Uddhava is heart-broken when Krishna has to depart from this world at the end of Dwapara Yuga. What a void it would create and how unbearable would it be for His devotees? Krishna assures him that devotion will be sustained in Kali Yuga and indicates that great devotees would be born in South India on the banks of the Kaveri and Tamparaparani rivers who will be responsible for revival of spiritual strength in the people, said Sri R. Varadarajan in a lecture.
At a time when people were caught in much confusion caused by religious conflicts and languished in lack of faith in God, He willed that the Azhwars should rekindle the path of devotion among the people. His personal possessions such as the conch, mace, sword and discus were born as Poigai, Bhuthath, Pei and Thirumazhisai Azhwars respectively. Vishvaksena was born as Nammazhwar, Vainateya as Madhurakavi, Garuda as Periazhwar and Bhu Devi as Andal. The Lord’s Vanamala became Tondaradipodi, the Kaustuba jewel Kulasekhara, His Srivatsa mark Thiruppanazhwar and His bow Tirumangai Azhwar.
These Azhwars were truly humble and never thought of themselves as great. They were steeped in God’s compassion. In their hymns they express this direct experience of God in simple terms that even the common man is able to share and get inspired into divine awareness. Just as the sun absorbs the waters of the ocean and converts it into the most precious and palatable rainwater by use for mankind, the Azhwars have extracted the essence of the theoretical intricacies of philosophy and religion found in the Vedas and the Upanishads and expressed it in simple Tamil hymns. The ultimate goal of salvation from the shackles of samsara can be gained only by seeking refuge in God’s feet.Whatever we eat, whatever we see, whatever we experience in worldly terms are all manifestations of Him, says the Azhwar. What greater alternative for meditation than this mental state that is always sensitive to God’s all-pervasiveness? His supremacy may be awesome; yet He is accessible to the humble and the devout. To Him, each Jivatma is special and He readily responds to true devotion.
