SrI Yaamunaacharya [Sri Alavandhaar] Thirunakshathram today- Adi Utthiraadam

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Yaamunaacharya- SrI Alavandhaar- Tradition records his

period from year 917 AD to 1042 AD. (about 125 years).

Today is his Thirunakshathram (Adi UtthirAdam). He was

the Grandson of the thaaLam vazhangith thamizh maRai

innisai thandha vaLLal Sri Nathamuni.

 

YAmunAcharya is the grand -Acharya (PrAchAryA) of

Ramanujacharya. He established the principles of

VisishtAdhvaita as an expansion of the doctrines

housed in his grandfather's treatises and elaborated

on those doctrines with authoritative scriptures such

as Sruthis, Bhagavadh Gita, AzhwAr's paasurams and

Selected SaatvikaPurAnAs.

 

He is the one who composed the earliest Stotras of

Srivaishnava Sampradayam:

He wrote the following works great in content and yet

lucid.

(1) chatusloki

(2) Stotra Ratnam

(3) Siddhitrayam consisting of (i) AtmaSiddhi. (ii)

Samvitsiddhi and (iii) Iswara Siddhi

(4) Agama Pramanya

(5 ) Maha Purusha Nirnayam

(6) Gitartha Sangraha

(7) Nityam

(8) Maayaa Vaadha Khandanam

 

Swamy Desikan says in YathirAja Sapthathi:

 

Vighaahe Yaamunam Theertham Saadhu Brindaavane Stitham

|

NirasthaJih Magha Sparse Yatra Krishnah Kritaa Dharah

||

 

(meaning) Alavandar who learned Vedanta Arthas at the

feet of Manakkaal Nambi was not only the one residing

on the banks of Yamuna (Yamunai Thuraivan) by name but

was also like the clear flowing waters of the river

Yamuna. Lord Krishna got rid of the cruel Kaalinga

from the river and made its water pure and clear for

all to drink. He was most delighted when he played

with the Gopis of Brindavanam in the Yamuna waters.

Likewise, Alavandar vanquished those who

misinterpreted the Vedas and established Vedanta

Siddhanta. Just as one can derive supreme pleasure by

bathing in the holy waters of Yamuna, one can enjoy

supreme Bhagavad Gunanubhava by immersing in the lucid

granthas of Yaamuna.

 

Once an arrogant vidwAn by name Akkiyalvan was

challenging and humiliating learned men. Yamuna (as a

16 year old boy) accepted the challenge and went to

the court to argue with him. The queen was so

impressed with the boy that she told the king and

persuaded him to give away half the kingdom if he won

in the debate and offered herself to be thrown to wild

dogs, if the boy failed.Akkiyalvan asked the boy to

state three propositions positive or negative which he

offered to counter. And, if he could not, the boy

would be declared the winner.

 

Yamuna asked (or stated) three statements. He asked

Akkialwan to counter.

 

( i ) Your mother is not a barren woman- Naturally he

could not counter saying that his mother is a barren

woman (he is very much standing in front of

Yamunacharya).

 

( ii ) The king is a righteous and powerful ruler -

Obviusoly he can not afford to conuter this.

and ( iii ) The queen is a model of chastity. - oh no!

Never can he counter this.

 

Akkialvan accepted defeat and the King now asked

Yamuna to disprove his own statements.

 

Yamuna clarified by observing the following:-

 

( i ) The sacred laws say that an only son is no son

at all. So, Akkiyalvan's mother was as good as barren

in the eyes of the law.

( ii ) The king cannot be called righteous when he

entertained such an arrogant person to be his chaplain

and his not dismissing the chaplain showed that the

king was indeed powerless.

( iii ) According to the Sruti texts, every woman is

wedded first to Soma, then Gandharva and then Agni

before marrying her earthly partner. The queen was no

exception and therefore cannot be deemed a model of

chastity.

 

(This is only to drive home a point that logic can not

be the solution fully. One needs to fall back on

Saasthras and Sruthi/Smrthis for praMANams.)

The King sent Akkiyalvan out of his kingdom and gave

Yamuna half his kingdom. The queen hailed the boy as

“Alavandhaar”- One who came to save me..

 

Thus, Alavandar has become the king and could not

attend to spiritual pursuits further.

 

Meanwhile, Rama Misra (maNakkaal nambhi) was trying to

catch Yamunacharya's attention to fulfil his promise

to his Guru to install Alavandar as the spiritual

successor to Nathamuni.. But, he could not meet

Alavandar, being a king now to discuss the matter. He

came out with an idea. He came to know that the king

relishes thoodhu vaLai keerai (kind of spinach). He

supplied that spinach to the royal kitchen daily.

After few months, he stopped. The king asked the cook

as to why the spinach is not being served. They

replied saying "one brahmin used to supply. He does

not come nowadys." Alavandhar told them that he would

like to meet him, if he comes next. Next day, they met

each other.

 

Rama misrar told Alavandhar that his grandfather Sri

Nathamuni had passed on the family wealth (kula

dhanam) that needs to be handed over to Sri

Alavandhar. Alavandhar said, "in that case, give me

that."

"No. It is not here. Come with me.". He took him all

the way to Srirangam Koil. (ArAdha aruLamudham

podhintha kOil). He showed Alavandhar, the Divya

mangaLa vigraham of Sri Ranganathan. Looking at the

Lord, in such divine splendour, the divine beauty- and

looking (with tears rolling down his cheeks) at those

"kariyavaagi, pudai parandhu, miLirndha,

sevvariyOdiya, neeNda, ap periya vaaya kaNgaL.."

