The Life and works of AchArya RaamAnujA : Part 2

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Thirukkacchi Nampi and RaamAnujA

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Thirukkacchi nampi was a key disciple of AaLavandhAr.

He was doing fan service to Lord VaradarAjan at Kaanchi

and the Lord of Kaanchi broke His archA samAdhi (silence)

to speak to Thirukkacchi Nampi during those ChAmara

Kaimkaryam sessions . RaamAnujA admired Thirukkacchi Nampi

for his access to the Lord and asked Nampi to get answers

from the Lord Himself for questions that were troubling him .

Nampi agreed to present those questions to Lord Varadarajan .

The Lord's answer to RaamAnujA's questions are known as

the six statements referred to below:

 

(1) We , the Srimaan , is the supreme One (Parathvam).

(2) Our darsanam is BhEdham .

(3) Prapatthi is THE MEANS for Moksham .

(4) Moksham will be gained at the time of shedding

of the mortal coils for a Prapannan .

(5) Take refuge at the feet of Periya Nampi

as AchAryan.

(6) Anthima Smruthi( Thoughts on the Lord during the last

moments of life ) is not essential for the One , who

has performed Prapatthi .

 

RaamAnujA was thrilled to hear the instructions from

the Lord Himself and hastened to meet Periya Nampi

living at Srirangam . Meanwhile , Periya nampi had a dream

in which he was requested by Sri RanganAthA to bring

RaamAnujA to Srirangam and groom him to become

the next great AchAryA to spread the darsanam . Periya

nampi hastened on his journey towards Kaanchi. Both RaamAnujA

and Periya Nampi met each other half way at MadhurAnthakam .

Periya nampi initiated RaamAnujA into Sri VishNavite fold

through PanchasamskAram and manthra upadEsams .RaamAnujA

at this time was a grahasthA . RaamAnujA's wife however

had committed three major apachArams to Sri VaishNava

BhaagavathAs during the last few months of RaamAnujA as

a GrahasthA and sishyar of Periya Nampi . Those incidents

took a heavy toll on RaamAnujA's mind.He concluded that

SanYaasam is better than GrahathAsramam for him and declared

his intentions to Lord varadarAjA , who approved RaamAnujA's

request to enter into SanyAsAsramam .Great Sri VaishNavAs like

NadAdUr AzhwAn, KooratthAzhwAn , Mudali AaNDAn learnt

about the news of RaamAnujA becoming a Yathi and chose

him as their own AchAryan. Yaadhava PrakAsar , who resented

RaamAnujA earlier understood the greatness of his former

disciple and sought the refuge of RaamAnujA as his

own AchAryan ,although he was much older than his

own former disciple and lived peacefully at the sacred

feet of AchArya RaamAnujA .

 

RaamAnujA's move to Srirangam from Kaanchi

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One day , Thiruvaranga perumAL Arayar came to Kaanchi

and performed arayar sevai for the Paasurams of Swami

NammAzhwAr before Lord VaradarAjan . The Lord of Kaanchi

was so pleased with the Arayar that He asked the Arayr

to choose a boon close to his heart.The Arayar blurted out

and asked for the gift of RaamAnujA . The Lord agreed

and gave His permission for RaamAnujA to go to Srirangam

with the Arayar and start his work as an AchAryan and

to continue the work of AaLavandhAr.

 

The Five AchAryans of AchArya RaamAnujA

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Five great disciples of ALavandhar following

the command of their AchAryan instructed

RaamAnujA on the essentials of Sri VaishNavam .

 

Periya nampi or MahA Poornar performed not only

Pancha samskArams for RaamAnujA but also taught

him the Brahma SoothrAs , the BhagavadgitA and

the esoteric meanings (rahasyArthams) of the

Sri VaishNavite rahasyams .

 

Goshti PoorNar or ThirukkOttiyUr nampi

tested the readiness of RaamAnujA many times

and finally trained him in the observance of

Ari VaishNavite religious practises as per

the three RahasyAs .

 

MaalAdhArA or ThirumAlai ANDAn taught RaamAnujA

Bhagavadh Vishayam or the subtle meanings of

Swami NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi Paasurams

(DrAvida samhithA ).

 

ThiruvarangapperumAL or AaLavandhAr AazhwAn

instructed RaamAnujA on the comprehensive text

of ThiruvAimozhi , the Sri Sookthis of AaLavandhAr

and some auspicious sayings ( SubhAshithams) .

 

Srisaila PoornA or Thirumalai nampi , the uncle of

RaamAnujA taught the inner meanings of Srimadh

RaamAyana SlOkams . Since Srimadh RaamAyaNam

is known as the SaraNAgathi Saasthram , this

acquistion of knowledge from a revered elder

AchAryan such as Thirumalai Nampi was an important

feature of RaamAnujar's tutelage.

(TO BE CONTINUED)