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Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

It is our privilage and great pleasure to bring you live Upanyasams starting

from

April 29th to May9th PST 7:00am to 8:30am on Kanninun Siruththambhu, by none

other than SRI.VELUKKUDI KRISHNAN SWAMI, with whom we all are very familiar

with.

This topic is chosen to coincide with the celebration of Swami Madhurakavi

Azhvar and

Thirumalai Ananthan Pillai who were born on the same month same star Chithirail

Chithirai. This year the day falls on May 3rd, and we are blessed to have live

lecture

on the most important link in DivyaPrabhandam. As most of us are familiar with

knowledge laden upanyasams of Sri VKrishnan Swami, adiyen cannot justify an

introduction.

 

Below is a small introduction on this subject.

 

 

 

Kanninun Chiruththambhu

 

 

 

“Vaiththa Thirumanthirathin maththimamaam padam pol

 

Seertha Madhurakavi seikalaiyai – aartha pugazh

 

AAriyargal thaangal arulich cheyal naduve

 

Serviththar thathparriyam therndhu”

 

 

 

Lord Sriman Narayana took incarnation as Nara and Narayana, and gave us the most

holy of the mantras – thirumantram. The middle part of thirumantram – nama: is

very special and important. It shows us the path to salvation, and also teaches

us servitude to the Lord and His devotees. Just as how the nama: word is very

special in the thirumantram, kaNNinun siruththAmbu is also special in the divya

prabhandham – especially as it teaches the epitome of a jIvA’s svaroopa –

servitude to the devotees to the Lord. Svami maNavALa mAmuni, in the above

paasuram teaches us that learned elders made kaNNinun siruththaambu a part of

the divya prabhandham.

 

 

 

Madhurakaviazhvar (the composer of kaNNi nun siruththaambu) was a disciple of

svami Nammazhvar. His composition occupies a very important part of everyday,

and festival rituals in all the temples. In Thirumala during daily

Nithyanusandhanam, and adyayana uthsavam, this is chanted daily in the end.

This practice was established by Sri Alawandar, Peria Thirumalai Nambi, and

Swami Ramanuja. Swami Ananthazhvan confirmed this by being born on the same

day as Madhurakavi that is CHITHIRAIL CHITHIRAI (to show Acharya Bhakthi, like

Madhurakavi). Even today in Azhvar Thirunagari kaNNinun siruththaambu is chanted

as Thaniyan in front of Bhavishyadacharya sannidhi. For Thiruvoimozhi this also

is chanted as part of Thaniyan. In Thirunarayanapuram (Gnana Mandapam), in front

of Selvappillai this is chanted prior to Sevakalam.

 

 

 

Now let us see why this is held in such high esteem as “Namaha”. Ohm denotes

“Akaram,Ukaram,and Makaram. Akara’s meaning is given in Thiruppalandu,and

Periazhvar Thirumozhi. Ukara’s meaning is given in Thiruppavai, Nachiyar

Thirumozhi, and Perumal Thirumozhi. Makaram is explained in

Thiruchchandaviruththam, Thirumalai,Thiruppalliezhchchi and Amalan Adhipiran.

Namaha is glorified by Kanninun Chiruththambhu.. Narayana’s greatness is

provided in Peria Thirumozhi. Thus in Divya Prabhandam we see how Namaha is set.

 

 

 

Sri Madhura Kavi realized that all the Divya Desam Perumals reside in the

Thirumaeni of Swami Nammazhvar, and thus He has surrendered onto Him. In all

the Divya Desams Sri Nammazhvar is residing as SriSatari, and to get to wear

SriSatari on His Head Madhura Kavi travels to all the Divya Desams. For Him

Azhvar is the nectar. Perumal is secondary.

 

 

 

Sri Nathamuni got back the lost DivyaPrabhandam back from Nammazhvar by chanting

Kanninun Chiruththambhu 12000 times. When one prays to the Lord directly what

he wants may or may not happen. But if one goes through the Acharya, whatever

one desires happens. This is proven by the very fact that we got Divya

Prabhandam back only by chanting Madhurakavi’s work.

 

 

 

>From May11th to June 6th we will have Stotra Ratna a great work of Swami

Alawandar, regarding the location and time schedule please visit www.vedic .net.

Here is a brief introduction below:

 

 

 

The simplest means by which we can attain to Him, in the present (Kali Yuga) is

by singing His glory (bajans, slokas of our Purvacharyars and DivyaPrabhandams).

Vedic rituals are for a few, but it is every individual’s right to sing hymns in

praise of the Lord. In reply to a specific question from Yudhistira seeking out

The name of Supreme Deity Bhishma stated “one who sings with utter devotion

about God Vishnu the Lord of the whole universe, will be rid of ills, evils and

miseries and will attain a state of perfect bliss.

