Acharya Bhakti

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Srimath Vara Vara Munaye Nama:

Srimath Anantarya Mahagurave Nama:

 

Dear Bhagavatottamas,

 

In talking about acharya bhakti in some posts

recently, adiyEn has refered to Sri Madhurakavi

Azhvar's Kanninun Siruththambu and some of its

vyakyanams. Earlier this year with Sri V.

SatakOpan Swami's encouragement I had begun

translation of this divine pasuram's vyakyanams,

but for a number of reasons have been unable to

keep up with that work. I will use this as the

opportunity to go back and complete that work

and start posting them here soon. The translations

will be based on all the four commentators works.

 

Also, in talking about Acharya Bhakti one cannot but

remember Sri Tirumalai Anandazhvar and his bhakti to

his acharya Sri Ramanujar. His was no less than that

shown by Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar to Swami Nammazhvar,

as seen by the following episode. Interestingly both

Sri Anandazhvar and Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar's

thirunakshaththirams are the same "chiththiraiyil

chiththirai".

 

Sri Anandazhvar went to Tirumalai upon Sri Ramanujar's

 

directive to do kainkaryam to Lord Srinivasa ("ozhivil

 

kAlam ellAm udanAy manni"). Particularly, he was doing

 

pushpa kainkaryam to the Lord every day ("sinthupoo

makizhum thiruvEnkadam"). One day he got delayed going

 

to the temple while he was making the garland. Lord

Srinivasa noting his absence asked that he come to the

 

temple immediately. Sri Anandazhvar refused stating

that he will come only when the garland was finished.

Lord Srinivasa then told Anandazhvar that he should

leave Tirumalai immediately as he was not obeying Him.

 

To which Anandazhvar replied that he was there not

upon His command but due to his acharya's command and

as such Lord Srinivasa had no right to ask him to

leave. And that he would rather disobey His command

than disobey his acharya's directive. Anandazhvar also

 

pointed out that Lord Srinivasa arrived at Tirumalai

after Sri Varahap Perumal and as such had no right to

be telling others to leave. Lord Srinivasa pleased by

Sri Anandazhvar's acharya bhakti blessed him and

stated that his devotion to his acharya was like that

shown by Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar; and that henceforth

he and his descendants should refer to themselves as

"madhurakavi dAsan". This is the reason all

Anandanpillai's refer to themselves that way.

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

TCA Venkatesan

 

 

 

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