According to tradition, Thirumangai Alwar was born at Thirukkuraiyalur near Sirkazhi and named Neelan. A brave warrior, he led the army of the Chola king and was given the region of Thirumangai to rule, so he is called Thirumangai Mannan. He is also called Parakalan and Kaliyan.
He wished to marry Kumudavalli, who would accept only a devotee of the Lord. At her word he received the pancha samskaram at Thirunaraiyur and promised to feed a thousand and eight Sri Vaishnavas every day. When his wealth ran out, he took to waylaying the rich to keep that promise. Near Thiruvali-Thirunagari, the Lord and Thayar came by as a wedding party. Neelan seized their jewels but could not lift the bundle, and when he demanded the secret of the bridegroom's power, the Lord gave him the Thirumantram. His life changed in that moment.
From then on he went from kshetram to kshetram and sang of about eighty-six divya desams, more than any other Alwar. His six works are honoured as the six limbs of Nammalwar's four Tamil Vedas: Periya Tirumozhi (1,084 verses), Tirukkurundandakam (20), Tiruvezhukkutrirukkai (1, a single verse laid out in the shape of a chariot), Siriya Tirumadal (40), Periya Tirumadal (78) and Tirunedundandakam (30), 1,253 verses in all.
According to tradition he built walls at Srirangam, and he began the festival of reciting Tiruvaymozhi before Sri Ranganatha that grew into the Adhyayana Utsavam. The last of the twelve, he attained the Lord's feet at Thirukkurungudi.
A pasuram to begin with
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.1 · verse 948 of the four thousand
Thirumangai Alwar opens his great work by telling his own story: a life spent chasing pleasures, and the name that saved him.
Meaning
I withered, I withered and suffered in my mind, born into great sorrow and distress. I joined, I joined the company of young women, seeking only the pleasures they gave. I ran and ran, until by the grace that saves, my mind turned to the great path of true knowledge. I searched and searched, and I have found it: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- vāṭiṉēṉ
- I withered
- varuntiṉēṉ
- I suffered
- perun tuyar iṭumpaiyil
- great sorrow and distress
- kūṭiṉēṉ
- I joined
- kalaviyē
- worldly pleasures
- ōṭiṉēṉ
- I ran
- uyvatu ōr poruḷāl
- that which saves, the Lord's grace
- uṇarvu
- true knowledge
- nāṭiṉēṉ
- I searched
- kaṇṭukoṇṭēṉ
- I have found
- nārāyaṇā eṉṉum nāmam
- the name "Narayana"
The verse is from the e-text of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Project Madurai. The meaning is a simple rendering in the light of the acharyas' commentaries, and is awaiting a scholar's review.
Ask Sri Paduka about this pasuram →All the pasurams
Thirumangai Alwar sang 1,253 pasurams. Each one is here in English letters, with a simple meaning and the meanings of its key words.