History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c15.s1.9

c15.s1.9

Of the twelve Vaiṣṇava saints known as the Āḻvārs some of whom flourished during the Pallava age the first four—Pēyāḻvār, Buḍattāḻvār, Poygaiāḻvār and Tirumaḻiśaiāḻvār, appear to have been contemporaries and lived at a time before the advent of the Pallavas to Kāñchīpuram. Tradition however records that Tirumaḻiśai was a contemporary of one of the Pallava kings, perhaps Toṇḍamān-Iḷamtiraiyan. Of the others Tirumaṅgaiāḻvār is the most important and has already been referred in a previous chapter. There is a credible Vaiṣṇava tradition that he held a successful disputation with the Śaiva saint Tiruñāna-Sambandar. If this can be relied on he should have lived an exceptionally long period of time. His work exceeds that of any other Āḻvar except Nammāḻvār and his peregrinations were spread all over South India. His great Pallava contemporary was Nandivarman Pallavamalla who reigned for an exceptionally long period of sixty-five years. This Āḻvār unlike the other Āḻvārs makes frequent mention of contemporary political occurrences including the martial exploits of the Pallava King referred to above. One of his verses contains an allusion to the repulse of the Chāḷukyan King which is corroborated by inscriptions. The war implements of the Pallavas as well as their other insignia also find mention in his hymns. The other Āḷvārs, such as Kulaśēkhara, Nammāḷvār, Periyāḷvār, Āṇḍāḷ, etc., did not flourish in Toṇḍamaṇḍalam and did not come into contact with the Pallava Kings.