A short story of Sri Ramanujacharya

[Guest guest]

The following is a short story of The Life of

Sri Ramanuja, downloaded from the vaisnav home page.

 

PS: i just downloaded this file, i am not responsible

for the authenticity of this text. However, i would

like to hear any disagreements if any.

 

thanks

-venkatesh

 

 

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Ramanujacarya

 

The Dawning of Devotion

by

Jeffrey Wallace

Originally published in "The Clarion Call"

by

The Gaudiya Vaisnava Society.

 

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When the religion of the Vedas became weakened due to the influence of less

intelligent men who blindly performed ritualistic ceremonies and wantonly

killed animals in the name of Vedic injunctions, Buddha appeared on the

scene as a great reformer. Totally rejecting the Vedic literature and

substituting his rational, atheistic views, Buddha advocated the path of

ahimsa, (nonviolence and nirvana-the negation of reality as we know it) as

the ultimate goal of life. Soon after, the philosophy of Shankaracharya

overpowered Buddhism and spread throughout India.

 

The authority of the Upanishads and other Vedic literature were revived by

Shankara and employed as weapons to fight the Buddhist doctrine.

Interpreting the Vedas to draw a particular conclusion, Shankara established

the doctrine of non-dualism, adwaita-vedanta, stating that all living

entities were on an equal level with God. He prominently stressed those

texts which afforded an answer to the . rationalistic atheism of the

Buddhists, yet the teachings of Shankara were not wholly theistic, and thus

a further unveiling of the ultimate reality was destined. That destiny was

fulfilled through Sri Ramanujacharya.

 

Ramanuja was born in India during the year 1017 A.D. when, according to

astrological calculations, the sun was in the zodiacal sign of Cancer. His

parents were Asuri Kesava and Kantimati, both from aristocratic families.

Rumanja passed his childhood days in Sriperumbudur, the village of his

birth. At the age of 16 he was married to Rakshakambal.

 

Only four months after his wedding, Ramanuja's father was struck with a

severe illness and died. Upon the death of his father, Ramanuja became head

of the household and decided to move to Kanchi, a holy city famed for its

scholars and magnificent temples.

 

In Kanchi there lived a scholar named Yadava Prakash, who w as renowned for

his scholarship in the doctrine of adwaita-vedanta, nondualism. No one could

surpass Yadava l in his ability to explain Shankara's commentaries on

Vedanta-sutra. Ramanuja enrolled in Yadava's school and engaged in the study

of Sanskrit and Vedic literature. Although not at all convinced by the

Shankarite conception, Ramanufa learned his lessons well and soon became one

of Yadava's favorite students. Thinking Ramanuja to be a sincere follower of

the conclusions of Shankara, Yadava showed Ramanufa special affection, But

that affection did not last for long.

 

One day, after delivering a discourse on the Chandogya Upanishad, Yadava

asked Ramanuja to massage his body with oil, as was the customary service to

be performed by a student in those days. While giving the massage ing his

teacher, another student came to Yadava for some clarification on a point

from the morning discourse. The l boy had failed to grasp the meaning of the

seventh verse of the first chapter, which began with tasya vatha kapvasam

pundarikam evam akshini. Yadava proceeded to expound an interpretation which

described the sublime qualities of the Godhead in a manner which was

flagrantly objectionable. On hearing the words of his teacher, the heart of

Ramanuja, which was full of love for the Supreme Godhead, was saddened, and

hot tears streamed down from his eyes and fell on the thigh of Yadava.

Looking up at the touch of the hot tears, Yadava could understand that

something was troubling Ramanuja. When he inquired about Ramanuja's

distress, Ramanuja replied, "O great and wise master, I have been sorely

afflicted at heart to hear such an unbecoming explanation from a noble soul

like you. How sinful it is of you to debase the Supreme, who is endowed with

all gracious qualities and who is the source of all beautiful things in this

world. From the mouth of such a learned man as yourself I would never have

expected such a low and deceitful interpretation!"

 

Yadava became so angry that he could hardly control himself. "Well then," he

scorned, maybe you would like to give your own interpretation since you

obviously think you know better than l!"

 

In a very gentle voice Ramanuja replied, "Revered sir, there is no need to

give a low-minded interpretation to the verse when the real meaning is

direct and glorious."

