Kanthadai Ramanuja Iyengar

[Guest guest]

K.Srinivasan referred to Kantadai Ramunuja Iyengar (KRI) in an earlier note.

In a recent article in the Journal of Vaishnava studies, Prof. Vasudha Narayanan

has a lot of input on KRI, his times and his contributions to the growth of

Thiruvengadam temple, "a far away temple in the hills to a major pilgrimage

center." I have included the highlights from that article with some of my

comments for the benefit of those , who might have not seen this article:

 

1. He was a " Sattatha Parama Ekaanki"(superior ascetic Srivaishnava of

Nonbrahmin class) according to the A.D 1489 temple inscription of Srirangam.

 

2. He built Ramanuja Kutams at Srirangam, Kanchipuram and Thirumalai to feed the

pilgrims and to provide shelter during their pilgrimage.

 

3. He was a trusted freind of the Vijayanagar King of his time known as Saluva

Narasimha, who played an equally important part in the transformation of

Thirumalai temple from its state as a difficult to access, remote Divya Desam to

a temple receiving 60M$ revenue today (Sreekrishna's Numbers). The seed for that

growth was sown by KRI and two of his contemproaries..

 

4.KRI was a disciple of Koil Kanthadai Annan of Srirangam. Latter was himself

a well known disciple of the famous Srivaishnava Theologian, Manavala Maamuni.

Kantadai wa sthe family name of Mutalinatan, the nephew of Acharya Ramanuja.

KRI adopted His Acharya"s family name to reveal his association with the prime

line of descendants of Acharya Ramanuja.KRI also refers himself as the disciple

of Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar. The Tenkalai -Vadakalai disputes had not arisen at

his time. The prediliction of the Vadakalai Acharyas for Sanskrit Texts for the

defense of Srivaishnava theology and the Tenkalai Acharya's leaning to Alwar's

Tamil works for the same was however taking shape during KRI's time.

 

5. His Major Contributions to the growth of Srivaishnavism .

 

*** In the Year A.D 1476, He arranged for a major endowment to initiate

Adhyayana Utsavam at Thirumalai in front of the Sannadhi of Ramanuja. He also

arranged for the celebration of the Janma Nakshtrams of the Alvars to be

celebrated annually along with the recitation of their Pasurams. That tradition

continues even today in front of Ramanuja's sannidhi at the temple..

 

*** He was not only involved with the establishment of grants and supervising

the above celebrations related to Alwars, but made sure that the recitation of

the Divya Prabhandam was done by people of ALL castes.Until then , the temple

liturgy was dominated by the Brahmin Srivaishnavas. KRI's reform has thus deep

social and theological significance. Since the recitation of the 4000 verses has

salvific import, the theological significance has a major impact in the style of

Ramanuja, who opened up Srivaishnavism to one and all independent of Caste or

the accident of birth or scholarship.

 

*** He established a sannidhi for Kulasekhara Alwar at lower Tirupati.

Srirangam records indicate that KRI was a brother of Saluva Narasimhan, the

king of Vijayanagar and suggest that KRI's special respect for Kulasekara could

have come from latter's heritage as a King of the Royal family of Cheranadu.

 

He lived during the time of another great devotee of the Lord of Thirumalai,

viz., Talapakkam Annamacharya, whose Sankirtanas . Hence the Vijayanagara

King(Saluva Narasimha), Annamachar and KRI must have combined their energies to

raise the flag of Thiruvenkatam as the most popular pilgrim center for people of

all faithsin general and Srivaishnavas in particular.

 

Sadagopan