Sri Pillai Lokacharya Vaibhavam - Thirunakshatthiram Nov 11

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Mani,

 

I do not know if a post of this kind is in tune with the

guidelines you have established for Bhakti-list. But as

I am not sure, I am sending it any way. If you feel it

is ok, please post it to the group. If not, please let

me know. Thanks.

 

adiyEn

TCA Venkatesan

 

--

 

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Dear BhAgavatas,

 

We are all aware that Aippasi Thirumoolam which occurs

tomorrow, Nov 8, is the thirunakshatthiram of Sri

Manavala Mamnigal. To celebrate the occasion many

bhAgavatas have been writing about the revered acharya

and his works.

 

However, not many seem to be aware that Aippasi

ThiruvONam is the thirunakshatthiram of another great

acharya, to whom Manavala Mamunigal owes a great extent

his knowledge of our Darsanam. This acharya is Sri

Pillai Lokacharya. His thirunakshatthiram is the same

as Poygai Azhvar's and it occurs on Nov 11th this year.

 

It would not be too much to say that the thennacharya

principles as we know them today were laid down by this

acharya. He is the author of eighteen great rahasya

granthas, together known as the Ashtadasa Rahasyas. The

gems in this collection include Sri Vacana Bhushanam and

Mumukshuppadi (adiyEn is writing a translation of the

meanings of Mumukshuppadi in some of the Srivaishnava

).

 

AdiyEn wanted to celebrate this acharya's thirunakshatthiram

by posting an article on his vaibhavam. I look forward to

others contributing posts about this great acharya.

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

TCA Venkatesan

 

--

 

Sri Pillai Lokacharyar Vaibhavam

 

lOkAchAryAya guravE krushNapAdaSya SUnavE |

SamSArabhOgiSandashta jIvajIvAtavE nama: ||

 

 

The name UlagAriya (or Lokacharya) first became associated

with Sri Nampillai when Sri Kanthadai Thozhappar celebrated

him as the acharya for the world ("kanthAdai thOzhappar

tham ugappAl enna ulagAriyanO enRu uraikka"). Nampillai's

disciple was Sri Vadakku Thiruveethippillai. Out of great

affection for his acharya, Vadakku Thiruveethippillai named

his first son as Pillai Lokacharya ("anbAl anna thiru

nAmaththai Athariththu mannu pugazh maintharkku

sARRukaiyAl").

 

One time Nampillai was enquiring Vadakkuth Thiruveethip

pillai's mother Ammi about her welfare. She told him that

she was sad as her family was not being furthered because

her son was staying away from his wife and was not having

a child. Nampillai asked her to bring her daughter-in-law

to his presence. When she did, he told her daughter-in-law

that she would give birth to a son just like himself. He

then called his disciple Vadakkuth Thiruveethippillai and

told him to follow proper gruhastAsrama and that it would

not cause any damage to his vairAgya.

 

Vadakkuth Thiruveethippillai obeyed his acharya's words

and in time a son was born to him; he named him Pillai

Lokacharya out of respect for his acharya. He also had

a second son who was named Azhagiya Manavala Perumal

Nayanar. Sri Pillai Lokacharya was born as the amsam of

Kanchi Devaraja (Varadaraja) Perumal in the month of

Aippasi under the star Thiruvonam, in the year 1205 CE.

 

In the foreword to his vyakhyanam of Sri Vacana Bhushanam,

Sri Manavala Mamunigal tells of the following event. Once

upon a time Kanchi Devaraja Perumal out of His nirhEduka

krupa selected one Manarpakkam Nambi, and appearing in his

dream taught him some special rahasya meanings; He also

advised him to go live in Srirangam and wait for Him there

where He will teach him in further detail those meanings.

Manarpakkam Nambi moved to Srirangam, built a small temple

and quietly lived there worshipping Him and keeping the

meanings revealed by Him to himself. One day Pillai

Lokacharya came to that temple with his close disciples

and seeing the quiet nature of the place began teaching

them the meanings of rahasyas. Nambi listening from inside

noted that these meanings were the same as taught by Lord

Varadaraja to him. He then came out and bowing at Pillai

Lokacharya's feet, asked him "AvarO neer?" - Are you the

one (the same as Devaraja)?. Pillai Lokacharya replied

"Yes, and why do you ask?". Manarpakkam Nambi explained

his dream to him. This is the avatara rahasyam of Pillai

Lokacharya.

 

Pillai Lokacharya then took him as his disciple and taught

him the meanings of the rahasyas. Nambi then told him that

Lord Varadaraja had asked him to request Pillai Lokacharya

to collect these meanings as a book. The book thus written

is Sri Vacana Bhushanam. Manavala Mamunigal speaks of

the greatness of this work in several pasurams in his

UpadesaratthinamAlai. Mamunigal also says that this is

the greatest of Pilla Lokacharya's works ("innaruLAl

seytha kalai yAvaiyilum").

 

In their youth, both brothers learned everything from

their father as well as from his acharya Nampillai. They

grew up like Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana. Both of them

lived as brahmacharis throughout their lives. In his

65th year, Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar reached His

lotus feet. Pillai Lokacharya lived to the age of 106

years.

 

Pillai Lokacharya's primary disciples were Koorakuloththama

Dasa, Manarpakkam Nambi, Kollikavala Dasa (Azhagiya

Manavala Perumal Pillai), KotturilaNNar and Vilanjsolai

Pillai.

 

Also at a young age Srisailesa (Thiruvaymozhi Pillai) and

Thirunaaveerudaiyapiran DaatharaNNar became his disciples.

The former is the acharya of Sri Manavala Mamunigal and

the latter is his father. Mamunigal's father was

Kollikavala Dasa's disciple at Sikkil Kidaram and married

his daughter. Thiruvaymozhi Pillai learned everything

from Koorakuloththama Dasa. Thus, Mamunigal gained the

great wealth of sambandham with Pillai Lokacharya

through his acharya (Srisailesa), his father and his

maternal grandfather.

 

While Pillai Lokacharya lived in Srirangam maintaining

Emperumanar's Darsanam, the islamic invasion of the city

occured. To save the temple and Periya Perumal, His

sannidhi was covered with brick stones and a different

vigraha was kept in front. Pillai Lokacharya left

Srirangam along with Namperumal and Naccimars ahead of

the invasion. While going through a forest they were

attacked by thieves who stole all the jewellery and

vessels of Namperumal. Pillai Lokacharya gave them

everything he had and even rejected the items when they

returned them to him. Happy that they left Namperumal

with him, he continued on. They then reached a small

town called Jyothishkudi. Here Pillai Lokacharya fell

ill and reached His lotus feet. The year was 1311 CE

and the day was jyEshtha suddha dvAdasi. At his death

bed he advised his disciples such as Koorakuloththama

Dasa and Vilanjsolai Pillai that Srisailesa was working

for the king at Madurai and that they should bring him

back into the Srivaishnava fold so that he could lead

the darsanam.

 

Pillai Lokacharya authored several works including the

eighteen rahasya granthas known together as Ashtadasa

Rahasya and Gadyatraya Vyakhyanam.

 

The Ashtadasa Rahasyas:

01. Mumukshuppadi

02. Yatruccikappadi

03. Sriya:patippadi

04. Paranthapadi

05. Thanicaramam

06. Thanidvayam

07. ThanipraNavam

08. Sri Vacana Bhushanam

09. Arththa Panchakam

10. TattvasEkaram

11. Tattvatrayam

12. ArcchirAdi

13. PramEyasEkaram

14. NavavidaSambandham

15. PrapannaparitrANam

16. SAraSangraham

17. NavaratnamAlai

18. SamSAra SAmrAjyam

 

Pillai Lokacharyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam