VOL 1 No 2, 2024 Research Article
R. Nappinnai
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Swami Dayananda College of Arts & Science, Manjakkudi, Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/jsae/v1n2/v1n208
[Article History: Received: 27 Feb 2024. Revised: 25 Jun 2024. Accepted: 10 Aug 2024. Published: 25 Nov 2024]
Abstract
The Tamil Bhakti Movement swept the Tamil-speaking country during the Medieval Period roughly from the sixth century CE through the twelfth century CE. The cult was spearheaded by the divine verses of both the Saivaite as well as the Vaishnavaite saint poets of Tamilnadu. The sixty-three Saivaite saint poets – the Nayanmars and the twelve Vaishnavaite saint poets– the Azhwars practiced Bhakti Yoga by employing the five kinds of Bhavas (Temperaments). The bhavas articulated in their divine verses were instrumental in enunciating their desires to attain oneness with God. This paper overviews the aesthetic magnitude of two Azhwar poets – Periyazhwar and Andal. It delineates the aesthetic enrichments of Vatsalya bhava and Madhura bhava found in the verses of this parental-filial duo. An aesthetic appeal could be identified in the dissemination of the profound Bhakti towards Lord Vishnu by the father and the daughter who were chronologically placed in the eighth and ninth order among the twelve Azhwars. The paper further analyses the aesthetic dimensions acting as great succor to the supreme quest for eternal unity with God and the delusional devotion furnishing great aesthetic expressions either way.
Keywords: Aestheticism, Bhakti, Azhvars, Bhavas, Vatsalya Bhava, Madhura Bhava
