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    Alwars, The Vaishnavite Saints
    Alwars, The Vaishnavite Saints
    Alwars, The Vaishnavite Saints
    Ebook50 pages40 minutes

    Alwars, The Vaishnavite Saints

    By Venkataraman M

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    A group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu in India in the eighth and ninth centuries are called 'Alwars'. They are famous for their poetry in praise of Lord Vishnu-one of the Hindu Trinity. The collection of their four thousand poems is known as the 'Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam'. These poems are in Tamil Language.

    This book contains brief details about these twelve Alwars and their compositions known as 'Paasurams'. The book is for a general study and not for broad details.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherM. VENKATARAMAN
    Release dateOct 11, 2020
    ISBN9781393113058

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      Book preview

      Alwars, The Vaishnavite Saints - Venkataraman M

      ALWARS

      THE VAISHNAVITE SAINTS

      M.VENKATARAMAN

      Year of Publication -2015

      Copyright - M. Venkataraman

      Written and Published by:

      M.Venkataraman,

      G-10, Ground Floor,

      Innovative Timberleaf,

      Somasundarapalaya,

      H.S.R. Layout, Sector II,

      Bengaluru-560102.

      e-mail: venkalp74@gmail.com

      Dedicated to my late Grandfather, S.A. Venkatarama Iyer

      Contents

      1. INTRODUCTION

      2.MUDHAL ALWARS

      3. PERIALWAR

      4. ANDAL

      5. NAMMALWAR AND MADHURAKAVI ALWAR

      6. THIRUMAZHISAI ALWAR

      7. THONDARADIPODI ALWAR

      8. THIRUMANGAI ALWAR

      9. THIRUPPAN ALWAR

      10.KULASEKARA ALWAR

      1. INTRODUCTION

      The Alwars are a group of twelve ancient Vaishnava saints who lived in Tamil Nadu in the eighth and ninth centuries. They are famous for their poetry in praise of Lord Vishnu. The collection of their 4000 poems is known as the ‘Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam’.

      Among the Alwars, the first in the line up is Poigai Alwar, Bhudat Alwar and Pei Alwar. They are collectively called as Mudhal Alwars (the first Alwars) and belong to the same period of time. The other Alwars are Perialwar, Andal, Nammalwar, Madhura kavi Alwar, Tirumazhisai Alwar, Thondaridipodi Alwar, Tirumangai Alwar, Tiruppan Alwar and Kulasekara Alwar.

      Vaishnavism is a branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu is worshipped as the Supreme God. People who follow Vaishnavism are called Vaishnavites or Vaishnavas. Vaishnavites believe that there is only one God. They believe that this Supreme God is both immanent and transcendent. In other words, He exists in all creation and exists beyond it. Vaishnavism also acknowledges the existence of many lower gods. It is believed that these gods, like all of creation, are part of Vishnu. Many Vaishnavas emphasize Vishnu's consort Lakshmi as much as Vishnu. Lakshmi is considered as the Goddess of wealth. She is regarded not as another god, but as another aspect of the Supreme God.

      The most ancient Vaishnava sect is the one founded by Sri Ramanuja. The followers of Ramanuja adore Vishnu and his incarnations. They put a symbol of two white vertical lines and a central red line on their forehead. Vedanta Desika, a follower of Ramanuja, introduced certain reforms in the Vaishnava faith. As a result, there was a formation of two parties of Ramanuja’s sect. One of them is known as the Northern School (Vadagalai) and the other the Southern School (Tengalai). The Southern School of thought regards self-surrender as the only way to salvation. The Northern School believes that it is only one of the ways. According to Northern School, the devotee is like the young one of a monkey which has to exert itself and cling to its mother. However, according to the Southern School, the devotee is like the kitten which is carried about by the cat without any effort on its own part.

      The Northern School accepts the Sanskrit texts, the Vedas. The Southerners’ School have, however, a Veda of their own

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