KRISHNA SURI - A MASTER OF
MANIPRAVALA LITERATURE
Dr. M. Varadarajan
It was during the post-Ramanuja period Sri
Vaishnavism reached its zenith in the sphere of producing manipravala
commentaries for Nalayira Divya Prabandham, Rahasya Granthas (secret works) and
stotras by various Acharyas. Among those, Krishnasuri, popularly known as
Periyavachchan Pillai, was first and foremost Acharya to write commentaries for
all the hymns of Alwars in manipravala langauge. Manipravala means the
combination of Sanskrit and Tamil words like a necklace studded with mani - pearl and pravala -
coral. The admixture of coral like Sanskrit and pearl like Tamil words gives a
soothing meaning with elegant beauty. This practice was prevalent, since 11th
century, first in Malayalam and later applied to Tamil prose literature in
Vaishnavism by Acharyas. Krishnasuri’s contribution to manipravala literature
enriched the history of Tamil Language and Literature.
Krishnasuri was born to pious parents Yamuna
Desika and Natchiyaramma of Purvasikha Brahmin family in Chenganallur, a
venerable place in Tanjore District, on Rohini Star in the Tamil month Avani in
1167 A.D. This day synchronizes with Sri Krishna Jayanthi, the birthday of Lord
Sri Krishna. Hence he was named Krishna and later he was given the suffix Suri
for his erudition. Since his childhood he was a great devotee of Lord Krishna.
It is said that he made a pilgrimage to
Tirumala with his family and acquired a Divya Mangala Vigraha of Lord
Venkateswara which he consecrated in his village Chenganallur. After doing
service to his parents, he left his village and lived at the holy feet of
Nampillai, a great commentator in Srirangam for the remaining part of his life.
During his stay in Srirangam he was amazed to
hear Nampillai’s oratorial discourses on Bhagavat Vishyam and his regular
attendance enabled him to win the appreciation of Nampillai and later he became
the Acharya’s personal disciple like his contemporary Krishnapada, also known
as Vadakkuthiruveedhi-p-pillai. Krishnasuri studied Nalayira Divya Prabandham,
its meanings and other texts at the feet of Nampillai. On the order of
Nampillair, he wrote a lucid commentary for Nammalvar’s Tiruvoymozhi, a
nectar-like thousand hymns. Manavala Mamuni of the 15th century in his Upadesaratnanmula
praises Krishnasuri as one among five commentators who was endowed with
virtuous qualities in safeguarding Tiruvoymozhi through his commentary. His
commentary on Tiruvoyomoszi is similar to Valmiki’s Ramayana slokas covering
24000 syllabi words. It is widely known as Irupaththu nalayirappadi. This
commentary reveals his esteem and regard for Tamil. His work clears many a
doubt that arise in the commentary of Nampillai, called Idu.
In the interest of creating awareness among
the asthikas he wrote commentaries for other Alwars’ hymns also i.e. from Tiruppallandu
to Periya Tirumadal covering 23 Prabandhams. Pillai lokam Jeer in
his commentary on Upadesaratna mala narrates that though Alwars hymns
are in simple Dravida Bhasha (Tamil), with divinity, melodious to hear, soft
and simple in style, it is difficult to decide the inner meanings as thought of
by Alwars. Such a revelation was acquired by Krishnasuri and he was able to
write commentaries for the entire hymns of Alwars both for his satisfaction and
for the understanding of others. His style of explaining the word by word
meaning is superb. His incisive writings show his experience both in tradition
and modernity of his age by adding number of similes, illustrations,
grammatical points, authoritative references and so on. As an erudite scholar
in Tamil Literature, his quotations from Sangam and post-Sangam literatures add
lusture to the commentary. It is stated in his Prabhava Prakasika, that
Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam, having heard his commentaries, gave him
the title Abhayapradaraja. Even today along with Alwars hymns, his commentaries
are being rendered during Adhyayana Utsavam by Areyar Swami in Srirangam.
It is to be noted that even today in
Simhachalam Temple in Andhra Pradesh, Krishnasuri’s commentary for Andal’s Tiruppavai,
called Muvayirappadi is being read daily, apart from recitation of
Tiruppavai during Margazhi month.
Krishnasuri made significant contribution for
Rahasya Granthas (secret works) relating to the development of Visistadvaita
philosophy in the post Ramanuja period. He elaborately discusses the three
secrets i.e. Tirumantra, Dvaya, and Charama Sloka in his outstanding work Parantharahasya.
His masterpiece Tanisloki containing
thought-provoking commentary on select slokas taken from great works like
Sriramayana. Mahabharatha, Varahapurana and Sri Vishnupurana will show his
infinite wisdom and oasis of thoughts in the subjects.
His stupendous works of Sanskrit
stotras like Yamunacharya’s Stotraratna, Chatusloki, Ramanuja’s Gandhyatmyam,
and Jitante Stotram have showed his abundant reverence and respect
to the earlier Acharya.
His another work Manikkamalai
discusses the meaning of purushakara and Saranagathi with the basic
definition of Acharya and disciple. His minor work include Sankalpa pramana
tathparyam, Rahasyatraya Deepika, Rahasyatraya vivaranam, Nikamanapadi,
Upaharasmriti and Kaliyan Arulappadu are enlivening the truth
seekers.
His mastery over the manipravala commentaries
enabled him to adorn the four chairs (thrones) of learning i.e.
Prabandhams, Rahasyagranthas, Tanisloki and Stotrams and won the coveted title
Vyakyana Chakravarthi (the King of Commentators).
It may not be an exaggeration that but for
his tireless contribution. Sri Vaishnava manipravala literature, particularly
Alwars hymns would not have got prominence and fame among the people of India
and abroad.
Since the demise of his teacher Nampillair,
Krishnasuri along with his contemporary Krishnapada, had administered the
Ramanuja Darsana in Srirangam. His disciples were Nayanarachchan Pillai,
Vadikesari Alagiya Manavala Jeer and Parakala Dasar. He attained mukti at the
age of 95 in 1262 A.D.
Although seven centuries had rolled down,
India is still fortunate to preserve the priceless divine treasure of
commentaries left by Krishnasuri, because of the contribution made by Kanchi
Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annagarayacharya Swami during the first half and this
century and later by Sri Vaisanava Sudarsanam, Tiruchi a private organisation,
which made: concerted efforts in reproducing and reprinting Krishnasuri’s
commentaries, a magnum opus for Sri Vaishnavas.