Sri. Pillai Lokacharyar: A biography.

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sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah

 

SRI PILLAI LOKACHARYAR: A BIOGRAPHY

By Sri Vedaraman Sriraman

in Vedic_Magazine

 

lOkAchAryAya guravE krishNapAdaSya sUnavE |

samsArabhOgisandashta jIvajIvAtavE nama: ||

 

Sri Manavala Mamunigal (MM), in his much celebrated

UpadEsarattinamalai, commemorates the lives and works of Azhvars

and Acharyas. In this wondorous composition, he has singled out one

Acharyan, more than any one else, in whose honor, he has devoted

several pasurams. This acharyan so revered by Sri MM is Sri Pillai

Lokacharya (also known as ulagAriyan – teacher of the universe).

Sri PL was born around 1205 AD on the occasion of Ashwayuja (Aippasi

in tamil), under the asterism of shrAvaNa (thiruvONam). Those were

days when Sri Vaishnavam flourished under the able leadership of the

august Sri Nampillai. His disciples included several luminaries;

prompting the oft quoted “Nampillai ghostiyO, Namperumal ghostiyO” (“Is

it the gathering of devotees who came to listen to Nampillai or who

came to see Namperumal”). The most prominent amongst these disciples

were Sri Vadakku Thiruveethip Pillai (VTP) and Sri Periya Vaachaan

Pillai (PVP), who authored the two most authoritative commentaries on

Sri Nammazhwar’s Thiruvaimozhi, viz. muppaththi-aaRaayirappadi

(36,000) or Edu and the irupaththi-naalaayirappadi (24,000) respectively.

Sri VTP was blessed with two sons. The eldest of the two was Sri PL and

the second was Sri Azhakiya Manavalap Perumal (AMP) Nayanar. Sri

VTP named his eldest son after his acharya Sri Nampillai who was also

known as Lokacharya or Ulagariyan. To gain the quintessence of

Ramanujar’s darsanam very clearly, one need look no further than the

works of Sri PVP, VTP, PL and AMP Nayanar.

 

Both brothers grew up and lived in Sri Rangam. They learned from their

illustrious father as well as from other contemporary acharyas like Sri

Nampillai. It is said that when they were young they overheard their

father expressing some regrets about gruhastasrama (house holder). This

incident left an indelible impression on the young minds and as a

consequence they remained brahmacharis (bachelors) throughout their

lives and rendered magnificent kainkaryams to Namperumal and sri

vaishNavam.

 

Sri PL would be considered a social revolutionary in that he was the first

Acharyan who wrote independent works in the vernacular language that

expounded on Vedanta and an account of his views on caste. In the latter

instance, he was a blazing visionary and pioneer, the likes of which finds

no rival in the past or present, saving his younger brother. He very

staunchly held that all that mattered was a bhagavatha’s (devotee’s)

devotion to Perumal and that any consideration of the caste of a

bhagavatha constituted a grave apachAram (sin)!!! Sri PL was a practical

man who practiced what he preached and included amongst his

principal disciples was a Harijan by the name of Vilancholaipillai. This

mahatma (great soul) had several Brahmin bhagavatas as disciples. To

fully grasp the immensity of Sri PL’s views and actions, they must be

evaluated in the timeframe in which they occurred, ie, almost 800 years

ago. Understandably then, several baghavathas in Srirangam took

exception to Sri PL’s position. These objections reached a level of

criticality that in turn necessitated Sri AMP Nayanar’s having to formally

vindicate his brother. However, Sri PL never soft peddled these issues!!!

He composed several works in which he very directly and explicitly

covers controversial issues of absence of qualificatory states for prapatti.

Notable amongst the many works that were composed for the benefit of

future generations by this supremely benevolent Acharyan are eighteen

in Manipravala style, that are called Ashtaadasa Rahasyangal (18

esoteric scriptures), and that leave no aspect of srI vaishNava philosphy

uncovered.

Sri PL, along with Sri Vedanta Desikan, represent two stalwarts of srI

vaishNavam, who put their very lives in harm’s way to save critical

aspects of our sampradAyam during the difficult times of Mohammedan

invasions. Details of Sri PL’s role is expounded in greater detail in guru

parampara prabhAvam.

His Works

 

1. Srivachanabhusanam (SVB)

2. Tattvatrayam

3. Mumukshuppadi

4. Arthpanchakam

5. Archiradi

6. Prameyasekaram

7. Prapannaparitranam

8. Sarasangraham

9. Samsarasamrajyam

10. Navaratnamalai

11. Navavidhasambandham

12. Yadrccikapadi

13. Parantapadi

14. Sriyapatippadi

15. Tattvasekharam

16. Tanidwayam

17. Tanicharamam

18. Tanipranavam

 

Orthodox accounts indicate that Sri PL reached the lotus feet of Sriman

Narayana at the advanced age of 95, after a lifetime dedicated to service

of bhAgavathas and our Lord.

 

Nothing more need be said about Sri PiLLai lOkAchArya’s significance

of contributions or heights of intellectual achievement, when one of the

brightest stalwarts of srI vaishNavam, Swami dESikan, inspired by his

senior contemporary, extols Sri PL’s virtues in lOkAchArya panchashat,

a stotra composed by Swami dESikan in praise of Swami PL:

 

janijaladhi parIthAkAra leenAtma panktyau

trividha vishaya trishNa rAkshasI peeDithayau

Bhuvanaguru varOdAth srImatIm sukti bhUshAm

Pavanaja iva dEvyai pANi bhUshAm svabharThAm ….

(lOkAchArya panchashat, 15)

 

(As did Sri HanumAn relieve Sita’s suffering by giving her Sri Rama’s

ornament, so has the esteemed lOkAchArya given the array of

ornaments called srI vachana bhUshaNam, guaranteed to bring relief to

the multitude of souls, lost in the quagmire of samsAra, enslaved by

three kinds of rAkshasis (demons) called sensory thirst)