Nam Āzhwār

Forty-Three days had passed since Lord Sri Krishna had ascended to Sri Vaikuṇṭham. A childless couple, Kari and Udayanangai, visited Tirukkuṟuṅkuṭi to pray for the birth of a child. It is said that they requested the Lord for a child who would be just like Him. As none in this universe is comparable to Him, it is noted that Nambi Himself reincarnated as Nammāzhvār. Thus, in the Vaikasi month under Visaka Nakshathram, Nammāzhvār 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. Nammāzhvār is also said to be an amshavataram of Sri Vishwakshenar, who is said to be third in line in the Āchārya Paramparā after the Lord Sriman Nārāyaṇa and Mahālakshmī Tāyār. 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, Madurakavi 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, Madurakavi Āzhwār is said to have traveled south, crossing Tiruveṅkaṭam, then Tiruvallikēṇi, then Sri Rangam, then Madurai, and finally, he reached Kurugur. When Madurakavi Āzhwār reached the divine tree, he saw a child in a deep meditative state and was worried whether the child was still alive or not. Madurakavi Āzhwār is said to have thrown a rock near the boy to test his consciousness.

When the boy opened his eyes, Madurakavi Āzhwār was said to have asked a question, "Sethathin Vayatrill Siriyadhu Pirandhaal Yeththai Thindru Enge Kiddakum?" Madurakavi Āzhwār was referring to the Jīvātmā. Madurakavi Āzhwār asked When the jeevaathma enters a lifeless body, how would it survive? What would it feed on, and how would it survive? 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. Madurakavi Āzhwār was so stunned by the boy's response that he begged to be his disciple. Madurakavi Āzhwār composed 11 pasurams in praise of his Āchārya, Swami Nam Āzhwār, known as Kanninun Shiruthambu, which are included among the 4000 Nālāyira Divya Prabandham.

When Nam Āzhwār was ready to attain paramapadam, Madurakavi Āzhwār asked Nam Āzhwār, full of tears, what to do next. Nam Āzhwār advised Madurakavi Āzhwār to boil the waters of Tamraparni, and he said that an idol would form during the boiling of the water. Madurakavi Āzhwār did as per Nam Āzhwār's advice. After boiling the waters of Tamraparni, he obtained 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 Guru) and that he would be born 4000 years from then. He again advised boiling the waters of Tamraparni. Madurakavi Āzhwār once again boiled the waters of Tamraparni and finally got the idol of Nam Āzhwār.