Alvars

Alvars
   The Alvars, “those who are immersed in God,” are the 12 poet-saints of South Indian VAISHNAVISM. They lived between the seventh and 10th centu-ries. Their devotional songs, written in the Tamil language, were collected in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham (The sacred collection of the four thousand songs) by Nathamuni, the first of the great Vaishnavite teachers of Tamil Nadu.
   The songs of the Alvars are used today in Tamil Vaishnava temples and in ritual contexts alongside the sacred SANSKRIT recitations. They praise Lord VISHNU in an intimate, highly passion-ate style, frequently referring to his incarnations as RAMA, KRISHNA, and other deities. The acts and adventures of all these incarnations are lovingly recalled and praised. The poems frequently refer to the well-known shrines of the Tamil country, which were visited by the Alvars in their pilgrim-ages and travels.
   The Tamil Alvars are Periyalvar, ANDAL, Kulasekalvar, Tirumalisai, Tondaradipodi Alvar, Tirupanalvar, Maturakavi, Tirumankai, NAMMAL-VA R, Poykai, Putam, and Pey. The latter three are the earliest, dating from 650 to 700 C.E. Two Alvars stand out for their brilliance: Periyalvar (c. ninth century), who composed beautiful verses in praise of Lord Krishna as a child, and Nammalvar (c. 880–930 C.E.), who is the most prolific poet in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Nammalvar’s main work, the 1,102-stanza Tiruvaymoli (The divine words from the mouth) was intended to encapsulate the Vedas. The only female Alvar was Andal; her poems expressing her love for Ran-ganatha, the form of Vishnu found at the most sacred Tamil Vaishnavite shrine at Srirangam, are used in Vaishnava wedding ceremonies in Tamil Nadu.
   Further reading: S.M.S. Chari, Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Alvars (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997); Vidya Dehejia, Antal and Her Path of Love: Poems of a Woman Saint from South India (Albany: State Uni-versity of New York Press, 1990); Alkondavilli Govin-dacharya, The Holy Lives of the Azhvars or the Dravida Saints (Bombay: Ananthacharya Indological Research Institute, 1982); David N. Lorenzen, ed., Religious Movements in South Asia, 600–1800 (Delhi: Oxford Uni-versity Press, 2004); V. K. S. N. Raghavan, A Brief Study of the Tirpallandu of Sri Periyalvar, the Tirupalliyeluchi of Sri Sondaradippodiyarlvar, and the Kanninunsiruttambu of Sri Madhurakaviyalvar (Madras: Sri Visishtadvaita Pracharini Sabha, 1983); A. K. Ramanujan, trans., Hymns for the Drowning: Poems for Visnu by Nammalvar (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1981); Kamil Zvelibil, Tamil Literature. Vol. 10, fascicle 1, A History of Indian Literature. Edited by Jan Gonda (Weis-baden: Otto Harrassowitz, 1974).

Encyclopedia of Hinduism. . 2007.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Alvars — The Alvars ( ta. ஆழ்வார்கள்) (IPA|aːɻʋaːr, ‘those immersed in god’) were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between sixth and ninth centuries and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu Krishna intheir songs of longing, ecstasy… …   Wikipedia

  • Alvars — Als Alvars (tamil; dt.: In Gott versunken) bezeichnet man eine Gruppe hinduistischer Hymnendichter, die zwischen dem 7. und 9. Jahrhundert in Tamil Nadu, im Süden von Indien, lebten. Ihre religiösen Gedichte an Vishnu gelten als erstes Zeugnis… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Elias Parish Alvars — Elias Parish Alvars, Lithographie von Josef Kriehuber, 1839 Elias Parish Alvars (* 28. Februar 1808 in Teignmouth, Devonshire; † 25. Januar 1849 in Wien) war ein englischer Harfenist und Komponist …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Elias Parish Alvars — Eli Parish (February 28, 1808, Teignmouth, Devonshire, England January 25, 1849, Vienna) was an English harpist and composer. He changed his name to Elias Parish Alvars, and sometimes used the pseudonym Albert Alvars in his publications.Early… …   Wikipedia

  • Elias Parish-Alvars — Datei:Elias Parish Alvars.jpg Elias Parish Alvars, Lithographie von Josef Kriehuber, 1839 Elias Parish Alvars (* 28. Februar 1808 in Teignmouth, Devonshire; † 25. Januar 1849 in Wien) war ein englischer Harfenist und Komponist. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Parish-Alvars — Datei:Elias Parish Alvars.jpg Elias Parish Alvars, Lithographie von Josef Kriehuber, 1839 Elias Parish Alvars (* 28. Februar 1808 in Teignmouth, Devonshire; † 25. Januar 1849 in Wien) war ein englischer Harfenist und Komponist. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Elias Parish Alvars — Elias Parish Alvars, né à Teignmouth (Devonshire) le 28 février 1808 et mort à Vienne (Autriche) le 25 janvier 1849, est un harpiste britannique virt …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Parish-Alvars — (spr. Parrisch Ällw rs), Harfenvirtuos, geb. 1816 in London, machte nachher Kunstreisen, war eine Zeitlang in Wien als kaiserlicher Kammervirtuos angestellt u. st. 11. April 1856 in Wiesbaden; er hat mehres für die Harfe componirt …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Parish-Alvars — (spr. pärrisch ällwars), Elie, Harfen virtuos und Komponist, geb. 28. Febr. 1808 in West Teignmouth (England), gest. 26. Jan. 1849 in Wien, erhielt seine Ausbildung durch Dizi, später durch Labarre in Paris und erwarb sich auf seinen seit 1834… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Parish-Alvars — (spr. pärrĭsch), Ely, Harfenvirtuos, geb. 28. Febr. 1808 in London, gest. 25. Jan. 1849 in Wien; komponierte für sein Instrument …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”