srIvaishNava guru paramparai thanians

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Preface
sri: srimathE rAmAnujAya nama: srimadh varavaramunayE nama: sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama: lakshminAtha samArambhAm nAtha yAmuna madhyamAm asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE guru paramparAm

I worship the glorious guru paramparai which starts with sriman nArAyaNan, has nAthamuni and yAmunAchAriar in the middle and ends with my Acharyan. This divine slOkam was rendered by kUrathAzhwAn to glorify our guru paramparai. According to him, asmadhAchArya means emperumAnAr because emperumAnAr was his AchAryan. But in general, asmadhAchArya means ones own AchAryan.

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Our dharisanam is called emperumAnAr dharisanam by namperumAL as maNavALa mAmunigaL identifies in upadhEsa rathina mAlai. It was emperumAnAr who reestablished the sanAthana dharmam (eternal way of life) during his life time. He took the message from his predecessors nAthamuni, ALavandhAr, etc and presented it to everyone in a very simple manner. Guru and AchArya are synonyms. Guru means one who clears the ignorance. AchArya means one who has learnt sAsthram, follows it himself and also makes others follow the same. Guru paramparai means unbroken lineage of AchAryas. Our srivaishnava guru paramparai starts with none other than sriman nArAyaNan himself as we see in this lakshminAtha samArambhAm slOkam. It is out of the unbounded mercy of sriman nArAyaNan, he himself takes up the responsibility of clearing the ignorance in the minds of samsAris (jIvAthmAs who are bound in this material world) to rescue them and give them the ever lasting blissful life in paramapadham. So he became the first AchArya in our guru paramparai and taught the valuable meanings in sAsthram. thaththva jnAnan mOksha lAbha: declares sAsthram. By acquiring real knowledge we get liberated. All the real knowledge we have now, has been received through this unbroken chain of spiritual teachers. So, it is very appropriate to know more about our AchAryas and discuss about their lives and instructions all the time. This is a humble effort from adiyen to list out the thanians for all the AchAryas of our glorious guru paramaparai. It is in practice of elders that the thanians of OrAN vazhi AchAryas are recited everyday after applying Urdhva puNdram and other AchAryas thanians are recited atleast during their monthly/annual thirunakshathram days. adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan Email: sarathy.thothathri@gmail.com Web: http://ponnadi.blogspot.com , http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com kArthigai swAthi (November 30, 2013) (3rd release)

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thanians
thanian is an invocatory verse of glorification to an AchArya which is usually composed/submitted by a sishya. kUrathAzhwAn explains our guru paramparai in a beautiful slOkam (which is recited as part of our nithyAnusandhAnam). lakshmInAtha samArambAm nAtha yAmuna madhyamAm asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE guru paramparAm

Simple translation: I worship our guru paramparai which starts with srIman nArAyaNan (who is the husband of srI mahAlakshmi), has nAthamunigaL and yAmunAchAryar in the middle and ends with my own AchArya. For AzhwAn, asmadhAchArya means emperumAnAr (srI rAmAnujar) who was his own AchArya and for all of us its own samAsrayaNa AchAryan (the one who performs pancha samskAram to us).

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Let us see the thanian for all our pUrvAchAryas. We will start with the OrAN vazhi guru paramaparai (which starts with periya perumAL and ends with maNavALa mAmunigaL). Subsequently, we will see the thanians for AzhwArs and all other pUrvAchAryas in our sath sampradhAyam.

periya perumAL (AvaNi rOhiNi)

srI sthanAbharaNam thEja: srIrangEsayam AsrayE chinthAmaNi mivOthvAntham uthsangE ananthabhOgina:

:
I reach out to srI ranganAthan who is a beautiful ornament decorating srI mahAlakshmis breasts, who is a great radiance himself, who is resting in srI rangam and who is like a crown jewel on the lap of Adhi sEshan.

periya pirAtti (panguni uthram)

nama: sriranga nAyakyai yath brO vibhrama bhEthatha: IsEsithavya vaishamya nimnOnnatham itham jagath

: :

I worship srI ranganAchiyAr whose eyebrow movements (her desire and reaction revealed through that) determines the fate of jIvAthmAs (whether one is rich or poor, learned or illiterate, etc).

sEnai mudhaliAr (ippasi pUrAdam)

srIrangachandhramasam indhirayA viharthum vinyasya visvachidha chinnayanAdhikAram yO nirvahathya nisamanguLi mudhrayaiva sEnAnyam anya vimukAs thamasi sriyAma

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vishwaksEnar is the one who controls all jIvAthmAs and achEthanams (matter) through the powers given by emperumAn, after letting the beautiful moon of srI rangam (periya perumAL srI ranganAthan) enjoy divine pastimes with srI ranganAchiyAr. We accept such vishwaksEnar as our sole refuge.

nammAzhwAr (vaikAsi visAkam)

mAthA pithA yuvadhayas thanayA vibhUthi: sarvam ya dhEva niyamEna madh anvayAnAm Adhyasyana: kulapathEr vakuLAbhirAmam srimath thadhangri yugaLam praNamAmi mUrdhnA

