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| Nanmukan Tiruvantati | |
|---|---|
 Painting of Narasimha. Sri Appan Venkatachalapati Temple, Cheranmahadevi. | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Author | Tirumalisai Alvar |
| Language | Tamil |
| Period | 9th–10th century CE |
| Verses | 100 |
The Nanmukan Tiruvantati (Tamil: நான்முகன் திருவந்தாதி, romanized: Nāṇmukan Tiruvant̬āt̬ī, lit. 'The sacred hymn of the four-faced one')[1] is a Tamil Hindu work of literature composed by Tirumalisai Alvar, one of the twelve Alvars of Sri Vaishnavism.[2] Comprising 100 verses[3] in the form of a poetic device known as the antati, it is part of the compendium of hymns called the Nalayira Divya Prabandham.[4] It is dedicated to the preserver deity, Vishnu.[5]
Scholars have posited that the primary purpose of the Nanmukan Tiruvantati was to establish the supremacy of Narayana (Vishnu) over Nanmukan (Brahma) and Shankaran (Shiva).[6]
Hymns
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| Vaishnavism |
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The first hymn of the Nanmukan Tiruvantati describes the poet-saint's assertion of Vishnu's supremacy:[7]
Narayana created the four-faced one (Brahma), and the four-faced one created Shankaran (Shiva) in his own image.
They say the Ultimate Reality is one. He is Vishnu. Nobody knows the glories of the Lord.— Nanmukan Tiruvantati, Hymn 1
The author also references Vishnu's incarnation of Narasimha and his slaying of Hiranyakashipu in this work:[8]
O Lord who destroyed the boon-intoxicated Hiranya’s mighty chest with curved nails and strong arms! You destroy everything, then you create everything, and become the four Yugas as well, I know it!
— Nanmukan Tiruvantati, Hymn 5
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Kumar, P. Pratap (1997). The Goddess Lakṣmī: The Divine Consort in South Indian Vaiṣṇava Tradition. Scholars Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-7885-0199-9.
- ^ Biernacki, Loriliai; Clayton, Philip (2014). Panentheism Across the World's Traditions. Oxford University Press. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-19-998990-4.
- ^ Ramanujan, S. R. Venkatachala Nilayam. Notion Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-68538-347-3.
- ^ Division, Publications (2017-06-21). Cultural Leaders of India - Devotional Poets and Mystics : Part - 1. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. p. 33. ISBN 978-81-230-2482-0.
- ^ Padmaja, T. (2002). Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu. Abhinav Publications. p. 48. ISBN 978-81-7017-398-4.
- ^ Pope, Stephen J.; Hefling, Charles (2002). Sic Et Non: Encountering Dominus Iesus. Orbis Books. p. 194. ISBN 978-1-57075-424-1.
- ^ History of People and Their Environs: Essays in Honour of Prof. B.S. Chandrababu. Bharathi Puthakalayam. 2011. p. 182. ISBN 978-93-80325-91-0.
- ^ Makarand Joshi. The Sacred Book Of Four Thousand 01 Nalayira Divya Prabandham Sri Rama Bharati 2000. p. 668.