april 18 - Uyakkondar Tirunakshathram

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

April 18 (Chiththirai maasam Karthikai naaL) is the tirunakshaththram of

 

Sri Pundareekaakshar (also known as Uyakkondar). The details of his

glorious life is now online at

 

http://www.srivaishnava.org/sva.htm

 

Uyakkondar is very important for our Samprathayam. Following is a

detailed

account of his life: (I am sorry if this turns out to be a long

email).

 

Sri Uyakkondar:

---------------------

 

Uyakkondar, named Pundareekaakshar by his parents, was born in year

886 A.D. on Chiththirai month (kaarthikai) Krithikai, some 63 years

after the

birth of Sri Nathamuni. He was born to a bhramin family residing in Tiru

vellarai.

It is believed that his parents had migrated from Madhyapradesh, and

settled

at Tiru vellarai, performing kainkariyam to Sri Pundareekaaksha Perumal

at that

sthalam. One can conclude that he was trained in all aspects of Vedic

philosphy at a very young age (as not much information is available

about this important acharya).

 

It is believed that when Pundareekaakshar was in his teens, he was sent

to

Sri Nathamuni for further instruction. At this time, Nathamunigal had

two

prominent students, Pundareekaakshar and Kurukai kavalappan. Nathamuni

had two important treasure with him, one the secret of Bhakti Yoga to

attain

praapthi, the other, the 4000 Divya prabhantham. The first will be able

to

save only the person practicing it, while the Divya prabhantham has the

power to save the entire world. Nathamuni wanted to give each of

these to his two prominent students. When he asked Kavalappan which he

would wish, he chose the bhakti yoga. Therefore, Nathamuni instructed

him

on Bhakti Yoga.

 

Nathamuni asked the same to Pundareekaakshar. He replied, When the

entire

world seem to be doomed in Samsaaram, what is the use for just one soul

reaching

the Lord. It does not matter what happens to me, but please teach me the

secret

that can deliver the entire world to the Lord. Hearing this, Nathamuni

praised Pundareekaakshar's determination and kindness and titled him

Uyakkondaar and started his instruction in Divya prabhantham. It was

this

determination and kindness that resulted in the spread of Sri Vaishnavam

all

over India.

 

Uyakkondar had five prominent students, of whom Manarkal nambi (also

known as Rama mishra) was the most popular and important to Srivaishnava

 

Samprathayam. After teh death of Uyakkondar's wife, Ramamishra took

cahrge

of the household chores at Uyakkondar's house. He also took care of

Uyakkondar's young daughters. One day, when they were returing from

daily

bath at a nearby pond, the girls had to walk past a muddy stream and

were

hesitating to cross it. Rama mishra seeing their plight fell across the

stream

and asked the girls to use his back as a bridge. Seeing the foot marks

on his

back, after their return, Uyakkondar asked his girls what had happened.

When he heared the incident, Uyakkondar titled him Manarkal Nambi and

renamed his birht place as Manarkal.

 

Nathamuni, when receiving the 4000 Divya Prabhantham from Nammalvar,

also received an image of Ramanujar, instructing him to handover the

image

to his yet-to-be-born grandson. He immediately started work on creating

an

idol based on that image. When Nathamuni was about to depart to Lord's

feet,

he passed on the idol to Uyakkondar after extracting a promise from him

that he

would keep the idol in a secure place until it is handed over to his

grandson.

However, Nathamuni's grandson had not born even at the time of

Uyakkondar's

departure to Vaikuntam. He passed on the idol to Manarkal nambi

extracing

from him, the same promise he had made to Nathamuni. He also instructed

Markal nambi that he would take the responsibility of instructing

Nathamuni's

grandson. It is believed that Uyakkondar lived for 105 years.

 

Uyakkondar did not compose any independent work. However, he did compose

the

thaniyan for Tiruppavai, which is recited every day at many temples and

homes.

 

Uyakkondar tiruvadikalE Saranam

Azhvar Emperumaanaar jeeyar tiruvadikaLE Saranam.

 

Venkatesh K. Elayavalli

 

http://www.srivaishnava.org