srI yAmunAcArya & sthothra rathna-Introduction

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

Srimad Vara Vara munaye nama:

 

Dear saha bhAgavathAs,

Accept my humble praNAms. I recently got hold of some

important SV works and I thought I will post it in our Ramanuja

group. The first work that I would like to post is the "jewel among

the sthothras" namely "sthOthra rathna" by Sri yAmunAcArya,also known

as ALavandhAr. This english rendering by an IAS Dr MS Rajajee is

based on Sri PB aNNangarAcAriAr swami's commentary on the same in

Telugu. I also have Sri Periya vAccAn piLLai's vyAkhyAnam for this

published by puthur swami. I humbly request all the bhAgavathAs to

correct me any time.

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

Among the great srI vaiShNava(SV) AcAryAs,Sri yAmunAcArya

occupies a unique place. He has made substantial contributions to srI

vishiShTAdvaitha philosophy and established the pre-eminence of

sriman nArAyaNa through his philosophical works and hymns. Sri

yAmunA's sthOthra rathna occupies a special place in teh devotional

literature as it weaves philosphical ideas in poetic language.

 

The sthOthra rathnaconsisting of 65 slokas/verses conveys

the essentials/basics of SV philosophy like the relation of the

individual self to the Supreme and His Consort,the place of the

triple path of karma,j~nAna,bhakthi and the means for His Divine

Grace. Above all,it emphaises the supreme significance of prapatti or

surrender to achieve salvation.

 

All later AcAryAs emperumAnAr,sri parAshara bhattar and

so on derived their inspiration from this great and priceless work.

It is said that the recital of these slokas(especially sloka 11) by

mahApUrNa always used to cast an irresistible spell on srI rAmAnuja.

It is this same sloka no. 11 which weaned away rAmAnuja's cousin

gOvinda(embAr) from shaivism. ALvandhAr,in turn,derived inspiration

for his work from the divya prabandham and many slokas in samskrt are

what had been stated in NDP.

 

srI yAmunA was born in ACE 953 in vIra nArAyaNa puram of

Tamilnadu(closer to Cuddalore). He was the son of Ishwara muni and

the grandson of srI ranganAThamuni(popularly known as nAThamuni).

NAThamuni nad his family were going on a pilgrimage to north. As the

concepption took place on the banks of the river Yamuna,srI nAThamuni

named the child yAmunA. Sri Ishwara muni died at an young age. On the

death of his son,nAThamuni renounced the world nad became a recluse

and the education of yAmuna was left to bhAShya bhattaraka. srI

yAmunA was an excellent student and excelled in all branches of

studies.

 

yAmuna's teacher and all the others were under the

rulership of pANdyan king. The chief preceptor and religious

disputant in the court was vidyajjanakOlAhala. As his name

indicated,he threw all the learned people into turmoil and

mercilessly vanquished them in scholarly debates. yAmunA's teacher

was one among thhose who had been defeated. He was therefore required

to pay a tribute to the king and the paNdit. yAmunA's teacher

couldn't do the payments and so one day the attendants from teh court

came to forcible collect the dues. The teacher was away and

yAmunA ,on behalf of the teacher,refused to pay. yAmunA was only 12

years old that time. When the attendants treatened to attach the

property,yAmunA raised the issue that he would have to be defeated in

a debate and he also made it clear that they should fetch a palanquin

and carry him with due honor,as he was,after all challenging the

royal preceptor. The king was amused that a twelve year old should

behave like this but finally agreed. yAmuna was received by the King

and the queen who had a wager. The queen said that if yAmunA lost the

debate,she would embrace shaivism and become a slave to the king all

her life. The king said that if yAmunA won,he would give away portion

of his kingdom to yAmunA.

 

yAmunA easily and convincingly defeated the paNdit. The

queen welcomed and addressed yAmunA as "emmai ALa vanDhIrO(one who

came to conquer)". From then onwards yAmunA was also known as

ALavandhAr. yAmunA engrossed himself in teh administration of his

kingdom and was enjoying royal splendour. nAThamuni came to know

about this and he was sad. He wanted his grandson to refrain himself

from royal pleasures and to take the spiritual path. He entrusted the

job to his disciple puNdarIkAksha(uyyakkoNdAr)and then breated his

last. Even uyyakkoNdAr,who was quite old,handed this job over to his

own disciple srIrAma misra(maNakkAl nambi) and passed away. maNakkAl

nambi found that the king was always surrounded by the

courtiers,paNdits and attendants and there was no chance for him to

meet the king in private. He came up with a plan. He used to send

green leaves(thUdhuvaLai,a type of spinach),when cooked and

eaten,makes a person develop sathva habits. Nambi befriended the

royal cook and told him that whoever takes this spinach will have

increased longevity supreme intelligence. The cook prepared this dish

for the King yAmunA and yAmunA also enjoyed this dish. As

planned,nambi suddenly stopped sending these spinaches to the royal

court and the cook couldn't get an alternate source. The king wanted

the supplier to appear in court. maNakkAl nambi,after promising to

resume the supply,told the king that there was agreat treasure

bequeathed by latter's ancestors which was available to be taken and

yAmunA also asked the nambi to take him to the treasure.

 

Nambi said that the treasure was behind seven gates that

was guarded by a great snake and if the king desired to secure the

treasure the king would have to come alone. yAmuna also agreed to it.

maNakkAl nambi took the king to srIrangam. They went past the seven

gates and when yAmunA saw the great Lord reclining on AdhisheSha(the

serpent which was guarding the treasure!)he fell before the Lord and

became a changed man. He renounced the kingdom and became a saintly

person. He became yAmunAcArya. Sri yAmunAcArya has written gIthArTha

samgraha,catusslOki,sidDhi thraya,puruSha nirNaya(which has become

extinct) and Agama prAmANya.

 

EmperumAnAr,in his samskrt work(gItha bhAShya) expresses

his indebtedness and gratitude to this great AcAryA without whose

grace,Ramanuja would not have been successful in accomplishing his

tasks. To such a great AcArya,i offer my salutations.

 

sri yAmunAcAriAr thiruvadigaLE sharaNam

AzhvAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam

NC Nappinnai