Sri Tirumalai Anandazhvar had legendary acharya bhakti to Sri Ramanujar. His was no less than that shown by Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar to Swami Nammazhvar, as seen by the following episode. Interestingly both Sri Anandazhvar and Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar's thirunakshaththirams are the same "chiththiraiyil chiththirai".

Sri Anandazhvar went to Tirumalai upon Sri Ramanujar's directive to do kainkaryam to Lord Srinivasa ("ozhivil kAlam ellAm udanAy manni"). Particularly, he was doing pushpa kainkaryam to the Lord every day ("sinthupoo makizhum thiruvEnkadam"). One day he got delayed going to the temple while he was making the garland. Lord Srinivasa noting his absence asked that he come to the temple immediately. Sri Anandazhvar refused stating that he will come only when the garland was finished. Lord Srinivasa then told Anandazhvar that he should leave Tirumalai immediately as he was not obeying Him. To which Anandazhvar replied that he was there not upon His command but due to his acharya's command and as such Lord Srinivasa had no right to ask him to leave. And that he would rather disobey His command than disobey his acharya's directive. Anandazhvar also pointed out that Lord Srinivasa arrived at Tirumalai after Sri Varahap Perumal and as such had no right to be telling others to leave. Lord Srinivasa pleased by Sri Anandazhvar's acharya bhakti blessed him and stated that his devotion to his acharya was like that shown by Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar; and that henceforth he and his descendants should refer to themselves as "madhurakavi dAsan". This is the reason all of Sri Anandazhvar's descendants (Anandanpillai's) refer to themselves that way.