Nanmukan Tiruvantati
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| Nanmukan Tiruvantati | |
|---|---|
 Painting of Narasimha. Sri Appan Venkatachalapati Temple, Cheranmahadevi. | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Author | Tirumalisai Alvar |
| Language | Tamil |
| Period | 9th–10th century CE |
| Verses | 100 |
The Nanmukan Tiruvantati (Tamil: நான்முகன் திருவந்தாதி, romanized: Nāṇmukan Tiruvanṭāṭī, lit. 'The sacred hymn of the four-faced one')[1] is a Tamil Hindu work of literature composed by Tirumalisai Alvar, one of the twelve Alvars of Sri Vaishnavism.[2] Comprising 100 verses[3] in the form of a poetic device known as the antati, it is part of the compendium of hymns called the Nalayira Divya Prabandham.[4] It is dedicated to the preserver deity, Vishnu.[5]
Scholars have posited that the primary purpose of the Nanmukan Tiruvantati was to establish the supremacy of Narayana (Vishnu) over Nanmukan (Brahma) and Shankaran (Shiva).[6]
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The first hymn of the Nanmukan Tiruvantati describes the poet-saint's assertion of Vishnu's supremacy:[7]
Narayana created the four-faced one (Brahma), and the four-faced one created Shankaran (Shiva) in his own image.
They say the Ultimate Reality is one. He is Vishnu. Nobody knows the glories of the Lord.— Nanmukan Tiruvantati, Hymn 1
The author also references Vishnu's incarnation of Narasimha and his slaying of Hiranyakashipu in this work:[8]
O Lord who destroyed the boon-intoxicated Hiranya's mighty chest with curved nails and strong arms! You destroy everything, then you create everything, and become the four Yugas as well, I know it!
— Nanmukan Tiruvantati, Hymn 5