Our Guru Parampara
Like all Sri Vaishnava Guru paramparas, the Andavan Ashramam’s disciplic succession too begins with the Supreme Lord and His Divine consort – Sriman Narayana and Sri Mahalakshmi.
There are three different lineages that are identified as our Guru parampara, based on the three main esoteric texts or rahasya-granthas that were taught by the acharya to his disciple through a process called kalakshepam. The three paramparas, called kalakshepa-paramparas, are named after these texts:
01 – Rashasya-traya parampara (the grantha authored by Vedanta Desika in the language known as Manipravala, where the mysteries of the three main Sri Vaishnava mantras are revealed)
02 – Sri Bhashya parampara (Bhagavad Ramanuja’s commentary on Badarayana’s Vedanta Sutra)
03 – Bhagavad-vishayam parampara (commentary on Nammazhvar’s Thiruvaymozhi)
From Sriman Narayana up to Bhagavad Ramanuja the guru-shishya succession is the same for all the three paramparas: Sriman Narayana who is Perumal or the Supreme Lord, Sri Mahalakshmi who is Piratti or the Divine Mother, Vishwaksena, Nammalwar, Nathamuni, Pundarikaksha (known as Uyyakkondar), Rama Mishra (known as Manakal Nambi), Srimad Yamanucharya (known as Alavandar), Maha Purna (known as Peria Nambi), and Bhagavad Ramanuja.
The compilation of the acharya-parampara from Bhagavad Ramanuja up to Sri Vedanta Desikan, and thereon to Srimad Gopalarya Maha Desikan, under all the three kalakshepam traditions exist separately.
Generally, in the Andavan Ashramam, when thaniyans or laudatory verses are chanted every morning for each of the acharyas in our parampara, we chant the verses of the Rahasya-traya parampara.
Below is the list of acharyas of the Rahasya-traya parampara:
01. – Sriman Narayana
02. – Sri Mahalakshmi
03. – Vishvaksena
04. – Nammalwar (Shatakopa)
05. – Natha Muni
06. – Uyyakondar (Pundarikaksha)
07. – Manakal Nambi (Rama Mishra)
08. – Alavandar (Yamuna Muni)
09. – Peria Nambi (Maha Purna)
10. – Bhashyakarar (Bhagavad Ramanuja)
11. – Kidambi Aachan
12. – Kidambi Ramanuja Pillan
13. – Kidambi Rangaraja
14. – Kidambi Appullaar
15. – Srimad Vedanta Desika
16. – Sri Brahma Tantra Svatantra Swami
17. – Gatika Sathakam Ammal (Vatsya Varada Guru)
18. – Varada Vishnuvacharya
19. – Mahadayadishar
20. – Sirangattur Ahobilachar
21. – Vangipuram Shashta Parankusha Swami
22. – Panchamatha Bhanjanam Thathacharya
23. – Keezh Nirkunnam Anantacharya
24. – Ramanuja Swami
25. – Paravastu Venkateshacharya
26. – Chithanna Veeraraghavachari swamy
27. – Velamur Rangapati Desika
28. – Ranganatha Swami (Kalyanavaham Swami)
29. – Sakshat Swami (Srimath Vedanta Ramanuja Swami)
30. – Thihrukkudanthai Desikan (Gopalarya Mahadesikan)
31. – Srimad Vazhuthur Andavan
32. – Srimad Thiruthuraipoondi Andavan
33. – Srimad Periyandavan
34. – Srimad Chinnandavan
35. – Srimad Kadanthethi Andavan
36. – Srimad Therazhanthur Andavan (Srimad Nammandavan)
37. – Srimad Akkur Andavan
38. – Srimad Thenbirai Andavan
39. – Srimad Thirukudanthai Andavan
40. – Srimad Mysore Andavan
41. – Srimad Srimushnam Peria Andavan
42. – Srimad Srimushnam Chinna Andavan