Dear Fellow-Bhagavathas,
The Vedas, Upanishads, Aagamas, Ithihasas, Puranas and Smruthis speak volumes about the greatness and supremacy of Sriman Narayana. However it is a herculean task for people like us to pick them from the vast expanse and even to comprehend their import.
The Lord, therefore, by virtue of His abundant and unqualified compassion for us, decided to make things easier for us. He achieved it through the 12 Azhwars, who are manifestations of varied features of the Lord Himself.
The result is the sacred Naalaayira Divya Prabandham, which is primarily a compilation of the works (24 in number including ‘Iraamaanusa Nootranthaadhi’
With a view to providing an opportunity for the participants to enrich their experience of these great works and also to initiate the hitherto uninitiated ones into the Azhwars’ masterpieces, we are launching a new programme entitled ‘Weekly Paasuram Quest’ on May 9, 2010.
The contest which will be uploaded on every Sunday will provide concise meaning of a random Paasuram (a generally well-known one) from Divya Prabandham, requiring the participants to identify the same. Consistently correct entries will be suitably rewarded (check Point No. 7 of ‘The Rules’ given below).
The configuration of Divya Prabandham as established by Swami Desika in his Prabandha Saaram will be the basis of this contest.
We hope this would provide the visitor/contestant with an ever-growing familiarity with the Azhwars’ works and an immensely rewarding experience.
We look forward to your enthusiastic and spontaneous response. Further, we would appreciate if you could spread the word to as many relatives and friends as you can.
- Concise meaning of one Paasuram (both in English and Tamil) will be given in each edition of the ‘Weekly Paasuram Quest’ and the participant has to identify and mark the answer using the list boxes given below the meaning.
- A new edition of the contest will be uploaded on every Sunday.
- The last day for receipt of entries in respect of each edition, is the following Saturday (midnight IST).
- Filling in a valid and consistent e-mail address in the entry form is mandatory.
- Only one submission per individual/email ID shall be entertained and proxy entries will not be considered.
- The correct answer and the list of the successful participants in respect of each ‘quest’ will be put up on the subsequent Sunday.
- Those participants who complete 10 successful ‘Quests’ cumulatively (not necessarily consecutively) within a time-frame of a quarter year (three months), will be eligible for a prize as token of our appreciation and they will be communicated of the same in the following month. The four quarters in a year are: January-March, April-June, July-September and October-December.
- The authorities’ decision regarding the contest will be final and they reserve the right to modify or discontinue the contest at any time, or to accept or reject entries at their absolute discretion without assigning any reason for the same.