All About Azhwars - IV

NAMMAZHWAR AND MADURAKAVI AZHWAR

(Compiled by Vijaya Kumar)

Nammazhwar is considered to be the foremost among the azhwars. He is an Avatara of "Vishvaksena", commander of Perumal's army which destroys evil and protects good people. He was born in Azhwarthirunagari in the month of Vaigasi in Visakam star. His parents were Kari and Udayamangai. When Nammazhwar was born he was extraordinary. He did not open his eyes and did not take any food at all. But he was in good health. His parents got disgusted and left the child at the mercy of Lord narayana at the temple of Adhinathar, the deity of Azhwarthirumangai (Kurugoor).

As the child was totally different, he was called as Maran. For sixteen years Maran sat motionless under a tamarind tree in the temple without any food, drink and his eyes closed, in padmaasana. During that period, an elderly brahmin scholar named Madhurakavi was on a pilgrimage to North Indian shrines. When he was in Ayodhya, he saw a bright glowing light as a star on the southern sky. Somehow this attracted him and with a curiosity to know, he started coming down to south. Even when he reached Srirangam he still saw the star in the south. He continued his journey and when he reached Kurugoor, the light emerged from Nammazhwar.

With great difficulty Mathurakavi made Nammazhwar speak and learnt the Shasthras by becoming his disciple. He used to wait for months to have his teachings and he learnt a lot about vedas. Nammazhwar, who is considered as seer of Vedas, sang all the four vedas Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharvana Veda in 1196 pasurams. This reflected / mirrored Nammazhwar's composition. He composed teh following pasurams:

Thiruvirutham - The essence of Rig Veda

Thiruvasiriyam - The essence of Yajur Veda

Periya Thiruvandhadhi - The essence of Atharvana Vedha

Thiruvaimozhi - The essence of Sama Veda

Nammazhwar who is also called Maran, Sadagopan, Parangusar. He lived under the tamarind tree for 35 years and all perumals from various Divya Desams appeared before him so that Nammazhwar could sing in praise of them. How great and blessed the Azhwar is! After living for 35 years, Nammazhwar wished to reach the Vaikuntam and Perumal invited Nammazhwar to get merged with him.

Mathurakavi Azhwar composed a short but beautiful prabandam of just 11 poems in praise of Nammazhwar. it is called as the "Kanninum Chiruthambu", this occupies a very central place in the recitation of Divya Prabandams. At the end of this pasurams, he claims that one who receite these pasurams will definitely get a place in Srivaikuntam. But he spread the teachings and poems of Nammazhwar far and wide. Further it is considered that the "Sataari", placed on the heads of all bhaktas in Vishnu temple is supposed to be Nammazhwar because all other Azhwars are his limbs.

Madhurakavi an incorronate of Vainatheya (divine bird) was born in chithirai month and in chithirai star at a place called "Thirikollor". He was a great scholar and mastered the tamil and sanskrit languages.