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Know Our AzhwArs and AchAryas
Know Our AzhwArs and AchAryas
AchAryas
After the time of AzhwArs, AchAryas started appearing. Many AchAryas starting from
nAthamunigaL, centered by srI rAmAnuja and ending with maNavALa mAmunigaL appeared
and propagated our sath sampradhAyam. This AchArya paramparai continues through the 74
simhAsanadhipathis and jeeyar mutts (established by emperumAnAr and maNavALa
mAmunigaL) until today. These AchAryas wrote several commentaries on aruLicheyal,
explaining the meanings of the pAsurams in great detail. These commentaries are the great
wealth they have left behind to us - for us to read them and immerse in the bhagavadh
anubhavam. The AchAryas, by the mercy of the AzhwArs were able to exactly understand the
divine message in the pAsurams and explain them from different angles.
gukAra: anthakAra vAchya shabhdha: - gu represents the aspect of ignorance that our
intelligence is covered with. rukAra: than nivarthaka: - ru represents the true knowledge that
will remove that ignorance. guru means the teacher who removes our ignorance and guide us
into the true path of knowledge. guru and AchArya are synonyms and both mean spiritual
teacher.
OrAN vazhi guru paramparai means disciplic succession of spiritual teachers who carried the
great message of scriptures through history.
Our OrAN vazhi guru paramparai starts with srI ranganAthan (srIman nArAyaNan), centered
with srI rAmAnuja (who is hailed as jagadhAchArya - meaning the AchArya of the whole
universe) and ends with srI maNavALa mAmunigaL (who was declared by srI ranganAthan
himself as his own AchArya in srIrangam). Let us now see each AchArya's details one by one.
vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai sri krishna pAdha pAdhAbjE namAmi sirasA sadhA
(srI krishNa pAdhar) yath prasAdha prabhAvEna sarva sidhirabhUnmama
Most merciful AchArya who documented the esoteric principles of
our sampradhAyam in the simplest language for every one's
benefit.
In addition, we will also learn a little about ponnadikkAl jIyar who is the first jIyar of our
vAnamAmalai mutt.
ponnadikkAl jIyar
ramya jAmAthru yOghIndhra pAdharEkhA mayam sadhA
thathA yaththAthma saththAdhim rAmAnuja munim bhajE