Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.55- Kuresa- Bhagavad Ramanauja's prathama sishya

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika manahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Continuing on our pastime of enjoying Bhagavad Raamanuja vaibhavam:

[as part of our series and service to Srivaishnavas to

commeomorate the 1000th year (2017)]

 

For Kuresa’s 1000th year celebration let us enjoy Sri Ramanuja series through

Kuresa for few posts.

 

SrIvatsa-chihna-miSrebhyo nama uktim adhImahe |

yad uktayas trayIkanThe yAnti mangala-sutratAm ||

 

We salute Srivatsanka Misra (kUrath aazhvaan), whose divine compositions adorn

the neck of the Vedas as Mangala sutram.

 

koorattaazhvaan is one of the most prominent acharyas of the Srivaishnava

sampradayam. He needs no introduction to Srivaishnavas. Born in the village

Kuram, located 10 km from Kanchipuram, his given name was Srivatsanka Misra, but

due to his incomparable bhakti to PerumaaL, he later became known as Kuratt

Alvan, or " the saint from Kuram " .

 

Kurattalvan is also remembered for his extreme bhakti for Ramanuja. This

acharya bhakti is exemplified by his appearance before the Chola king disguised

as Ramanuja, when this king (Krimikantha Cholan) sought to do harm to the

acharya. The minions of the Chola king, thinking him to be Ramanuja, blinded

Kurattalvan in the process. For this, Kurattalvan is renowned as

" darsanattukkaaga darsanattaye koduttavar " , i.e., he sacrificed his darsana

(eyesight) for the sake of darsana (sampradaya).

 

Kurattalvan is also remembered for his compassion to all, even

those that did harm to him. This legendary kindness is said to

have caused Naluran, the Chola king's agent who was responsible

for the summoning of Ramanuja, to attain moksha.

 

His aversion towards anything other than the sampradayam is

illustrated by his giving up all his wealth and going to

Srirangam to serve Emberumaanaar (Sri Ramanuja). Endowed with a

phenomenal memory and intellect, he soon become Emberumaanaar's

closest confidant and chief disciple, collaborating with him in

all his efforts. Without Alvan, it is safe to say that it would

have been extremely difficult for Emberumaanaar to have written

his philosophical masterpiece, the Sribhashya.

 

Kurattalvan left to Srivaishnavam his five stotras, collectively

known as the panca-stavam, and his illustrious sons, Parasara and

Veda Vyasa Bhattars.

 

Besides that remarkable service of supporting Bhashyakarar on Sri Bhashyam,

Kuresa blessed us with five devotional lyrics known as " Atimaanushastavam,

Varadarajastavam, Vaikuntastavam, SRISTAVAM,

and the Sundarabahustavam " .

 

There are other works attributed to him and Sri Vedantha Desikan quotes from

them. Those works are extinct now. His son was the Great Parasara Bhattar, who

commented on Sri Vishnu Sahasra Namam and wrote Ashtasloki, Srigunaratna Kosa,

Srirangarajastava and the commentary on few verses of Thirunedumthaandakam. Thus

Kuresa is a vital link in the

chain of Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja Siddhantham.

 

Sri Manavala MaamunigaL ‘s Yatiraja Vimsathi refers:

 

vaachaam agochara mahAguNa Desika agrya

koorAdhinaatha kathitha akhila naichya paathram I

Yesha: aham yeva na punar jagadhi yeedhrusas

tath RaamAnujArya ! karuNaiva thu madhgathistEh II

 

O Arya RaamAnujA ! I am indeed the one ,

who fits in this world the complete description of the person

with all the condemnable attributes ! There is no one else ,

who can answer to that description . That is why , I conclude

that your compassion is most suited for me and to lift me

up from my morass .

 

The great AchArya and the direct disciple of RamAnujA ,

KooratthAzhwAn condemned himself as a great sinner

in a mood of self-depreciation in Sri VaradarAja sthavam

and Sri Vaikunta Sthavam . This type of self-condemnation

before the Lord by AchAryAs are done not because they have

the despicable qualities they assign themselves ; it is because

the AchAryAs have us in mind and plead to the Lord on our

behalf for forgivance for our trespasses .

 

Sri MaamunigaL salutes the great KurEsa here as

" VaachAm Agochara MahAguNa Desika agrya : " .

He describes KurEsa here as the one , whose limitless

auspicious qualities are beyond the power of description

by one's tongue. The many NaichyAnusandhAnams

stated by KurEsa in the latter section of the above two

sthavAs have no relevance for this great AchAryA . He had

it for the benefit of AsmadhAdhi's anusandhAnam ( our

benefit ) after his time .

 

Sri MaamunigaL says that " KooradhinAtha Kathitha akhila naichya

paathram jagadhi yesha : aham yeva " . I am indeed the true character

in all the worlds fitting to a tee the entire NaichyaanusandhAnam

that KurEsa attributed to himself . Hence , O RamAnujArya !

there is no one more fitting for the Object of your mercy than

myself.

 

This prayer for the mercy of RamAnujA is the echo of the statement by AmudanAr

in His RaamAnjua NooRandhAdhi : " niharinRi niRa venneesathaikku

ninnaruLinkaNanri puhal onRumillai , arutkumahtE puhal

 

[Reference: Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Swami’s Upanyasam and article on Kuresa and

Sri Satakopan Swami’s article.]

 

Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan