Acharya (Guru Lineage) -1

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Sriman Narayana:

 
Sriman Narayan taught the Vedas to Brahma and Pancharatna Sastras to Sri Lakshmi and others. He took various Avatars himself like Fish, Tortoise, and Boar etc to preserve the Vedas and save his devotees. He also took the role of Guru-Sishya (Teacher-Student) as Nara, Narayana at BadriKashramam to present role models of an Acharya and Sishya.

Sri Lakshmi

The next acharya is our Srivaishnava Sampradhaya is Sri Lakshmi.She is called Periya Piratti or divine mother. Sri Lakshmi is always in the company of Naryana. Her only concern is the welfare of us. She is full of compassion and ignorant of punishing us for our faults. Without her recommendation, Sriman Naryana won’t grant our wishes
 

Vishvaksena

 
He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Lord Sriman Narayana.He wields a whip in his hand, and the entire universe functions in the constant fear of the whip striking them, if they do mistake. He rules over the entire world by his commands. Vishwaksena always removes obstacles in performing our duties. He is third in our acharya parampara.
 

Sri Nammazhvar

 
Sri Nammazhvar is an incarnation of Visvaksena and he is born in the month of Vaikasi, on a Pournami day and his birth star is Viskaha.He was born 43 days after Sri Krishna left the World to Vaikunta after his Avatara.


Nammazhvar stayed under the tamarind tree for 32 years and accepted Madhurakavi Azhvar as his Disciple. 
 
Nammazhvar started reciting divine poems and Madhurakavi wrote them on Palm Leaves. The Four Prabhandhams of Nammazhvar are as follows
1. Thiru Viruththam
2. Thiru aasiriyam
3. Peria Thiruvandhaathi
4. Thiruvaaymozhi

.He is considered to be our first Acharya in Kaliyuga.Later he gave the entire Dhivya Prabhandham to Sri Nathmuni. 

Nathamuni:

 
If Srivaishnavam has a global appeal today, it is due to great Nathamuni who discovered the lost divyaPrabhandham and inaugurated devotional Vaishnavam

 
Nathamuni was born at Veera Narayana Puram near Kaatumannar Koil, in the year 584 BCE.
Sri ParankusaDasar (sishya of Madhura kavi) in Kurugur taught only
 “Kanni nun Siruthaambu” and he told he do not know any Pasuram of Thiruvaymozi.

 Later Nathamuni recited “Kanni nun Siruthambu” 12000 times, under the tamarind tree, where Sri Nammazhvar was sitting in yogi form and delivered the verses. He had the mystic vision of Nammahvar.
Nammazhvar taught him all his 4 Prabhandhams and the entire Prabhandhams of other 11 Azhvars too.

Sri Nathamuni promptly codified the devotional hymns as Nalayira Divya Prabhandham. He set them to melodious music and rhythm and taught to his two nephews called “Keezhai Agaththu Azhvan and Melai Agaththu Azhvan””.

He also revived the Adhyayana Utsavam instituted by Thirumangai Azhvar.
He also commenced the practice of Arayar Sevai, a form of dance performed by male dancers singing Divya Prabhandham. This Arayar Sevai can be seen even today in SriRangam temple.
 
Nathamuni also revived the Propagation of Rahasyaas and Vyasa’s Brahma Sutra. Our Srivaishnava Sampradhayam began to shine like a becon light from Nathamuni’s time. He wrote 3 scholarly works
1. Nyaya Tattva
2. Yoga Rahasya
3. Purusha Nirnaya

Sri Nathamuni’s grandson was Sri Yamunacharya who is another important Acharya in our Sampradhayam.He had 8 sishyas and the prime sishya was Sri Uyyakkondar alias PundariKakshar
Sri Uyyakondar



 Please Check the detailed tree of our Guru Parampara. Let us see remaining Acharyas in detail in forth coming days. Acharya Azvargal Thiruvdigale Saranam !