Ancient Tamil Hymns (Pasurams) from 4000 Divyaprabandham - "Kovil Thiruvaimozhi" (Swami Nammazhwar)

Sri Devadirajan Perumal (Maha Vishnu) Seva @ Shangu Chakra Gadha Padmam - My Home Thirumaligai (Sanctum) on Makara Sankaranthi 2013 (Thai Pongal). The accompanying Tamil Hymn (Thiruvaimozhi) from 4000 Divyaprabandham is rendered by U.Ve. Kannan Swamy.

The images and clips used in this Video are of my Home Deities during Prayer Observance (Sanctum). The audio/sound recordings are used where ever necessary without any commercial intentions or monetary benefit according to "Fair Use" and mainly for educating audience into Vaishnavism, Dravida Vedam (Divyaprabandham), Works of Acharyas, Sanskrit Vedic Hymns, Shlokas, Mantras, Carnatic and Devotional music by providing visuals for better appreciation and for listening pleasure & spiritual realization. Most of the Shlokas, Mantras, Vedas and Divyaprabandhams are available in Public Domain and is recited in all Vaishnava Temples & 108 Divyadesams.

The Thirumaligai hosts Sriman Narayana with his Consorts Sridevi-Bhudevi, Sri Mahalakshmi , Sri Yoga Narasimha, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, Sri Dolai Kannan (Bala Krishna), Sri Aandal, Sri Ram Parivar, Sri Ramanuja , Sri Manavalamamuni & Sri Satyanarayanaswamy. All Alangarams, Daily rituals (Thenkalai Nithyanusandhanam Sampradaya) and Kainkariyams are performed for the Lord including all auspicious events. Panchaparva Seva & Thirumanjanam (Holy Bath) is performed on Ekadesi, Amavasya, Purnima and when Revathi Star is in Ascendence.

Nammalvar also Nammazhwar,Nammaazhvaar, Nammazhvar, Nammaalvaar, Nammalwar;Tamil: நம்மாழ்வார்) was one of the twelve Alvars.Well known for his many hymns on devotion to Vishnu. Legend gives him the date 3102 B.C. (i.e., the beginning of the kali yuga). He was born in the asterism Visakham, in what is now Alwar Thirunagari, Tamil Nadu. His name means "our own Azhwar (azhwar means "one immersed in God"). He was also known as Maran and Sadagopan.

His contribution of four works (numbering 1296 hymns) to the four thousand of the Divya Prabhandham includes the entire fourth thousand and part of the third thousand. these works are

Thiruvaimozhi (1102 verses),
Tiruviruttam (100 verses),
TiruvAsiriam (7 verses) and
Periya Tiruvanthadi (87 verses).

Tiruvaymozhi describes Ranganatha as a metaphor to discussing the philosophical details in

The nature of the paramatma (divine soul)
The nature of the jeevatma (living soul)
The means for the jeevatma (living soul) to attain the goal of Paramatma (divine soul)
The blocks and hurdles on the way and
The goal moksha (divinity).

In the Srivaishnava canon, these four represent (in Tamil language) the four Sanskrit vedas, respectively, the Sama Veda, Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. According to tradition "He poured the cream of these vedas" into his songs and poetry that were the result of deep mystic experience. Though Nammalvar did not visit any of the 108 divyadesam temples talked about in the Vaishnava religion it appears from his works he must have had the vision of all the archa forms in the temples he had glorified in his hymns.

The Nalayira Divya Prabandham (Tamil: நாலாயிர திவ்ய பிரபந்தம்) is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses (Naalayira in Tamil means 'four thousand') composed before 8th century AD, by the 12 Azhwars, and was compiled in its present form by Nathamuni during the 9th -- 10th centuries. The work is the beginning of the canonization of the 12 Vaishnava poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively even today. The works were lost before they were collected and organized in the form of an anthology by Nathamuni.

The Prabandha sings the praise of Narayana (or Vishnu) and his many forms. The Azhwars sung these songs at various sacred shrines. These shrines are known as the Divya Desams (Holy Abodes of Vishnu)

Thirumangai Alwar, the last of twelve Alwars sang one of his divine Pasurams (Thiru-Nedun-Thaandakam) to Lord Ranganatha. The Lord (Emperuman) was pleased by the meaning of the pasuram and granted two boons to Thirumangai Alwar. The Alwar took this propitious moment and asked Lord Ranganatha the following two boons:

1. The Lord with his divine consorts should listen to the divine Pasurams, Thiruvaimozhi

2. The sacred verses of Alwars i.e. 4000 Divya Prabhandams should be given the equal status in terms of authority and supremacy to that of Vedas. Lord Ranganatha agreed to the above request and singing of 4000 verses (Divya Prabhandham) has become the Sri Vaishnava tradition of worship. This is celebrated as the Adhyayana Utsavam in Sri Vaishnava temple such as Srirangam and Tirumala.

The Adhyayana Utsavam is celebrated Ten days before Vaikunta Ekadasi in the morning hours (called "Pagal Pathu", also known as "Thirumozhi Thirunal); and Ten days after Vaikunta Ekadasi in the evening hours (called "Irapathu", also known as "Thirivaimozhi Thirunal").