Today 29/06/12 is varusha thirunakshatram of Sri Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai.
Sri Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai (1167-1264 AD) , disciple of Sri Nampillai was born in auspicious day of Sarvajit , aani maasam swathi nakshatram at SriRangam. He was the author of the Eedu Vyaakhyaanam, the famed commentary on Nammaazhvaar’s Thiruvaaymozhi written at the dictation of his Archaryan, Nampillai (Lokacharya).
Sri Vadakku ThiruVeedhi Pillai comes in the lineage of the Srivatsa Gotram mudumbai nambi (sister’s husband of swami ramanujar), one of the 74 simhasanaadhipathis instituted by Sri Ramanuja himself.
Thaniyan
Several Srivaishnavas admiring the great traits of Sri Nampillai were attracted towards him as bees to the flowers and bats to the fruits and became his ardent disciples. Among them 1). Periya Vaachchan Pillai, 2). Vadakku Tiruveedhi Pillai, 3). Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jeeyar 4).Eyunni Madhava Perumal etc. were the foremost.
Sri Nampillai commanded his dearest disciple Sri Periyavachchan pillai who had learnt all Srivaishnava Sampradaya texts without an iota of doubt under his tutorship to write a commentary on Tiruvaimozhi. He wrote a commentary called 24000 padi on par with the number of shlokas in Sri Ramayana (24000 verses).
The other dearest disciple Sri Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai (who subsequently became the Srivaishnava Sampradaya leader) listened to Sri Nampillai’s Tiruvaimozhi kalakshepam during the day time and put everything to paper during the night.
The popular saying at that time was that Sri Nampillai had “Iru Kannargal” (two eyes) in his assembly referring to these two pupils.
After completing the entire commentary on 1102 stanzas of Tiruvaimozhi, he submitted the same to his revered Acharyan. Sri Pillai asked, “What is this?” “This manuscript contains your oral commentary on Tiruvaimozhi during this time” humbly replied the disciple. Sri Nampillai went through the commentary. It was neither very brief nor very elaborate and was so charming even as a well decorated elephant (elephant itself is very pretty to look at, so is the Tiruvaimozhi text. If the elephant after bathing is well decked with ornaments and silken clothes, it is sure to be more attractive, so also is the commentary). Sri Pillai became immensely pleased at this super commentary 36000 padi which was in the order of Suta Prakashika, the super commentary on Sri Bhashya of Sri Ramanuja. Staring at his pupil, Sri Nampillai applauded him and kept it under his custody.
His commentary is known as the mupattiyArAyirappadi (36,000 granthAs ) or eedu (the equivalent to the original prabhandham of NammAzhwAr ) . It was also named eedu because it stimulates our eedupaadu with Thiruvaimozhi
Eyunni Madhava Perumal who was an eyewitness to this happening entreated Namperumal (the utsava murthy at SriRangam) by going round in circumambulation and prostrating before Him several times. One day Sri Namperumal asked him through the temple priest, “Why do you pressurize me like this by your worship?”. He too made a humble submission “There is a very entertaining and educative commentary on Tiruvaimozhi, styled “Edu Muppatharayirappadi” in the possession of Sri Nampillai. Your supreme self should order him to give it to me mercifully”. Sri Namperumal too kindly consented to do so. One day Sri Nampillai went to the temple to worship Him. Sri Namperumal honoured him with presents like Thirtham, prasadam, pariyattam and Sri Satakopan and through the priest commanded him to hand over the super commentary, Edu to his disciple Sri Eyunni Madhava Perumal. Sri Pillai too received this order with his bent head as a very rare and rich gift. He came back to his mansion and handed over Edu to his devoted disciple Sri Madhava Perumal. And Sri Madhava passed this great treasure to his descendents and thus passed to thiruvAimozhi pillai who in turn gave to sri manavala maamunigal. Sri manavaala maamunigal present this Edu kalakshepam in front of Namperumal at srirangam periya mandapam as order by Sri Ranganathar.
Sri Vadakku Thiruveedhi pillai’s sons Swami Pillailokachariar and Sri Azhagiya Manavala Nayanar were great Acharyas.
As birth of his elder son was through the blessings of SriNampillai (Lokacharya), the baby was named Lokacharya Pillai, later transposed to Pillai Lokacharya. The second son, Azhagiya MaNavaaLa PerumaaL Naayanaar, was born to the couple at the blessing of Azhagiya MaNavaaLan, Sri Ranganaatha PerumaaL Himself. Swami Pillailokachariar was gifted with a great foresight and was the author of many rahasya granthas like mukumshupadi. He also laid the emphasis on Saranagathi. Azhagiya MaNavALa perumAL nAyaNAr works include – AchArya Hridayam, vyAkhyAnams including 6,000 Padi of TiruppAvai, AmalanAadhiPiraan, Kanni nunSiruthAmbhu, PattOlai Rahasyam etc.