 

"Then let us hear this meaning of yours which is so glorious!" said Yadava.

Ramanuja then stood and with great humility recited the meaning of the

verse. "The two eyes of the Supreme are as lovely as two lotuses that are

blossomed by the rays of the sun."

 

"I see," said Yadava. "You speak as though there actually was such a

'Supreme Person.' That is due to your childish ignorance. You have not

learned your lessons properly. You should always remember that the j Supreme

is without form, without name, and without attributes. That is the teaching

of the great Shankara. In the future you should not voice your foolish

sentiments!" The words of Yadava were painful to Ramanuja's ears, but out of

respect for his teacher he remained silent.

 

A few days later a second incident occurred. While explaining a verse from

the Taittiriya Upanishad beginning with satyam jnanam anantam brahma, Yadava

said that Brahman was intelligence, truth, and the infinite. Hearing this

explanation, Ramanuja politely added, "Brahman is endowed with the qualities

of intelligence, truth, and the infinite. This means that He is not covered

by ignorance as are ordinary living entities, He is never untruthful, and

His energies are unlimited, not limited. The Supreme Brahman is the

reservoir of all good qualities, yet He is superior to those qualities, as

the sun globe is superior to sunlight."

 

The agitation which Yadava felt within his mind made his voice tremble. "You

young fool!" he shouted. "Your conclusions do not agree with those of

Shankara or any of the previous masters! If you are going to persist with

this useless talk about a personal God, why come here at all simply to waste

my time? Why don't you start your own school and teach whatever you like?

Now get out of my classroom immediately!"

 

As Ramanuja rose from his seat and quietly left the room, Yadava began to

reflect, "This Ramanuja is not an ordinary boy. If he starts his own school,

the philosophy of devotion might become a threat to the philosophy of

non-dualism. For the sake of preserving our doctrine, this fool should be

killed!"

 

Shortly thereafter, Ramanuja opened a small school at his home, and in no

time many people began to come to him to hear his devotional discourses.

Ramanuja's lectures were wholly theistic. He rejected the concept that the

jiva, a living entity, could be equal to the Supreme Brahman or become God

as postulated by Shankara. The living entity, Ramanuja taught, is a particle

of Godhead, and as such, his position is to serve the complete whole. He

said that as the hand is part of the body and thus a servant of the body,

similarly the living entity is part of the Supreme and thus his

constitutional position is to serve the Supreme.

 

Ramanuja's philosophy became known as visishtadwaita or qualified

non-dualism. Accordingly, the living entities are believed to be

qualitatively one with the Supreme and at the same time quantitatively

different. Ramanuja's assertion was that the quantitative difference means

that the fragmentary parts of the Supreme are dependent on the Supreme but

they cannot become the Supreme.

 

The philosophy of Shankara stated that everything is Brahman and Brahman

itself is absolutely homogeneous, undifferentiated, and without personality;

individuality arose only due to illusion or maya. But this concept was

staunchly opposed by Ramanuja. His philosophy stated that there can never be

knowledge of an unqualified object; knowledge necessarily points to an

object as characterized in some way. Ramanuja never admitted to an

attributeless, undifferentiated Brahman, but rather a Brahman which is an

attribute of a greater reality: Godhead Himself. He reasoned that as the

living entities are individual personalities, so too is the Supreme also a

personality-the Ultimate Personality.

 

Ramanuja further reasoned that if illusion could cover the identity of the

Supreme, then illusion was greater than Godhead. Therefore he asserted that

we are eternally individual personalities and the Supreme is eternally the

Supreme Personality, but due to our finite nature we are sometimes subject

to illusion.

 

Ramanuja also accepted the theory of transformation rejected by Shankara.

According to Shankara the material world is false; it has no existence

..Ramanuja, on the other hand, said that the material world is the energy of

Godhead, and the subjective reality does not undergo any change of substance

in the matter of material manifestation in the same way that a singer who

creates a song out of his own energy is not diminished due to his creation;

rather, he becomes more glorious.

