Introduction to Swami Ramanuja.

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Who is Swami Ramanuja? (www.vedics.net in Jan. Vedic Mag)

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Sri Ramanuja is the renowned 11th Century philosopher, devotee, and

humanitarian who serves as the paradigmatic leader and central figure

in a vast lineage of scholars and mystics belonging to the spiritual

path of Sri Vaishnavism, a monotheistic religious tradition of India

that has been described by both Eastern and Western scholars alike as

being the most complete in its understanding of the Vedas, the

Eternal Truths. His contributions to this spiritual path were so

vast, that Sri Vaishnavism itself has come to be known as Ramanuja

Darshanam, Ramanuja's Vision. (Ramanuja Sampradayam)

 

Sri Ramanuja's nine great philosophical and devotional works

validated and united the his lucid understanding of ritual and

philosophical ideals of the Vedas with the devotional outpourings of

the Azhvars, the twelve mystical saints that form the basis of the

Sri Vaishnava experience. Such a synthesis of scholarly understanding

and heartfelt devotionalism lies at the center of Sri Ramanuja's

philosophy, which has come to represent Visistadvaita, qualified

monism.

 

Visistadvaita suggests the idea of a Personal Supreme Being, known in

Sanskrit as Sriman Narayana (the refuge for all souls), Who is at

once the Great Lord and Master of the Universe, and also the Divinely

Merciful and Loving Protector, Who is ever striving to redeem souls

from the bondage resulting from ignorance and false ego. The unifying

factor between the Supreme Being and the individual souls is Divine

Love, which is expressed by the Lord in His constant desire to

protect and save, and is expressed by the devotee through adoration,

surrender, and selfless service. The goal of human life in the Sri

Vaishnava path is to awaken this Love for God in our hearts to a

level that brings peace, strength, and higher purpose to this life,

and eventually, salvation through a natural and heartfelt submission

to the Lord's Boundless Grace.

 

In addition to being a prodigious thinker and esteemed religious

leader, Sri Ramanuja was also revered for his magnanimity and

humanitarianism. His instructions to his disciples was that the

message of the Sri Vaishnava path should be shared with all,

irrespective of race, caste, creed or gender. Such an open and

inclusionary attitude allowed the Sri Vaishnava message of love and

service to God and His Creation to break through the rigidities of

caste and communal segregation and reach every corner of India. Such

a peaceful revitalization of Vedic thought would directly and

indirectly elevate the spiritual ideals of India for centuries,

influencing such great souls as Ramananda, Tulsidas, Kamban, Pothana,

Guru Nanak, Kabir Das, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mirabai, Swaminarayan,

and most recently, Mahatma Gandhi.

During his time on earth, Sri Ramanuja appointed 74 of his closest

disciples to serve as keepers and propogators of this proper

understanding of the Eternal Truths. These 74 disciples and their

continuous lineage of successors up to the present day have come to

form the Acharya Paramparai, the lineage of Spiritual Teachers. It

is this lineage that each and every person is given the opportunity

to link to in their formal initiation into the Sri Vaishnava faith.

(also known as Pancha Samskaram, Samashreyanam)

 

This link is likened to a beautiful necklace, which is depicted in

the illustration attached. Sri Ramanuja serves as its main jewel,

and the lineage of teachers that preceded him and follow him are

precious gems that come to completion at the clasp, the Lord Sriman

Narayana Himself.

 

A Sri Vaishnava's daily spiritual practice includes meditation on

this lineage. Along with one's own immediate Acharyas.

 

1. Sri Manavala Mamunigal

2. Sri Thiruvaiymozhi Pillai

3. Sri Pillai Lokacharya

4. Sri Vadakku Thiruvidhi Pillai

5. Sri Nampillai

6. Sri NanJeeyar

7. Sri Parasara Bhattar

8. Sri Embar

 

9. Sri Ramanuja (Central Position)

 

8. Sri Parankusa

7. Sri Yamunacharya

6. Sri Ra:ma Misra

5. Sri Pundarikaksha

4. Sri Nathamuni

3. Sri Sattakopaya

2. Sri Vishvaksena

1. Sri (Maha Lakshmi, the Divine Mother)

 

Sridhara (Sriman Narayana) LORD who takes Sri Manavala Mamugal as

HIS acharya.

 

The chain is garlanding the rahasyatrAyam, the three Great Secret

Mantras, that every Sri Vaishnava mediatates upon daily to understand

his/her true nature,

the nature of God,

and the relationship of Divine Love that binds us to Him Eternally.

 

The first of these mantras is known as the Moola mantram, which was

revealed by Sriman Narayana Himself to His Disciple Nara in his Nara-

Narayana avathara.

 

The second mantra is the dvayam, which the Lord revealed to Sri, the

Divine Mother.

 

The last of these mantras, and most well-known is the charama sloka,

which was revealed to Arjuna by the Lord in His avathara as Sri

Krishna in Sri Bhagavad Gita.

While they may continue to be known as "secrets", it is solely

through the Compassion of Sri Ramanuja that these mantras were made

available to anyone and everyone.

 

Indeed, in a paradigmatic example of his resolve, Sri Ramanuja

proclaimed the greatness of one of these mantras at a hall

(TerkAzhavan) at the top of a temple tower after his Acharya had

revealed it to him under the condition that he reveal it to no one

else. When confronted by the teacher for what was an act of

blasphemy, Sri Ramanuja replied that he would risk eternal

condemnation if it meant that just one soul could achieve the Lord's

Highest Abode. It is at this point that the Acharya, Thirukoshtiyur

Nambi, in awe of his kindness, would proclaim him to be EmperumAnAr,

our Lord of Lords. And it is for this Kindness, this Magnanimity to

the point of self-sacrifice that can only be on par with God's Own

Love, that Sri Ramanuja forever remains in our hearts and lives as

not only the Greatest among our Spiritual Teachers, but also as our

Saviour.

 

For where else can one associate and learn from the lineage of

Acharyas that starts

with the LORD himself.

 

Those in and around Chiago area, come join us this Saturday at 10:30

AM at our Aurora Srinivasa Temple, (www.balaji.org) and receive a

Introduction to Emberumanar, and a Emberumanar Poster comeplements of

the Chicago VEDICS (Iramanuja Adiyargal).

 

 

Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale sharanam

www.vedics.net