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The Sri Vaishnava sect has two sub-sects, Thenkalai and Vadakalai. Vadakalais follow the teachings of Vedanta Desikan, whereas Thenkalais follow the teachings of Pillai Lokacharya. I just found an interesting connection between Vedanta Desikan and Pillai Lokacharya.

The largest Vadakalai Matham is Ahobilam Matham. As you can see in the picture below, it has three Guru Paramparas, a Samashrayana Parampara, a Kalakshepa Parampara, and a Sanyasa Parampara. That's because its founder Adivan Sadagopan: one guru who gave him Samashrayanam (initiation into Pancharatra), one guru who gave him Kalakshepam (knowledge), and one guru (Lord Narasimha) who gave him Sanyasa:

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If you look on the left side, you'll see that Adivan Sadagopan's Samashrayana Parampara originates from Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai, the father of Pillai Lokacharya. And the name below it is Rangacharya. I found some interesting information about him from this chart published by Sri Rangam Andavan Ashramam. His full name is Kidambi Rangacharya. You see, Vedanta Desikan's mother came from a Swayamacharya family called the Kidambi family, descended from Ramanujacharya's cook Kidambi Achan. And Vedanta Desikan had two maternal uncles, Kidambi Apullar and Kidambi Rangacharya. It was Kidambi Apullar who served as Vedanta Desikan's guru. Now Kidambi Apullar, being a Swayamacharya person, received Samashrayanam from his father, but received Kalakshepam (knowledge) from a famous Sri Vaishnava Acharya named Nadadur Ammal.

But it seems that Kidambi Apullar's brother Kidambi Rangacharya received Samashrayanam from Pillai Lokacharya's father Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai. My question is, why did Kidambi Rangacharya receive Samashrayanam from Vadakku Thiruveedhi Pillai? I can understand if, like his brother Kidambi Apullar, he received knowledge from outside his own family. But why, being a Swayamacharya person whose father was in a position to give Samashrayanam, did he receive Samashrayanam from outside his own family?

Is there a story behind this?

Keshav Srinivasan
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    Why he initiated will be known only by him right ? It would generate mostly opinions... – Rakesh Joshi Apr 22 '18 at 11:41
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    @RakeshJoshi No, it wouldn't be known only to him. There are Sri Vaishnava works detailing the stories of different Acharyas, how they became shishyas of a particular guru, etc. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 22 '18 at 13:48
  • only if there is a BIOGRAPHY related to that person – Rakesh Joshi Apr 22 '18 at 14:05
  • @RakeshJoshi There are big Sri Vaishnava works like the 3000 Padi Guru Parampara Prabhavam, the 6000 Padi Guru Parampara Prabhavam, etc. giving detailed biographies for every single Acharya in the Guru Parampara. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 22 '18 at 14:08
  • @RakeshJoshi How do you know that there is no biography related to him? – Sarvabhouma Apr 23 '18 at 02:56
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    @Sarvabhouma similarly how does OP knows that every single scholar has a biography or is mentioned in books ? I know a whole village of stalwarts of sri vaishnavism so most of them will be mentioned in books or what? Further diksha is not like writing philosophy there are many factors to be considered. Just because father is capable that dont mean he must initiate. So its nothing to worry if someone was initiated by non family provided he was capable. – Rakesh Joshi Apr 23 '18 at 03:02
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    @RakeshJoshi It is not a normal Sri Vaishnava who is being initiated and who initiated. It is Kidambi Rangacharya who is in the parampara of Ahobila mutt and uncle of Vedanta Desikan. Vadakku Tiruveedhi Pillai is an important acharya in Sri Vaishnava tradition because he is the last common acharya of Vadakalai and Tenkalai. There are many stories of acharyas mentioning the reasons and which led to the initiation of their successors. So, you can't be 100% sure that there will be no story or a reason about this and opinion based. – Sarvabhouma Apr 23 '18 at 03:14
  • @Sarvabhouma no point about normal or special. Initiation is special for everyone. All arw special in own way. His father must have seen something special in the person who then initiated his son. It was not due to force or helplessness so its better to respect their decision. Main thing is guru and sishya should accept each other. If you ask third party then you will only get assumptions and speculation. – Rakesh Joshi Apr 23 '18 at 03:22
  • @RakeshJoshi The question is what specialty is there in Pillai Lokacharya and not his father & not 3rd party opinions.POB should be used when each and every answer will be without any facts and references like this. Here, the OP is asking if there are stories from any biographies. There is a difference between life of an acharya belonging to the parampara of a mutt and a normal person like me.Just like the life of Abhinavagupta and a normal Kashmiri Shaivite follower. For former, there will be detailed incidents. for latter, nothing can be found. – Sarvabhouma Apr 23 '18 at 03:32
  • The person rangacharya who said to have samasrayanam from vadakkuthiruveedhi pillai is not same as appullars brother. Its not necessary that acharya means its only samasrayana acharya. It can be sri and gitabyashyam bharanyasam and nalayira prabandham. Normally the paramapara came from linage of parasarabhattar gave importance to nalayiram .so their name came in achryaparampara instead samasryana acharya. - from a vaishnava friend of mine. – Rakesh Joshi Apr 23 '18 at 03:35
  • Example . manavalamamuni very famous acharya of thenkalai. His samasrayana acharya was his father only. But nalayiraprabandham taught by tiruvaimozhi pillai of alwar tirunagari.
    In this parampara manacala mamuni father name doesn't come     – Rakesh Joshi Apr 23 '18 at 03:36
  • @RakeshJoshi It is the same person, as shown in the chart I linked to published by Sri Rangam Andavan Ashramam. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 23 '18 at 03:37
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    Total 74 acharyas were there of rAmAnuja. Not just 2 as shown in chart. But many lost. – Rakesh Joshi Apr 23 '18 at 03:40
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    @RakeshJoshi The other 72 aren't lost, there's just no Mathams tracing their origins to them. But they are still Swayamacharya families with Thirumaligais and all that. By the way, would you mind sharing the contact info for your friend? He seems like an interesting person to talk to. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 23 '18 at 03:42
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    @RakeshJoshi So can you give me his contact info? – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 26 '18 at 15:42

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