R.J. Kalpana comes up with the English translation of the Divya Prabandham verses

While there are some verses we grow up listening to without understanding their meanings, there are others that linger in our hearts due to their rhythm and melody. But we do not go beyond the sound to delve deeper into them. The Naalaayira Divya Prabandham is one such work, that is known for its lyrical richness and complex poetry.

Composed in Tamil by the 12 azhwars, in praise of lord Vishnu, these verses convey the myriad shades of bhakti ranging from longing and yearning to joy and total surrender to the divine. Over the centuries, however, the hymns gradually began to lose their prominence. It was through the relentless efforts of the ninth-century Vaishnavite scholar Nathamuni that they were recovered and organised into four major sections — Mudhalaaiyiram (containing 947 verses); Periya Thirumozhi with 1,134 verses; Iyarpa (with 817 verses); and Tiruvoimozhi, with 1,102 verses.

The history of these centuries-old hymns points to the richness of the literary tradition. Yet, only some of the works are known today. For instance, Andal’s Tiruppavai is familiar to many and is widely rendered and discussed during the Tamil month of Margazhi; while her Nachiyar Tirumozhi has travelled beyond the devotional space to become a recurring theme in classical dance productions. Thondaradippodi Azhwar’s Tiruppalliyezhuchi and Tirumangai Azhwar’s Tirunedundandagam too have found artistic expressions. Apart from this, most of the Naalaayira Diyva Prabandham remains unexplored.

It is here that author R.J. Kalpana’s Nalayira Divya Prabandham series in English seeks to bridge the gap. Published by Pen & Ink Solutions, it brings together the complete works of the Azhwars, divided into separate volumes, with the Tamil hymns transliterated into English. Each verse is accompanied by its English meaning, thus making the collection easier to follow for readers who may not be familiar with Tamil.

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Also, breaking down the entire work into separate volumes encourages readers to explore the text at their own pace and gradually become familiar with their richness. Besides this a list of divyadesams along with the corresponding pasurams and the verse numbers makes it easy for readers to navigate to the relevant page and verse. Another valuable addition is the table, displayed in the last few pages, carrying details of the hymns rendered by the respective Azhwars featured in the book.

“This work is the result of four years of study, reflection, and perseverance. Along the way, I often paused to admire the remarkable spiritual depth of the Azhwars,” says the author.