Introduction: In Thamizh, the word AzhwAr means “one who is deeply immersed” in devotion. However, the term was increasingly applied to selected devotees of Vishnu whose primary avocation in life was to serve the Lord. In the early centuries of the Common Era, Buddhism and Jainism were the two preeminent religions which were prevalent throughout India. South Indian kings (PANDyas and PallavAs in particular) were followers of Jainism. Saivism and VaishNavism were dormant. But during the 6th through 9th centuries CE both Saivism and VaishNavism experienced a renaissance and several religious scholars came on the scene and received royal support through performance of miracles. The nAyanmArs (especially the tEvAram trinity—appar, Sambandhar, and Sundarar) and the AzhwArs (12 of them) did yeoman service to revive the two sects of Hinduism in the South.

Before Sri RAmAnujar (1017-1137) established VishishTadwaitam, there was VaishNavism cultivated by the AzhwArs dedicated to the worship of Vishnu and his avatars. There were 12 AzhwArs who were recognized as the pillars of VaishNavism. Among them one PeriyAzhwAr is placed on a pedestal. The name PeriyAzhwAr, which means great or elder AzhwAr, is a sobriquet. His given name was VishNucittar. Let us learn his life history here.

VishNucittar was born to his parents Mukunda Bhattar and Padmavalli in SrivilliputtUr in ThamizhnADu in the 9th century CE (?). Even in his childhood VishNucittar was an ardent devotee of Lord NArAyaNa. When he grew up he cultivated a flower garden adjacent to his house and offered garlands of fresh flowers daily to Lord VaTapatrasAyi, the presiding deity of SrivilliputtUr. At that time VallabhadEvan was the PANDya king who ruled from Madurai. He was a great Vishnubhaktha. However he was interested in knowing the true meanings of vEdAs. Instructed by his minister Selvanambi, he invited VEdic scholars from all around to hear their expositions on the Supreme Being. As a reward for the best exposition he offered a sac of gold coins which he tied at the top of a pole declaring that the bag would fall before the person who presented the supreme truth. Many scholars came from all over and waxed eloquent about what they knew as the supreme Lord. But they did not get rewarded.

Lord VaTapatrasAyi appeared in VishNucittar’s dream one night and commanded him to go and make the presentation to the king. VishNucittar, not well-versed on Scriptures, was quite apprehensive. But since the Lord commanded he went to the royal court in Madurai. He closed his eyes and began his presentation. The Lord sat on his tongue and out flowed a torrent of glorious exposition of the nature of VEdAs and the Supreme Being. He quoted extensively from VEdAs, Smriti, ItihAsams, and PurANams He ended his presentation by declaring that Lord NArAyaNa was the Supreme Being. The sac of gold coins immediately fell from the pole. The king was pleased and VishNucittar was given the title “BhattarpirAn” by the king and was taken along the city streets on an elephant as a special honor.

( To be contd.)

Sethuraman Subramanian
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