The
Divya Prabandham sings the praises of
Narayana (
Vishnu) and his many forms. The Alvars sang these songs at various sacred shrines known as the
Divya Desams. These hymns were formed during the early phase of bhakti tradition development in South India. The
Tamil Vaishnavites, also known as
Ubhaya Vedanti follow both the
Sanskrit Vedas as well as the Tamil-language
Tiruvaymoli, a work which devotees of Sri Vaishnavism regard as the Tamil Veda. In many temples —
Srirangam, for example — the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service, integrating poetic composition with ritual worship and devotional practice. It is also recited in some North Indian Vaishnavite temples, such as
Badrinath. The Divya Prabandham is recited along with the Vedas, and it is given equal status to the Vedas in the
Tenkalai denomination of Sri Vaishnavism, largely due to the efforts of
Ramanuja who enshrined the Divya Prabandham on the same pedestal as the Vedas. Prominent among its 4,000 verses are the 1,102 verses known as the
Tiruvaymoli ("Sacred Mouth Language" i.e. [Tamil]
Sruti), composed by
Nammalvar and which forms the third portion of the overall
Divya Prabandham. Nammalvar self-identifies as a lovelorn
gopi pining for
Krishna. The compendium begins with the
Tirupallantu, a benedictory hymn written by
Periyalvar, wishing long life to Vishnu.
Structure The text is split into 4 sections of roughly 1000
pasurams each. They are in order (1)
Mudalayiram, (2)
Irandam Ayiram, (3)
Munram Ayiram, and (4)
Iyarppa. This four-section division reflects the later canonical organization of the hymns, which were composed by different Alvars over several centuries.
Nomenclature Pasuram The hymns or songs sung by the Alvars dedicated to Vishnu are specifically designated the term pasuram in Tamil.
Taniyan The works that make up the Naalayira Divya Prabandham are usually preceded by a taniyan. A taniyan refers to a stray verse, also referred to as a laudatory verse, that offers a brief synopsis of the life of the Alvar poet, a summary of the themes of the hymns, and emphasises the
merit gained from the recitation, listening, or reading of the given text. It serves to glorify both the hymns as well as the composer of the hymns. Six taniyans precede the Tiruvaymoli, the most of any text in the compendium.
Vāḻi Tirunamam Following the customary recitation of the hymns of the work, a
vāḻi tirunamam is chanted. This refers to a hymn that serves to commemorate or exalt the poet-saint who composed a given work. For instance, such a verse may hope for the poet-saint to live long, or for their names to be remembered for a millennium. ==Compilation==