[Solved] Nalayira Divya Prabandham: The Tamil Vaishnava Veda

Who was/were the 10th century composers of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham?

[CDS 2018 (I)]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

The Bhakti movement in South India was institutionalized through the compilation of devotional poems into a unified canon that challenged the exclusivity of Sanskrit Vedas.

Authentic Source Evidence

Nalayira Divya Prabandham (Four Thousand Divine Hymns) is a collection of Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars (Vaishnava saints). It was compiled by Nathamuni in the 9th-10th centuries.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Option A is correct. The collection is considered the 'Dravida Veda' (Tamil Veda).

Impact: These verses are central to the rituals of Srivaishnavism and are sung in temples alongside Vedic chants.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Who compiled the Nalayira Divya Prabandham?"

The scholar Nathamuni, who recovered the lost verses through divine revelation and oral tradition.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The Prabandham represents the democratization of divinity, where the common Tamil language was recognized as a valid vehicle for absolute spiritual truth."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Alvars 3Vaishnavism 11

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