Mudaliandan Swami "Tirumudi Vargam"

Brief History of Sri Mudaliandan 

INTRODUCTION:

Our Srivaishnavism Siddhantam is as old as Veda itself. All the Vedas, Upanishads, Ithihasa Puranas, and the Pancharatra and Vaikanasa Vaishnava Agamas undoubtedly establish the Supremacy of Lord Srimannarayana and the religion Srivaishnavism. After the puranic period, the great mystic saints, the Alwars were born in different parts of South India to spread Srivaishnavism and steadfast faith and devotion to Srimannarayana. They expressed their divine experience of God and His glorious kalyanagunas in their mystic outpourings in chaste Tamil language which are collectively known as "NALAYIRA DIVYA PRABANDHAM". These divine songs contain rich philosophical and religious thoughts drawn from the Upanishads and Ithihasa Puranas. They cover all the essential teachings of Vaishnavism and thus made a very great contribution for further development by our Purvacharyas like Sri Nathamuni, Sri Yamunacharya, Sri Swami Ramanuja and others acharyas who came after the Alwars.

Swami Ramanuja made the most significant contribution to the development and propagation of the Visishtadvaita Philosophy and Srivaishnavism Religion. Being a Philosopher and Scientific thinker, Swami Ramanuja systematised the system of thought of Srivaishnavism religion and the Alwar's pasurams and to propagate it among the masses, he had established the Seventy Four(74) Simhasanadhipathis all over and Swami himself had toured extensively throughout the country and had visited all the Srivaishnava Divya Desams where the preciding dieties are copiously praised by the mystic saints, the Alwars. The foremost among the Seventy Four Simhasanadhipathis instituted by Swami Ramanuja is the Vadhulakula Tilaka Sri Mudaliandan Swami, the priya Bagineyar (sister's son) of Swami Ramanuja. It is learnt from our Thirumaligai Thirumudivarga Vaibhava Prakasikai, that Swami Mudaliandan is born to his parents Sri Ananthanarayana Diskshithar and Nachhiaramman as "Dasarathi" on the Chaithra Punarvasu Nakshatra day as the Amsa of Lord Sri Rama himself. Swami Ramanuja had a very intimate attachment for Swami Mudaliandan which was expressed by Swami Ramanuja himself many times and even at the time when he embraced Sanyasasrama Swami Ramanuja renounced everything except Swami Mudaliandan his priya Bagineyar. Swami Mudaliandan is known to be the Thirdhandam and Paduka of Swami Ramanuja. Sri Kurathalvan, known to be the Pavithram of Swami Ramanuja, has also expressed the greatness of Swami Mudaliandan by saying as,

"Padakku Atma Sambandham Irundhalum, Uzhakku Deha Sambandham Illaye", meaning,

"Though I have the Atma Sambandham with Swami Ramanuja, I am not bodily related to him as Swami Mudaliandan is related to Swami Ramanuja". Such is the greatness of Sri Mudaliandan Swami.

Appachiaranna is the direct decendant of Sri Mudaliandan Swami and occupies the nineth (9) position in the order. Swami Appachiaranna was addresed by Swami Manavala Mamunigal as "Nam Appachiarannao".

Sri manavala mamunigal gave two similar vigrahas of sri swami manavala mamunigal to sri Appachiaranna (one for the worship of Sri Appachiaranna Swamy himself and the other for Sri Vanamamalai jeer Swami, the acharya of Appachiaranna) , made from the theerthapathram used by sri swami emperumanar received by sri manavala mamunigal in a damged condition and later named as 'RAMANUJAN'.

Sri Manavala Mamunigal also gave Appachiaranna the idol of "Sri Teemanam Keduthar", the Perumal worshipped by Sri Atkondavilli Jeer. As directed by Swami Manavala Mamunigal, Appachiaranna lived at Kancheepuram in the Thirumaligai of sri swami mudaliandan thirumaligai performing Nithya Thiruvaradhanam to "Sri Azhaithu Vazhivithavar" (the Moorthi given to kandhadai thozzppar by perulala perumal himself) one among the shad bheras of kanchi Perarulalan . In the foot steps of Swami Ramanuja, Appachiaranna also spent his life time doing the Salaikinaru Kainkaryam for the thirumanjanam of Perarulalan and Perundevi Thayar. Such is the Mahatvam of Sri Appachiaranna Swami, the nineth decendant in the Vadhula race.

Swami Annavilappan, Thirukumarar of Appachiaranna Swami lived in Singaperumal koil in the service of Sri Pataladhri Narasimha Perumal as ordained by Lord Narasimha. The Lord of Singapermal Koil Pataladhri Narasimha, appeared in the dream of Swami Annavilappan and ordered him to set right His abode which was covered under sand dunes and establish a place with agraharam and kainkaryaparas and to live ever in HIS Service. Accordingly, Swami Annavilappan followed the divine order and lived his full life time in the service of the Lord of Singaperumal Koil.