SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujaya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Glories of nanjIyar
nanjIyar – thirunArAyaNapuram
After parASara bhattar, it was nanjIyar who came into the OrAN vazhi (lineage) of AchAryas . He is also known as “vEdhAnthi”. He was born in thirunArAyaNapuram (Melkote). His birth name was SrI mAdhavan. He was famously known as SrI mAdhavAchAryar. He was deeply involved in the adhvaitha sidhdhAntham (philosophy). emperumAnAr desired to reform him and bring him into the SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam. However, this did not happen during emperumAnAr’s lifetime. After some time, parASara bhattar, thirukkumArar (divine son) of kUraththAzhwAn (In the OrAN vazhi parampara lineage emperumAnAr, embAr, and then parASara bhattar), went to thirunArAyaNapuram, quoted the meanings of thirunedunthANdakam, defeated SrI mAdhavAchAryar in debate, reformed him and brought him into the SrIvaishNava sampardhAyam. With tearful eyes, SrI mAdhavAchAryar’s heart melted and he said, “You, the son of SrIrangarAjap perumAL, have crossed forests and mountains to mercifully reform me” and became the disciple of parASara bhattar. parASara bhattar also accepted him with great affection.
After that, SrI mAdhavAchAryar lived in thirunArAyaNapuram for a while. Later, as he lost interest in worldly life, he divided his wealth into three parts: gave two parts to his two wives, took the remaining part, entered sanyAsam, and reached SrIrangam with the intention of performing kainkaryam (service) to his AchArya (parASara bhattar). Seeing his ascetic form, parASara bhattar emotionally welcomed him saying, “vArum (come as a respectful command), our jIyar!” and Araththazhuvik koNdAr (embraced him). From that day on, the name “nanjIyar” (Our jIyar) became established for SrI mAdhavAchAryar. He learned the pAsurams of the AzhwArs from parASara bhattar in a very short time and grew to a level that amazed parASara bhattar himself.
During thirumanjanam (sacred bath) for perumAL, it was customary for parASara bhattar to recite kattiyam before namperumAL by extolling the glories of the emperumAn. Reciting the kattiyam is mostly based on the pAsurams of the AzhwArs. bhattar made it a habit to ask nanjIyar to select and provide the verses, which bhattar would then recite as kattiyam. Once, while reciting for kattiyam, during the 9th pAsuram of the 2nd decad of the 7th centum of thiruvAimozhi (“kangulum pagalum”), when reciting the lines “en thirumagaL sEr mArvanE ennum ennudaiya AviyE ennum“, nanjIyar recited them as one continuous line instead of two separate ones. The true meaning of these lines is nammAzhwAr, in the mood of parAnguSa nAyaki, telling emperumAn, “Oh, one who is having the divine chest, which is the desirable abode of SrI mahAlakshmi, my lady lord, where she is united with you. You are the one who remained in my heart as the sustaining life for me, due to being SrI mahAlakshmi’s divine abode”. The way nanjIyar recited this plunged parASara bhattar into such wonder that he fainted in ecstasy. After regaining consciousness, he praised nanjIyar greatly. Thus, we understand that there was a great closeness between bhattar and nanjIyar.
We can see that nanjIyar acted as a pillar for the growth of our tradition by asking parASara bhattar, questions about the meanings of AzhwArs’ pAsurams and obtaining explanations for them. He was born in thirunArAyaNapuram on the day of panguni uthram. He has authored many vyAkhyAnams. The first vyAkhyAnam for thiruvAimozhi, the 6000 padi, was authored by thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn as per the command of emperumAnAr. After that, nanjIyar authored the excellent vyAkhyAnam for thiruvAimozhi known as 9000 padi as per the command of parASara bhattar. Furthermore, he has authored vyAkhyAnams for other prabandhams like thiruppaLLiyezhuchchi and kaNNinuN chiruththAmbu.
