[sri ramanuja] Sri Ramanuja Journal Issue 2 Volume 6

[Guest guest]

* SrimathE rAmAnujAya namaH*

 

* SrImathE varavaramunayE namaH*

 

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*Karthikai, Vyaya

Azhvar 2, Acharya 6 *

 

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*SwAmi Nampillai – Part 1*

 

*Thirunakshatram, kArthikai, kArthikai*

 

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*VrichchikE kruththikAjAtham kalivairi gurum bhajE*

 

* vEdAnthimuni pAdApjasritham srisookthi mahArNavam*

 

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*vEdhAntha vEdyAmrutha vArirAsEr*

 

* vEdArththa sArAmrutha bhooramakryam*

 

*AdhAya varshandha maham prabhathyE*

 

* kAruNyapoorNam kalivairi dhAsam*

 

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*Nampillai is the great acharya who find his place after Nanjeeyer in our

guru parampara. Nampillai's original name was 'nambur varadachariar' nambur

being his native place. Once nanjeeyer who has completed writing the

commentary to thiruvaimozhi the ompadhinAyirapadi (9000 padi=9000*32

aksharas/syllables) was in a search of a good writer who can beautifully and

legibly rewrite the whole commentary. All the disciples in unison

suggested the name of nambur varadachariar who also used to come to the

kalashepa (discourse) ghosti of nanjeeyer at many times (as he had to travel

from nambur to srirangam he wasn't able to come always). So nanjeeyer sent

a word to varadachariar. *

 

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*Then Nanjeeyer tested varadachariar's hand writing and was satisfied. But

still he was hesitant since without the basic knowledge he may make mistakes

while copying. Understanding the hesitation of acharya, varadachariar

immediately with utmost politeness said, "Can not the acharya make adiyen

eligible to copy the divine work?". Nanjeeyer was delighted seeing the

humbleness of varadachariar and hence he gave all the divine meanings to him

once and then asked him to make copy of the original script. Varadachariar

accepted the original script and started towards his village. On the way he

had to cross kaveri. He held the script on top of his head and started to

swim. Unfortunately due to the floods in kaveri he lost the original

script. His sorrow reached no bounds. Not knowing what to do, he started

writing the commentary getting to mind everything he has heard from

nanjeeyer. Then he went along with the new manuscript to nanjeeyer.

Nanjeeyer

glanced through it and immediately realized that there were more beautiful

things added to the commentary along with whatever he has written. He

asked Varadachariar what really happened. Varadachariar told what happened

as it is since he cannot hide anything from the acharya.*

 

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*Nanjeeyer did not get angry or feel for losing his commentary instead he

appreciated varadachariar for remembering everything he has heard and also

to have added more beautiful meanings (mainly the language part as

varadachariar was more proficient in Tamil) into the commentary. Such was

the greatness of the disciple and acharya. Nambur varadachariar was very

talented and well educated.*

 

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*Swamy Manavala mAmunikal in his upadesa ratinamalai says,*

 

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*"Namperumal nammazhvar nanjeeyer nampillai enbar*

 

* Avvaravartham eRRaththAl –anbudaiyOr*

 

* SaRRuthiunAmangal thAnendru nannenjE*

 

* Eththadhanai sollunee endru" (Upadesa

ratina malai 50) *

 

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[All the four mentioned above are prefixed by "our" -nam which is due to

their respective greatness and this is bestowed by those with love and

affection. nam-piLLai is placed in this exclusive, elite class. Doesn't it

show his greatness?]

 

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*"tunnu pugazh kandAdai thOzhappar tanmugappAl*

 

* ennavulagAriyanO venruraikka-pinnai*

 

* vulagariyanennumpEr nampillaikkOngi*

 

* vilagAmal nindRa dendrum mEl" (Upadesa ratina malai 51)*

 

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*Today when we all hear the name Vulagariyan or Lokacharya we are all

reminded of Swamy Pillai lokacharya who was the elder son of vadakku

thiruveedhipillai and who gave the great ashtadadasa rahasya to this world.

But actually vadakku thiruveedhi pillai named his elder son only after his

acharya nampillai who was regarded as lokacharya. This divine name was

entitled to nampillai by kandAdai thOzhappar a descendant of mudaliyandan.

Kandadai thozhappar was filled with pride that he was from a clan of

acharyas and hence he envied nampillai being celebrated by Srivaishnavas. Once

he lost his control so much that he yelled at nampillai with all wrong words

inside the temple in front of many Srivaishnavas. Kandadai thozhappar's

wife was an ardent devotee and she couldn't stand this acharya nindhanam

(talking ill of an acharya) and she refused to do any more household as long

as thozhappar apologized to nampillai. Thozhappar also realized his

mistake and accepted to apologise to nampillai first thing in the

morning. Next

day when he opened the door of his house thozhappar found someone reclining

outside. Hearing the sound of the door nampillai in front of thozhappar's

house apologized for what happened the previous day. Thozhappar asked "why

are you apologizing when the mistake was totally on adiyen's side?"

Nampillai replied politely, "Oh! No It was only adiyen's actions that probed

you to talk harsh words. That is why adiyen was waiting outside your house

to apologise the first thing in the morning" Thozhappar didn't have any

words seeing the goodness of nampillai and he immediately said, "Oh! You

changed me, please accept me as your disciple moreover you are not only

acharya to me, you are the lokacharya-Acharya for the whole world." From

that day the name lokacharya became famous for nampillai.*

 

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*Nampillai was born in Karthigai month in karthigai star similar to that of

thirumangai azhvar . Hence he is considered to be a avatara of kaliyan and

also called as kalikandri dasar. *

 

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*Nanjeeyer did thiruvaimozhi kalashepam 100 times in his lifetime and our

acharyas say when some one asked nampillai the meaning of any paasuram as

told by nanjeeyer he will ask back, "Our acharya used to give different

different meanings during each kalashepam and he did so for 100 times. Which

meaning given in which kalashepam do you want?" *

 

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*There are so many interesting dialogues between nanjeeyer and nampillai

sited in our guruparampa charithrams and also in the arulicheyal vyakhyanams

(commentaries) that provides us a great insight into our sampradayam. *

 

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*Nampillai thiruvadigalE sharaNam*

 

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*Varavaramuni dasargal *