Tirumazhisai Azhwar

The simplest way to attain moksha and experience God is through devotion, as shown by the Vaishnavite Azhwars. Many of them are eternal servitors of Narayana Himself and while each of them showcased Narayana’s attributes in simple Tamil, making Him accessible to all, Tirumazhisai Azhwar showed the efficacy of having a guru. Narayana Himself loved this devotee so much so that He followed him out of Kanchipuram when Tirumazhisai left the town, said Tirukkudanthai Dr. Venkatesh.

Appearing as the fourth Azhwar, he is regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu’s divine weapon, chakra. He was born in Tirumazhisai, near Chennai, in the Tamil month of Thai, under the Magam star. His place of birth is very hallowed: once when Viswakarma balanced the rest of the earth and Tirumazhisai on a scale, the latter pan went down. Born to a sage but raised by a cane farmer, he thirsted for divine knowledge and at seven years, he wanted to learn ashtanga yoga. His search led him to various streams of faith, including Jainism, Buddhism and Saivism. Pey Azhwar, an incarnation of Vishnu’s sword, took on the role of his guru and helped him establish that Narayana is the Supreme Being. His works, Nanmukan Tiruvandadi (96 hymns) and Tiruchandaviruttam (120 hymns) are a testament to the same.

When the ruler of Kanchi realised that his yogic power had turned an old woman into a young one, he summoned Tirumazhisai’s assistant Kanikannan and sought his help in reversing his age. However, when Kanikannan refused, the king banished him, upon which, Tirumazhisai also left town along with him, but not before asking the presiding deity at Tiruvekka to follow him. Perumal rolled up his bedding (Adisesha) and went happily. All the deities in Kanchipuram followed in their wake and the king, realising the error of his ways, sought their pardon and return.

Later, Tirumazhisai Azhwar journeyed to Kumbakonam and the priests at Sarangapani temple offered the noon hour prasad to the presiding deity. The Lord instructed them to first offer the same to Tirumazhisai, after which He accepted the prasad, thereby becoming Aravamudha Azhwar (devotee) and Tirumazhisai Azhwar came to be known as Tirumazhisai Piran.