Sri Ramanuja Journal Volume 5, Issue 2

[Guest guest]

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*mAsi

AzhvAr 5*

 

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*vyAya

AchArya

2*

 

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* Sr**imathe

ramanujaya Namaha*

 

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SrImathE varavaramunayE *

 

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*THIRU-K-KACHI NAMBIKAL*

 

 

 

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*KumbE mrugasirOthbhootham yAmunArya padhAsritham*

 

*Devaraja dayApAthram SrikAnchi poorNamAsrayE*

 

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*dEvaraja dayApAthram Sri kAnchipoorNa muththamam*

 

*rAmAnuja munEr mAnyam vandhEham sanjanAsrayam *

 

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*Thirukkachchi nambi, otherwise called Kanchi poorna or gajendra dasa was

born in a small village poovirundhavalli (now called poonamalle, very near

to Chennai in Tamil Nadu) in the month of mAsi on a mirugaseersha star. He

was blessed with the grace of devadhiraja in kanchipuram and was a disciple

of yamunacharya.*

 

*This year -vyAya the thirunakshathiram is on 26.2.2007.*

 

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*Fanning -ThiruAlavattam- service to kanchi

perarulalan(A)devadhirajan(A)Varadarajan*

 

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*Being a very devout srivaishnavite, T.Nambi wanted to do some nithya

(daily) kainkaryam (service) to the lord in some form. He was more

attracted towards the fanning service (thiruAlavatta kainkaryam). First he

went to Sri ranganatha and requested him if he can do the fanning service

for the lord. Sri Ranganatha refused saying that he is already amidst the

kaveri on both sides and hence it is already very cool and this was not at

all necessary. Then T.Nambi went to thirumala and requested Srinivasa to

bless him with his service. Srinivasa also refused as it was already very

cold in thirumala ("kuliraruvi vEnkatam"). Then T.Nambi came to kanchi and

requested Devaperumal. Varadaraja was more than happy to accept the service

of T.Nambi as he was feeling really hot as he had emerged from the agni

kundam (ritual fire) of brahma. From that day T.Nambi started to do fanning

service to Devaperumal daily. The amazing part was that he used to do

fanning to the divine couples even in the night when the temple doors were

closed . During those times the lord used to talk with nambi breaking his

archa Samadhi.*

 

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*Nambi -A great influence on Ilai AzvAr*

 

*While traveling from poovirundhavalli to kanchipuram, by walk all the way

and back Nambi used to pass through sriperumbudur ere is met elaiyAzhvar

(jagatAcharyan, Swamy ramanujacharya). Elaiyazhvar was greatly fascinated

by the activities and divine anubhavams (experiences) of nambi, a great

srivaishnava. Slowly nambi started telling elaiyAzhvar largely about the

great kalyaNa guNnas (auspicious qualities) of emperuman. After his

father's sudden demise elaiyAzhvar under the guidance of nambi decided to

pursue his education under Yadhava prakasa in kanchipuram. The teachings of

Yadhavapravasa at many places did not appeal of elaiyazhvar and he suddenly

became very thirsty to do some daily service to the lord like nambi. He

requested nambi to suggest a appropriate kainkaryam and nambi as per his

usual practice asked the same to varadaraja himself. As per the

instructions of varadarajan, nambi told elaiyazhvar to do theertha

kainkaryam (bringing water for pooja-thiruvaradhana from sAlai kinaru, a

well little away from the temple of varadaraja).*

 

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*Aa mudalvan katAksham*

 

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*Aalavandaar, the then leading preceptor of Srivaishnavas, was searching for

a appropriate person to be his successor. He came to know of elaiyazhvar's

greatness from his disciples and rushed to kanchi to see him. T.Nambi, who

was also a disciple of aalavandaar (yamunacharya) prostrated and welcomed

swamy and took him for the darshan of the lord. While in front of the

kariyamAnikkam sannadhi, yamunacharya enquired about elaiyAzhvar. At the

same time, elaiyazhvar was crossing by at the back of his acharya, Yadhava

prakasa. T.Nambi showed him to yamunacharya who was immensely happy to see

the bright elaiyazhvar filled with tejas. Yamunacharya rushed to varadan's

sannadhi and surrendered to Varada requesting him to bring elaiyazhvar to

the srivaishnavic fold and make him the next acharya (pravarthakAcharya)

after him. Thus the "Aa mudalvan katAksham" (the divine sight with the

blessing to become the leader/master) of aalavandaar fell on elaiyazhvar

only due to the purushakaram (aid) of a ardent srivaishnava, T.Nambi. And

only this kataksham made elaiyazhvar into a jagadAcharya (master of the

world).*

 

