pUrvAchArya srIsUkthis - introduction and comprehensive list

Please visit http://srivaishnavagranthams.wordpress.com/purvacharya-literature/ for most upto date list.

sri:
srimathE rAmAnujAya nama:
srimad varavaramunayE nama:
sri vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:

srIman nArAyaNan, for the upliftment of the samsAris (bound souls), out of his causeless mercy, reveals the sAsthram (vEdham) to brahmA during the srushti (creation). vEdham is the ultimate pramANam for vaidhihas. A pramAthA (AchAryan) can determine the pramEyam (emperumAn) only through pramANam (sAsthram). Just like emperumAn has akila hEya prathyanIkathvam (opposite to all bad qualities) and kalyANaikathAnthvam (abode of all auspicious qualities) which differentiates emperumAn from every other entity, vEdham has the following important qualities (that differentiate it from other pramANams):
  • apaurushEyathvam - not created by an individual (not even created by emperumAn - emperumAn is only the revealer of vEdham)
  • nithyam - it is eternal - with no beginning (since it was not created by any one) and no end
  • svatha prAmANyathvam - all vEdha vAkyams are self-sufficient, i.e., we dont need anything more to prove the validity of the same
While vEdham is just one vast body of scripture, vEdha vyAsa, considering the limited capacity of human intelligence in the future, divided the vEdham in to rig, yajur, sAma and atharva vEdhams.

vEdhAntham is the essence of vEdham. vEdhAntham is the collection of upanishadhs which talks about the intricate details about emperumAn. upanishadhs are the works of great sages which analyses brahmam from different aspects. While vEdham talks about the process of worship and vEdhAntham talks about the object of worship (emperumAn). There are many upanishadhs, but the following are considered as the most important:
  • aitharEya
  • bruhadhAraNyaka
  • chAndhOgya
  • isha 
  • kEna
  • kathA
  • kaushIdhiki
  • mahA nArAyaNa
  • mAndukya
  • mundaka
  • prashna
  • subhAla
  • svEthasvathAra
  • thaithriya
brahma sUthram that is compiled by sage vEdha vyAsa is also considered to be part of vEdhAntham since it is the essence of upanishadhs.

Since, vEdham is anantham (endless - huge) and vEdhAntham is very complicated and the capacity of human intelligence is limited (which can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations), we have to understand vEdham/vEdhAntham through smruthi, ithihAsam and purANams.
  • smruthi is the collection of dharma sAsthrams which are compiled by great sages like manu, vishNu hAritha, yAgyavalkya, etc.
  • ithihAsams are the collection of srI rAmAyaNam and mahAbhArtham - the two great epics. srI rAmAyaNam is considered as the sharaNAgathi sAsthram and mAhAbhAratham is considered as panchamO vEdham (fifth vEdham after the rig, yajur, sAma and atharva vEdhams).
  • purANams are the collection of 18 main purANams (brahma purANam, padhma purANam, vishNu purANam, etc) and many upa (minor) purANams which are compiled by brahmA. Of these 18 purANams, brahmA himself declares that when he is in the mode of sathvam (goodness) he glorifies vishNu, in the mode of rajas (passion) he glorifies himself and in the mode of thamas (ignorance) he glorifies shiva, agni, etc.
Even with the existence of all of these, instead of gaining true knowledge through sAsthram and look out for the true goal, samsAris were still engaged in materialistic aspirations. emperumAn then personally descended as many avathArams, only to see many disrespecting him and even fight with him. Realizing that he should prepare a jIvAthmA to help the samsAris (like a deer is used to capture another deer by a hunter), he picked a select few jIvAthmAs and gave them blemishless divine knowledge. These jIvAthmAs became to be famously known as AzhwArs (ones who are immersed in bhagavath anubhavam). They are headed by nammAzhwAr (prapanna kula kUtasthar/vaishnava kulapathi) and are said to be 10 in number - poigai AzhwAr, bhUthath AzhwAr, pEyAzhwAr, thirumazhisai AzhwAr, nammAzhwAr, kulasEkara AzhwAr, periyAzhwAr, thondaradippodi AzhwAr, thiruppANAzhwAr and thirumangai AzhwAr. madhurakavi AzhwAr (disciple of nammAzhwAr) and ANdAL (daughter of periyAzhwAr) are also added into AzhwArs goshti at times. AzhwArs who were fully blessed by emperumAn preached the divine knowledge to many. Still, since they were immersed in bhagavath anubhavam their focus was on mangaLAsAsanam to emperumAn.

