The very first Acharya is the Divya Dhampathi (Sriman Narayana).

“I salute the line of our preceptors which starts with Lakshmi Naatha, with Naatha Muni, Yaamuna Muni and others coming in between and up to my present Acharya.”

“I salute my Guru, his Guru and his Guru praising them and prostrating before them right up to the first divine couple who are the first and foremost masters of the world.” (Nyasa Thilakam – 1)

“I salute the most ancient of Acharyas, who is always with Kamala (Lakshmi) and who in the very beginning taught Vedas and Pancharaathra Sasthras personally thus being very first Acharya. I bow to Him in the first place.”

The sloka relating to Periya Piraatti says:

“Next to Emperumaan in the Acharya line is Periya Piraatti. Forever in the company of Emperumaan, Her only concern is the welfare of the world. She is so much a personification of compassion that She is simply ignorant of what is known as punishing the Chethanas, whatever their faults. Thus, She is instrumental in the performance of the Dharma of the Divya Dhampathi in protecting the Chethanas. I bow to Her, who has this signal distinction.

Swami Desika, in his Rahasyathraya Saaram, says that we should invoke the blessings of the Prathama Acharyas while meditating on the Guruparampara. He says, “We should remember that there is nothing greater than Acharya.”

We should remember how the Lord took several Avatharas like Hamsa, Mathsya, Hayagriva, Rama, Krishna, etc., how He acted as Paramaguru by instructing Brahma and others in Vedas, Vedanthas and Prapathi Saastras, how He ordered His “Devi, Bhushana, Hethyaadhi Ayudhas" to take Avatharas like Nammazhwar and propagated Dravida Veda through them. We should remember how the Lord took upon Himself the roles of Guru and Sishya (as Nara and Narayana) at Badarikaasramam to present role models of an Acharya and a Sishya.

He is said to have been born in the month Aippasi in the constellation of Pooradam. The lord first taught Periya Piraatti and She in turn taught Vishvaksena (Senai Mudhaliar) the esoteric meanings. The slokas relating to Vishvaksena are as follows:

“The next Acharya is Vishvaksena also known as Senai Mudhaliar. Staying in Vaikunta, he directs, controls and supervises the duties of all there. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Lord. He wields a whip in his hand. The entire Prapancham functions in the constant fear of the strike of the whip-end in case of wrong-doing. His wife is Soothravathi. He rules over the entire world by his command. I next bow to this Vishvaksena.”

“I worship the one by whose quick commands function the entire Universe right from the Nithyasuris downwards, the one who always removes obstacles and impediments (in performing one’s duties) — I bow to such a one — Vishvaksena.”