Poigai Alvar was one of the twelve ''
Alvar'' saints of South
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, who are known for their affiliation to
Vaishnava
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...
tradition of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. The verses of ''
Alvars
The Alvars () are the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused '' bhakti'' (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, in their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the ...
'' are compiled as ''
Nalayira Divya Prabandham
The Naalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil language, Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars. It was compiled in its present form by Nathamuni, Nāthamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical ...
'' and the 108 temples revered are classified as ''
Divya Desam''. Poigai is one of the three principal ''Alvars'', with the other two being
Bhoothath Alvar and
Peyalvar, collectively called ''Mutalamalvargal,'' who are regarded to be born out of divinity. Poigai composed hundred verses that are classified as ''
Mutal Tiruvantati,'' and his composition is set in the ''
antati'' style, in which the ending syllable is the starting one for the next verse.
According to traditional account, the first three ''Alvars'' belong to ''
Dvapara Yuga'' (before 4200 BCE). As per Hindu legend, Poigai was found in a small pond near the Yadhotakaari temple at
Tiruvekkaa. In Tamil, small pond is called ''poigai'', and since he was found in a pond, he got the name Poigai.
As per legend, the three ''Alvars'' were once confined in a small dark enclosure during a rain in
Thirukovilur and they experienced a fourth individual among them. They found out that it was god Vishnu and Poigai Alvar wished to see his face continuously but could view only from the simmering light of the lightning. With a view to maintain the continuity of light, he instantly composed hundred songs wishing light to emerge. The other two continued composing hundred songs each on Vishnu. The works of these earliest saints contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism. Along with the three Shaiva
Nayanmars, they influenced the ruling
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
kings of the South Indian region, resulting in changing the religious geography from
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
to the two sects of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
.
Alvars
The word ''Alvar'' means the 'immersed', referring to the poet-saints's deep devotion to their supreme deity,
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
. The ''
Alvars
The Alvars () are the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused '' bhakti'' (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, in their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the ...
'' are considered the twelve supreme devotees of
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
in
Sri Vaishnavism
Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vi ...
, who were instrumental in popularising
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...
during the 5th to 8th centuries CE. The religious works of these saints in
Tamil, songs of love and devotion, are compiled as ''
Naalayira Divya Prabandham,'' containing 4000 verses, with each of the 108 temples revered in their songs is classified as a ''
Divya Desam''.
Dalal
Dalal may refer to:
* Dalal, alternative name for the black grasswren of Western Australia
* Dalal (name), Arabic and Indian name
* Dalal Street
Dalal Street (), () is the metonym for the financial markets of India, the Indian financial ser ...
2011, pp. 20-21 The saints had different origins, and belonged to different classes. According to tradition, the first three ''Alvars'', Poigai, Bhoothath, and Pei, were born miraculously. Thirumalisai was the son of a sage, Thondaradi, Mathurakavi, Periya, and Andal were from
Brahmin
Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
varna, Kulasekhara from the ''
Kshatriya
Kshatriya () (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya) is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
'' varna, Namm from a cultivator family, Tirupana from the ''
Tamil Panar'' community, and Tirumangai from the ''Kalvar'' community.
''Divya Suri Saritra'' by Garuda-Vahana Pandita (11th century CE), ''Guruparamparaprabavam'' by Pinbaragiya Perumal Jiyar, ''Periya tiru mudi adaivu'' by Anbillai Kandadiappan, ''Yatindra Pranava Prabavam'' by
Pillai Lokacharya, commentaries on ''Divya Prabandam'', Guru
Parampara (lineage of Gurus) texts, temple records and inscriptions give a detailed account of the ''Alvars'' and their works. According to these texts, the saints were considered incarnations of some form of Vishnu. Poigai is considered an incarnation of ''
Panchajanya'' (
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
's conch), Bhoothath of ''
Kaumodaki'' (Vishnu's mace), Pey of ''
Nandaka'' (Vishnu's sword), Thirumalisai of ''
Sudarshanam'' (Vishnu's discus), Namm of ''
Vishvaksena'' (Vishnu's commander), Madhurakavi of ''Vainatheya'' (Vishnu's eagle,
Garuda
Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...
), Kulasekhara of ''
Kaustubha'' (Vishnu's necklace), Periya of Garuda (Vishnu's eagle), Andal of
Bhudevi (Vishnu's wife,
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
, in her aspect as Bhudevi), Thondaradippodi of ''Vaijayanti/
Vanamalai'' (Vishnu's garland), Thiruppaan of ''
Srivatsa'' (An auspicious mark on Vishnu's chest) and Thirumangai of ''
Sharanga'' (Rama's bow). The songs of ''Prabandam'' are regularly sung in several the Vishnu temples of South India daily and also during festivals.