emperumAn, wanting to uplift more jIvAthmAs from samsAram, divinely arranged the appearance of AchAryas starting with nAthamunigaL and ending with maNavALa mAmunigaL. emperumAnAr who is an avathAra visEsham of Adhi sEshan, appears right in the middle of our AchArya paramparai and he brings this srivaishnava sampradhAyam and visishtAdhvaitha sidhAntham to great heights. Following the works of great rishis parAsara, vyAsa, dramida, tanka, etc., he firmly establishes the visishtAdhvaitha principles. He establishes 74 AchAryas as simhAsanAdhipathis and instruct them to bring srivaishnavam to everyone who has the desire to learn about emperumAn and gain true knowledge. periya perumAL accepts maNavALa mAmunigaL (who is yathi punaravathAram - rAmAnujar's subsequent avathAram) as his own AchAryan in srIrangam periya kOil and completes the AchArya rathnahAram which started from him. After the time of maNavALa mAmunigaL, his main disciples, famously known as ashta dhik gajangaL (eight elephants) headed by ponnadikkAl jIyar further propagate the srivaishnava sampradhAyam everywhere. Subsequently, many AchAryas appear in this sampradhAyam and continue the great work of our pUrvAchAryas.

One of the greatest and unique gifts/wealth our AzhwAr/AchAryas have left behind for us is the amount of divine granthams which are full of true knowledge and which focusses only on the upliftment of us (the jIvAthmAs who are bound in this samsAram). It is very difficult to grasp the main principles from the vast vEdham/vEdhAntham and complicated purANams/ithihAsams (due to some seemingly contradictory statements). On the other hand, our pUrvAchArya srIsUkthis are made with the intent to clearly deliver the important principles such as supremacy of srIman nArAyaNan, our svarUpam, our relationship with him, the ultimate goal, the process to reach the goal and the hurdles in accomplishing the goal and method to avoid those hurdles. No other sampradhAyam has such unbroken lineage of AchAryas and such variety of divine literature.

Let us see a comprehensive list of all the srIsUkthis of our AzhwAr/AchAryas. It is unfortunate that we dont get a lot of these granthams any more. Some of them were lost during the invasions that happened in south India. But, even if we study the granthams which are available now (which are still plenty), we will definitely be greatly benefitted by the spiritually potent content of these granthams.

    • bhagavath gIthai 
    • vishwaksEna samhithai
    • kalpasUthra vyAkyAnam 
    • nyAsa thathvam
    • nyAya thathvam
    • purusha nirNayam
    • yOga rahasyam
    • Agama prAMANyam
    • gIthArtha sangraham
    • sidhi thrayam
    • sthOthra rathnam
    • chathu slOki
    • pramEya sAram
    • 10 vArthai
    • thiruppathik kOvai
    • srI rAmAyaNa svApadhEsa vyAkyAnam
    • srI bhAshyam
    • vEdhArtha sangraham
    • vEdhAntha dhIpam
    • vEdhAntha sAram
    • gIthA bhAshyam
    • nithyam (thiruvArAdhana kramam)
    • panchasthavam
      • athimAnusha sthavam
      • srIvaikunta sthavam
      • sundharabAhu sthavam
      • varadharAja sthavam
      • srI sthavam
    • yamaka rathnAkaram
    • thadh vyAkyAnam
    • nithyam
    • lakshminAtha, yOnithyam achyutha thanians  
    • archAvathAra anubhavam -  http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/11/archavathara-anubhavam-kurathazhwan.html
    • rahasya thrayam
    • asmath guru thanian 
    • vigyAna sthuthi
    • charama guru vishayam
    • srIsavishgyApana sapthathi
    • emperumAnAr vadivazhagu pAsuram
  • garuda vAhana pandithar
    • dhivya sUri charithai
    • rAmAnuja ashtOththara satha nAma sthOthram
    • rAmAnuja ashtOththara satha nAmAvaLi 
    • nithyam
    • thiruvAimozhi - 6000 padi vyAkyAnam 
    • nyAya prakAsikai
  • gOvindha jIyar (yAdhava prakAsan became a sishya of emperumAnAr and accepted sannyAsa Ashramam from him)
    • yathi dharma samuchayam 
    • charamOpAya vivaraNam
    • guru guNAvali
    • guru guNa vivaraNam
    • nayadhyumaNi dhIpikai
    • shadartha sankshEpam
    • srIbhAshya vivaraNam

