Swami Engalazhwan was born in the family of a Poorvashika-srivaishnava in Thiruvellarai. His thirunakshathram is Chithirai Rohini. His parents had named him ‘Vishnuchithan’ after Swami Periyazhwar. He was about 80 years younger than Swami Ramanuja. Nothing is known about his parents, his education and so forth. One has to note that great acharyas were content to be disciples of Swami Ramanuja. They didn’t like to bring their greatness in the limelight.
Swami Ramanuja embarked upon the task of writing Sribhashya, a commentary on the Brahmasutras of Sage VedaVyasa. He asked Swami Kooratthazhwan to write down the commentary as he dictated. Unfortunately for him, Swami Koortthazhwan became blind because of Krimikantachozhan. He could not continue writing Sribhashya. He searched for a scholar who could help him finish the text. He learnt about Swami Engalazhwan(actually Vishnuchithar) and decided he would be the apt person to write down sribashya as he dictated. He began dictating the remaining part. He was very pleased with Vishnuchithar’s knowledge. He compared him with Swami Kooratthazhwan and embraced him calling him ‘Engal Azhwano!’ (Your knowledge equals that of our Azhwan(Kooratthazhwan)). Vishnuchithar is henceforth known as Engalazhwan. Swami Ramanuja made Swami Engalazhwan a disciple of Thirukkurukaippiran Pillan.
Swami Ramanuja made Swami Nadathur azhwan as one of the important acharyas who were involved in spreading sribhashya. Nadathur Azhwan’s grandson was Vatsya Varada or Nadathur Ammal. He started teaching the young lad sribhashya. The enthusiastic lad asked piercing questions. By then his grandfather had become very old and he couldn’t patiently clarify the doubts. He said " Engalazhwan will clarify all your doubts. Request him to teach you."
The lad knocked at the door of Swami Engalazhwan’s thirumaligai. Swami Engalazhwan asked “Who is it?” The lad replied “Naan thaan.(It’s I)”. Swami told him “Naan setthapin vaa (come after you get rid of ahankara.)” The perplexed lad conveyed this to his grandfather.
His grandfather pointed out that he must have spoken with respect and he must have used ‘Adiyen’ instead of ‘Naan’. He then went to Swami Engalazhwan and said ‘Adiyen’. He stated the purpose for which he had come. Swami decided to take him as a disciple on the condition that he would perform his last rites as swami didn’t have a son. Once he accepted this, Swami started teaching him.
Nadathur ammal went on to become a great scholar. He has authored a few texts as well. His masterpiece is ‘Tatvasara’, a work comprising about hundred elegant slokas that explain important concepts in sribhashya. The first sloka of Tatvasara is Swami Engalazhwan’s taniyan. The meaning of the sloka runs as follows: “My mind craves for the union of the lotus feet of Swami Engalazhwan and I don’t regard anything as superior to it. I don’t need anything other than the lotus feet, but for which, I, a dull person, could not have understood and be able to tell others, the inner meaning of Swami Ramanuja’s words, which have deep meanings. "
Swami Engalazhwan was also called AmmalAcharyar since he was the acharya of Nadathur Ammal. Even now, swamis in his dynasty are called AmmalacharyaSwami and the word ‘Ammal ’ is prefixed to their names.
Swami Nadathur Ammal taught sribashya as he had learnt it from Swami Engalazhwan to many disciples in the Devapperumal Sannidhi, Kanchipuram. SudarsanaBattar, also called Sruthaprakashikacharya, was the foremost among them. He had an excellent memory. He wrote an elaborate commentary, Srutaprakashika, on Sribhashya. The very name Sruthaprakashika shows that he has only brought out what he has heard(from his acharyas) in awritten form. It is very difficult to understand the full meaning of sribhashya without the help of this text. It contains the meanings that were told by Swami Engalazhwan to Nadathur Ammal and by him to Sudarsanabattar.
Swami Engalazhwan has written a commentary, Vishnuchitheeyam, on Vishnupurana,which is the most important of all the puranas and which is revered as a gem by Swami Aalavandaar. This is the only work of Swami Engalazhwan which is available to us. He has also written PrameyaSangraham, Sangathimaala and Gadya - Vyakyana.These texts are no more available.
A few precious words said by Swami Engalazhwan on occassions are available in Varthamaala, a collection of words of our acharyas. In one of these, he tells the basic qualities of an acharya and explains the most important tenets of Srivaishnavasampradaya in ‘Saraartha-chathushtayam’..
Once there was a doubt in the minds of the disciples of Swami Nampillai. Nampillai remarked “Swami Engalazhwan is well versed in all the sastras. Ask him.”
In his old age, Swami Engalazhwan taught sribhashya in Kollangondan, a place near Madurai. (His kalakshepams were disturbed by the Aasoucha caused by the death of relatives.) He spent his last days in the same place. His thiruvarasu is in Kollangondan to this day.