Iraamaanusa nooRRanthAthi- 44th verse- Those who have taken refuge at Ramanuja would know what is the Ultimate Goal

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Ramanujaya namah:

 

Dearest all,

 

Earlier, Amudhanaar described Ramanuja’s mastery of

RamayaNam and GitA saasthrAs, and his skill in

establishing the Srivaishnava doctrine and crushing

the other non-vedic religions. Now Amudhanaar mentions

that Ramanuja is the greatest mahaan who has learnt

even Tamil Vedas [Divya prabandhams] and Veda,

Vedanta.

 

sollaar thamizoru moonRum churuthikaL naan_gumellai

illaa aRan^eRi yaavum therinthavan eNNaruncheer

nNallaar paravum iraamaa Nnuchan_thiru naamam nambik

kallaar akalitath thOr,ethu pERenRu kaamipparE. 44

 

In this vast world, one wishes to know what the

ultimate Purushaartham is. Sri Ramanujacharya studies

art, dance and drama in Tamil and also sweetest

AzhwAr’s works in Tamil, the four Vedas and all

limitless innumerable Vedantha and Dharmas and

analyzed them individually as well as in entirety. He

stands like a shining light, establishing the greatest

truths reflecting the sruthis and Vedic truths in

clear categorical terms, and is praised for His

KalyANA guNAs by Great scholars with love and

devotion. This world (and its people)- oh no! are not

listening and paying attention to my words. (Are they

not sensible?)

 

Sol aar thamizh moonRum- art, music, drama in Tamil

[iyal, isai, naatakam]

sruthigaL naangum- Rg, Yajur, saama, AtharvaNa Vedas

ellai illaa aRa neRi yaavum- innumerable, limitless,

dharma saasthrAs [etc]

theritthavan- All these are understood crystal clear

by him

eN aru seer nallaar paravum Iraamaanusan-

Ramanujacharya - One who is the personification of

limitless kalyANa guNAs and who is praised by scholars

for the same;

thirunaamam nambi kallaar- One who has not learnt His

Thirunaamam [even after seeing these kalyANa guNAs of

his] with an unflinching faith that it would alleviate

karmic diseases;

agal idatthOr yEthu pERu enRu kaamipaar- in this vast

world, where and when will they ever desire for and

for which goal? [never ever they will.]

 

Ramanuja mastered in all Tamil arts- namely grammar,

literature, dance, music, drama etc.. and also

Sanskrit veda Vedanthams [sruthis].

iyal- the letters, grammar, and the words, etymology,

meanings etc

isai- Tune, beats [raga, thaaLams and the subsets of

theirs];

naatakam- with the combination of the two above, drama

is formed.. and with abhinayam [miming] it becomes a

dance drama.

 

Vedas were in fragmented form and Veda Vyasa

consolidated them and divided into four standardized

categories of the mantras. Thus standardized, they

were named Rig, Yajur, Samam, and atharva Vedas. Each

of these Vedas were further classified into samhithas

[hymns for rituals]. Brahmanas [prose

portion/performance details of rituals] and AraNyaka

including Upanishads [with mystical elements . meaning

of hymns].

 

Ramanuja had mastered these veda, vedanthams and

learnt all saasthrAs. Ramanuja drew profusely from

Upanishads to promulgate his school of vedantha known

as Visishtadvaita and his Bhashyams on Brahma

Soothrams and the GitA are masterly ones. Besides

Swami blessed us with the very important work on

Vedantha called Vedaartha Sangraham which contains the

central purport on Upanishads.

 

More than his knowledge and expertise, Swami was

merciful and dayaika sindhO [ocean of dayA] and

showered mercy on His disciples and all those taking

refuge at His Feet. Those who have not yet realized

this and not understood his such wonderful kalyANa

guNAs, the greatness of His and as well as the power

of His divine name – will not be able to get any path

for attaining any of their goals.

 

Those who have understood the divine name of Ramanuja

and have realized His kalyANa guNas would get to know

what is the REAL Purushaarrtham [goal] Others would

only search and search and unless they take refuge at

Ramanuja’s feet, they will never find..

 

Moksham alone is thus Purushaarttham. No- there is

something even higher than that. Next verse- Amudhanar

mentions that.

 

EmperumAnAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan