The Mystique of The Love of Divine- Consisting of Devotional Hymnal Works of Azhwars of South India (An Old and Rare Book)

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The Mystique of the love of Divine consisting of (1) Tiruppavai (Lyric of the Sacred Vow), (2) Tiruppaliyezhucci (The song of Awakening), (3) Tiruppallandu (Blessing the Lord) is a selection from extensive devotional hymnal literature of south Indian saints, of great antiquity, known as Azhwars. They were deeply inspired by the Vedic literature and the Epics, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavat Purana. As the Azhwars lived in times of great antiquity, the theory of two different civilizations, eg. The Aryan and the Dravidian, fostered in some quarters is totally baseless.

These compositions are in Tamil language and are regarded as the outpourings of god intoxicated saints who had direct experience of the Supreme in their illustrious lives. Sanskrit verses corresponding to each of the Tamil Pasuram have also been added to make the work more useful. The sublime bliss experienced by the deep ethos of the writings has been explained in this work.

This trilogy is popularly recited in all homes in South India on ceremonial occasions and even in the famous centers of Vaisnava tradition all over the country. This attempt of explaining the ethos contained in the Hymns was felt necessary to supply the need of educating the devout, on the underlying dimensions of their worship. The reader will find the exposition complete and informative. It will encourage them to greater effort of spiritual enlightenment.

Acharya Narasimha, the author of this work, belongs to an illustrious family of scholars in the ancient systems of Hindu Philosophy. He had been studying various schools of thought over a long period. Though the writings of several scholars; of repute, were unique in their own way, he felt that they do not present an integrated approach, compatible with the sum total of Vedic scriptures, and presented different conclusions, on preconceived theories.

Towards this consummation, the author has the following works to his credit:
(1) Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu - A detailed exposition of the names of the Supreme as contained in the famous eulogy, Visnusahasra-nama stotram adapted from the ancient work of Sri Parasara Bhatta (Minerva Press, India).

(2) Five Principal Upanishads - (Isavasyopanisad, Mundakopanisad, Keno- panisad, Kathopanisad, Taitthriyopanisad) Sanskrit Text in Devanagari, Transliteration, English Translation with Exhaustive Commentary and Copious Annotations. (Penman Publishers, Delhi)

(3) Fundamentals of Integral Vedic Philosophy - A comprehensive study, incorporating the principles of unified thought of the Vedic literature (In press)p.

This work The Mystique of the Love of Divine is one which provokes cynicism in some minds as to what this insignificant ‘Jiva’ can offer to God, as a shield of protection, in his Endeavour of supreme devotion. All eulogies tend to seek favors from the Lord by praising Him in measures which verge o sycophancy. A few words to explain the ethos of the devotees concern for the well –being of the Supreme are therefore felt necessary.

A ‘stotra’ meaning praise, eulogizes the Lord’s inestimable qualities and seeks to convey an ardent desire of the devout to reach His proximity on His sojourn here or hereafter. It is prayer to enable a curtailment of his misery of Samasra.

Prayers are of three kinds, Satwika, Rajasa or Tamasa. The Satwika prayers do not seek any worldly desires, further binding to samasra. The Rajasik type ofprayers are those having definite urge to seek worldly pelf and progress. Those who are aware of the Stotra literature can easily make out such prayers. The last variety of prayers, viz. tamasik is those resorted to by minds with spiritual sickness, malice and antagonism and are resorted to invoke lower spirits for causing harm or destruction, to avenge their base animus.

The Stotra literature is thus, profuse with all the three kind of objectives. The Azhwars of South India, during the course of their illustrious lives of non-attachment, sang the Lord’s praises, in soul stirring phrases, without seeking any worldly fruit. Every psalm of the entire collection of the ‘Nalayiram’ Breath this Satwika aspect of Bhakti, which is unparalleled in the literature of comparable antiquity. The diction is precise and the emotions genuine. This can easily be perceived by any reader who is free from inhibitions or prejudice.

In the first composition, “Tiruppavai” is an example of Madhura Bhakti, a devotion set in the convergence of the soul towards the super soul, the Lord. It has a veneer of sublime philosophic exuberance-indicating pure feelings devotion and a desire to acquire the where with ales to provoke such a journey, through the means of increasingly refined insignificant member of the lord’s regime of indescribable magnitude of the six cardinal virtues the Shadgunas, Jnana, Bhakti, Bala, virya, aishwarya and Tejas. The vow that is adopted to achieve this proximity is couched in language which at first sight appears as an intense yearning of innocent which at first sight appears as an intense yearning of language which at first sight appears as an intense yearning of innocent young ladies, seeking the loving care of the supreme, the one who is peerless in His concern for the devotee. Here the young cowherd (Gopis) lasses, are said to be the incarnates of the Sacred Rishis of Dandakaranya, who had obtained the assurance of the Lord, in His Ramavatara mode. They have sought fruition of their endeavors’, the caresses and affection of the Lord. In fact, in the scheme of Bhagavata tradition, of the devotee, male or female, regards the Lord as the supreme protector and bearer of the load of his Karma, to rid him of the endless involvement with the Birth-death-birth syndrome, with attendant bouts of misery and suffering.

In the Second of the trilogy, the “tiruppalliyezhucci”, the devotee sing a song of awakening the Lord, who had been sent to sleep according to the daily chores of worship laid down in ‘Pancharatra agama’ and elaborate ritualistic code, of worship, to keep the devout in constant contact with the Lord. To the critiques of this method of invoking the Lord’s attention, we would refer them to the detailed exposition of the concept, as described in appendix I of the Psalm

The third of the trilogy, “Blessing the Lord” is a unique piece of supreme concern of the devotee who values the ever increasing grandeur of His effulgence, and is always alert to prevent any mitigation due to the effects of what is known as the “Evil sight” of the Detractor. This concern was the spontaneous outpouring of the Azhwar, who as a sibling of tender age won a great philosophical contest by the Grace of Lord Vishnu. Great scholars of Vedic learning were arraigned in the contest and this boy Sri visnucitta [who became an Azhwar] was taken in a grand procession by the ruler of the Land. The magnificence of the procession was so great, that even the celestials came to witness from above. Amongst them, the boy had a glimpse of the supreme, Lord Narayana with His benign looks as if blessing the lad. Overtaken by the extreme brilliance beauty and other indescribable excellences, the lad out of his great concern to the celestial grandeur, loudly sang the songs extempore, whose purport was to save Him from the evil looks of those who may be amongst the throngs of spectators.

This Trilogy is popularly recited in all homes in the south India on ceremonial occasions. Even in the famous temples at Pushkar, Mathura and other famous centers of vaishnava tradition they are sung. Unfortunately, the spiritual content is little known. To supply the need of educating the devout, on the underlying dimensions of their worship, this attempt of explaining the ethos contained in the Hymns was felt necessary.

In this endeavor I was encouraged by the memory of my wife a pious lady who prevailed on me write this work, but who unfortunately left me before I could fulfill her wish.

The reader will find the exposition complete and informative. This gives a deep insight into the psyche of a devotee and encourage him to greater effort of spiritual enlightment.

**Contents and Sample Pages**