    • vishNuchithIyam (vyAkyAnam for srI vishNu purANam)
    • sArArtha chathushtaya vivaraNam (part of vArthA mAlai)
    • ashta slOki
    • bhagavath guNa dharapaNam
    • srI guNa rathna kOsham
    • srI rangarAja sthavam
    • srI rangarAja sthOthram 
    • maivaNNa narunkunchi pAsuram (thiruneduNthAndagam) vyAkyAnam
    • kriyA dhIpam (nithya grantham)
    • kaisika purANa vyAkyAnam
    • various thirumanjana kattiyams for namperumAL 

    • Arthi, etc
  • parAsara bhattar (s/o vEdha vyAsa bhattar)
    • kshamA shOdasI
    • rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 
    • thiruppAvai 2000 padi vyAkyAnam
    • emperumAnAr thAlAttu (lullaby)

    • parathvAdhi panchakam 
    • paramArtha slOka dhvayam
    • gajEndhra mOksha sthOthram
    • thathva sAram

  • kandhAdai ANdAn (s/o mudhaliyANdAn)
    • vigyApana sthuthi, etc
  • kUra nArAyaNa jIyar
    • sudharsana sathakam  
    • upanishadh vyAkyAnam
    • sthOthra rathnam vyAkyAnam

    • srutha prakAsikai (expansive commentary for srI bhAshyam)
    • thAthpariya dhIpikai (commentary for vEdhArtha sangraham)
  • piLLai perumAL iyengAr
    • thiruvarangathu anthAdhi
    • nithyam
    • paramArtha vivEkam
    • rahasya thraya vivaraNa grantham named nURRettu (108)  
    • vEdhArtha sAram
    • vyAkyAnams
      • kanninun chiruthAmbu
      • mudhal, irandAm, mUnRam, nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhis
      • sharaNagathi gadhya  
      • thiruvAimozhi - 9000 pad
      • thiruppallANdu
      • thiruppaLLiyeLuchi
      • thiruppAvai 
  • srI sEnApathi jIyar (identified in mumukshupadi 41st sUthram)
    • sudhdha sampradhAya rathnam
    • ezhil pudhuvai mAlai, etc
    • vyAkyAnams
      • kanninun chiruthAmbu
      • mudhal, irandAm, mUnRam, nAnmugan thiruvandhAdhis
      • thiruppallANdu
      • thiruvirutham - eedu
    • thiruvAimozhi - eedu 36000 padi vyAkyAnam  
    • AchArya sammathi 
    • ashtAkshara dhIpikai
    • dhivya prabhandha pAsurappadi rAmAyANam
    • vyAkyAnams 
        •  thiruvAimozhi - 24000 padi vyAkyAnam   
        • mudhalAyiram, iyarpA, thirumozhi, thirukkurunthANdagam, thirunedunthANdagam
    • rahasya granthams
      • parantha rahasyam
      • sakala pramANa thAthpariyam

