Azhwars : Madurakaviyaar

Madurakaviyaar  (மதுரகவியார்)

Madurakaviyaar meeting Nammazhwar in yogam in the tamarind tree which is actually Adiseshan

Madurakaviyaar was born on a Friday under the star Chithirai in the month of Chithirai valarpirai chaturdasi thithi in the 9th century. He is the nithya soori amsam of Mahavishnu

He was well versed in Tamizh and Sanskrit and had great Bhakti for Mahavishnu. He went on a pilgrimage to the many important places in the North – Ayodya, Mathura, Gaya, Kasi, Avanthi and Dwaraka and came back to stay in Ayodya. As mentioned in the earlier blog on Nammazhwar, he saw a light from South and followed the light to reach Nammazhwar in Thirukurugoor. He stayed with Nammazhwar as his disciple. His love and respect for Nammazhwar was such that he sang not in praise of the Lord, but in praise of Nammazhwar.

After Nammazhwar reached the Lord’s feet, Madurakaviyaar had an idol of Nammazhwar made and continued prayers to him. Poets of the Madurai sangam objected to this, stating that Nammazhwar was only a Bhakta and not God, he did not belong to the sangam and the hymns sung by him will not be accepted by them. Upset by this, Madurakaviyaar prayed to the Lord to teach them a lesson. Perumal came in human form and advised Madurakaviyaar to keep a particular paasuram of Nammazhwar in the sanga palagai which will teach the poets a lesson. Madurakaviyaar did this and the sanga palagai drowned the poets and only the paasuram stayed on the palagai. The poets then realized their mistake and sang a poem each on Nammazhwar’s greatness.

Madurakaviyaar continued his pujas to his Guru Nammazhwar and made the world realize Nammazhwar’s greatness before reaching the Lord’s feet.

The first song sung by Madurakaviyaar on Nammazhwar as below :

கண்ணி நுண்சிறுத்    தாம்பினால் கட்டுண்ணப்
பண்ணி யபெரு மாயன் என் னப்பனில்
நண்ணித் தென்குரு கூர்நம்பி யென்றக்கால்
அண்ணிக் கும்அமு தூறுமென் நாவுக்கே

The  sweetness  of  Nammazhwar 's name tastes like nectar  in my tongue and is even better than that of the Lord who  allowed himself to be tied with a knotted  rope by Yashoda.

Azhwars : Nammazhwar

Nammazhwar (நம்மாழ்வார்)

Before the birth of Nammazhwar, as per instructions from Mahavishnu, Adhiseshan took the form of a tamarind tree in the temple of Thirukurugoor.

A couple in Thirukurugoor, Porkaariyar and Udaya nangai prayed to the Perumal in Thirukurungudi and were blessed with a son – Nammazhwar.

Nammazhwar was born on Visakam star, Friday, pournami thithi, twelfth day of Vaikasi. He is Senai Muthalyar amsam of Mahavishnu.

As a baby, Nammazhwar did not show any activity - no appetite, no cries and even his eyes were closed, but he was growing normally day by day. As soon as he was born, Perumal had fed him with Gnanam and this is why, the baby was not interested in food. Not aware of this, the couple were worried about the baby and took him to the temple and put the baby in front of the Lord in Thirukurugoor, named him Maaran and prayed for his welfare.

Adhiseshan had taken the form of tamarind tree only to give upadesam to Nammazhwar and once Nammazhwar reached the temple, he settled there in yogam for 16 years.

At that time, Madurakaviyaar, another azhwar was on pilgrimage to Mathura, Dwaraka, Kasi and Ayodya. When he was in Ayodya, he could see a bright light from south and was curious about it. This light was visible only in the night and disappeared in day time. Madurakaviyaar travelled towards south in search of the light’s source and reached Thirukurugoor. Once he entered the temple there, the light disappeared totally. He enquired in the town if there is anything special there and came to know about Nammazhwar. Madurakaviyaar stood in front of Nammazhwar and clapped his hands to wake him from his yogam and asked him “ செத்ததின் வயிற்றில் சிறியது பிறந்தால் எத்தை தின்று எங்கே கிடக்கும்?” meaning “When the soul enters a body (which is lifeless without a soul), what will it experience as happiness?” Nammazhwar promptly replied     “அத்தை தின்று அங்கே கிடக்கும்” meaning, “Due to the connection with the body which has all the five elements - sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch, the soul will experience all the joys and sorrows and be there”

Hearing this, Madurakaviyaar felt at the feet of Nammazhwar and requested him to accept him as disciple. Madurakaviyaar stayed with Nammazhwar as his disciple and his paasurams are not on the Lord, but on Nammazhwar.

Nammazhwar continued his yogam underneath the tamarind tree for 31 years. Though he was named Maaran initially, he had many names, but he was called Nammazhwar as everybody considered him as his own and called him Nammazhwar with love.

His slokam which I have studied in school is :

உயர்வற உயர்நல முடையவன் யவனவன்

மயர்வற மதிநலம் அருளினான் யவனவன்

அயர்வறும் அமரர்கள் அதிபதி யவனவன்

துயரறு சுடரடி தொழுதெழன் மனமே  

“My mind, fall at the feet of the Lord, the Supreme, one who gives you intelligence, Lord for the Devas and this will solve all your sorrows”

Nammazhwar has sung hymns on the following temples:

*Srirangam * Thirupernagar * Kumbakonam * Thiruvinnagar *Thirukkannapuram

*Thirumaliruncholai *Thirumogur *Thirukurugoor * Azhwar thirunagari

* Srivaramangai * Thirupulingudi *Thirupperai *Srivaikundam * Varagunamangai

* Perunkulam * Thirukurungudi * Thirukoviloor * Thiruvananthapuram

* Thiruvanparisaaram * Thirukaatkarai * Thirumoozhikalam * Thirupuliyur

* Thirusengundroor * Thirunaavai * Thiruvallavaazh * Thiruvanvandoor

*Thiruvaataaru * Thirukadithaanam * Thiruvaaranvilai * Tirupathi

* Ayodya * Dwaraka * Mathura * Thiruppaarkadal * Paramapadham