability. His worthiness to be worshipped. His concern for his devootees. The bliss one gets in his company and the ready ness with which he grants the power to every one to enjoy the bliss.
The supreme lord has the power to remove all the sins of a person, accumulated during several births and make him pure. The alwar wonders how he could become the recipient of so much grace from the Lord. Perhaps he has done some outstanding deeds to merit his attention. The words “kora matavam seydanan’ also mean the Lord himself has taken so much effort to enter my heart. He means that God made the muni bring tirupanaalwar to him to shower the grace of his darshan.
The Lord has entered the alwars heart fully driving away the other gods residing there. He says the Lords ability to eradicate all past sins. He pervades the world both inside and outside. He takes all effort to bring the devotees closer to him. The inseperability of goddess Sri from him. Service to him includes service to goddess sri as well.
The Lords conch and disc represent the pranava mantra and knowledge that dispels ignorance. They are for emancipation for the human souls.
The alwar says that he has lost his mind on seeing the wondrously bright eyes of the Lord which are brimming with compassion towards him.
The Lord is often compared to the rain clouds which are black in colour. For he showers compassion on his devotees, like the clouds which give cool rain. The colour of the supreme lord is also deep dark blue, which sometimes appears as black. This prabandha is unique in the way it exclusively relates the total devotion of the alwar to the supreme lord and how he enjoyed the god experience. May be there are no suitable words to explain the feelings of the alwar on seeing the Lord who had sent forth for him to come into the temple.
