Bhashyakara Thirunakshatram

[Guest guest]

Incidentally April 22 is Shankaracharya's thirunakshatram and April 23 is

Ramanuja's. Both these will be celebrated at our temple in Cincinnati on

April 28. All are cordially welcome.

(513-984-4179)

 

Now, on this great day of our Achariyar thirunakshatram, I like to share my

experience at the celebrations in the town of Ramanathapura (near Magge,

Saligrama and Konanoor) in Karnataka. I witnessed this some 30 years ago.

 

I am not from that part and was only there, because my father was an invited

speaker and he took me along. We spent 4-5 days there. One other speaker I

remember is Sri. N.T. Sreenivasa Iyengar, who still gives discourses. He

spoke about Ramanuja's Philosophy. One line I remember is - "Srimallakshana

yoginastu bhuvanam satyam" (this is how it sounded, any corrections welcome).

My father spoke about significance of Sandhyavandanam, besides other things.

 

All tadiyaradhanais (my favorite part) were held at the Pattabhiraman high

school. There is also a Shiva temple in this town in addition to Ramar

temple. Both temples which were used for the festivities. This town also has

a good number of Sanketi brahmins (Shivites).

 

The interesting and unusual part was the street songs and dance at the

Deities procession, in which people of all ages jumped up and down until the

tar road or their sole's cracked to their soul's satisfaction. They were all

singing with great vigor: Bhaja yati Rajam Bhaja Yati Rajam Bhaja yati Rajam

Bhava bheero(That's how it sounded, corrections welcome).

 

 

An engineer by name Sri Narasimha Iyengar (Bangalore) was one of the major

sponsors of this celebration.

 

Incidentally, Ramanujacharya fell ill here and spent several days in

Saligrama temple (Karnataka), at the service of Vadaga Nambi (came to be

called) and his family. He may have visited the nearby Ramanathapura temple

as well. The sthala puranam, as recorded in Acharyara Patni short story by

Masti venkatesha Iyengar, states that Ramanujacharya's wife briefly met him

here in disguise, and breathed her last breath here. It is said that she

briefly massaged Ramanujar's feet, while Ramanuja was bedridden with a high

fever. Following day, Ramanuja's health recovered to normalcy, while She fell

ill and passed away. Before her last breath, she confessed to Vadagalai Nambi

about her apacharams to Ramanujar.

 

I request anyone from this part of Karnataka in our group to share more

information on these topics.

 

Now, I switch gears and address the Vaishnavite heritage of Ramanuja from the

maternal side.

 

Mr. Mani said:

>>>I wish to make a very important emendation to Sri Ramaswamy's

otherwise informative article. Sri Ramanuja, although born in a

Vadama smaarta family, was in a vamsa that was piously

Vaishnavite. <<<<

 

In support of this , I like to stress the Strong Sri-Vaishnavite leaninings

on the maternal side of Sri Ramanuja, as found in Shatamarshana Ajana Siddha

mahima, written by my father

(Sri. K.S. Krishnatatachar) in Kannada.

 

Nathamuni's (823 AD) grandson is Yamunacharya(Alavandar)

(918-1038 AD). Alvandar's grand children are Ramanuja's mother(Kantimati),

her sister (Dyutimati-mother of Govinda, devout cousin of Ramanuja) and her

brother Srisaila Purna. It was Srisaila Purna (Periya Thirumalai Nambi), the

maternal uncle of Ramanuja, who named his two nephews as Ramanuja and Govinda

respectively.

Ramanuja studied Ramayana under Srisaila Purna in Thirumala.

 

The full name of Ramanuja's father is Srimad Asuri Sarvakratu Kesava

Dikshita-Somayaji.

 

I found in Life of Sri Ramanuja by Swami Ramakrishnananda, it is stated that

Ramanuja's mother Kantimati was also known as Bhudevi and her sister

Dyutimati, also known as Sri devi.

 

Ramanujasya charanau sharanam prapadye

 

-K. Sreekrishna (tatachar)