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The Alvars (), also spelled as Azhwars, are the Tamil people poet-saints of South India who espoused bhakti (devotion) to the Hinduism preserver deity Vishnu through their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the Brahman.
Tradition posits the number of Alvars as ten, though there are other references that include Andal and Madhurakavi Alvar, bringing the total to twelve. Together with the 63 contemporary Shaivism Nayanars, they are among the most important saints from Tamil Nadu.
The Alvars are considered the twelve supreme devotees of Vishnu in Sri Vaishnavism, who were instrumental in popularising Vaishnavism in the Tamil-speaking regions. The Alvars were influential in promoting the Bhagavata Sampradaya and the two Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
The hymns of the Alvars are compiled as the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4000 verses, and the 108 temples revered in their hymns are classified as Divya desam. The verses of the various Alvars were compiled by Nathamuni (824–924 CE), a 9th-century Vaishnavite theologian, who called it the "Dravida Veda" or the "Tamil Veda". The songs of the Prabandham are regularly sung in various Vishnu temples of South India, daily, and also during festivals.
Scholars like S. Palaniappan (2004) argue that the original term āḷvār underwent a process of sound variation, taking the form āḻvār. This linguistic shift and the subsequent folk etymology are seen to have occurred over approximately two centuries in the Srirangam area. Some linguistic analyses show that the term was initially āḷvār (from the verbal root āḷ), meaning "to rule". In this sense it could mean "those who rule, lords". This interpretation is supported by its semantic parallel with Nāyaṉār ("lord, master"), the title given to Saivite saints. Early temple inscriptions also give weight to this etymology. The term āḷvāṉ (singular masculine form of āḷvār) is also found in earlier texts, including in reference to Vishnu's devotees and even to Vishnu himself. Andal, the only woman Alvar, is referred to as āṇṭāḷ "the lady" (literally "she who rules"). This is seen as a fairly precise semantic parallel to āḷvār in the sense of "lord" or "ruler".
The Encyclopædia Britannica says that Alvars lived between 7th and 10th centuries CE. Professor of Religion and Asian Studies, James G. Lochtefeld of Carthage College, notes in his The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, the first three Alvars Poigai, Bhoothath and Pey belonged to the 7th century; while Nammalvar and Madhurakavi belonged to the 10th century; while the rest of them lived in the 9th century.
Modern scholarship generally places the Alvars in the early medieval period. Most sources agree that the Alvars "probably lived between the sixth and the tenth centuries CE", or more specifically, between the fifth and eighth centuries CE. One source suggests their age as a class lies "between somewhere about the commencement of the 3rd century A.D. and the 9th century." This period aligns with the Pallava dynasty, Chola dynasty, and Pandya dynasty kingdoms in Tamil Nadu, a time when Tamil literature emerged.
A significant point in dating the Alvars is their relationship with Ramanuja. Scholars agree that the Alvars considerably predated Ramanuja, as his theology was heavily influenced by their teachings. This refutes earlier views by Bishop Caldwell and M. Seshagiri Sastriar, who mistakenly believed the Alvars were disciples of Ramanuja.
There are many texts that serve as key source material for the Alvar legends. The Divyasuricarita by Garuḍavāhana Paṇḍita in the 11th century CE is considered the earliest poetical work detailing the biographies of the Alvars. The Guruparampara Prabhavam is found in multiple variations such as Guruparamparāprabhāvam-ārāyirappaḍi by Pinpaḻakiyaperumāḷ Jīyar in the 13th century CE, and Guruparamparāprabhāvam-mūvāyirappaḍi by Tṛtīya Brahmatantra Parakālasvāmi in the 14th century CE. The Vārtta Malai by an unknown author of "a fairly late date" also recounts some stories and the Ramanuja connection. The Upadeśa Ratnamālai by Manavala Mahāmuni and Periya Thirumaḍi Aḍaivu by Koil Kandāḍai Nāyan, both from the 15th century CE, also provide biographical details.
Many are said to have had supernatural births rather than natural ones. Poygai Alvar reportedly emerged from a Nelumbo nucifera, Bhoothath Alvar from a madhavi flower, and Pey Alvar from a red lotus. Andal was discovered as an infant in a flower garden, and Nammalvar was found by his foster parents in the hollow of a tamarind tree.
Tirumangai Alvar's life recounts his transformation from a Brigandage to a saint. Legends include him robbing a Buddhist shrine to fund the construction of the fourth wall ( prakara) of the Srirangam temple, with the Lord's assistance. He also reportedly engaged in a poetical contest with the Saiva saint Sambandar. The only female Alvar, Andal is renowned as a bridal mystic who vowed to marry only Vishnu/Krishna. Her legend culminates in her mystical marriage to Ranganatha at Srirangam, where she is said to have been absorbed into the deity.
One legend recounts that when a Pandyan king tried to coerce Tirumalisai Alvar's disciple, Kannikrishna, to compose songs in his honor, Vishnu himself left his temple to follow the Alvar, only returning after the king humbly apologized. Tiruppan Alvar's legend highlights that he was carried on the shoulders of a temple priest, despite belonging to the lowest caste ( panchama/outcaste), into the sanctum sanctorum of Srirangam, where he merged with the deity.
After the era of the Alvars, a few of the poems from the Divya Prabandham were said to be lost. Nathmuni in the 10th century is said to have gone on search for these lost works and was blessed with the revelation of three short works by Nammalvar and around 20 poems composed by other poets.
The Āḻvārs refer to five manifestations ( avatāra) of God that make the divine accessible:
The Kṛṣṇa avatāra holds special importance due to its display of God's easy accessibility ( saulabhya). The devotion of the Āḻvārs was largely temple-centred, praising the local deities (Divya Desam). They frequently glorify God's protective and merciful nature, highlighting attributes such as easy accessibility ( saulabhya) and gracious condescension ( sauśīlya).
The Alvars also describe the nature of the individual self ( jīvātman) as an eternal spiritual entity characterized by knowledge ( jnāna) and bliss ( ānanda), yet eternally subordinate ( śeṣa-bhūta) to the Supreme Being. They frequently used the term adiyēn (subservient) to signify their dependence on God. A distinctive theological concept in their hymns is the idea of subordination not only to God, but also to the devotees of God, expressing the ideal of becoming the servant of the servants, who are servants to the servants of God's servants.
The central ideology is the idea of absolute surrender to the deity. They advocated implicit faith, ardent devotion, and utter surrender of will and action to Viṣṇu. Prapatti (self-surrender) is often seen as the only effective means ( sādhana) for complete and final liberation.
The attainment of God is believed to be possible only through the Lord's grace. They accepted both grace linked to human effort ( sahetuka-kṛpā) and spontaneous, unconditioned grace ( nirhetuka-kṛpā).
This devotional path is also expressed through the hymns of key Alvars, notably Nammalvar and Tirumangai Alvar, who often assume the role of the female beloved ( nāyaki) longing for Vishnu, the divine lover ( nāyaka). This utilizes the imagery of erotic love (Sringara or rati-bhāva) as an allegory for the spiritual quest and the soul's intense craving for union with the Divine. This mystic experience alternates between the joy of communion ( samśleṣa) and the anguish of separation ( viraha or viśleṣa).
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