Period : 7th C. AD
Place : Thirumazhisai
Month : Thai
Star : (Natshatram) Magam (Magha)
Day : Sunday
Father : Parkkava munivar
Mother : kanakanki
Other Names : Bhakthi-saarar, Bhaargavar, Magisaaraapuriswarar, Mazhisai-piraan
His works : nanmukan tiruvantati, tiruccata viruttam
Songs : 216
Hamsam : Sudarshanam ( Cakkarattalvar )
This AzhwAr was an incarnation of Sudarsana Chakra (the divine discus of Lord Vishnu). He was born to Barghava Muni and KanakAngi at Tirumazhisai near KAnchipuram. Even though the fetus was in the mother's womb for
an unusual 12 months, when delivered it was without arms, legs etc. The parents left it at the foot of a bush of cane shrubs in the forest. Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi appeared and blessed the child which then became fully developed into a lovely baby.
A childless tribal couple called Tiruvaalan and Pankaya Chelvi engaged in cutting canes found the child and took it home. The child would not eat or drink anything nor did it show any signs of expelling waste material from its body. When an old agriculturist couple offered milk in a bowl, the child drank it with relish. One day, the couple drank of the milk left over by the child. They regained youth and in due course had a son born to them whom they named as 'KanikaNNan'.
Thirumazhisai decided to learn about all other religions. So, he studied Buddhist, Jain and other literature. He became a staunch devotee of Siva assuming the name of Siva VAkya. One day, he saw an old man planting a plant upside down and then trying to water it with a broken pot using a tattered rope to lift water from a waterless well. Sivavakyar asked him why he was attempting such a foolish act. The old man was none other than Pey AzhwAr who replied that what he was doing was only less foolish than Sivavakya's allegiance to Saivam, knowing full well that the Vedas and Smritis proclaim Sri Narayana as the Supreme deity.
As a result of an argument with Pey Azhwar, he finally got initiated into Srivaishnavam by Pey Azhwar. After visiting several temples, he reached Tiruvekka, the birthplace of Budat Azhwar. Tirumazhisai Azhwar himself says
"sAkkiyam katrOm, SamaNam katrOm, SankaranAr aakkiya Aagamanool
aarAindhOM; BhaggiyathAl venkaTkariyAnai SerndOm"
meaning -
" We learned SAkkiyam (jainism) SamaNam (Buddhism) and did deep research into the doctrine of Saivam; which were all totally
misleading. Luckily, we landed at the feet of TiruvengadathAN as a SrIvaishNavan"
Impressed by the service rendered by an old spinster, he restored her youth with unsurpassed beauty as desired by her. She married the Pallava king who learned of the secret of her youth. He wanted to regain youth himself. She told him to approach Kanikannan for the purpose.
- When Kanikannan was summoned to court, he refused to come; When asked to compose a verse on the king, he refused to compose one on a mere mortal;
When told that the king was an aspect of the Lord, he composed a verse on the Lord and not on the king. This enraged the king who banished him from his kingdom.
On hearing this, Thirumazhisai requested the Lord in his puja to leave the place. He sang:
KanikaNNan Poginraan Kaamaru poong Kachi /
ManivaNNaa! Nee Kidakka Vendaa/
Sennaap Pulavanum Poginren Neeyum Unran /
Pai Naagappaayai Suruttik KoLL /
meaning -
" KanikaNNan is going out of kAnchi Oh! Manivanna!, You don't have to lie here anymore. Since, as the fluent poet that I am also leaving with him, you also roll your serpent bed and follow me"And, accordingly all of them left KAnchipuram.
When they left, Kanchi became desolate. The king realized his folly and requested Thirumazhisai and Kanikannan to forgive and return. Thirumazhisai prayed to the Lord that in view of the King's repentance, they might return. He sang again-
KanikaNNan Pokkozhindaan Kamarupoong Kachi /
ManivaNNa ! Nee Kidakka Vendum - Thunivudaiya /
Sennap Pulavanum Pokkozhinden- Neeyum Unran /
Pain NAgap Paayil Paduthuk KoLL /
meaning -
" KanikaNNan has changed his mind and rescinded his decision to leave Since, as I, the fluent poet am also returning with him, You may also return and lie down on your serpent bed as before "All of them returned accordingly and KAnchipuram regained its lost glory.
Since the Lord did as He was told by the Azhwar, he came to be called 'Yatotkari' and 'Sonna vannam Seitha Perumal'- meaning 'the Lord who acted as told'
Once, when Thirumazhisai was steeped in Bhaktiyoga,Lord Paramasivan and his consort Parvati Devi wanted to grant him some boon. But, the Azhwar being a Paramaikantin would have none from them. When they insisted on his requesting some boon, he asked whether they could grant him `Moksham". Lord Siva replied that he was incapable of granting this, as it was in the sole domain of Lord Narayana only and conferred on the Azhwar the honorific of "Bhatisarar". Azhwar refers to this incident saying "penilum varam thara midukillAtha devar" Deities who are incompetent to grant the boon he desired.
