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Sri Pillai Lokacharya Vaibhavam - Thirunakshatthiram Nov 11

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vtca • November 7, 2002 


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 
yahoo groups).

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




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