Altruistic Anchorite- Ramanuja

November 27, 2003

Dear SrI Kripa Vasu:

Thanks very much for sharing SrIman (Late ) Sampath Iyengar

on AchArya RaamAnuja . I can not agree with you more.

Both Professor M.A.Alwar of Melkote and myself

have created a set of very informative CD ROMs

on AchArya RaamAnuja ( includes Bhagavath AarAdhanam and

Video clips on AchArya RaamAnuja , His nine SrI sookthis) and

Audio and Multimedia CD ROMs and Tapes on the 12 AzhwArs

and their dhivya Prabhandhams ( recitation by Melkote AdhyApAka

GhOshti) for help with the practical side of observing our SampradhAyam.

These hopefully should help the AasthikAs .

AchArya RaamAnuja and Swamy Desikan spent a lot of their

lives to instruct us on SrI VaishNava Doctrines and practises

and however esoteric they may sound , one has to get

even a rudimentary understanding of them .

That is the only reason to write about them inspite of

the fear of being misundestood for display of " Verbosity

and Textual Knowledge " .

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,

V.Sadagopan

-

kripa vasu

oppiliappan ; ramanuja ; ; azhagiyasingar ;

Thursday, November 27, 2003 4:41 AM

Altruistic Anchorite- Ramanuja

Altruistic Anchorite

Verbosity and textual knowledge of books on Vaishnavite Philosophy may give a mental satisfaction but the object of such an acquisition will be a futile exercise if it is not translated into practice.

Adi Sankara gave to the world the Advaita philosophy which considered every creation of God is an “illusion” (Maya). He criticizes in his great work “Baja Govindham” that knowledge without practice is worthless. Sri Ramanuja who came later gave correct interpretation of Vaishanavism which remained latent in the hymns of Azhwars and brought about a philosophy called quantified monism (Vishitadvaitha). He established with the conviction that in God’s creation everything is real and purposeful and his concept was convincing and appealing even to a layman. He laid greatest emphasis on compassion, humility and universal brotherhood. His concept has no parameter to quantify Vaishnavism, as its tenets transcended all limitations. Comparisons are odious and arguing over things that are abstract will not serve any purpose and the primary object of absolute Bhakthi or to be in tune with the “Infinite” would be lost. It is incumbent that every Vaishnavite should know what our philosophy teaches as propounded by our Preceptor, the indisputable awareness that Sriman Narayana is Supreme and to develop a strong conviction that the “Praparthi” is the easiest means to obtain God’s Grace for final beatitude. This is the “Doctrine of surrender” which delineates the cardinal points as to where, when and through whom a jeevatma should surrender in order to attain the “Paramathma”.

Saint Thyagaraja of Thiruvaiyar in one of his “Kirtanas” appeals to Sri Rama thus “I do not know the nuances of Dwaitam or Advaitham, Oh Sri Rama!, I believe in absolute Bhakthi your name ad-infinitum”

The Vaishnavite world is very much indebted to Sri Ramanuja who preached the parity of all without making invidious distinctions between class, caste or creed. This does not however mean or convey that the great pontiff wanted to dismantle the edifice of established customs and practices. One would be living in fool’s paradise if he jumps to the conclusion that the Apostle advocated inter-caste marriage. The crux of his philosophy was to eschew jealousy and to love thy neighbors. Sri Ramanuja’s treatise, on Vishitadvaita philosophy called “Sri Bashyam” and “Gadya Thrayam” bear the testimony to his staunch belief on his preaching and also discloses his erudition and scholarship.

There are several anecdotes connected with his life to establish Sri Ramanuja as a celebrated preceptor and one of which was his bringing round a wrestler by name “Pillai Urangavilli Dasan” (as christened later) hailing from Karambanur who admired the beauty of his wife prominently depicted through her glowing eyes, by requesting him to have a look at the bewitching eyes of another (Lord Ranganatha) which made him change the opinion held by him about the ephemeral beauty of his wife. The wrestler and his spouse became Sri Ramanuja’s ardent disciple engaged in the service to their Acharya.

Sri Ramanuja’s stupendous and admirable task was the regulation of rituals and the codification thereof in the daily routine at Lord Ranganatha’s temple at Sri Rangam as obtaining in Srivaikunta are still being followed meticulously.

His visit to Melkote (Thirunarayanpuram) where he made the “Panchamas” whom he respectfully and euphemistically christened as “Thirukulathar” to participate in the festival which was denied to them before due to socio religious taboos. Sri Ramanuja’s “Achrarya Bhakthi” could be seen by his being a disciple of great savants like Thirukoshtiyur Nambi, Peria Nambi, Thirukachinambi. He had several disciples among whom “Kurathazhwar” was his trusted lieutenant, who assisted Sri Ramanuja in preparing Sri Bashyam with his extra ordinary power of remembrance and retentivity.

Ramanuja carried the message of Vishistadvaita philosophy to every nook and corner and traveled the length and breadth of our country and surmounted many a vicissitudes that he was confronted with his by his convincing exposition and the power of reasoning.

Sri Ramanuja imbibed the exemplary qualities of Sri Rama precisely “Humility”. While as Lakshmana he displayed anger and indignation at every stage when he found an injustice had been perpetrated on his virtuous brother. He was pacified convincingly by Sri Rama on such occasions. This Lakshmana exhibited that he was none but incarnation of Adisesha. Perhaps, Adisesha came to this earth again sans its natural instinct, as an altruistic anchorite only to redeem himself from the general accusation that he was quick tempered and petulant while he was the brother of sagacious Sri Rama.

Sri Ramanuja was born at Sri Perambudur in the year 1017, married Thanjamambal in the year 1033 at Kancheepuram, took monastic order in the year 1047 and left for his Heavenly abode on 22nd July 1138. Thus he lived for 121 years, a life fully paced with activities of different hues. With his strict austerity in all ramifications Sri Ramanuja lived longer than the specified limits of mortals. He is an Acharya Par excellence.

This article was written by Late. L.P.Sampath Iyengar.

Feedback and comments can be sent to suprajaiyengar

Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard