Madhurakavi Alwar

Period: 9th C. AD

Place: Thirukollur
Month: Chitthirai
Star: Chitthirai
Other Names: Inkaviyaar, Azhwaarukku Adiyaan

In Paandiya Nadu, lots of temples of both Sri Vishnu and Lord Shivan temples are found. All the temples are rich in Spirituality and divine followers are seen. Inspite of lots of Vishnu temples are found, Thirukkoloor is one of special sthalam is seen. This sthalam is found two miles on the eastern side away from Azhwar Thirunagari.

Lots of Andhanars who spread the fame of Sriman Narayanan are found. In that, there was a separate family, who led their life by spreading and praising the fame of Sri Vishnu is found. For them, in Easwara year, Chittirai month, Sukla Chaturdasi Friday, Chittirai Natshatram (star) Madhurakavi Alwar was born. His birth is referred to as the rays of the sun, which comes out before the sun completely comes out. Here the rays are referred to "Nammalwar", since Madhurakavi born before Nammalwar.

He was taught with all kinds of Vedic books and was devoted to Sriman Narayanan by praising him with songs. He was also well - versed in writing poems and songs in Sanskrit also. He had talent of writing poems and bhakti songs that could tie the minds of all the persons who hears (or) reads it. He doesn't want to mingle (or) lead his life along with ordinary humans who is winded up with ordinary life.

To get rid of this and to attain the final destiny, the Moksha, he thought of going for a spritual travel towards the North Indian shetrams like Ayodhya, Madura, Kaasi, Dwaraka etc. As he thought, he converted his thought into action and started towards the North Indian sthalams.

Reaching North India, he worshipped all the Vishnu sthalams and finally he went to Ayodhya temple and admired at the beauty of Sri Ramar along with Sita Piratti, Lakshmana and Hanuman. He stayed in Ayodhya for a while and at that time, one day he remembered about his birth place Thirukkoloor and at the same time he heard about the fame of Nammalwar who was in unconscious stage, which lead his life without eating anything under a tamarind tree.

After finishing the daily pooja, one day Madhurakavi Alwar found a bright star in the sky which made him to think whether any village (or) house had caught fire (or) some big fire is burning the forest. He could not get anything as the answer and thought it as some mystery. As the same way, he saw the same flashy bright star travelled towards the south. This made him to think a bit and thought he could find the answer by following the star. The star finally reached Thirunagari and disappeared. He heard about the child Nammalwar who didn't open his eyes (or) ears for almost 16 years. Madhurakavi on seeing Nammalwar could not believe a 16-year-old child can live without eating (or) moving a little bit for many years. So, he wanted to test his qualities. He lifted a big stone, which is found near the tree and dropped it in the ground. On hearing, Nammalwar opened his eyes and smiled at Madhurakavi Alwar. After this, Madhurakavi was still confused whether he could speak (or) not. He wanted to test him and questioned him as:

"Senthin Vayitril Siriyadhu Pirandhal

Eatthai Thindru Engae Kidakkum?".

This means if anything that is born in a dead, the subtle thing that is born inside it, how does it leads his life on eating what and where does ir resides?

For this, Nammalwar answers him as: "Atthai Thindru Angae Kidakkum".

This means that the small Jeevathma resides in the soul (the Paramathma) and enjoys the place which it lives. The answer also explains how all of our human souls are tied up with ordinary life by doing good and evil things to all the persons around them. If a person does these kinds of things, he will experience the same and could not attain the Moksha, the destiny.

On hearing the philosophical explaination answer for his question, Madhurakavi Alwar raised his hands above his head and finally fell down at the feet of Nammalwar. From then, he decided him to accept Nammalwar as his "Spiritual Guru" to attain the Moksha. He was the first student to learn the Veda from Nammalwar, which explains the love between Sriman Narayanan and ordinary human and how to attain his thiruvadi.

He praised and wrote lots of paasurams on Sriman Narayanan and also sung in praise of Nammalwar starting with

"Kanni Nunn Siruthambhu" and sung 11 paasurams following it.

He made a statue of Nammalwar and placed in the temple and did daily poojas for him and led his life by praising and singing the greatness of Sriman Narayanan and his spiritual guru "Nammalwar".

Alwar emberumaanar Madhurakavi Alwar thiruvadigale saranam…!!!