Periyāḻvār

Periyāḻvār — The Father of Āṇḍāḷ and the Saint of Maternal Love

The Gardener of Srivilliputhur

Periyāḻvār (Tamil: பெரியாழ்வார்), whose original name was Viṣṇucitta, was a devout Brahmin gardener in Srivilliputhur (near modern Madurai). He was the ninth of the 12 Āḻvār saints, traditionally dated to the 9th century CE. His title "Periyāḻvār" means "Great Āḻvār" — an honor given by the Sri Vaishnava community recognizing his foundational role.

Viṣṇucitta maintained the flower gardens of the Vatapatrasayi temple in Srivilliputhur, growing the jasmine, marigold, and lotus used in temple worship. He was known for his extraordinary devotion: he would not pick a flower without first asking the plant's permission, and he wept when a blossom fell before its time.

Finding Godā (Āṇḍāḷ)

One morning, while gathering tulasi, Viṣṇucitta found a baby girl beneath a tulasi plant. He adopted her and named her Godā — "she who was born from the earth." This child would become Āṇḍāḷ, the only female Āḻvār and the most beloved poet-saint of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.

Periyāḻvār raised Godā in pure devotion. He taught her to make garlands for the temple, to sing the names of Krishna, and to see every living being as a manifestation of Vishnu. When she declared she would marry none but Ranganatha, it was Periyāḻvār who — after initial shock — arranged her divine wedding.

Tiruppallandu — The "Long Live" Hymn

Periyāḻvār's most famous work is the Tiruppallandu ("May You Live Long"), a mere 12 verses that open every Sri Vaishnava festival. The hymn addresses the Lord:

"May you live long, may your crown live long, may your conch and discus live long, may your devotees live long — may all that is yours flourish forever."

Despite its brevity, the Tiruppallandu encapsulates the theology of vātsalya (maternal/paternal love): the devotee is not a servant or a bride but a parent, worrying over the Lord's welfare. This emotion — usually directed from mother to child — is reversed: the devotee mothers God.

Tirumozhi — The Childhood of Krishna

His longer work, the Tirumozhi (220 verses), describes Krishna's childhood exploits in Gokula: stealing butter, dancing on the serpent Kāliya, lifting Govardhana hill. Periyāḻvār speaks as Yasoda — Krishna's foster mother — scolding him, feeding him, and finally surrendering to his divine nature.

"O you who stole butter from every house — you have stolen my heart too. What will I do with you, my dark little thief?"

Legacy

Periyāḻvār's Tirunakṣatram (birth star: Svāti) is celebrated at Srivilliputhur with a 10-day festival. The temple's towering gopuram (192 ft, 11 stories) — the tallest in Tamil Nadu — is attributed to his vision. The Government of Tamil Nadu uses this gopuram as its official emblem.

In the guru lineage, Periyāḻvār represents parental devotion — the vātsalya rasa that complements Nammāḻvār's surrender and Āṇḍāḷ's bridal love.