Guest guest Posted April 29, 2009 Report Share Posted April 29, 2009 RAMANUJA JAYANTHI The month of Chitrai is special, not only because it is the first month of the year but also because it presents a galaxy of Jayanthis of Avatarams of the Lord, Tirunakshatram of an Azhwar and Tirunakshatrams of Achaaryas and other important events as shown below. JAYANTHI OF PERIYA PERUMAL AVATARAMS Matsya Jayanthi Varaaha Jayanthi Balaraama Jayanthi Sri Rama Navami normally falls in Chitrai month. (But, in Sarvadaari year (2008-2009) there were 2 Sri Rama Navamis. The first was on 14th April 2008 corresponding to 2nd of Chitrai month. The second was on 03rd April 2009 corresponding to 21st Panguni. Therefore, we do not have Srirama Navami in Chitrai month of VirOdi year. We, however, have it on 24th April 2010 corresponding to 10th Panguni of VirOdi) AZHWARS Madhura Kavi Azhwar, ACHAARYAS (List not exhaustive) Vaduga NambigaL UyyakkoNDaar (PuNDareekaakshar) EngaL Azhwaar Bhagavad Ramanujar Koil Somayaji ANDaar MudaliyaanDaan Kidaambi Aachaan Tiru Thaazhvarai Daasar, Periya Tirumalai NambigaL Ananthaazhwaar, Nadadur AmmaL AtrEya Ramanuja AppuLLaar, Saakshat Swami- Koil Somayaaji Aandaan And, many more OTHER EVENTS Happy New Year Sarvadhaari Chitraa PourNami As we are celebrating the Jayanthi of our beloved Bhagavad Ramanuja by whose name our Siddhanta is known as ‘Ramanuja Darsanam”, we offer our homage to this great pioneer. RAMA AND ANUJA: Sage Vaalmiki says that Rama and Lakshmana were inseparable. Once when as a baby Rama was crying uncontrollably, Sage VasishTa came on the scene and enquired where baby Lakshmana was. The attendants showed that he was in a cradle in an adjacent room. VasishTa asked that both the babies should be laid in the same cradle. Instantly, baby Rama stopped crying and started smiling. Such was the affinity of the two! In fact, Yaadhavaachala Mahaatmtam, we find a reference to correlate Bhagavad Ramanuja (of Kali Yuga) to LakshmaNa (of TrEta Yuga) Anantha: prathamam roopam, LakshmaNas cha Tata: parah / Balabadram cha thriteeyEstu, Kalou kaschit Bhavishyati// Achaaryas used to say that this “Kalou kaschit” to refer to Bhagavad Ramanuja. RAMANUJA’S ENTRY INTO THIS WORLD AND BACK INTO PARAMAPADAM It is interesting to note that Bhagavad Ramanuja was born in the year “PingaLa” in the asterism of “Tiruvaadirai” (corresponding to 1017 AD). He attained Paramapadam on another “PingaLa” year also in the asterism of “Tiruvaadirai” (corresponding to 1137 AD) exactly on completion of 2 X 60 year cycles = 120 years recognized in our almanac. RAMANUJA’S HONORIFICS On his birth, his face shone so brilliantly reminding of that of LakshmaNa (LakshmaNa Lakshmi Sampanna , one possessing the “Kainkarya Sri” to the Lord, he was named in Tamil as “ILayaazhwar” (as LakshmaNa was) and in Sanskrit as “Rama -anuja” (Younger brother of Rama). A number of honorifics were conferred on him later in his life, each one in recognition of his multifaceted glories. Each has a long story behind them but we do not go into these due to space constraints in a short article like this). UDAIYAVAR: (Ours) by Lord Ranganatha of Sri Rangam YATHI RAJAR: (King of ascetics) by DEvadirajar of Kaancheepuram BHAASHYAKAARAR (Great Commentator) by Goddess Saraswati in Kashmir It may be noted that while commentaries by Sankara and others are known by their respective names, it is Ramanuja’s commentary that has the unique prefix “Sri” and is known as “Sri Baashyam” EMPERUMAANAAR (My Lord) by TirukkoshTiyur NambigaL NAMMAZHWAR AND BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA We know that Nammaazhwar known as (Prapanna jana KooDasthar) poured out hymns in praise of many of the Archaa Moorthis in his Tiruvoimozhi but BhaTTar avers that all his 1000 odd Paasurams of Tiruvoimozhi were on Lord Ranganatha only. Vaan Thigazhum sOlai maDiL arangar vaNN pugazh mEl Aanra Tamizh maraigaL AAYIRAMUM – eenra Mudal thaay SaDagOpan, moimpaal vaLartha Idath Thaay iraamaanusan Bhagavad Ramanuja held Tiruvoimozhi as his KaalakshEpa Grantha in propagating Bhagavad Vishayam, the above Tanian hails him as the foster mother (idath thaai) while holding Nammaazhwar as the biological mother (eenra mudal thaai) of the Grantham. H.H. Azhagiya Singhar, in his Poorva Aasramam used to say: “The practice of “baby sitting” probably had its origin in this!” NAMMAZHWAR AND MADURAKAVI AZHWAR In fact, however, it would be more appropriate to call Madura Kavi Azhwaar as the foster