Divya Prabandha

The Nalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses (Naalayira in Tamil means 'four thousand') composed before 8th century AD, by the 12 Alvars, and was compiled in its present form by Nathamuni during the 9th – 10th centuries. The work is the beginning of the canonization of the 12 Vaishnava poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively even today. The works were lost before they were collected and organized in the form of an anthology by Nathamuni.
The Prabandha sings the praise of Narayana (or Vishnu) and his many forms. The Alvars sung these songs at various sacred shrines. These shrines are known as the Divya Desams. 
The Iyengars (Tamil Vaishnavites) are also known as Ubhaya Vedanti (those that follow both vedas). (In many temples, Srirangam, for example, the chanting of the Divya Prabhandham forms a major part of the daily service. Prominent among the 4,000 verses are the 1,100+ verses known as the Thiru Vaaymozhi, composed by Nammalvar (Kaari Maaran, Sadagopan) of Thiruk Kurugoor.
The Tiruvaymoli ("words of the sacred mouth") is one of the Divya Prabandha, an important liturgical compilation of the Tamil Alvar Bhaktas, collected in the 9th century by Nammalvar. The author self-identifies as a lovelorn Gopi pining for Krishna.
==Compilation==
These once thought of being lost were collected and organized in the form of an anthology by Nathamuni.
Nathamuni was born in Veera Naarayanapuram (Veeranam) or present day Kaattu Mannaar Koil. There is a lot of gap in time between Thirumangai Alvar(the last alvar) and Nathamuni. In this dark period, nobody knew what happened to the 4000 verses.
Legend has it that once Nathamuni heard some people reciting the decad of 'Aaraavamude' of Nammaazhvaar at Kumbakonam. Captivated by these paasurams,he wanted to know more about them. One of the verses also mentioned 'aayiraththul ippaththu' (Tamil: these 10 out of the 1000). When Nathamuni enquired about the remaining 990, the people who sang the 10 did not know anything about the other verses. But as the song mentioned the name and place of the alvar (kurugoor satakopan), Nathamuni proceeded to Thirukurugoor and asked the people there about Swami Nammazhwar's 1000 verses.
The people did not know the 1000 that Nathamuni wanted, but they told him about 11 pasurams of Madhurakavi Alvar, who was the disciple of Nammaazhvaar (Kanninun Siruthaambu. They asked him to go to Thiruppuliaazhwar, the place were Nammaazhvaar lived, and recite these 11 pasurams for 12000 times. Nathamuni did as advised, and pleased with his penance, Nammaazhvaar granted him not only his 1000 pasurams, but the entire 4000 parsurams of all the alvars.
==Details of Pasurams==
The following table shows the details of the 4000 pasurams.
Sl no	Name of the prabandham 	Starting from	Ending with	Number of pasurams	Sung by
1 	Periazhvar thirumozhi 	1 	473 	473 	Periyalvar
2 	Thiruppavai 	474 	503 	30 	Aandaal
3 	Nachiar tirumozhi 	504 	646 	143 	Aandaal
4 	Perumal thirumozhi 	647 	751 	105 	Kulasekara alvar
5 	Thiruchchanda viruththam	752 	871 	120 	Thirumalisai alvar
6 	Thirumalai 	872 	916 	45 	Thondaradippodi alvar
7 	Thiruppalliyezhuchchi 	917 	926 	10 	Thondaradippodi alvar
8 	Amalanadhi piran 	927 	936 	10 	Thiruppaan alvar
9 	Kanni nun siruththambu 	937 	947 	11 	Madhurakavi Alvar
10 	Peria thirumozhi 	948 	2031 	1084 	Thirumangai alvar
11 	Kurun thandagam 	2032 	2051 	20 	Thirumangai alvar
12 	Nedum thandagam 	2052 	2081 	30 	Thirumangai alvar
13 	Mudhal thiruvandhadhi 	2082 	2181 	100 	Poigai alvar
14 	Irandam thiruvandhadhi 	2182 	2281 	100 	Bhoothathalvar
15 	Moonram thiruvandhadhi 	2282 	2381 	100 	Peyalvar
16 	Naanmugan thiruvandhadhi	2382 	2477 	96 	Thirumalisai alvar
17 	Thiruviruththam 	2478 	2577 	100 	Nammalvar
18 	Thiruvasiriyam 	2578 	2584 	7 	Nammalvar
19 	Peria thiruvandhadhi 	2585 	2671 	87 	Nammalvar
20 	Thiruvezhukkurrirukkai 	2672 	2672 	1 	Thirumangai alvar
21 	Siriya thirumadal 	2673 	2673 	1 	Thirumangai alvar
22 	Peria thiru madal 	2674 	2674 	1 	Thirumangai alvar
23 	Thiruvay mozhi 	2674 	3776 	1102 	Nammalvar
 	Total number of pasurams	 	 	3776 	
== See also ==
*Divya Desams
*Mangalasasanam by Divyadesam
*Araiyar sevai
*Alvars
== References ==
== External links ==
*Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
* Nathamuni-Alavandar.org - Dedicated to Shriman Nathamunigal and Shri Alavandar
*Araiyar Sevai, Listen to pasurams rendered in carnatic music
*A comprehensive translation of Naalayira (4000) Divya Prabhandham
*Hymns of the Azhwars
* - Nalayira Divya Prabandham Audio including Learner's Edition
*Entire Nalayira Divya Prabhandham (in Tamil) online
*Download complete 4000 Divya prabhandam as a convenient 2.16 MB pdf file. Only downside is dhanians are not complete.
*4000 divya prabhandham available as separate files for every 1000
*4000 divya prabhandham in Tamil and English with Daniyans. Other ancillary texts such as Thiruvoi mozhi nootrandhadi, Yethiraja vimsadhi, Mumukshupadi , Guru Paramapara and rare texts available. 
* Compilation of all Pasurams pertaining to each of the 108 Divya desam. Handy as a travel reference guide
*Online course on 4000 and other stotras
*Articles on Divya Prabandham, Azhvars, Divya Desams and more
Category:Hindu texts
Category:Tamil literature
Category:Medieval literature
Category:Alvars