DRAVIDA VEDA - AN INTRODUCTION

NALAYIRA DIVYA PRABANDHAM

No other country in the world has so much religious spirit as India. India takes pride of the fact that Sriman Narayana has assumed all Avataras and also India is tha land where all Rishis and Alwars showed the way of salvation for the people. For the welfare of the people of the world, Sarveswara created Alwars to propogate and perpetuate the way of liberation from Samsara. The twelve alwars who have song 4000 sublime hymns in praise of Sarveswara merged with God. They are called Divya Suries. Their outpouring thoughts changed their abundant devotion into devout hymns. The themes of the hymns are composed in lucid and beautiful Tamil language. These hymns include the praise of 108 Divyadesas (holy places) and are called Divya Prabhandam. It is also considered as Tamil Veda or Dravida Veda. Although these 4000 hymns generated a change in the religious fervour during its existence, but for some centuries it has lost its identity due to several other religious developments. It was possible only during the Ninth century A.D to create a way for the renaissance of these 4000 hymns. One may wonder how these important hymns lost their identity when these speak of Lord. But we may have to satisfy that there are certain things, which have their importance when Sriman Narayana thinks. In this it has its identity during the 9^th century only. For this renaissance the credit goes to the great and first acharya Sriman Nathamunigal task of consolidating the hymns revived these 4000 hymns, laid foundation for Vaishnavism. But for Nathamuni, we would not have seen the light of these 4000 hymns as is known widely today.

History takes us back to the 9^th centuryAD. When the first Paranthaka Chola was reigning, a great son of the soil was born to Iswara Bhatt in 823AD on Anusha star in the Tamil Month of Ani at Veeranarayanapuram(kattumannar koil) in Tamil nadu. He was named after Sri Ranganatha by his parents and later he was called Nathamuni. Nathamuni with his enthusiasm and zeal acquired knowledge in Vedas during his early years and along with parents he went on extensive pilgrimage to north India covering various places like Saligramam, Haridwar, Brindavan, Madhura, Puri, Tirupati and so on. After his return from north india, at the divine suggestion of Lord Mannanar of Kattumannar Koil, he was doing Kainkarya in the temple.

Once a team of Vaishavaites came to worship Lord Mannanar and they worshipped the Lord by reciting 11 hymns taken from Tiruvoymozhi of Nammalvar beginning "Aravamuthe!…….." (Tiruvoymozhi 5.8.1). This is one of the 11 hymns in Tiruvoymozhi and in these hymns Nammalvar highlighted that the complete self-surrender(Prapatti) to God is his realisation. On hearing these hymns sung with melodious voice by the team, Nathamuni with great devotion and rapture asked the team where from these hymns were taken, where the remaining hymns would be available and how to get the manuscripts of all the hymns or if there were any script available? The vaishnavites informed Nathamuni that they knew only these set of hymns and the other parts may be available on enquiry only in Tirukkudanthai (Kumbakonam) for which reference is made in these 11 hymns. Then Nathamuni gave Lord's prasadam and thirtham to the team and they left the place. Nathamuni's veneration for Nammalvar increased his thirst for the nectar of the hymns. He paid a visit to Tirukkudanthi (Kumbakonam). On enquiry some people suggested that he can enquire in the birth place of Nammalvar ie., Kurugur(Alwar Tirunagari) as there is a reference in the last song of 11 hymns.

Then Nathamuni took a pilgrimage to Alwar Tirunagari where he worshipped the deity Polindhu Nindra Piran and Kurugur Sadagopan(Nammalvar) on the bank of Tamiraparani river. On searching to know about the hymns, he fortunately met on the river banks a disciple of Sri Madhurakavi, Parankusa dasa. He enquired about the hymns of Nammalvar, Sri Parankusa dasa very enthusiastically told Nathamuni that his GURU Sri Madhura Kavi sung 11 hymns of Nammalvar ie., Kanninun Chiruththambu and if this was recited 12000 times, Nammalvar will reveal all Parbandams. (Sri Madhuakavi wrote 11 hymns in praise of Nammalvar only and that is called 'Kanninum Chiruththambu.' The complete gist of these hymns reflects the importance of Bhagavata Seshathva). Sri Parankusa Dasa further showed a sacred Tamarind tree where Nammalvar was born and asked Nathamuni to recite the hymns under that tree. On hearing this, Nathamuni very eagarly learnt those 11 hymns of Sri Maduarakavi from Sri Parankusa dasa, and as per his instruction, Nathamuni recited those 11 hymns 12000 times with great devotion under that sacred tamarind tree and at last Nammalvar who was very mush pleased with Nathamuni's capture of knowing the hymns revealed Nathamuni 4000 hymns of Alwars including Tiruvoymozhi; Rahasyatraya and its meanings. It is said that Nammalvar taught him these works on three consecutive nights.

Then by the grace of Lord Mannanar, Nathamuni sung all Prabandhams in musical meter and consolidated and codified them into four parts Mudalayiram, Periya Tirumozhi, Iyarpa and Tiruvoymozhi. Here a mention is necessary about the contents of these four parts.

FIRST PART MUDALAYIRAM

SECOND PART

THIRD PART

FOURTH PART

* According to Yathiraja Vaibhavam, this was included in the Divya Prabhandham at the instance of Sri Ramanuja during his period.

Nathamuni gave an introductory song for Mudalyiram (Periyazhwar Tirumozhi) highlighting the greatness of that Alwar and his work; a song for Kanninun Chiruththambu of Madhurakavigal and also a song for Tiruvoymozhi of Nammalvar. In this way Sriman Nathamunigal codified them. Further for the betterment of the people and with the blessings of Lord Mannanar he taught all these hymns in musical way to his two nephews-Melaiagathalvar and Keezhaiagathalvar and ordered them to propogate and perpetuate these hymns at all holy places by visiting those places. The other two important disciples of Nathamuni are Uyyakkondar and Kurugaikaval Appan. He taught all Rahasyas and Prabandhams to these two disciples. Being a Yogarishi and knowing Astanga Asanas, he requested his two disciples to teach these works to his would be born grandson- Yamunacharya who enriched the Vaishnavism in later years. Sriman Nathamunigal wrote two important Sanskrit treatises-Nyaya Tattava and Yogarahasya. These two works very much influenced the later Acharyas like Ramanuja to propogate and establish the philosophy of Visishdavaita.

Sriman Nathamunigal's mission- collecting and systematising the Nalayira Divya Prabandham and laying the foundation for Vaishnavism very much attracted the later disciples of Nathnmunigal and other Acharyas like Yamunacharya, Ramanuja, Periyavacchan pillai, Nanjeeyar and Manavala Mahamunigal to make commentaries on the Prabandhams. Acharyas won the Alwar's inspirations modified by learning and scholarship and Acharyas were learned profounders who elaborated the philosophy contained in the hymns of Alwars. It is said in the Viashnavite world that Sriman Nathamunigal's service to Divya Prabandham may be compared to that of Vyasa to the Vedas.

This luminary is still reckoned with by all Srivaishnavites-nay all philosophers of the world and in all Vaishnavite temples.

As long as Sun and Moon exist, mountains exist, and rivers continue to flow, the greatness of Nalayira Divya Prabandham will continue to shine better with the discovery made by Sriman Nathamunigal.

It is our bounden duty to remember and to know the great life of Acharya Sriman Nathamunigal and his works and realise how far these Acharyas helped the humanity.

Alvar Tiruvadigale Sharanam
Emberumanar Tiruvadigale Sharanam
Jeeyar Tiruvadigale Sharanam