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*Six words of Devaperumal -The ARU vArthai*

 

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*The sankalpa (wish) of yamunacharya paved way for renaiassance he mind of

elaiyazhvar which later on manifested into the world at large.. A few

doubts flashed his thoughts. He wanted nambi to become his acharya but

nambi refused due to his caste but accepted to clarify his doubts through

devadhiraja. That night nambi told about the confusions in the mind of

elaiyazhvar. The interesting part is neither did elaiyazhvar tell his

doubts nor did nambi ask for the same. Devaperumal, one who resides inside

everyones mind gave the answers through nambi. Those are the renowned 6

verses of varadaraja, that paved way for ramanujacharya to uplift the whole

world.*

 

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*'Ponagam seidha sEdam'*

 

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*Ramanujacharya respected T.Nambi so much that he wanted to partake the

prasadam of nambi, one day he invited nambi to his house to have food.

Ramanuja

didn't give out his thought of having nambi's prasadam as he knew that nambi

will not accept. But due to divine ishvara sankalpa (lord's wish) nambi

came early since he had to go to bhagavat kainkaryam fast and at that time

ramanujacharya was not at home. Ramanujacharya's wife, thanjamAmbal was a

brahmanistic lady very orthodox in outlook and practice and hence she was

not comfortable with swamy ramanuja's srivaishnavic way of treating all

srivaishnavas equal. She served food for nambi, cleaned the place, threw

all the left overs and took head bath again to prepare fresh food for

ramanuja. On returning back, ramanuja couldn't understand why she has taken

bath again and when enquired she explained that since a low caste person had

had food, she cleaned the area and also took bath again for sudhdhi. Ramanuja

was taken aback by this act and also greatly disappointed as he couldn't get

the 'ponagam seidha sEdham' (left over prasadam ) of nambi. This incident

became one of the main reasons for elaiyazhvar to take up sanyasa and become

ethirajar.*

 

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*Nam** payyal (my dear boy)*

 

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*Once one of the disciples of T.Nambi asked, if he was assured moksha. Nambi

went and asked varadaraja if he will grant the disciple moksha. Varadarajan

with great enthusiasm replied,"why not! After all he is a abhimanapAthram

(under the grace) of such a great srivaishnava (T.Nambi). Why will I not

grant him moksha?"*

 

*When Nambi told this to the disciple he again questioned, "Then Oh! Nambi

did you ask if you will be granted moksha?" Nambi was perplexed but he did

not reply back with ego instead he went back to varadarajan and asked the

same.*

 

*Amazingly the reply of devaperumal was, "Why should I grant you moksha? He

did fanning to me and I have talked to you. Fanning and talking have

cancelled each other and so only when you get the abhimanam of a

srivaishnava will I grant you moksha" Nambi immediately placed the fan down

and rushed to srirangam. There he served Periya nambi, samasrayana acharya

of ramanujacharya and a disciple of yamunacharya, as a bullock cart driver.

He never showed his face to periya nambi and hence he was blessed with this

kainkaryam for quite sometime. One fine day, periya nambi wanted to credit

the sincere and obedient driver with his old clothes and hence called 'oh my

boy'. T.Nambi jumped in joy as he had got the abhimanam of periya nambi a

great Srivaishnava. From that time, T.Nambi resumed kainkaryam to pEar

aruLALan (thiruvAlavattam) after he**got the abhimanam of a great

srivaishnava and was assured moksha.*

 

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*Devaraja ashtakam*

 

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*Since he was always immersed in the physical service he has not given much

works. His only work is the 8 beautiful slokas on devarajan called the

"dEvarAja ashtakam"*

 

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*Thus we can go on and on about the greatness of the revered acharya. Let

us stop with mangalasasanams*

 

*"maruvArum thirumalli vAzha vandhOn vAzhiyE*

 

* mAsi mirugaseeridaththil vandhudhiththAn vAzhiyE*

 

* arulAlarudan mozhi solladhisayiththOn vAzhiyE*

 

* Arumozhi poodhoorarkku aliththa pirAn vAzhiyE*

 

* ThiruAlavattam seidhu sEvippOn vAzhiyE*

 

* dEvarAjaattagaththai seppumavan vAzhiyE*

 

* terulArum Alavandaar thiruvadiyOn vAzhiyE*

 

* Thirukkachchi nambi eruthiruvadigal vAzhiyE*

 

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*PUvirundhavalli*

 

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*Even today The divine birth place of Sri Thirukachi Nambi greets us with

Sri Vardarajar and Sri Ranganathar.*

 

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*Being very easy to visit, one should enjoy the ten day utsavam culminating

on 26.2.2007.*

 

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*Vara Vara Muni dAsargaL*

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