LORD SRINIVASA AS PERCEIVED BY AZHWARS AND ACHARYAS
By
Yatindradasa
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - According to the Sri Vaishnavite tradition, the period of the Azhwars is
believed to be towards the beginning of the Kali Yuga i.e. before 3000 B.C. However, in
the view of the modern research scholars, their period is estimated to be between the 4 th
and the 9th century A.D. In all, there were twelve Azhwars including the sole woman Sri
Vaishnavite saint named Andal or Soodi Kodutha Shudar Kodi, who was brought up by
Periazhwar. Of the twelve Azhwars, only ten have sung in praise of the Lord of the
Seven Hills. Tondaradipodi Azhwar has rendered psalms only on the Lord of Srirangam
while Madhurakavi Azhwar knew no other God except his own Acharya Nammalwar. It
is, however, interesting to note that the Tiruppalliezhutchi or the dawn song to awaken
the Supreme Lord from His Yoganidhra composed by the Tondaradippodi Azhwar is
sung before Lord Srinivasa during the Dhanur Masa (i.e. December-January) in place of
the regular Sri Venkatesa Suprabatham.
This goes to show that the Lord of the Seven
Hills and the Lord of Thiruarangam are one and the same Supreme Lord in the standing
and the reclining postures respectively.
The Tamil hymns of the Azhwars collectively known as the Nalayira
Divya Prabhandam are an incredible synthesis of poetic beauty, rhythmic magnificence,
literary brilliance, spiritual loveliness and philosophical wisdom appealing to the head
and heart of the masses. These spontaneous devotional outpourings of the Azhwars
combine in a fine blend the Vedantic philosophy of the Upanishads with the religious
observances of the Puranic and Agamic traditions. Sri Vaishnavism is called Ubhaya
Vedanta as it takes cognizance of the Vedic hymns in Sanskrit and the Tamil
Prabhandams of the Azhwars.
Sanskrit is called the Deva Bhasha as the Vedas, which are in praise of the
Ultimate and Supreme Reality, are in Sanskrit and it is widely believed that the Devas or
the demi-gods communicate amongst themselves only in Sanskrit. The question that is
often raised is whether Tamil, which is a Dravidian vernacular language, can be used as
the medium to communicate Divine thoughts. Unlike all the other Indian languages that
owe their origin to Sanskrit, Tamil stands on distinct, different and unique position as it is
a totally independent language believed to have been created by Sage Agasthya.
According to Champu Rahasya, Sanskrit and Tamil stand on equal footing. Sri Vedanta
Desika is, therefore, of the well-considered view that it is perfectly in order to accord
equal status to both Tamil Marai i.e. Dravida Vedas and the Sanskrit Srutis. In fact,
during festivals when the Utsava Murti or the festival Deity is taken out in procession, the
Tamil Prabhandams go in front and the Sanskrit Vedas follow them which goes to
indicate the place of honour accorded to the psalms of the Azhwars by the Ubhaya
Vedantic Sri Vaishnavite community.
Many people are under the erroneous impression that Sri Ramnuja is the
founder of Sri Vaishnavism.
This belief is totally unfounded, wholly wrong and
absolutely incorrect. Even before the period of the Azhwars, reference to the Lord of the
Seven Hills is found in the Vedas and the Puranas as also in the Tamil works like the
Ahananuru and Silappadikaram, which are believed to belong to the 2nd century A.D. Sri
Vaishnavism has been in existence right from the Rig Vedic times and the words
VISHNOR YAD PARAMAM PADAM occur in several Vedic hymns including the
Katha Upanishad.
The very fact that Sage Badarayana (2nd century B.C.) the author of the
Vedanta Sutras found it necessary to devote one full Adhikarana or topic for
philosophical discussion called the
UTPATYASABHAVADHIKARANA is enough
evidence to bear testimony to the fact that during his time the Sri Vaishnava Pancharatra
Agamas must have been very popular and Sri Vaishnavism must have been a widely
practised religion. The Vaishnavite temples in several renowned places both in the North
and the South India like Badri, Joshi math, Deva Prayag, Ayodhya, Mathura, Brindavan,
Dwarka, Puri, Srirangam, Tirumala etc, clearly indicate that Sri Vaishnavism must have
gained considerable ground with very wide following even before the advent of the
Azhwars. Sri Ramanuja did not start any new religion of his own but only laid strong
philosophical foundation, through his system of Vishistadvaita, to provide intellectual
conviction and authoritative proof to establish that Sri Vasihnavism is in fact the one and
only true religion of the Vedas.
Azhwars seem to have based their religious faith on the Purusha Sukhta of
the Rig Veda as elaborated by the Katha Upanishad and supplemented by the Ithihasas
(epics) and Puranas (ancient historical accounts).
