sri:
srimathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srimadh varavaramunayE nama:
sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:

In the previous article (https://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/introduction-contd/) we discussed briefly about our guru paramparai.

Now, we will start with the OrAN vazhi acharya paramparai. OrAN vazhi means transmission of knowledge from one person to another in a hierarchical way. As discussed before, real knowledge is in rahasya thrayam and our OrAN vazhi guru paramparai carefully transmitted this knowledge.

• periya perumAL

thirunakshathram: AvaNi, rOhiNi

Works: bhagavath gIthai, srIsailEsa dhayApAthram thaniyan, etc

Our OrAN vazhi guru paramparai starts with periya perumAL himself. As we observed in the previous article, emperumAn out of his unbounded mercy, takes up the position of prathama acharya. He reveals the rahasya thrayam to periya pirAtti in vishnu lOkam.

EmperumAn is the only svathanthran (Independent) and sEshi (Master). All others are parathanthrar (dependent) and sesha (subservient). He takes up the position of prathama acharyan out of his own will. He is sarvajnan (omniscient), sarvasakthan (omnipotent) and sarvavyApthan (omnipresent). It is his unquestionable capabilities which allows him to give mOksham to the jIvAthmAs who show the desire for that.

periya perumAL (originally called Narayanan) descended from paramapadham with the sriranga vimAnam to bramhA and was worshipped by him in sathya lOkam. Later he descended to ayOdhya by the request of ikshvAku and was worshipped by raghu kula kings. rAman gave periya perumAL to vibhIshanAzhwAn as a gift and enroute to lankA vibhIshanAzwAn placed periya perumAL in srirangam. Liking the beauty of srirangam (vandinam uralum chOlai, mayilinam ALum chOlai, kondal mIthaNavum chOlai, kuyilinam kUvum chOlai), emperumAn decided to stay there facing south.

periya perumAL’s thanian

srI sthanAbharaNam thEja: srIrangEsayam AsrayE
chinthAmaNimivOthvAntham uthsangE ananthabhOgina:

ஸ்ரீ ஸ்தநாபரணம் தேஜ: ஸ்ரீரங்கேசயம் ஆச்ரயே
சிந்தாமணிம் இவோத்வாந்தம் உத்ஸங்கே அநந்தபோகிந:

• periya pirAttiAr

thirunakshathram: panguni, uthram

emperumAn reveals dhvaya mahA manthram to periya pirAtti in vishnu lOkam. periya pirAtti is the embodiment of all the qualities that are required in an acharya.

An AchArya should have krupai (mercy towards suffering souls), pArathanthriyam (total dependence on emperumAn) and ananyArhathvam (totally entitled to emperumAn). piratti being the embodiment of these 3 qualities rightfully decorates as the 2nd AchArya in our OrAN vazhi guru paramparai. She is the one who actually inspires all the other AchAryas for their conduct.

It is explained by pillai lOkAchAryar in srivachana bhUshanam that she demonstrates these 3 qualities during the 3 separations she goes through as sIthA pirAtti.

First, when rAvaNan takes her forcefully to lanka, she out of her parama krupai allows that to happen – because unless she goes to lanka, the dEvasthrIs (wives of dhEvas) will not be rescued. Her being the mother of the whole universe – she is also the mother for rAvaNan – it is out of her motherly affection she tolerates the misbehaviour of rAvaNan.

Second, when she is pregnant, when srI rAman asks her to leave the kingdom based on the comments of his citizens, she accepts it fully since she accepts that she is totally dependent (pArathanthriyam) on emperumAn and whatever emperumAn says she will accept that.

Third, when she leaves srI rAman permanently to paramapadham after coming back from vanavAsam to prove that she was totally entitled to him (ananyArhathvam) only and no one else.

Thus she manifests all the 3 qualities that is expected out of an AchArya perfectly.

periya pirAttiAr’s thanian

nama: sriranga nAyakyai yath bhrO vibhrama bhEdhatha:
IsEsithavya vaishamya nimnOnnatham idham jagath

நம: ஸ்ரீரங்க நாயக்யை யத் ப்ரோ விப்ரம பேதத:
ஈசேசிதவ்ய வைஷம்ய நிம்நோந்நதம் இதம் ஜகத்

In the next article we will discuss about sEnai mudhaliAr (vishwaksEnar).

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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