:
I bow my head down at the lotus feet of nammAzhwAr who is our (srIvaishNavas/prapannas) leader and the head of our clan, who is decoared with maghizham flowers and whose lotus feet are filled with srIvaishNava srI (divine wealth). For my descendants, he is everything mother, father, consort, children, great wealth and everything else.

nAthamunigal (Ani anusham)

nama: achinthya adhbudha aklishta jnAna vairAgya rAsayE nAthAya munayE agAdha bhagavadh bhakthi sindhavE

I offer my obeisances to nAthamunigaL who is filled with knowledge about bhagavAn and detachment from wordly matters that cannot be quantified and are extraordinary, who is constantly meditating on bhagavAn and is an ocean of deep devotion towards bhagavAn.

uyyakkondAr (chithrai kArthigai)

nama: pankaja nEthrAya nAtha: sri pAdha pankajE nyastha sarva bharAya asmath kula nAthAya dhImathE

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: :

I offer my obeisances to puNdarikAkshar who was totally surrendered to nAthamunigaLs lotus feet, who is the leader of our prapanna kulam and who is most knowledgable.

maNakkAl nambi (mAsi magam)

ayathnathO yAmunam Athma dhAsam alarkka pathrArppaNa nishkrayENa ya: krIthvAnAsthitha yauvarAjyam namAmitham rAmamEya sathvam

I worship maNakkAl nambi who is named srI rAma misra and was greatly intelligent in easily reforming the princely yAmunAchArya simply by giving him thUthuvaLai leaves.

ALavandhAr (Adi uthrAdam)

yath padhAmbhOruhadhyAna vidhvasthAsEsha kalmasha: vasthuthAmupayA dhOham yAmunEyam namAmitham

I worship yAmunAchAryar by whose mercy my defects have been removed and I have become an identifiable object, i.e., previously I was like asath (matter) and now I have realized that I am sath (soul) after meditating on the lotus feet of yAmunAcharya.

periya nambi (mArgazhi kEttai)

kamalApathi kalyANa guNAmrutha nishEvayA pUrNa kAmAya sathatham pUrNAya mahathE nama:

:
I offer my obeisances to mahA purNa who is always self-satisfied by constantly enjoying the divine auspicious qualities of srIman nArAyaNan. http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 7 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

emperumAnAr (chithrai thiruvAdhirai)

yOnithyam achyutha padhAmbuja yugma rukma vyAmOhathas thathitharANi thruNAya mEnE asmadhgurOr bhagavathOsya dhayaikasindhO: rAmAnujasya charaNau sharaNam prapadhyE

I take shelter at the lotus feet of srI rAmAnuja who out of great attachment for the lotus/golden feet of achyutha (srIman nArAyaNa) considers everything else as a blade of grass (not worthy), who is my AchArya, who is perfect in divine qualities such as knowledge, devotion, etc., and who is an ocean of mercy.

embAr (thai punarpUsam)

rAmAnuja padha chAyA gOvindhAhva anapAyinI thadhA yaththa svarUpA sA jIyAn madh visramasthalee

gOvindha bhattar who is inseparable from srI rAmAnuja like the shadow of the lotus feet and the one who realised his true nature by taking refuge at srI rAmAnujas lotus feet, is the shade giving abode for me (where I can be relieved from my miseries). Let that embAr be victorious.

bhattar (vaikAsi anusham)

srI parAsara bhattArya srIrangEsa purOhitha: srIvathsAnga sutha: srImAn shrEyasE mEsthu bhUyasE

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Let srI parAsara bhattar bestow me with all auspiciousness. He is the purOhith of srI ranganAthan, the son of srIvathsAngar (AzhwAn) and is greatly filled with kainkaryasrI (wealth of servitude).

nanjIyar (panguni uthram)

namO vEdhAntha vEdhyAya jagan mangaLa hEthavE yasya vAgAmruthAsAra bhUritham bhuvana thrayam

My obeisances belong to vEdhAnthi nanjIyar whose nectarean words have filled the 3 worlds and who brings auspicious to all 3 worlds.

nampiLLai (kArthigai kArthigai)

vEdhAntha vEdhya amrutha vArirAsEr vEdhArtha sAra amrutha pUramagryam AdhAya varshantham aham prapadhyE kAruNya pUrNam kalivairidhAsam

I take shelter of kalivairidhAsar (nampiLLai) who extracted (and is teaching) the glorious essence of the nectarean vEdham from vEdhAnthi nanjIyar who himself is an ocean of nectarean principles, who is filled with mercy (like a cloud filled with water).

vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai (Ani swAthi)

sri krishna pAdha pAdhAbjE namAmi sirasA sadhA yath prasAdha prabhAvEna sarva sidhdhirabhUnmama

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I constantly bow down at the lotus feet of srI krishNa (vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai) through whose mercy I acquired knowledge, devotion, detachment, etc.

piLLai lOkAchAryar (ippasi thiruvONam)

lOkAchArya guravE krishNa pAdhasya sUnavE samsAra bhOgi santhashta jIva jIvAthavE nama:

I offer my obeisances to piLLai lOkAchAryar who is the son of srI krishNa (vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai), who has a fully qualified AchArya, who is the medicine for the jIvAthmAs who are bitten by the poisonous snake called samsAram.

