This radiant Rajarishi is ranked as the 7th among the 12 Azhvars. He is considered to be the manifestation of Kaustubham of Lord Narayana.
The Raja of Chera Nadu (present Kerala) was childless and being a great devotee of Lord Sri Rama prayed frequently for a male child to carry on his lineage. The king's name was Druda Varadan and the queen was Nadanayaki.
In course of time a baby boy was born on a Thursday in the Tamil month Masi (Feb-Mar) under the star Punarvasu on 12th day of bright lunar fortnight in Thiruvanjikallam (capital of Kozhikode). He was named by the king as Kulasekaran.
He composed 105 verses called Perumal Thirumozhi which form part of 4000 verses of Divya Prabhandam. The verses are luminous example of complete self surrender (Sarangadhi) to the divine. He also composed Mukunda Mala in praise of Sri Krishna.
He was such an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Rama that when he ascended the throne (after his father) he ordered that Srimad Ramayana must be read in every house in the subjects of his kingdom. He also ordered that the gates of his palace should be kept open to all the devotees who wish to enter the palace. A pouranikar was to read to him Srimad Ramayana everyday. He enjoyed equally Srimad Bhagavatam.
As Ramayana was being read, Kulasekara used to get transported to the era in which Sri Rama took avatar. He used to get transformed as Dasaratha, Janaka Maharaja, etc as will be seen from the following incidents.
When the pouranikar announced the arrival of Sri Rama, Kulasekarar gave donations in cash and kind throughout his kingdom. Such was his happiness on hearing the birth of Sri Rama.
As the story was being told when the pouranikar ended the Balakandam with the marriage of Sitadevi, he asked why did not Valmiki describe the “Balya Leela” of Sri Rama and why was no lullaby sung when HE was in the cradle. He immediately composed 10 verses as lullaby to Sri Rama which Sri Valmiki, Kamban did not do.
“Mannu Pugazh Kousalai than manivayiru….”
Then when Sri Rama’s marriage to Sitadevi was announced, he imagined himself to be Janaka Maharaja (father of Sitadevi) and ordered that arrangements to be made for a grand marriage.
Again when the pouranikar started reciting the verses mentioning Sita’s abduction by Ravana, he ran and got into the ocean to save her.
When Sri Rama’s arrangements to go to Sri Lanka to kill Ravana and retrieve Sitadevi, he ordered his army to get ready to march to defend Sri Rama. The ministers hit upon a plan to stop this order by asking a few Brahmanas to come into the court shouting “Vijayee Bhava, Vijayee Bhava” meaning victory to Lord Sri Rama.
He was deeply attached to Lord Ranganatha of Sri Rangam because the deity was the one worshipped by Sri Rama himself. He made arrangements to visit Sri Rangam but when he heard that some devotees were coming to see him, he postponed the journey. He gave importance to Bhagavadothamars as much as the Lord.
Because of certain incident that took place he got fed up with materialistic world and relinquishing material pleasures started on the pilgrimage to the following places Tiruvengadam (Tirupati).
Here he was so much lost in the beauty and grandeur of Lord of seven hills that the composed 10 verse in HIS praise. It is believed that the Lord asked him what he wanted from HIM, he replied pleading with the Lord that he may be born as fish in the plants world or at the most be a step in the Sanctum Sanctorum of Lord Venkateswara, so that he could keep seeing the sweet mouth of the Lord.
“Cheddiyaya Valvinaykall Theerkum …….”
Even today the “Kulasekharar Padi” exists in the Tirumalai temple.
Thiruvithuvakodu (Thiruvanchikodu, Kerala):
Here he sanag 10 verses in paraise of this Lord.
Chitrakootam:
Here he composed 11 verses narrating the episodes of Srimad Ramayana.
He spent his last days in Sri Rangam among the devotees of the Lord revelling in HIS Glory like Thondaradipodi Azhvar.
His contemporaries were Thirumangaiazhvar and Thondaradipodi. Chera Nadu was then ruled by 25 kings, and the title Perumal was added to their names. There were two Kulashekhars - one of them being this Azhwar. Since Perumal was being added to the names of the kings, the work of Kulashekhara Azhwar was called Perumal Thirumozhi. Periya Vachan Pillai called him Perumal.