Iyarpaa

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It gives me great pleasure to present the last portion of 4000 Divya Prabhandham viz. 'Iyarpa', 'Iyarpa' comprises a total 11 compositions by 6 azwars, and Sri Ramanuja Nootrandhadhi by Thiruvarangatthamudhanar, a contemporary of Sri Ramanuja.

As stated in my earlier books, I have reserved Sri Andal 's 'Nachhiyar Thirumozhi' and 'Thiruppavai' to be published at the very last with the intention of singing 'mangalam' to my 'anil' kainkaryam in the realm of 4000 Prabhandham. Both the compositions are getting ready and it will not be too long before they are published.

I must thank my readers for the whole hearted support they have been extending to me. I do hope that I have risen to their expectation. I am indebted to the Almighty for His grace which is bringing this 'yajna' to a successful end.'

I thank Smt. Sudha for an excellent DTP type-setting and Kiran Ranganthan for the design of the outside cover. Sri Sharada Prasad of Sri Ganesha Maruthi Printers stood up to my urgent call and I thank him too.

'lyarpaa' means prose works while the preceding works viz. Mudhalayiram, Thiruvoimozhi and Periya Thirumozhi were all set to music. Iyarpaa comprises the following works (azwar wise):

1) Mudhalazwars:

Poigai Azwar's 'Mudhal Thiruvandhadhi' (100 pasurams)
Phoothath Azwar's 'lrandam Thiruvandhaadhi' (100 pasurams)
Pay Azwar's 'Moonram Thiruvandhaadhi' (100 pasurams)

2) Thirumazhishai Azwar :

Nanmuhan Thiruvandhadhi (96 pasurams)

3) Nammazwar :

Thiruviruttham (100 pasurams)
Thiruvashiriyum (7 pasurams)
Periya Thiruvandhadhi (87 pasurams)

4) Thirumangai Azwar :

Thiruveyukootthirukkai (1 very long pasuram)
Shiriya Thirumadal (40 pasurams of uneven size)
Periya Thirumadal (78 pasurams of uneven size)
5) Thiruvangatthamudhanaar :

Sri Ramanuja Nootrandhadhi (108 pasurams)

The four azwars and Amudhanaar together account for a total of 817 pasurams.

i) A CURSORY GLANCE AT IYARPAA

The first three azwars never got into the clutches of 'samsaric life' and kept visiting the holy places. They even had a brief body contact with the Lord when they were sleeping on a long bench. In their Thiruvandhadhis all the three azwars extolled Sri man Narayana's 'kalyana gunas' (noble qualities), propounding Him as 'Paratatthva', besides lauding His 'sports / feats' in various avataras (manifestations). In a short while Poigai azwar experienced the Lord through Parajnana ; Bhoothath and Pey azwars chose Parabhakthi and Parama bhakthi respectively.

Thirumazishai Azwar declares in his Nanmuhan Thiruvandhadhi that Sriman Narayana alone is 'Paratattva' and Brahma and Shiva form His body. He alone is the original cause and undertakes sustenance and dissolution of this world. We must, the azwar opines, recognize the protective quality of the Lord, and direct all the sense organs to do service to Him with love so that we achieve liberation (moksha).

Along with Thiruvoimozhi, the three works by Sri Nammazwar included in Iyarpaa contain the gist of all the four Vedas. Thiruvoimozhi's invocation declares it as 'Dravidavedasaqara'. In Thiruviruttham, the azwar assumes the 'Nayaki bhava' to convey his deep love towards the Lord, Nayaki being the jeevathma and Nayaka, the Lord, the Super soul. Thiruvashtrlyam' propounds 'the tatthva / hitha / purushartha' besides declaring the Lord as being the primary cause and the Supreme master and protector - it also delineates in detail the beauty of His idols (divya mangala vigraha). In 'Peria Thiruvandhadhi'. the azwar emphasizes the Lord as being the Supreme master and our duty is to pray to Him. 'Filled with all blemishes and sins accumulated from beginningless time, one should pray and count on His quality of mercy / kindheartedness to render you sinless and pure so that we become the lines on His feet !'

