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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:
Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Here is what aDiyEn wrote a couple of years ago on Divya prabandham 
count: [thought would share with you on the subject]
SrI:
SrImathE Ramanujaya namah:
Dearest srivaishnavas,
Divya prabandham - the four thousand Tamil devotional hymns 
(pAsurams) sung by the Divine Ten AzhwArs, Sri Andal and Sri 
Madhurakavi AzhwAr and Sri Thiruvarangatthu Amudhanaar - are 
reverentially praised as 4000 and Tamil Vedas. They are called Vedas 
because they reflect the relevant protions of Vedas in unambiguous 
terms and they do not speak of anything other than Vedas, directly 
or indirectly. The PAsurams of the AzhwArs and Sri Andal praise the 
Lord with His Divine consort in his varied incarnations, expressing 
the depth of devotion in which they were immersed, their divine 
experiences and also praying for the eternal bliss of association 
with Him and service to Him.

Sri Madhurakavi AzhwAr's 11 pAsurams were in praise of his Acharya 
Sri NammAzhwAr and Sri Thiruvarangatthu Amudhanaar¡¦s 108 pAsurams 
on Sri Ramanuja's glories are also in 4000. (this 108 Pasurams of 
Amudhanaar were added later into this 4000). Owing to the great 
esteem in which Sri NammAzhwAr and Sri Ramanujar are held in the 
tradition of Acharyas, the PAsurams extolling them are also included 
in the four thousand devotional hymns worshipping the Lord.

Before we outline their number of pAsurams (as to how it gets added 
to 4000), let us see their origin and dates of birth. Tradition 
assigns high antiquity to the AzhwArs taking them to 4200 BCE to 
2700 BCE and also regards them as Divine incarnations (as amsaas of 
the Lord¡¦s paraphernalia). According to guru paramparas, the first 
four AzhwArs namely Poigai AzhwAr, BhUtatthAzhwAr, PEyAzhwAr and 
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr were born at the end of Dwapara yuga, which 
corresponds to 4200 BCE. Madhurakavi also is belived to be born in 
Dwapara yuga corresponding to 3200 BCE. NammAzhwAr, KulasekarAzhwAr, 
PeriyAzhwAr and ANdAL were born during the first century of Kaliyuga 
which approximates to 3103 BCE to 3003 BCE. The remaining three 
AzhwArs ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr, ThiruppAN AzhwAr and Thirumangai 
AzhwAr took birth in the years of 298, 343 and 399 respectively in 
the Kaliyuga which corresponds to 2803, 2758 and 2702 BCE. (From A 
Govindacharya, the Holy lives of Alwars).

However, the modern scholars have questioned these dates and 
assigned a period ranging from 5th to the 9th centuries CE on the 
basis of a few historical evidences, though there is no unanimity 
among them on the dates. Whatever it is the order in which they 
would have appeared is:

Mudhal AzhwArs (First three AzhwArs- Poigai, PhUtha, PEy AzhwArs);
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr,
Madhurakavi AzhwAr
NammAzhwAr
PeriyAzhwAr
AndAL
KulasekaraAzhwAr
ThoNdaradipodi AzhwAr
ThiruppAN AzhwAr and
Thirumangai AzhwAr

Further, the reference sis there in Srimath Bhagawatham to the birth 
of these AzhwArs: 
In the beginning of Kaliyuga, persons exclusively devoted to 
Narayana and endowed with spiritual knowledge will be born here and 
there but in large numbers in the land of the Draavidas where the 
flow of rivers ThaamaraparaNi, Krtamaalaa (Vaigai), Payasvini 
(Paalaar), the holy river cauveri, and the MahaanadhI (PeriyaaRu), 
which runs westwards.

kalau khalu Bhavishyanthi nArAyaNa parAyaNa:
kvachin kvachi mahAbhAga drAmidEsu cha bhUrisa:
thAmaraparaNi nadI yatra krtamaalaa payasvinI:
kAvErI cha mahAbhAgA prathIchI cha mahAnadhI (Srimad Bhagawatham- XI-
5- 38-39)

It is to be noted that NammAzhwAr and Madhurakavi AzhwAr were born 
in the banks of ThamaraparaNi; PeriyAzhwAr and ANDAL in a place 
close to Vaigai (madurai); Poigai AzhwAr, PhUthathAzhwAr, PeyAzhwAr, 
and Thirumazhisai AzhwAr near the Paalaar and ThoNdaradippodi 
AzhwAr, ThiruppANAzhwAr, Thirumangai AzhwAr on the banks of the 
river Cauveri. The dates are not however relevant for enjoyment of 
their divine pAsurams of course. The important point is that they 
were all born before Sri Nathamuni (823 CE) and Ramanuja (1017 CE) 
who were greatly influenced by their pAsurams and teachings and 
after period of Agamas, the epics and Puranas, as their PAsurams 
reflect the deep knowledge of these Agamas, epics and puranas.