thiruvAimozhi piLLai (vaikAsi visAkam)

nama srIsailanAthAya kunthI nagara janmanE prasAdhalabdha parama prApya kainkaryasAlinE

My obeisances belong to srIsaila nAtha (thirumalai AzhwAr thiruvAimozhi piLLai) who was born in kunthI nagar, one who achieved the ultimate kainkaryam (by the grace of his AchAryan).

azhagiya manavALa mAmunigal (ippasi thirumUlam)

srIsailEsa dhayA pAthram dhIbhakthyAdhi guNArNavam yathIndhra pravaNam vandhE ramya jAmAtharam munim

I glorify azhagiya maNavALa mAmunigaL who is the target of thirumalai AzhwArs mercy, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities such as knowledge, devotion, etc. and who is greatly attached to yathIndhra (srI rAmAnuja). AzhwArs and several other AchAryas also are considered to be part of our srivaishnava guru paramparai. http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 10 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

The AzhwArs in order are:

poigai AzhwAr (ippasi thiruvONam)

kAnchyAm sarasi hEmAbjE jAtham kAsAra yOgiNam kalayE ya: sriya:pathi ravim dhIpam akalpayath

: :

I meditate on poigai AzhwAr who was born in the pond in thiruvekkA (kAnchIpuram) out of a golden lotus flower and who lit the divine lamp using the radiant sun to have the vision of srIman nArAyaNan.

bhUdhathAzhwAr (ippasi avittam)

mallApura varAdhIsam mAdhavI kusumOdhbhavam bhUtham namAmi yO vishNOr gYAnadhIpam akalpayath

I worship bhUthathAzhwAr who is the leader of thirukkadalmallai (mAmallapuram) and was born out of a mAdhavI (spring) flower and who lit the lamp of knowledge to have the vision of the supreme lord.

pEyAzhwAr (ippasi sathayam)

dhrushtvA hrushtam thadhA vishNum ramayA mayilAdhipam kUpE rakthOthpalE jAtham mahathAhvayam AsrayE

I surrender unto pEyAzhwAr who is the leader of mylApUr and was born out of a red lilly flower in a well and who attained great bliss by having the divine vision of srIman nArAyaNan with srI mahAlakshmi.

thirumazhisai AzhwAr (thai magam)

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sakthi panchamaya vigrahAthmanE sUkthikArajatha chiththa hAriNE mukthidhAyaka murAri pAdhayOr bhakthisAra munayE namO nama:

My obeisances unto thirumazhisai AzhwAr who resembles the essence of bhakthi towards the lotus feet of murAri (emperumAn who killed mura) who can bestow us the divine mOksham. He holds the divine form of emperumAn which is made of divine matter (In this material world, our form/body is made of pancha bhUthams earth, water, fire, air and ether. But bhagavAns form is made of pancha upanishadh vishwam, nivruththa:, sarva:, paramEshti, pumAn) in his heart and is most attractive to view. Another interpration is, the one wearing the necklace won over from king sUkthri hAran.

madhurakavi AzhwAr (chithrai chithrai)

avidhitha vishayAntharas chatArEr upanishadhAm upagAna mAthra bOga: api cha guNa vachAth thadhEka sEshi madhurakavir hrudhayE mamAvirasthu

Let madhurakavi AzhwAr be firmy established in my heart. He did not know any one other nammAzhwAr, considered singing nammAzhwArs pAsurams as the only enjoyable activity and naturally considered nammAzhwAr as his only master.

nammAzhwAr (vaikAsi visAkam)

mAthA pithA yuvadhayas thanayA vibhUthi: sarvam ya dhEva niyamEna madh anvayAnAm Adhyasyana: kulapathEr vakuLAbhirAmam srimath thadhangri yugaLam praNamAmi mUrdhnA

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I bow my head down at the lotus feet of nammAzhwAr who is our (srIvaishNavas/prapannas) leader and the head of our clan, who is decoared with maghizham flowers and whose lotus feet are filled with srIvaishNava srI (divine wealth). For my descendants, he is everything mother, father, consort, children, great wealth and everything else.

kulasEkarAzhwAr (mAsi punarpUsam)

gushyathE yasya nagarE rangayAthrA dhinE dhinE thamaham sirasA vandhE rAjAnam kulasEkaram

I bow my head down and worship kulasEkara AzhwAr in whose capital city there is constant hailing about srIranga yAthrai (travelling to srIrangam).

periyAzhwAr (Ani swAthi)

gurumukam anadhIthya prAhavE thAn asEshAn narapathi parikluptham sulkamAdhAthu kAma: svasuram amara vandhyam ranganAthasya sAkshAth dhvija kula thilakam vishNuchiththam namAmi

I worship periyAzhwAr who proclaimed the essence of vEdham (without learning it from an AchArya methodically he was directly blessed by bhagavAn with divine blemsishless knowledge) to win over pouch containing gold at the pAndiya kings assembly and who is the direct father-in-law of srI ranganAthan (due to him being the father of ANdAL nAchiyAr) and who is the leader of brAhmaNas.

