srikantamiva bhasvantham siva naama paraayanam |

sridharam venkatAesaaryam sraeyasae gurumaasrayae ||

Thiruvisaloor village is situated near kumbakonam on the banks of the cauvery river in the fertile CholaNadu.  Three hundred years ago Shahaji, the then ruler of Thanjavur established an agraharam (a street exclusively for housing brahmins) in that village.  Brahmins well versed in vedas and who practised the vedic rituals were settled there.  Of these, there was one brahmin by name  Sri Sridhara Venkateswara Saastrigal also known as Sri Sridhara Iyyavaal.  He was well versed in the saastras and was staunch believer in the greatness of Bhagavan Naama.  Seeing God every where loving all creatures, these were the traits of this great devotee of the Lord.  Three preceptors are considered as the principal guides of the Bajana sampradaaya.  Next to that of Sri Bodendra Swamigal of Govindapuram, the songs on Sri Iyyavaal used to be rendered in the traditional Bhajan. 

Sri Sridhara Iyyavaal, was the son of Sri Lingarya who was a minister in Mysore State.  From child hood Sri Iyyavaal was a devotee of Lord Shiva.  He was well versed in all saasthras and vedantas.  Perfectly detached from the worldly affairs he was souly devoted to siva naama Japa. He married Srimathi Lakshmi who belong to a noble family.  Sri Iyyaval wanted to propogate bakthi marga and naama mahima through out the India.  Sri Iyyavaal then prostrated before his mother and took unchavrithi soothram and Akshaya paatram.  He left his house with his wife and mother.Sri Iyyavaal engaged in Bagavath Bakthi and was industing others to do the same.  He would attur allowed divine names.  Some times he would be atturing hyms which would melt the hearts of listeners.  His upper clothes would become wet with tears coming from his eyes.  He would become unconsious after dancing like a mad man.  Sri Iyyavaal was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and composed several works for the welfare of the world.  Bhagavannama Bhushanam, Dhaya Sathaham, Akyashashti, Maathru Bootha Sathakam, Shiva Bakthi kalpalatha etc.,  Though they are in different names these works speaks only the greatness of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu naama.

Shri Bodendra Swamigal had gread estime for Sri Iyyavaal and praised much the works of Sri Iyyavaal and used to refer him respectively. 

One day Sri Iyyavaal went to the cauvery for bath.  He had to perform spiritual rites that  day.  For that, all types of food were kept ready.  On the way to home he saw a poor man who was struggling for his life due to hunger.  Sri Iyyavaal brought him his house and offered the food kept for brahmins in his house.  In keeping with tradition he cleaned the house again arranged to prepare fresh food, had his bath again and invited the brahmins fixed for the ceremony. The brahmins were jealous of Sri Iyyavaal's performance.  Taking this oppurtunity they quarrelled with Sri Iyyavaal and refused to attend the ceremony.  Sri Iyyavaal conducted the cermony by putting darba instead of brahmins.  when he uttered the mantras invoking his ancestor Lord Bhahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Siva came and sat as Brahmins.  The ceremony was also completed.

Because of the refusal of brahmins Sri Iyyavaal prostrated before them and said that he was willing to do any purifing act ordained by them for removing the sin incurred by his act.  Bhrahmins told to   take the  Holy dip in the river ganges as remedy. Sri Iyyavaal told them that his physical condition was not favourable for under taking such a journey.  So he said that he will invite river ganges to his place and bathe in it.  So he prayed and invited river Ganges and suddenly the river ganges came out of the well of Sri Iyyavaals house and flown along the streets.  On seeing this all the brahmins apologised to him and prayed to send back river ganges.  Sri Iyyavaal  told them that if ganga was sent away they would have to go a long way to uttarpradesh for taking bath in the river ganges.  He advised them to have their bath then itself.  So all the brahmins praised him and requested him to send back the ganga. This happend on new moon day in the month of Kaarthigai (November-December).

Sri Iyyavaal  spread namasankeerthanam to various parts of the country through his devotion and dedicated poems.  One day when he was singing songs on Lord shiva in the temple with prema bakthi suddenly he ran into the SANCTUM SANCTORUM to embrace the Lord inside and vanished there itself.  Bhakthas fainted and all were loudly uttering "HARA HARA MAHADEVA" and danced in ecstasy with tears in their eyes and believe Sri Iyyavaal is the reincarnation of Lord Shiva.