Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Thirumazhisai Alwar was born to
Bhargava Rishi and his chaste wife Kanakangi in a village Thirumazhisai in
Kanchipuram. After an unusual stay of
twelve months in mother’s womb the fetus came out was a lifeless lump of
flesh. The couple was deeply depressed
at their fate and abandoned the lump of flesh in a bamboo woods and proceeded
for spiritual journey. Lord Vishnu & Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi
blessed the new born into a fully matured child. Later, this baby was found by a poor planter
couple, Thiruvalan and his wife Pankayachelvi.
They considered the child as a gift from God and named him Bakthisara.
Thirumazhisai Alwar was born in the
year Siddharthi with the birth star Makam in the Tamil month Thai on a Shukla
Paksha Prathama Thithi. He was an
incarnation of discus/Sudarshana Chakram of Lord Vishnu, one of the
Panchayudham. From early childhood, Bakthisara
was discarded worldly interests; he immersed in meditation and refused to have
food for living for several years. Thiruvalan
and Pankayachelvi were deeply worried about the health of their son, eventually
Pankayaselvi sought advice from a sage, he predicted that the child born to them
was not an ordinary child and he would be known to the world for his devotion
and dedication to Lord Vishnu.
Thirumazhisai Alwar composed 216
enchanting verses praising the glories of Lord Vishnu in his famous composition
Nanmughan Thiruvandhadhi (96) and Thiruchandha Virutham (120) respectively. Once
an old couple visited Bakthisara and offered him cow’s milk, after consuming a
certain portion Bakthisara advised Pankayachelvi to have the remaining the milk. In due course of time, Pankayachelvi
conceived a child and gave birth to a son, Kanikannan. Later, Kanikannan became favorite disciple of
Bakthisara.
Bakthisara completely discarded
material life and visited many holy places.
He practiced Yoga, attracted to the teachings and philosophies of
Sankhya, Nyaya, Purva & Uthara Mimamsa, Ashtanga Yoga and other schools of
philosophy and finally immersed in silence.
Once, Bakthisara was immersed in
meditation inside a cave, the brilliant rays emanating from the cave caught the
attention of Muthal Alwar, they met a divine saint absorbed in the meditation
surrounded by the hue of brilliant rays.
The very moment Muthalwars decided to initiate the trivia of Vaishnavism
to the saint that would bring liberation to him. Poigai
Alwar planted a plant upside down on the path where Bakthisara would use to go
for bath to the nearby tank and started watering the plant. Bakthisara renounced the practice of silence
and engaged in a rewarding conversation with Poigai Alwar. Bakthisara was enlightened with the ultimate
truth that the meditation without the knowledge of conviction in the existence
of the Supreme Lord would be equivalent to planting a plant upside down and
watering the same. Muthal Alwars brought
Bakthisara into the glorious path of Vaishnava Siddhantha and sanctified with
the title Thirumazhisai Alwar, he engrossed in the study about the philosophy
of Vaishnavism and became a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. He performed many miracles with his divine
powers. It was the time Thirumazhisai Alwar
tirelessly served the Lord at Thiruvetka with his disciple Kanikannan. There was an old woman who was devoted her
entire life in cleaning the temple premises, engrossed in the selfless service
to Lord. It was her earnest desire to
serve the Lord like in her past days; it was her grief that she was not able to
perform any of the services like previously as she was grown old. Thirumazhisai Alwar felt empathy on her and
transformed her into a young attractive maiden.
The Pallava King who was ruled this city fallen in love with the maiden
and married her. This couple lived wonderfully
for several years and the King had the insatiable desire to remain young seeing
his wife’s everlasting youth, he approached Kanikannan and demanded him to sing
praising his glories, also revealed his yearning to remain young. Kanikannan
turned down the request of the King, hence he was ordered to exile from the
city. Thirumazhisai Alwar came to know
about the happenings, eventually received the verdict of King to expel
Kanikannan from Kanchipuram.
Thirumazhisai Alwar decided to leave the city with his dearest
disciple. He rushed to Lord Varadaraja/Sonnavannam
Seitha Perumal/Yatothkari Perumal and revealed his choice and earnestly prayed
to Lord to leave Kanchipuram with them.
Kanikkannan Pokindran Kamarupoong
Kachi
Manivanna ! Ni Kidakka Venda
Senna Pulavarum Pogindren Neeyum
Unthan
Pai Naga Pai Suruttikkol
The compassionate Lord obeyed the
request of his devotee and left Athigiri with Alwar and Kanikannan. The people of Kanchi realized the absence of
Lord in the sanctum sanctorum and rushed to the King. The King realized his foolishness and
requested Alwar to return to Kanchi, eventually Alwar and Kanikannan along with
the Lord Varadaraja returned to Athigiri once again.
Thirumazhisai Alwar was on his way
to Thirukkudanthai, stayed in Thiruperumpuliyur where he saw a group of Brahmins
were reciting Veda; they put a sudden halt to chant after witnessing
Thirumazhisai Alwar as he was born in a lower caste. Alwar gracefully left the place without
creating further impediments to their chant.
But the Brahmins were entirely forgotten the text where they left and
where they have to begin. Alwar realized the anxious state of the Brahmins;
he took a grain of paddy and opened it and cut it into two pieces from this sign
the Brahmins were realized the text where they had exactly left and
recommenced. Shortly, the Brahmins
realized their folly and begged for forgiveness.
Thirumazhisai Alwar composed
Nanmugan Thiruvandadhi contains 96 verses and Thirucchandhavirutham contains
120 verses praising the eternal glories of Lord Vishnu. He had visited twenty Divya Desam (Thiru
Kapisthalam, Thiru Anbil, Thiruevvul, Thiru Ooragam, Thiruvallikkeni,
Thiruppernagar, Thirukkurungudi, Thiruvekka, Thiruppadagam, Thirukoshitiyur,
Thirukkudanthai, Thiruvengadam, Sri Rangam, Azhagarkovil, Koviladi,
Thirupparkadal) and sung praising the glories of Lord. There were many miraculous incidents happened
throughout his life was added the glories to Thirumazhisai Alwar.
Thirumazhisai Alwar arrived at
Thirukkudanthai, he tossed the palm leaves containing the sacred text
‘Thiruchanddha Virutham’on the brimming river of Cauvery, but it drifted back
to him. At last, Thirumazhisai Alwar
attained Samadhi at Thirukkudanthai.
Nindrathu Enthai Ooragathu
Irunthathu Enthai Padagathu
Andru Vekkanai Kidanthu
Yennillath Munnellam
Andru Nan Pirandilen Pirandapin
Marandilen
Nindrathum Irunthathum
Kidanthamun Yen Nenjulle
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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