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Scriptural legacy

CHENNAI: The lineage of preceptors in the Srivaishnava tradition begins with Nathamuni who lived in the 9th-10th centuries A.D. He is the bridge between the Azhwars and the other preceptors who consolidated the system of Ubhaya Vedanta (both the Vedas and the Nalayira Divyaprabandham are scriptural authority). The Azhwars were mystics whose hymns in Tamil were lost due to the flux of time and it was by providence that two pilgrims visited Viranarayanapuram (Kattumannarkoil) were Nathamuni lived and sang before the deity there the decade of verses of Nammazhwar’s Tiruvaymozhi beginning with “Aravamude”.

In his discourse, Sri M.A.Venkatakrishnan said Nathamuni was overjoyed to hear such a profound hymn and wanted them to chant the entire composition as the decade concluded with references : “This decade of the 1000 verses sweeter than flute melody, sung by Kurugur Satakopan who found refuge at the feet of Krishna…” They did not know more but he had enough leads in the verses. He went to Kurugur (Azhwartirunagari) and made enquiries. No one knew the Tiruvaymozhi. But he got a lead from Parankusadasar there who told him that he knew the hymn “Kanninum siruthambu” on Nammazhwar (Satagopa) composed by his disciple Madhurakavi Azhwar. He advised him to recite this hymn with concentration under the tamarind tree, inside the hollow of which Nammazhwar had sat in Yogic contemplation, until he graced him.

Nathamuni was a great adept in Ashtanga yoga which now came in handy to accomplish such a marathon task that would have deterred anyone else. Nammazhwar revealed himself after he chanted the hymn 12,000 times without sleep or food. Pleased with his sincerity he not only gave him the Tiruvaymozhi but also the entire Nalayira Divyaprabandham (approximately 4000 verses) comprising the hymns of all the Azhwars, which Nathamuni codified and taught his disciple Uyyakondar, who in turn taught them to Manakkalnambi. Nathamuni also set them to music for singing them in temples (Araiyar sevai) and trained his nephews, Melaikathazhvan and Keezhaikathazhvan, to perpetuate this legacy.

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