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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[Vol. XXV.
Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar. Shorn of the few miraculous elements that are inevitable in an orthodox hagiography, this work compiled by an author who lived only a few generations later than Dēsika, may be considered as fairly reliable. From it we gather the following details about Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar, the first of that name, who was a disciple of VēdäntaDēsika :
Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar belonged to the Kaundinya-gõtra and was originally called Viravalli Pērarulāļayyan. Well-versed in all the sāstras, he became an ardent disciple of Dēsika and assumed the samnyāsa garb under the name of Pēraruļāļa-Jiyar. When the Ranganatha temple at Srirangam was looted by the Muhammadans in the first quarter of the 14th century, Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar fled along with his ächārya to Satyamangalam (in the Coimbatore District) and returned to Srirangam only after some years. He was taught the Bhagavad-vishayam (Arāyirappadi) by Varadáchärya alias Nayinārāchārya, the son and disciple of Vedānta-Detika, in Kali 4440, Bahudhänya, Āvani, su. 2, Hasta (=A.D. 1338, August 18). On one occasion, he vanquished a pandit of North India in a polemical contest at Srirangam and was honoured by Dēsika with tbe title of Brahma-tantra-svatantra 'l 'he who is a master in Brahma-tantra'. That accounts for the origin of the name by which he was popularly known. On another occasion during the régime of Tirumalai-Srinivāsāchārya' who had been installed by Dēśıka as the Srikärya-dhurandhara of the Kāñchipuram temple, Brahmstantra-svatantra-Jiyar overcame & Kashmirian pandit in a philosopbical discussion and earned the title of Paryāya-Bhāshyakāra'.: Some time later under the direction of god Venkatēša in a dream, be accepted the Trusteeship of the Tirupati temple, and during his tenure of office there, be installed an image of Vēdānta Dēsika in a matha built by him at Tirumala, as well as in a mandapa in the Govindarāja temple at Lower Tirupati. He stayed at Tirupati for & long time expounding the Vaishnava philosophy to his disciples Ghatikāśatakam-Amma], KidāmbiNayinār, Kõmāndūr-Achchan, Pillaiy-Appai, Pērarulāļayyan-Appai, Kandādai-Andän, ViravalliPillai and others. After his demise he was succeeded by Pēraruļāļayyan-Appai. Brahmatantra-svatantra-Jiyar was the author of two small works-the Divyasuri-stutie and the Achāryāvatāra-ghatýārtha.
Though these biographical details may, in the main, be accepted, a few omissions may be noticed. The Guruparamparā-prabhāvam does not contain a reference to the founding of a matha at Kāñchipuram and to the installation of Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar in it as its first pontiff for the propagation of the Rāmānuja-darśanam, as stated in the present record, nor do the Tirupati inscriptions corroborate bis Trusteeship of the Tirupati temple. But these points notwithstanding, Brahma-tantra-svatantra-Jiyar of the record under review may be identified with the disciple of
1 The present record conventionally states that god himself gave the title. . Curuparamparā-prabhavam, p. 138. He was the author of a religious work called the Prabandha-nirile.. A serse composed by Ghatikāśatakam-Amma in praise of this Jiyar reads
पर्यायभाष्यकाराय प्रणतानि विधुन्वते ।
dant faciat *#: | * The colophon reads- Ecat fangfal • Its colophon roa
is u ratoradati
प्राचार्यावतारघट्टायें संग्रहण प्रकाश्यते ॥
