Today's Hindu Book review carries the review of our own Divakar's one of the best books-Namma Azhvar Nammazhvar. It has been reviewed by Prema Nandakumar.
THE MANIPRAVALA commentaries on Nammazhvar's Tiruvaimozhi go back to Tirukkurugai Piran Pillan who was a direct disciple of Ramanuja. But Divakar's idiom is contemporary, and in the course of brief clarifications he brings in tonal variations with prose, free verse, and remembered phrases from the classics.
Coaxing romantic or meditational contexts from the verses of Nammazhvar is indeed a charming way of drawing close to the spiritual classic. Divakar does it with finesse even while dealing with the saint-poet's bridal mysticism.
There is no straying away from the main-line interpretation of Nammazhvar's lyrics. At the same time, Divakar does not fight shy of contemporary thought-currents. Taking up the verse Akalil Anukum, he recollects in detail the Sage Uttanga's self-confrontation with caste prejudice and how all living beings are equal in the kingdom of God. Credal differences like ‘Saiva' and ‘Vaishnava' have no meaning in the Azhvar's world, although this clarification for Kalla vedathai verse would be frowned upon by the traditionalists.
There is no ambiguity about the traditional numbering of the verses. It would have been helpful if a ready reference had been added for the verses quoted in the book.
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