    • thiruvAimozhi - 125000 padi vyAkyAnam
    • srIvathsa chinna pancha vimsathi
    • thathva thrayam 
    • pishta pasu nirNayam
    • thathva vivaraNam
    • ashtAkshara dhIpikai  
    • 6000 padi guruparamparA prabhAvam
    • archirAdhi
    • parantha padi
    • samsAra sAmrAjyam
    • sriya: pathi padi 
    • thani praNavam
    • thani dhvayam
    • thani charamam
    • thathva thrayam 
    • thathva sEkaram
    • yAthruchika padi 
    • vyAkyAnam for gadhya thrayam
    • rangEsa vimsathi
    • pattOlai (vyAkyAnam for AchArya hrudhayam)
    • vyAkyAnams for amalanAdhi pirAn, kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu, thiruppAvai
    • aNuthva purushakArahtva samarthanam
    • jnAnArNavam
    • muktha bhOgAvaLi
    • vyAkyAnam for chathu slOki
    • vyAkyAnam for vishNu sEshi slOkam of periyavAchAn piLLai
    • thatva thraya vivaraNam
    • adhyAthma chinthai
    • dhIpa prakAsikai
    • dhIpa sangraham
    • rahasya amurtha vivaraNa mAlai
    • rahasya thraya vivaraNam
    • thathva dhIpam 
    • thathva nirUpaNam
    • thiruvAimozhi - 12000 padi vyAkyAnam 
    • thiruvirutham svApathEsam
    • thiruvAimozhi sangathi slOkams
    • vyAkyAnam for bhagavath gIthai
    • thamizh pAsurams for gIthai slOkams
    • dramidOpanishadh sangathi - a samskritha slokam for  each padhigams of thiruvAimozhi
  • udhbhAhUramaNiyar (disciple of vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavAL jIyar)
    • upadhEsa mAlai
  • parakAla nallAn (s/o udhbhAhUramaNiyar)
    • parakAla nallAn rahasyam
  • yAmunAchAryar (disciple of vAdhi kEsari azhagiya maNavAL jIyar)
    • pramEya rathnam
    • srIvachana bhUshaNa sangathi
    • vyAkyAnams for periyAzhwAr thirumozhi, periya thirumozhi
  • thirupputkuzhi jIyar
    • upadhEsa mAlai 
    • saptha kAthai 
    • periyAzhwAr thirumozhi svApadhEsam
    • vyAkyAnams
      • thAthparya chandhrikai
      • thathvatIkai
      • sthOthra chatuslOki and gadhya thrayam 
      • munivAhana bhOgam
      • dhramidOpanishad thAthparya rathnAvaLi, dhramidOpanishad sAram, 
    • sidhAntham
      • AhAra niyamam,
      • adHikarNa sArAvaLi
      • nyAya sidhdHanjanam
      • satha dhUshani
      • thathva mukthAkalApam and its vyAkyAnam sarvArtHa sidhdHi 
      • rahasya thraya sAram, sampradhAya parisudhi, abhayapradhAna sAram, para matha bhangam  
    • drama
      • sankalpa sUryOdhayam
    • sthOthrams
      • dhayA sathakam, pAdhukA sahasram, yAdhavabhyudhayam, hamsasandhEsam, nyAya dhasakam, vairAgya panchakam,  paramArtha sthuthi,  bhagavadh dhyAna sOpAnam, kAmAsikAshtakam,  vEgAsEthu sthOthram, ashtabhujAshtakam, kshOdasAyudha sthOthram, sharaNAgathi dhIpikA, hayagrIva sthOthram
      • dasAvathAra sthOthram, gOdhA sthuthi, srI sthuthi, yathiraja sapthathi, etc
    • vyAkyAnams for AchArya hrudhayam, srIvachana bhUshaNam
    • vyAkyAnams for thiruppAvai (2000 padi, 4000 padi), thirumAlai
    • slOkams/pAsurams
      • Arthi prabhandham
      • dhEvarAja mangaLam 
      • thirumangai AzhwAr vadivazhagu varNanai
      • thiruvAimozhi nURRanthAdhi
      • upadhEsa rathina mAlai
      • yathirAja vimsathi
    • pramANa thirattu (collection of pramANams and their sources) fpr
      • eedu 36000 padi
      • jnAna sAram, pramEya sAram
      • thathva thrayam, srIvachana bhUshaNam
    • vyAkyAnams 
      • periyAzhwAr thirumozhi (for the portion that was missing in periyavAchAn piLLai vyAkyAnam)
      • rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi
    • Others
    • thiruppAvai svApadhEsa vyAkyAnam 
    • thiruvArAdhan kramam
    • srI parAngusa pancha vimsathi 
    • pUrva dhina charyai, uthara dhina charyai
    • varavaramuni kAvyam
    • charamOpAya thAthparyam
    • charama guru nirNayam
    • anthimOpAya nishta, etc
    • "cheyya thAmarai thaLinai" vAzhi thirunAmam 
    • vyAkyAnam for bhattar's ashta slOki
  • appiLLai
    • vyAkyAnam for all thiruvanthAdhis in iyarpA
    • vyAkyAnam for thiruvirutham (first 15 pAsurams)  
    • vyAkyAnam for yathirAja vimsathi
    • vAzhi thirunAmams
  • appiLLAr/appuLLAr
    • kAla prakAsikai
  • sEnAthipathi AzhwAn
    • maNavALa mAmuni nURRanthadhi
  • kunnaththUr aiyan - https://sites.google.com/site/wwwkunnathoorkoilcom/kunnthur-ayy
    •  srIvachana bhUshaNa mImAmsA bhAshyam (detailed sanskrit commentary) 
  • jIyar nAyanAr
    • nakshathra mAlikai sthOthram
    • upadhEsa rathina mAlai slOkam
    •  yathipathi dhinacharyA 
  • dhoddAchAryar
    • chaNda mArutham vyAkyAnam for satha dhUshaNi 
    • thiruppAvai svApathEsam
  • sudhdha sathvam dhoddAchAryar
    • charithrams
      • rAmAnuja dhivya charithai
      • yathIndhra pravaNa prabhAvam
    • vyAkyAnams
      • artha panchakam 
      • arumpadham (detailed explanation) for thirumanthrArtham (mumukshupadi)
      • Arthi prabhandham
      • "cheyya thAmarai thaLinai" vAzhi thriunAmam 
      • rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi
      • 4000 dhivya prabhandham thanians
      • thirumanthrArtham
      • thiruvAimozhi nURRanthAdhi
      • upadhEsa rathina mAlai
      • yathirAja vimsathi 
  • kOil kanthAdai nAyan
    • periya thirumudi adaivu
  • srInivAsAchAryar
    • yathIndhra matha dhIpikai
  • gyAnadhrushti azhagappangAr swamy
    • rAmAnuja rahasya thrayam 
    • sArAtha rathna mAlai 
    • pramANa thirattu for vyAkyAnams
  • appu and piLLai (sishyas of gyAnadhrushti azhagappangAr swamy)
    • arumpadham for thiruvAimozhi, rahasya granthams
  • AthAn jIyar
    • eedu adaya vaLainthAn arumpadham (big)
  • gunagarambAkkam rAmAnuja jIyar
    • eedu jIyar arumpadham (small)
    • srI rAmAnuja ashtapathI
    • srIperumpudhUr mAhAthmyam
    • srI rAmAnuja suprabAtham
    • swAmy emperumAnAr thirumanjana kattiyam
    • nithyavibhUthi/leelA vibhUthi mangaLAsAsanams
    • echarikai 
    • charama slOka tippaNi
    • charama slOka chandhrikai 
  • dhEvarAja guru (descendant of erumbiyappA)
    • rahasya vivEkam 
  • sudhdha sathvam embAvayyangAr
    • arumpadham (detailed explanation) for thirumanthrArtham (mumukshupadi) 
    • rahsaya thraya mImAmsA bhAshyam 
    •  
    • srI bhakthisArOdhayam
    • vEdhavalli sathakam
    • hEmalathAshtakam
    • abhIstadhaNdakam
    • srIrangarAja sthva vyAkyAnam  
    • srIvachana bhUshaNam arumpadham
    • shaNmatha dharsinI
    • lakshmyA: upAyathva nirAsa:
    • lakshmI vibhuthva nirAsa:, 
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

