Srimath Andavan Ashramam's Guru Parampara

Chapter--1

The 'Achaarya Vamsa Vruksha' or the lineage of Srimath Andavan Periashramam starting from Emperumaan Sriman Naaraayanan is given below:

Emperumaan Sriman Naaraayanan and Thaayaar Sri Mahaalakshmi

Sri Vishwaksenar

 Nammazhwar (Sri Satagopan) -------- Nathamunigal------ ---------Uyyakkondar------| Manakkal Nambi  Yamunacharya ---------------------- Peria Nambi ------- -----------Srimath Raamaanujar (Udaiyavar)  Pranathaarthiharar(Kidambi Acchaan)-- Raamaanujappillaan ---------Rangaraajappillaan------------------ Vaathi Hamsaachaaryar(Kidaambi Appullaar Raamaanujar)-----------Sri NigamAntha mahA DEsikan ----- Sri Brahmathanthra Swathantra Jeeyar ------------------------- Ghatikasathammaal(Vaathsya Varada desikar) VaradaVishnavaachaaryar --------- Mahadayaadheesar ------------- Ahobila desikan(sirangattur) | Paraankusa Swaami(Vankipuram)--------------| Panchamatha bhanjanam Thaatha Desikan-----------| Vaathsya Ananthaachaaryar(Keezhnarkkunnam)----- Raamaanujaachaaryar(Ranga Raamaanujaachaaryar) | VEnkatAchAryar(ParAvasthu AnnA) | VeerarAghavAchAryar(ChittaNNA) | Sri Rangapathi dEsikan(VElamur) | KalyAnA vaha Sri RanganAtha dEsikan | GnAnAthi sEvathisAkshAth swAmi(vEdAntha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan) | GOpAlArya mahA dEsikan (Thirukkudanthi dEsikan) | Sri vEdAntha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Srirangam Andavan -Vazhuthur) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Thirutthuraippoondi Andavan - ViLakudi) | Srinivasa mahA dEsikan Srinivasa mahA dEsikan (PeriAndavan) | PAdukA sEvaka rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan(Chinnaandavan) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (KAdanthEthi Andavan) | Sri VEdhantha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (NammAndavan - ThErezhundur) | Srinivasa mahA dEsikan (EngALAndavan - Akkur) | Sri RanganAtha mahA dEsikan(Thenbarai Andavan) | Sri VEdhantha rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Thirukkudanthai Andavan) | Srinivasa rAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Mysore Andavan) | Sri Ranga RAmAnuja mahA dEsikan (Srimushnam Andavan) –Prakrutham Andavan

1: Sriman Naaraayanan

The foremost and first AchArya of our siddhAnta is Sriman NArAyanA. He gave the upadEsam to our ThAyAr Goddess Sri MahA Lakshmi who is the second AchArya in the lineage. Sri Lakshmi pirAtti gave upadEsam to vishwaksEnar who chose NammAzhwAr to continue the lineage at the start of kaliyugA.

2. Vishvaksenar Also known as Senapathy Azhvan; He is a Nithya suri. He has dharshan to Nammazhvar in Yogha dasai and performed pancha samskaram and sarva vedantha Upadesam to Nammazhvar. He has authored a grantham known as VishvaksEna samhithai.

3. Nammazhvar He was VishvaksEnar's amsaavadhaaram. Avatharasthalam - Thirukkurugoor. He was born on the 43rd day of the birth of kaliyuga Pramadhi varusham in the month of vaikasi and Visaka nakshathram . His fathers name was Kari. He lived for 35 years. Right from the day of birth he ate no food and he observed Yoganishtai. He taught thiruvaimozhi to Madurakavi Azhwar when he was alive. After attaining moksham, he taught Nathamunigal sarva upadesam and performed pancha samskaram in yoga dasai. He has written the following 4 granthams – Thiruvaasiriyam Thiruviruttham Periya Thiruvandhadhi Thiruvoimozhi

4. Nathamuni (824 – 920 CE) Avathara sthalam – Kaattu mannar koil alias Veera narayana puram Year of Birth – Kali 3985 in the year of Sobhakruth in the month of Aani and Anusham nakshatram. He belonged to Sadamarshana gothram. His father'name is Easwara munigal. He visited thirukkurugoor and paid his obeisance to Nammalwar. Had pancha samskaram peformed by nammalwar. He learnt veda sastras through yoga dasai. He was giving siddhantha pravachanam in his gruhastasramam and blessed his sishyas with nyaya tatvam, yoga rahasyas and many more granthas.

