Sri Devarajaashtakam by Thirukkacchi Nambi

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Dear Members of the group:

 

On this occasion of the birth day of this great Acharya, I will

make a few observations on his magnum opus on Sri

Varadaraja PerumaaL.,Sri Devarajaashtakam .

As an Ashtakam , this sthotram has

eight verses. The number eight has sacred significance

for Sri Vaishnavaas, since their sacred mantram is Ashtakshari

or the one with 8 letters. The Acharyas therefore are fond of

creating Ashtakams or sthutis with 8 verses known as

Ashtakam . For example, Parasara Bhatta, the son of Kuresa

composed his Ashtasloki to dwell upon the meaning of

Ashtaakshari . Swami Desikan composed Ashtabhujaashtakam

and Kamaseekaashtakam to salute the Archa Murthys of two divya

desams near Kanchipuram . His third ashtakam is the powerful

Sudarsanaashtakam. Multiples of 8 and particularly 32 have

special significance and I have posted earlier a note on that

number and its relevance to Sri Sampradhaayam..

 

.. Thirukkacchi Nambi, composed in chaste Sanskrit

the first Ashtakam on the Lord of Kanchi and prayed for the well

being of Ramanuja and the Sri Sampradhayam that he was going to

establish as per the wishes of ALavandaar. One can consider therefore

the Devarajaashtakam of Nambi as the trend setter for the other

Ashtakams that followed.

 

Thirukkacchi Nambi was also known as Kaanchi Poorna . As

one of the early preceptors of Sri Ramanuja, he had a key role to

play at different stages of Sri Ramanuja"s ascendancy as the heir

to ALavandaar. Thirukkacchi Nambi was born in Poonamalle . He used

to go to Kanchi every day to serve Sri Varadaraja .

The summum bonum of Nambi"s life was service to

Sri Varadaraja. He performed the Fan service to the Lord of Kanchi.

In hot summer days , he used to dip the fan in water and

waved the fan in service to the Lord, so that the Archa Murthy

could benefit from the cool breeze generated by his devotee.

The Lord of Kanchi did some thing exceptional during those

hours of kainkaryam. He broke His Archa silence and conversed with

Thirukkacchi Nambi. Inview of this great devotion and

status of Nambi, he was revered by one and all as a Mahatma.

 

Sri Perumbudur is in between Poonamalle and Kanchi.

Thirukkacchi Nambi used to walk everyday from his home to kanchi

to offer his services to Sri Varadaraja.

 

One day, the young Ramanuja saw the great devotee of

Varadaraja walk though his village. He saluted Thirukkacchi Nambi

and invited him to rest for few minutes at his house. Nambi recognized

the marks of greatness of a future Acharya in Sri Ramanuja.When

latter tried to prostrate before Nambi, he said: " O, Ramanuja ! I am

a low-born Sudra! you should not prostrate before me. How could you

salute your servant?" Ramanuja was saddened by the remarks of

Nambi and replied: " O, Great soul! dearest devotee of Sri Varadaraja!

Is it the wearing of the sacred thread that makes one a Brahmana? He, who

is devoted to God , he alone is a genuine Brahmana.You know about

the life of ThiruppaNazhwaar, who became the object of worship of

the Brahmanas and the temple priest of Srirangam." Nambi was

very pleased with the utter devotion of Ramanuja and drew close to him.

 

Time went by. Ramanuja became the student of the Advaitin, Yadava Prakasa.

Thirukkacchi Nambi kept up his friendship with Ramanuja .

Yadava Prakasa was the promulgator of the rigid Advaita school, that

would not accept or acknowledge the God with form. Ramanuja was

all devotion and cared a great deal for the service to God

with a form (Saguna Brahman ). Ramanuja

served his Acharya well inspite of the fundamental differences

in their view points.The anger and jealousy of Yadava Prakasa

over Ramanuja"s scholarship and divergence of views

led the Acharya to think of doing away with his star pupil . He

arranged hastily a Kasi Yatra, during which he wanted to

drown Ramanuja in the river Ganga at Kasi. . Tipped off by his cousin Govinda,

Ramanuja escaped from the clutches of his plotters halfway during that Yatra

and was rescued by the Divya Dampathis of kanchi , who appeared before

Ramanuja as a fowler couple. They walked with Ramanuja and received

water that he fetched from a well to quench their thirst three times.

When Ramanuja returned

for the fourth time, the fowler couple had disappeared and Ramanuja found

himself at the boundary of Kanchipuram. He understood immediately that

it was the Divya Dampathis of Kanchi Temple that had blessed him with

service to them . He returned to his home to the utter joy of his mother.

Thirukkachi Nambi came to the house on hearing about Ramanuja"s return

from the ill-fated theertha Yatra and was overjoyed to see Ramanuja. Latter

fell at the feet of Nambi and asked Nambi to accept him as his disciple.

