Chandra Prabhai for Azhagiya Singar and Sri Nathamunigal Sarrumurai

On the 4^th day Evening it was ‘Surya Prabhal’ in the morning and the cool ‘Chandra Prabhai’ in the evening  for Sri Azhagiya Singar.   Today, 21^st June 2013 is ‘Aani anusham’ – the birth star of our Acharyar Nadhamunigal.  Acharyar Nathamunigal had purappadu with Sri Thelliya Singar.

Sri Nadhamunigal was born at Kattumannar Kovil which has a big lake and known as Veeranarayanapuram after the presiding deity ‘Veera Narayanar’.  The lake veeranam has its name thus.  It is our Acharyars who steer us towards the boundless mercy of Sriman Narayanan. All of us daily start with our ‘thaniyan’..

ஸ்ரீ  சைலேச தயாபாத்ரம் தீபக்த்யாதி குணார்ணவம்

யதீந்திரப் பிரவணம்  வந்தே  ரம்ய  ஜாமாதரம் முனிம்!

லக்ஷ்மிநாத சமாரம்பாம் நாதயாமுன மத்யமாம்

அஸ்மாதாசார்ய பர்யந்தாம் வந்தே குரு பரம்பராம்!

லக்ஷ்மி நாத சமாரம்பாம் என குருபரம்பரையின் முதல் ஆச்சார்யரான நம்  பெரிய பெருமாள் ,  பின் திருமா மகள், சேனை முதலியார், நம்மாழ்வார், அடுத்து  'நாலாயிர திவ்யப்ரபந்தத்தை' தொகுத்து,  ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவர்கள் அனைவரும்  அனுசந்தானம் பண்ணும்படியான அரிய செயலை செய்த மஹான்  நாதமுனிகளை நடுவாகக்  கொள்கிறோம் 

This way, we hail our glorious preceptor Sri Nathamunigal as in the midst of all our Acharyars starting from Sriman Narayana,  Srimath Lakhsmi Pirattiyar, Senai Muthalvar, Swami Nammazhwar ….then Nathamunigal… these Acharyars by their deeds and words have delivered us the tradition, wisdom and pride of being a Srivaishnavaite. After the great Azhwars, there was a period when the ‘divyaprabandhams’ rendered by them were lost in oblivion; it was Sri Nathamunigal who got them back; he is credited with the regenesis of  ‘Divya Prabandham’.

Sri Nadhamunigal was born in  Anusha nakshatra of ‘Ani’ month at Sri Veeranarayanapuram [Kattumannar Kovil].  Sri Nathamuni went on a long pilgrimage that took him to Divya Desams like Mathura, Vrindhavan, and other holy places including Puri.  Upon hearing some Srivaishnavaites reciting Thiruvaimozhi pasuram ‘Aaravamuthe’ ~ he followed its trail tracing it to the Thiru Kurugoor; with the divine blessings, collated Sri Nalayira Divyaprabandham and thence onwards these hymns are continually sung in  Divyadesams and other Sri Vaishnavaite temples,  Dravida  Veda.

After him, the Guru paramparai mantle passed on to Uyyakondar, Manakkal nimbi and  thence to Yamunacharyar @ Aalavandhar, the grandson of Natha Munigal.  Nathamunigal was also a great Bhakti Yogi and practiced the Yoga of eight accessories ( ashtAnga yoga); he authored the  treatise “Yoga Rahasya”.  He was also an exponent of divine music  who initiated the ‘singing of divyaprabandham ~ now known as Arayar Sevai’.

The seed for illustrious Sri Vaishnava lore and system was sown by Sri Nathamuni, germinated in Sri Yamunacharya, attained pinnacle of its glory in Sri Ramanuja continues to flourish through Sri Vara Vara Muni and his successors.

Salutations to Naatha muni who had the single minded devotion to the Lord and who is the treasure of both Gnaana and Vairaaghya.  At Thiruvallikkeni Sri Nathamunigal had purappadu with Lord Azhagiya Singar in Chandraprabhai. Here are some photos taken during the Brahmothsava purappadu of Sri Azhagiya Singar.

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.