Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.58- Swami maNakkaal nambi Thirunakshathram

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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)]

 

One of Ramanaujacharya's praacharyas... is Swami Manakkaal nambi. Today is his

Thirunakshthram. Let us enjoy his life and vaibhavam

 

PERIYA PERUMAL and PIRAATTI

SRI VISHWAKSENAR

SRI NAMMAZHWAR

SRI NATHA MUNIGAL

SRI UYYAKKONDAR

SRI MANAKKAL NAMBHI

SRI YAMUNAMUNI

SRI PERIYA NAMBHI

SRI RAMANUJACHARYA

 

Maasi month, magham nakshatthiram- the janma nakshatthiram of our

AchArya, MaNakkaal nambhi, Sri Rama misrar, sishya of UyyakkoNdaar

(PuNdareekaakshar).

 

UyyakkondAr was giving the divine arthas of the Darshanam and the inner meanings

of Thiruvaimozhi and other Divya Prabandams to the other disciples of Sriman

Nathamunigal, after Sri Nathamunigal attained paramapadam. There were 5

disciples for him namely, ManakkAl Nambi, ThiruvallikenipAn perumal arayar,

chottai poosichchandarangArar(chettaloor chandalankArar), Sri Pundareeka dAsar

and Ulagu perumAl Nangai.

 

Among them, ManakkAl Nambi stayed under the feet of his AchArya for 12

samvatsarams and did all kainkaryams like Ilaya Perumal (?Aham sarvam

karishyAmi?). At that time, Andal, wife of UyyakkondAr, attained paramapadam.

One day ManakkAl Nambi accompanied the young daughters of UyyakkondAr to the

river for taking bath. On the way back, they happened to come across a marshy

stretch of land. The daughters of UyyakkondAr, stood dumbfounded without

knowing what to do. ManakkAl Nambi immediately stretched himself as a bridge

across the marshy land and made them cross the dirty water. UyyakkondAr came to

know of this and asked him ?Why he did such a thing?? and with immense love,

kept his hand over his head and asked him, ?what should I do for you? For this

ManakkAl Nambi replied, ? I have already got what I require and which I treasure

the most, i.e. the kainkaryam (divine service) at your feet and hence I do not

want anything else, other than this?.

UyyakkondAr was very much pleased by this reply and he gave him the Dvaya

mahAmantra upadesam (teaching the inner meanings of Dvaya mahAmantram) which has

been glorified by aThE dhA nAga thagnAna mAtma thatva prakAsakam ? sarvavEdAtha

vigyanam sarva shashtraRtha darshanam, mAnasamVAchikam pApam Gayikantha

Thridhakrutham ? Dvaya smarana mathrEna nAsam yAdhisunishchitham? (All the

papams done via the three karmas Mano, vakh, kAyam is washed off totally on just

remembering the Dvaya mahA mantram).

 

After some days, UyyakkondAr before breathing his last and reaching paramapadam,

answered to Nambi?s query of who will be taking care of the darshanam, as, ?You

along with the other sishyas will make the darshanam grow and flourish. A son

will be born to Iswara Muni, who belongs to the chottai kulam (Acharya Kulam) as

a grandson to Sriman Nathamunigal. Adorn him with the name ?Yamunai Thuraivar?

and teach him all the rahasya and vishesha arthas (Secret and special meanings)

and subsequently he will have to take care of the darshanam. (He should become

the Darshna pravartakar) This was the order for me from Sriman Nathamunigal

during his last days. As I was not able to satisfy this, you have to take the

responsibility of doing so?. After this incident, UyyakkondAr meditated on the

holy feet of Sriman Nathamunigal, sat in padmAsanam and left to the divine abode

of emperuman. He showed to the world, the absolute necessity of following the

words of an

AchArya. When UyyakkondAr left to paramapadam, ManakkAl Nambi and the other

sishyas were left in a state of deep sorrow as they were unable to bear the

separation from their AchArya. Finally they consoled themselves and ManakkAl

Nambi did the BrahmamEda SamskAram to UyyakkondAr and proceeded to do the other

final rites which had to be done.

 

As amsam of Kumudan, one of the Nityasuris in Sri Vaikuntam, he was born

in Manakkaal , Trichy District. His devotion to his Guru UyyakoNdaar was

great. On one occasion UyyakoNdaar's two daughters were to cross the mud

on their way back home after bath in the river, he laid down on the

ground- on the muddy water and asked them to walk over on his back.

Hence, the sands at the feet of the Guru's daughters were on his body,

and he came to be known as ' Manal Kaal Nambi' .

 

He rendered personal service to his Acharya, Uyyak Kondaar and it is

told that he took over also as the cook for his AchArya after the demise

of Uyyak Kondaar's wife.

 

Embar, sishya and the cousin of RamunjA later describes that NammAzhwAr

drank of the ocean of mercy of the Lord Narayana and rained it through

Natha muni and that Pundarikaksha was like the fountain spring that let

the stream reach Alavandar. Pundarikaksha learned the holy collects and

Yoga Rahasya from Natha Muni and passed them on to Alavandar.

 

Swami Desika in Sloka 7 of his Yatiraja Saptadhi praises Manakkaal Nambi

as follows:

 

Anujjitha Kshamaa Yogam Apunya Jana Bhaadakam |

Asprushta Madha Raagam Thum Raamam Turyam Upaasmahe ||

 

(meaning) The one who learned through Upadesam all the Sastaraarthas

from Uyyakkondaar was Manakkaal Nambi. There were only three Ramas

before. Here comes the fourth Rama. The defects noticeable in the other

3 Ramas were totally absent in this 4th Rama.

 

Parasurama had no patience. Out of jealousy, he fought with

'Chakravarthi Tirumagan'. With an uncontrollable rage, he embarked on

destroying the entire Kshatriya race. But, Manakkaal Nambi never lost

his composure and kept his senses under absolute control.

 

Dasaratha Rama destroyed the Rakshasas, otherwise known as 'Punya Jana'.

But, Manakkaal Nambi never harmed anyone but always did all the good he

could to Sadhus who are also known as 'Punya Jana'

 

Manakkaal Nambi never exhibited any pride or prejudice or any excessive

attachment to anything worldly. (like BalarAmA)

 

So, he is better than for RAMAs. (what a verse from DesikA!)

 

Let us prostrate before this blemish less 4th Rama, Sri Rama Misrar,

MaNakkal Nambhi.

 

Reference: Article on Acharya vamsa vriskham by Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swamin and

by Sri Sowrirajan swami

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

namo narayana

dasan