The supplemental scriptures only
clarify and expand the Avatara Rahsyas i.e. esoteric purport of the Vibhava and the Archa
incarnations of the One Supreme Lord without a second. Twelve Puranas including the
Brahmanda, Bhavishyottara, Skanda, Garuda, Padma, Markhandeya, Vamana and Varaha
Puranas, which all belong to the period prior to the Azhwars have glorified at length, the
greatness of the Supreme Lord of the Seven Hills. In fact, the Varaha Purana goes to the
extent of saying that in the entire universe there is no Divya Desha i.e. holy place, like the
Tiruvengadam and there is no God equal to Lord Srinivasa. The word `` Vem Kata``
means the Abode of the Lord that burns out all sins. A mere look at the main Deity
(Moola Vigraha) is enough to understand the fact that the Lord by directing His right
hand towards His Lotus Feet in Kati Varada mudra and keeping His left hand in the
Katya Valambita posture indicates the ready availability of His Divine protection to those
who seek His refuge in abject surrender. This form picturizes the assurance given by the
Githacharya in the Charama Sloka i.e. verse 66 of chapter XVIII of the Srimad Bhagawad
Gita.in which He says that He is prepared to give release to those who surrender to Him.
The term ``Azhwar`` refers to those saintly souls who immerse themselves
in the exclusive devotion of Lord Vishnu in total and unconditional surrender. These
saints, as the supreme devotees of Lord Vishnu propagated Sri Vaishnavism among the
masses through their poetical compositions in the vernacular highlighting the beautiful
effulgent form, auspicious attributes and divine deeds of the Supreme Lord in His various
incarnations based on their personal mystic experiences. The Divya Prabhandams of the
Azhwars are, therefore, held in as great veneration and reverence as the Vedas in
Sanskrit.
The Azhwars have together rendered 195 verses in praise of the Lord of
the Seven Hills Sri Venkateshwara. The largest number of compositions i.e. 63 have
been compiled by the last among the twelve Azhwars named Tirumangai Azhwar while
Tiruppan Azhwar makes a passing reference to Tirumala in two of his eleven verses in
praise of the Lord of Tiruvarangam.
The first three Azhwars are collectively known as the Mudal Azhwars.
The first among them named Poigai Azhwar is the author of the Mudal Tiruvanthathi or
the first hundred psalms and he has sung ten verses in praise of Lord Balaji. He calls
Venkatam as MAL UGANDA VUR i.e. the Abode most preferred by the Supreme Lord.
The second Azhwar known as Bhutatazhwar has given us the Irandam Tiruvanthathi or
the second hundred verses. He has rendered nine verses on Tirmalaiappan and he refers
to Lord Venkatesa as VENKADATHAN VINNOR MUDI THOYUM PADHATHAN
meaning thereby that the prostrating Devas or the demi-gods with bowed head worship
the Lotus Feet of the Lord of the Seven Hills who is the Parama Purusha of the Vedas in
Archa form in Tirumalai. The third Azhwar called Peyazhwar is the author of Munram
Tiruvanthathi or the third hundred verses and he has composed as many as 19 verses in
praise of Lord Govinda. Peyazhwar refers to Venkadathan as VEDATHAN indicating
that Lord Venkatesa is the one Supreme Lord without a second and the Ultimate Truth
and Reality of the Vedas. The fourth Azhwar by name Tirumalisai Azhwar who is the
author of Nanmugan Tiruvanthathi has recorded 12 verses in praise of Tiruvenkadathan
more or less on the lines of his three illustrious predecessors.
Nammazhwar who is the crest jewel and the most prominent of all the
Azhwars in one of his 44 verses in praise of Lord Venkatesa says that the entire life time
should be spent in ceaseless loving service of the Supreme Lord in Tirumalai. In his
most popular verse beginning with the words AKALAHILLEN the saint abjectly
surrenders himself to the Lotus Feet of the Lord declaring that His Consort Shree resides
for ever in the bosom of the Lord inseparably united and indistinguishable from Him as
fragrance from Lotus flower.
The two are in fact One conceptually but different
functionally. The ethical idea of justice and the rule of law and the religious idea of
redemption from sins by Grace are reconciled in Saint Nammazhwar`s Prapatti to the
Divya Dhampathi. The inner purport is that Lord Srinivasa rules strictly by the moral law
of Karma whereas Mother Shree in His bosom entices Him by love to pardon the sinning
souls. Mother’s love is indispensable for gaining the Lord’s Grace. Knowledge is
inspired by devotion and Bhakti is illumined by Jnana and the two together constitute
Bhaktiutpanna Jnana or knowledge inspired by devotion. The whole attitude of devotion
is consummated in Prapatti or Saranagathi in the case of Nammazhwar when he says
PUGALONDRILLA ADIYEN UN ADIKKEEZH AMARNDU PUKUNDENE.
His
Lotus Feet are the sole refuge for all sinful souls.
In the eleven most poignant and moving verses composed by
Kulaseharazhvar, the saint fervently prays to the Lord of the Seven Hills that he should
always reside with the Tirumal in His Tirumala hills either as an insect or a bird or a fish
or a vessel or a flower or a tree or a passing stream or a foot-step or any other object to
see the coral lips of the Supreme Lord in ceaseless remembrance. In fact, the psalms of
all the ten Azhwars on the Lord of the Seven Hills are full of piety and love that can
move even the most stonehearted people into tears. These verses describe vividly the
natural beauty of Tiruvengadam as also the glory and greatness of the Supreme Lord in
lyrically brilliant Tamil verses, which cannot be recaptured in English translation.
