Miracles

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Yamunacharya & RamanujaYamunacharya, the author of the four great

books of Vaishnava tradition, could not complete his mission to write

certain other books and it was left to his successor, Ramanuja, to

fulfill his task. The story of yamunacharya's death in Srirangam and

Ramanuja's later arrival there to see the body is full of

miracles.With fixed gaze Ramanuja began to see that supremely pure

and blessed form of the greatest among the vaishnavas. With eyes

transfixed, he kept gazing on that great one, as if the two were

exchanging thoughts. All stood mute; no one in the great crowd

uttered a word. With amazement, they beheld the communion of the

living with the dead. After a while, Ramanuja asked, "I find that the

three fingers of the Maharshi's right hand are folded and clenched.

Were they like that during his lifetime ?" The disciples who were

close by said, "No, his fingers used to remain straight. We cannot

guess why they are so now." At this, Ramanuja declared aloud,

"Remaining always in the fold of Vaishnavism I shall protect the

people deluded by ignorance, bestowing upon them the 5 samskaras,

making them versed in Tamil Vedas and devoted to the Dharma of

surrender." As soon as he declared this, one of the fingers of the

dead Guru became straight. Ramanuja declared again, "Taking into

consideration all the interpretations, I shall for the well-being of

the people write the Sri Bhashya, which will usher in the good and

establish the knowledge of reality." As soon as he said so, another

finger got relaxed and straightened. Ramanuja declared again: "In

order to pay off the debt to that gracious Muni Parasara, who out of

compassion wrote the gem among the Puranas, in which he clearly lays

down the nature of Ishwara, Jivas, the world and the way of their

progress- I shall name one greatly learned Vaishnava after him." No

sooner had he said so than the remaining finger also got relaxed and

became straight. All were exceedingly amazed to witness this.!History

tells that Ramanuja fulfilled all the three vows later.