nanjIyarin vAzhi thirunAmam
theNdirai sUzh thiruvarangam sezhikka vandhOn vAzhiyE
sImAdhavanennum selvanAr vAzhiyE
paNdai maRaith thamizhp poruLaip pagara vandhOn vAzhiyE
panguniyil uththaranAL pAruthiththAn vAzhiyE
oNdodiyAL kalavidhannai ozhiththittAn vAzhiyE
onbadhinAyirapporuLai Odhumavan vAzhiyE
eNdisaiyum sIr bhattar iNaiyadiyOn vAzhiyE
ezhilperugum nanjIyar inidhUzhi vAzhiyE
nanjIyarin vAzhi thirunAmam – Explanation
theNdirai sUzh thiruvarangam sezhikka vandhOn vAzhiyE – May nanjIyar, who incarnated in this world so that SrIrangam, that is surrounded by the kAvEri river with its clear waves, would grow and flourish, live long (pallANdu)!
sImAdhavanennum selvanAr vAzhiyE – May nanjIyar, who has the birth name SrI mAdhavan and who possesses immense wealth of kainkaryam (divine service), live long (pallANdu)! An incident took place to highlight the great kainkaryam that he did for his AchArya. Once, when parASara bhattar was traveling in a pallakku (palanquin), nanjIyar, despite being a sanyAsi, went to carry the pallakku on his shoulder. The bystanders said, “Even though parASara bhattar is your AchArya, he is a gruhasthar (householder), it is not proper for a sanyAsi like you to carry him”. To this, nanjIyar replied, “If this thridhaNdam is an obstacle to serving my AchArya, I do not need it.” This line shows that may nanjIyar who possessed the true wealth of performing kainkaryam to his AchArya, live long (pallANdu)!
paNdai maRaith thamizhp poruLaip pagara vandOn vAzhiyE – Long live nanjIyar, who provided the meanings of the nAlAyira dhivya prabandham, which is composed in thamizh and is equivalent to the ancient vEdhas. He authored many vyAkhyAnams and explanations for AzhwArs’ pAsurams. Just as there were many samvAdhams (dialogues) between parASara bhattar and nanjIyar, many such dialogues have occurred between nanjIyar and nampiLLai as well. All of these are shown in the explanations provided by nanjIyar. May nanjIyar, who gave the vyAkhyAnams for the thamizh vEdham (dhivya prabandham), live long (pallANdu)!
panguniyil uththaranAL pAruthiththAn vAzhiyE – May nanjIyar, who appeared on this earth in the month of panguni under the star uthra, live long (pallANdu)!
oNdodiyAL kalavidhannai ozhiththittAn vAzhiyE – May nanjIyar, who renounced his married life with his wives (having beautiful, curved hands) and took sanyAsam, live long (pallANdu)!
onbadhinAyirapporuLai Odhumavan vAzhiyE – nanjIyar authored the 9000 padi commentary for thiruvAimozhi following the command of parASara bhattar. The first vyAkhyAnam 6000 padi was given by piLLAn based on the command from emperumAnAr. The second vyAkhyAnam was 9000 padi by nanjIyar based on the command from bhattar. The third vyAkhyAnam is 24000 padi by periyavAchchAn piLLai based on the command from nampiLLai. Next is Idu 36000 padi by vadakkuth thiruvIdhippiLLai, by recording nampiLLai’s kAlakshEpams. Lastly, 12000 padi, given by vAdhikEsari maNavALa jIyar. Thus, there are five vyAkhyAnams for thiruvAimozhi. It is said that nanjIyar performed thiruvAimozhi kAlakshEpam hundred times. This is known because when someone asked nampiLLai, “What explanation did your AchArya give for this pAsuram?”, nampiLLai asked in return, “During which time (which of the 100 times) do you want the explanation from?”. May nanjIyar, who was always immersed in contemplating the meanings of thiruvAimozhi, live long (pallANdu)!
eNdisaiyum sIr bhattar iNaiyadiyOn vAzhiyE – Long live nanjIyar, who praises the divine feet of his AchArya parASara bhattar, who attained greatness in all eight directions. Generally, for all AchAryas, their Sishyas are considered as their “thiruvadi nilai” (pAdhukAs). In this way, nanjIyar, who is considered the pAdhukAs of parASara bhattar, live long (pallANdu)!
ezhil perugum nanjIyar inidhUzhi vAzhiyE – This vAzhi thirunAmam concludes by wishing that nanjIyar, who is filled with beauty, should happily live as long as the existence of time (pallANdu)!
AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam
adiyEn govindarAja rAmAnuja dAsan