SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
namperumAL emigrates from kOyil
While piLLai lOkAchAryar was thus making the glories of pramANam (authentic texts such as vEdhams etc), pramEyam (emperumAn) and pramAthru (authors of the various texts) such that all the chEthanas (sentient entities) would get uplifted and was like the life of namperumAL, SrIrangam came under the occupation of invaders from Turkey [and neighbouring countries]. In order to prevent any damage to periya perumAL and namperumAL, a stone wall was constructed, hiding periya perumAL and a vigraha (idol) of perumAL was installed in front of the wall. namperumAL, along with his ubhaya nAychchimArs (SrIdhEvi and bhUdhEvi) was taken out of the temple in a palanquin. Just as it is said in perumAL thirumozhi 4-6 “suRRamellAm pin thodarath thol kAnam adaindhu” (SrI rAma reached forest, followed by his near and dear) and as said in periya thirumozhi 5-10 “thambiyodu thAm oruvar tham thuNaivi kAdhal thuNaiyAga” (SrI rAma went accompanied by his younger brother and beloved consort) namperumAL emigrated from the temple, along with his confidential retinue. Just as lakshmaNa went behind SrI rAma with his bow and sword to carry out servitude to SrI rAma, piLLai lOkAchAryar too went behind namperumAL, just as it has been mentioned in thiruvAimozhi 8-3-7 pAsuram “uruvAr chakkaram sangu sumandhu ingu ummOdu oru pAdu uzhalvAn OradiyAn …” (there is a servant (devotee) who is walking with you, carrying your beautiful, divine chAkkaram (disc) and sangam (conch)). lOkAchAryar and other preceptors (who went along with him accompanying namperumAL and nAychchimArs) kept singing praises on namperumAL, entered the forest areas just as it has been said in samskshEpa rAmAyaNam “praviSyathu mahAraNyam rAmO rAjIvalOchana:” (SrI rAma, the lotus-eyed, entered the huge forests) and in SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 119-22 “vanam sabhArya: pravivESa rAghava: salakshmaNa: sUrya iva abhra maNdalam ” (SrI rAma entered the forests, along with his wife sIthAp pirAtti and lakshmaNa, just like sun enters clouds). They were proceeding through forests inhabited by many wild and fierce animals such as lion, hyena, wild boar, bear etc which were roaring and making frightening noises; hunters with bows in their hands were roaming, as well. While reaching an area where robbers were prevalent, namperumAL mercifully gave all his wealth to some thieves. Hearing that piLLai lOkAchAryar mercifully retracted and showered his full mercy on the same thieves and left. More such forest-dwellers then came and surrendered to piLLai lOkAchAryar and made some offerings to him.
lOkAchAryar ordains bringing thirumalaiyAzhwAr to sampradhAyam and leaves for SrIvaikuNtam
They, along with namperumAL, reached a village called jyOthishkudi (present day kodikkuLam) near madhurai and set up their residence there. piLLai lOkAchAryar lay down with illness due to fatigue. His disciples became sad and asked him as to who they should take refuge under. piLLai lOkAchAryAr’s divine heart thought of thirumalai AzhwAr and told them in a loud voice that thirumalai AzhwAr was an expert on both laukika (related to samsAram) and vaidhika (related to vEdham) aspects and that he was looking after the affairs of madhurai kingdom then. He told them to make him give up the regal duties and to take up charge of dharSanam. He asked kUrakulOththama dhAsa nAyanAr to teach him all the rahasya granthams (esoteric works) and their meanings, thirukkaNNangudip piLLai and thiruputkuzhi jIyar to teach him thiruvAimozhi, nalUrppiLLai to teach him vyAkyAnam for mUvAyirapadi (thiruppAvai), viLAnjOlaippiLLai to teach him sapthakAdhai and other distinguished meanings. On the dhvAdhasi (12th) day after amAvAsyai in the thamizh month of Ani (mithunam) he determined to leave for thirunAdu (SrIvaikuNtam). He asked viLAnjOlaippiLLai to reside at thiruvananthapuram till his end. He reminisced the divine feet of his AchAryan and father, vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai and left for thirunAdu. All his disciples were overcome with grief. They consoled themselves, adorned him with the divine pariyattam (cloth worn around the head), divine garlands from namperumAL and conducted the final obsequies.
piLLai lOkAchAryar’s divine star is SravaNam in the thamizh month of aippasi (thulA). His thaniyan is
lOkAchAryAya guravE krishNa pAdhasya sUnavE
samsAri bhOgi sandhashta jIvajIvAthavE nama:
(I take refuge under piLLai lOkAchAryar who is the son of vadakkuth thiruvIdhippiLLai and who is the antidote for the bite of poisonous snake called as samsAram)
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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