Introduction

An Introduction to the 108 Divyadesams

The Divya Desams are defined explicitly as shrines where the divine saints known as Āzhwārs have sung hymns of praise, also known as Mangalaasasanam. These Āzhwārs are considered to be Amsams (manifestations) of Sriman Nārāyaṇan himself.

There are a total of 108 Divya Desams. Of these, 106 are located on Earth (105 in

India, 1 in Nepal), while the remaining two are celestial abodes: Thiruppārkadal (the

Ocean of Milk) and Paramapadam (Vaikuṇṭham).

Understanding the Āzhwārs and Their Devotion:

A unique insight into the Āzhwārs reveals that "Not all Āzhwārs lived at the same time.".

While some, like Periyāzhwār and Āṇḍāḷ, or Nammāzhwār and Madhurakavi, knew each other, others lived centuries apart. Their immersion in divine bhakti transcended timelines, as they expressed their spiritual experiences through poetry.

A profound principle regarding the Āzhwārs is that "Quantity Doesn't Equal Status." It is emphasized that "It's about depth of devotion, not number of verses". For instance, while Nammāzhwār and Tirumaṅgai Āzhwār composed over 1000 Pāsurams, Madhurakavi Āzhwār composed only 11. Significantly, Madhurakavi Āzhwār's verses

were not even on Perumāḷ (Lord Vishṇu) but on his Āchārya, Nammāzhwār. Despite

this, "each is revered equally", underscoring the qualitative nature of their devotion.

It is also crucial to distinguish Āzhwārs from other deeply revered figures like Kūrattāzhwān, Chakrattāzhwān, or Prahlāda Āzhwān. While these figures are indeed revered, they are "not part of the 12 canonical Āzhwārs". The title "Āzhwār" refers explicitly to "one who is fully immersed—āzhndu pōnavaṛku—in Perumāḷ-bhakti".

The twelve canonical Āzhwārs are:

1. Poigai Āzhwār (7th Century AD, Kanchipuram, Amsam: Panchajanya/Conch)

2. Bhoothath Āzhwār (7th Century AD, Mahabalipuram, Amsam:

Kaumodakee/Mace)

3. Pey Āzhwār (7th Century AD, Mylapore, Amsam: Nandhagam/Sword)

(Poigai Āzhwār, Bhootath Āzhwār, and Pey Āzhwār are collectively known as Mudhal

Āzhwārs).

4. Tirumazhisai Āzhwār (7th Century AD, Thirumazhisai, Amsam:

Sudarsanam/Discus)

5. Tirumangai Āzhwār (8th Century AD, Thiru Kurayalur, Amsam: Sharngam/Bow)

6. Tondaradipodi Āzhwār (8th Century AD, Thirumandangudi, Amsam:

Vanamaalai/Garland)

7. Tiruppan Āzhwār (8th Century AD, Uraiyur, Amsam: Srivatsam)

8. Kulasekhara Āzhwār (8th Century AD, Thirvanjikkolam, Amsam:

Kaustubham/Gem Necklace)

9. Periya Āzhwār (9th Century AD, Sri Villiputhur, Amsam: Garuḍa/Chariot/Vehicle)

10.Sri Andaal (9th Century AD, Sri Villiputhur, Amsam: Bhoodevi)

11. Nammaazhwar (9th Century AD, Āzhwār Thirunagari/Kurugoor, Amsam:

Viswaksenar/Commander of Army)

12.Madhurakavi Āzhwār (9th Century AD, Thirukollur, Amsam: Vainatheya/Garuḍa)

Compilation of Pāsurams (Hymns):

The Āzhwārs composed their divine hymns, collectively known as Naalayira Divya Prabandham, in adoration of the deities of the 108 Divya Desams. These verses, in simple Tamil, encapsulate the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Vyāsa's Brahmasutras. It was the scholar-saint Nathamuni, in the 10th century, who diligently retrieved and compiled this treasure of bhakti literature. The Sri Vaishṇava guru parampara (lineage of preceptors) begins with Lord Sri Nārāyaṇa himself and centers around Sri Nathamuni and his grandson Sri Yamunacharya.

Nathamuni specifically compiled the works of Āzhwārs upon listening to the Tamil hymn "Aravamude,"

composed by Nam Āzhwār, at the Tirukudandai temple.

