Sri Poigai Alzhwar
Place: Thiruvekkha (Yatthoktakaari Sannidi), Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu,
Year: Sidartthi
Month: Aipasi / Ashvayuja Masam
Star: Thiruvonam / Sravana
Paksham: Sukla Paksham
Tithi: Ashtami day and Tuesday
Amsam (incarnation of): Panchajanyam (divine conch of the Supreme Lord)
Compilation: Mudal Thiruvandadi
Also known as: Saro yogi, Kaasaara yogi, Poigai Piraan, Padma Muni, Kavinyarporeyeru
Taniyan(Invocatory verse of glorification to an Acharya which is usually composed by a disciple)
Thirunakshatra Taniyan:
Tul:aya:m sravane:ja:tam ka:nchya:m ka:nchana va:rija:th |
Dwapare pa:nchajanya:msam saroyogina mashraye ||
Nitya Taniyan:
ka:nchya:m sarasi hEma:bjee ja:tham kasa:ra yo:ginam |
kalayae ya: ssriya:pathyu: ravim dheepamakalpayath ||
I meditate on Poigai AzhwAr who was born in the pond in thiruvekkA out of a golden lotus flower and who lit the divine lamp using the radiant sun to have the vision of sriman narayanan.
Azhwar’s history
- Poigai Alwar (Saro Yogi) appeared 3100 years before the start of kaliyugam i.e. around 8200+ years before as of 2016.
- Mudhal (first) azhwars consist of three azhwars all together.
- In the pond (poigai) in Yatho:ktaka:ri Perumal Sannidi(place) in the gold lotus flower he is been found. As he is found in pond(poigai) he is named after that.
- From the Childhood, his thinking was always on the almighty, Sriman Narayanan and made up his mind that he should follow him and want to spread his fame to the world. He learnt all the Vaishhava’s speech and acted according to it and led his life as how a Vaishnava should be
– He keeps visiting multiple holy places (divya desasams) and spread the spritiual knowledge.
– He is able to see the Sriyahpathi (Supreme Lord) in everything he sees (e.g. Tree, Stone, Human, Animal etc).
The entrire universe is split into 4 categories of elements:
1. Human Beings
2. Tiryak (things which can fly, swim,crawl)
3. Still Objects (like Stone, Hills, Homes etc)
4. Jangamas (These are the ones which supports other categories e.g. Air, water, Sun etc devathas)
As per Vedas, Lord Srimannarayana is the base for all these 4 categories of elements and the one of the person who has realised it is Poigai Alwar. Poigai Alwar composed the first 100 verses starting with the words ‘Vaiyam Tagaliya, Varkadale Neyyaaga’ (the universe being the lamp and the oceans being the lubricant).
Vaiyam Thagaliyaa Vaar Kadale Neyyaaga
Veyyak Kadirone Vilakkaaaga
Sudar Aazhiyaan Adikke Soottinen Son Malai
Idar Aaazhi Neengukave Enru
Meaning:
” Lord Srimannarayana is the cause of this wonderful universe and the seas; He holds the divine discus; As a means to cross the miserable ocean of ‘Samsara’, I am dedicating this garland of verses. I had His vision in the light of the lamp of earth, the lubricant ghee being the waters of the ocean. The bright Sun is the one that sheds light on this.”
Vaiyam : Universe,
VaarKadal : The sea surrounding it,
Thagazhi : Lamp,
Veyyak Kadirone : The hot Sun,
Seyya : Beautiful,
Sudar Aazhi : Lustrous discus,
SonMalai : Garland of words (verses),
Idar Aazhi : ocean of misery (Samsara)
There are 2 more alvars, who appeared in Dvapara yugam, whom we have to know about. They are Poodath Alvar and Pei Alvar. These 3 alvars together called “Munitrayam”. And so they are called “Mudhal alvars”. As Poigai Alvar is the first one who started promoting Bhagavad Tattvam same as Panchajanyam (Sankham) and so he is treated as Panchajanyam incarnation. Because of the qualities of pleasant sarassu (pond) he is also known as Sara Yogi.