Nambi protested and asked Ramanuja to offer service to Varadaraja by

fetching water daily from the very same Well that Ramanuja had used

earlier to remove the thirst of the Divya Dampathis and that service will help

Ramanuja to gain the proper Guru later. Ramanuja continued that

service and during one of the occasions of such a service, he met

Maha Purna , who was sent by ALavandaar topersuade Ramanuja

to accept the responsibilities of succeeding him

and strengthen Sri Sampradhaayam. Thirukkacchi Nambi"s

prediction thus came true.

 

Meanwhile, Ramanuja revered Nambi as his Acharya and once had invited him

to come to his home and be his guest . Ramanuja"s wife was a strict observer

of Varnaasrama formalities and she committed an Apachaara to Nambi , when

Ramanuja was away. When Ramanuja came home, he learned that Nambi had

come earlier, partaken the food , gave the remaining food to a Sudra lady and

his

wife had cleaned the place, where Nambi had eaten and had taken a bath and was

cooking afresh to serve him his meal. Ramanuja was extremely unhappy at his wife

for insulting the Mahatma dear to the Lord and began to distance himself from

his wife.

 

Before this incident,Ramanuja had a number

of doubts on Tattvas and begged Nambi to ask Varadaraja to clarify his

doubts. Ramanuja appealed to Nambi and said : " To whom but you shall

I tell about the matters that agitate my mind for long?" . Kanchi Purna during

the night service to the Lord passed on the queries of Ramanuja. The Lord

answered Ramanuja"s question and directed Nambi to convey His answers

to Ramanuja. Next morning , Thirukkacchi Nambi met Ramanuja and

delivered the message of Sri Varadaraja , which was in six parts. Those

parts of the message are:

 

1.AHAMEVA PARAM BRAHMA JAGAT KAARANAKAARANAM

(I am the Absolute Brahman,the cause of Prakriti, which is the

cause of the Universe).

 

2. KSHETRAGYESVARAYHORBHEDA: SIDDHA YEVA MAHAMATEH

(O Bright one! The distinction between Jiva and Iswara is axiomatic).

 

3.MOKSHOPAAYO NYASA EVA JANAANAAM MUKTIMICCHATAAM

(Self-surrender (at my feet) is the only means for liberation for those

who seek Moksham (final Beatitude).

 

4. MADHBHAKTAANAAM JANAANAANAAM CHA NAANTIMASMRITHIIRISHYATEH

(The liberation of My devotees ,even though they fail to remember Me during the

last moment of their lives, is sure to take place).

 

5.DEHAAVASAANEH BHAKTHAANAAM DADHAAMI PARAMAM PADHAM

(As soon as My devotees give up their bodies , they attain residence

at my supreme abode ).

 

6.POORNAACHAARYAM MAHAATMAANAM SAMAASRAYA GUNAASRAYAM

(Seek Refuge in the great soul Maha Purna, who is endowed with all virtues).

 

ITI RAMAANUJAARYAAYA MAYOKTHAM VADHA SATWARAM

(Go soon to Ramanuja and tell him , what I have told you).

 

After hearing the Lord"s answers to his questions, Ramanuja went

for initiation by Maha Purna at Srirangam. Maha Purna at that time was

hurrying towards Kanchi at the command of the Lord to meet Ramanuja.

They met half way at Madhuraanthakam .Ramanuja received the five

Purificatory rites (Pancha Samskaaram : Yajna, Ankana, Urdhvapundra,

Mantra and Dasyanama ) from Mahapurna. He also returned with Maha Purna

and his wife to his home in Kanchipuram. Kanchi Purna met with Maha Purna at

Ramanuja"s home and both enjoyed each other's company discussing

Bhagavat Vishayam. Rakshambaal , the wife of Ramanuja committed two

more grave Apacharas to her Husband"s guru Patni and a guest . Ramanuja

decided then to take Sanyasa Asrama and tactfully sent his wife to her Parent's

home

before becoming a Sanyasi . When Ramanuja took Sanyasam at Kanchi Temple

of Sri Varadaraja, Kanchi Purna addressed Ramanuja as Yati Raja for the

first time at the behest of Lord Varadaraja.

 

Thus, Thirukkacchi Nambi"s pervasive influence as the messenger of

Sri Varadaraja had a central role in shaping the life of Ramanuja at critical

moments and set him forth on his journey to strengthen the Sri Sampradaaya

even unto this day.

 

In the next posting, I will comment on the Devarajaashtakam composed by

Thirukkacchi Nambi on his Ishta Daivam, the Lord Of Kanchi.

 

Thirukkacci Nambi Thiruvadigaleh saranam

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan