Upadesa Ratna Malai

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Sri:Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:Srimath Varavara Munaye Nama:Dear SriVaishnava Bhagavathas,Kindly accept adiyen's pranams. adiyen is glad to announce the arrival of a new series Swami Manavala Mamunikal's UPADESA RATNA MALAI. This simple English translation was done by Sri.U.Ve.Vangipuram Pattangi Srinivasa Varadan Swamy (Father of our Sri.Mukundan Swami). adiyen is a mere typist and owner of mistakes.adiyenRamanuja dasanSampath Kumar Padmanaban*****************************************************************************************************************UPADESA RATNA MALAITranslation by Sri.U.Ve.Vangipuram Pattangi Srinivasa VaradanAVATHARIKAI

 

Swamy Manavala Mamunikal - Introduction

Before we take indulgence in this work of Sri Manavala

Mamunikal, it is necessary to get the anubhavam about this illustrious

Acharyan. Swami Pillailokam Jeeyar who wrote the commentary for URM introduces

Swamy MM as a person from Paramapadam, a Nityasuri, who had come down to earth

for the benefit of all the posterity to worship Him. After birth in this world

he took refuge in the lotus feet of his Acharyan Thiruvoimozi Pillai and

remained devoted to him in the path as set by Madurakavi Alwar. He received the

knowledge of our Visishtatdwaitha Sampradayam commencing from Thiruvoimozi of

Swami Nammalwar and ending with all the Rahasyans from his Acharyan. Swamy

Thiruvoimozi Pillai introduced Emberumanar to Swami MM and made him a disciple

of Ramanuja all through his life. Accordingly Swami MM cherished devotion to

Swami Ramanuja and as mark of respect and affection, composed a stotram called

“Yathiraja Vimsathi”. This earned Swamy MM the title “Yatheendra pravanar”. Swami MM held the works of Alwars and Acharyas as his own and

adopted the ‘bhavanai’ of all of them put together. On account of this special

nature he could give us the inner, and detailed meanings of all rahasyas

through his monumental works of commentaries. He spent major part of his life

at Sri Rangam rendering service to Lord Ranganatha. Therefore he became famous

as Koil Manavala Mamunikal.

 

 

Upadesa Ratna Malai - Introduction

Upadesa Ratna Malai is the first

prabandam composed by Swami Manavala Mamunikal. It consists of 74 verses in

Tamil. This work is set in a poetic form known as ‘venba’. It is a popular

poetic meter, simple in nature and typical in composing. In this prabandam

Swami MM has very kindly documented the birth details (star, month and place of

birth) of all Alwars, Andal, Madurakavi Alwar, and Swami Emperumanar.

Perhaps in his own time he must have observed that these details are distorted

and happened to be the topic of controversy. To dispel all such doubts for future

generations, Swamy felt the need to include the particulars in a ‘grantha’ which

were hitherto guarded by hearsay. Incidentally, Swami MM has put the speciality

of each Alwar and the special meanings enshrined in their works in this

prabandam. Thus the meanings of Thirumanthram, such as ‘ananyarha

seshatwam’(the subservience to Lord Sriman Narayanan only) , is reflected in

this work. He had glorified the commentaries by various Acharyas and the unparalleled works of ‘Rahasyas’ by Pillai Lokacharyar for our benefit. All the teachings

are based on the knowledge received from Thiruvoimozi Pillai, which have come

down through Acharya lineage from Swami Nammalwar. We all should remain

grateful to Swami MM for this help and show our respect by learning this

immortal work URM with meaning.

 

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