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Literature on the History of A:zhwa:rs The scriptures teaching the life history of A:zhwa:rs are available in Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil and English. In Sanskrit they are available as “Divyasu:ri charitham”, “Prapanna:mrutham” etc. In Tamil (Maniprava:la), thy are available as Guruparampara Prabha:vam, Periya Thirumudiyadaivu, Hari Samaya Diva:karam etc. Paramayogi Vila:sam, Acha:rya Su:kthi muktha:vali, Mumukshujanakalpakam etc are available in Telugu and as Sri: Vaishnava Saints in English. Brief History of A:zhwa:rs A:zhwa:rs are known as Divyasu:ris in Sanskrit. They were born on this earth, in this ocean of samsa:ra, but they were always immersed and floated in the ocean of Divine qualities (Divya Gunas) of the Lord Sri::manna:ra:yana. The existence of A:zhwa:rs in the Kali Yuga is predicted in Sri::mad Bha:gavatham and is given in the following sloka (11.5.38-40). “krutha:dishu praja: ra:jan kala:v icchanthi sambhavam Oh Dear King! People of all eras (such as krutha, thre:tha: and dva:para) wish to take birth in the era of kali, as there will be many devotees in that age who are immersed in the love of Sri::ma:n Na:ra:yana. These great devotees will be appearing in various parts of the Dravida Land (south India). Oh ruler of men! In the era of Kali, almost all the men that drink the waters of the holy rivers such as Tha:mraparni, Kruthama:la:, Payasvini:, and the extremely sacred Ka:ve:ri, Prathi:chi:, and the Maha:nadi will be pure-hearted devotees of the Supreme Lord, Va:sude:va. As the Lord descends with different bodies for the sake of punishing wicked people (dushta sikshana), protecthing ascetic people (sishta rakshana) and establishing Dharma (Dharma samsthapa:na:rtham), these A:zhwa:rs were born in different sects (varnas) and preached the path of surrendering to the Lord (Prapaththi). “Bhu:tham sarascha Mahada:hvaya Bhattana:tha -- Sri: Bhakthisa:ra Kulasekhara Yo:giva:ha:n | In this- Bhu:tham--Pu:daththa:zhwa:r, Sarah--Pogaia:zhwa:r, Mahada:hvaya--Peya:zhwa:r, Bhaththana:tha--Periya:zhwa:r, Bhakthisa:ra--Tirumazhisaia:zhwa:r, Paraka:la--Tirumangaia:zhwa:r, Yathi:ndra--Emberumana:r (Sri: Ra:ma:nuja), Para:nkusa muni--Namma:zhwa:r are praised. Here except Emberumana:r, all the rest ten are a:zhwa:rs. In another view, if the name “Sri: Bhakthisa:ra” is separathed into Sri: and Bhakthisa:ra, then Sri:--indicates A:nda:l, who was born with the Amsam (plenary expansion) of Bhu:devi, and graced “Thiruppa:vai” and “Na:chiya:r Thirumozhi”. If the name “Yathi:ndra Misra:n” is separated into two, the name “Misra:n” indicates the revered Sri: Mathhurakavi, who is a great disciple of Swa:mi Namma:zhwa:r. If these two people are added, the tothl count would be twelve. In any case, the works graced by these twelve great saints are revered as “Divya Prabandhams” and are recited in all Sri: Vaishnava Divya De:sams and there can be no doubt in saying that all the twelve are A:zhwa:rs. Bhagavad Ra:ma:nuja, being extolled as the form of all the Divya Suris, the ever graceful divine preceptor is also revered in the above sloka. According to the chronology, the order of A:zhwa:rs is-- Pogaiya:r, Pu:daththa:r, Peya:r, Pugazh mazhisai, as explained by Sri: Manava:la Maha:muni. In this list, divine Mother A:nda:l and Sri: Madhurakavi were not included. However, Sri: Madhurakavi is contemporary to Sri: Namma:zhwa:r and Mother A:nda:l is contemporary to Peya:zhwa:r. In the above list, Pogai, Pu:dam and Peyazhwa:rs are termed together as Mudal A:zhwa:rs. 1. Swa:mi Pogaia:zhwa:r—
 2. Swa:mi Pu:daththa:zh:war— 3. Swa:mi Peya:zhwa:r— 4. Swa:mi Thirumazhisai Azhwa:r— 5. Swa:mi Namma:zhwa:r— 6. Swa:mi Madhurakavi A:zhwa:r— 7. Swa:mi Kulase:khara A:zhwa:r— 8. Swa:mi Periya:zhwa:r— 9. Sri: Go:da (Anda:l)— 10.Swa:mi Thondara:dippo:di A:zhwa:r— 11.Swa:mi Thiruppana:zhwa:r— 12.Swa:mi Thirumangai A:zhwa:r —
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