Thiruneermalai Ashramam- samprokshanam on July 9- appeal -16- Sriman Nathamuni Thirunakshathram

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrimathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

 

Let us meditate on the lotus feet of Swami Sriman Nathamuni - who is our Prime

Acharya (Alavandhar's grand father)... Today is his thirunakshathram.

 

Let us enjoy Sriman Anbil Ramaswamy's article on this unparalleled Acharya

 

Whenever the Vaishnavas refer to 'Muni Trayam'- the three sages, they are paying

homage to the three extraordinary preceptors of the philosophy- Natha muni,

Yamuna muni and Ramanuja muni. We will consider very briefly a few facts about

of these Acharyas who have bequeathed to us a rich and vibrant heritage. This

does not purport to be exhaustive in point of coverage of all the Acharyas or of

the details in full even of those referred in here.

 

NATHA MUNI.

 

If Vaishnavism has a global appeal today, it is due to the great Nathamuni who

literally recovered from oblivion the hymns of the Alwars and inaugurated

devotional Vaishnavism. Ranganathamuni as Nathamuni was originally called was

born at Veera narayana puram near Kattu Mannar Koil. His other names are

Shadamarshana Kula Tilakar and Sottai Kulathu Arasar. He is believed to be the

Amsam of Gajaananar, one of the Nityasuris in Paramapadam and one of the

ministers of Vishwaksena -( not to be confused with the elephant headed son of

Siva).

 

His period has been placed at Kaliyuga 3684 (according to Katapayati Samkhya)

which corresponds to 584 AD of Christian era . PTA, however, places him at Kali

3264 which corresponds to 164 AD. All are, however agreed, that he was born in

the year Sobakrit, Ani month, in the constellation of Anusham in Krishna Paksha,

Thithi 7, a Wednesday

 

The following passage foretells his birth: " There will arrive one Natha, a

great Yogi who by his yogic power will restore to the world the long lost sacred

collect of Sri Satakopa " he lived for 340 years from 593 AD to 933 AD.

 

It was a period when the reign of Buddhism and Jainism had lost their influence

due to the glorious efforts of the devotional hymnology of Alwars and Nayanmars.

People had retired in smug satisfaction forgetting the Alwars and their

monumental works.

 

While Nathamuni was worshipping at the local temple, he heard a few pilgrims

reciting a decad of Nammalwar's Tiruvoimozhi praising Lord 'AraVamudhan'- the

unsatiating nectar. This concluded saying " those who recited these ten which

formed part of my 1000 psalms " would become the darling of the Gods. " Nathamuni

was so impressed with the poetic beauty of the decad and asked them whether they

knew the full text of Tiruvoimozhi or at least point out anyone who could help.

They directed him to one Parankusa daasa in Kurugur who was a disciple of

Madhura kavi.

Natha muni made straight to Kurugur but Parankusa daasa also could not help.

But, he suggested that if Natha muni could recite the " Kanni nun Siruthambu " of

Madhura kavi 12,000 times at one stretch in front of the famous tamarind tree in

Adhi natha temple, he might get an insight into the original verses. This Natha

muni did with utmost devotion. He obtained in his trance a vision of Nammalwar

himself who personally taught him not only his own compositions but also those

of all the other Alwars. Since he got his insight into the Divya Prabandhams

through the Paasuram on Aravamudhan, he came to be known as Aaraaa Amudh

Aazhwaan "

Natha muni promptly codified the treasure of devotional hymns as the 'Nalayira

Divya Prabhandam'.

 

He set them to melodious music and rhythm and taught them to his two nephews Sri

Krishnan and Sri Varadan also known as Keezhai Agathu Alwan and Melai Agathu

Alwan and brought to the forefront the long lost Divya Prabandham.(PPM). He also

revived the Adhyayana Utsavam instituted by Tiru mangai Alwar. The tradition of

reciting these had been established by him and kept alive these 1000 years and

more . He also institutionalized the tradition of 'Arayar Sevai' before the Lord

on special occasions -( a form of dance performed by male dancers specially

trained for the purpose) in the Srirangam temple even today. Similarly, it was

he who revived the propagation of Rahasyas and Vyasas Brahma Sutra. It was from

his time only that our Sampradaya began to shine like a beacon light. He had 8

Sishyas. After a long life of 340 years , major part of which was spent in yoga

(meditation), he ascended to his Heavenly abode during the lifetime of Manakkaal

Nambi.

