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68 The Arvārs
[CH. different Arvārs, but also regarding the dates of the first and the last, and of those who came between them. Thus, while Aiyangar wished to place the first four Arvārs about the second century A.D., Gopi-nātha Rāu regards them as having flourished in the middle of the seventh century A.D.1 Again, Nāmm'-ārvār is placed by Aiyangar in the middle of the sixth century, while Gopi-nātha Rāu would place him during the first half of the ninth century. While Aiyangar would close the history of the Arvārs by the middle of the seventh century, Gopi-nātha Rāu would place Kula-śēkhara in A.D. 825, Periy-ārvār in about the same date or a few years later, and Tondar-adi-podiy-ārvār, Tiru-mangaiy-ārvār and Tiru-pānärvār (contemporaries) about A.D. 830. From comparing the various matters of controversy, the details of which cannot well be described here, I feel it wise to follow Gopi-nātha Rāu, and am inclined to think that the order of the Arvārs, except so far as the first group of four is concerned, is not a chronological one, as many of them were close contemporaries, and their history is within a period of only 200 years, from the middle of the seventh century to the middle of the ninth century.
The word Arvār means one who has a deep intuitive knowledge of God and one who is immersed in the contemplation of Him. The works of the Arvārs are full of intense and devoted love for Vişnu. This love is the foundation of the later systematic doctrine of prapatti. The difference between the Arvārs and the Aragiyas, of whom we shall speak later on, is that, while the former had realized Brahman and had personal enjoyment of His grace, the latter were learned propounders who elaborated the philosophy contained in the works of the Arvārs. Poygaiy, Bhūtatt' and Pēy composed the three sections of one hundred stanzas each of Tiru-tantādi?. Tirumarișai Pirān spent much of his life in Triplicane, Conjeevaram and Kumbakonam. His hymns are the Nan-mukham Tiru-vantādi, containing ninety-six stanzas, and Tiru-chanda-rțuttam. Nāmm'ārvār was born of a Sūdra family at Kurukur, now Alvārtirunagari in the Tinnevelly district. He was the most voluminous writer
1 These are Pey-arvār, Bhūtatt'-ārvār, Poygaiy-ārvār and Tiru-marişai Piran, the first three being known as Mudal-ārvārs among the Srivaisnavas.
2 As a specimen of Tiru-vuntādi one may quote the following passage: “With love as lamp-bowl, desire as oil, mind melting with bliss as wick, with melting soul I have kindled the bright light of wisdom in the learned Tamil which I have wrought for Nārāyaṇa."- Bhūtam, quotation from Hooper's Hymns of the Alvārs, p. 12, n.