ANdAL (Adi pUram)

nILA thunga sthanagiri thatI suptham uthpOdhya krishNam pArArthyam svam shruthi shatha shiras sidhdham adhyApayanthI svOchishtAyAm srajinikaLitham yAbalAth kruthya bhungthE gOdhA thasyai nama itham itham bhUya EvAsthu bhUya: http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 13 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

I offer my obeisances to gOdhA dhEvi again and again. She is the one who woke up krishNa who was resting on the breasts of nILA dhEvi, the one who announced her pArathanthriyam (which is the ultimate principle highlighted in vEdham) to bhagavAn himself and the one who fully enjoyed emperumAn who wore the garlands that were once worn by her.

thondaradippodi AzhwAr (mArgazhi kEttai)

thamEva mathvA paravAsudhEvam rangEsayam rAjavadharhaNiyam prAbhOdhikIm yOkrutha sUkthimAlAm bhakthAngrirENum bhagavanthamIdE

I glorify thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr who composed thiruppaLLiyeLuchi to awake srI ranganAthan considering him the same as paravAsudhEvan and who is to be pampered like an emperor.

thiruppANAzhwAr (kArthigai rOhiNi)

ApAtha chUdam anubhUya harim chayAnam madhyE kavEra hithur mudhithAnthrAthmA adhrashtruthAm nayanayOr vishayANtharANAm yO nischikAya manavai munivAhananm tham

We meditate on thiruppANAzhwAr who is named munivAhanar (one who was carried by lOka sAranga mahAmunivar on his shoulders), who acquired great bliss by enjoying srI ranganAthan who is resting in srIrangam that is covered by the two cauvery rivers

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(kAviri and koLLidam) and who proclaimed that his eyes would not see anything other than srI ranganAthans divine form.

thirumangai AzhwAr (kArthigai kArthigai)

kalayAmi kalidhvamsam kavim lOka dhivAkAram yasya gObi: prakAsAbir Avidhyam nihatham thama:

: :
I meditate on thirumangai AzhwAr who is named kalikanRi, who is a radiant sun among poets and through whose radiant words the ignorance in the mind was dispelled completely. The AchAryas (who are not in OrANvazhi guru paramparai) include (but not limited to):

kurugai kAvalappan (thai visAkam)

nAthamauni padhAsaktham gyAnayOgAthi sampadham kurugAthipa yOghIndhram namAmi sirasA sadhA

I constantly bow down at the lotus feet of kurugai kAvalappan who is greatly attached to the lotus feet of nAthamunigaL, who has the great wealth of gyAna yOgam and bhakthi yOgam and who is the best amongst yOgis.

thiruvarangapperumAL arayar (vaikAsi, kEttai)

srIrAmamisra padha pankaja sancharIkam srIyAmunArya vara puthram aham guNAdyam

I glorify thiruvarangapperumAL arayar who stayed like a beetle in the lotus feet of maNakkAl nambi, who is the divine son of yAmunAchAryar, who is filled with auspicious qualities, who was born by the divine grace of srI ranganAthan and who had srI bhAshyakArar as his sishya. http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 15 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

thirukkOshtiyUr nambi (vaikAsi, rOhiNi)

srIvallabha padhAmbhOja dhIbhakthyamrutha sAgaram srImadhgOshtIpurIpUrNam dhEsikEndhram bhajAmahE

We take refuge at the lotus feet of thirukkOshtiyUr nambi who is an ocean of nectar for knowledge and devotion at the lotus feet of srIman nArAyaNan who is the consort of srI mahAlakshmi and who is best among AchAryas.

periya thirumalai nambi (vaikAsi, swAthI)

pithAmahasyApi pithAmahAya prAchEthasAdhEchapalapradhAya srIbhAshyakArOththama dhEchikAya srIchailapUrNAya namO nama: sthAth

:
I repeatedly worship srIsaila pUrNa who is the grand father of brahmA who is the grand father of the entire creation (as nambi was called father by thiruvEnkatamudaiyAn who is the father of brahmA), who is a wonderful AchArya for srI bhAshyakAra and who instructed the deep meanings of vAlmIki rAmAyaNa to srI bhAshyakAra.

thirumAlai ANdAn (mAsi, magam)

rAmAnuja munIndhrAya dhrAmidI samhithArththadham mAlAdhara gurum vandhE vAvadhUkam vipaschitham

I worship the AchArya named thirumAlai ANdAn who expertly explained the divine meanings of thiruvAimozhi which is hailed as dhrAvida vEdham to srI rAmAnuja muni and who was most intelligent.

thirukkachi nambi (mAsi, mrugasIrsham)

dhEvarAja dhayApAthram srI kAnchi pUrNam uththamam rAmAnuja munEr mAnyam vandhEham sajjanAsrayam http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 16 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

I worship thirukkachi nambi who is the object of srI varadharAjas mercy, who is best among vaishNavas, who was greatly respected by srI rAmAnuja muni and who was flocked by many srIvaishNavas.

mARanEri nambi (Ani, Ayilyam)

yAmunAchArya sachchishyam rangasthalanivAsinam gyAnabhakthyAdhijaladhim mARanErigurum bhajE

I worship mARanEri nambi who is a dear sishya of yAmunAchArya, who lives in srIrangam periyakOil and who is an ocean of knowledge, devotion, etc.

kUrathAzhwAn (thai hastham)

srIvathsa chinna misrEbyO nama ukthima dhImahE: yadhukthayas thrayi gaNtE yaanthi mangaLa sUthradhAm:

