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Nammalwar: Life, Works, and Philosophy of the Great Alwar Saint
We live in this material world amidst a lot of misery. Whatever small amount of pleasure we have, it is always followed by sadness and suffering. So, the enjoyment is not permanent. But our Scriptures say that there is a place called Moksha, where there is endless bliss. Those who reach there never return to the miserable world. Lord Srimannarayana, the God of Salvation, is very eager that every one of us leaves this world and reaches His abode.
For that purpose, He has given a lot of Scriptures authored by himself and the sages for the people to lead a spiritual life under the guidance of a preceptor. He incarnates in this world and teaches the people to attain salvation. As the results were not much encouraging, He made some of His divine ornaments and weapons incarnate in the world as saints to teach the path of salvation, which is possible only with unstinting devotion and self-surrender i.e., Saranagati.
Such incarnated divine saints are called Alwars. They are twelve in number. Among them, Sri Nammalwar is said to be the most prominent Alwar. He is said to be the ‘amsa’ of Sri Vishvaksena, the Chief Commander of Heaven.
Sri Nammalwar’s Avatar
Sri Nammalwar was born in the Vellalar tribe in the beginning of Kali Yuga, at Kurugur, now known as Alwar Tirunagari in South India in the month of Vaishakha with Vishakha as his star. His parents were Kari and Udayanangai. The child Nammalwar did not consume his mother’s milk or any other eatables since his birth, but was very hale and healthy by the grace of Sri Adinathar, the presiding deity of Kurugur.
He took his place under a tamarind tree in the temple premises (the tree is still there and is being worshipped as Tiruppuli Alwar or Tamarind Alwar.) He did not eat anything or speak to anyone all along, but grew with vigour and energy. He was deeply engaged in contemplating the Almighty.
As the Alwar was unique in his birth, he came to be known as Maran (which means a different person). He was also known as Satakopan as he defeated the Air called Sata, which makes one to suffer miseries of the world. He is also known as Parankusan, Karimaran, Kurgaippiran, and Vakulabharanan.
Sri Madhurakavi Alwar’s meeting with Sri Nammmalwar
In the meanwhile, another Alwar named Madhurakavi Alwar was on a pilgrimage to North India, visiting the holy places connected with Lord Sri Krishna. One day, he saw a new bright star in the sky. He was very much attracted towards the same and started to travel in that direction.
After travelling a long distance, he reached Kurugur, when the star disappeared. He enquired about anything special in the town with the local people and came to know the greatness of Nammalwar, under the tamarind tree.
Sri Madharakavi Alwar went near Sri Nammalwar and was very much attracted towards him. To break his silence, Sri Madhurakavi Alwar threw a small stone by the side of Sri Nammalwar. Sri Nammalwar woke up from his deep contemplation.
Sri Madhurakavi Alwar asked, ‘If Jivatma enters a human body, how will he enjoy it and what is the result thereof?” Sri Nammalwar immediately replied that the Jivatma enjoys the material world by taking birth again and again. Convinced by the reply, Sri Madhurakavi Alwar became Alwar’s disciple.
Sri Nammalwar’s Compositions
Sri Nammalwar composed four prabandhas, which form the main part of Nalayira Divyaprabandham, consisting of 4000 hymns of the twelve Alwars. It is said that Sri Madhurakavi Alwar put the Alwar’s works in writing. The four prabandhas are said to be the essence of the four Vedas, namely Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, composed in Sanskrit.
The Vedas consist of various ‘mantras,’ rituals, charms and stories of the deities like Lord Mahavishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord Agni and others.
Sri Nammalwar’s Prabandhas
- Tiruvruttam consists of 100 pasurams. It is the essence of the Rig Veda (the praise of God, which is the earliest of the Vedas).
- Tiruvasiriyam contains 7 pasurams. It is the essence of Yajur Veda. (The Yajur Veda is the book of sacrificial prayers, containing the rituals and hymns for performing yagas).
- Periya Tiuvandadi contains 87 pasurams. It is the essence of Atharva Veda. (The Atharva Veda is the Vedic collection of spells, prayers, charms and hymns).
- Tiruvaimozhi contains 1,102 pasurams. It is the essence of Sama Veda (Sama Veda represents the spiritual knowledge and devotion, rendered in a sweet, melodious tone).