 

Neither the material world nor the living entities are conceived of as being

independent of the Supreme Personality in the system of vtsishtadwaita

philosophy. The living entities are a different manifestation of the Supreme

due to their being endowed with free will, whereas the material energy is

manifest directly under the will of the Supreme. The free will of the living

entity is an all-important factor, since that free will is considered to be

the basic principle of reciprocal relations between Godhead and the living

entity.

 

Ramanuja presented the living entities' relationship with Godhead as being

one of eternal service. According to Ramanuja, when the living entities are

freed from the illusions produced by the material energy by the method of

devotion and natural love of GodDlike the dealings between an affectionate

servant and his masterD then the soul enters the spiritual sky known as

Vaikuntha. Once having reached the Vaikuntha world, the soul engages in

eternal service to the Supreme Person, Narayana (Vishnu). This sublime

message was daily imparted by Ramanuja to his listeners.

 

Seeing the growing popularity of Ramanuja and the influence which he had on

the people of Kanchi, the proud and arrogant Yadava Prakash became restless.

Gathering his faithful students by his side, Yadava said, "This impudent

Ramanuja is a heretic! He is a nuisance to society and a threat to our

doctrines of non-dualism. I can see

 

no other solution to the problem than to kill this rascal! What do you say?"

Yadava's disciples were in complete agreement with their teacher since they

too were envious of Ramanuja. Thus they devised a plan to kill him.

 

On the plea of worshipping the sacred river Ganges, Yadava and his disciples

made arrangements for a pilgrimage to Banaras and asked Ramanuja if he would

like to join them. Unsuspecting of their treacherous plan, Ramanuja accepted

the invitation. As the group was about to depart, Ramanuja requested his

cousin Govinda to accompany him. On the fourth day of their journey, Govinda

was taken into confidence by some of Yadava's younger students who disclosed

the plan to kill Ramanuja.

 

Shocked at the evil intentions of Yadava and his followers, Govinda took

Ramanuja to a secluded place in the forest and informed him of the danger.

Govinda requested Ramanuja to flee into the forest immediately before it was

too late.

 

Govinda then returned to the camp and told the others that while he and

Ramanuja were looking for wild berries in the forest, a tiger had pounced

upon Ramanuja and dragged his helpless body away. Outwardly Yadava and his

disciples displayed symptoms of sorrow, but inwardly their hearts leaped

with joy. Ramanuja was now gone from their lives forever. Or so they

thought.

 

While wandering across the countryside trying to find his way home, Ramanuja

came to a well where a man and woman were busy drawing water to take to

their village. The couple offered Ramanuja a cup of water to relieve his

thirst. After drinking, Ramanuja laid down to rest and fell into a dreamful

sleep. He dreamt that while walking in the forest he saw the incarnation of

Godhead Ramachandra and His consort Sitadevi, who showed him the way to his

village. When Ramanuja awoke from his dream, the man and woman at the well

were gone. As he looked around he saw that he was now on the outskirts of

Kanchi. How he had gotten there he could not ascertain, save and except that

it was by a miracle.

 

Ramanuja resumed his normal life at Kanchi and did not reveal to anyone that

his life had been in danger. Several months passed until one day, Yadava and

his disciples finally returned to Kanchi after completing their pilgrimage.

They were staggered at the sight of Ramanuja alive and conducting his school

as usual. Thinking that their plan might have been discovered, they became

fearful and abandoned any further plans to kill Ramanuja.

 

The fame of Ramanuja continued to spread far and wide. One day as Ramanuja

sat in the solitude of his study, a venerable saint named Yamunacharya came

to his door for alms. Extending his full courtesy, Ramanuja welcomed the

saint into his home. Ramanuja learned that Yamuna was from Sri Rangam, the

famous temple of Vishnu. In the course of their discussion, Ramanuja soon

realized that Yamunacharya was a qualified spiritual master of the science

of devotion. Overwhelmed with ecstasy and jubilation, Ramanuja fell at his

feet and asked to be accepted as his disciple.

 

Yamuna instantly raised Ramanuja up from the floor, and embracing him with

deep love, said, "My child, I am blessed today by seeing your devotion to

God. May you live a long and fruitful life always being intent in the

service of Narayana, the Personality of Godhead." Ramanuja then

circumnambulated his guru to invoke auspiciousness, and Yamuna left for Sri

Rangam

 

Now more than ever, Ramanuja preached the doctrine of devotion with strength

and conviction. So convincing was Ramanuja in his presentation that even

Yadava Prakash and his followers surrendered and became the disciples of

Ramanuja.

