Mudhal Alzhwaars

 

Mudhal Alzhwars – Poigai Alzhwar (Poigaiyar), Bhoothath Alzhwar, Pey Alzhwar (Peyalzhwar) 

The first three Alzhwars are collectively known as the Mudhal Alzhwars (First Alvars) or Munitrayam. They were Tamil poet-saints of South India who were deeply immersed in absolute devotion (bhakti) to Lord Vishnu.

Together, they laid the foundation for the Sri Vaishnavism tradition, and their hymns form the initial sections of the holy compendium, the Naalayira Divya Prabandham (4,000 Divine Hymns).

 The story of their life is fascinating. Appears that Lord Vishnu himself conspired to bring these three sages together and triggered them into composing divine hymns for the benefit of mankind.

Otherwise, how could such a series of coincidences happen ??

 Simultaneous Lifespan: As per Hindu traditional calendar  they were born at  the end of the Dvapar Yuga (before 4200 BCE). However current historians estimate their birth between the 6th and 8th centuries CE.

They were born on three consecutive days in the Tamil month of Aippasi !!

(Aippasi is the 7th month of the Tamil calendar, corresponding to October–November in the Gregorian calendar.)

Ayonijas: Ayonija (Sanskrit: अयोनिज meaning "not born from a womb" or "born without a mother) .

Traditional accounts hold that none of the three Alzhwars were born to human parents. They appeared miraculously on flowers in water bodies across different parts of Tamil Nadu.

Each of the Mudhal Alvars is revered as the earthly manifestation of one of Lord Vishnu's divine weapons or ornaments. 

 Poigai Alzhwar : The First of the three Alzhwar, Poigaiyar was found on  a golden lotus bud in a pond in   Kancheepuram. He was named after Poigai (pond), where he was discovered.

He represents and is the reincarnation of Panchajanya (The Lord's Conch).

Poigaiyar composed Mudhal Thiruvanthathi – the first 100 verses.

 

Bhoothath Alzhwar:  The second Alzhwar was found in Mahabalipuram (Thirukadalmallai)  wrapped inside a  Kurukkatti (licorice) flower. He was named after Bhootham (essence of wisdom/possessed by divine love).

He is the manifestation of Kaumodaki (The Lord's Mace) and he composed  the  Irandaam Thiruvanthathi (the second set of 100 verses).

 Peialzhawar was found inside a red lily flower in a temple well In Mylapore, Chennai (Thirumayilai). He was named Pey (ghost) due to his ecstatic, "mad" love for Lord Vishnu.

Peialzhwar composed Moondraam Thiruvanthathi – the  third set of 100 verses.

 @ Thirukovilur:

 One can call it a chance , a coincidence, a miracle or a due to a divine intervention.

The legend associated with the Mudhal Alzhwars is their ‘accidental’ meeting, orchestrated by Lord Vishnu to bring their collective wisdom to light:

 The Storm: While traveling independently to visit temples, a heavy storm struck the town of Thirukovilur. Seeking shelter from the torrential rain, Poigai Alzhwar found a tiny, dark corridor (Idaikkali) in a house. The space was sufficient for just one person and he laid down to rest.

The Gathering: Moments later, Bhoothath Alzhwar arrived – he too seeking shelter from the heavy downpour. Poigai welcomed him, noting that the space could now accommodate two people to sit only. So, they sat and rested.

Sometime later , Pey Alzhwar also wandered into this place!

The two saints adjusted again, remarking that there now was only enough room for the three of them to stand  comfortably.

The Fourth Presence: As the three stood together in pitch darkness discussing the glories of the Lord, they suddenly felt a tight, overpowering fourth presence squeezing into the already cramped space.

Lighting the Lamps: In order to identify this new intruder, they lit metaphorical lamps (their mental awareness) by composing spontaneous poetry:

Poigai Alvar sang:

"Using the earth as the lamp, the bounding oceans as the oil, and the fierce sun as the flame, I light this lamp of words for the Lord..."

Bhoothath Alzhwar followed:

"Using my love as the lamp, my intense eagerness as the oil, and my melting mind as the wick, I light the lamp of knowledge for Narayana..."

 The Vision: With the darkness dispelled by the light of devotion and knowledge, Pey Alzhwar had the supreme vision of the Lord Himself. And he ecstatically sang:

"I have seen the glorious consort Sri Lakshmi, I have seen the golden form of the Lord, radiant like the sun, bearing the conch and the disc!"

 This miraculous union yielded the first 300 verses of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, effectively igniting the historic Bhakti movement in South India.

 The Nalayira Divya Prabandham is a foundational collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alzhwars (Vaishnava poet-saints) between the 6th and 9th centuries CE.  They are often called the Tamil Veda or Dravida Veda.   Since they are composed in accessible (& understandable) Tamil language by saints from diverse social backgrounds, this collection make spiritual realization open to all people, thus transcending ritualistic orthodoxy of the Sanskrit literate brahmins.

 The poems were largely forgotten or scattered until the 10th century scholar Nathamuni retrieved and arranged them into four main divisions - Mudhalaayiram (First thousand verses) / Periya Thirumozhi or the Sacred Utterance  (Composed largely by Thirumangai Alzhwar) / Iyarpa (the third set 1000  pasurams or literary/metrical verses) / & Tiruvaymozhii, a composition of 1,102 verses by Nammalzhwar (also known as Maran or Sadagopan) -  the fifth and most revered of the 12 Alvar saints of South India.

 In many temples—Srirangam, for example—the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service, integrating poetic composition with ritual worship and devotional practice. The Divya Prabandham is recited alongside the Vedas, having been granted equal status in the Sri Vaishnava tradition largely through the efforts of Ramanuja, who elevated the Divya Prabandham to the same level as the Vedas.

 

 This post was inspired by a short evening conversation with one the senior residents in our society!

Krish//