Paribhāṣā

Āzhwān

ஆழ்வான்

Also known as: āzhwān, azhwan, ஆழ்வான், kurattalvan honorific

Meaning

Honorific Tamil name for Kūrattāzhvān — Rāmānuja's most devoted disciple — meaning 'one who is deeply immersed / the noble one.'

Detailed Explanation

The Noble Disciple

Āzhwān (Tamil: 'one who is deeply immersed' or simply an honorific 'the noble lord') is the affectionate name used for Kūrattāzhvān (Kūreśa) within the Śrī Vaiṣṇava community. It expresses his complete absorption in devotion and his exalted status among Rāmānuja's disciples.

Why This Title?

Kūrattāzhvān is called āzhwān (with a capital-worthy status) because of his extraordinary qualities: his complete surrender to Rāmānuja, his willingness to sacrifice his eyesight rather than compromise the teaching, his composition of the Pañcastava hymns, and his cheerful acceptance of all suffering as Bhagavān's grace.

Āndān

Similarly, āndān is the honorific used for Mudaliyāṇḍān — 'the lord.' Both titles express the tradition's reverence for these foremost disciples of Rāmānuja, who stand as examples of perfect ācārya-niṣṭhā and kaiṅkarya.

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