 

Then one day, a messenger came from Sri Rangam and informed Ramanuja that

his guru was ill and on the verge of death. Ramanuja immediately departed

for Sri Rangam, but was not able to reach there in time. Shortly before

Ramanuja arrived, Yamuna left his body and entered the blissful realm of

Vaikuntha.

 

Crossing- the river Kaveri, Ramanuja reached the island on which the temple

of Sri Rangam was located, and went directly to the place where his guru was

lying. Surrounded by a group of his disciples, Yamuna laid on a bed with his

eyes closed, his arms outstretched at his sides, and his face shining as if

immersed in thoughts of infinite beauty.

 

Momentarily, everyone's attention focused on Ramanuja as he entered the room

and came to sit by the side of his guru. Tears of love filled his eyes and

he wept, his heart feeling great separation from his master. The left hand

of Yamurva was poised in the yoga posture for peace, with three fingers

extended and the thumb and forefinger joined together at the tips. His right

hand, however, was at his side but clenched into a fist. All the disciples

were struck with wonder about the position of their guru's right hand. and

none of them could understand the meaning. As everyone looked on in wonder,

Ramanuja broke the silence by declaring, "Our guru. the revered

Yamunacharya. has three desires that he wishes to be fulfilled. I will

protect the people in general who are deluded by impersonalism by bestowing

upon them the nectar of surrender at the lotus feet of Narayana."

 

As Ramanuja spoke, one of the ! fingers on Yamuna's right hand extended

outward. Then Ramanuja said, "For the well-being of the people of the world,

I will prepare a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra that will establish the

Supreme Person as the ultimate reality." At this, a second finger extended,

and Ramanuja continued speaking. "And in order to honor Parasara Muni, who

in ancient times established the relation between jivas, I living entities,

and iswara. the Supreme Person, I shall name one of my disciples who is

greatly learned and devoted after him."

 

Ramanuja then became silent and the third finger on the right hand of Yamuna

extended. Everyone present was amazed to see this miracle, and from that day

on they all accepted Ramanuja as their leader and guide. Ramanuja continued

to live at Sri RanRam for the remainder of his life and in due course all

three vows were fulfilled by him.

 

Although he lived for many years as a successful householder, Ramanuja was

destined to accept the path of renunciation. Eventually he took up the

renounced order of life, sannyasa, by going before the deity in the temple

and praying to be exclusively engaged in the service of Godhead. From that

day forward Ramanuja always wore the the symbol of Narayana on his forehead,

dressed in saffron cloth, and carried the renunciate's three-sectioned

staff, which signified service to God by body, mind, and words.

 

So powerful was Ramanuja that the philosophers of non-dualism soon found it

difficult to maintain their position in any kingdom. Ramanuja established

the tenets of devotion so firmly that none could oppose him. Many great and

learned scholars came to hear him speak and became his disciples.

 

Feeling oppressed by the growing popularity of devotion, a certain group of

impersonalists went to see the Chola king, Krimikantha, at Kanchi. Bowing

humbly before the king, who was himself an impersonalist, they asked him to

do something to stop Ramanuja. After some discussion it was decided that the

king would invite Ramanuja to take part in a philosophical debate at the

palace. Thus the king's messengers were sent to Sri Rangam to fetch

Ramanuja. The king had it in mind to convert Ramanuja by force if necessary.

Once Ramanuja had been indoctrinated, he thought, then everyone in his

kingdom would return to the fold of Shankara.

 

After meeting with the king's messengers at Sri Rangam, Ramanuja prepared to

go to Kanchi. However Kuresh, a wise disciple of Ramanuja, did not trust the

intentions of the king. and pleaded with his guru to allow him to go in his

place. Kuresh insisted, and

 

Ramanuja had to submit. Kuresh then dressed in the saffron robes of his guru

and appeared before the messengers with staff in hand. Thinking Kuresh to be

Ramanuja they started for Kanchi. Meanwhile, dressed in white robes,

Ramanuja remained behind.

