View source for Religion:Amalanatipiran

{{Short description|Work of Tamil Hindu literature}}
{{Infobox religious text|religion=[[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]]|author=Tiruppan Alvar|language=[[Social:Tamil language|Tamil]]|caption=18th century painting of Vamana, Royal Collection (UK).|image=File:Indian School, late 18th century - Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Vishnu. - RCIN 1005113.q - Royal Collection.jpg|verses=10|period=9th–10th century CE|name=''Amalanatipiran''|previous=Tirupalliyeḻuchi|next=Kanninun Cirutampu}}
{{Italic title}}The '''''Amalanatipiran''''' ({{Lang-ta|அமலனாதிபிரான்|lit=the unblemished first lord|translit=Amalan̲ātipirān̲}}) is a work of [[Social:Tamil language|Tamil]] [[Religion:Hindu texts|Hindu literature]] written by Tiruppan Alvar,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Narayanan |first1=Vasudha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x8uL8ki9-D8C&dq=amalanatipiran&pg=PA142 |title=The Vernacular Veda: Revelation, Recitation, and Ritual |last2=Nammaaolvaar |date=1994 |publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-0-87249-965-2 |pages=142 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nayar |first=Nancy Ann |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9vG1syVBXKAC&dq=tiruppan+alvar&pg=PA219 |title=Poetry as Theology: The Śrīvaiṣṇava Stotra in the Age of Rāmānuja |date=1992 |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |isbn=978-3-447-03255-1 |pages=219 |language=en}}</ref> comprising ten hymns called ''pasurams''.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/mudalayiram-k-r-krishna-swami-4000-divya-prabandham-series-vol-04-2009 |title="Mudalayiram" - K. R. KrishnaSwami [4000 Divya Prabandham Series, Vol. 4, 1st edition, July 2009, A & K Prakashana] |pages=71–72}}</ref> The title of this work is a reference to the unblemished and flawless nature of [[Religion:Vishnu|Vishnu]]. The work is part of the compendium of the hymns of the [[Philosophy:Alvars|Alvars]], known as the ''[[Religion:Naalayira Divya Prabandham|Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ayyangar |first=D. Ramaswamy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dUgqAAAAYAAJ&q=divya+prabandham+amala |title=Peeps Into Mysticism |date=1966 |publisher=Visishtadvaita Pracharini Sabha |pages=44 |language=en}}</ref>{{Vaishnavism}}

== Legend ==
According to [[Philosophy:Sri Vaishnavism|Sri Vaishnava]] tradition, Tiruppan Alvar was once singing the praises of Vishnu along the [[Religion:Ghat|ghat]]s of the river Kaveri, in front of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. He was immersed in his chants of ecstasy to such an extent that he fell unconscious, alongside his [[Engineering:Veena|veena]]. A temple-priest named Lokasaranga<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HLGjVAwWc0YC&q=lokasharanga |title=Śrī Rāmānuja Vāṇī: A Quarterly Journal of Viśiśtādvaita Vedānta |date=1995 |publisher=Ṡrī Rāmānuja Vedānta Centre |pages=30 |language=en}}</ref> came across the poet-saint, returning to the temple with some water in a vessel, for the service of his temple's deity, Ranganatha. Finding the unconscious and presumably a man of a lower varna blocking his path, Lokasaranga called out to him thrice or four times, but the former did not stir. Losing his patience, the priest hurled a stone at him from a distance. Roused, Tiruppan Alvar realised that he had been obstructing the path of an attendant of Ranganatha, and ran away after begging the latter's forgiveness. When Lokasaranga reached the temple-gates, he found them barred from within. He observed that all the priests of the temple had assembled outside the gates, and found them as bewildered as he was. The customary period of the [[Religion:Abhisheka|abhisheka]]m ceremony of the temple's deity came and went, and the priests helplessly waited outside with wonder. Moved to tears, Lokasaranga prayed for a while, begging his deity to tell him what offence he had committed to be unable to serve him. A voice emerged from within the temple, proclaiming that the priest was unwelcome to the temple, as he had struck him with a stone. Puzzled, Lokasaranga enquired when he had performed such an act. The voice told him that the unconscious man he had struck was one of his embodiments; the priest would only be allowed into the temple if he circumambulated the temple, carrying the man upon his shoulders while doing so. Lokasaranga rushed to locate Tiruppan Alvar, but the latter begged him to leave him be, citing his low birth. Thus, the priest forcibly carried the Alvar upon his shoulders and circumambulated the temple.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ramakrishnananda |first=Swami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FmdoEAAAQBAJ&dq=lokasharanga&pg=PT61 |title=Life of Sri Ramanuja |date=2022-04-07 |publisher=Sri Ramakrishna Math |pages=61–62 |language=en}}</ref> Tiruppan Alvar was later shown the ''murti'' of Ranganatha in the temple sanctum, and the sight filled him with such awe that he composed and sang the ten hymns of the ''Amalanatipiran''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Venkataraman |first=M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RwtyEAAAQBAJ&dq=thiruppan+alwar+amalanadhipiran+priest&pg=PA51 |title=ALWARS: THE VAISHNAVITE SAINTS |date=2022-05-31 |publisher=Venkataraman M |pages=51 |language=en}}</ref>

== Hymns ==
The first hymn of this work, which begins by explaining the title of this work, is as follows:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Makarand Joshi |url=https://archive.org/details/thesacredbookoffourthousand01nalayiradivyaprabandhamsriramabharati2000/page/n193/mode/2up |title=The Sacred Book Of Four Thousand 01 Nalayira Divya Prabandham Sri Rama Bharati 2000 |pages=186}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=The perfect-first-lord is the radiant king of the celestials and resident of Venkatam surrounded by fragrant groves. His golden rule is just and unblemished. He made me a slave of his devotees. He is the lord of Arangam surrounded by lofty walls. O, his auspicious lotus feet have come to stay in my eyes!|source=Hymn 1|author=|title=''Amalanatipiran''}}[[File:Srirangam-Rajagopuram-1.jpg|thumb|Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, the temple described in the first hymn]]The second hymn references the deity's avataras (incarnations) of Vamana and [[Biology:Rama|Rama]]:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Makarand Joshi |url=https://archive.org/details/thesacredbookoffourthousand01nalayiradivyaprabandhamsriramabharati2000/page/n193/mode/2up |title=The Sacred Book Of Four Thousand 01 Nalayira Divya Prabandham Sri Rama Bharati 2000 |pages=187}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=With glee in his heart, he measured the Earth, his crown touched the roof of the Universe. He is the Kakuthstha lord Rama, who rained arrows and killed the Rakshasa clan. He is the lord of Arangam surrounded by fragrant groves. My mind hovers over the red vestures on his dark frame!|title=''Amalanatipiran''|source=Hymn 2|author=}}

== See also ==

* ''Tirumālai''
* ''Perumal Tirumoli''
* ''[[Religion:Tirupalliyeḻuchi|Tirupalliyeḻuchi]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hindu texts]]

{{Sourceattribution|Amalanatipiran}}