From the Bhakti List Archives

• December 3, 2001


SrI:
NamO NarayanA:

Dear Sri Vaishnavas:

AdiyEn would like to share a brief thought
on the Divya Prabhandham - particularly on
the Naalayiram.

We all know there are different theories
On arriving at the total of 4000 of the
Azhwar's Sacred hymns.

However, if Poorvachariyars have named it
as Naalayira Divya Prabhandham, then there
should be some meaning to it.

In AdiyEn's view, the title Naalayiram 
May NOT refer to the number 4000. AdiyEn
feels that Naalayiram could mean:

1. Nangaiyum aarayum
   [it is our general practice that we always
   ask "Naalu per", or see "Naalu pakkam"....
   In this context, Naalayiram could have been
   named to state that the Azhwar's Sri Sookthies
   have been penned - after a research on various
   aspects of defining Paramatma, Jivatma ....

2. Nangaiyum aarayum
   Another reason could be, as Azhwar's Sri Sookthies
   are also referred as Tamizh Marai, Naalayiram could
   mean that Nangu Vedhangalai Aarayum. It is a fact
   that Azhwars have given the meanings of 4 Vedas
   in Tamil and hence could be named as Naalayiram

3. Nangaiyum Aarayum
   AdiyEn also feels that since Azhwar's Sri Sookthies
   establishes Visistadvaitha - as against other Mathams
   at that time, this could also mean to say that
   Nangaiyum aaraindhu [meaning, after checking on other
   samayams].

   We have the lives of Thirumazhisai Azhwar who has
   studied the other samayams and then established
   the supremacy of Visistadvaitha. Similarly, other
   Azhwars speak of Buddha, Samanam etc., in their 
   paasurams.

To sum this up, AdiyEn feels that the term "Naalayiram" vis-à-vis
the title in Naalayira Divya Prabhandam may only mean that these
great paasurams are here after a thorough research and to establish
the supremacy of Sriya:Pathi Sriman Narayanan.

AdiyEn would like to have feedback from Sri Vaishnavas
and my humble apologies if there is any error in my
views.

dAsan
Anand
4th December 2001

Srimad Azhagia Singar Thiruvadigale Saranam
Shrimate Shri Seetha Ramachandra Parabrahmane Nama

_____________________________________________
               chant NAMO Narayana
_____________________________________________



--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/