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Re:Azhwar Thirunakshatram

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Tatachar • November 2, 1995 


Jaganath said:

>>Can anybody throw more light on the life 
>>of these AzhwArs besides
>>this one incident?
Thanks for reminding about the thirunakshatrams.
I have found the following book a good resource in
the English language: The primary focus in this 
book is on the Life of Alvars
Reference:
Alvars of South India, by K.C. Varadachari 
Published by Bhavans Book University,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay.
I purchased this book in 1992, from:
 Vedanta Society of Northern California
2323 Vallejo Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-922-2323
I don't see it listed in their catalog . But they
may still have it.

Here is some info on the birth of these Alvars:
The three Alvars, Poygai, Putattar, 
and Pey were born miraculously of
flowers. In other words, they are
Ayonijas!
Poygai was born of a golden lotus in  tank
called Poygai ner Yathoktakari Temple in
Kanchi. He was also known as Saroyogi.

Putattar was born of Kurukatti flower
at Mahabalipuram

Pey was born of the red lotus in Mylapore, Madaras.


>>A short while later there was one more
>>knock and a person from outside wanted 
>>to get in.  There was
absolutely no room in the shack and the
>. three AzhwArs decided to come
>out and stand in the rain rather than turn
 >away a guest.  The fourth
>individual happened to be NarAyana.

The version, I have read says that the Three alvars
felt the presence of a fourth person, who was
invisible. This invisible person they described as the 
supreme Being by which everything lives and 
moves and has its being.  It is said that they 
experienced intutively the presence of Narayana
through three different channels as follows:

Poygai through transcedent knowledge (Parajnanam)
Putattar through parabhakti
Pey through Paramajnanam (Knowledge)
K. Sreekrishna