The Highest Honorific for Rāmānuja
EmperumāṆār (Tamil: 'Our Emperor/Lord among the Lords') is the devotional title most commonly used within the Śrī Vaiṣṇava tradition for Rāmānujācarya. The term elevates Rāmānuja above all other Ācāryas — he is not merely a teacher (ācārya) but the supreme master whose grace encompasses all.
Synonymous Names
The tradition uses many honorifics for Rāmānuja:
- EmperumāṆār — Our Supreme Lord-Teacher
- Yatirāsar — King of Sannyāsis
- Yatīndar — Lord among Sannyāsis
- Udayavar — Our sovereign
- Ilayāzhwār — The junior Āzhvār (before he took sannyāsa)
- Tiruppaṭṭaraṇam — Lord of Tirupati
Why 'Emperor'?
The suffix āṇār (variant of ānār, 'one who rules/owns') combined with emperumāṉ ('the Lord') makes EmperumāṆār = 'one who has the emperumāṉ [Bhagavān] as his lord' or more devotionally 'our lord who is [the gift of] the Lord.' Both readings honor him as the supreme conduit of grace in the Kali Yuga.