Alwar Moksham
The total number of pasurams attributed to Sri Nammalwar is 1296, which is the largest portion in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Tiruvruttam, Tiruvasiriyam and Periya Tiruvandadi are included in the Iyarpa section of Divya Prabandhams, while Tiruvaimozhi itself forms the third part of forty thousand verses of Prabandhams.
Tiruvaimozhi is recited during Raapattu (10 days after Vaikunta Ekadasi), and the Iyarpa portion is recited after Raapattu, during Adhyayana Utsavam in Sri Vaishnava temples. On the tenth day of Raapattu, Sri Nammalwar’s salvation is enacted, which is famously known as Alwar Moksham.
Kanninun Siruthambu
Sri Madhurakavi Alwar treated his Guru, Sri Nammalwar as God Himself. He composed a prabandham called Kanninun Siruthambu containing 11 pasurams, where he praises Alwar in every pasuram. He goes to state that he does not know any God except Sri Nammalwar. The prabandham is an example of depicting ‘Acharya Bhakti.’
It is recited every time before chanting Tiruvaimozhi. Even though this prabandham deals with Sri Nammalwar only, it is included in the Nalayira Divya Prabandhams, in Mudalayiram (first 1000 hymns) portion.
Sri Nammalwar and Sriman Nathamunigal
Sriman Nathamunigal is a great Vaishnava ‘Acharya.’ He once went to Tirukkudanthai. It is known as Kumbakonam now. He heard devotees reciting Tiruvaimozhi pasurams starting Aravamudhe praising the presiding deity. He was very much attracted and asked them to teach him the full 1,000 verses as mentioned in the last of the pasurams recited by them.
They told that they knew the 10 pasurams related to Thirukudanthai only. With reference to Kurugur in that pasuram, Sriman Nathamunigal went to that place and enquired about the 1,000 verses of Tirumozhi. But no one could help him as Divya Prabandhams had been lost due to the passage of time.
However, one Parankusa Dasa hailing from the lineage of Sri Madhurakavi Alwar informed him that if Kanninun Siruthambu prabandham was recited 12,000 times, Sri Nammalwar would appear. Sriman Nathamunigal got the copy of Kanninun Siruthambu from him and recited the same 12,000 times.
Sri Nammalwar appeared before him in a yogic state. Sri Munigal entreated him to bless him with Tiruvaimozhi pasurams. Sri Nammalwar not only gifted him Tiruvaimozhi but also the remaining 3,000 pasurams of Divya Prabandhams. Sriman Nathamunigal set the Nalayiram Divya Prabandham to music and propagated it widely through his nephews. Thus, the Divya Prabandham once lost was revived, and is being recited at all places now.
Tirumangai Alwar, the last Alwar among the twelve Alwars, was ordered by Lord Sri Ranganatha to arrange for reciting Tiruvaimozhi. Accordingly, Tirumangai Alwar brought the idol of Sri Nammalwar from Kurugur to Sri Rangam and arranged to recite Tiruvaimozhi for 10 days starting from Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi. Thus started the Adhyayana Utsavam.
Later, Sriman Nathamunigal arranged to recite all the 4,000 hymns during Adhyayana Utsavam. Sri Nammalwar is overwhelmed with joy regarding the auspicious qualities of God. The commentators expressed that the Alwar was motionless for six months when composing pasurams in the Tiruvaimozhi 1.3.1 and 5.10.1, explaining the simplicity of Lord Sri Krishna, who was tied by a cowherdess Yasoda.
The Alwar as Acharya
Even though the Alwar was born in Vellaar sect, he is highly respected as a great ‘Acharya,’ in the lineage of sacred preceptors, by Sri Vaishnavites. Sri Nammaalwar is enshrined in almost all the Vaishanavite temples along with other Alwars and Acharyas.
Tirumala and Sri Alwar
Sri Nammalwar has composed about 52 pasurams in praise of Lord Sri Venkateswara of Tiruvenkatam (Tirumala). Of these the decad (10 pasurams-3.3) starting “Ozhivil Kalamellam” Where he entreats uninterrupted service to Him and that starting “Akalkillen iraiyum 6.10” of Tiruvaimozhi where he surrenders himself at His feet are hailed as heart-rending pasurams by the commentators.
In one of the pasurams, the Alwar expresses that the Tirumala Hill itself will wipe out all our sins, once visited.
