Uyyakkondaar

Uyakkondar, named Pundareekaakshar by his parents, was born in year 886 A.D. on Chiththirai month Karthikai, some 63 years after the birth of Sri Nathamuni. He was born to a bhramin family residing in Tiru vellarai. It is believed that his parents had migrated from Madhyapradesh, and settled at Tiru vellarai, performing kainkariyam to Sri Pundareekaaksha Perumal at that sthalam. One can conclude that he was trained in all aspects of Vedic philosphy at a very young age (as not much information is available about this important acharya).

It is believed that when Pundareekaakshar was in his teens, he was sent to Sri Nathamuni for further instruction. At this time, Nathamunigal had two prominent students, Pundareekaakshar and Kurukai kavalappan. Nathamuni had two important treasure with him, one the secret of Bhakti Yoga to attain praapthi, the other, the 4000 Divya prabhantham. The first will be able to save only the person practicing it, while the Divya prabhantham has the power to save the entire world. Nathamuni wanted to give each of these to his two prominent students. When he asked Kavalappan which he would wish, he chose the bhakti yoga. Therefore, Nathamuni instructed him on Bhakti Yoga.

Nathamuni asked the same to Pundareekaakshar. He replied, When the entire world seem to be doomed in Samsaaram, what is the use for just one soul reaching the Lord. It does not matter what happens to me, but please teach me the secret that can deliver the entire world to the Lord. Hearing this, Nathamuni praised Pundareekaakshar's determination and kindness and titled him Uyakkondaar and started his instruction in Divya prabhantham. It was this determination and kindness that resulted in the spread of Sri Vaishnavam all over India.

Uyakkondar had five prominent students, of whom Manarkal nambi (also known as Rama mishra) was the most popular and important to Srivaishnava Samprathayam. After teh death of Uyakkondar's wife, Ramamishra took cahrge of the household chores at Uyakkondar's house. He also took care of Uyakkondar's young daughters. One day, when they were returing from daily bath at a nearby pond, the girls had to walk past a muddy stream and were hesitating to cross it. Rama mishra seeing their plight fell across the stream and asked the girls to use his back as a bridge. Seeing the foot marks on his back, after their return, Uyakkondar asked his girls what had happened. When he heared the incident, Uyakkondar titled him Manarkal Nambi and renamed his birht place as Manarkal.

Nathamuni, when receiving the 4000 Divya Prabhantham from Nammalvar, also received an image of Ramanujar, instructing him to handover the image to his yet-to-be-born grandson. He immediately started work on creating an idol based on that image. When Nathamuni was about to depart to Lord's feet, he passed on the idol to Uyakkondar after extracting a promise from him that he would keep the idol in a secure place until it is handed over to his grandson. However, Nathamuni's grandson had not born even at the time of Uyakkondar's departure to Vaikuntam. He passed on the idol to Manarkal nambi extracing from him, the same promise he had made to Nathamuni. He also instructed Markal nambi that he would take the responsibility of instructing Nathamuni's grandson. It is believed that Uyakkondar lived for 105 years.

Uyakkondar did not compose any independent work. However, he did compose the thaniyan for Tiruppavai, which is recited every day at many temples and homes.


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UyyakkoNdaar is the one who composed the famous
thaniyans of Thiruppaavai on AndaaL:

anna vayal puduvai AndAL arangaRkup -
pannu thiruppAvaip palpadiya(ga)m - innisaiyAl
pAdik koduttAL naRpAmAlai, poomAlai
choodik koduttALaich chollu "

The saint-poet AndAL, was born in SrivilliputtUr
puduvai), girt with paddy-fields and (water-
reservoirs full of) beautiful swans (annam). She
dedicated Her beautiful garland of songs, singing them
sweetly (in praise of Him). She offered to Him the
flower-garland, after wearing it Herself. May all of
us pray to Her and sing Her poems.

