Dr. R. Nagaswamy #6B8E23 01-Jan-2007 The great Vedic Ṛiṣhis immortalized natural powers by creating fascinating poetic imagery, which in due course of centuries gave rise to new manifestation of the same powers by their sheer poetic appeal. The appeal was so vivid and realistic that it became impossible to accept the later imagery as an extension of the early Vedic concepts, though the Vedic roots were accepted in a vague manner. The dual powers of Agni in its destructive and also benign nature, was sung by the Vedic sages as inseparable body praised as "Agnā - Viṣhṇu" in the Vedas. This dual body, called "arccā" form in the Yajur-veda, stands for the nature of Agni, which has the terrific power to burn down anything and at the same time with its benign nature provided sufficient warmth for life and vegitation to be born and supported. The Vedic ṛiṣhis who sang these dual powers as Agnā - Viṣhṇu, themselves clarified that Agni in its terrific form (Ghorā) is named Rudra and the protective power is Viṣhṇu also called Śivā , “Ghorā anyā Śivā anyā” (yajur veda). The dual form of Agni is therefore called “Ruda – Viṣhṇu” in one form and Śiva and Śivā in another. This Agni - Viṣhṇu of the Vedas came to be deified as “Hari – hara” or “Sankara Nārāyaṇa” in the succeeding period. The same Agnā - Viṣhṇu was also called in the Vedas “Śiva and Śivā” the first word Śiva ending in short “a”(in masculine form) denoting Rudra and the second word Śivā with a long 'ā', denoting the same power in feminine form, like a mother caressing and protecting lives, that is the root of the united form Śiva and Dēvī which gave rise to the more familiar form of Ardhanāri. The same dual but combined form of Agnā - Viṣhṇu, gave rise to another concept the more powerful form - ghorā was equated to manly power and assigned the right side, while the benign power called Viṣhṇu was assigned the left side of the body. So Śiva was always given the right half of the body in Harihara or Ardhanāri form where as Viṣhṇu or Dēvī was shown on the left. Thus both Viṣhṇu and Dēvī occupied the left half, so much so they were considered, identical in some instances, and brother and sister in other instancess. Viṣhṇu is called Māyan where as the Dēvī is called Māyā. These concepts rooted in the Vedas, deserve to be noted, in connection with what follows from the writings of the Vaiṣhṇava saints Āḻvārs. The following poems of Poykai Āḻvār describes the unity of Viṣhṇu and Śiva in clear terms. “Viṣhṇu and Śiva are indeed our refuge One rides on bull while the other flies on the bird One burnt the forts of the Tripurāśuras; the other tore the heart of Hiraṇya One wears is white sacred ash, the other has the colour of black gems, One has Umā as a part of his body while the other has Lakṣhmī One has matted hair do, the other has tall crown One has Gangā on his head, and the other has sacred foot ('that measures of the world') Eṟṟāan puḷ ūrntān, eyil erittān maṇ iṭantān Nīṟṟān niḻal maṇi vaṇṇattān, kūṟṟoṟupāl Maṅgaiyān pūmākaḷān, vārcaṭaiyān nīḷ muḍiyān Gaṅgaiyān nīḷ kaḻalān kāppu Verse - 74 Śiva the puṇya who wears matted locks, and is golden in colour, and Viṣhṇu who has long feet with which he measured the world, manifest in two different forms but one remains for ever in other's body Pon tikaḻmēni purisaḍai puṇṇiyanum, Ninṟu ulakam tāya Neḍumālum - enṟum Iruvar aṅgattāl tirivarēnum - oruvan Oruvan aṅgattu enṟum uḷan Verse – 98 One is named Hara while the other is Nārāyaṇa; one has the bull and the other the bird as vehicle the text they expounded are Āgama and Vëdas, their abodes are mountain and waters. Their acts are destruction and protection, they carry in their hands, sūla and cakra, their forms are fire and clouds but their body is one. அரன், நாரணன் -நாமம்; ஆன்விடை, புள்-ஊர்தி; உரை-நூல், மறை; உறையும் கோயில்-வரை, நீர்; கருமம்-அழிப்பு, அளிப்பு; கையது-வேல், நேமி; உருவம்-எரி, கார்; மேனி, ஒன்று. - Poykaiayār Aran Nārāṇnan nāmam; ānviḍai puḷ ūrti Virinūl maṟai,uṟaiyum kōyil vaṟai – nīl Karmam aḻippu kāppu, kaiy āḻi vëḷ uruvam eri kār, mēni onṟu (It seems by saying that the texts expounded by Viṣhṇu as (maṟai) Vedas, the Āḻvār suggests the Vaikhānasa system of Vaiṣhṇava school, as the Pāñncarātrins emphasize the teaching of Āgamas. the Ekāyana school of the Sāttvatas bought by Viṣhṇu. The above three verses of Poykaiyār one of the earliest Āḻvārs, clearly point out that there was no rivalry between Śaiva and Vaiṣhṇava schools. The other early Vaiṣhṇava saint, Pēyāḻvār also echoes the same view, when he say's the Lord of Thirumalai, has the combined from the Śiva and Viṣhṇu in one. “The Lord standing on the Thirumalai (Vënkaṭam) with his hanging matted locks of hairs, and the tall crown, the śūla and cakra in his hands and the snake and golden waist chain around his waist, appear in one unified form”. Tāl cadaiyum nīḷ muḍiyum vāḷ maḻuvum cakkaramum, Sūḻ aravum pon nāṇum tōnṟumāl - cūḻum Tiṟaṇḍu aruvi pāyum tirumalai mēl endaikku Iraṇḍu uruvum onṟāy iyaindu The verse suggests, though the dual nature of head dress, weapon and waist bands are diferent, it point to Viṣhṇu and Śiva as his form inseparably united as Harihara. Thus the form mentioned by the Āḻvār as the presiding deity on top of Thiruppati was Harihara. It is evident that these early Āḻvārs recognize the inseparable nature of Śiva and Viṣhṇu in the true Vedic tradition. When later Vaiṣhṇavas refer to the prabandam of Āḻvārs as Tamiḻmaṟai, (Tamiḻ-vëda) they clearly meant that the Prabandas render the essence of the Vedas in Tamil and it is in that sense, the poems of Āḻvārs are called Tamil Vedas. A graphic description of the dance of Śiva is provided by the Vaishinavite Āḻvār - Thirumaṅgai Āḻvār in his poem Periya – Thirumaḍal . The Āḻvār sings with great veneration and fealing this portion extolling the dance of Śiva. A study of this part would raise doubt whether it comes from devout Śaiva or Vaiṣhṇava. “Umā, the golden daughter of Himavān (malai-araiyan), with coral lips and sparkling moon like smile, with swan like gaits and slender waist like a creer, performed a severe penance. Swinging his thousand arms and holding fire in his arm, his anklets sounding a resonant sound, his hair with matted locks swaying all around and wielding a trident in his hand, Śiva danced in the sky, appropriately to her penance. Umā embraced him” (lines 65 - 72). I have also shown that Nammāḻvār, the much venerated Vaishnava saint speaks at many places of the essential nature of Bahmā, Viṣhṇu and Śiva as one and the same and their nature is inseparable. This conforms to the Vedic tradition and the puranic accounts which follow closely the Vedic ideas. It is evident early Vaiṣhṇavism was truely closer to the roots of their origin and exhibit no rivalry. It seems to be of the Vedic Vaikhānasa system that we encounter in the hymns of the Āḻvārs. However a discordant note is struck, by Thirumālisai Āḻvār, when he attacks vehemently the followers of other religious systems like Jains as ignorants, the Bauddhis remain vanquished and Śiva Bhaṭṭas are silly men. All these men are mean as they do not adore Viṣhṇu”. We may say it is a perceptable deviation, and beginning of extreme sectarian divide. But this divide did not take deep root even for three to four centuries after Thirumalisai Āḻvār. Any such expression found should be considered sporadic. However the divisive tendency begins to manifest from the middle of 11th cent. This evolution deserve a separate study. In this connection we may draw attention to a text name, "Dramiḍo paniṣhad Tātparya Ratnāvali" - in Sanskrit composed by Vedānta-dēsika, the great Vaiṣhṇava scholar. This text is a commentary on Nammāḻvār's hymn - Thiruvāymoḻi. Desika calls the hymns of Nammāḻvār as Dramiḍopaniṣhad and asserts that the hymns are the essence of the Vëdas. Desika summarises the hymns in the following words:- “First this prabhandha, tells us the subject dealt with in the Vedānta (Śārīrakārtham) in 20 hymns. It expounds beautifully the various branches of Ṛik-veda with Pāṭhas. It also treats the Sahaśra śākhās of the Sāmaveda with beautiful music. They also tell us the Yajurveda, by their Śatakas detailing their lakṣhyas and finally point to the essence of the Atharva veda. ādau sārirakārthaireva viśva vedam viṁsati paṅkti sargam Saṁkṣhepo asau vibhāgam prathayati ca ṛicam cāru pāṭopapannam Samyak gītanubhaddham sakalam anugatam sāma śākhā sahaśram Samlakshyam sobhidhēyaih yajur api satakaih bhrūtyatharva rasaisca Desika clearly points out Nammāḻvār's songs are the exposition of the four Vedas and the Unpaniṣhads and so appropriately calls it Dramiḍopaniṣhad. He also suggests that the prabhandams of the Āḻvārs reflect the nature of pāṭha of Ṛg-veda, the meaning of Yajur- veda, the music of the Sāmaveda and the rasa (essence) of the Atharva-veda, and suggests the reader of Thiruvāymoḻi derives the benefits of all the Vedas together. There is a traditional prayer in Sanskrit recited by the Vaishnavites when they recite Nammāḻvār's hymns. It calls the hymns as the very ocean of "Dramiḍa Veda". It is also mentioned as the collection of Sahaśra - śākhā Upanishad. It may be remembered that the Thiruvāymoḻi hymns consist of one thousand verses. Also they are rendered to Music so they are likened to the singing of Sahaśra śākhā of the Sāmaveda. There is an important point to remember at this stage. The Vaishnavites of Tamilnad recite the Prabhandam in groups in temples and other occasions. This is an extraordinary tradition that has kept the prabandham singing alive to this day. Their Prabhandam singing resemble exactly like the Vedic recitation. It is also accessable to all sections of the people and bestow all the 'puruṣhārthas'. Thus the Vaishnava tradition clearly point to the Vedic roots of the hymns of Nammāḻvār. At this stage we may also mention that the Vaiṣhṇava tradition holds that Nammāḻvār composed his poems based on the Four Vedas. The first 100 poems of Saṭagopan consisting of thiruvṛittam were sung on the basis of Ṛg veda, the seven verses called Āciriyam were based on Yajur veda and the next 87 verses called Thirumaḍal were based on Atharva veda and finally the 1002 called Thiruvāymoḻi were based on Sāma veda. The “Sahaśra sākhā” (the branch of the thousand ) of the sāmavedathat has influenced the Āḻvār to sing the thousand verses as a group. The Āḻvār himself calls his composition as Āyiram. Also it must be mentioned that theThiruvāy moḻi hymns of Saṭagopan were meant to be sung as musical compositions as in the case of Sāma veda. The compilation of the prabandham as four books is also clearly after the division of the four Vedas. The impact of Vedic tradition on the prabandham is very well attested and as such when it is called “Tamiḻ vedam” it meant that they are theessence of the original Vedas rendered into Tamil and the present meaning attached to the prabandhams as independent Vedas in Tamil is a later connotation. However it can not be denied that the poems are not literal translations of the Vedas but their essence in their new creative forms and in that sense the later connotation is justified. With this back ground when we study Nammāḻvār's poems, the very first of the hymn of the Āḻvār strinkingly brings forth the Upanishadic concept of the supreme. It says supreme is none but the “ānando Brahma” of the Upaniṣhad “uyarvaṟa uyarnalam uḍaiyavan" (ānanda) and in the second line the Āḻvār says that the Brahman is "Vijñāna" – (Vijñānam Brahma) “mayarvaṟa mati nalam'. He is the lord of the Celestials; he is of the nature effulgence sacred fire" - (Savitā). In the eighth verse of the first decad the Āḻvār clearly brings out the Trinity aspect of the Supreme. In fact, the first ten verses of the Thiruvāymoli, are nothing but clear exposition of Upaniṣhadic meaning. அவரவர் தமதமது