SwAmi ThiruvAimozhippiLLai vaibhavam - 2

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2. Attack on South India Srirangam was a part of the Pandya empire during the 14th century AD. The Mohemmadan Army led by Malik Gafur first attacked Srirangam in the year 1311. Although the Pandya king initially lost the battle, he developed alliance with

the kAkateeya emperor and defeated the Mohammedans, and thus regained control of what is now Tamilnadu. The second attack by the Mohemmadans occurred in the year 1319. Again, they were defeated. But, the Mohemmadans regrouped, regained strength and attacked in the year 1323. Their army commanded by ulooq khan conqured the South (including Madurai and Srirangam) and created maximum destruction possible. Sensing danger, SwAmi piLLai lOkAchAriar and his disciples left Srirangam with namperumAL and his consorts (as described in Sidenote 1 above). The pAndya king (named Sundara pAndian) was able to defeat the Mohemmadans in the year 1326 and regain Madurai (Srirangam was still under the control of the Mohemmadans) . Unfortunately the king lost his life in war and the throne went to his young son, parAkrama pAndian who was just 10 years of age. SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr, who was then the chief minister, now had the responsibility guiding the young prince in ruling the magnificient pAndya empire. Using jargon, one can say SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr was ruling Madurai by Proxy. He should be the only AchAryan in our Sampradayam to have held such a high post in poorvAsramam (life before becoming a sannyAsi/renunciant). 3. The departure of SwAmi piLLai lOkAchAriar: SwAmi piLLai lOkAchAriar was aged around 120 when he left Srirangam and finally arrived at a place named jyOthishkudi. Sensing his old body can no longer handle the physical stress, he decided his time had come to attain paramapadam. When his disciples were distraught with grief and worries about who will be the next AchAryan of the glorious Srivaishnava Sampradayam, he instructed thus: “Sri Thirumalai AzhwAr is now the chief minister of the pAndya kingdom in Madurai. He is a very well learned scholar and by experience, he has great administrative abilities. He came to Srirangam and accepted me as his guru, I pray to Sri RanganAtha to guide Sri Thirumalai AzhwAr

back to our sampradayam and lead all the SrivaishnavAs”. He gave the following instructions to his disciples: koora kulOthama dAsar to bring SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr back to the Srivaishnava fold and impart the hidden meanings (rahasya arthAs) of our Sampradayam to him. Sri kannangudi piLLai to teach the meanings of ThirvAimozhi to SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr . Sri nAloorpiLLai to teach the meanings of the other 3000 of the divyaprabandam to SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr . Sri viLAnjOlaippiLLai to train SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr on Sri vachana Bhooshanam. SwAmi piLLai lOkAchAryar attained paramapadam. Smt. sAthvika ammayar, who is the mother of SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr couldn’t bear the separation from her AchAryan and she soon joined her AchAryan as well. [sidenote 3: SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr’s mother was widowed when she was very young. She was an ardent disciple of SwAmi piLLai lOkAchAryar and spent most of her life serving her AchAryan and his other disciples. SwAmi Thirumalai AzhwAr was raised by his maternal aunt]. [to be continued......]

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