Azhwars : Kulasekara Azhwar

 Kulasekara Azhwar (குலசேகர ஆழ்வார்)

Dhidavirathan who was a descendant of Chera Kings was ruling Kolli mountain area during the 8th century. He was well known for his bravery. Kulasekara Azhwar was born to Dhidavirathan on a Friday of Masi month valarapirai, dwadasi thithi under the star Punarpoosam. He is the Kausthuba amsam of the Lord . Kulasekara Azhwar was well versed in both Sanskrit and Tamizh and learnt all the martial arts necessary for a prince.

After his father, Kulasekara Azhwar became the king and ruled the kingdom well. He defeated both the Chozhas and the Pandyas who had battled with him. Impressed by Kulasekara Azhwar, the Pandya king gave his daughter in marriage to him. Days rolled and Mahavishnu decided it was time to make Kulasekara Azhwar realize God.

Kulasekara Azhwar listened to Lord Rama and Lord Krishna’s stories regularly. When he heard how hearing Soorpanaka’s complaint Karan brought many soldiers and Rama fought against him alone, he got so involved that he asked his soldiers to get ready to help Rama and he also got ready for a battle. Only when the minister explained to Kulasekara Azhwar that Rama killed Karan and his soldiers and was happy with Sita and Lakshmanan, he understood and asked his soldiers to go back. Seeing his bhakti for Rama, he came to be called as Kulasekara Perumal and the hymns sung by him are called Perumal Thirumozhi

As Kulasekara Azhwar got more and more closer with Vaishnava Bhaktas, his ministers wanted to separate them and hid the Navamani maalai which adorned the Mahavishnu’s idol. When the king enquired, the ministers said only the Vaishnava Bhaktas must have stolen it. Disagreeing with this, Kulasekara Azhwar instructed that a pot (குடம்) be brought with a snake in it. When it was brought, he announced “ If the Vaishnavas had taken the Navamani maalai, let the snake bite me” and put his hand inside. Nothing happened and after he took his hand out, the snake came out and fell at his feet. Kulasekara Azhwar instructed that the snake be taken back to a safe place. The ministers apologized to the king. Kulasekara Azhwar made his son the king and joined the Vaishnava Bhaktas to sing in praise of the Lord.

A sample of Perumal Thirumozhi below:

ஆனாத செல்வத் தரம்பையர்கள் தற்சூழ
வானாளும் செல்வமும் மண்ணரசும் யான்வேண்டேன்  
தேனார்பூஞ் சோலைத் திருவேங்கட சுனையில்
மீனாய்ப் பிறக்கும் விதியுடையே னாவேனே

Even if i  am given  the  kingdom with great treasures and beautiful maidens I prefer to be born as a  fish  in the  pond of Tirupathi !
He  goes on like this with wishes to be born  as a Shanbaka tree, a bush, a part of the Hill,  the water that falls from the hill the path on the hills and even the steps leading to temple which will allow him to have the Lord 's darshan always .
  Kulasekara Azhwar has sung hymns on the following temples:

 Srirangam

 Thirukannapuram

 Thiruchitrakoodam

 Thiruvitrukkodu

 Tirupathi

 Ayodya

 Thirpparkadal