Origin of Iyengar

[Guest guest]

I remember to have read a scholarly article by Late Sri Navalpakkam

Ammini Devanatha Tatacharya, a philologist and a recipient of

President of India's award for Sanskrit, about the origin

of "Iyengar". This word as well as "Iyer" has same origin in the

Tamil word "Aiyan" meaning a respectable one. Iyengar is a Telugu

variant of Aiyan (Aiyan + Garu).

 

It is also said that originally Tatacharyas (who were gurus to

Vijayanagar Kings) were respectfully referred to as "Iyengars", the

term which later on came to be broadly applied to all Srivaishnavas

(Like trademark Xerox popularly extended to all copiers). Even now,

those who are familiar to Kanchipuram traditions, use "Iyyengar" to

specifically mean Kanchipuram Tatacharyas.

 

Dasan Narasimhan

 

bhakti-list, "vtca" <vtca> wrote:

> Dear BhagavatOttamas,

>

> Recently there had been some correspondence regarding the

> meaning of the word "iyengar". The word "i" denoting

> five is also a Tamil word (not Sanskrit, Telugu and

> Kannada alone). I am attaching a mail on the subject

> forwarded by adiyEn's brother Sri TCA Sadagopan.

>

> adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

> TCA Venkatesan

>

> --

>

> Sri TCA Sadagopan writes:

>

> The title Iyengar denotes "A Person who performs the PANCHA

> SAMASKARAMS in their daily routine". Such eligibility occurs to

them

> after the ritual of "Samaachrayanam" by a worthy and True

Aachaaryan.

> The Pancha samaskarams are : 1. Daily Snanam (in the morning and

> evening) with application of Urthva Pundaram, 2.

Nithyaanusandhaanam

> (including Manthra pushpam, Sandhya vandanam, Perumal amudhupadi)

3.

> Aacharyan tiruvadi saranaagati or sambandam, 4. Vaishnava Ghoshti

> kainkaryam (including adhithi samaaradanai) and 5. Bhagavat

> prabhatti. ( Thayar & Perumaal sevai).

>

> Just as a person perceives this world through the 5 sensory organs

of

> Mey, Vaai, Kann, Mukku, & Sevi, an Iyengar perceives his world

> through these 5 samaskaraas, taking these as the Angaas for

spiritual

> life. Thus the name Iyengaars - meaning "I" (5 in chaste Tamil -

> like "ai aindum ariyaada maanidarai") "Angaars" - Angangalai

> udaiyavar.

[Guest guest]

bhakti-list, "nnarsi" <nnaray2@u...> wrote:

> I remember to have read a scholarly article by Late Sri Navalpakkam

> Ammini Devanatha Tatacharya, a philologist and a recipient of

> President of India's award for Sanskrit, about the origin

> of "Iyengar". This word as well as "Iyer" has same origin in the

> Tamil word "Aiyan" meaning a respectable one. Iyengar is a Telugu

> variant of Aiyan (Aiyan + Garu).

>

 

In some contexts, "ai" seems to be a Tamil root for "elders" as

in "en aimAr tAm vantiTTu" in Nacciyar tirumozi 6.9 where according

to the commentary aimAr stands for aNNanmAr.

 

In addition,over different time periods "ai" seems to stand for other

meanings too e.g., husband, father.

> It is also said that originally Tatacharyas (who were gurus to

> Vijayanagar Kings) were respectfully referred to as "Iyengars", the

> term which later on came to be broadly applied to all Srivaishnavas

> (Like trademark Xerox popularly extended to all copiers). Even now,

> those who are familiar to Kanchipuram traditions, use "Iyyengar" to

> specifically mean Kanchipuram Tatacharyas.

 

 

In defense of the Telugu "garu" reading of the second part of the

word "ayyangar", one may point to epigraphic evidence for names

like "ammangar", "annangar", "appangar", "jiyyangar". In fact some

consider the title Tatacharya to be a popular translation

of "ayyangar". Refer in this connection, N Jagadeesan's Collected

Papers on Srivaishnavism.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Lakshmi Srinivas

[Guest guest]

anEka praNAma to all bhAgavathas.

I have heard a different version of the "etymology" of

the term Iyengar.

"IYYAN" as explained by SrimAn Srinivas in general

came to be applicable to all upper caste, particularly

the brahmin community. Today still, the villagers

will address brahmins as iyer even though he may be an

iyengar or Madhva!!!

 

The term IyengAr as per what I heard from scholars

refers to brahmins that under go panchasamakAra. They

then to five angAs towards prapatti and

hence “iyyangAr”. Incidently, VaikAnasa vaishNavas,

who do not adopt panchasamskAra, do not refer to

themselves as iyyangArs. Now the question is, can we

then call all srivashNavas, irrespective of the caste,

that adopt panchasamskAra,as IyyangArs?

 

AdiyEn just felt like airing my views.

DAsAnudAsan

Suderson

 

--- lsrinivas <lsrinivas wrote:

> bhakti-list, "nnarsi" <nnaray2@u...>

> wrote:

> > I remember to have read a scholarly article by

> Late Sri Navalpakkam

> > Ammini Devanatha Tatacharya, a philologist and a

> recipient of

> > President of India's award for Sanskrit, about the

> origin

> > of "Iyengar". This word as well as "Iyer" has same

> origin in the

> > Tamil word "Aiyan" meaning a respectable one.

> Iyengar is a Telugu

> > variant of Aiyan (Aiyan + Garu).

> >