Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.43- UyyakkoNdaar-

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all

 

Before we proceeded, two bhAgawathas reminded me that I did not elaborate on

Uyyakkndaar and Manakkaal nambhi.

 

So here we go:

 

Namasyaamyaravindaaksham naatha bhaave vyavasthitam Ã

suddhasattva mayam saureravataaramivaaparam

 

6th verse of Yatiraja sapthathi

 

Translation: I obey PuNdareekaakshar (UyyakkoNdaar), who ever stands on the

mental contour described by Nathamuni, our master at all times, and who is of

unalloyed Saathvika Character, even like avataars of the Lord.

 

He was born at Thiruvellarai in the year 827 CE prabhava, month of chittirai in

the constellation of karthikai on the day of shukla prathamai, a Wednesday, as

the divine incarnation of Jayatsenar, in the family of ‘munkudumi

anthaNar’.(those who had kudumi – a tuft of hair, on the crown of the head).

He was named as Pundarikaksha. He studied all the manthras, manthrarthas, and

the holy collect of 4000 divya prabandhas along with their esoterics from Sriman

Nathamuni.

 

He had five disciples. Once Sriman Nathamuni sent his wife Thirumati

Aravindappavai to her mother’s household on a visit with Sriman Pundarikakshar

as the escort. There Vangipuraththu Achchi, through his attendants served

Pundarikaksha with stale food by making him sit along the passageway, mainly

because he was a purva-shikhai. After accepting the food, Pundarikaksha took

leave of them and joined Sriman Nathamuni back. Nathamuni though grasped all

that had happened by way of his yogic-sight (yogadrishti), still insisted that

Pundarikaksha should tell him the fact.

 

Pundarikaksha narrated the happenings. Nathamuni was moved with great sorrow on

hearing this. But Pundarikaksha said that it was his great bhagyam to have been

able to get the left-over food

of those people who were associated with the acharya. He then went ahead quoting

pOnagam seydha sEdam tharuvarEl punidhamanRE†and continued saying that it was

his great bhagyam and also that he greatly enjoyed and relished the rice kept in

clear and clean water. Nathamuni, who greatly rejoiced on hearing his pupil’s

words exclaim†nummai uyyak koNdeerO†and embraced him. From that day

onwards, Pundarikaksha came to be known as Uyyakkondar.

 

As per the pramana which says that, Sriman Narayana appears in the form of a

human as an acharya and preaches Vedanta shastra to people with samsaric

afflictions, mends them and helps them elevate themselves out of the samsara –

Uyyakkondar is celebrated in words of multiple purports (shleshai / shledai) as

verily the Lord Kannan and is glorified as the one who was embraced by his

acharya just like Hanuman who won the acclaim and embrace of Sri Rama.

 

“Aravindhaakshan†- Lord Kannan is the owner of the most beautiful eyes,

which are like the lotus, and Uyyakondar is the one who has the name

Pundarikakshar. “nAtha bhAvE vyavasthitham!†- As per

Yayati’s curse, the Yadavas cannot have a throne. After having

killed Kamsa, Krishna could have ascended on the throne and

since He was Lord Narayana incarnate, nobody could have done

a thing, but he honoured Yayati’s curse and held himself back

from becoming the King and crowned Ugrasena instead.

Uyyakkondar followed the highest precepts as taught by his

acharya Sriman Nathamuni. In matters of performing

 

kainkaryam (service) to his master, he understood the will of his

master Nathamuni and served him the way Lakshmana served

Lord Sri Rama during his exile in the forest. Nathamuni had

ordained Uyyakkondar to teach all the esoterics of the

sampradayam to his (Nathamuni) grandson Alavandar, when he

reached a suitable age. When Uyyakkondar knew his end was

near, he delagated this responsibility to his pupil Manakkal

Nambi.

 

Uyyakondar, in his kalakshepams (vedantic discourse)

strictly adhered to his acharya Sriman Nathamuni’s philosophical

teachings, with not even the slightest of deviations.

 

Suddha sattva mayam – Though Kannan, the Lord, took birth as a

human, his body still was bereft of the associations with rajogunam

and tamo-gunam and remained with shuddha-satva

gunam that was aprakrutham in nature.

 

Uyyakkondar with his powerful will of heart, was able to

sudue the evils of desire, anger, greed, obsession, pride and

jealousy that are born out of rajo-guna and tamo-guna and gain

hold on satva-gunams like forgiveness, forbearance, humility,

patience, mercy and good moral conduct. Swamy Deshikan

prostrates in front of Pundarikaksha-suri also known as

Uyyakkondar who excelled as a person with satvika gunam like

Lord Kannan.

 

[The above is English translation by Sri CG Balaji swamin based on Tamil

commentary written by asmdacharya His Holiness Srimad Paravakkottai Andavan Sri

Gopala Desika mahadesikan Swami]

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan