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Re: Nainacharyar's Pillai Anthaadhi - Introduction

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • September 3, 1999 


To clarify a minor point in Sri Madhavakkannan's note:
> Kumara Varadacharya studied Vedas, and other traditional literature 
> along with Brahmatanthra Jeeyer, who later established the  Parakala Mutt at 
> Mysore.

Sri Brahmatantra Svatantra Jeeyar was a great scholar from Kanchipuram
whose actual name was Perarulaliyan, an epithet of Lord Varadaraja
meaning extremely gracious.  He was given the title "Brahmatantra
Svatantra" (master of the science of Brahman, i.e., Vedanta) in 
recognition of his mastery of Sribhashya and other Vedantic texts.

The Parakala Matham was founded by Brahmatantra Svatantra Jeeyar in
Kanchipuram.  There are inscriptions in the Kanchipuram temple which
record endowments from the temple to Brahmatantra Svatantra Jeeyar.
Several generations later, Sri Parakala Matham moved to Tirupati.
Further on, at the request of the Mysore Maharajas, the Matham was
moved to Srirangapatnam (and perhaps Melkote in-between?), and from
this time onward the Parakala Matha Swamis acted as the official
acharyas of the Mysore Maharaja.

Subsequently, the Matham moved to Mysore, where it stands today
in an impressive structure next to the Jaganmohan Palace.

So, Sri Parakala Mutt has done a tIrtha-yAtra of sorts over hundreds
of years before ending up in Mysore.

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,
Mani