Understanding how Āzhwārs' verses were linked to specific temples is a result of

scholarly effort. As Āzhwārs "never kept a diary" and "sang and moved on," scholars

like Periyavāchān Piḷḷai meticulously identified terms like "Kozhi" as Uraiyūr, linking

verses to temples. This mapping process sometimes resulted in "Some temples appear

multiple times" within the compiled Pāsurams.

Postures of Presiding Deities:

The presiding deities in these Divya Desams are found in various Thirukkolams

(postures):

● Reclining posture (Kidantha Thirukkolam) in 27 Divyadesams

● Sitting posture (Veetrirundha Thirukkolam) in 21 Divyadesams

● Standing posture (Nindra Thirukkolam) in 60 Divyadesams

An interesting note on posture classification is that "Such temples challenge neat classification by posture or Āzhwār," as exemplified by Thirunēermalai, which uniquely "features four forms of the Lord: Standing (nindra-kolam), Sitting (irunda-kolam),

Reclining (kidantha-kolam), and Walking (nādandha-kolam)".

Geographical Classification of Divya Desams:

The regional classification of Divya Desams into logical groups is attributed to "Swāmi

Pillai Perumāl Iyengar's Insight." This revered Āchārya "proposed a geographic

framework based on rivers and ancient kingdoms". The 108 Divya Desams are thus

categorized as follows:

● Chola Nādu: 40 Divya Desams

● Tondai Nādu: 22 Divya Desams

● Pandya Nādu: 18 Divya Desams

● Malai Nādu (Kerala): 13 Divya Desams

● Vada Nādu: 11 Divya Desams

● Nadu Nādu: 2 Divya Desams

● Vinnulaga Tirupatigal (Celestial): 2 Divya Desams (Thiruppārkadal and Paramapadam)

Vaishṇava Agamas and Branches:

The Agamas are texts derived from the Vedas, detailing various forms and methods of worship. The Sri Vaishṇava Sampradaya recognizes two authoritative Agamas:

Pancharatra Agama and Vaikhanasa Agama.

Pancharatra is considered the primary source of authority for Sri Vaishṇavas and is believed to have been revealed by Lord Vishṇu Himself. It took five days for the Lord to teach this method of worship, hence the name Pancharatra, meaning "work of the five nights". Vaikhanasa Agama is primarily utilized for temple worship and is restricted to a specific group of Vedic priests. While

Pancharatra is more universal and widely used to propagate Vishṇu worship among the masses, the Kerala Tantram is followed in Divyadesams in Malainadu, and Badrinath follows a protocol established by Adi Sankaracharya.

Within the Srivaishṇava school, two main branches emerged after Sri Rāmānuja:

Vadakalai (Northern) and Tenkalai (Southern). Although named geographically, there is no real geographical polarization. This distinction likely arose from the former emphasizing the Sanskrit Vedas (prevalent in North India) and the latter stressing the importance of the Tamil Divya Prabandhams (commonplace in South India). Despite these philosophical differences, "both in temple worship and in the hearths and homes, the two streams have been so integrated and observed by both the branches".

Swami Sri Vedānta Desika is often associated with the Vadakalai sect. Still, his monumental

works in both Sanskrit and Tamil suggest he and his followers could be more accurately termed 'Ubhaya Kalai' (both Kalais).

Significance of "Perumāl":

The Tamil word "Perumāl" is used in the Vaishṇava tradition to denote both the

Supreme Divinity and the idol (archa) of the Divine. The word combines "perum"

(meaning 'the great,' 'the gigantic,' 'the supreme') and "al" (meaning 'personality'),

corresponding to the Sanskrit term 'purushottama'.

Current State of Temples:

While kings and local rulers historically patronized these temples with funds and jewelry for their upkeep, maintenance, and the conduct of Utsavams, it is regrettable that presently some of these temples are neglected, and funds are often squandered. Many temples now rely heavily on philanthropists, visiting pilgrims, and devotees, or bhaktas, for financial support to conduct even their daily rituals.

Fortunately, members of several Vaishṇava and religious groups are taking supportive steps by choosing a temple of their choice to organize the conduct of Nitya pooja for a day, and participating in the rituals. Your kainkaryam (voluntary service) in this direction, in any form, is welcome.