Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya
Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Aṇṇan was a Sri Vaishnava Acharya, Tamil and Sanskrit scholar, the composer of the popular Venkateswara Suprabhatam. He appeared in this world bearing the name Hasthigirinathar Aṇṇan in the year AD 1361. He was one of the prominent disciples of Manavala Mamunigal, belonged to a distinguished line of "Acharya Puruṣas" and had a large number of followers. Aṇṇan composed many hymns, of which the popular Venkateṣa Suprabhātham, Venkateṣa Stotram, Venkateṣa Prapatti and Venkateṣa Mangaļāṣāsanam are recited daily at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at the wee-hours of the day to wake up the Lord. The rendition of the hymns by Smt. M S Subbulakshmi is played everyday in millions of households in India and abroad.[1][2][3]
Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annan | |
|---|---|
 Sri Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Anna Vendanthacharya | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Hasthigirinathar Aṇṇan in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Children | Annanappa, Ananthacharyar |
| Sect | Sri Vaishnavism |
| Philosophy | Vishishtadvaita |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Varada Nayanacharya, Manavala Mamunigal |
Disciples
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| Literary works |
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| Honors | "Prathivadhi bhayankar" |
Aṇṇan was born in Kanchipuram, and initiated into the Sri Vaishnava Sampradāyam by his father, who was the 10th generation descendant of Mudumbai Nambi one of the 74 simhāsanādipathis appointed by Ramanuja.[4] He later became a disciple of Vedanta Desika's son Nayana-Varadāchārya. Nayana-Varadāchārya him the name "Prathivathi Bhayankaram Aṇṇan". Aṇṇan was acknowledged as an authority on Sanskrit literature and spiritual discourses in those times. He is said to be the most prominent scholar in South India of his time, and was widely respected throughout India. After studying Sribhaṣyam from Nayana-Varadāchārya, Aṇṇan went to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and did devotional service to Lord Venkateswara.
At the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Aṇṇan heard the glories of Manavala Mamuni and about his nectarine discourses on the works of the Azhwars and the doctrines of Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam. Following this, Aṇṇan became the disciple of Manavala Mamuni and learnt the entire commentaries of these works from him a Srirangam. At the time Aṇṇan surrendered at the feet of Manavala Mamuni, Manavala Mamuni gave him the dāsya nama "Sri Vaiṣnava Dāsan" seeing his humility towards the devotees of the Lord. Further, Manavala Mamuni, after seeing Annan's prowess in Sribhāṣyam, bestowed him the Sribhāṣya Simhāsanam and the title 'Sribhāṣyāchārya'. Aṇṇan also served as one of the aṣta-dik-gajas of Manavala Mamuni.
People often confuse Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annan with a 20th-century scholar-Acharya Prathivṣdhi Bhayankaram Annangarāchārya, who was one of the first āchāryās to publish the entire works of Sri Vaishnava āchāryās like Azhwars, Ramanuja, Vedanta Desika, Manavala Mamuni etc., in the first half of the 20th Century.
The twelve divya Saligrama ṣilas and the Śri-Bhu Sametha Ranganatha Swamy idol that were once worshipped by him are now being worshipped by Sri Prativadhi Bhayankaram Raghavacharyulu, a fifteenth generation descendant in his lineage in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. Popular Indian Playback Singer P. B. Sreenivas was one of his descendants in his lineage in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
Literary works
- Sri Venkateṣa Suprabhātam,
- Sri Venkateṣa Stotram,
- Sri Venkateṣa Prapatti,
- Sri Venkateṣa Mangaļa Sāsanam, authored as ordered by the divine Māmunigaļ.
- Short Commentary (Vyākhya) for Sri Bhaṣyam,
- Short Commentary (Vyākhya) for Srimad Bhāgavatam,
- Short Commentary (Vyākhya) for Subala Upaniṣada.
- Commentary (Vyākhya) for Bhattar’s Aṣta Shloki.
- Sapthathi Rathnamālika (A 73-verse ode to Swami Vedanta Deṣikan, praising his amazing calibre in Sampradāya and literature)
- Varavara Muni Sathakam (100 ṣlokas in Sanskrit in glorification of Māmunigaļ),
- Varavara Muni Mangalam,
- Varavara Muni Suprabhātam, "Cheyya Thāmarai Thālinai Vāzhiye…"
- Vāzhi Thirunamam Of Māmunigal (recited at the end of Arulicheyal Goṣti),
- Other Sloka Granthams
- Other Stotra Granthams