acharyas

[Guest guest]

At 01:14 AM 10/11/01 -0700, you wrote:

>Dear Bhaghavatas,

>

>A. Can anyone tell me more about these acharyas?

>

>1. Pillai Uranga Villidasar

>

>2. Mara Neri Nambi

>

>3. Kuruhai Kavalar

>

>I want to know a little about them; about their

>acharyas; any interesting incidents, etc. I have been

>told that Maraneri Nambi was from Thondar kulam.

>Correct me if I am wrong.

>

>pranams

>raji sridhar

 

Namo Narayana !

 

Dear Srimathi Raji Sridhar:

 

Kuruhai Kaavalar is direct sishya of

AchArya Naatha Muni, the grand father of

Swamy Alavandhar . Mara NERi Nampi is

the disciple of Swamy AlavandhAr . Yes, MaaRa NERi

nampi belonged to Thondar Kulam. Sri periya

Nampi , anothe rdisciple of Swamy Alavandhar

and One of the AchAryans for Sri RaamAnujar

perfomed the last rites for MaaRa NERi Nampi

a the command of His achaaryan.

 

(1)Kuruhai Kaavalappan (KK)recived upadEsam

from Swamy Naatha Muni on Yoga Rahasyam.

He was immersed in Yogam and wanted

to pass the Yoga Rahasyam to Swamy Alavandhaaar,

who missed the opportunity due to his inability

to return to Thirukkuruhai Kaavalappan 's

side before he ascended to Sri Vaikuntam.

The secrets of Yoga Rahasyam that Swamy Naatha Muni recd.

from Swamy NammAzhwAr was thus lost to us.

KK gave us the Taniyan for for MoonRAm ThiruvandhAthi.

 

(2)MaaRa NERi Nampi is one of the disciples of

Swamy Alavandhar and was born in Aadi Aayilyam at PaaNDya

Desam.He tok on himself the cancerous growth

on the body odf Swamy AlavandhAr as AchArya prasAdham

due to his matchless Guru Bhakthi.He requested that

his body blessed by Swamy AlavandhAr should not

be entrusted to his avaishnava brethern and begged

Periya Nampi to perform his last rites. Periya nampi

obliged and RaamAnujA Questione d his AchAryan ,

Periya nampi about the appropriateness of a Brahmin

( Periya nampi) performing apara KriyAs ( Last rites)

for some one of lower caste. Periya nampi cited

the instance of Raaamachandran performing

last rites for a bird (Jataayu) and conceded

that he is not loftier than Raamachandran and

that MaaranERi Nampi was not lower in glory than

JatAyu. Periya Nampi also asked Raamaanuja , his

dear disciple , to reflect upon the inner meanings

of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi(TVM) paasurams

NedumARkkadimai (TVM 8.10) and PayalumsudaroLi (TVM 3.7),

celebrating the greatness of the BhaagavathAs.

 

3) PiLLai URangA Villi Daasar:He is adirect disciple of

RaamAnujA of Sudra Caste. RaamAnujA used to hold his hand

for support at his old age during his travel from

Cauveri bank to Matam .When some one questioned

RaamAnuja about this , he answered :

For Brahmins , there will be pride and hesitation born

out of the pride about performing kaimkaryams after

being born in the top kulam . For SoodhrAs , whose

varNAsrama dharmam is to serve others , there is

no hesitation wahtsoever about kaimkaryams . The heart

of SoodhrAs are pure .Hence I hold Urangaavalli

Daasar's hand to remove my VarNAsrama AbhimAnam

and pride.

 

UrangAvilli Daasar(URD) as in charge of RaamAnujA's

treasury at the matam and he had two disciples

known as Vandar and Sundar , who helped him in

this task.URD watched over Udayavar during the night

and his name comes from his sleepless vigil just as

LakshmaNA watched over RaamA during His forest exile.

