Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.45- why didn't Sriman Nathamuni directly initiate Yamunacharya (Aalavandhaar)?

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all

 

Let us enjoy some more on Sri Manakkaal Nambhi (also called as Raamamisrar).

 

Although Prapatthi and Bhakthi yOgams have been recognized as the two

means for gaining Moksham before Swamy NammAzhwAr's avathAram, it is

only after His time that Prapatthi's supreme and unfailing role for the

blessings of Moksha Siddhi was established without doubt. Through His Sri

Sookthis and anushtAnam, Swamy NammAzhwAr established the greatness of

Prapatthi Yogam for the chEthnams to follow. He showed how Prapatthi can be

performed by one and all and how easy it is compared to the difficult route of

Bhakthi Yogam. Hence, AzhwAr becomes the Moola Purushar for all, who performed

Prapatthi or would perform Prapatthi. Naatha Muni blessed by

AzhwAr's dhivya katAksham propagated the message about the ease and

efficacy of Prapatthi for chEthanams to break the cycles of births and deaths

and to serve Sriman NaarAyaNan at His Supreme abode of Sri Vaikuntam.

 

After Naatha Muni, His grandson, Swamy AaLavanthAr grew the sath

sampradhAyam further.

 

Why did MaNakkAL Nampi perform upadesam for AaLavanthAr instead of

Naatha Muni Himself? MaNakkAL Nampi was the sishyar of UyyakkoNDAr,

who in turn was the direct sishyar of Naatha Muni.

 

There are three reasons for Naatha Muni not being a direct AchAryan for His

grandson:

 

1. There is a tradition that a sishyan receiving upadEsam from an

AchAryan should perform upadEsam for his AchAryan's son or

grandson. This sampradhAyam was observed.

2. Those that are born in the Jn~Ana Santhathi (line of descent) should

pay obeisance to the sishyar of his parent or grandparent since it is a

mark of respect for that sishyan, who precedes him in that Jn~Ana

santhathi (Naatha Muni--> UyyakkoNDAr--> ManakkAl Nampi-->

AaLavanthAr). Naatha Muni wanted to invite the attention of the world

to this sampradhAyam.

3. Sath sampradhAyam insists that upadesam should not be performed to

one, when latter does not have driving desire to receive such upadEsam

on VedAnthArthams.

 

When upadEsam takes place from an AchAryan to a sishyan under these

circumstances, then the upadesam will not bear fruit for the sishyan. Hence,

Naatha Muni instructed his sishyas to wait until AaLavanthAr developed such an

intense desire to receive Upadesam. AaLavanthAr was distracted by the duties as

a king when his grandfather (Naatha Muni) ascended to parama Padham.

 

Naatha Muni's sishyar (UyyakkoNDAR) was ready to perform upadesam as per

his AchAryan's command, but AaLavanthAr was still chasing other pleasures of a

transient kind. Hence UyyakkoNDAr could not accept AaLavanthAr as his

direct sishyan prior to his ascent to Srivaikuntam. Hence, UyyakkoNDAr

instructed his own sishyar (MaNakkAL Nampi) to complete the assignment

given by his AchAryan. That happened finally. ManakkAl Nampi persisted in his

efforts and won over AaLavanthAr's indifference and kindled intense desire in

the mind of AaLavanthAr to receive upadEsam on the treasures left behind by his

grandfather. MaNakkAl Nampi thus became the AchAryan for Naatha Muni's grandson,

who became an illustrious SampradhAya pravarthakar.

 

WAS IT CORRECT FOR MANAKKAL NAMPI TO STRIVE SO HARD?

MaNakkAl Nampi had persisted until AaLavanthAr gave up his indifference to

receive Sath sampradhAya UpadEsam. ManakkAl Nampi had to come up with a

clever ruse of serving AalavanthAr daily with a special kind of spinach that

AaLavanthAr relished and finally attracted his attention and then turned him

away from the enjoyment of the trivia of Raaja BhOgam and to travel on the lofty

road of VedAntha VichAram and Saasthra Jn~Anam.

 

Question may be asked -

AaLavanthAr was not ready, but ManakkAL Nampi persisted in his efforts to

gain AaLavanthAr as his sishyan. Should not it be other way round? Should not

AaLavanthAr have chased Nampi and fallen at his Thiruvadi for upadesam?

The answer is -

 

MaNakkAl Nampi wanted to perform a kaimkaryam for his prAchAryan

(AchAryan's AchAryan). He was worried that time was slipping by and

AaLavanthAr was not ready due to the distractions caused by his kingly duties.

 

Therefore, he decided to be proactive.

In Kali Yugam, it is not easy for an AchAryan to engage in long efforts to test

the qualifications of a sishyan to perform upadesam. Hence, a sadAchAryan has to

engage the sishyan first in a persistent manner and then slowly but surely raise

their ruchi for upadEsam. MaNakkAl Nampi had these two points in mind and went

ahead with a deliberate pursuit of AaLavanthAr to pass on the treasures that he

had received through his AchArya paramparai.

 

[Extract from the meaning/ english translation of Swami desikan's Sampradaya

parisuddhi written by Sri Satakopan swami- Thanks to him for his permission to

refer]

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan