Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.27- Acharya bhakti of Madhurakavi

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

 

Continuing on the prime sishya of Swami Nammazhwar - Madhurakavi AzhwAr:

thaniyans on Madhurakavi were composed by Sriman Nathamuni

(one in sanskrit and another in chaste tamil)

 

Aviditha Vishaya Antharas /Sadaarer Upanishadam Upagaana Matra Bogah /

Abhi Saguna Vasaath Tad Eka Seshee /Madhura Kavir Hridaye Mamaavirastu /

 

" Here is one who knew none other than Nammalwar; the one who made it his

mission in life to sing the Tamizh upanishadam of Nammalwar; The one being

overwhelmed by Nammalwar held him as his very God; Let such Madhurakavi

fill my heart " (our hearts, too)

 

Veronrum Naan Ariyen Vedam Tamizh Seitha /Maaran Sadakopan Vun Kurugur -

Yeru Engal /Vaazhvaam Enru Ethum Madhura Kaviyaar Emmai /

Aalwaar Avare Saran /

 

Madhurakavi said - " I do not know anything other than Nammalwar also known

as Maaran(original name of NammAzhwAr) who rendered in Tamil the essence of

the Vedas and who is the head of Tirukkurugur. This Madhurakavi is OUR

master. He is THE guardian of the group of Prapannaas.(and Bhakti Group-

Nathamuni has spoken just on our behalf- Let us recite everyday these 11

pAsurams and be blessed!)

 

Sri Satakopan swami adds from desika prabandham: [Thanks to him for his

permission to enjoy herein]

From Swami Desikan’s Prabhandha Saaram verse on Madhura Kavi:

 

ThERiya maajn~Anamudan ThirukkOLUril

  ChitthirayiR Chitthirai naaL Vanthu thOnRi

AaRiya NalanbhudanE KuruhUr Nampikku

  anavaratham antharanga-adimai seythu

MaaRanai allAl yenRum maRanthum thEvu

  maRRaRiyEn yenum Madhura kaviyE nee munn

kooRiya KaNNinuNN SiRutthAmpu athaniR paattuk-

  kulavu pathinonRum yenakku uthavu neeyE

 

Oh Maadhura Kavi born on Chitthirai maasa Chitthirai at ThirukkOLUr

with clear Jn~Anam and who performed antharanga kaimkaryam for Swamy NammAzhwAr

with intense devotion and without let! You declared that

You do not know of any god other than Swamy NammAzhwAr. Please bless me now with

the Jn~Anam about the eleven paasurams of Your aruLiccheyal

(blessed work) KaNNinuNN SirutthAmpu that you blessed the world earlier.

 

Even when KrishNa ParamAthmA was living at DwArakai during his (Madhura kavi's)

lifetime , he did not seek Bhagavan's feet for Prapatthi based on his conviction

that he has to approach the Lord through a sadAchAryan and

hence he waited for Swamy NammAzhwAr's avathAram to perform Prapatthi at His

sacred feet. He considered thereafter that his AchAryan's sacred feet alone are

his Taaraka-Poshaka Bhagyam and performed uninterrupted kaimkrayam to his

AchAryan.Through this act , Madhura Kavi showed

the world the ancient , auspicious and safe route (Tholl Vazhi)of AchArya

Bhakthi even over Bhagavath Bhakthi . Madhura Kavi thus pointed out that even

with

the greatest bhakthi to Bhagavaan , those who do not

approach Him through a sadAchAryan will not be redeemed.

Madhura Kavi instructed us on this very important doctrine

for the first time (nee munn kooRiya) through his Prabhandham .

 

*** The  Four Methods of Saranagathi

 

Swamy Desikan has explained to us the four routes available to

one desirous of performing  Saranaagathi (Prapatti ).

 

They are:

(1) Svanishtai

(2) Ukthi Nishtai

(3) Acharya Nishtai and

(4) Bhagavatha Nishtai.

In his Saranagathi Deepikai stotram dedicated to Deepa Prakasan of Thuppul

Agrahaaram, Swami explained to us the above four routes that a Prapanna can take

based on his/her  competence this way:

 

bhakthi: prapatti: athavaa bhagavamstadhukthi :

tannishta samsraya iteeva vikalpyamaanam  |

yam kimchit ekam upapaadhayataa  tvaiyeva

traataa: taranthavasareh bhavino bhavaabdhim  ||

 

Oh Deepa Prakaasa! There are two routes to attain the fruit of Moksham. One is

thru Bhakthi Yogam and the other is thru Prapatti Yogam; the latter divides in

to four equally effective subcategories recognized as : Svanishtai, Ukthi

Nishtai, Acharya Nishtai and Bhagavatha Nishtai. You wish to save the chetanas

from the ocean of samsara and

to help them perform one of the above four Nishtais. Then, You confer on  them

the boon  of Moksham, when the Prapanna desires to leave this world and join

you at Sri Vaikuntam.

 

Swami Desikan explains that Svanishtai is adopted by those, who have Visesha

Jnanam. They directly surrender to Sriman Narayana, Just as Arjuna, Dhruva and

Prahlaada did.

 

In Ukthi Nishtai, the Prapatti is accomplished by repeating the Prapatti vakhyam

uttered by one's Acharya.

 

In Acharya Nishtai, the disciple is included in the Parapatti

done for all the disciples by the Acharya . One gets the fruit of

Prapatti thru the effort of his/her Acharya without any individual

effort.

 

In Bhagavatha Nishtai, One is covered by the Prapatti performed

by a Bhagavatha, who is not one " s Acharya .

 

MADHURA KAVI'S PRAPATTI IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF ACHARYA NISHTAI. HIS ACHARYA

ABHIMAANAM HAS ALSO NO PARALLEL AMONG AAZHWAARS. HE DID NOT ELECT TO OFFER HIS

SARANAAGATHI TO THE LORD THRU SVANISHTAI OR UKTHI NISHTAI, BUT PREFERRED THE

ACHARYA NISHTAI AS HIS ROUTE .HIS DEVOTION TO HIS ACHARYA (NAMMAZHWAAR ) IS

EXTRAORDINARY AS REVEALED IN HIS ELEVEN VERSES OF NAALIYRA DIVYA PRABHANDHAM

REVERED AS KANNINUN--SIRUTTHAAMBHU. 

 

Swami Desikan had a high reverence for Madhura Kavi and composed a grantham

known as Madhurakavi Hrudhyam .This Grantham is lost to us now.It is in

celebration of Madhura Kavi " s incomparable devotion to Nammazhwaar. It is a

Rahasya Grantham.

 

There are 11 paasurams in KaNNinuNN SiRutthAmpu Prabhandham of Madhura Kavi. The

last paasuram is a Phala Sruthi describing the fruits of reciting this

prabhandham. In the rest of the ten paasurams, Madhura Kavi conceded that all

the relationships that he should have with BhagavAn are instead with Swamy

NammAzhwAr.

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan