Srimate ramanujaya nama:🙏
Swamy, devarir had posted a deep rooted and multi dimensional question(which includes few distinct explanation within our acharyas but will see one aspect of it). Apologize for long post😅
Azhwars are personalities who had extreme bhakthi and completely sinked in bhagavat guna anubhavam. This outstanding prabhavam makes anyone to ‘THINK’ azhwars as avatharam of nithya suris such as chakram, shankam etc(as exhibition of such devotion is only possible for them) or bhagavan himself!
But in reality they are none of the above! They are one amongst samsari chethanas but had “kevala nirhethuka bhagavath kripai” through which they got rised to level of “azhwars”. Bhavagan had selected few chethanas and blessed them with bhakthi and by them he revealed (not created!) 4000 divya prabhandam, hence its also called dravida vedam. This is very evident from their own pasurams itself, one such example is famous nammazhwar’s thiruvaimozhi pasuram “Mayarvara madhinalam arulinan..” where azhwar states emperuman himself gave “Bhakthi roopapanna gyanam” to azhwar!
Initially it may be taken with a pinch of salt but this point is so clearly explained by Swamy Azhagiya manvalaperumal nayanar in his work called “Acharya hurdhayam”. He establishes the point that azhwars are chethanas but with nirhethuka kripai rised to level of so called azhwars with various pramanams. One famous suthram from 2nd prakaranam goes “athri jamathakni…” In that he brings all possible explanations given for azhwars such as “yuga varnakrama avathram”(avathram of perumal in kaliyuga), vyasathivathu aavesam(aavesa avathram).. many such possibilities ..and finally concludeds that its none of the above-mentioned but whereas azhwar is someone on whom just bhagvat kripai got laid so he rised to that level!
Adiyen had just made a reference here.Vellukudi krishnan swamy in his lectures of Acharya hrudhaya kalakshepam has delt this in very detail.
Now still the question remains why it is then said that azhwars are ayutham or abharnam of perumal??
As its said their prabhavam and their way of pasuram and the bhavam in that RESEMBLES a nithya suri/ayutham/bhagavan himself!
Like for example: Thirumazhisai azhwar did para matha kandanam just like chakarathazhwar kills all enemies so he is praised as “chakraamsam”(Makayam makaremaase chakraamsam.. thaniyan)
Similarly periyazhwar did paratatva nirnayam just like gurada azhwar explicitly shows who is paramatma, so he is considered as garuda azhwar amsam. But these are ONLY ment for stortams(exception Sri Andal as she is boomi pirati)
In conclusion:
1. 12 azhwars are individual samsari chethanas who only by nirhethuka bhagavat kripai rised to level of such standards!
2. Praising azhwars as nithya suri/thiruvabharanam/ayudham/ perumal himself is due to their prabhavam and the correlation they had common between them!
Adiyen had just reiterated few points which I listened from swamy’s various kalakshepam. If any mistakes are there kindly correct me.
Shamikka prathikiren
Adiyen dasan🙏
