Mamta Dhody Endeavour's video: The Ashtakshara mantra Om Namo Narayanaya Thirumangai Alvar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirumangai_Alvar Thirumangai Alvar, is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar and the most superior Alvar in the context of composition of verses. He holds the title Narkavi Perumal, the mark of an excellent poet,and Parakala (Beyond Time). Though he is respected as a Vaishnava saint-poet, he, initially, worked as a military commander, a chieftain and then a robber. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/The-Ashtakshara-mantra/article16574913.ece Thirumangai was born in Thirukuraiyalur, a small village in Tamil Nadu, in a non-Brahmin family. Thirumangai's real name was Kaliyan or Kalikanti. Thirumangai's father was Nilam , a general under the Chola empire.He was skilled in archery and worked as a military commander himself for the Chola king. In recognition of his valour, he was conferred upon the title Parakala and rewarded a small terrority called Ali Nadu to govern, for his military services. Its capital was Thirumangai. He earned the title Thirumangai Mannan or chief of Thirumangai, a name he maintained even when he became a saint. According to the traditional account, he fell in love with Kumudavalli, a Vaishnava doctor's adopted daughter at a place Thiruvellakkulam . She gave a set of conditions that he must become a Vaishnative and that he must feed a thousand for over a year, everyday. During that process, he was so much attracted to Vaishanvism, that he started constructing temple walls for Srirangam. Unable to bear the heavy expense of feeding a thousand people, Kaliyan resorted to highway robbery. One day, he saw a group of people returning from a marriage, with the bride and groom. He and his assistants were able to get all the loot, but the toe ring from the groom was left. He tried to remove them but could not do so. Then he realised the bridegroom was none other than the Supreme god Vishnu himself. Narayana revealed himself to Kaliyan and transformed him by teaching the Narayana mantra or Ashtaksara (the eight syllabled) – "namo narayanaya", turning the robber into a saint and starts singing the first verse of Peria Thirumozhi/ Peria Thirumoli (Vaadinen Vaadi).The temple-god of Thirunaraiyur (Naraiyur Nindra Nambi) – a form of Vishnu – is believed to have initiated Thirumangai into Vaishnavism, by teaching him the pancha samskara. The first ten verses of Thirumangai's poem Periya Tirumoli sing of his transformation, after receiving the spiritual knowledge from Vishnu. He sings about his transformation thus: I became a thief deceitful and dishonest I wandered hither and thither yet light dawned upon me – I reached Your feet and instantly your grace fell upon me with melting heart and choked voice your praises I sing bathed in streaming tears I repeat day and night the sacred name of Narayana (Vishnu) Transformed by his encounter with God, Thirumangai gave up his chieftainship and became a devout Vaishnava, dedicated to god Vishnu. To atone for his sins, he visited 88 of the Divya Desams, a group of 108 Vishnu shrines primarily in south India. Thirumangai preached against penance and advocated bhakti (devotion) as way to attain salvation. He composed 6 poems in Tamil, together accounting for 1361 verses. In the book Divya Prabandham, 1361 verses of Thirumangai are included. His most important work is Periya Tirumoli, composed of 1084 hymns. The others are: Tirunedunthandakam (30 verses), Tirukuruthandakam (20 verses), Tiruvelukkutirukkai (a single long poem of 47 lines), Siriya Tirumadal (155 lines) and Periya Tirumadal (297 lines). A late ninth century text, Tamilalangaram by Dandapani Swamigal describes him of having the rare privilege of biting god Vishnu's toes and being pardoned for all his sins, as he wrote in Tamil. Vaishnavas consider him as a divine incarnation of Sharanga, Vishnu's bow. Periya Tirumoli is the composition of hymns illustrating the greatness of Vaishnava shrines and their presiding deity as well as God's numerous attributes. His songs extol the largest number of shrines – over 40 forms of Vishnu, from Badrinath in North India to Thirukkurungudi in the extreme South. The Thirumangai Alvar Mangalasasana utsavam(festival)in the month of Thai(Jan–Feb) witnesses 11 Garudasevai a spectacular event in which festival images idols from the 11 Thirunaangur Divyadesam shrines in the area are brought on Garuda mounts to Thirunangur. An idol of Thirumangai Alvar is also brought here on a Hamsa Vahanam(swan) and his paasurams(verses) dedicated to each of these 11 temples are recited. The Utsavar(festival deity) of Thirumangai Alvar and his consort Sri Kumudavalli Naachiyar are taken in a palanquin to each of the 11 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams(poems) dedicated to each of the 11 Divyadesams are chanted in the respective shrines.