Sri Ramamisrar- maNakkaal nambhi Thirunakshathram- Maasi makam

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

ennuyir thandhaLitthavaraicharaNam pukki

yaanadaivE avargurukkaL niRai vaNangi

pinnaruLaal perumpoodhoor vandha vaLLal

periya nambhi Alavandhaar MANAKKAAL NAMBHI

nannEriyai avarkkuraittha uyyakkoNdaar

Nathamuni SatakOpan sEnai nAthan

innamudhat thirumagaL enRu ivarai (ivargaLai)munnittu

EmperumAn ThiruvadigaLai adaiginREnE

 

In our Achrya lineage- Sri Ramamisrar- MaNakkal Manbhi

is the vital link.

 

MANAKKAAL NAMBI: His Prime Sishya was: YAAMUNA MUNI

(aka) AALAVANDAAR His other Sishyas were: (1)

Deivathukku Arasu Nambi (2) Gomatathu

TiruvinNagarappan (3) Sirup Pulloor Aavudayap Pillai

and (4) Aachi

 

RAMA MISRAR ( MANAK KAAL NAMBI)-(MAASI- MAkAM)

He was born as the Amsam of Kumudan, one of the

Nityasuris in Paramapadam. He was born in the

Manakkaal Agraharam adjacent to ANBIL, in Lalgudi

Taluk, Trichy District. His date of birth is also

variously placed by scholars: 832 AD; 870AD; 876 AD.

But, all are agreed that he was born in the year

Virodhi, month of Masi in the constellation of Magham.

- which is today. Let us pay out obeisance to our

Acharya who is the link between Sriman Nathamuni-

UyykakkOndaar and Sri Alavandhaar.

 

The credit for transforming Yamunai thuraivan into

Yamuna Muni goes to him. For 12 years, he rendered

personal service to his Acharya, Uyyak Kondaar and

after the demise of Uyyak Kondaar's wife, he took over

the culinary duties and cooked food for his Acharya.

 

Embar describes that Nammalwar drank of the ocean of

mercy of the Lord Narayana and rained it through Natha

muni and that Pundarikaksha was like the fountain

spring that let the stream reach Alavandar.

Pundarikaksha learned the holy collects and Yoga

Rahasya from Natha Muni and passed them on to

Alavandar. His devotion to his Guru was such that on

an occasion when two daughters of Pundarikaksha had to

cross the slush on their way back home after bath in

the river, he laid himself down on the slush and asked

them to walk over on his back. Since, the sands at the

feet of the Guru's daughters were on his body, he came

to be known as ' Manal Kaal Nambi' . He took to

Sannyas.

 

Rama Misra was trying to carry out his promise to his

Guru to install Alavandar as the spiritual successor

to Nathamuni.. But, he could not get an audience with

Alavandar - the king, to discuss the matter. He hit

upon a curious plan. He made friends with the servants

in the royal kitchen and through them learned that

Alavandar relished a special variety of spinach called

" Toodu Valai Keerai " . He started supplying the spinach

daily. After a period of about six months he suddenly

stopped deliveries. Alavandar enquired why the spinach

was not being served. The servants replied that an old

man who used to supply had suddenly not turned up. He

ordered that the old man be brought before him when he

visited the next time. The very next day Rama Misra

appeared and was duly taken to the king.

 

During this session, Rama Misra explained the purpose

of his mission and requested Alavandar to take over

the reins of spiritual leadership bequeathed to him by

his illustrious grandfather, Nathamuni. Alavandar took

to Sannyas and was thenceforward known as YAMUNA MUNI.

 

Sri Manakkaal Nambhi does not seem to have written any

work. But, citations of his teachings are found in the

works of other Acharyas. Swami Desikan quotes his

teachings in Nyaaya Parisuddhi. So, he is known as

" Yathaartha Khyaadhi " Swami Desika in Sloka 7 of his

Yatiraja Saptadhi praises Manakkaal Nambi as follows:

 

Anujjitha Kshamaa Yogam Apunya Jana Bhaadakam |

Asprushta Madha Raagam Thum Raamam Turyam Upaasmahe ||

 

(meaning) The one who learned through Upadesam all the

Sastaraarthas from Uyyakkondaar was Manakkaal Nambi.

There were only three Ramas before. Here comes the

fourth Rama. The defects noticeable in the other 3

Ramas were totally absent in this 4th Rama.

 

ANUJJITHA KSHAMAA YOGAM : Parasurama had no patience.

Out of jealousy, he fought with 'Chakravarthi

Tirumagan'. With an uncontrollable rage, he embarked

on destroying the entire Kshatriya race. But,

Manakkaal Nambi never lost his composure and kept his

senses under absolute control.

 

APUNYA JANA BHAADAKAM: Dasaratha Rama destroyed the

Rakshasas, otherwise known as 'Punya Jana'. But,

Manakkaal Nambi never harmed anyone but always did all

the good he could to Sadhus who are also known as

'Punya Jana'

 

ASPRUSHTA MADHA RAAGAM: Balarama became reddish in

color by excessive drinking Manakkaal Nambi never

exhibited any pride or prejudice or any excessive

attachment to anything worldly. Let us prostrate

before this blemish less 4th Rama

 

Such is the greatness of our Acharya Sri Ramamisrar-

MaNakkaal nambhi.

[The above is an extract from Sri Anbil mama’s article

on Acharya vamsa vruksham- Thanks to Sri Anbil

Ramaswamy mama for granting permission to post this]

 

Acharyan ThiruvadgaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

 

 

 

 

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