A prapanna is one who believes God to be his only refuge and seeks His feet as the only Purushartha or goal. His only wish is to experience God always and also be in His eternal service. He is also aware that all this is possible only by His grace. The entire life is spent in this kind of expectation. Nammazhwar is a model of such a prapanna, pointed out Atthangi Sri Srinivasachariar in a discourse.
In the vast and deep repertoire of the Tiruvaimozhi hymns, the highest truths of the Upanishads are emphasised in the simplest terms. Azhwar has captured the finer essences of the Saranagati doctrine and expressed it in many unique ways and from many angles so that every jivatma, whatever may be the level of his spiritual development can find a foothold and is motivated to seek His feet and get relieved from samsara. What is the way of life of a prapanna? How should he remain devoted to Him? How should he make use of this birth to attain the Lord?
Interpreters have shown that the gist of whatever Azhwar wants to convey to humanity by way of seeking God is contained in the very first verse of this Divya Prabandha ‘Uyarvara Uyarnalam.’ The very first line proclaims the Lord’s unequalled greatness, unique and incomparable in all respects. By His grace alone one can experience the limitless nature of His Jnana, Shakti and Ananda. He is the sole Lord of the Nitya Vibhuti, the abode of the Nityasuris and the muktatmas as well as the Leela Vibhuti, this wonderful creation. The last line affirms that every jivatma can seek His feet and get relief from samsara. To dispel any doubt, fear or diffidence in the jivatma who may be overawed by His Supremacy, Azhwar commemorates the Lord’s Saulabhya in such moving terms that overwhelms and inspires the desire to seek His feet.