:
We offer our obeisances towards srIvathsAnga misra whose divine sthOthrams are like mangaLasUthram for vEdham, i.e., they reveal that srIman nArAyaNan is the supreme clearly.

mudhaliyAndAn (chithrai punarpUsam)

pAdhukE yathirAjasya kathayaNthi yadhAkyayA thasya dhAsarathE: pAdhau chirasA dhArayAmyaham

:
I decorate my head with mudhaliyANdAns lotus feet. He is named dhAsarathi and srI yathirAjas sandals are named after him as mudhaliyANdAn. http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 17 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

aruLaLa permAL emperumAnAr (kArthigai bharaNi)

rAmAnujArya sachchishyam vEdhasAsthrArtha sampadham chathurthAsrama sampannam dhEvarAja munim bhajE

I take refuge of dhEvarAja muni (aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr) who is a dear sishya of emperumAnAr, who has the great wealth of having understood the in-depth meanings of vEdham and who is situated in sannyAsAsramam.

kOil komANdUr iLayavilli AchAn (chithrai Ayilyam)

srI kausikAnvaya mahAmbhuthi pUrNachandhram srI bhAshyakAra jananI sahajA thanujam srIsailapUrNa padha pankaja saktha chiththam srIbAladhanvi guruvaryam aham bhajAmi

I worship srI bAladhanvi guru who is like a shining moon for the ocean of kausika clan, who is the son of srI bhAshyakAras mothers sister, who has his mind fully attached to the lotus feet of srI saila pUrNa.

kidAmbi AchAn (chithrai hastham)

rAmAnuja padhAmbhOjayugaLI yasya dhImatha: prApyam cha prApakam vaNdhE pranNathArththiharam gurum

I worship the most intelligent praNathArthihara guru who considered the lotus feet of srI rAmAnuja as his means and ultimate goal.

vaduga nambi (chithrai aswini) http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 18 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

rAmAnujArya sachchishyam sALagrAma nivAsinam panchamOpAya sampannam sALagrAmAryam AsrayE

I take shelter of vaduga nambi who is a dear sishya of emperumAnAr, who lived in sALagrAmam and who was an expert in panchamOpAyam (AchArya nishtai).

vangi purathu nambi

bhArathvAja kulOthbhUtham lakshmaNArya padhAsritham vandhE vangipurAdhIsam sampUrNAyam krupAnidhim

I worship vangi purathu nambi who is born in bhArathwAja clan, who has taken shelter of srI rAmAnuja, who is filled with mercy and who is the leader of vangipuram.

sOmAsi ANdAn (chithrai, thiruvAdhirai)

naumi lakshmaNa yOgIndhra pAdhasEvaika dhArakam srIrAmakrathunAthAryam srIbhAshyAmrutha sAgaram

I worship sOmAsiyANdAn who performed menial services (with great joy) to srI rAmAnuja to sustain himself, who is an ocean of knowledge in srIbhAshyam and who is named srI rAma.

piLLai uRangAvilli dhAsar (mAsi Ayilyam)

jAgarUga dhanushpANim pANau katgasamanvidham rAmAnujasparsavEdhim rAdhdhAnthArththa prakAsakam bhAginEyadhvayayutham bhAshyakAra bharamvaham rangEsamangaLakaram dhanurdhAsam aham bhajE

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I take shelter of piLLai uRangAvilli dhAsar who never sleeps, who holds bow in one hand, who holds sword in another hand, who is like a magical pill (which converts iron into gold when touched), who revealed the essential principles during his lifetime, who has two nephews (who were great devotees), who managed srI rAmAnujas mutt and who performs mangaLAsAsanam to srI ranganAthan.

thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn (ippasi pUrAdam)

dhrAvidAgama sAragyam rAmAnuja padhAsritham sudhiyam kurugEsAryam namAmi sirasAnhavam

I worship kurugEsAchArya (everyday) who is a well-versed in the essence of dhrAvida vEdham, who took shelter of srI rAmAnujas lotus feet and who is most intelligent.

engaLAzhwAn (chithrai rOhiNi)

srIvishNuchiththa padha pankaja samsrayAya chEthO mama spruhayathE kimatha: parENa nOchEn mamApi yathisEkarabhArathInAm bhAva: katham bhavithumarhathi vAgvidhEya:

: : :

My heart desires to become attached to srI vishNuchiththa. What is the use of anything but those lotus feet? How would I have mastered yathirAjas divine words had I not taken shelter of those lotus feet of engaLAzhwAn?

ananthAzwAn (chithrai chithrai) http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 20 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

akilAthma guNAvAsam agyAna thimirApaham AsrithAnAm susaraNam vandhE ananthArya dhEsikam

I bow down to the AchArya named ananthAzhwAn who is the abode of all auspicious qualities, who is the one who dispels the darkness of ignorance and who is the means for the ones who have taken shelter of him.

thiruvarangathu amudhanAr (panguni hastham)

srIrangE mInahasthE cha jAtham rangAryanandhanam rAmAnujapadhAskandham ranganAthagurum bhajE