 

The ten messages that AchArya RaamAnujA to Mudali ANDAn

about the uniqueness of the 4th VarNam ( Soodhra VarNam)

are very important for us to reflect upon.Here we see

the greatness of AchArya RaamAnujA , the most merciful

to all VarNatthAr . NUmbe rof AzhwArs were not

'born in the BrahmaNa VarNam ( Swamy NammAzhwAr,

Thirumangai Mannan , ThiruppANar et al). AchArya

RaamAnujA wove in these points in his ten messages

to Mudali ANDAN , His Paadhukai and ThridhaNDam.

 

Empaar's ten messages to Bhattar on VaishNava

LakshaNam are also worth upon by all of us

to practise the true principles of our glorious

tradition as Sri VaishNavAs.

 

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

V.Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImatE rAmAnujAya namaH

 

namO nArAyaNa!

 

Dear SrI Sadagopan,

 

Can you please share us the following :

 

1. The source-book(s) from which you wrote the episodes

as indicated below.

 

2. How is the cited TVM decads (8.10;3.7) appropriate to the

context / act performed and also, what is the meaning of

the connection drawn between the act of Lord RAma and

Peria-Nambi ?

 

3. 10 Messages of Bhagavad RAmAnuja to Mudali-ANDAn ;

In Which book is it stated. Similarly, that of Embar's.

 

Thanks.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

anantapadmanAbhan.

 

> Yes, MaaRa NERi

> nampi belonged to Thondar Kulam. Sri periya

> Nampi , anothe rdisciple of Swamy Alavandhar

> and One of the AchAryans for Sri RaamAnujar

> perfomed the last rites for MaaRa NERi Nampi

> a the command of His achaaryan.

>

>

> (2)MaaRa NERi Nampi is one of the disciples of

.....

.....

> be entrusted to his avaishnava brethern and begged

> Periya Nampi to perform his last rites. Periya nampi

> obliged and RaamAnujA Questione d his AchAryan ,

> Periya nampi about the appropriateness of a Brahmin

> ( Periya nampi) performing apara KriyAs ( Last rites)

> for some one of lower caste. Periya nampi cited

> the instance of Raaamachandran performing

> last rites for a bird (Jataayu) and conceded

> that he is not loftier than Raamachandran and

> that MaaranERi Nampi was not lower in glory than

> JatAyu. Periya Nampi also asked Raamaanuja , his

> dear disciple , to reflect upon the inner meanings

> of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi(TVM) paasurams

> NedumARkkadimai (TVM 8.10) and PayalumsudaroLi (TVM 3.7),

> celebrating the greatness of the BhaagavathAs.

>

> 3) PiLLai URangA Villi Daasar:He is adirect disciple of

> RaamAnujA of Sudra Caste. RaamAnujA used to hold his hand

> for support at his old age during his travel from

> Cauveri bank to Matam .When some one questioned

> RaamAnuja about this , he answered :

> For Brahmins , there will be pride and hesitation born

> out of the pride about performing kaimkaryams after

> being born in the top kulam . For SoodhrAs , whose

> varNAsrama dharmam is to serve others , there is

> no hesitation wahtsoever about kaimkaryams . The heart

> of SoodhrAs are pure .Hence I hold Urangaavalli

> Daasar's hand to remove my VarNAsrama AbhimAnam

> and pride.

 

>

> The ten messages that AchArya RaamAnujA to Mudali ANDAn

> about the uniqueness of the 4th VarNam ( Soodhra VarNam)

> are very important for us to reflect upon.Here we see

> the greatness of AchArya RaamAnujA , the most merciful

> to all VarNatthAr . NUmbe rof AzhwArs were not

> 'born in the BrahmaNa VarNam ( Swamy NammAzhwAr,

> Thirumangai Mannan , ThiruppANar et al). AchArya

> RaamAnujA wove in these points in his ten messages

> to Mudali ANDAN , His Paadhukai and ThridhaNDam.

>

> Empaar's ten messages to Bhattar on VaishNava

> LakshaNam are also worth upon by all of us

> to practise the true principles of our glorious

> tradition as Sri VaishNavAs.

[Guest guest]

Sri Sadagopan wrote:

>> Periya nampi cited

>> the instance of Raaamachandran performing

>> last rites for a bird (Jataayu) and conceded

>> that he is not loftier than Raamachandran and

>> that MaaranERi Nampi was not lower in glory than

>> JatAyu.

