Today, November 7, 2013; Vijaya Varusha Aippasi Thirumoolam, is the Thirunakshatram of Swami Manavala Mamunigal. The Avathara Utsavam of Swami Manavala Mamunigal is being celebrated in a grand manner in several Divya Desams and Abhimana Sthalams.
Sri Manavala Mamunigal revered also under the names of Sri Vara Vara Muni, Yathindhra Pravanar is one of the greatest Sri Vaishnavite Acharyas. He was born in the village of Kidaram in the year 1370 AD and ascended paramapadham in the year 1443 AD. He has blessed us with 19 granthams. Three of them are in Sanskrit. The rest are in Tamil and Manipravalam. The three works in Sanskrit are: Yathiraja Vimsathi, Sri Devaraja Mangalam and Sri Kaanchi Devaperumal Sthothram. His nineteen granthams can be classified under three major categories:
(A) Vyakyana Granthams or commentaries on the works of earlier Acharyas like Sri Pillai Lokaachaar, Periyavaacchan Pillai and Thiruvarangatthu Amudanaar. These eight Vyakhyana granthams are:
1. Sri Vachana Bhushanam
2. Mumukshuppadi
3. Tattvathrayam
4. Acharya Hrudhayam
5. Jn~Ana Saaram
6. Prameya Saaram
7. PeriyazhwAr Thirumozhi
8. Raamanuja NooRRanthadhi
(B) Three granthams known as Pramana Thirattu are:
1. Eedu
2. Sri Vachana Bhushanam
3. Tattvathrayam
(C) His Own Granthams in Sanskrit (3) and Tamil (5) add up to the remaining Eight:
1. UpadEsa Rathna Maalai
2. ThiruvAimozhi NooRRanthAdhi
3. Iyalc ChaaRRu
4. ThiruvArAdhana Kramam
5. YathirAja Vimsathi
6. DevarAja MangaLam
7. Sri Kanchi Devaperumal Sthothram
8. Aaarthi Prabhandham, his last grantham.
He lived for 73 years on this earth performing many Kaimkaryams and undertook many pilgrimages to many Sri VaishNavite Divya Desams. Most of his life was spent however at Srirangam. The work known as “Yathindhra pravana Prabhavam” records the life and accomplishments of this important Acharya. His devotion to Acharya Raamanuja, Swami Nammazhwar and Nammperumal was extraordinary. He spent a significant portion of his life at Srirangam worshipping Sri Ranganaathan and performing Kaalakshepams on Azhwar-Acharyal Aruliccheyalkal.
Write-up Courtesy: Sri Oppliappan Koil Sadagopan
