Ramanujar and 74

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Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Srimathe Vara Vara Munaye Nama:

Srimathe Anantharya Mahagurave Nama:

 

Dear BhAgavatOttamas,

 

It is a well known fact that Sri Ramanujar established

74 simhAsanAdhipatis to propagate the Srivaishnava

Visishtadvaitha Sampradhayam. It is no coincidence

that

he selected this number - in fact, there is a specific

reason behind the selection.

 

Sri Nathamuni when he was learning the 4000 verses of

Divyaprabandham from Swami Nammazhvar, was also

informed

of the coming of Swami Ramanujar by Azhvar. Sri

Nammazhvar

also told him to instruct and prepare Sri Ramanujar

through his grandson Sri Alavandar. Occasionally

during

his life Sri Nathamuni would refer to this by stating

"Gathered under a hoof, sparrows would drink; gathered

in

the Veeranam Lake, the country would prosper". The

meaning

is that, rain water pooling in the ground under the

hoof

of an animal would be drunk by just a few sparrows.

The

same rain water when falling into the Veera

Narayanapuram

Lake (Veeranam Lake) would then be used to irrigate

large

tracts of land and therefore be useful to the whole

country. Similarly, until the time of Sri Ramanujar

all

acharyas would benefit only a few select disciples;

from

Sri Ramanujar the true meanings of Srivaishnavam would

 

reach the world.

 

That Sri Nathamuni would say this was related through

his

disciples to Sri Alavandar and then through his

disciples

to Sri Ramanujar. Noting that Sri Nathamuni thought of

him as the Veeranam Lake with its 74 outlets of water,

Sri Ramanuja decided to spread the Srivaishnava

message

through 74 simhAsanAdhipatis.

 

It is also of great interest to note that Sri Manavala

Mamunigal's Upadesarattinamalai, which brings meanings

of Srivaishnavam to us while teaching us about Azhvars

and Acharyas, is also made up of 74 verses.

 

Swami Emperumanar Tiruvadigale Saranam

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Tiruvadigale Saranam

 

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan

TCA Venkatesan

 

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