அறிவு அறி வகை வகை அவரவர் இறையவர் என அடி அடைவர்கள்; அவரவர் இறையவர் குறை இலர்; இறையவர் அவராவர் விதிவழி அடைய நின்றனரே This verse at the very first hymn of Nammāḻvār is almost a direct reflection of the Gita verse in which Krishna says those who worship me in whatever form they chose their worship is accepted by me. “Yo yo yām tanum bhaktah śraddhayā arccitum icchati Tasya tasyācalām śraddhām tām ëva vidadhāmyaham” Gita. 7.21 We have seen that Thirumaḻisai āḻvār has referred to Gita pointedly as taught by Kriṣhna, much earlier to Nammāḻvār. Also according to Vaisṣṇava tradition Nammāḻvār details the tenets of Vedantic doctrine Sārīrakārtha (Ātma jñāna) in the first few hymns of his Thiruvāymoḻi which was called Dramiḍopanishad , and his 1000 verses equated to the Sahaśra sākhās of the Sāmaveda. Vëdānta desika says that Nammāḻvār gave the essence of all the four Vedas it must be interpreted in that spirit and the first hymn of Nammāḻvār be taken as referring Para-brahman. சுரர் அறிவு-அரு நிலை விண் முதல் முழுவதும் வரன் முதலாய், அவை முழுது உண்ட பராபரன் புரம் ஒரு மூன்று எரித்து, அமரர்க்கும் அறிவியந்து, அரன் அயன் என, உலகு அழித்து அமைத்து உளனே The Āḻvār mentions the Supreme lord as Trinity and is categorical in his statement it is Vishnu who is Śiva and Brahmā ஒன்று எனப் பல என அறிவு-அரும் வடிவினுள் நின்ற நன்று எழில் நாரணன் நான்முகன் அரன் என்னும் இவரை ஒன்று நும் மனத்து வைத்து, உள்ளி, நும் இரு பசை அறுத்து, நன்று என நலம் செய்வது அவனிடை நம்முடை நாளே. Nammāḻvār repeats the same வலத்தனன் திரிபுரம் எரித்தவன், இடம்பெறத் துந்தித் தலத்து எழ திசைமுகன் படைத்த நல் உலகமும் தானும் புலப்பட, பின்னும் தன் உலகத்தில் அகத்தனன் தானே; சொலப் புகில், இவை பின்னும் வயிற்று உள; இவை அவன் துயக்கே That the lord is Harihara with Śiva on his right side and that Brahmā who emanated from his navel created this world. ஏறனை, பூவனை, பூமகள்-தன்னை, வேறு இன்றி விண் தொழத் தன்னுள் வைத்து, மேல்-தன்னை மீதட நிமிர்ந்து, மண் கொண்ட மால்-தனின் மிக்கு ஓர் தேவும் உளதே The āḻvār firmly believed that Siva (Eṟṟan), Brahmā (Pūvan) and Pūmakal (Sri) are inseperably one with Viṣhṇu by saying “vēṟu inṟi” with out distinction. புணர்க்கும் அயன் ஆம்; அழிக்கும் அரன் ஆம்; புணர்த்த தன் உந்தியொடு ஆகத்து மன்னி: புணர்த்த திருஆகித் தன் மார்வில் தான் சேர் புணர்ப்பன் பெரும் புணர்ப்பு எங்கும் புலனே. This verse also reflects the same concept. திரு-உடம்பு வான் சுடர்; செந்தாமரை கண்; கை கமலம் திரு இடமே மார்வம்; அயன் இடமே கொப்பூழ்; ஒருவு இடமும் எந்தை பெருமாற்கு அரனே; ஓ! ஒருவு இடம் ஒன்று இன்றி, என்னுள் கலந்தானுக்கே. Here the āḻvār speaks of the Trinity concept பன்னிரு நாமப் பாட்டு "பண்ணிய தமிழ்-மாலை ஆயிரத்துள் இவை பன்னிரண்டும் பண்ணில் பன்னிரு நாமப பாட்டு அண்ணல்-தாள் அணைவிக்குமே" That he consciously composed 12 verses in this hymn, devoting each verse to one of the Vedic names of Viṣhṇu as Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Madhava etc indicates that he was consciously formatting his poems on the Vedic tradition. Also that he mentions from the very beginning of his hymns that his verses are part of the thousands. It is clearly an indication the Āḻvār had the Sahaśra śākhā of the Sāmaveda before him and consciously planned to compose thousand verses. These poems can not be considered spontaneous compositions but well planned structured poems based on the Vedic traditions Finally we may see Nammāḻvār at the end of the Thiruvāymoḻi in unequivocal terms proclaims that he attained salvation by adoring “Ari, Aran and Ayan” (Brahmā, Viṣhṇu and Śiva). It clearly bears the imprint of Nārāyaṇa sūkta of the Veda which says the Supreme is “sa Brahmā sa Hari, sa Śiva, sa Indra sa Akṣhara, Paramh Svarāt”. Thus opening and closing verses (what is called in the Sanskritic tradition as upa-krama and upa-saṁhāra) of Thiruvāymoḻi hymns of the Aḻvār speak of the concept of unity of Trinity which is his main message and that is Vedic in character. It is evident that in this Vedic approach to Āḻvār's poems there is no scope for exclusivism. January 31, 2007