I take shelter of srIranganAtha guru (amudhanAr) who was born on panguni hastham as the son of rangAryar (aNi arangathamudhanAr) and who has taken shelter of srI rAmAnujas lotus feet.

nadAthur ammaL (chithrai chithrai)

vandhE aham varadhAryam tham vathsAbi janabhUshaNam bhAshyAmrutha pradhAnAdhya sanjIvayathi mAmapi

I offer my obeisances to varadhAchAryar (nadAthUrammAL) who is the shining jewel of srIvathsa clan and who awakened my true spirit by teaching me the nectar of srIbhAshyam.

vEdha vyAsa bhattar (vaikAsi anusham)

pauthram srIrAmamisrasya srIvathsAngasya nandhanam rAmasUrim bhajE bhattaparAsAravarAnujam

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I take shelter of srI rAma piLLai (vEdha vyAsa bhattar) who is the grand son of srI rAma misra (kUrathAzhwAr AzhwAns father), who is the son of srIvathsAngar (AzhwAn) and the younger brother of srI parAsara bhattar.

kUra nArAyaNa jIyar

srIparAsarabhattArya sishyam srIrangapAlakam nArAyaNamunim vandhE gyAnAdhiguNasAgaram

I worship nalam thigazh nArAyaNa jIyar who is a disciple of parAsara bhattar, who protects srIrangam and who is an ocean of auspicious qualities such as gyAnam, etc.

srutha prakAsikA bhattar (sudharsana sUri)

yathIndhra krutha bhAshyArthA yadh vyAkyAnEna dharsithA: varam sudharsanAryam tham vandhE kUra kulAdhipam

I offer my obeisances to sudharsana bhattar who is a leader among the descendants of kUrathAzhwAn, in whose sruthaprakAsikA vyAkyAnam (commentary) yathirAjas srI bhAshyam meanings are fully explained and who is glorious.

periyavAchAn piLLai (AvaNi rOhiNi)

srImath krishNa samAhvAya namO yAmuna sUnavE yath katAkshaika lakshyANam sulabha: srIdharas sadhA

My worships belong to srI krishNa (periyavAchAn piLLai) who is the son of yAmunAchArya and by whose mercy srIman nArAyaNan is easily achievable. http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 22 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

eeyuNNi mAdhava perumAL (kArthigai bharaNi)

lOkAchArya padhAmbhOja samsrayam karuNAmbhudhim vEdhAntha dhvaya sampannam mAdhavAryam aham bhajE

I worship (eeyuNNi) mAdhavAchAryar who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of lOkAchArya (nampiLLai), who is an ocean of mercy and who has the great wealth of both samskritha vEdhAntham and dhrAvida vEdhAntham.

eeyuNNi padhmanAbha perumAL (svAthi)

mAdhavAchArya sathputhram thathpAdhakamalAsritham vAthsalyAdhi guNair yuktham padhmanAbha gurum bhajE

I worship (eeyuNNi) padhmanAbhAchAryar who is a good son of mAdhavAchAryar, who has taken shelter of mAdhavAchAryar and who is the abode of auspicious qualities such as vAthsalyam (motherly forbearance), etc.

nAlUr piLLai (pUsam)

chathurgrAma kulOdhbhUtham dhrAvida bhrahma vEdhinam yagyArya vamsathilakam srIvarAhamaham bhajE

I worship srI varAhar (nAlUr piLLai) who is a descendant of nAlUrAn (kUrathAzhwAns sishya), who is an ornament among the descendants of echchAn (emperumAnArs sishya) and who fully knows the essence of dhrAvida vEdham.

nAlUrAchAn piLLai (mArgazhi bharaNi)

namOsthu dhEvarAjAya chathurgrAma nivAsinE rAmAnujArya dhAsasya suthAya guNasAlinE

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I offer my obeisances to dhEvarAar (nAlUrAchAn piLLai) who lives in chathurgrAma (nAlUr), who is the son of rAmAnujArya (another name of nAlUr piLLai) and who is filled with auspicious qualities.

naduvil thiruvIdhi pillai bhattar (ippasi avittam)

lOkAchArya padhAsaktham madhyavIdhi nivAsinam srIvathsachihnavamsAbdhisOmam bhattAryamAsrayE

I take shelter of naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai bhattar who is greatly attached to the lotus feet of nampiLLai, who lived in naduvil thiruvIdhi (a street in srIrangam), who is like a moon for the ocean of kUrathAzhwAns clan.

pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar (ippasi sathayam)

gyAna vairAgya sampUrNam paschAth sundhara dhEsikamm dhravidOpanishadh bhAshyathAyinam madh gurum bhajE

I worship my AchArya paschAth sundhara dhEsika (pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar) who is filled with knowledge and detachment (from worldly matters), who explained the principles of thiruvAimozhi which is called dhrAvida vEdham.

azhagiya manavALa perumAL nAyanAr (mArgazhi avittam)

dhrAvidAmnAya hrudhayam guruparvakramAgatham ramyajAmAthrudhEvEna dharsitham krishNasUnunA

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azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr who is the son of srI krishNa (vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai) revealed the divine meanings of thiruvAimozhi (nammAzhwArs divine heart) which are received through the AchArya paramparai.

