SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
The greatness of madhurakavi AzhwAr
madhurakavi AzhwAr was born in thirukkOLUr dhivya dhEsam near AzhwAr thirunagari. He was born in the star of chithirai in the month of chithirai. He composed an extraordinary prabandham called “kaNNinunch chiRuththAmbu” comprising 11 pAsurams. He was fully involved with his AchAryan, nammAzhwAr. He showed the world how to be an epitome of AchArya bhakthi (devotion to AchArya).
madhurakavi AzhwAr vAzhi thirunAmam
chiththiraiyil chiththirai nAL siRakka vandhOn vAzhiyE
thirukkOLUr avadhariththa selvanAr vAzhiyE
uththara gangA thIraththu uyar thavaththOn vAzhiyE
oLi kadhirOn theRku udhikka ugandhu vandhOn vAzhiyE
paththiyodu padhinonRum pAdinAn vAzhiyE
parAngusanE paran enRu paRRinAn vAzhiyE
maththimamAm padhap poruLai vAzhviththAn vAzhiyE
madhurakavi thiruvadigaL vAzhi vAzhi vAzhiyE
chiththiraiyil chiththirai nAL siRakka vandhOn vAzhiyE
madhurakavi AzhwAr’s birth star is chithirai star in the month of chithirai. The star chithirai is glorified due to his birth. May such madhurakavi AzhwAr live long!
thirukkOLUr avadhariththa selvanAr vAzhiyE
madhurakavi AzhwAr’s birthplace is thirukkOLUr dhivya dhESam – the presiding deity in this place is SrI vaiththamAnidhip perumAL. AzhwAr is referred as “selvanAr” as he possesses the highest wealth of kainkaryaSrI (‘devotional service’ considered as highest wealth) and devotion to AchArya. May such AzhwAr live long!
uththara gangA thIraththu uyar thavaththOn vAzhiyE
madhurakavi AzhwAr lived in the northern parts of bhAratha dhESam for many years and he is known to have performed penance on the banks of the holy river gangA. May such madhurakavi AzhwAr live long!!
oLi kadhirOn theRku udhikka ugandhu vandhOn vAzhiyE
While madhurakavi AzhwAr was serving in the northern part of bhAratha dhESam, he was attracted by a bright light from the south and with great eagerness, he started to travel towards the south as guided by the light. He reached a holy tamarind tree in thirukkurugUr and found that the light was originating from nammAzhwAr who was seated under the tree in a yogic state. madhurakavi AzhwAr poses a question to the yogi as follows “seththathin vayiRil siRiyadhu piRandhAl, eththaith thinRu engE kidakkum” (When an AthmA takes birth in an inert body, what does it experience and where does it live?). nammAzhwAr replies by speaking his first words “aththaith thinRu angEyE kidakkum” (the AthmA will experience everything through its body and will keep revolving around it). Upon hearing this, madhurakavi AzhwAr was very pleased and realises that nammAzhwAr is a great gyAni and becomes his disciple. He starts serving his AchAryan and performs all kinds of kainkaryam (devotional service) to nammAzhwAr. May such AzhwAr, who was attracted by the light from the south and found his AchArya, live long!
paththiyodu padhinonRum pAdinAn vAzhiyE
madhurakavi AzhwAr, with great devotion, composed a divine prabandham called kaNNinuN chiruththAmbu, comprising 11 pAsurams (poems). In most dhivya dhESams, when dhivya prabandha sEvA starts, it always begins with periyAzhwAr’s thiruppallANdu prabandham. However, in AzhwAr thirunagari, the birthplace of nammAzhwAr, dhivya prabandha sEvA starts with kaNNinuN chiruththAmbu. It is through this prabandham that madhurakavi AzhwAr emphasises that a true devotee should be subservient to their AchAryan even before they serve emperumAn. Our pUrvAchAryas have shown that the easiest and surest way to attain the lotus feet of emperumAn is through sincere devotion and servitude to one’s AchArya. madhurakavi AzhwAr had utmost devotion to his AchArya nammAzhwar and hence, he composed and sang 11 pAsurams only on his AchArya. May such madhurakavi AzhwAr live long!!
parAngusanE paran enRu paRRinAn vAzhiyE
nammAzhwAr’s other names are SatakOpan, parAnkuSan etc., ankuSam means elephant goad. It is a tool used by a mahout to control the elephant. parAnkuSan means nammAzhwAr used his thiruvAimozhi as a tool (as a mahout) to bring emperumAn under his spell. Hence, he’s known as parAnkuSan. Another way to interpret this name is also suggested by our elders. nammAzhwAr brought out the meaning of vEdhas through his prabandhams and with that he defeated and showed the right direction for other philosophies and its followers. Hence, he can be called as parAnkuSan. madhurakavi AzhwAr considered parAnkuSan, his AchArya, as his lord and held onto nammAzhwAr’s lotus feet only! May such madhurakavi AzhwAr live long!!
maththimamAm padhap poruLai vAzhviththAn vAzhiyE
thirumanthiram is one of the most valuable manthras. It consists of 3 words – praNavam, nama: and nArAyaNAya. Among them, the middle part is the word “nama:”. madhurakavi AzhwAr lived his life in accordance with the meaning of this word nama:. nama: means that “I do not exist for my own sake”. ma: means “I exist for my own sake”. nama: negates that jIvAthmA exists for its own sake. It implies that a jIvAthmA is not existing for serving self or others, instead exists for the sake of emperumAn only. To exist for emperumAn only means that we need to be subservient to His true adiyArs (devotees) as that is the highest goal in accordance with one’s svarUpam (nature). The first level of true nature is being subservient to emperumAn and the final and highest stage of one’s true nature is to be subservient to His devotees. This is called prathama parvam and charama parvam respectively. madhurakavi AzhwAr lived in accordance with charama parvam by being subservient to nammAzhwAr instead of emperumAn. We are able understand the true meaning of nama:, the middle part of thirumanthram, largely due to madhurakavi AzhwAr’s devotion to his AchArya, nammAzhwAr. May such madhurakavi AzhwAr live long!
madhurakavi thiruvadigaL vAzhi vAzhi vAzhiyE
His vAzhi thirunAmam ends by singing the glory of madhurakavi AzhwAr’s divine lotus feet! May AzhwAr’s lotus feet live long for many many years to come!
-adiyEn vidhya rAmAnuja dAsyai
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