Yamunacharya (IAST: Yamunāchārya), also known as Alavandar[1] and Yamunaithuraivan, was a Vishistadvaita philosopher based in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India.

[3] He was born in the early 10th century CE, and was the grandson of Nathamuni, a famed yogi, who collected the works of the Tamil Alvars.

[4]Yamunacharya grew up learning Vedic texts from Rama Misra, and was skilled in the concept of mimamsa.

According to Sri Vaishnava tradition, as a teenager, he challenged the royal priest of a Pandya king, Akkiyalvan, to a debate.

Rama Misra handed over the reins of Nathamuni's school to him, including the collected Naalayira Divya Prabandham, and offered him the epithet of Yamunacharya.