According to traditional account by
Manavala Mamunigal, the first three ''Alvars,'' namely, Poigai, Bhoothath and Pey belong to ''
Dvapara Yuga'' (before 4200 BCE). It is widely accepted by tradition and historians that the trio are the earliest among the twelve ''Alvars''.
Along with the three Saiva
nayanmars, they influenced the ruling
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
kings, creating a Bhakti movement that resulted in changing the religious geography from
Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and
Jainism
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
to these two sects of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
in the region. The ''Alvars'' were also instrumental in promoting the
Bhagavata cult and the two epics of India, namely, ''
Ramayana
The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
'' and ''
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
''. The ''Alvars'' were instrumental in spreading ''
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...
'' throughout the region. The verses of the various ''Alvars'' were compiled by
Nathamuni (824-924 CE), a 10th-century Vaishnava theologian, who called it the "Tamil Veda".
Early life
Poigai was found in a small pond near the Yadhotakaari temple at
Tiruvekkaa.
[ Madhavan 2007, pp. 17-20] In Tamil, a small pond is called a ''poigai'', and since he was found in a pond, he got the name Poigai. At Kanchipuram there is a temple inside the Deva-sarovara lake. This temple enshrines an idol of Saroyogi in a recumbent posture with eyes closed in meditation. From childhood, Poigai was deeply devoted to Vishnu. He mastered all the Vaishnava speeches, and followed the Vaishnava tradition. He was variously known as Ayonigi, Saro-yogi, Kasara-yogi, Poigai-piraan, Saravora Munindra and Padma-muni.
Dalal
Dalal may refer to:
* Dalal, alternative name for the black grasswren of Western Australia
* Dalal (name), Arabic and Indian name
* Dalal Street
Dalal Street (), () is the metonym for the financial markets of India, the Indian financial ser ...
2011, p. 308
Composition
As per Hindu legend, Vishnu appeared to the ''Mutal Alvars'' (first three ''Alvars'') at
Thirukkoilur. It was day time, but it darkened and started raining heavily. The wandering Poigai Alvar found out a small hide out, which has a space for one person to lie down.
Bhoothath Alvar arrived there looking for a hiding place and Poigai Alvar accommodated him, with both sitting together. In the meanwhile, Pei Alvar also came to the same place as all the three preferred to stand because of lack of space. The darkness became dense and inside the small room, they were not able to see each other. In the meanwhile, they felt a fourth person also forced his way among them. The three ''Alvars'' realised from the light of the lightning that the fourth one had a charming face that was sublime and divine. The trio could immediately realize that it was
Vishnu
Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
who was huddling among them. Poigai Alvar wished to see Vishnu's face continuously, but could view only from the simmering light of the lightning. With a view to maintain the continuity of light, he instantly composed hundred songs wishing the earth to be a big pot full of ghee like an ocean where the sun could be the burning wick.
The song is also interpreted as the ''Alvar'' praying to god to remove the darkness and ask for his unlimited knowledge and power.
Bhoothath Alvar also sang 100 songs imagining to light the lamp constantly through ardent love for him.
Peyalvar sang another 100 songs, where he described the enchanting charm of the divine face and the association of Narayana equipped with
chakra
A chakra (; ; ) is one of the various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, part of the inner traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism.
The concept of the chakra arose in Hinduism. B ...
and
sankha, and his divine consort, the goddess Lakshmi.
[ Chari 1997, pp. 16-17]
Poigai composed hundred verses that are classified as the ''
Mutal Tiruvantati''. Poigai's composition was set in the antati style. The word anta means end, and adi means beginning. The antati style has ending word or the syllable of each verse as the beginning word of the succeeding verse and the last word of the hundredth verse becomes the beginning of the first verse, making the hundred verses a true garland of verses. The works of these earliest saints contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism.
The verses of the trio speak of
Narayana (another name for Vishnu) as the supreme deity and they refer frequently to
Trivikrama and
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
, the
avatar
Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...
s of Vishnu.
Worship
There is a shrine dedicated to Poigai in the
Yathothkari Perumal Temple tank called ''Deva Sarovaram'' where his image is depicted in reclining posture.
Poigai has revered
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in one,
Thirupaarkadal in one,
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in ten,
Thiruvikrama Perumal Temple in two,
Vaikuntha
Vaikuntha (), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil language, Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the Parabrahman , supreme deity in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism' ( ...
in two and
Tiruvekkaa in four verses. Alvar Utsavam is a festival celebrated annually during the birth date of the saint based on
Tamil calendar
The Tamil calendar (தமிழ் நாட்காட்டி) is a Sidereal time, sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, and by the Tamil ...
in the Yathothkariswami temple at Tiruvekka.
Mangalasasanam
There are 20 of his pasurams in the Naalayira
Divya Prabhandham. He has sung in praise of six temples.
Notes
References
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External links
{{Alvars
Alvars
Vaishnava saints
Tamil Hindu saints
People from Kanchipuram district
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