 

 

At 10:06 PM 10/27/2001 +0530, Anand K Karalapakkam wrote:

> Dear SrI Sadagopan,

>

> Can you please share us the following :

>

> 1. The source-book(s) from which you wrote the episodes

> as indicated below.

 

 

This episode is cited in " ARAyirappadi Guru parambarai

PrabAvam " by Pinbazhagiya PerumAl Jeeyar, a disciple

of Sri NampiLLai, published by Sri Krishnaswamy Iyengar.

 

Here, according to the original text (pp. 237 & 238),

Periya Nambi cites not just Sri Rama and JatAyu, but

also Yudistran and Viduran. The text here is quite

beautiful. Periya Nambi asks Sri Ramanuja rhetorically,

 

" ishvAku vamsaththilE avathariththu SAmAnya dharmaththai

veLiyittu aruLina perumALaikkAttilum nAn periyavnO?

periyavudaiyAraik kAttilum ivar thaNNiyarO? "

 

(Am I greater than the Lord of IsvAku, who revealed

sAmAnya Dhramam to the world, and, is he (MaRan nEr

nambi) any lower than periya vudaiyAr (jatAyu)?)

 

 

" SAmAnya dharma nishtarAna dharma putthiranaik kAttilum

nAn periyavanO? sri viduraraikkAttilum ivar thaNNiyarO? "

 

(Am I higher than Dharmaptran, an embodiment of

sAmAnya dharmam, and, is he any lower than Sri Viduran?)

 

" payiulm sudaroLi, nedumArkkadimai kadalOsaiyO? "

 

(Is " payilum sudaroLi " and " nedumARkadimai " just sound

of the waves?)

 

This passage is indeed riveting. " What is good enough for

the Lord whose life is glorified as " dharmO vighrahavAn "

is good enough for me, " says Sri Periya Nambi. It almost seems

Sri Periya Nambi expected Sri Ramanuja to object that our

lot as jIvAs is different from Lord Rama, His human avathArA

not withstanding. So, Sri Periya Nambi goes on to cite a

jIvA who performed such a task, namely, Dharma rAjA. But

these two instances refer only to sAmAnya dharmam (sic).

So, Sri Periya Nambi further cites TVM 3.7 and 8.10 to

go beyond sAmAnya dharmam into the realm of Sri Vaishnava

code presented to us by our Prapannajana Kootasthar. Swami

Nammazhvar through the 10 pasurams of " payilum sudaroLi " and

the 10 pasurams of " nedumArkkadimai " goes well beyond sAmAnya

dharmam, into Sri Vaishnava dharmam of utmost respect for

all Sri Vaishnavas irrespective of caste.

 

 

Sri Anand asked:

>

> 2. How is the cited TVM decads (8.10;3.7) appropriate to the

> context / act performed and also,

 

 

The connection was made by Sri Periya Nambi himself. From

the text it can be seen that TVM 3.7 and 8.10 show a higher

level of dharmam than sAmAnya dharmam. The first two rhetorical

questions about Lord Rama/JatAyu and Dharmaputran/Sri Viduran

relate to sAmAnya dharmam. Here, Sri Periya Nambi defends

his action even under the regimen of sAmAnya dharmam. With

the third rhetorical question where TVM is cited, Sri Periya

Nambi exhorts us to go beyond the sAamAnya dharmam and

elevate ourselves into the level of Sri Vaishnava ideal

presented in TVM 3.7 and 8.10.

 

We must of course observe all this without prejudice to

sashthrAs under the guidance of our AchAryAs.

 

 

 

Sri Anand asked:

> what is the meaning of the connection drawn between the

> act of Lord RAma and Peria-Nambi ?

 

Well, the connection, it seems, comes from the fact both

performed the last rites to someone from a lower varNa.

 

 

 

> 3. 10 Messages of Bhagavad RAmAnuja to Mudali-ANDAn ;

> In Which book is it stated. Similarly, that of Embar's.

