Name Details
Name Meaning
Periyazhvar means "Great Devotee" or "Great Ascetic." 'Periya' (பெரிய) means great or elder, and 'Azhvar' (ஆழ்வார்) refers to a group of Vaishnavite poet-saints who were devoted to Lord Vishnu.
Name Significance
The name signifies profound devotion and spiritual attainment. It suggests a person who has achieved a high level of spiritual understanding and dedication to the divine. The title 'Azhvar' itself is a mark of great reverence and spiritual leadership within the Vaishnavite tradition.
History References
Periyazhvar is one of the twelve principal Azhvars, revered saints in the Sri Vaishnavism tradition. He is considered the foster-father of Goddess Lakshmi (Andal) in his devotional songs. His collection of hymns, the Thirupallandu, is the first part of the Divya Prabandham, a sacred collection of Tamil devotional poetry. He lived in the 8th or 9th century CE and is credited with composing 473 verses.