Tirukkurugur (Āzhwār Tirunagari)

Special Note

Svāmi Nam Āzhwār This kshethram is said to be the avatara sthalam of Nam Āzhwār. As we saw in Tirukurungudi, Nam Āzhwār's parents prayed to Kuruṅgudi Nambi for a child who would be like the Lord Himself. It is said that Kuruṅgudi Nambi Himself reincarnated as Nam Āzhwār. We shall now see the story of Nam Āzhwār, one of the most revered gurus in the Shri Vaishṇava Parampara. Forty-three days had passed since Lord Shri Krishna had ascended to Shri Vaikuṇṭham.

A childless couple, Kari and Udayanangai, visited Tirukurungudi to pray for the birth of a child. It is said that they prayed to the Lord for a child who would be like Him. As none in this universe is comparable to Him, it is noted that Nambi Himself reincarnated as Nam Āzhwār. Thus, in the Vaikasi month, under Visakha, Nakshatram, Nam Āzhwār was born. As soon as he was born, he exhibited very peculiar behavior in the form of not crying or suckling.

The couple, out of concern, is said to have taken the baby to the Adinatha Perumāl Temple to pray to the Lord for the baby's well-being. Nam Āzhwār is also said to be an amshavataram of Shri Vishwakshenar, who is said to be third in line in the Āchārya Parampara after the Lord Shrīmān Nārāyaṇa and Mahālakshmī Thāyār. The couple is said to have tied a cradle near the Tamarind tree that was present in the temple courtyard. Divine Tamarind Tree

The baby is said to have crawled out of the cradle and into a small, crater-like space within the tree, where it started a deep meditation. The baby is said to have stayed in this meditative state for sixteen years. At this time, Madhurakavi Āzhwār is said to have been at Ayodhyā and offering argyam as per his Nityakarmam when he saw a blinding light at the edge of the horizon. Recognizing the meditative nature of the divine light is said to have started to follow the light.

In pursuit of the light, Madhurakavi Āzhwār is said to have traveled south, crossing Tiruvenkatam, then Tiruvallikeni, then Shri Raṅgam, then Madurai, and finally reaching Kurugūr. When Madhurakavi Āzhwār reached the divine tree, he saw a child in a deep meditative state and was worried if the child was still alive or not. Madhurakavi Āzhwār is said to have thrown a rock near the boy to test his consciousness.

When the boy opened his eyes, Madhurakavi Āzhwār is said to have asked a question: "Sethathin Vayatrill Siriyadhu Pirandhaal Yeththai Thindru Enge Kiddakum?". Madhurakavi Āzhwār was referring to the Jeevaathma. Madhurakavi Āzhwār asked, "When the jeevaathma enters a lifeless body, how would it survive, what would it feed on, and how would it sustain itself?" This is when Nam Āzhwār is said to have first spoken by saying, "Aththaith Thindru Ange Kidakkum.".

Nam Āzhwār's reply said that the lifeless body would experience the pleasures and pains of life before attaining paramapadam or moksham. Madhurakavi Āzhwār was so stunned by the boy's response that he begged to be his disciple. Madhurakavi Āzhwār composed 11 Pāsurams in praise of his Āchārya, Svāmi Nam Āzhwār, known as Kanninun Shiruthambu, which are included among the 4000 Nalayira Divya Prabandham. When Nam Āzhwār was ready to attain paramapadam, Madhurakavi Āzhwār asked Nam Āzhwār with full of tears, what to do next.

Nam Āzhwār advised Madhurakavi Āzhwār to boil the waters of Tāmraparaṇi, and he said that an idol would form during the boiling of the water. Madhurakavi Āzhwār followed Nam Āzhwār's advice. When he had boiled the waters of Tāmraparaṇi, He got an idol of Bhagavad Rāmānuja. He was surprised to see that the idol was different from what he had expected. He went to Nam Āzhwār with the idol, and the latter told him that this idol was that of a Bhavishyadhacharya (Future Āchārya) and that he would be born 4000 years from then.

He again advised boiling the waters of Tāmraparaṇi. Madhurakavi Āzhwār once again boiled the waters of Tāmraparaṇi and finally got the idol of Nam Āzhwār. Every year on the Tirunakashthram of Nam Āzhwār, the NavaTirupati Brahmotsavam is concluded, and the teerthavaari uthsavam is performed where the idol of Nam Āzhwār is brought to the Tāmraparaṇi River, and along with Shri Sudarshana ChakrathAzhwar, Nam Āzhwār's Idol is also dipped in the holy waters of the river.