Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Sri Manavala Mamunigal - Article from Shri Panchajanya

From the Bhakti List Archives

B. Narasimhan • April 9, 1999 


Sri
Sri Mathe Ramanujaya Namah
Sri Mathe Baladhanvhi Maha Guruvae Namah

Dear devotees,
We would like to post an brief article comprising
of 8 parts narrating the
life of Shri Manavala Mamunigal. The first article
is posted below.

************************************************
Shri Manavala Mamunigal
(article written by Dr. V. V. Ramanujam in Sri
Panchajanya magazine)

Article 1 :- Birth and early life
**************************************************
Manavalamamunigal, Sowmya Jamathru Yogi or
Varavara Muni as this Acharya is
also called, is considered tol be the last of the
Poorvaharyas, the early
religious preceptors of Srivaishnavism who
occupied the pontific seat at
Srirangam after Sri Ramanuja. Varavaramuni is
believed to be the
reincarnation of Sri Ramanuja who was himself an
incarnation of Adisesha.
The Acharya flourished in this world between 1370
and 1443 A.D. He was born
at Thirukurukur better known as Alwar Thirunagari
because of the association
with Namalvar( Saint Satagopa of Kurugur), as the
son of
Thirunaveerudayapiran Datharannar. The father, a
great scholar and an ardent
devotee named his son Alagiya Manavalan,(meaning -
the beautiful bridegroom)
after the Lord of Srirangam. After the usual
samskaras undergoneby brahmin
boys,Alagiya manavalanwas instructed in Sanskrit
and Tamil,and in the Vedas
and thed Tamil Divyaprabhandams(the outpourings of
the Alwarson their mystic
experiences  with the Divine) by the father
himself.

At  that time the pontific seat was adorned by a
great teacher Srisailesan,
also called thiruvoimozhi Pillai because of
hisdeep devotion to Satakopa and
deep understanding  and facile handling of the
Thiruvoimozhi - Sahasra
geeth - of Satakopa.The seat was then in Alwar
Thirunagari because of the
disturbed conditions at Srirangam following the
invasion by the muslims and
the sacrielege committed there in by them.
Srisaila had been a disciple of
Pillai Lokacharya, the celebrated authorof
Ashtadasa Rahasyam- the eighteen
secret texts.  These are in the form of terse
aphorisms and among these are
(1) Mumukshuppadi, the essential knowledge of any
seeker of moksha, (2)
Thatvatrayam, a masterly exposition of
Visishtadwaita philosophy as taught
by Sri  Ramanuja and (3) Sri Vachanabhushanam, a
book of essential religious
knowledge for Srivaishnavas.

Jeeyer Thiruvadighalae charanam