Alvars
Sign in to saveAlso known as Azhvars, Azhwars
The Alvars (), are the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused bhakti (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu through their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the Ultimate Reality.
Key facts
- Hindu leader.name
- Alvars
- Hindu leader.religion
- Hinduism
- Hindu leader.philosophy
- Vishishtadvaita
- Hindu leader.region
- Tamilakam
- Hindu leader.notable_works
- Naalayira Divya Prabandham
- Hindu leader.known_for
- Bhakti movement
- Hindu leader.influenced
- Regional Vaishnava movements
- Hindu leader.school
- Bhagavata
- Hindu leader.denomination
- Vaishnavism
via Wikipedia infobox
~15 min read
Article
23 sectionsContents
- List of the twelve Alvars
- Etymology
- Dating
- Legend and hagiography
- Sources
- Divine origins and miraculous births
- Specific alvar legends
- Works
- Naalayira Divya Prabandham
- Commentaries and other works
- Philosophy
- The doctrine of ultimate reality (''tattva'')
- The path to attainment (''hita'')
- The supreme goal (''puruṣārtha'')
- Legacy
- References
- Sources
- Books
- Theses / Dissertations
- Websites
- Further reading
- External links
- See also
The Alvars (), are the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused bhakti (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu through their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the Ultimate Reality.
Tradition posits the number of Alvars as ten, though there are other references that include Andal and Madhurakavi Alvar, bringing the total to twelve. Together with the 63 contemporary Shaivite Nayanars, they are among the most important saints from Tamil Nadu.