A New Year’s Poem for Kṛṣṇa
Keywords:
Tiruppallåṇṭu, Krishna, Vishnucittan, Periyålvår, Sri Vaishnavism, Nalayira Tivviyap Pirapantam, Pancaratra Agama, Onam, Vyuha, Narayana, Lakshmi, Kottiyur, PavitrarohanaAbstract
The article "A NEW YEAR’S POEM FOR KRISHNA: The Tiruppallåṇṭu by Villiputtür Vishnucittan (Periyålvår)" by Dennis Hudson analyzes the Tiruppallåṇṭu, the opening poem of the Nalayira Tivviyap Pirapantam, a canonical text in Sri Vaishnavism. The article focuses on the poem's author, Vishnucittan, also known as Periyålvår, and its composition for a New Year's festival called Onam. Hudson explores how Vishnucittan's devotion to Krishna is intertwined with the theology and liturgy of the Pancaratra Agama, depicting Krishna as the supreme, all-encompassing form of Narayana. The article delves into traditional hagiographies, the concept of vyuha emanations, and the significance of various Krishna forms and divine consorts. It also examines the historical and ritualistic context of the poem's creation, particularly its connection to the town of Kottiyur and the festival of Pavitrarohana, highlighting how these elements underscore the poem's themes of protection, purification, and the pervasive presence of the divine.