nAyanArAchAn piLLai (AvaNi rOhiNi)

sruthyarthasArajanakam smruthibAlamithram padhmOllasadh bhagavadhangri purANabhandhum gyAnAdhirAjam abhayapradharAja sUnum asmath gurum paramakAruNikam namAmi

I worship my most merciful AchAryan who extracts the essence of vEdham, who is like a sun for the lotus of smruthi, who is eternally related to the lotus feet of srIman nArAyaNan, who is an emperor of knowledge and is the dear son of abhyapradha rAjar (periyavAchAn piLLai).

vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar (Ani swAthi)

sundharajAmAthrumunE: prapadhyE charaNAmbhujam samsArArNava sammagna janthu santhArapOthakam

I surrender unto the lotus feet of vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavALa jIyar whose lotus feet are like a boat that will deliver the jIvAthmAs who are drowning in the ocean of samsAram.

kUra kulOthama dhAsar (ippasi thiruvAdhirai)

lOkAchArya krupApAthram kauNdinya kula bhUshaNam samasthAthma guNAvAsam vandhE kUra kulOthamam

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I worship kUra kulOthama dhAsar who is the target of the mercy of piLLai lOkAchAryar, who is a crown jewel that decorates the kauNdinya clan and who is the abode of all auspicious qualities.

viLAn chOlai pillai (ippasi uthrattAdhi)

thulAhirbuDhnya samBhUtham srIlOkArya padhAshritham sapthagAThA pravakthAram nArAyaNa maham BhajE S

I worship nArAyaNa (viLAnchOlai piLLai) who was born on thulA (aippasi) month ahirbhudhnya (uthrattAdhi) nakshathram, who is surrendered to piLLai lOkAchAryar and who composed saptha kAthai (which is the essence of srI vachana bhUshaNam).

vedhAnthAchAryar (purattAsi thiruvONam)

srImAn vEnkatanAthArya: kavithArkkika kEsarI vEdhAnthAchAryavaryO mE sannidhaththAm sadhA hrudhi

Let vEdhAnthAchArya live in my heart eternally. He is like a lion for the (opposing) poets and debators, abode of knowledge, devotion, detachment (from worldly pleasures), etc. and is known as vEnkatanAtha.

thirunArAyaNapurathu Ay jananyAchAryar (ippasi pUrAdam)

AchArya hrudhayasyArththA: sakalA yEna dharsithA: srIsAnudhAsam amalam dhEvarAjam thamAsrayE

: :

After (and during) the period of ManavALa mAmunigal, many glorious AchAryas lived in our sampradhAyam including (but not limited to):

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I take shelter of thirunArAyaNapurathu Ay who explained all the divine meanings of AchArya hrudhayam, who is blemishless and is also known as srIsAnu dhAsa and dhEvarAja. AchAryas after mAmunigaLs time period.

ponnadikkAl jeeyar (purattAsi punarpUsam)

ramya jAmAthru yOghIndhra pAdharEkhA mayam sadhA thathA yaththAthma saththAdhim rAmAnuja munim bhajE

I worship vAnamAmalai jIyar who is like the imprints of mAmunigaLs lotus feet and who fully depends on mAmunigaL to establish his true nature (as a servant of mAmunigaL), sustenance, activities, etc.

pathangi paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar (kArthigai punarpUsam)

ramya jAmAthru yOgIndhra pAdha sEvaika dhArakam bhattanAtha munim vandhE vAthsalyAdhi guNArNavam

I worship bhattanAtha muni (paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar) who sustains himself by serving mAmunigaLs lotus feet and who is an ocean of auspicious qualities such as vAthsalyam (motherly forbearance), etc.

kOil kandhAdai aNNan (purattAsi pUrattAdhi)

sakala vEdhAntha sArArtha pUrNAsayam vipula vAdhUla gOthrOdhbhavAnAm varam ruchira jAmAthru yOgIndhra pAdhAsrayam varadha nArAyaNam madh gurum samsrayE

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I take shelter of my AchArya srI varadha nArAyaNa (kOil kanthAdai aNNan) who beholds all the principles of vEdhAntham in his heart, who is best among the descendants of the great vAdhUla clan, one who take shelter of the lotus feet of mAmunigaL.

prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNan (Adi pUsam)

vEdhAntha dhEsika katAksha vivrudhdhabhOdham kAnthOpayanthru yamina: karuNaika pAthram vathsAnvavAyamanavadhya guNairupEtham bhakthyA bhajAmi paravAthi bhayankarAryam

With devotion, I take shelter of prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNA whose knowledge blossomed by the grace of vEdhAntha dhEsika, who is full target of mAmunigaLs mercy, who was born in srIvathsa clan and who has blemishless and auspicious qualities.

eRumbiappA (ippasi rEvathi)

saumya jAmAthru yOgIndhra sharanAmbhuja shatpadham dhEvarAja gurum vandhE dhivya jnAna pradham shubham

I worship dhEvarAja guru who is like a beetle in the lotus feet of mAmunigaL, who blesses us with divine knowledge and is most auspicious in nature.

appiLLai

kAnthOpayanthru yOgIndhra charaNAmbhuja shatpadham vathsAnvayabhavam vandhE praNathArrhthiharam gurum http://ponnadi.blogspot.com 28 http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com

