Poigai Alwar Thirunakshatram on 3rd Nov

Today 3rd of  November 2011, Thursday – Iyppasi Thiruvonam is the thirunakshatram of Poigai Alwar. The avathara Utsavam has been celebrated in various divya desams and abhimana sthalams. The Photo album of the utsavam at Kanchi on the 3rd Nov can be viewed using the link : http://tinyurl.com/647l8b6

வையம் தகளியா வார்கடலே நெய்யாக,

வெய்ய கதிரோன் விளக்காக, – செய்ய

சுடராழி யானடிக்கே சூட்டினேஞ்சொன் மாலை,

இடராழி நீங்குகவே என்று.

Sri Poigai azhwar, Bhootat azhwar & Pey azhwar were the first three azhwars (hence called Mudhal azhwars) appeared as ayOnijargal (not born out of mother’s womb) in Dwapara yuga. They appeared in 3 consecutive days, Iypasi -Thiruvonam, Avittam & Sathayam.
Poigai Azhwar appeared in a louts flower at Thiruvekka temple pond (in Kanchipuram) as an amsam of Paanchajanyam. Bhootat Azhwar appeared in a Maaadavi flower at Kadal mallai(Mahaballipuram) as an amsam of Koumedagam. Pey Azhwar appeared in a red lily flower at Aadi Kesava temple well (in Mylapore) as an amsam of Nandaki.
Once Poigai azhwar went on a pilgrimage to Thirukovilur (between Villupuram and Thiruvannamalai) to have darshan of Ulagalanda perumal. As it was raining heavily he stayed at a small place (rezhi, Idaikazhi, Dehali) where only one person can lie down and sleep. Coincidentally, Bhootat azhwar also arrived and there was space only for two of them to sit. Shortly Pey azhwar also arrived and they could only stand and spend the night. Excited about their meeting, they started conversing about the Lord’s pastimes (bhodhayanta parasparam) and suddenly they felt a fourth person squeezing them. It was none other than the Lord Himself, wanting to enjoy the anubavams along with azhwars. There they had the divine vision of Perumal and thus came Mudhal thiruvandhathi (by Poigai azhwar), Irandaam thiruvandhathi (by Bhootata azhwar) and Moondram thiruvandhathi (by Pey azhwar) each consisting of 100 paasurams. From then on they always travelled together and visited many divya desams. While on their pilgrimage, they also had the divine vision of Sita Ramar along with Lakshmanan, Bharatar & Shatrugnar at Ayoydya and Thirupathi Perumal down the hill itself (as they hesitated to step on the hill) Namazhwar & Thiurmangai azhwar hail them as ‘ In Kavi Paadum Parama Kavigal’- the greatest poets who sang the sweetest songs’ & ‘ Senthamizh Paaduvaar’- ‘ Those who sang in chaste Tamizh’ respectively. Vyakayaana Cakravarthi Periyavaachan Pillai explains that Poigai Azhwar in 1st Thiruvandhadhi beginning with ‘Vaiyam Thaliyaai’ established the ‘Paratvam’ of Sriman Narayana and gives us ‘Tattva Janam ‘. Bhootat Azhwar in 2nd Thiruvandhadhi beginning with ‘Anbe tahaLiyaa’ explains how this Janam blossoms into ‘Para Janam’. Pey Azhwar in 3rd Thiruvandhadhi beginning with ‘Thiru Kanden’ demonstrated how these two lead to the ultimate ‘Parama Bhakti’. Thus they represented the three stages (tattva trayam) of spiritual upliftment.
Swami Desikan in his Dehaleesa Stuthi (is about the same Thirukovilur perumal where the mudhal azhwars had the vision of the Lord) brilliantly compares the Mudhal azhwars andhadi’s to the triple stream of GangA. The unanimity of thought and purpose of the three AzhwArs is compared to the three branches of the same river ( srOthasthrayam ) . Hence our tradition claims to enjoy these three prabhandhams in unison. One needs to read Dehaleesa Stuthi to dwell on the avataram and special experiences of Mudhal azhwars.