choodik koduththa sudarkkodiyE tolpAvai,
pAdiyaruLavalla palvaLayAy ! nAdinee
vEnkadavaRkku yennai vidhi" yenra immAtRam
nAngadavA vaNNamE nalhu "

Oh AndAL, shining like the flash of lightening ! You
bedecked Yourself first the garland (intended for the
Lord) and then offered it to Lord RanganAtha; You had
the great expertise to compose the renowned and
ancient hymn of thiruppAvai. Oh AndAL with the
multifarious and auspicious bangles ( adorning Your
fore-arms) ! may You please shower Your grace on us
(so that we become greatly devoted to the Lord), with
the same sincerity of devotion (you had towards the
Lord of vEnkata hill) as You prayed to Manmathan
(PerumAL) thus: "O manmathA, be pleased to make me (a
humble servant and) the bride of thiruvEngadamudayAn "
(NAchchiyAr thirumozhi 1.1).




He was born as the Amsam of Jayatsenar, one of the
Nityasuris in Paramapadam. He was born at
Tiruvellarai, in the year 827 CE, in the month
Chittirai and in the constellation of Kartigai. He was
a 'Puras Sikhaa Srivaishnava'.

As ordered by his master, Sri Natha Muni, he escorted
Aravindap Paavai, Sri Natha Muni's wife to her
parent's home. There, the womenfolk known as
Vangipurathu Aachis made him sit in an open space
called 'Mutram' and eat stale remnants of food left
over. Pundarikaksha partook the same with relish as it
was food offered to him by the Parijanas ( those dear
to) of his Acharya. "Tad Uchishtam ukhaavaham" . On
his return, he felt greatly elated when he narrated
the incident to his Acharya. The Acharya was
overwhelmed and exclaimed " Nammai Uyyak Kondeero?"-Oh
! You came to redeem me?". From then on, he came to be
known as Uyyak Kondaar.

[From asmadhAchArya?s commentary on Yathiraja
Sapthathi ? translated into English by Sri CG Balaji
Swami] As per the pramana which says that, Sriman
Narayana appears in the form of a human as an acharya
and preaches Vedanta shastra to people with samsaric
afflictions, mends them and helps them elevate
themselves out of the samsara ? Uyyakkondar is
celebrated in words of multiple purports (shleshai /
shledai) as verily the Lord Kannan and is glorified as
the one who was embraced by his acharya just like
Hanuman who won the acclaim and embrace of Sri Rama.

arviNdha - Lord Kannan is the owner of the most
beautiful eyes, which are like the lotus, and
Uyyakondar is the one who has the name Pundarikakshar.
nAthabhAvE vyavasthitham - As per Yayati?s curse, the
Yadavas cannot have a throne. After having killed
Kamsa, Krishna could have ascended on the throne and
since He was Lord Narayana incarnate, nobody could
have done a thing, but he honoured Yayati?s curse and
held himself back from becoming the King and crowned
Ugrasena instead.
Uyyakkondar followed the highest precepts as taught by
his acharya Sriman Nathamuni. In matters of performing
kainkaryam (service) to his master, he understood the
will of his master Nathamuni and served him the way
Lakshmana served Lord Sri Rama during his exile in the
forest.

Nathamuni had ordained Uyyakkondar to teach all the
esoteric sampradayam to his (Nathamuni) grandson
Alavandar, when he reached a suitable age. When
Uyyakkondar knew his end was near, he delagated this
responsibility to his pupil Manakkal Nambi.

Uyyakondar, in his kalakshepams (vedantic discourse)
strictly adhered to his acharya Sriman Nathamuni?s
philosophical teachings, with not even the slightest
of deviations. Suddhasattva mayam- Though Kannan, the
Lord, took birth as a human, his body still was bereft
of the associations with rajogunam and tamo-gunam and
remained with shuddha-satva gunam that was aprakrutham
in nature.

Uyyakkondar with his powerful will of heart, was able
to subdue the evils of desire, anger, greed,
obsession, pride and jealousy that are born out of
rajo-guna and tamo-guna and gain hold on satva-gunams
like forgiveness, forbearance, humility, patience,
mercy and good moral conduct. Swamy Deshikan
prostrates in front of Pundarikaksha-suri also known
as Uyyakkondar who excelled as a person with satvika
gunam like Lord Kannan.

Thanian on Swami runs as follows:
Namah Pankaja Netraaya Naathasree Paadha Pankaje |
Nyastha Sarva Bharaayaa Asmath Kula Naathaaya
Dheemathe |




Gajaananar is a nityasuri in Sri Vaikuntham who is an assistant of
Vishwaksenar along with Kumudan, KumudAkshar and Harivaktrar.
Gajaananar took avataaram as Nathamuni
Kumudan took avataaram as Uyyakondar
Kumudaakshar took avataaram as Manakaal Nambi and
Harivakktrar took avataaram as Yamunacharya

Srirangam Srinivasa Raghava dasan


Thanian :

NamasyAm AravindAksham NAtha BhAve Vyavasthitham
Suddha Satva Mayam Soureh AvatAram Iva Aparam

Meaning: I prostrate AravindAkshar (Uyyakkondar) who completely followed
thiru Ullam of Naathamuni who is the master of sarva lokas, and who is full
of the quality ?Sathva gunAs?, and who is re incarnation of lord Souri (Lord
Krishna)..



(UYYAK KONDAAR)- (CHITRAI- SRAVANAM)
===============================================================================================================================He
was born as the Amsam of Jayatsenar, one of the Nityasuris in
Paramapadam. He was born at Tiruvellarai. Scholars place his date of
birth differently.; As per GLE: 825AD; as per MKS: 826AD;and as per
PPM : 827 AD. However all are agreed that he was born in the month
Chittirai and in the constellation of Sravanam.. ATA and PPM hold
that he was a 'Puras Sikhaa Srivaishnava'.

As ordered by his master, Sri Natha Muni, he escorted Aravindap
Paavai, Sri Natha Muni's wife to her parent's home. There, the
womenfolk known as Vangipurathu Aachis made him sit in an open space
called 'Mutram' and eat stale remnants of food left over.
Pundarikaksha partook the same with relish as it was food offered to
him by the Parijanas (those dear to) of his Acharya. "Tad Uchishtam
Sukhaavaham".

On his return, he felt greatly elated when he narrated the incident
to his Acharya. The Acharya was overwhelmed and exclaimed " Nammai
Uyyak Kondeero?"- Oh ! You came to redeem me?" From then on, he came
to be known as Uyyak Kondaar. (PPM)

In Sloka 6 of Yathiraja Saptadhi, Swami Desika praises him thus:
Namasyaaam Aravindaaksham Naatha Bhaave Vyavasthitham |
Suddha Satva Mayam Soureh Avataaram Iva Aparam ||
(meaning) Lord Krishna was the 'Sarva Loka Natha'. His Tirumeni is of
Suddha Satva. His eyes are lotus-like. Uyyakkaondar fully understood
the 'Tiru Ullam' of Sri Nathamuni and lived up to it. This is
possible only for one who is full of Sattva Guna untainted by Rajo
and Tamo gunas. Also, the name Pundarikaksha (Lotus- eyed) refers to
Lord Krishna. He looked as if Lord Pundarikaksha of Tiruvellarai
himself was reborn as Uyyak Kondaar. He was a renowned dialectician.

A passage from his work is quoted by Swami Desika in his Satadushani.
His Tanian runs as follows: (SAA.p200)
Namah Pankaja Netraaya Naathasree Paadha Pankaje |
Nyastha Sarva Bharaayaa Asmath Kula Naathaaya Dheemathe |
(Meaning) Salutations to the lotus eyed master, who is the leader of
our Kula at whose lotus feet we can cast all our burdens.
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