Apr 1 - Panguni Hastham - Amuthanar Tiru nakshathram

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Dear Members

 

Today is Panguni Hastham, the tirunakshathram of Acharya Tiruvarangath

Amuthanar.

 

Following is a short biography of Sri Amuthanar.

 

Amuthanar was born in Srirangam, (father's name Aniarangath amuthanar),

 

and was known as Moongil kudi amudhanar as well as Koil Nambi. At a very

 

young age he was well versed in various branches of Vedic study and

started

as a purohit at the Ranganathar temple.

 

Sri Ramanuja was in charge of the temple activities and Nambi had

problems

taking directions from him. This troubles Ramanuja and was in confusion

as

to how to get Nambi into his fold. Under the divine guidance by Perumal,

 

Ramanujar let Nambi perform the duties as purohit at the temple and

requested

Koorath aazhvan to gain Nambi's confidence. Koorath aazhvan subsequently

 

got to know Nambi and accepted him as his disciple. This started a great

 

transformation in Nambi, who was well learned in Tamil and Sanskrit. He

gave up his authority at the temple to Ramanujar and started helping him

in

daily activities at the temple. Impressed by his transformation,

Ramanujar

gave him the title "Amuthan." Since then he was known as tiruvarangath

amuthanar, as well as pillai amuthanar.

 

Not being a purohit at the temple brought great sadness to Amuthanar.

Ramanujar, sensing this, requested Pillai tiruvanrangap perumal araiyar

to include Amuthanar as part of daily Sevai at the Sannithi. As a result

 

Amuthanar being proficient in tamil subsequently composed the 108

Ramanuja Noorranthathi which became part of daily recital at the temple.

 

Some compare the acharya/sishya relationship (as an example of acharya

abhimana) between Ramanujar and Amuthanar to that of St. Nammazhvar

and Mathurakaviazhvar.

 

Amuthanar is said to have lived for 128 year.

 

Azhvar emperumanar jeeyar tiruvadikalE Saranam

 

Venkatesh K Elayavalli

 

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