It is held that the form of worship varies according to the Yugas. While it is dhyana in Krita Yuga, yagna in Treta Yuga, archana in Dwapara Yuga, it is stotra in Kali Yuga. In this context, the stotra granthas of acharyas are of great value to people in Kali Yuga as anyone can chant these hymns with devotion by way of worship and seek God. Among many such hymns, Alavandar’s ‘Stotra Ratna’ is considered to convey the essential aspects of the Vaishnava Sampradaya contained in the Divya Prabandha hymns known as the Tamizh Vedas, pointed out Sri A. K. Sundarrajan in a discourse.
By divine will Azhwars were endowed with “mathi nalam” as Nammazhwar confesses. This is the highest knowledge about God, bhakti and moksha. It was the great acharya and yogi Nathamuni who was conferred the knowledge of the entire Divya Prabandha hymns through the direct grace of Nammazhwar himself. Nathamuni’s foremost disciples handed over this sampradaya to his grandson Alavandar. As he imbibed the teachings, Alavandar was so overwhelmed by the esoteric truths in them and felt compelled to reveal the way to salvation for humanity that was revealed to him and thus was born the famous hymn Stotra Ratna. Echoing the sentiment expressed by the Vedas that none, not even Brahma can explain the Lord’s infinite glories, Alavandar humbly ventures to sing the glories of the Lord. For, He alone deserves to be praised and honoured though His ineffable greatness cannot be contained in words and thoughts.
In this hymn, Alavandar shows that each one’s only task is to seek the Lord’s feet and entrust his sarira, atma and service to Him with unshakable faith in His protecting power. Then he has done what is required of him for salvation. Though we may be overawed by His overarching Paratva, His Saulabhya is such that He accepts every sincere bhakta into His fold.