 

When Kuresh reached the palace, King Krimikantha greeted him with respect,

thinking him to be Ramanuja. But later, when Kuresh refused to he

intimidated by the behavior of the king, Krimikantha, in a mad rage, ordered

his soldiers to arrest Kuresh and burnt his eyes out. The king s men took

Kuresh to a prison, and after blinding him, released him in the forest.

During the entire horrifying experience Kuresh never once protested. He

found strength within knowing that his guru was safe.

 

With the help of some people from Kanchi who were appalled by the action of

the king, Kuresh was able to rejoin his guru at Sri Rangam. Within a matter

of days after committing that grave offense against Kuresh, King Krimikantha

was stricken with an incurable disease and died a miserable death.

 

At Sri Rangam. Ramanuja took Kuresh before the deity of Narayana, and with

fervent prayers asked the deity to restore his sight. O master of the

universe, You are the protector and well-wisher of Your devotees. Kindly be

merciful and renew the eyes of Kuresh, who without protest has made the

supreme sacrifice. At that very moment Kuresh felt a gentle breeze blow

across his brow and he immediately regained his sight.

 

Ramanuja continued living at Sri Rangam, serving the deity of Narayana and

imparting enlightenment to whoever came to him until he was 120 years old.

One day while worshipping the deity, he prayed, Dear God, whatever I could

do to preserve the essence of the Vedas, to uplift the fallen souls, and to

establish the shelter of Your lotus feet as the supreme goal in life, I have

done. Now my body has grown tired after many years in this world. Kindly

allow me to depart from this mortal world and enter Your supreme abode."

 

With this prayer Ramanuja returned to the assembly of his disciples and

announced his desire to depart from this world. Thrown into an ocean of

grief, the disciples clasped the feet of their guru and petitioned him to

remain with them. It is unbearable for us to conceive of the disappearance

of your divine form, which is the supreme purifier, the abode of all that is

good. the destroyer of all afflictions, and the fountain of unlimited joy.

Out of pity for your children. please stay with us for some time longer."

 

Ramanuja remained on Earth for three more days. To appease their afflicted

hearts. Ramanuja spoke his last instructions to those who were most near and

dear to him. always remain in the company of and serve those souls devoted

to Godhead just as you would serve your own spiritual preceptor. Have faith

in the teachings of the Vedas and in the words of the great saints. Never

become the slave of your senses: always strive to conquer the three great

enemies of self-realization: lust. anger, an(l greed. Worship Narayana and

take pleasure in uttering the holy names of God as your only refuge.

Sincerely serve the devotees of Godhead: by service to the great devotees,

the highest service is done and one quickly gains the supreme mercy.

Remembering these things you should live happily in this world for the

attainment of the next. "With these departing words, Ramanuja, keeping his

head on the lap of Govinda and his mind fixed in spiritual trance,

relinquished his mortal body and entered the realm of Vaikuntha.

 

Ramanuja was indeed a great theologian whose life and teachings have had a

lasting influence on the development of theistic thought in India.

Ramanuja's introduction of the Godhead as the absolute entity with

supersubjective characteristics and his having pioneered the dawning of

devotion to Godhead opened the door for future theistic reformers who would

in due course fully reveal the highest potential of the soul in a loving

relationship with God and His eternal servants.

 

"I take refuge at the feet of Sri Ramanuja, our venerable master, who,

during the dark night of the impersonal conception of divinity, carried the

torch light of knowledge and thus illuminated the path of devotion to the

Personality of Godhead.

 

Ramanuja's Literary Contributions:

 

1. Vedartha-Sangraha - A treatise presenting the tenets of Visistadwaita,

a reconciliation of different conflicting srutis.

2. Sri Bhasya - A detailed commentary on the Vedanta Sutras.

3. Gita-Bhasya - A detailed commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita.

4. Vedanta-Dipa - A brief commentary on the Vedanta Sutras.

5. Vedanta-Sara - Another brief commentary on the Vedanta Sutras and meant

for beginners.

6. Saranagati-Gadya and Sri Ranga-Gadya - Manuals of self surrender to

Lord Visnu.

7. Sri Vaikuntha-Gadya - Describes Sri Vaikuntha-loka and the position of

the liberated souls.

8. Nitya-Grantha - A short manual intended to guide the Sri Vaishnava

devotees.

 

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