However, for the benefit of those who want to read the original Tamil verses the
following details are furnished:
Name of the Azhwar
His work
Number of Verses
in praise of Lord
Venkatesa Periazhwar
,,
Poigai Azhwar
Bhutatazhwar
Peyazhwar
Trimalisaiazhwar
,,
Nammazhwar
,,
,,
Andal
Kulasekharazhwar
Tiruppanazhwar
Tirumangaiazhwar
,,
,,
,,
,,
Tiruppallandu
Periazhwar Tirumozhi
Mudal Tiruvanthathi
Irandam Tiruvanthathi
Mundram Tiruvanthathi
Nanmugan Tiruvanthathi
Tirucchandaviruttam
Tiruviruttam
Peria Tiruvanthathi
Tiruvaimozhi
Nacchiar Tirumozhi
Perumal Tirumozhi
Amalanadipiran
Peria Tirumozhi
Tirukkurundandakam
Tirunedunthandakam
Siriya Tirumadal
Peria Tirumadal
Total
1
7
10
9
19
12
2
8
1
35
16
11
2
55
1
3
1
2
195 verses
Sri Ramanjacharya has not composed any devotional hymn in praise of the
Lord of the Seven Hills. However, at the very start of his monumental Magnum Opus
called the Sri Bhasya which is his detailed commentary on the Vedanta Sutras, in the
Invocatory verse he begins the work praying to the Lord in Tirumala with the words
SRUTI SIRASSI VIDEEPTE BRAHMANI SRINIVASE. In this introductory verse he
seeks the blessings of Lord Venkatesa with the words -`` May my mind be filled with
devotion towards the Highest Brahman the Abode of Goddess Shree who is luminously
revealed in the Upanishads. `` Sri Ramanuja seems to follow in letter and spirit the
thoughts of his preceptor Yamunacharya (also known as Alavandar) who in his poetical
work called the STOTRA RATNA (the Hymn Jewel) asks the question KAHA SRIHI
SRIYAHA? His question is who is the Lord of Shree? This question is an obvious
reference to the passage in the Purusha Sukhta
HRISCHA TE LAKSMISCHA
PATNYOU i.e. Hri and Shree are Lord Srinivasa`s consorts.
Among the subsequent Sri Vaishnava Acharyas Sri Vedanta Desika and
Pillai Perumal Iyengar have rendered detailed poetical works in praise of Lord
Venkateswara. In his hymnal work called DAYA SATAKAM Sri Vedanta Desika has
composed a hundred and odd verses exclusively in praise of the Daya or mercy of the
Lord of the Seven Hills. The prolific poet begins his work with the words PRAPDYE
TAM GIRIM PRAYAHA SRINIVASANUKAMPAYA by surrendering himself like
Nammalwar in AGALAHILLEN to Lord Srinivasa before taking up the task of
describing the Lord’s profound mercy. According to scholarly Acharyas, this work of
hundred verses can be grouped into ten verses each and each decad refers to an
auspicious attribute of Lord Srinivasa as under:
1) He is the sole Lord of Immortality
2) He is omniscient and omnipotent , all knowing and all powerful
3) He removes the miseries and ills of His devotees
4) He is the sole means for release from samsara
5) He is the one single goal of life
6) He is the sole refuge in Prapatti (Surrender)
7) He is easily accessible even to the most sinful
8) The Supreme Lord’s Abode is Tirumala
9) He takes Avataras and
10) Those who surrender to Him gain release here and now
Pillai Perumal Iyengar who wanted to sing psalms only in praise of the
Lord of Tiruvarangam like his illustrious predecessor Tondaradippodiazhwar was
afflicted with some serious physical ailment had to abandon that idea. He got relieved of
his illness by singing two hymnal works entitled Tiruvengadattu Malai and
Tiruvengadattandadhi bringing out in beautiful Tamil verses the glory and mercy of the
Lord of the Seven Hills.
In the modern stressful times, very few can have the mental poise and
concentration to practise Yoga with one-pointedness of mind on the Divine form of the
Lord.
The Supreme Lord out His illimitable mercy to the suffering millions has
descended on His own free will in the image form called Archavatara. We who are not
fortunate enough to have Satkshatkara or direct first-hand vision of the Lord in His Para,
Vyuha, Vibhava or Harda (Antaryamin) forms can at least avail of the benefit of
worshipping the Archa form of the Lord in Tirumala. All that we can do is to surrender
abjectly to Him for His Grace in order to gain release from the repeated cycles of painful
births and deaths. The path of surrender is not only simple and easy but also safe and
effective in yielding the desired result. The Lord in the Gita assures us with the words
NA ME BHAKTAH PRANASYATI i.e. My devotee never perishes. The same message
is reiterated and in fact guaranteed by Lord Srinivasa through the non-verbal
communication of His two divinely beautiful hands. The majestic and all powerful
figure in the Archa form of the Lord reveals the quintessence of His message contained in
His Divine revelations in the Vedas and the Gita.
May the Lord bless all those who surrender to Him for His Divine Grace.
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