 

Naatha muni wrote 3 scholarly works

 

( 1 ) Nyaya Tattva which contains the following 5 chapters viz., ( i ) Jnaana

(Knowledge), (ii) Prameya ( Objects of cognition), (iii)Pramaatru (the

Cognizer),(iv) Karma (Action) and (v) Nyaaya (Logic)

( 2 ) Yoga Rahasya which is said to have contained the nuances of devotion

(Bhagavad Upaasana) to the Lord through Dhyaanam (meditation) and

(3 ) Purusha Nirnaya. But none of them is available today. He also composed the

Tanian for Tiruvoimozhi called " Bhaktaamrutham " .

His grandson, Yamuna muni later known as Aalavandaar was just 12 years of age

when Natha muni passed away. And, it is this Aalavandaar who inaugurated the

matrix of Sri vaishnavism by his spiritual leadership.

Sri Natha Muni's Tanian reads as follows:

 

Naathena MuniNaa thena Naathavaahanam |

Yasya Naikamikam Tattvam Hastha Aamalakathaam Gatham ||

 

let us continue to work together and perform bhagatha, bhAgawatha, Acharya

kainkaryams. We earnestly appeal to selected friends, sishyas, abhimanis to

separately undertake this part of the Asramam branch establishment. If the

burden is shared by contributing separate parcels of Rs. 10,000/- each or even

less by about 150 persons for this, we could manage the task and complete the

Samprokshanam.

 

All donations in cash or by DD or by cheque payable at Chennai or at Srirangam

should be made payable to SPAV ABHIVARDHINI TRUST which enjoys 80G exemption of

IT Act valid upto 31/03/2010.

 

Payments, if payable at Srirangam, may be sent to:

 

Srikaryam

Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Swamai Asramam

SPAV Abhivardhini Trust

43A/13, Asramam Road, Srirangam

TRICHY – 620 006

Ph: 0431-2436100

 

Payments, if payable at Chennai, may be sent to:

 

SPAV Abhivardhini Trust

34 Nachiappan Street

Mahalingapuram

CHENNAI – 600 034

Mobile: 0-98400 13012

 

Please send me an email pledging your support towards this divine kainkaryam.

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

[Guest guest]

Dear sirsd

in the thanian a word is missing. pl inform correction if any.

srivaishnavan wrote:

 

 

 

SrI:

SrimathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

 

Let us meditate on the lotus feet of Swami Sriman Nathamuni - who is

our Prime Acharya (Alavandhar's grand father)... Today is his

thirunakshathram.

 

Let us enjoy Sriman Anbil Ramaswamy's article on this unparalleled

Acharya

 

Whenever the Vaishnavas refer to 'Muni Trayam'- the three sages, they

are paying homage to the three extraordinary preceptors of the

philosophy- Natha muni, Yamuna muni and Ramanuja muni. We will consider

very briefly a few facts about of these Acharyas who have bequeathed to

us a rich and vibrant heritage. This does not purport to be exhaustive

in point of coverage of all the Acharyas or of the details in full even

of those referred in here.

 

NATHA MUNI.

 

If Vaishnavism has a global appeal today, it is due to the great

Nathamuni who literally recovered from oblivion the hymns of the Alwars

and inaugurated devotional Vaishnavism. Ranganathamuni as Nathamuni was

originally called was born at Veera narayana puram near Kattu Mannar

Koil. His other names are Shadamarshana Kula Tilakar and Sottai Kulathu

Arasar. He is believed to be the Amsam of Gajaananar, one of the

Nityasuris in Paramapadam and one of the ministers of Vishwaksena -(

not to be confused with the elephant headed son of Siva).

 

His period has been placed at Kaliyuga 3684 (according to Katapayati

Samkhya) which corresponds to 584 AD of Christian era . PTA, however,

places him at Kali 3264 which corresponds to 164 AD. All are, however

agreed, that he was born in the year Sobakrit, Ani month, in the

constellation of Anusham in Krishna Paksha, Thithi 7, a Wednesday

 

The following passage foretells his birth: " There will arrive one

Natha, a great Yogi who by his yogic power will restore to the world

the long lost sacred collect of Sri Satakopa" he lived for 340 years

from 593 AD to 933 AD.

 

It was a period when the reign of Buddhism and Jainism had lost their

influence due to the glorious efforts of the devotional hymnology of

Alwars and Nayanmars. People had retired in smug satisfaction

forgetting the Alwars and their monumental works.