5. Uyyakkondar (Pundarikakshar) ( 826 – 931 CE) Avathara sthalam – Thiruvellarai near Srirangam Year of Birth – Kali 3987 in the year of Prabhava, in the month of Chitthra and Krutthika nakshatram. He was doing siddhanta pravachanam in Srirangam in his gruhastasramam. He was the prime disciple of Nathamuni. His foremost sishyas were Manakkal Nambi, pundareeka dasar and ulaga perumal nangai.

6.Manakkaal Nambi (Sri Rama Misrar) (832 – 941 CE) Avathara Sthalam – Manakkal agraharam in Chola desam Year of Birth – Kali 4052 in the year of Virodhikruthu in the month of Masi and Magam nakshatram. He was giving siddhanta pravachanam in his gruhasthasramam to his disciples – Alavadhar, arasu nimbi, Gomadam thiruvinnagarappan.

7. Alavandhar (Yamuna Muni) ( 916 – 1041 CE) He was the grandson of Sri Nathamuni. Avathara Sthalam – Veera narayana puram Year of Birth – Kali 4077 in the year of Dhathu in the month of Aadi and Uttarashada nakshatram. He belonged to Shadamarshana gothram. He was born to Easwara battazhwar. After taking sanyasam in Srirangam, he was doing sampradaya pravachanam in Srirangam. He has authored the following granthams – Sthothra Rathnam Siddhi thrayam Geethartha Sangraham Agama Pramanam Chatusloki Maha purusha Nirnayam.

8. Periya Nambi (Mahapurnar) He was the prime disciple of Alavandhar. Year of Birth – kali 4098 in the year of Hevilambi in the month of Margazhi and Kettai nakshatram. He belonged to Bharadwaja gothram. He lived for 105 years. He was doing siddhantha pravachanam to his disciples in Srirangam. His foremost disciples were Udaiyavar(Sri Ramanuja), Ani Arangathamudhanar, Thiru kachi nimbi, Satakopa dasar.

9. Udaiyavar (Sri Ramanujar) ( 1017 – 1137 CE) He is the darsana sthapakar of Srivaishnava sampradayam and is one of the most important acharyas of our sampradaya. He was considered the amsam of Thiru Ananthalwar. Year of Birth – Kali 4117 in the year of Pingala in the month of Chitthra and Arudhra nakshatram- sukla panchami thithi. He belonged to Haritha gothram. His father was Asuri kesava somayaji swami. He took sanyasramam at a very early age and was doing siddhantha pravachanam in Srirangam and many other places. He nominated 74 simhasanadhipathis and ordained them to do pancha samskaram to sishyas at their places. From the 74 simhasanadhipathis, he selected four namely, Nadathur Azhwan, Kidambi Acchaan, Thirukkurugaippiran Pillan and Mudali Andan, gave them the Sri Bhashya kosam and instructed them to do Sri Bhashya pravachanam thereby making them Sri bhashya simhasanadhipathis. He has authored nine granthams in total namely, Sri Bhashyam Vedantha Saram Saranathi Gadyam Sri ranga Gadyam Vaikunta Gadyam Sri Gita Bhashyam Nithyam Vedartha Sangraham Vedantha Deepam Sri Ramanuja became an exponent in all the granthas he learnt from his acharyas and spread Sri Vishishtadvaitha philosophy and Srivaishnavam through the 9 granthas He wrote in Sanskrit. After having conquered those who opposed his philosophic exposition of Vishistadvaitha, tradition has it that Sri Ramanuja received the benediction of Lord Sri Hayagreeva through the medium of Saraswathi Devi. Having embraced the life of an ascetic, Sri Ramanuja travelled far and wide through out India. (to be continued.-- Part 2 onwards..) 

This series of articles is contributed by:

Srimath Andavan Thiruvadi, Perungadamanur Sreenivasan Parthasarathy (Besant Nagar, Chennai.)