SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
The glory of piLLai lOkAchAryar
piLLai lOkAchAryar has such glories that he is considered to be the reincarnation of nammAzhwAr. His younger brother, azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr grew under his grace. They grew up together, similar to iLaiya perumAL (lakshmaNan) and perumAL (SrI rAmar) as well as to krishNa and balarAma. They were praised on being seen together, through the pAsuram
thambiyudan dhASarathiyAnum sangavaNNa
nambiyudan pinnadandhu vandhAnum – pongupunal
Ongu mudumbai ulagAriyanum aRan
dhAngu maNavALanumE thAn
(Just as dhASarathi (SrI rAmar) walked with his younger brother (lakshmaNa) and krishNa with his brother who had the complexion of a conch, ulagAriyan (piLLai lOkAchAryar) and azhagiya maNavALan from the exalted clan of mudumbai would walk together)
Among these two, piLLai lOkAchAryar composed several esoteric granthams (treatise), which could be learnt by women as well as laymen for being uplifted, such as thanipraNavam, thanidhvayam, thanichcharamam, parandhapadi, SrIya:pathipadi, yAdhruchchikappadi, mumukshuppadi, samsAra sAmrAjyam, sArasangraham, thathvathrayam, thathvaSEkaram, prapannaparithrANam, pramEyaSEkaram, archirAdhi, arthapanchakam, navavidha sambandham, navarathnamAlai, SrIvachana bhUshaNam etc. During the time that he was living with his younger brother, several eminent AchAryars who were paramasAthvikars (having only sathva guNam or purely good qualities) such as kUrakulOththama dhAsar nAyan, maNappAkkaththu nambi, azhagiya maNavALappiLLai, also known as kolli kAvaladhAsar, kOttUril aNNar, thirumalai AzhwAr (later, the AchAryan for maNavALa mAmunigaL), viLAnjOlaip piLLai, and eminent women such as the mother of thirumalai AzhwAr et al took refuge under his divine feet, carrying out noble services to him at all times and in all states, without considering even emperumAn.
Thus, when the two of them were living like this, piLLai lOkAchAryar started giving discourse to his disciples on SrIvachana bhUshaNam. Around the same time, azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr started his work AchArya hrudhayam which is considered as the essence of thiruvAimozhi as well as the meaning for establishment of SrIvachana bhUshaNam. Since these two convey the meanings of Idu, the thaniyans of both piLLai lOkAchAriyar and azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr are recited when the thaniyans for Idu are recited.
Some people could not tolerate the fame which the two brothers obtained due to their works and the way people took refuge under them to listen to their works. In their jealousy, they appealed to namperumAL, saying “Oh ranganAtha! piLLailOkAchAriyar has compiled an esoteric grantham, SrIvachana bhUshaNam, which is making the meanings of dharSanam to become futile” Hearing this, namperumAL became angry and through the archakar, called for piLLai lOkAchAriyar. Since he had gone for taking his bath, azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr learnt from them the purpose of being called and went with them to perumAL’s sannidhi. perumAL asked him, through the archakar “Oh nAyanAr! Didn’t we take endless incarnations in order to establish the rule of righteousness? Why are you compiling esoteric granthams to make that as futile?” azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr responded by explaining the concepts of AchArya hrudhayam which he had compiled as a supplement for the establishment of SrIvachana bhUshaNam. Once he completed his explanation, perumAL became very pleased and took to task those who had complained to him by asking them “Aren’t these, what we had said in our incarnations?” He then offered all the temple respects to nAyanAr (sacred water, divine SatAri, thuLasi prasAdham etc) and sent him in a palanquin to his residence. After hearing this, piLLai lOkAchAryar became happy and hugged his brother saying “vaLarththadhanAl payan peRREn” (I realised the benefit of nurturing you) as stated in thirunedundhANdagam pAsuram.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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