In this series we bring you the pastimes of great Sri Vaishnava Acharyas who appeared after the celebrated Alwars.

Natha Muni started to spend most of the time worshipping and contemplating on Lord Rama’s Deities in his small kuteeram. Once the king passed by his kuteeram on a chariot and Natha Muni mistook him to be Lord Rama. Natha Muni started to run in the direction of the chariot to have a glimpse of his beloved Lord without stopping till he reached the outskirts of Gangai Konda Cholapuram, where he collapsed due to over exertion. Natha Muni immediately quit his body and reached the eternal abode to be in the service of his beloved Lord.

According to some sources, Natha Muni’s son, Ishvara Muni had left this planet during the lifetime of Natha Muni, whereas, others claim that Ishvara Muni left this planet immediately after Natha Muni left his mortal coils. The Vaishnava world was once again rendered leaderless. Besides reviving the works of the twelve alwars – Divya Prabandham – Natha Muni had compiled three works namely Nyaya-Tattva, Purusha-Nirnaya and Yoga-Rahasya. In Nyaya-Tattva, Natha Muni has logically explained the principles that are to be followed while studying the scriptures and understanding their purports in the right sense besides explaining some of the important aspects and purpose of human life. In Purusha-Nirnaya, Natha Muni has made an attempt to establish Lord Narayana (Krishna) as the Supreme Lord refuting various other philosophies including Mayavada that were being studied and practiced by the people during those days. In his Yoga-Rahasya, Natha Muni has dealt with practical aspects of meditation, contemplation and Deity worship.

Though Natha Muni had many disciples, twelve of them carried the tradition forward. However the names of only ten disciples are available with us and they are Uyyakondanar (Pundarikaksha) Melaghath Alwan, Keelaghath Alwan, Kurughai Kavalappan, Nambi Karunakura dasan, Yeru Thiruvadar, Thirukkannanmangai Andan, Vanamadevi Andan, Urupattur Acchan Pillai and Sohathur Alwan. During his lifetime, Natha Muni had entrusted the task of imparting spiritual knowledge to his grandson Yamunai Thuraivar to Uyyakondanar, who was originally called Pundarikaksha and was very dear to Natha Muni.

Pundarikaksha was born on the first day of the waxing moon when Chitta asterism was prevailing in the Chittirai month of the Prabhava year, which is believed to be the 3927th year of Kali-Yuga (826 A.D) at Thiruvellarai near Sri Rangam. Pundarikaksha is believed to be the incarnation of Jayathsena, one of the attendants of Vishwaksena, the commander-in-chief of Lord Vishnu’s armies. After finishing his Vedic education, Pundarikaksha became a disciple of Natha Muni and was studying Divya Prabandham from him. Once, Natha Muni asked Pundarikaksha to accompany his wife Aravindappavai to her mother’s house. As Pundarikaksha was from Poorva Shikha sect, which is considered to be a lower caste among Brahmins, Aravindappavai’s father made him sit in a passage that was leading to the kitchen and served leftovers to him.

Natha Muni came to know about the ill treatment meted out to Pundarikaksha at his father-in-law’s house through his yogic powers. As soon as Pundarikaksha returned, Natha Muni asked him to describe the manner in which he was treated. Pundarikaksha, who did not take offence to the humiliation meted out to him by Aravindappavai’s relatives, said, “Only fortunate devotees get a chance to taste the leftovers of great Vaishnavas and I got it today.” Natha Muni was moved by Pundarikaksha’s humility and embraced him. Since then Natha Muni had very special regard for Pundarikaksha and considered him to be a great devotee. During his lifetime, Pundarikaksha could not impart Vaishnava philosophy to Natha Muni’s grandson though he was eager to do so, as Yamunai Thuraivar was very young. Therefore, Pundarikaksha passed on the responsibility that Natha Muni had entrusted to him to Manakkal Nambi (Rama Mishra), who was one among his five disciples.

Yamunai Thuraivar,later was to later become popular as Yamunacharya.