Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:
Srimath Anantharya Mahagurave Nama:
Srimath Varavaramunaye Nama:
The Vedas are considered great because of qualities such as
- Being Shastras
- Representing His command
- Having no flaws
- Coming through an oral tradition
- Being true, and
- Being without origin and eternal
Do Azhvar’s prabandhams have the same qualities?
Acharya Hrudhayam 45:
veda nUl irunthamzih nUl, aagnjai aaNai, vasaiyil Edhamil, suruthi sevikkiniya, OdhuginRadhuNmai poyyil pADal, paNDai niRkum mundhai azhivillaa ennum lakShanangaL okkum.
The answer is that all these qualities match to Divya Prabandhams also.
- Vedas were called vEda nUl – that is, they are Shastras, in Thirumaalai 3.
Similarly Periya Thirumozhi 1.7.10 says irunthamizh nUl – that is, Divya Prabandhams are Dravida Shastra. - Pancharatram says shruti: smruthi: mamaiva aagnyaa – that is, they are His commands.
Thiruvaymozhi 6.3.11 says aaNai aayiram, showing the same. - Periya Thirumozhi 5.3.2 says vasai il nAnmaRai – that is, Vedas have no doshas such as deception, etc.
Thiruvaymozhi 1.6.11 says Edham il Ayiram, meaning the same about Divya Prabandhams. - Thiruvaymozhi describes Vedas as suDar migu suruthi (1.1.7) – suruthi meaning it is learnt by listening (“shrUyate iti shruti:”).
Divya Prabandham is also heard and learnt as said in Thiruvaymozhi 10.6.11 (kETTu ArAr vAnavargaL sevikku iniya senjchollE). - Vedas speak only the truth as said in Thiruchchandhaviruththam 72 (vedhanUl OdhuginRadhu uNmai).
That Divya Prabandhams have no falsehoods in them, is shown in Thiruvaymozhi 4.3.11 (poy il pADal). - Vedas are without beginning (paNDai nAnMarai – Periya Thirumozhi 5.7.1) and will always be there (niRkum nAnmaRai – Thiruvaymozhi 6.5.4).
The same is said for Divya Prabandhams (mundhai Ayiram – Thiruvaymozhi 6.5.11, and azhivillA Ayiram – Thiruvaymozhi 9.7.11).
Azhvar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar Thiruvadigale Sharanam
Azhvar Prabandha Vailakshanyam 10