I worship praNathArthiharar (appiLLai) who is like a beetle at the lotus feet of maNavALa mAmunigaL and who is born in srIvathsa clan.

appiLLAr

kAnthOpayanthru yOgIndhra sarva kainkaryadhUrvaham thadhEka dhaivatham saumyam rAmAnuja gurum bhajE

I worship rAmAnujar (appiLLAr) who performed all kainkaryams to mAmunigaL and who considered mAmunigaL as the only Lord and master.

kOil kandhAdai appan (purattAsi (kanni) magam)

varadhaguru charaNam varavaramunivarya ganakrupA pAthram pravaraguNa rathna jaladhim praNamAmi srInivAsa guruvaryam

I worship srInivAsAchAryar (kOil kanthAdai appan) who considers the lotus feet of varadha nArAyaNa guru (kOil kanthAdhai aNNan) as the only means, who is the target of the great compassion of mAmunigaL and who is an ocean of many auspicious qualities which are like gems.

srIperumbUthUr Adhi yathirAja jIyar (aippasi pUsam)

srImath rAmAnujAngri pravaNa varamunE: pAdhukam jAthabrungam srImath vAnAdhri rAmAnuja gaNaguru sathvaibhava sthOthra dhIksham vAdhUla srInivAsArya charaNasharaNam thath krupA labhdha bhAshyam vandhE prAgyam yathIndhram varavaradhagurO: prAptha bhakthAmruthArththam

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:
I worship the most intelligent Adhi yathirAja jIyar who was like a beetle at the lotus feet of yathIndhra pravaNar (mAmunigaL), who was constantly glorifying the greatness of vAnamAmalai (ponnadikkAl) jIyar, who learnt srI bhAshyam by the mercy of vAdhUla srInivAsAchAryar and who learnt thiruvAimozhi (and its meanings) from vAdhula varadhAchAryar (kOil aNNan).

appAchiyAraNNA (AvaNi hastham)

srImath vAnamahAsaila rAmAnuja munipiryam vAdhUla varadhAchAryam vandhE vAthsalya sAgaram

I worship vAdhUla varadhAchArya (appAchiyAraNNA) who is very dear to vAnamAmalai rAmAnuja jIyar (ponnadikkAl jIyar) and who is an ocean of vAthsalyam (motherly forbearance).

piLLai lOkam jIyar (chithrai thiruvONam)

srIsatAri gurOrdhivya srIpAdhAbhja madhuvratham srImathyathIndhrapravaNam srI lOkArya munim bhajE

I worship piLLai lOkAchArya jIyar who is like a beetle at the divine lotus feet of srI satagOpa guru and who is the author of yathIndhra pravaNam (which fully elaborates the history of maNavALa mAmunigaL).

thirumazhisai aNNAvappangAr (Ani avittam)

srImadh vAdhula narasimha gurOsthanUjam srImath thadhIya padhapankaja brungarAjam srIrangarAja varadhArya krupAththa bhAshyam sEvE sadhA raguvarAryam udhAracharyam

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I constantly serve raghuvarArya (vAdhUla vIra rAgavachAryar aNNAvappangAr) who is the son of vAdhUla narasimhAchArya, who is always focused on the lotus feet of narasimhAchArya like a beetle, who learnt srI bhAshyam under both srirangarajAchArya and varadhAchArya and who is most generous (in blessing others).

appan thiruvEnkata rAmAnuja embAr jIyar

srIvAdhUla ramApravALa ruchira sraksainya nAthAmchaja srIkurvIndhram mahArya labhdha nijasath saththam chruthA bhIshtatham srIrAmAnuja mukya dhEsikalasath kainkarya samsthApakam srImathvEnkatalakshmaNArya yaminam thamsathguNam bhAvayE

I relish in my heart the auspicious qualities of thiruvEnkata rAmAnuja jIyar who is a brilliant pearl in the garland of srI vAdhUla AchAryas and an amsam of sEnai mudhaliyAr (it can also be understood as a brilliant AchArya of vAdhUla clan as an amsam of sEnai mudhaliyAr who is part of the beautiful AchArya rathna mAlai), who is best among the AchAryas who can bestow whatever is desired by the ones who approach them and who firmly established many kainkaryams (like thirumanjana kattiyam, nithya/leelA vibhUthi proclamation during chithrai thiruvAdhirai uthsavam, etc) for srI rAmAnuja who is the chief among our AchArya paramparai. bhagavath vishayam thanians (thanians to be recited during bhagavath vishaya kAlakshEpam) can be viewed at http://nirhetukam.blogspot.in/2013/04/blog-post.html. adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan Sources: 6000 padi guru paramparA prabhAvam, yathIndhra pravaNa prabhAvam, periya thirumudi adaivu

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Sincere gratitude to puthUr srI .U.vE. krishNaswamy iyengar for thanian translations (all of thanians with simple thamizh meanings are present in a his 6000 padi guru paramparA prabhAvam, periya thirumudi adaivu and AchAryargaL vaibhavam publishings). Thanks to srIperumbUthUr Nandakumar swamy for helping in thirumazhisai aNNAvappangAr and srI perumbUthUr thiruvEnkata rAmAnuja (embAr) jIyar thanians.

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