mother because it was he who shed light in the first place on the glory of Nammaazhwar through his “KaNNi nuNN Siruthaabhu” in which his Lord was not Bhagavaan but Nammaazhwaar (Vide dEvu matrariyEn). Though he preferred to sing on his Achaarya (not on the Lord himself), his Srisukti is included in the 4000 holy collects known as Naalaayira Divya Prabandams. This is because of the fact that that it is this Achaarya who brought out the glory of the Lord. RAMANUJA AND AMUDANAAR Just like the exclusive Achaarya Bhakti of Madhura Kavi Azhwaar, we find the same exclusive Achaarya Bhakti in Amudanaar who sang his “Raamnuja Nootrantaadi” in praise of Bhagavad Ramanuja. Therefore, his 108 Paasurams are also included in the 4000 holy collects and forms part of “Iyarpaa”. Just like Madhura Kavi’s “KaNNi nuNN Siruthaambhu” is recited even before Tiruvoimozhi, Amudanar’s Srissukti is recited as part of “Iyar Paa” BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA’S WORKS Though Bhagavad Ramanuja was well versed in the AruLi Cheyals (4000 holy collects), he preferred to write all his 9 Granthas bringing out the essence of our SrivaishNava Siddhantam in Sanskrit as contained in the Vedas and strictly adhering to the tenets expounded by Nammazhwar in his 4 works. Though we do not know exactly the chronological sequence of these 9 Granthas, we are told that (1) Vedaartha Sangraham was the earliest followed by (2) Sri Baashyam, (3) Vedaantha Deepam, and (4) Vedaantha Saaram (all three explaining the canons of Brahma Sutras in different formats and extents). All the above were enunciating the Bhakti movement (the path of loving devotion to the Lord maturing from Para Bhakti, Para Jnaana and Parama Bhakti). Later in life, however, we find the great teacher expounding “Prapaatti maarga” (Path of absolute and unconditional surrender) as revealed in the Charama slOkam of Srimad Bhagavad Gita: “Sarva Dharmaan parityajya maam ekam SaraNam vraja Aham tvaa sarva paapEbhyO mokashayshyaami – maa sucha” The three prose works of (5) Saranaagathi Gadhyam also known as Periya Gadhyam (6) Sriranga Gadhyam and (7) VaikunTa Gadhyam in which he passionately espouses this Prapatti maarga for humanity as the surest and quickest means of liberation are extremely moving. It is of interest to note that this “Prapatti maarga” was kept as a closely guarded secret for a long time. Taittreeya Upanishad testifies to this fact.“yEtat vai mahOpanishadaam dEvaanaam guhyam” In Brahma Sutras, Prapatti is mentioned but not clearly nor in Sri Baashya which deal with Taatvas and Prushaarthas. It is in the “Gadhyas” that the “Hita” (Surest way to attain mOksham) has been explicitly brought out with a telling and consummate effect. Thanks to Bhagavad Ramanuja, this treasure has been made available to posterity. (8) Gitaa Baashyam considered by some to be his last work brings out clearly the purport of Bhagavad Gita as per VisishTaadvaita philosophy. The other work called (9) “Nityam”, a compilation of the daily chores of a Sri VaishNava must have been written sometime in between. THE GIST OF TEACHINGS OF BHAGAVAD RAMANUJA In short, Bhagavad Ramanuja’s teachings can be encapsulated into what is known as “Artha Panchakams”, the five basic things to be understood by one desirous of mOksham (Mumukshu). We get a glimpse of the supreme highness (Paratvam) of the Lord as against our utter lack of merit, and how we could ever hope for redemption only through the intervention of “Sri” who out of her infinite compassion can transform the nigraha (wrath) of the Lord at our sins into anugraha (grace) that is so necessary for the removal of the impediments and for elevating us from being “Nitya Samsaaris” to that of performing eternal Kainkaryam for the divine couple in “Nithya Vibhooti”. We see that the Lord in response to the prayers of Bhagavad Ramanuja says: “Tayaiva Sarvam sampadsya tE”. Some Poorva Ahcaaryas interpret the word “Sarvam” to mean not only those having direct contact with Ramanuja’s feet (Tiru aDi Sambandam) but also his preceptors (Tiru MuDi Sambandam) to become eligible for the redeeming grace of the Lord - all by virtue of such contact. Let us firm up our contact with Bhagavad Ramanuja’s feet by constantly remembering him and constantly praying to him and be assured of eternal bliss. Dasoham Anbil Ramaswamy ================================================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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