Notes:
  • Lot of the above books are available at:
    • sudharsanar trust (http://srsktrust.com/) - No: 3, Puthur agraharam, Puthur, Trichy -17. Ph: 91-(0)431-6544494, cell: 72000 29495.
  • Request all srivaishnavas to send me an email, if any pUrvAchArya granthams is missed in this list or if there is a link that is available online (for download/view) for any of the listed granthams.
archived in http://ponnadi.blogspot.com, also visit http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com
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9 comments:

  1. Kannan10 January 2013 at 07:16

    Swami, thanks a lot for the expansive list... I feel so blessed to be born in this illustrious Sampradayam... unmatched in Devotion, Scholarship, Humanity and Compassion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown4 February 2013 at 04:01

    Graet Effort! May Divya Dampatis bless you in all your endeavours!
    TG Saranathan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sivananda Thirumalai6 March 2013 at 01:40

    no words to express our gratitude. excellent work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. varadan23 April 2013 at 09:15

    EXCELLENT ...Poliga Poliga Poliga ... May all our Spiritual masters bless you with carrying out this wonderful kainkaryam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarathy Thothathri23 April 2013 at 09:36

      thanks for the feedback. actually, more updates (with some valuable addition) are coming in this page in the near future!

      Delete
  5. Anonymous29 June 2014 at 08:23

    Swami, The skydrive account seems to have expired - unable to download. Pls. help

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown7 March 2016 at 20:33

    srimate ramanujaye namaha
    swamin ..excellent infos, txs a ton. got to learn new things and clear so many doubts , dhanyosmi

    ReplyDelete
  7. Unknown9 March 2016 at 02:38

    unable to down load from skydrive - tani slokam vyakyanam of periavachchanpillai. Please do the needful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarathy Thothathri9 March 2016 at 03:39

      Skydrive storage was lost some time ago - we no longer have access to those files. Please visit http://srivaishnavagranthams.wordpress.com/purvacharya-literature/ for most upto date list.

      Delete

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