Sri Manavala Mamunighal, the best loved acharya of Sri Vaishnavam

[Guest guest]

srimate ramanujaya namah

 

Dear devotees,

 

In view of the ongoing Manavalamamunighal's thirunatshatinam

celebrations, we would like to share some gems on the glory of

the achariyan's thaniyan shared by Sri U.Ve.Kanchi Maha vidwan

Sri PB Anangracharya swami in his writings, quoted by Sri

U.Ve. Velukkudi V Krishnan swami in his recent discourse.

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Manavalamamunighal and Azhagia manavalan.

 

It is well known that Swami Manavalamamunighal thaniyan was spontaneously

presented by Alagia manavalan the presiding deity of Sri Rangam.

Our poorvachariyars are known to relish every iota of

Emperuman's kalayana gunams as revealed by Him to the 12 Azhwars

and other rishis, and this taniyan is no exepcetion.

 

That Emperuman whose lotus feet is sought after by great

maharishis, had this particular desire to embrace the lotus feet

of an acharyan by becoming a Sisyan !. When Emperuman desires

something, he had to Himself descend as the desired to have

complete joy in that rasa.

 

Sriman Narayanan wanted to enjoy the role of acharyan, he himself

got incarnated as an excellent disciple - Naran at

Badrikasramam.

 

When our Perumal wanted to enjoy thiruvaradhanam, he needed

himself as Charavarthi Thirumagan to worship his archai, Alagia

manavalan.

 

Though our Emperuman was always the best sishayan, he hardly had

the best archariyan. Visvamitrar and Sandipani muni in Rama and

Krishna avatharam did not meet His expectations.

 

As usual to have complete joy of being a sishya, it so

appeared to Emperuman that only he should descend as a perfect

achariyan. We will see this thaniyan of His Holiness Sri

Manavalamamunigal in this context

 

SrisailESa dayApatram dhIbhaktyAdi gunArnavam

yatIndra pravanam vandE ramyajAmAtaram munim

 

 

1. SAILESA DAYAPATHRAM :- This can be taken as Chakravarti

Thirumagan becoming a servant of Sugrivan. Saila = mountain = riSyamUka

parvatam. sailEsa = owner of this mountain = matangar . dayApatram =

matangamunivar's kripa = on sugriva. Sugriva escaped death only due to this

parvata. So saiEsa dayapatram = sugriva. Rama first said sailEsa dayapatram

vande. (lOkanatha: purA bhUtva sugrIvam nathanmichati)

 

However Sugrivan forgot to keep up his promise to assist Ramar

and Laksmanar to find mother Sita as soon as he became the king

of Kishkinda. Thus Ramar, who is known for keeping up his word

found difficulty to owe this kalyana gunam to his abimana

natha Sugrivan. He was not happy with saluting sugriva.

 

Now with SRI + SAILESA DAYAPATHRAM, (MM = bestowed with the grace of

tiruvoimozi pillai) He celebrated MM as his

achariyan and glorifies him as one who is the faultless

recipient of SriSailesar causeless mercy.

 

2. dhIbhatyAdi gunArnavam

 

Emperuman next celebrates that his achariyan is the abode of a

countless auspicious kalayana gunams.

 

Again Chakravathi Thirumagan sought the favour of

samudrarajan( who rules the ocean), who is the abode of opulent

wealths like pearls,. Pavazham, and other precious gems and did

saranagathi to him - arnavam vande - However Ramar who promises to protect

any one who even surrenders to him once could never owe this kalyana gunam

to his then natha Samudhrarajan who never even heeded

to Emperuman's request, inspite of Ramar waiting for 3 days at

the seashore. Again Rama was not happy by having samudra raja (arnavam ) as

his natha.

 

Our Lord rejoices that his achariyan MM is the abode of Bhakthi,

Jnanam, Vairaghyam and other countless kalyana gunams. Thus

Emperuman takes refuge of MM' who is the source of gem like

kalyana gunams leaving Samudrajan whose gems - pearls and

diamonds have little value thence.

 

 

3. YATHINRAM VANDE vs YATHINRA PRANAVAM VANDE

 

Now Alagiamanavalan sought Sri Ramanujar as his achariyan when

Emperumanar stamped him with shanku. and chakram at

thirupathi( Ramanujar defended that Lord of Tirumala Hills Sri

Thiruvengadamudayan was Sriman Narayana Himself against the

claims of the Saivaites who falsely proclaimed Tirumala Hills to

be the abode of Siva, by doing panchasamskaram to the deity )

Srinivasa = ranganatha.

 

Again he had a problem !!. As Emperuman, He always reveals Himself the best

 

only to those who are devoted to his devotees, (adiyarkku adiyar)

rather than to his own direct devotees. Emperuman showed Himself more to

Nammazhwar's blessed disciple Madhurakavi alwar than to even NammAzhwar.

 

"tirithandakilum teva piranudai kariakola tiruuru kanpan naan." Madhukavikal

 

who was bent upon not looking at polinda ninra piran now says that he saw

him. Why ? Nammalwar is crying and longing to have a glimpse of the Lord but

 

the Lord never came before him. Now he is wanted giving darsan to

Madhurakavikal who does not want to see him. "madbhakta bhakteshu prIti:

abhyadhiko bhavet.' arul peruvar adiyar tam adiyanerku azhiyan arul taruvan

is the verse of nammalwar.

 

Now Yatirajar was Emperuman's direct devotee, much like Swami

Nammazhwar. Finally Nammperumal celebrates MM as "YATHINDRA

PRAVANAM" - whose Thirumeni is nothing but the limitless mercy of

Swami Ramanujar in visible form.

 

To conclude, Emperuman justified that HIS achariyan Manavala

mamunighal was the abode of all perfections, in as much as :

 

1. Manavala mamununighal is the faithful disciple of SriSailesar

who comes in the venerable Srivaishnava acharya paramparai.

Sishyar alagia manavalan would receive all praises sung on Him

with grace since He is now associated with this unparalleled Sri

vaishnava sampradayam through Manavalamunighal

 

2. Manavala mamunighal is the abode of countless nitya kalyana

gunams. If somebody praises the nitya kalyana gunams of Alagia

manavalan, he can rejoice that all his good qualities are due to

the mercy of his acharyan Manavala mamunighal alone.

 

3. Most importantly Manavala manunighal is the embodiment of

"RAMANUJA BAKTHI" and Bhagavath Ramanujar being the special

favourite of Sri Ranganathar.

 

JIYAR tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam!!

JIYAR tiruvaDigaLE SaraNam !!