SRI PERIYAZHWAR

Periyazhwar

Details about birth
Sri periyazhwar was born 47 years after the onset of kali yugam
5th son of sri Mukunda Bhattar
Month- Ani
Birth star-Swathi
Sukla paksham
Ekadesi

Mithune swathijanma Vishnorathamasyam Dhanvinah pure
prapadye sarvasriyam vishnoh vishnuchittam purassikham

(I surrender to Vishnuchittar ,known as periyazhwar born in the month of ani constellation swathi as the mount of Vishnu ,amsam of Periya Tiruvadi,at Srivilliputtur(Dhanvinahpuram) in a poorvashikha Brahmin family who became the father in law of the lord.)

This great azhwar born as the son of mukunda bhattar and padmavalli was named Vishnuchittar by his parents.
Right from his childhood days he was devoted on sriman narayana and used to contemplate on the lord for most of the time. As he grew up he brought a small place and converted it into a nandavanam( flower garden) He used to spend most of his time in cultivating the garden in effort to produce more and more flower's for the lord.

He choose the kainkaryam of plucking flower's in the morning and weaving an excellent garland out of it.He used to prepare garlands of various types for the lord take them to the temple and enjoy the scene of the lord wearing the garlands.He used to get immense satisfaction and happiness from singing songs in praise of the lord.

Vallabhadevan a great Vishnubhakta was the ruler of Madurai during Periyazhwar's time He wanted to know the inner meaning of vedas and supreme truth.His minister suggested that he could invite Vedic scholars from various places and the king could ask questions and receive clarifications and also reward those who came out with the most satisfactory replies.

Thus an offficial notice was sent all around the kingdom,inviting all scholar's to make a presentation to the king about the supreme being and the supreme truth. One night the lord appeared in Periyazhwar's dream and asked him to make a presentation to the king. Periyazhwar said O lord! i do not know anything ,i have used my hands for cultivating the flower garden ,not studying the vedas.The lord told him not to worry and that he would assist him totally during the presentation.So when the appointed day came periyazhwar left for Madurai.Well known vedic scholar's and pundit's came to Madurai,some in showy palanquins.A bag of gold coins was hung on the top of the king's durbar and it was announced that the bag of gold coins would fall before the presenter whose presentation represented the truth. .

Periyazhwar came,and stood before the king closed his eyes and began his presentation.The lord came and sat on his tongue,and out flowed a glorious presentation-the statement of the supreme truth.He concluded by saying that Sriman Narayana was the supreme Being.The bag of gold coins fell before periyazhwar.There was joy all around. Sri Periyazwar was taken along the streets of Madurai on a Elephant as a special honour.As he was going along the lord appeared in the sky on the garuda vahanam with mahalakshmi to bless periyazwar. Fearing for the safety of the lord Sri Periyazwar composed the THIRUPALLANDU

Periyazhwar Tiruvadigale saranam