Svānuvṛtti Prasannāchāryan — The Āchārya Pleased by the Disciple's Effort
Svānuvṛtti prasannāchāryan ('the Āchārya gladdened by one's own sustained approach') is the second of the two classical types of Āchārya, where the disciple's persistent effort, service, and sincere approach (svānuvṛtti) is what draws forth the Āchārya's acceptance and blessing.
Svānuvṛtti — The Disciple's Effort: Svānuvṛtti literally means 'one's own conduct/approach' — the pattern of approaching the Āchārya regularly, serving humbly, studying attentively, and demonstrating genuine readiness over time. This sustained effort demonstrates sincerity and ripens the disciple for initiation.
Historical Examples: Many incidents in the Āchārya-disciple tradition illustrate this pattern: a disciple serving the Āchārya for years before receiving initiation; a seeker approaching again and again until the teacher, pleased by the sustained sincerity, grants grace. Bhaṭṭar's treatment of Nañjīyar is cited as an instance where the disciple's earnest, sustained approach (svānuvṛtti) moved the Āchārya to accept.
Complementary with Kṛpāmātra: Neither type is superior in an absolute sense — both are gracious modes. The svānuvṛtti path honours the disciple's agency and the tradition's anushṭhāna (practice) ethic, while kṛpāmātra honours Bhagavān's unconditional grace.