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At the outset, Swami Desika begins his work with respectful homage to the lineage of preceptors which commences from the Paramatma himself who is the PRATHAMA ACHARYA (the first and foremost preceptor). Lord Krishna, an Avatar of SRI NARAYANA advised ARJUNA on the battlefield of KURUKSHETRA, the gospel of BHAGAVAD GITA, the most important part of which is the Charama sloka on which the Siddhanta is based. Next to him are SRI LAKSHMI (Consort of the Lord), VISHVAKSENA (the chief of staff and chief advisor in Paramapada). Then follows NAMMALWAR (also known as SATAKOPA) who is considered the Chief among the Alwars and Chief among Acharyas who rendered inTamil the quintessence of the four Vedas in his Tiruviruttam, Tiruvasiriyam, Peria Tiruvantadi and the great Tiruvoimozhi. In the lineage of Acharyas who followed are Natha muni, Pundarikaksha, Ramamisra, Yamuna muni, Mahapurna and Ramanuja muni Of these, the most renowned are the three Munis known as Munitraya Viz., NATHAMUNI who received directly from Nammalwar the 4000 hymns and codified them as the Divya Prabandam,YAMUNA MUNI also known as Alavandar who inaugurated the matrix of Srivaishnavism and RAMANUJA MUNI also known as Lakshmana Yogi pungava and Emperumanar. Actually, the Siddhanta came to be known after the last named as Ramanuja Darsana. Sri Desika enjoins that it is the primary duty of a disciple to have absolute faith in and revere the Acharyas as the alter-ego of Paramatma himself since it is these Acharyas who open up the way to Moksha and maintains that the deep debt of gratitude to the Gurus can never be requited. It is only through the Guru's Upadesa (advice) our mental attitude can change, our vision broadened and we understand better than ever before.- "Naam theliya odhi theliyaada marai nilangal theliginrome" NOTE: click here
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