Sri Ramanujacharya Thirunakshathram

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SrI:

SrImathE Ramanujaya namah:

Dearest srivaishnavas,

Today is the most merciful, most compassionate, the unparalleled Acharya

Saarvabouman Sri Ramanujacharya Thiurunakshathram [Chitthirai Thiruvadhirai]

 

In the works of Sri Ramanujacharya, the excellence, simplicity, unambiguity,

the divinity, sweetness, and the nature of imparting jnAnam are all

impeccably found. Swamy Desikan spent his entire life by learning and

enjoying the divine sweetness and knowledge enshrined in the works of

Bhagavat Ramanuja – as declared by him- "Yati pravara bhaarathi rasabharena

neetham vaya:

 

This Acharya saarvabhouman has written nine works, which are nava

rathnangaL- divine nine gems. Swamy Desikan in his work "Sankalpa

Sooryodayam" says : Trimsadvaaram Sraavita Saareeraka Saastraha" about

himself meaning, he had taught the Sri Bhashyam of Sri Ramanujacharya for

thirty times".

 

The nine divine works of Sri Ramanujacharya are:

1. Vedartha Sangraha - The essence of Vedaartha (meanings of Vedas)

2. Sri Bhashyam - Detailed commentary on Brahma Sutras

3. Vedanta Deepam - Commentary on Brahma Sutra in a condensed form

4. Vedanta Saara - Commentary on Brahma Sutra in a much more condensed form

5. Sri GItA Bhashyam - Commentary on Bhagavath Geetha.

6. SaranAgathi Gadya - Surrendering to Lord Sriman Narayanan (in front of

Lord Sri Ranganthan in srirangam) for eternal service to His lotus feet.

7. Sri Ranga Gadya – mitha gadyam- deals with the divine krupa of Sri

Ranganthan of Srirangam

8. Sri Vaikunta Gadya – Acharya describes beautifully about Srivaikuntam

9. Nithya Grantham – details daily/special practices prescribed for

Srivaishnava

 

The Visistadvaita philosophy and Srivaishnava religious practice are clearly

and unambiguously established in these nine works of Sri Ramanuja.

 

Let us pay our obeisance to this most merciful Acharya on His

Thirunakshathram today, let us enjoy a couple of pAsurams from Iraamaanusa

noorranthAthi by Amudhanaar. [this is part of AzhwAr arulichheyal- 4000]

 

churakkum thiruvum uNarvum cholappukil vaayamutham

parakkum iruvinai paRRaRa vOtum patiyiluLLeer

uraikkin Rananumak kiyaanaRaNY cheeRum uRukaliyaith

thurakkum perumai iraamaa NnuchanenRu cholluminE. [43]

 

 

Oh People! Bhagyasaalis, (Lucky ones) who are blessed with the avataar of

Emperumaanaar Sri Ramanujacharya! I, (who has surely realised this) am

telling this to you who has not yet realised this: Emperumaanaar chased away

the strong Kali purushan's influence on the world destroying all dharmam and

virtues. (Kaliyum kedum; KaNdu koNmin says NammAzhwAr). By the simple

utterance of the divine name of this AchArya, bhakti and jnAnam will

automatically grow; Just by a mere telling of his name, will intensify the

sweetness in your mouth leaving an excellent taste in your mouth. Also, all

irremovable sins and sorrows of samsaaric afflictions will run away showing

their backs to us, in addition to all these anubhavams..

 

vaNmaiyi Nnaalunthan maathaka vaalum mathipuraiyum

thaNmaiyi Nnaalumith thaaraNi yOr_katkuth thaan_charaNaay

uNmain^an NYaanam uraiththa iraamaa Nnuchanaiyunnum

thiNmaiyal laalenak killai,maR ROrnNilai thErnthitilE. [73]

Without seeing the greatness of what He teaches us, and our qualification

for receiving it (and considering only what great it is going to do to us),

He teaches us the esoteric, essence of all saasthrAs in simple terms. He is

so merciful. He can not stand to watch us going down the trench of samsaara

saagaram and waste our precious sri vaishnava births (lives). He showers

coolness to the scorching heat of samsaaram like the cool moon rays. He

blesses even those (who are not bothered with the realisation of Brahman and

jnAnam) and teaches them true jnAnam about Self and Sarva sEshathvam of Self

to the Lord. Hence, there is no other thought for me (that befits me) except

the thought of Ramanujacharya, who is so merciful and who has got such

gracious mind to save everyone in this world. (an excellent pAsuram! This

only is my capacity to translate! I advise the readers to read the pAsuram

please) [73rd pAsuram]

Swami Desikan's excellent description of the greatness of YathirAjA and his

Srisookthis can be felt in each of the 74 slOkAs of YathirAja Sapthathi.

 

My favourite one: the 38th slOka says: (as per Sri VN Vedantha Desikan's

translation appeared in Sri Nrusimhapriya few years ago)

 

"Victory to Ramanuja- who saved the Para Brahman by giving a hand lift from

being caught in the slough of Saiva religion, without getting hooked, also

from the net of pure dreamy imagination that the Saankhyaas had cast,

avoiding also the entanglement in the contrivance laid by the scheming

Chaarvaaka and finally when Brahman was almost about to fall into the

trap-mouth of Advaitins, the deceitful misguides"

 

Elaboration: (as heard from the lovely sweet upanyaasaam from Srimad

Pundareekapuram Andavan Swami):

 

The Lord (Brahmam) had started to look for the most accurate religion of

philospophy and commenced His journey. On the way, He saw lots of muddy

waters (i.e. Saivism sect, with various "odd" formalities and worships) and

sensed danger of getting trapped. He avoided by going away from the track;

but still, He was pulled by the current of the muddy waters (sERu) and He

somehow managed to hold on to a nearby stick, saving Himself.

 

The Lord further proceeded and was caught in the deep, dense bushes with no

trace of way anywhere (Saankhyaas); He managed to get out of it somehow

(getting lost here and there). He could escape similarly from the clasps of

Chaarvaakam too!

 

Then, when He further proceeded, He saw an excellent philosophy that follows

Vedas! Brahmam was quite excited! YES! There's at least one religion that

refers and interprets Vedas! It shall be the right one! Let me get in!

 

Alas! He fell down into the deep well with absolutely now water inside, full

of bushes and thorns inside the well. The well was not at all visible from

outside. There was huge covering of the well with leaves and flowers (Vedic

statements and their (mis) interpretations). Brahmam was hooked like anyone

else thinking that it is following Vedas! And He is deep down! No way to

escape!

 

Brahmam has now realised that at least other religions do not refer at all

to Vedas and thus He could sense the danger. Here he has been completely

swept by the outside sugar-coated logic covered by (wrong) arguments /logic.

 

Sri Ramanuja heard the Brahmam's lament and moans. He sensed something

wrong. He spotted the danger. He saw the covers and traps, and also

comprehended what could have taken place! He could understand that even

Brahmam was trapped by the misinterpretations of advaitam.

 

AchAryA, holding strongly and using his interpretations to Vedas, (with no

ambiguities/ contradictions, in full accordance with BhOdhAyana's commentary

for Brahma soothram,) as a support for himself, removed all the covers and

bushes that hide the well, saw clearly the pitfalls- lent a hand to Brahmam

and lifted Him out of danger. (Here, it should be noted that the one who

lifts the other from the deep well, shall be strong enough and even stronger

than the one who is in danger. He should know of his capacity that he will

be able to get the other One out of danger without himself falling into the

well!

 

OUR SRI RAMANUJACHARYA, thus has emerged victorious and is stronger!

Powerful! He lifted the Brahmam out of danger! So great are His Sri

sookthis! (which AchAryA used as his support for himself)

(True! The Lord was claimed to be having no form, no guNam, no body; the

world is false, the jIvan is false were all the statements as per advaitham,

referring a portion of Vedic statements ignoring other Vedic statements

completely, and understanding wrongly! It was Sri Ramanuja's VisishtAdvaitha

siddhaantham, that gave the true picture of what is Truth of the Lord!

Without ignoring any statement, without contradicting any statement,

encompassing all Vedic truths, AchArya saarva bhoumar established the

Brahman and His KalyANA guNAs, His SarIram (i.e. the jIvan and Prakriti)).

Thus, he established Brahman's identity and saved His existence even!

Thanjam adaintha num rAmAnujanE thanjam..

EmeperumAnAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

 

 

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