Thirumangai Azwar has written a total of six works: besides the three works of this azwar named in the list before, Thirumangai azwar's other works are Periya Thirumozhi, Thirukkurunddhandakam and Thirunedunddhandakam. Periya Thirumozhi is his magnum opus and also the biggest in the 4000 Divya Prabhandham.

In Thiruvezukkootthirukkai, Thirumangai azwar extols Aravamudhan of Thirukkudanthai and it encompasses the Vedic teachinqs to uplift the world as a whole. The azwar avers that the Lord's feet alone are our refuge. In the two madals, Shiriya Thirumadal and Periya Thirumadal, Thirumangai azwar assumes Nayaki bhava (stance) to convey his (her) intense love to the Nayaka, the Lord. The madals' central theme is 'bhagavath kaama' which is portrayed as the only route to the eternal abode, Paramapadham. 'If the Lord does not listen or heed, I will publicise His lack of attention in all places wherever He is residing !' says the Nayaki.

Amudhanaar's Sri Ramanuja Nootrandhadhi is probably the only composition on Sri Ramanuja which has the distinction of being written. by someone who was a contemporary and had moved with him, observing him from close quarters and thus enjoys the authenticity.

ii) Explanations

Explanations for all the compositions are presented in the same order as in the original; the reader can keep alongside the text in the language of his choice. Wherever necessary and to avoid repetitions, the explanations are suitably condensed keeping in view the reader's interest I time as also the overall size. It is hoped that this style of presentation, similar to that in the earlier books, will be appealing to the reader.

iii) Mudhal Azwars - a brief coverage

Mudhal azwars account for a total of 300 pasurams (verses), each one comprising 100 verses. Having had the first-hand experience of 'being with the Lord', they have effortlessly, as it were, brought out their outpourings praising the Lord exquisitely. While Poigai azwar's work is characterised by Parajnana. Boodath azwar's and Pey azwar's works exuded Parabhakthi and Paramabhakthi respectively.

Poigai azwar's Mudhal Thiruvandhadhi brings out vividly the Lord's swaroopa roopa His kalyanagunas. His two worlds, and the soul's nature (Jeevathma swaroopa). The Lord, who is constantly being served by Vasus. Rudras, Adityas, and Ashwini gods, enters our bodies to light the lamp of knowledge. The azwar commences his work by declaring that whatever we see being done in nature, is 'authored' by the Lord - the Sun for example is obeying Lord's command without a minute's break. The Lord, as Krishna / Trivikrama / Thiruvengada (archa moorthy), is described in as many as forty verses. The azwar declares that the Lord alone is our goal : praise Him, worship Him and meditate upon Him with devotion and love; surrender to Him and overcome the cycle of births and deaths.

Boodath Azwar's Irandam Thiruvandhadhi elucidates Trivikrama / Krishna in almost 30 verses and as in the case of Mudhal Thiruvandhadhi, here also the azwar is enanmoured of Thiruvsngada mudaiyaan (12 verses).

Declaring that attaining Paramapadham as the ultimate goal (purushaartha), he says our 'swaroopa' is to do kainkaryam to the Lord. He has outlined the route to reach the Lord's Thiruvadi, which should be meditated upon - 'never forget the Lord'. He has clearly elucidated that reaching Paramapadham is the ultimate goal for which kainkaryam to the Lord is the medium. And expanding on the method to go about it, the azwar says controlling sense organs, worshipping Sriman Narayana only (not the lesser gods), concentrating on His lotus feet, reciting His various names one should light the lamp of Parabhakthi 'I cannot contain the love I have towards You' The azwar declares. This azwar has also expressed his immense devotion to the bhaqavathas.

The third of the Mudhal azwars viz. Pey azwar, has highlighted everyone's prime goal viz. to attain the Lord accompained by Sri Mahalakshmi. The sarvantharyami, that Sriman Narayana is, His Thiruvadi is our supreme goal. The azwar is enamoured of Sri Krishna, and of Trivikrama no less. Together they find their feats described in almost half the work ! As with the other two preceding azwars, Thirumalai's Srinivasa is extolled in 18 verses. The Lord Himself is the upaya (way) to attain His lotus feet. 'If you take refuge in Him all sufferings flee. Therefore worship Him with all devotion'. The work propounds the 'tatthva, hitha and Purushaartha'.