(those dark, well spread, shining, ruddy lined, long,

large eyes)-

 

He bursts out:

I have nothing to give you. None at all. I have no

quailifications. I am not religious. What a Great

person my Grand Father was! What am I! I have no one

but You(the embodiment of mercy! Compassion!- dayA) as

my refuge. He performed Saranagathy at the Lotus Feet

of Lord Ranganathan.

 

na dharma nishtOsmi na chaatma vEdi

na bhaktimaan tvaccharaNAravindE

akinchanOananyagatih saraNya!

tvat paadamoolam saranam prapadye. (Sthothra Rathnam-

22nd sloka)

 

Oh you worthy of being sought as refuge! I am not one

established in Dharma, nor am i a knower of the self.

I have no fervent devotion to your lotus-feet. Utterly

destitute as I am, and having none else for resort, I

take refuge under your feet. (Translation by Swamy

Adidevananda)

 

Rama Misra explained the purpose of his mission and

requested Alavandar to take over the reins of

spiritual leadership bequeathed to him by his

illustrious grandfather, Nathamuni. Alavandar took to

Sannyas and was then known as YAMUNA MUNI.

 

Sri Alavandhar's naichyAnusanthAnam (feeling lowly

nature of oneself- the jIvAthma as compared to the

Lord's Greatness, KalyANa guNAs) is very beautifully

reflected in SthOthra Rathnam. They are more

appropriate and applicable to us (and not Sri

Alavandhar). He has composed for us only.

 

Sloka 48:

Aparaaadha-sahasra-bhaajanam

patitam bhiima-bhavaarnav'odare;

agatim saran'aagatam hare!

krpayaa kevalam aatmasaat kuru.

 

Oh Hari! pray, make me your own out of sheer grace -

me, who has fallen into the depths of the terrible

ocean of worldly existence, and who, being resortless,

have sought refuge at your feet.

 

amaryAdha: Kshudra: chalamadhi: asUyAprasavabhU:

kruthagnO dhurmAni smara paravasO vanchanapara:

nrusamsa: pApishta: kathamahamithO dukkajaladhE :

apArAth uttheerNa: tava paricharEyam charanayO :

 

What a soul stirring sloka! One can not but cry

reciting this, (imagining himself as the hero:-( of

the sloka)

 

AlavandhAr describes himself as:

 

amaryAdha: - one who has crossed the bounds of

established rules

Kshudra: - engaging in trivial /worldly

/material/sensual pursuits

chalamadhi:- never steady; (chanchalam), fickle mind

asUyA prasava bhU : Place where jealousy is born

kruthagana: Ungrateful one

dhurmAnee:- ill feelings towards fellow human beings;

smara paravasa : Fallen into the gamut of desires and

sensual impluses

vanchanapara: skillfully deceiving others (at cheating

others )

nrusamsa: - engaging in violent acts

paapishta: ( Incorrigible sinner - mahA paapi

 

Swamy Desikan says- ahamasmi aparAdha chakravartthi.

(also meant for us).

Swamy desikan also writes in Subashithanivi:

 

I bow with mind, speech and body to that great Lord,

who is the best among all persons, who approaches

others of His own accord without waiting for them to

take the initiative because of His innate goodness and

agreeable nature, as also to myself who is chief among

the wicked and who harms others without reason, there

being one thing in common to us both, viz., that the

good or evil done to us once has the effect of wiping

off all the good and or evil done before. If what God,

in His wisdom, thinks is good, though not really good,

has been done to Him even once by a person, all the

wrongs committed by him earlier is forgiven by Him.

Therefore, I bow to Him. In my case, if once what I

consider wrong, which may not really be so, is done to

me by someone, all the good done by him to me till

then is completely forgotten by me. Fie upon me!

Ingratitude-being the basest of vices, it has been

mentioned at the very beginning.

 

What a naicchiyAnusanthAnam!

 

Swamy’s works are the ones which give us jnAnam about

our unparalleled unambiguous VisishtAdvaita

Srivaishnava philosophy, the presence of which can

never take us to the wrong roads.

 

After taking so many countless births, We, (dAsars

(servants) of Sri Alavandhar), who have been blessed

to be born (due to the limitless, unconditional grace

of the Lord Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan) as

Srivaishnava in this birth, and have realized and

taken up the prapatti maargam (due to again the

nirhEthuka krupA of the Lord), who are bequeathed with

such Great Acharyan – YamunAchAryan, the learning of

whose SrI sukthis enable us to know the tatvatrayam

crystal clear and upAyam and upEyam (means and goal)

perfectly, and keep us reminded of the same always,

will never ever read (hereafter) works of those who

belong to other religions. – Says Swamy Desikan.

 

neeLa vandhu inRu vidhivagaiyaal ninaivonRiya naam/

meeLavandhu innum vinai udambu onRil vizhundhu

uzhalaa(dhu)

ALavandhaar ena venRu aruL thandhu viLangiya seer/

Alavandhaar adiyOm padiyOm ini alvazhakkE.

 

Let us place our heads at the feet of this great

Acharya Saarvabhouman - the One who was the source of

inspiration for Sri Ramanujaachaarya. May he bless us

with his vailakshaNya kataaksham to keep us on track

at all times!

 

SrI yaamunAchArya ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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