FOREWORD

   The Sacred hymns of Saint Nammalwar known as Tiruvaymoli are held in the highest reverence by the Vaishnavas. Elaborate commentaries have been written on this work by competent scholars. The first of them is known as 'Arayirappadi'- a name which signifies that it contains Six thousand granthas. Other commentaries followed, of which the one, written by Vadakku Tiruveethi Pillai consisting of Thirty six thousand granthas, is considered to be the most exhaustive. It is commonly known as the 'Idu'. In the religious parlance the Idu is known as 'Bagavat Vishayam'.

    The Commentators of Tiruvaymoli were men of profound learning in Sanskrit and Tamil and their style was a mixture of the two languages. In the medieval period of Tamil Literature this style known as 'manipravalam' was largely employed by learned commentators of the Jaina and Vaishnava religions. To the modern Tamils, 'Manipravalam' is generally unintelligible. It has therefore become necessary to render the commentaries written in that style into Tamil. The following is a specimen of the manipravala style of the Idu :

   'பரஸ்வரூபம் - அகில ஹேயப்ரத்யநீகத்வத்தாலும் கல்யாணை கதாநத்வத்தாலும் ஸ்வேதர ஸமஸ்தவஸ்து விலக்ஷணமாய் விபுத் வாத் தேஷத: பரிச்சேதரஹிதமாய், நித்யத்வாத்காலத: பரிச்சேத ரஹிதமாய் ஸர்வமும் தனக்கு ப்ரகாரமாகத் தான் ப்ரகாரியாய்த் தனக்கு ஒரு ப்ரகார்யந்தரமில்லாமையாலே வஸ்து பரிச்சேத ரஹிதமுமாய் ஜ்ஞாநாநந்தமயமாய் ஜ்ஞாந பலைஷ்வர்ய லீலாத்யநந்த கல்யாணகுணகண மஹோததியாய் ஸ்ரீயப:தியாய்' - முதற்பத்து, பகவத் விஷயம் : பக். 86 - 87