Acharya Hrudayam is an important Tenkalai Sri Vaishnava commentary in the manipravalam style (a mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil words) on Tiruvaymoli of Nammalvar. Acharya Hridyayam’s author, Alakiya Mannavalapperumal Nayanar (13th century CE), popularly called Nayanar, was the younger brother of Pillai Lokacharya (author of Sri Vachana Bhushana). The main purpose of Acharya Hrudayam is to be bring out the inner meaning of Thiruvaimozhi, which is considered as the Tamil Veda.
Alakiya Mannavalapperumal Nayanar maintained that a real
devotees of Bhagavan Vishnu is above caste considerations, and that the Tamil
words of the Alvars, such as Tiruvaymoli are on the same level of authority as
Vedas in Sanskrit.
Archaryahridayam contains 234 churnikas (sentences ) divided
into four sections; almost all the words in the work are taken from the hymns
of the Alvars, and put in a rhyming language with the minimum of Sanskrit words.
Nayanar claims that the Tamil sacred texts are also true and
melodious, apaurusheya (non-contingent knowledge whose authenticity does not
depend on any individual, space or time). He was against considering caste as a
status symbol in the field of devotion.
The manipravalam style of writing is a unique feature of the
Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya (tradition) of southern India. Adopting this beautiful
style of mixing Sanskrit and Tamil, Nayanar wrote Acharyahrudayam, throwing
more light on the devotional fervor of Tiruvaymoli.