History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c11.s3.10

c11.s3.10

The reign of Mahēndravarman I is believed to have been the period of the Vaishṇava saint Tirumaliśai and therefore also that of the first three Āḷvārs by certain scholars. Mr. M. Srinivasa Aiyangar¹ in his *Tamil Studies* expresses the view that the Guṇabhara mentioned in the *Nānmugan-Tiruvandādi* is a reference to Mahēndravarman I, and concludes, on this basis alone, that he was his contemporary. But a careful examination of the context and meaning of this stanza² shows that the Guṇabhara of the Āḷvār cannot be interpreted as alluding to any mortal man.