 

While Nathamuni was worshipping at the local temple, he heard a few

pilgrims reciting a decad of Nammalwar's Tiruvoimozhi praising Lord

'AraVamudhan'- the unsatiating nectar. This concluded saying "

those who recited these ten which formed part of my 1000 psalms "would

become the darling of the Gods." Nathamuni was so impressed with the

poetic beauty of the decad and asked them whether they knew the full

text of Tiruvoimozhi or at least point out anyone who could help. They

directed him to one Parankusa daasa in Kurugur who was a disciple of

Madhura kavi.

Natha muni made straight to Kurugur but Parankusa daasa also could not

help. But, he suggested that if Natha muni could recite the " Kanni nun

Siruthambu" of Madhura kavi 12,000 times at one stretch in front of the

famous tamarind tree in Adhi natha temple, he might get an insight into

the original verses. This Natha muni did with utmost devotion. He

obtained in his trance a vision of Nammalwar himself who personally

taught him not only his own compositions but also those of all the

other Alwars. Since he got his insight into the Divya Prabandhams

through the Paasuram on Aravamudhan, he came to be known as Aaraaa

Amudh Aazhwaan"

Natha muni promptly codified the treasure of devotional hymns as the

'Nalayira Divya Prabhandam'.

 

He set them to melodious music and rhythm and taught them to his two

nephews Sri Krishnan and Sri Varadan also known as Keezhai Agathu Alwan

and Melai Agathu Alwan and brought to the forefront the long lost Divya

Prabandham.(PPM). He also revived the Adhyayana Utsavam instituted

by Tiru mangai Alwar. The tradition of reciting these had been

established by him and kept alive these 1000 years and more . He also

institutionalized the tradition of 'Arayar Sevai' before the Lord on

special occasions -( a form of dance performed by male dancers

specially trained for the purpose) in the Srirangam temple even today.

Similarly, it was he who revived the propagation of Rahasyas and Vyasas

Brahma Sutra. It was from his time only that our Sampradaya began to

shine like a beacon light. He had 8 Sishyas. After a long life of 340

years , major part of which was spent in yoga (meditation), he

ascended to his Heavenly abode during the lifetime of Manakkaal Nambi.

 

Naatha muni wrote 3 scholarly works

 

( 1 ) Nyaya Tattva which contains the following 5 chapters viz., ( i )

Jnaana (Knowledge), (ii) Prameya ( Objects of cognition),

(iii)Pramaatru (the Cognizer),(iv) Karma (Action) and (v) Nyaaya

(Logic)

( 2 ) Yoga Rahasya which is said to have contained the nuances of

devotion (Bhagavad Upaasana) to the Lord through Dhyaanam (meditation)

and

(3 ) Purusha Nirnaya. But none of them is available today. He also

composed the Tanian for Tiruvoimozhi called "Bhaktaamrutham".

His grandson, Yamuna muni later known as Aalavandaar was just 12 years

of age when Natha muni passed away. And, it is this Aalavandaar who

inaugurated the matrix of Sri vaishnavism by his spiritual leadership.

Sri Natha Muni's Tanian reads as follows:

 

Naathena MuniNaa thena Naathavaahanam |

Yasya Naikamikam Tattvam Hastha Aamalakathaam Gatham ||

 

let us continue to work together and perform bhagatha, bhAgawatha,

Acharya kainkaryams. We earnestly appeal to selected friends, sishyas,

abhimanis to separately undertake this part of the Asramam branch

establishment. If the burden is shared by contributing separate parcels

of Rs. 10,000/- each or even less by about 150 persons for this, we

could manage the task and complete the Samprokshanam.

 

All donations in cash or by DD or by cheque payable at Chennai or at

Srirangam should be made payable to SPAV ABHIVARDHINI TRUST which

enjoys 80G exemption of IT Act valid upto 31/03/2010.

 

Payments, if payable at Srirangam, may be sent to:

 

Srikaryam

Srimad Andavan Poundarikapuram Swamai Asramam

SPAV Abhivardhini Trust

43A/13, Asramam Road, Srirangam

TRICHY – 620 006

Ph: 0431-2436100

 

Payments, if payable at Chennai, may be sent to:

 

SPAV Abhivardhini Trust

34 Nachiappan Street

Mahalingapuram

CHENNAI – 600 034

Mobile: 0-98400 13012

 

Please send me an email pledging your support towards this divine

kainkaryam.

 

AzhwAr ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan