Eiyuṇṇi Mādhavar — Disciple of Rāmānuja
Eiyuṇṇi Mādhavar (also known as Eiyuṇṇi Mādhava Perumāḷ) was among the direct disciples of Śrī Rāmānujāchārya (1017–1137 CE) who received Pañca-saṃskāra initiation and theological training directly from the Āchārya. Rāmānuja appointed 74 Siṃhāsanādhipatis (keepers of the doctrine-throne) — Āchāryas entrusted with establishing teaching centres (maṭhas) and propagating Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta across different regions. Eiyuṇṇi Mādhavar was one of these 74.
Name and Significance: The name Eiyuṇṇi suggests a connection to a specific village or region in Tamil Nadu. The title Mādhavar (one devoted to Mādhava, i.e., Viṣṇu) indicates his formal Vaiṣṇava identity. In the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Guru-paramparā (lineage of teachers), the 74 Siṃhāsanādhipatis are revered as the pillars of Rāmānuja's legacy — each was chosen for their spiritual realization, scholarly depth, and capacity to transmit the sampradāya faithfully.
Place in the Paramparā: The Guru-paramparā prayer (taniyans) recited in Śrī Vaiṣṇava practice remembers the unbroken chain from Nārāyaṇa through Nammāzhvār, Nāthamuni, Yāmunāchārya, Rāmānuja, and his disciples. Eiyuṇṇi Mādhavar's inclusion in the 74 disciples ensures his place of honour in this unbroken transmission. Devotees of the Teṅkalai and Vaḍakalai schools both recognize the importance of these direct disciples in carrying forward Rāmānuja's reform and re-establishment of Śrī Vaiṣṇava dharma.