Ārāyiram — The Thousand-Versed Crown of the Divya Prabandham
The Ārāyiram ('the thousand') is the affectionate name given to Tiruvāymozhi — the 1,102-verse prabandham composed by Nammāzhvār (Śaṭakōpaṉ). It is called 'the thousand' (ārāyiram = 'thousand' in Tamil honorific register, from Sanskrit sahasra = 1000) though it contains 1,102 pāsurams — the conventional rounding to 'thousand' reflects its grand, complete quality. The 102 'extra' pāsurams include the concluding phalaśruti verses of each of the 100 decades (paṭṭus). Tiruvāymozhi is organized into 10 books (pattu) of 10 decades each, with each decade containing 11 pāsurams.
The Ārāyiram is accorded the supreme position in the Nālāyira Divya Prabandham's internal hierarchy. It is specifically called Drāmiḍopaniṣad (the Upaniṣad in the Tamil/Drāmiḍa language) — an identification established by Rāmānuja's teacher Āḷavantār (Yāmunācārya) in his Stotraratna. The Ārāyiram's first verse mayarvaṟa matinaḷam (perfect, unblemished divine knowledge given by grace) and its last verse āvā vaṇṭiṉam (the bees and birds of longing) frame the entire prabandham as a journey from divine grace received to divine union attained. The Āchārya commentarial tradition on Tiruvāymozhi is the richest in all Śrī Vaiṣṇava literature: six major vyākhyānams (commentaries) by Nañjīyar, Nampillai (Iḍa), Periyavāccāṉ Piḷḷai, Vaḍakkutiruvīdhi Piḷḷai, Nāyaṉār Āchāryar, and Maṇavāḷa Māmunigaḷ.
In Śrī Vaiṣṇava temple tradition, the Ārāyiram is recited in the divine presence of Bhagavān during the Adhyayana Utsavam — the 20-day Mārgaḷi festival. The entire Ārāyiram is recited in the presence of Namperumāḷ at Śrī Raṅgam, with the Araiyar performing the araiyar-cēvai for selected pāsurams. The Āchāryas teach: 'tiruvaymozhi kētkavillā tirunaṭaṉam illā' — there is no liberation without hearing Tiruvāymozhi.