Dravida Veda - Ancient Tamil Hymns from 4000 Divyaprabandham - "Periya Thirumozhi" (5th Decad)

Thirumangai Azhwar's Pasuram Recital - Sri Devadirajan Perumal (Sriman Narayana/Maha Vishnu) Prakara Seva @ Shangu Chakra Gadha Padmam - My Home Thirumaligai (Sanctum) During Vaikunta Ekadesi 2014 Mahotsavam - Pagal Pathu Utsavam - Day 5 (Dec 26, 2014) . The accompanying Tamil Hymn (Periya Thirumozhi - Fifth Ten) from 4000 Divyaprabandham is rendered by Dr. M A Venkatakrishnan Ensemble

The images and clips used in this Video are of my Home Deities during Prayer Observance (Sanctum). 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.

Thirumangai Azhwar or Thirumangai Mannan (8th century AD) is the last of the 12 Azhwar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar and the most superior Azhwar in the context of composition of verses. He holds the title Narkavi Perumal, the mark of an excellent poet, and Parakala (Beyond Time). The traditional date attributed to Thirumangai is year 399 of Kaliyuga, that is 2702 BC, making him traditionally the last of the Azhwar saints. AzhwAr learnt of the efficacy of the divine name "Narayana" from our Lord Narayana Himself!.

He immediately burst out to sing the poem "Periya Thirumozhi" (Great divine poem) consisting of 1,084 verses. The first ten of these verses are dedicated to the name "Narayana." These first 10 emotional verses give aid and comfort to people.

Azhwar comes down hard on himself with intense self criticism for the violence he had caused, though for a good cause, for having sought fleeting worldly pleasures, for having squandered his days on mundane pursuits. He ends each of these ten verses with a celebration of the divine name Narayana, for after finding this sweet name, Azhwar declares, he was free from all the sins and assured of the everlasting bliss at the lotus feet of our sweet
Lord Narayana. His compositions were : 1. Periya thirumozhi 2. Periya thirumadal 3. Siriya thirumadal 4. Thiru nedunthandakam (TNT) 5. Thiru Kurunthandakam(TKT) 6.Thiru vezhuk kurrirukkai. His pasurams are marvellous; excellent and have unsurpassed beauty in them. Parasara Bhattar made use of his TNT to win over his counter part, an advaitin scholar in his arguments and later the advaitin became his disciple 'namjeeyar'.

Periya Thirumozhi is the composition of hymns illustrating the greatness of Vaishnava shrines and their presiding deity as well as God's numerous attributes. His songs extol the largest number of shrines - over 40 forms of Vishnu, from Badrinath in North India to Thirukkurungudi in the extreme South. Thirumangai also discusses causes of human suffering and ways to overcome it to achieve salvation. Vedanta Desika praises the work as "a deep insight in spiritual knowledge".

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").