Grace in Sri Vaishnava Theology
Anugraham (from anu = according to, graha = grasp/receive) means literally "that which is given according to one's need" — grace. In Sri Vaishnavism, it is the primary mode of the Lord's action toward bound souls (baddha-jīvas): he does not wait for them to become worthy; he acts out of his own compassion.
The counterpart to anugraham is nigraham (restraint, withholding, or even corrective punishment). The Lord administers both — anugraham to lift the devotee, nigraham as corrective action when the soul strays. But the overall trajectory is always toward liberation — even apparent nigraham is ultimately anugraham in disguise.
Anugraham and Kṛpā
Anugraham and kṛpā are near-synonyms — both denote divine grace. Kṛpā tends to be used for the inner quality of compassion, while anugraham denotes the actual bestowing of benefit. One could say: kṛpā is the grace in the Lord's heart; anugraham is its expression in action.
Ācārya Anugraham
In the context of the disciple-teacher relationship, anugraham is the ācārya's blessing transmitted at initiation (pañcasaṃskāra). This blessing is not merely symbolic — it is held to be the actual transmission of the Lord's grace through the chain of guruparamparā, flowing from Nārāyaṇa through Lakṣmī, Viśvaksena, Nammāzhvār, and down to the present ācārya.