AMALANADIPIRAN

*AMALANADIPIRAN*by 

*TIRUPPANAZHVAR*

This Divya Prabandam called AMALANADIPIRAN, finds its place after ‘Tiruppalliyezhuchi’ as the 8th Prabandam in the first set of thousand songs referred as’MudalAyiram’. 

Although this is a short and crisp Prabandam with only 10 verses, the philosophy and the theory embedded is ten folds bigger.

Engrossed in the beauty or the soundaryam of Periya perumAL, this AzhvAr also referred as pAN perumAl or munivAhana, potrays the lord from tiruvadi to tirumudi (foot to head). 

Yoga sAstra, is said to have 8 limbs. Actually there are 7 and the 8th one being the angAngi. The same can be observed here in this Prabandam too. AzhvAr describes individually emperumAn’s kamalapAdam, undhi(bellybutton), udharabandham(girdle), tiruvAramArbu(chest), kandam(neck), chevvAi(mouth), kaNgal(eyes) and as the angAngi neela mEni(his whole body).

Let us also delve in this Prabandam and enjoy lord RANGANATHA and be bestowed with his blessings.

Tiru-pAN-AzhvAr, an expert in the  sanga kAla music  called *yAzh pAN யாழ் பாண்’* (praising the Lord while playing the lute instrument called yAzh), was blessed to describe perumAl the way he saw Him in His sannidhi.

AZHVAR TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM.

*Tiruppanazhvar biography * 

TiruppANAzhvAr was born in the city of Uraiyur, of the then Chola kingdom.  He appeared amidst the paddy crops. Found by a person from the PANar community, he was raised by the couple very lovingly. In the Tamil month of KArtigai, Rohini, he incarnated and is said to be the amsam of the mole on the chest of the lord called *Srivatsam*.

Growing up listening to the songs sung by the pANar community, even he started singing at the right age, with the instrument referred as pAN, a kind of yAzh (string instrument). His songs captivated every one’s heart.

As a result of his deep devotion towards lord Ranganatha, he never used to put his foot near the temple. He used to stand opposite the temple in the southern banks of river Cauvery and daily sing his praise similar to the enchanting music of Lord Krishna, where even the people of the upper world got mesmerised.

The Divya dampati wanted to shower their blessings and sent word for AzhvAr many a time. Hesitating to step into the temple, being from a low caste, he vetoed the offer. But one day emperumAn appeared in the dreams of his devotee ‘LokasArangar’ and asked him to bring him to the temple. As said by EmperumAn,  when logasAragar approached AzhvAr, he hesitated, but logasArangar lifted him,put him on his shoulders and in front of all the onlookers took him inside the temple. The moment AzhvAr had the darshan of emperumAn, inside the temple, he lost himself in emperumAn’s beauty and his anubhavam (experience) flowed out as 10 verses describing the lord from tiruvadi(foot)to tirumudi(head) known as *AmalanAdipirAn* and ended up saying “andar kOne aNiarangan en amudinai kaNda kaNgal matrondinai kANAve”.  Listening to this Periya perumAL accepted him and at the same moment AzhvAr merged with emperumAn.

As this AzhvAr was well versed in singing the pAN genre he came to be known as *‘pANAzhvAr’* and as he was carried by lokasArangamuni he came to be known as *‘munivAhanar’*.

AZHVAR TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM.