The Honorific Address
Devarēr (Tamil: 'Your Grace' / 'Your Divine Self') is the honorific second-person address used within the Śrī Vaiṣṇava community. Rather than the ordinary 'nīr' or 'nīngaḷ' (you), devotees use devarēr to address each other, expressing that the other person is a revered devotee of Bhagavān deserving respectful treatment.
Asymmetric Courtesy
In formal Śrī Vaiṣṇava interaction: the speaker refers to themselves as adiyēn (humble self, servant) and to the other as devarēr (Your Grace). This asymmetry is not mere social convention but an expression of tadīya-śeṣatva — recognizing the other as Bhagavān's devotee and therefore worthy of higher regard.
Extension of Divine Honor
The use of devarēr reflects the teaching that a devotee (bhāgavata) is to be honored as one would honor Bhagavān Himself. Addressing a fellow Śrī Vaiṣṇava with devarēr is a practical enactment of this principle.