Sri Ramanuja Acharya

[Guest guest]

http://www.indiadivine.com/ramanujacharya1-y.htm

 

 

 

Sri Ramanuja Acharya appeared around 1017 AD in a pious brahmana family. He

became the formost Acharya in the Sri Sampradaya and was reputed to be the

incarnation of Laksmana, the younger brother of Lord Ramachandra.

 

He was a boy of extraordinary intelligence and placed himself under the

charge of Yadavacharya, a renown Sankarite scholar. His guru was struck with

his marvellous intellect and became very uncomfortable on account of his

firm faith in Bhakti. One day while taking a massage, Yadavacharya was

explaining to Ramanuja a sutra:

 

tasya yatha kapyasam pundarikamevamaksini

 

- Chandogya 1.6.7

 

Yadavacharya explained that according to Shankara the sutra says the two

eyes of Pundarika (Vishnu) are like two lotuses which are red like the nates

of a monkey. On hearing this interpretation with the unbecoming and low

simile, Ramanuja's soft heart, tender by nature and softened by devotion,

melted and as he was massaging, tears rolled down from the corners of his

eyes like flames of fire and fell on the thigh of Yadava. Looking up at the

touch of the hot tears, Yadava understood that something troubled his

disciple. Ramanuja explained his dismay at hearing such an unbecoming

explaination from his guru. He thought it sinful to compare with the

posterior of a monkey the eyes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead - who

is endowed with all gracious qualities and who is the repository of all the

beauty of the universe. Yadava was angry at the boys audacity and told him

to explain the verse if he could. Ramanuja ana lysed the word kapyasam to

mean `blossomed by the sun' and the verse to mean "The eyes of that Golden

Purusa are as lovely as lotuses blossomed by the rays of the sun."

 

After a few more such incidents when Ramanuja corrected his guru,

Yadavacharya thought him to be a threat to the Sankarite line and plotted to

kill him. Later it came to pass that Yadavacharya was to become the disciple

of Ramanuja.

 

Yamunacharya the formost exponant of Vaishnava philosophy of the time,

knowing of his extraordinary ability and purity, called for Ramanuja with

the intent of placing him in charge of the mission after his disappearance.

Ramanuja was on his way to see Yamu nacharya when he received the news of

Yamunacharya's departure from the world. Arriving at Srirangam, Ramanuja

went to have his last darshana of that great soul. There he noticed three of

Yamunacharya's fingers were clenched. Ramanuja then made three vows:- he

would make the people surrender to God and initiate them by the

pancasamskara.- he would write a commentary on the Vedantasutra which was

later called Sri Bhashya.- He would also write what is like an encyclopedia

on the Puranas and would name one grea tly learned Vaisnava after Parasara

Muni who wrote the gem among the Puranas, the Vishnu Purana.

 

Later Ramanuja took sannyasa and travelled throughout India vigorously

defeating atheists and impersonalists by preaching the Vasistadvaita

doctrine. He never failed to win over a rival in spiritual disputations.

 

His philosophy is visistadvaita. Brahman is Narayana - (chit-achit-isvara),

Narayana with Lakshmi - (transcendental form), Four Vyuha forms, Vaibhava

forms. The qualities of Brahman are both nirguna and saguna. The soul is

real, eternal, individual, not omn ipresent, not independent of Isvara but

part. Isvara is the efficient cause of creation. It is from His will out of

delight. The cause of bondage is beginningless karma. The process of release

is Bhakti based on Pancharatra and Vishnu purana followed by det ached karma

that brings jnana - Prapatti. The goal is to attain the same nature of

Isvara and companionship with Him. He does not return and has no power of

creation, etc.

 

Once while Ramanuja Acharya was staying in Jagannath Puri he offered prayers

to Lord Jagannatha, who became very pleased.

