Swamy Dasan Adiyen
Alwars are bhaktha jivas or Nithya Suris some say they are amsam of Sankha,Chakra,Gadha,Kausthabha and so on.and other says they are Nithya Samsari and some others say Nithya Suris provide their power to one bhaktha,which is true swamy. If they are Nithya Samsari who are they in their previous birth any reference are there who are they in their previous birth.
This is very confusing swamy, kindly clarify this swamy.
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha,
The 12 Alvars were considered incarnations of ParaVasudevan’s divine accessories (NithyaAtma’s) imparted on a BhadhAthma. They appeared in material world to spread Bhakti.
Adiyen have not heard in Swami’s upanyasam which BhadhAthma they were in previous birth, as it is immaterial.
Divine Incarnations of ParaVasudevan’s Attributes:
Poygai Alvar: Panchajanya/Shankham (conch)
Bhoothath Alvar: Kaumodaki (mace)
Pey Alvar: Nandaka (sword)
Thirumalisai Alvar: Sudarshana (discus)
Nammalvar: Vishwaksena (Vishnu’s commander)
Madhurakavi Alvar: Garuda (divine eagle/mount)
Kulasekhara Alvar: Kaustubha (gem on Vishnu’s chest)
Periyalvar: Garuda (sometimes cited as Ratha/chariot)
Andal: Bhoomi Devi (Goddess Earth)
Thondaradippodi Alvar: Vaijayanti (garland)
Thiruppaan Alvar: Srivatsam (mark on Vishnu’s chest)
Thirumangai Alvar: Saranga (bow)
Adiyen recommend to listen to Swami’s upansyasam on “Alwargal Vaibhavam”
Adiyen (ElayaAlwar) Srinivasa (DhaddayacharyAr) Dasan
It is a question of belief. We don’t know the authenticity of our ancestors, who declared that so and so alwar is so and so amsam. When it was declared. Whether it is true or not. We cannot establish it.
But one thing, Mudhal Aazhwaargal, Thirumazhisai Alwar and Nammalwaar did not attach themselves with material life. Kulasekara Alwar was an honest and straightforward Bhakta. Thiruppanalvaar, we don’t have much news about him except that he was always immersed in divine music. So, we can assume that he was also not attached with material desires. The Alwars who were affected by material desires were Thirumangai Alwar, Thondarapadi Alwar and later on were saved by Lord Vishnu. The pasurams of Periyalvar, Aandaal, Madurakavi Alwar (Nambinen madavaraiyum mun ellaam naan), Aandaal involve many bodily desires and explicitly mentions private body parts like Kongai, Algul etc. etc. – these get divine sanctity as these expressions are done towards Lord Krishna.
In my opinion, Naalaayiram Prabhandams are the expressions of personal experiences of various bhaktas. These personal experiences are unique to each person depending on his natural swaroopa. So, they should be studied as Bhakti Literature. Only selected prabhandams, which are of purely spiritualistic nature, should be sung in temples.
