Fwd: History on Ramanuja

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

Continuing the discussion on Sri Yamunacharya's (Alavandar's)

unfulfilled wishes and Sri Ramanuja, we rely on what we

know from hagiological accounts such as the Guru Parampara

Prabhava of Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jiyar. These accounts are

a mixture of fact and pious legend and have been embroidered

(to use a generous term) by various authors over the years.

It is very difficult to determine what exactly happened.

 

What we do certainly know is how Sri Ramanuja continued

the legacy of Alavandar:

 

1) He wrote a commentary on the Brahma-Sutras of

Badarayana-Vyasa based on the commentary of

Bodhayana, and along the lines of Alavandar's

Siddhi Traya

 

2) He propagated the memory of Parasara, the author of

Sri Vishnu Purana, and Veda Vyasa by giving their

names to the sons of his disciple Kurattalvan.

(Alavandar pays homage to Parasara in his Stotra-Ratna.)

 

3) Through his cousin Kurukesa (Tirukkurukai Piraan Pillaan)

he had a commentary written on Nammalvar's Tiruvaymoli.

This commentary is remarkable in its usage of phrases from

Ramanuja's own works. (Alavandar pays homage to Nammalvar

as well in the Stotra-Ratna.)

 

4) His three gadyas are closely modelled in emotion and

phrasing on the Stotra-Ratna.

 

In addition, Sri Ramanuja cites Alavandar in each of his

major works and acknowledges his indebtedness to him several

times.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mani

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas,

 

I thankyou for your responses to my query in regards to the History of

Ramanuja posting. I hope to learn more.

 

Ys,

Jagadish Dasa