One day, when on his way to Tirukkudanthai, he stopped for a while for rest and he sat on a pial of a house in Perumpuliyur. A few Brahmins were reciting Vedas. On seeing him, they stopped their recitation since Veda was not to be recited in the presence of a stranger. The Azhwar understood and was about to leave when the Brahmins started their recitation. They did not remember at what point they had left the recitation. The Alwar broke open a paddy seed with his fingernail to indicate the exact context, which had a reference to the paddy seed. The Brahmins realized the greatness of the Alwar and begged to be excused.
An important point to be borne in mind in this connection is that as the AzhwAr was the incarnation of "Sudarsana Chakram", his brilliance was so powerful that it literally blinded the Brahmins who became stupefied, nonplused and speechless. That is the reason why they stopped the recitation, not exactly because the AzhwAr was a Non Brahmin.
When the Archaka (priest) of the local temple wanted to honor him, some objected and spoke ill of the AzhwAr. The AzhwAr prayed to the Lord to show himself to these people. He sang :
Akkarangal Akkarangal Enrum Aavadhu En Kolo /
Ik Kurumbai Neekki Ennai Eesanaakkka Vallaiyel /
Sakkaram Koll Kaiyane Sadankar Vai Adangida /
Ut Kidantha VaNName Puram Posindhu KaaTTidE /
meaning -
" What is the use of your having those resplendent hands if you cannot remove the idiosyncrasy of these ignorant folk and make me powerful in their midst? O1 Lord with the divine discus in your hand ! Teach these fools a lesson by showing yourself appearing in my very body" The Lord showed himself off in the body of AzhwAr and the onlookers were astonished and begged forgiveness.
On reaching TirukkuDanthai (Kumbakonam), he let the birchbark leaf containing his writings in the waters of river Kaveri. The leaf floated back to him holding his works viz.,'Tiruchanda Viruttam'(a poem of beautiful verses) in which he sang the following beautiful verse:
814:
nanRirundhu yOkan^eedhi
naNNuvaar_kaL sindhaiyuL,
senRirunthu theeviNnaikaL
theerththathEva thEvanE,
kunRiruntha maadan^eedu
paadakaththu moorakaththum,
ninRirunthu veqkaNaikki
danthathenna neermaiyE? (63)
meaning -
" Before I was born, He was standing in Ooragam, was sitting in Paadagam and was lying down in Tiruvekka. .At that time I was not born with wisdom; When once I was born with this wisdom, I never forgot. Therefore, the Lord left all those places and has taken permanent abode in my heart".
The idea is that the great JnAnis never considered themselves as born at all until they realized this 'Artha JnAnam'. And, once they realized this, they had no other avocation than being immersed in the thought of the Lord. This is how MumukshuppaDi explains this sentiment.
He refers to the inseparable-ness of ParamAtma and JeevAtama when he makes the powerful statement- " I cannot exist without you nor can you exist without me" "Naan unnaiyanri ilEn kaNDAi nAraNanEnee ennaiyanri illai"
The Divya Desams consecrated by Thirumazhisai AzhwAr
He went the most Divyadesams to sang and obeyed lord narayana.
A total of 108 Tirupatis Peyalvar separately consecrated of 2 temples.
1. Kapistalam (Gajendra Varadhan Thirukovil , kapistalam, Thanjavur)
2. anbil (vativalakiya nambi Thirukovil, in anbil, Trichy)
A total of 108 Tirupatis Peyalvar along with other Alvars consecrated of 11 temples.
Thirumalisai Alvar, Thirumangai Alvar, (1)
1. Thiru urakam (ulakalanta Perumal Thirukovil, Kanchipuram)
Thirumalisai Alvar, Peyalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, (1)
1. Triplicane (Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane, Chennai)
Thirumazhisai Alwar, Periyalvar, Nammalvar, Thirumangai Alvar (2)
1. Tirupper Nagar (Blog appakkutattan Thirukovil, koyilati, Thanjavur)
2. Thirukurungudi (ninra nambi Thirukovil, Thirukurungudi, Tirunelveli)
Thirumazhisai Alwar, Peyazwar, Poigai Alwar, Tirumangai Alwar, (1)
1. Tiruvekka (Sonna vannam Seitha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram District)
Thirumalisai Alvar, Peyalvar, Bhoothathalva, Thirumangai Alvar, (1)
1. Tiruppatakam (Pandava tuta Perumal Temple, tiruppatakam, Kanchipuram)
Thirumalisai Alvar, peyalvar, Bhoothathalva, Periyalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, (1)
1. thirukoshtiyur (sauvmiya narayanapperumal Temple, thirukoshtiyur, Sivaganga)
Thirumalisai Alvar, peyalvar, Bhoothathalva, Andal, periyalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, Thirumalisai Alvar, Nammalvar (1)
1. Kumbakonam (sarankapani Temple, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur)
Thirumalisai Alvar, peyalvar, Bhoothathalva, Poigai Alvar, Nammalvar, Andal, Periyalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, Kulashekhara Alvar, Thiruppaan Alvar (2)
1. Thiruvenkadam (Venkatachalapathy Temple, Tirupati, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh)
2. Tirupparkatal
Thirumalisai Alvar, peyalvar, Bhoothathalva, Poigai Alvar, Nammalvar, Andal, Periyalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, Kulashekhara Alvar, Thiruppaan Alvar,
Thondaradippodi Alvar (1)
1. Srirangam (Ranganathan Temple, Srirangam, Trichy
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