Let us look at the count:
A composer wise count of 4000 given by Swamy Sri Vedantha Desikan: 
from Prabhandha saaram- 15 and 16).
(I am not going to transliterate those prabandhams- just the 
meanings. Should some one need, I will send them) :
(meaning of the 15 and 16 prbandhams of Prabandha saaram, of Swamy 
desikan)

1. Mudhal AzhwArs (Poigai, PudhathAzhwAr, and PeyAzhwAr) sang 300; 
(mudhal, irandaam and moonRaam nooranthaadhi- 100 each)
2. Thirumazhisai AzhwAr sang 216 (120- Thirucchandha viruttham; 96- 
Naanmukhan Thiruvandhaathi)
3. MaaRan (Sri NaamAzhwAr) sang 1296 as the essence of Vedas 
containing true spiritual teachings-[ Thiruviruttham- 100; 
Thiruvaaasiriyam- 7; Periya ThiruvandhAthi- 87; Thiruvaaymozhi- 
1102; ]
4. MadhurakavigaL (who showed the path of devotion to Aacharya) sang 
11 (Kanninun chRrutthambu);
5. Kulasekara AzhwAr (king of Vanji land) sang 105 (PerumAL 
Thirumozhi)
6. PeriyAzhwAr (Bhatta nAthan) sang 473 pAsurams which shines as the 
literature for music.
7. Kodhai (Sri Andal) who was an incarnation of Sri BhUmi PiraaTTi 
Herself) sang 173 (ThiruppAvai-30; Naacchiyaar Thirumozhi- 143)
8. ThoNdaradippodi AzhwAr- (Patthar adippodi) sang fifty five 
(Thiruppalliyezhiucchi- 10; Thirumaalai- 45)
9. PaaNar (ThiruppANAzhwAr) sang 10 (Amalanaadhipiraan)
10. Parakalan (Thirumangai AzhwAr) sang 1253 in all praising the 
glorious Lord of Thirumalai Sri Srinivasan, the father of the world, 
[Periya Thirumozhi- 1084; ThirukkuRunthANDakam- 20; 
ThirunedunthANdakam- 30; ThiruvezhukkuRRirukkai- 1; SiRiya 
Thirumadal- 40; Periya Thirumadal- 78]

11. Sri Thiruvarangatthu Amudhanaar- (during Sri Ramanuja's time) 
sang 108 pAsurams praising the beautiful Lotus Feet of YathirAjar 
(Sri Ramanuja) who showed us the path to mOksham (Salvation).

Add the above:- You get 4000. These four thousand hymns sung and 
left by these saints for the welfare of all in all directions of the 
world are the source of prosperity for the lives of ours -who are 
servants of the Lord and His devotees.

The Naalaayiram (4000) is organized as follows:
1. FIRST 1000- PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi; ThiruppAvai; Naacchiyaar 
Thirumozhi; PerumAL Thirumozhi; Thirucchandha Viruttham; 
Thirumaalai; Thiruppalliyezhucchi; Amalanadhipiran; 
KaNNinunchIrutthaambhu; - nine works. (Total- 947 pAsurams)
2. Second 1000- Periya Thirumozhi; ThirukkuRunthANdakam; 
ThirunedunthANdakam; - three works (Total- 1134 pAsurams)
3. Third 1000- Thiruvaymozhi alone- (1102 pAsurams)
4. Fourth 1000- mudhal, iraNdaam and mooNraam nooRanthAdhi; 
Thirumazhisai AzhwAr¡¦s naanmukhan ThiruvanthAdhi; Thiruviruttham; 
Thiruvaasiriyam; Periya ThiruvanthAthi; ThiruvezhukkuRRirukkai; 
SiRiya Thirumadal; Periya Thirumadal; Iraamaanusa NooRanthAthi (11 
works- Total- 817 pAsurams)

TOTAL- 4000.


> > I had some queries on the Divya Prabandam. Firstly, does 
perivAccAn piLLai's "divya prabanda pAShura rAmAyaNa" or better 
known as "pAShurappaDi rAmAyaNam" belong in the prabandam or is it 
an extension of the prabandam (i.e. anubandam???)
> > 
> > Secondly, I attended a lecdem on the Divya Prabadam during the 
Music Academy of Madras annual music conferences, and the 
commentator mentioned that in fact the prabandam was named "nAlAyira 
divya prabandam" from purposes of convenience but in fact it totaled 
up to only about 3,7XX number of pAShurams.
> > 
> > Appreciate it if someone could verify this.
> > 
> > 
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