Pillai Lokacharya - Avatara

Avatara

The name Ulag-Ariya (or Lokacharya) first became associated with Sri Nampillai when Sri Kanthadai Thozhappar celebrated him as the acharya for the world ("kanthAdai thOzhappar tham ugappAl enna ulagAriyanO enRu uraikka"). Nampillai's disciple was Sri Vadakku Thiruveethippillai. Out of great affection for his acharya, Vadakku Thiruveethippillai named his first son as Pillai Lokacharya ("anbAl anna thiru nAmaththai Athariththu mannu pugazh maintharkku sARRukaiyAl").

One time Nampillai was enquiring Vadakkuth Thiruveethip pillai's mother Ammi about her welfare. She told him that she was sad as her family was not being furthered because her son was staying away from his wife and was not having a child. Nampillai asked her to bring her daughter-in-law to his presence. When she did, he told her daughter-in-law that she would give birth to a son just like himself. He then called his disciple Vadakkuth Thiruveethippillai and told him to follow proper gruhastAsrama and that it would not cause any damage to his vairAgya.

Vadakkuth Thiruveethippillai obeyed his acharya's words and in time a son was born to him; he named him Pillai Lokacharya out of respect for his acharya. While worshipping Lord Renganatha with his disciple's son on his Apthapoorthi day, Lord commanded Sri Nampillai to bless Sri Vadakku Thiruveethippillai to have another son like Lord himself. The second son was named Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar, after Lord Renganatha. Sri Pillai Lokacharya was born as the amsam of Kanchi Devaraja (Varadaraja) Perumal in the month of Aippasi under the star Thiruvonam, in the year 1205 CE.