Guru Parampara
From the Bhakti List Archives
• June 30, 1995
I just posted this article on network news (alt.religion.vaisnava)
in response to a question on the Visistadvaita line of acharyas.
---
In-reply-to: Eswar Josyula's message of 29 Jun 1995 16:27:35 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.religion.vaisnava
Subject: Re: Guru-Parampara of Vishistadvaita
Reply-to: mani@srirangam.esd.sgi.com
References: <3suk9n$kf2$1@mhafc.production.compuserve.com>
Distribution:
In article <3suk9n$kf2$1@mhafc.production.compuserve.com> Eswar Josyula <76142.1306@CompuServe.COM> writes:
> The guru-parampara of the Vishishta-Advaita Vaisnava School is given here.
There is a Sloka composed by Srivatsaanka Misra (Kooratthaazhvaan)
which pays homage to all the teachers of the tradition, beginning
with the Lord down to Sri Srivatsaanka's acharya, Ramanuja.
It is recited these days at the beginning of formal worship
or study.
laksmInaatha samaarambhaam naatha-yaamuna madhyamaam
asmadaachaaryaparyantaam vande guruparamparaam
The guruparampara is as follows. The first three names in
the list, of course, are anhistorical, since they are
considered divine personalities in the tradition. The fourth
and fifth names are separated by at least two centuries.
Nammalvar is said to have handed the Thiruvaaymozhi and other
works of the Alvars to Nathamuni by appearing in a vision to the
latter. Whether or not this was the case, Sri Nathamuni rescued
the Divya Prabandham (as the Alvars' hymns are known) from
virtual oblivion and was imbued with the spirit of devotion to
the memory of Nammalvar.
I have given the common name of each acharya as well as a
popular alternative in parentheses. Usually one is in Tamil,
the other in Sanskrit.
Parabrahman, Sriman Narayana (emberumaan)
Lakshmi (periya piraatti)
Visvaksena (senai mudaliyaar)
Nammalvar (kaari maaran sadagopan) (6th-8th centuries A.D.)
------ strictly historical parampara begins here
Naathamuni (c. 900 A.D.)
UyyakkoNDaar (pundarIkaaksha)
Rama Misra
Yaamunaacaarya (Alavandaar) (c. 900-1000 AD)
Periya Nambi (MahaapUrNa)
Ramanuja (emberumaanaar, udaiyavar, bhaashyaakaara)
(1017 - 1137 A.D.)
The guruparampara splits off here into various traditions.
Ramanuja had 74 principal disciples, each of whom were
major teachers in their own right. However, there are some
acharyas who deserve special mention. They are listed in
two columns, in chronological order.
Thirukurugai Piraan Pillaan (Kurukesa) Embar (Govinda)
Author of the first commentary on the Cousin of Ramanuja
Thiruvaaymozhi, "The 6000". Direct and a great teacher.
disciple of Ramanuja.
Kuratthaazhvaan
Engal Azhvaan (Vishnucitta) (Srivatsanka Misra)
Author of a commentary on A master poet and
the Vishnu Purana, the most authentic Vedantin who
and philosophical of the Puranas. martyred.
Vaatsya Varadacharya (Nadadur Ammaal) Parasara Bhattar
A great master of Vedanta whose The first acharya
lectures in Kanchipuram inspired in this line who lived
Sudarsana Suri's exposition of past Ramanuja's death.
Ramanuja's commentary on the Author of a commentary
Brahma-sutras. \ on the Vishnu Sahasranama
/ \ as well as several
/ Sudarsana Suri philosophical works.
Atreya Ramanuja (Appullaar) Author of the most lucid |
| commentary on the Sri Bhashya, |
Vedanta Desika (1268-1369 A.D.) the Srutaprakaasika. |
Undisputed master of Vedanta, /------
logic, the Prabandham, poetics, /
and aesthetics. The dynamic Nanjeeyar
range of his works display his Author of the "9000",
brilliance as a poet as well as the second major commentary
a scholar. He is one of the on the Thiruvaaymozhi. He
brightest stars in the history was formerly an Advaitin,
of medieval Vedanta. but became a Visistadvaitin
after being defeated in
debate by Parasara Bhattar.
Nampillai
A master expositor of
Ubhaya Vedanta, particularly
---------- of the Thiruvaaymozhi. He
/ is very fondly remembered in
---------------/ the tradition.
| |
Periya Vaaccaan Pillai (c. 12th century) Vadakku Thiruvidi Pillai
Known as Vyaakhyaana Chakravarti, Author of the best-loved
"Emperor of Commentators", since he commentary on the
wrote lucid commentaries on all the 4000 Thiruvaaymozhi, the
hymns of the Alvars, as well as on "36000", also known as
Ramanuja's three prose poems, "EeDu Vyaakyaanam".
the Gadyatrayam. /
/
/
Pillai Lokacharya (13th century A.D.)
Gifted with great
foresight, this acharya
was one of the most catholic
and open-minded of men,
especially given the times.
He wrote many works, most
of which set on solid ground
the philosophy of self-surrender,
the highest teaching of the
Sri Vaishnava religion.
Thiruvaaymozhi Pillai (Sri Sailesa)
Manavaala Maamunigal (15th century)
(Ramyajaamaatr Muni)
Perhaps the acharya who had the
largest following in the post-
Ramanuja period. He spread
the philosophy of the movement
far and wide, reestablished
temple worship in places which
were languishing, and wrote
lucid commentaries on the works
of Pillai Lokacharya.
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