>

 

[..]

 

 

>

Sri Sadagopan:

>> 3) PiLLai URangA Villi Daasar:He is adirect disciple of

>> RaamAnujA of Sudra Caste. RaamAnujA used to hold his hand

>> for support at his old age during his travel from

>> Cauveri bank to Matam.

 

Sri Anand asked:

> 1. The source-book(s) from which you wrote the episodes

> as indicated below.

 

Refer to page 236 of the cited text. Here, the text says

this happened on a particular Thiru NAL, i.e. celebration.

The sishyas were surprised. Thus it is clear that this

was not an usual daily thing. It happened just that one

day. Sri Ramanuja responded by saying that Sri PiLLai

URangAvilli DAsar is free of the pride a high-born is likely

to have with performing dasya service in spite of high birth,

 

" janmam uyarndhirukkach seydhE thAzha nillA

ninROmE enkiRa abimAnam .... "

 

-- adiyEn

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImatE rAmAnujAya namaH

 

namO nArAyaNa!

 

Dear SrI Dileepan,

 

Thanks for the information(s) from the

ThennAchArya's Guru-parampara prabhAvam

book. VaDakalai AchAryas differ in this regard.

Thats why aDiyEn posed those questions.

 

Due to the current scehdule, aDiyEn is unable

to write in detail regarding this issue. For those

who have SrImad RahasyaTraya-SAram book

with the commentary of SrI UtthamUr SwAmi

(Or that of SrI In~jimETTu Azhagiyasi~ngar, which

is in grantha lipi though), please refer to the

25th Chapter " PrabhAva-vyavastha-adhikAram " ,

which deals with various issues on VarNa dharma.

 

The vidura samskAra episode etc are discussed

by SwAmi DESikan and explained in the

commentary by SrI UtthamUr SwAmi with quotations

from MahAbhAratam etc {pg 745-747}.

 

By the way, one of the primary reasons for the

3000 paDi Guruparampara-prabhAvam to be

written by the 3rd Bramhatantra-svatantra JIyar was

to present the VaDakalai Parampara's version

and do away with many mis-informations in the

ThennAchArya's version in the form of " aithihyams "

which were hyperboles etc to convey some important

doctrinal messages.

 

Will come back to the actual aithihyams in hand

sometime this month possibly .....

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

anantapadmanAbhan.

 

 

> >

> > 1. The source-book(s) from which you wrote the episodes

> > as indicated below.

>

> This episode is cited in " ARAyirappadi Guru parambarai

> PrabAvam " by Pinbazhagiya PerumAl Jeeyar, a disciple

> of Sri NampiLLai, published by Sri Krishnaswamy Iyengar.

[Guest guest]

At 12:54 PM 11/2/2001 +0530, Anand K Karalapakkam wrote:

>SrI:

>SrImatE rAmAnujAya namaH

>

> namO nArAyaNa!

>

> Dear SrI Dileepan,

>

> Thanks for the information(s) from the

> ThennAchArya's Guru-parampara prabhAvam

> book.

 

 

namo narayana!

 

Dear Sri Anand:

 

The book adiyEn quoted is NOT ThenAcharya

Guru-parambara prabhavam. It is published

by Sri Puttoor Krishnaswami Iyengar, a known

ThenAcharya follower. But the book is authored

by Swami Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jeeyar, a disciple

of Swami NampiLLai, an acharya belonging to Sri

Ahobila Mata sampradayama. Further, Swami PPJ

is not part of ThenAcharya Guru parambarai.

 

Any difference on theory between the two kalais

in this regard must have occurred over time. In

my observation, at least in practice there is no

difference between the two kalais in this regard.

In theory, as far as showing the utmost respect to

all Sri Vaishnavas without regard to varNa, is the

position of Swami Sri Deskan as well. The caveat

of course is we must follow sasthras in all this.

If there is a contradiction it must be resolved

with guidance from Acharya. This is what adiyEn

had mentioned in the original response. No

discussion of authenticity of the cited episodes

is found anywhere in these records.

 

regards,

 

-- adiyEn