Srinivasa
Perumal Temple, Senganur –
Legends
Periyavachan
Pillai was born in 1167 AD, in the month of Avani in Krishnashtami Rohini. He
was born to Yamunacharya and Nachiyar Ammai, in Senganur. He was born as the
amsam of Lord Krishna and was named as Krishna. He was called as Vyakhyana
Chakravarthy as he wrote thoughtful commentaries on Nalayira Divya Prabandham. He
used to accompany his father every day to Tiruvelliyangudi Kolavilli
Ramar Temple. This Temple is a Divya
Desam praised by Thirumangai Azhwar.
His father
initiated the young boy into Nalayira Divya Prabandhams and Ramayana Slokas
during their journey to this temple and made him to recite it the next day. This
made the young boy attracted towards the Divya Prabandham and Ramayana in early
age itself. During one of their visit to the Tiruvelliyangudi
temple, a vedic scholar saw the potential of the young boy and suggested
Yamunacharya to take him to Srirangam
for further learning of Vaishnavite literature as the young boy seemed destined
to make a significant contribution to Vaishnavism.
Periyavachan
Pillai got married and made a pilgrimage to Thirupathi
with his wife. It was a tradition in their family to visit Thirupathi after getting
married as Thiru Venkatamudayan is considered as family deity of his clan. He
was overwhelmed with his devotion towards Venkatesa Perumal. He refused to
return home. Lord Venkatesa in the guise of a priest, advised Periyavachan Pillai
to go back to his home town and take care of his old parents. Further, he gave a
Salagrama stone (sacred stone) for his worship.
He
started his journey back to his hometown with the Salagrama stone. The couples
decided to perform ablutions in Kollidam River. Hence, they placed the stone on
the river bank, took bath in the river and performed the ablutions. After his
ablutions, he returned to the place where he kept the stone and found the stone
was missing. He felt so bad and started fasting to death. Lord Srinivasa
appeared in his dreams and asked him to excavate the same spot where he kept the
Salagrama. Upon excavation, he found a beautiful idol of Lord Srinivasa instead
of Salagrama stone.
He
installed the idol in Senganur
and built a temple
for the idol. An idol of Periyavachan was installed in the
temple in later in memory of his contribution to Senganur
and the
temple. The Street, where the temple is located, is named after him. Periyavachan
Pillai moved to Srirangam
after the death of his parents. He became a disciple of Nam Pillai. He wrote
commentaries on Nalayira Divya Prabandham and Ramayana during his stay in
Srirangam. He is famously called as Vyakhyana Chakravarthy for his extant commentaries
He also wrote commentaries on Rahasya Granthams and Stotras.
His
significant work is 24000 Padi, an analytical commentary on Thiruvaimozhi
written by Nammazhvar. He mentored his disciples Vadakku Thiru Veedhi Pillai,
Azhagiya Manavala Jeer and many others after the demise of Nam Pillai. He is
also one of the few Acharyas to be credited with the prefix of ‘Periya’ (others
being Periya Azhvaar, Periya Jeer and Periya Perumal of Srirangam).
The Thiru Maligai (House of Periyavachan Pillai) where he was born and lived, still
exists in the Krishnapremi Swamy Street in Senganur.