 

Lord Jagannatha appeared before Ramanuja and said, "Ramanuja, go and visit

Sri Navadwipa, for very soon I shall appear there in the house of Jagannatha

Misra. Sri Navadwipa is My most beloved abode and is a part of the spiritual

sky manifest in this worl d. As my eternal servant and a leader amongst My

devotees, you should go there. Let your students stay here, for they are

absorbed in dasya rasa (servitorship in awe and reverence) and will not

understand the advanced devotional mood, so travel there alon e. Any living

entity who does not go to see Sri Navadwipa has been born uselessly. Just

one portion of Sri Navadwipa contains Ranga Ksetra, Venkatesvara and Yadava

Acala. Therefore go to Sri Navadwipa and see My form of Gauranga. After

gaining the Lord's blessing go to Kurma Sthana and rejoin your disciples."

 

Folding his hands, Ramanuja humbly requested Lord Jagannatha, "My dear Lord,

You have mercifully told me something about Gauranga, but exactly who He is,

I do not know?"

 

The Lord answered, "It is known to you that Lord Sri Krishna, the Lord of

Goloka, is the Supreme Absolute Truth. That much is well known to My

devotees. That same Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in Sri

Vrindavana is fully manifest as Gauranga, a nd His beloved abode, Sri

Vrindavana, is manifest as the holy land of Sri Navadwipa. Navadwipa is the

Supreme spiritual abode and it is transcendental to the influence of the

material nature. In that divine land, Lord Gauranga eternally resides. By My

mercy that holy abode has come to exist within the universe, but it remains

completely unaffected by maya. This is the verdict of the scriptures. If

anyone thinks that Sri navadwipa is only a material location, then whatever

devotion he has developed will wi ther and perish. By My will, My

inconceivable energy preserves this transcendental abode within this

material world. Simply by studying the scriptures, one will not be able to

understand the Absolute Truth. Only by My mercy can My devotees understand."

 

Hearing these words of Lord Jagannatha, Ramanuja was filled with love. "My

dear Lord," he said, "Your pastimes are truly astounding. The scriptures

cannot fully describe Your opulences. Why is Gauranga-lila not described in

the scriptures? Upon reflectio n, I find some hint of Gauranga tattva in the

srutis and puranas. Now, however, all my doubts are gone and I am ready to

execute Your will. If it is Your desire, I will go to Sri Navadwipa and from

there, I will set out to preach about Lord Gauranga throu ghout the three

worlds, giving evidences from the scriptures to all, converting them to the

devotional service of Gauranga. Please instruct me. You have just to give me

Your order."

 

Lord Jagannatha replied, "Ramanuja, do not broadcast in this way. Keep these

secrets of Lord Gauranga's pastimes as they are for the present. Only after

He has concluded His pastimes will the people in general come to understand

them. Preach about me on the level of dasya rasa as you have always done,

but within your heart, worship Lord Gauranga constantly."

 

Following Lord Jagannatha's order, Ramanuja secretly cultivated his

attraction for Sri Navadwipa. Being very merciful, Lord Narayana led him to

Vaikunthapura and showed him His transcendental form, worshipped by

manifestations of His different energies. Ramanuja felt himself most

fortunate to see this, but, as he watched, the Lord manifested His form as

Gauranga, the son of Jagannatha Misra. Ramanuja's mind became stunned by the

brilliance of His shining golden form. Lord Gauranga then placed His two lot

us feet upon Ramanuja's head and Ramanuja, filled with inspiration, began to

offer prayers.

 

Ramanuja said, "I must see Your pastimes when You appear here in Navadwipa

My Lord. I shall never leave this place."

 

Lord Gauranga replied, "Your wish will be fulfilled, O son of Kesava. When

My Navadwipa lila is revealed you will again take your birth here."

 

Lord Gauranga then disappeared. Greatly satisfied by the Lord's promise,

Ramanuja returned to Kurma Sthana, where he joined his disciples. During his

life he preached devotional service to the Lord in the mood of dasya rasa,

or servitorship throughout th e south of India, whilst internally he was

absorbed in meditating on the pastimes of Lord Gauranga. By Lord Gauranga's

mercy, he was born again in Sri Navadwipa as a devotee named Ananta to

assist in the Lord's pastimes. When Lord Chaitanya made His appearance in

Sri Navadwipa, Ananta Vipra was already quite old, He lived in a cottage

which was situated beneath a huge old banyan tree. There, within his humble

abode, he would worship his Deities of Laxmi-Narayana. None could describe

the pure way in which he worshipped Them.

 

(Source: Sri Navadwipa-dham mahatmya)