 

 

 

Our Purvacharyas with their intellect and intense religious devotion should

obviously be our unerring guide. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE MOST PLEASING TO GOD IF

THEIR FOOTSTEPS ARE FOLLOWED AND SANG THE VERY SONGS SUNG BY THEM, the soul

stirring hymns of unparalleled sweetness and excellence. The extraordinary

greatness of the Sanskrit sloka is brought out in the name given to it “ STOTRA

RATNA “, a priceless gem, like Purana Ratna, and Mantra Ratna.

 

 

 

First and foremost, the Stotra Ratna is very dear to us, if not for any reason,

for this reason – It was give to us by none other than our dearest Swami

AlavandAr (Yamunacharya), without whom Ramanuja would not have been discovered

and taught the great concepts of our religion. Yamunacharya is also the grandson

of Swami Nathamuni, without whom we will not even have the AzhvAr aruLichayals

now.

 

 

 

In SriVaishnava literature this occupies a unique position of eminence, because

it throws light on the “Rahasyas”, portraying the true knowledge of one’s goal,

in relation to one’s own self and the manner of attaining it. It is a very

valuable fountain-source of the fund of knowledge, relating to Ubaya Vedantas,

and expounding the intricacies of SriVaishnavism, available to us now. The later

compositions of our Jagad Guru Swami Ramanuja, Parasara Bhattar, and Vedanta

Desika bear the stamp of Yamuna’s scintillating work. In fact it was the recital

of Stotra Ratna by Mahapurnar that cast the spell on Swami Ramanuja, who wanted

to find out who wrote such a beautiful and clear stotra. From there on, Ramanuja

became the disciple of Yamunacharya.

 

 

 

In the gadya trayam of Ramanuja, the exact words used to describe the qualities

of our Lord are directly found in the Stotra Ratna. The Stotra Ratna is even

more special as it introduces the beautiful concepts explained by our AzhvArs in

the 4000 divya prabhandham to a Sanskrit audience. The ideas contained in Stotra

Ratna come not only from the Vedic literature, but also directly from the AzhvAr

works. In fact, there are two slokas that are almost direct translations of two

pAsurams from the thiruvAymozhi.

 

 

 

In the first five Slokas Yamunacharya pours out His heart to the three great

ones Sri Nathamuni, Sage Parasara bhattar, and saint Nammalvar.

 

In the sixth sloka He starts singing about Sriman Narayana, and 7-9 He states

that not even the mighty Devas could comprehend the Lord.

 

Slokas 10-20 is highlighted with the infinite glory of Sriman Narayana, the

sovereign Master, who is the abode for all that is auspicious.

 

Sloka 21 prepares the ground for surrender path.

 

Sloka 22-27 emphasizes absolute surrender to His Grace as the only course left

to us.

 

Sloka 28-29 they reveal the benefits reaped by Lord’s spontaneous Grace.

 

Sloka 30-31 here He longs for the sight of the Divine Feet, and wants to bear

the Divine Feet on His head.

 

Sloka32-45 Here He longs for Lord Vishnu’s beautiful vision in His celestial

settings.

 

Sloka46 He earns for constant service.

 

Sloka 47-48 alternate despair and Hope

 

Sloka 49-51 Mutual relationship between God and man

 

Sloka 52-53 says that we can’t offer Him anything since everything is His

property.

 

Sloka54-56 Stress upon constant and ecstatic devotion to Lord Sriman Narayana.

 

Sloka 57 utter dedication

 

Sloka 58-60 on our countless imperfections and the need to invoke His Grace

 

Sloka61 About author’s birth in a noble family and still didn’t develop good

qualities

 

Sloka62 man’s severe disqualifications and our ineligibility for the Lord’s

Grace

 

Sloka63-64 Proclaims Lord’s unlimited Grace and magnitude

 

Sloka 65 Beseeching The Lord to shed His Grace on himself, though He does not

deserve at least for His grandfather Nathamuni’s sake.

 

 

 

Excepts from Sathyamoorthy Iyengar’s book.

 

 

 

Swami Nammazvar and Sri Parasara Bhattar's Thirunakshthrams falls on June 1st

and 2nd when Sri.V.K Swami may speak on their contributions to Sri Vaishnavism.

 

 

 

To sign up for this great oppurtunity please visit www.vedics.net.

 

For the whole series it is $108.00, and at the end you will also recive 2 CDs.

 

 

 

 

 

iramanuja adiyargal

 

Azhvar Emperumanaar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam.