Robert Bruce, Gajini Mohammed and Ramanuja

Robert Bruce, Gajini Mohammad and Ramanuja

There was a king named Robert Bruce who ruled over Scotland. He was very brave and wise and was always thinking about the welfare of his people. His fame was spread all over England.

The king of England was green with jealous and he wanted to drive away Bruce from Scotland and wanted to annex his kingdom with England. He had led a great army into Scotland to defeat him and drive him away. Robert Bruce fought with him with his little army with courage, but he was defeated. Once again he collected his army and fought, but again he was defeated. Like this he fought six times and was defeated all the six times

He got frustrated and he thought that there was no hope of winning the battle. He was hiding in a forest and one day it rained and he went in a cave and as he was lying down thinking, he saw a spider above his head trying to weave a web. Each time it tried to throw the thread from one edge of the wall to fasten it to the other side it failed. Six times it failed in its attempt and Bruce was watching it with fascination.

“Poor thing” it also failed six times like me, thought Bruce.

But it did not lose heart and tried for the seventh time and succeeded in its attempt.

Bruce jumped up and said, “When a spider can try for a seventh time and succeed why can’t me?”

He again collected his men and thought about a strategy that could lead him to success. He did succeed in his seventh attempt.

We all had heard about Gajini Mohammed who invaded India seventeen times and looted the temples in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Particularly he invaded Somanth temple and looted.

Perhaps you might be wondering why I am linking Robert Bruce,Gajini Mohammed and Acharya Ramanuja. In his life also Ramanuja had faced the same situation. The stories of these people should be an example to achieve our goal in life with persistance.

Ramanuja was the disciple of Periya Nambikal and he had learned the meanings of Dhvayam, Githartha Sangraham, Siddhi Thrayam, Vyasa Suthram and Pancharathra Agamam.

After he completed all this one day Periya Nambikal told Ramanuja that he should go to Thirukoshtiyur where Alavandar’s favourite disciple Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal resided and learn from him the Ashtakshara Manthram and other Vaishnava Scripts. He told that Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal was a great scholar and had knowledge of all scriptures.

Ramanuja took the advice of his guru earnestly and proceeded to Thirukoshtiyur. He went to Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal’s house and Prostrated before him and put up his request to him.

Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal looked at him up and down and said, “I do not think you are eligible to get the Ashtakshara Manthra upadesam now. You go and come back again after some time.”

Ramanuja returned to Srirangam with much disappointment. He was wholeheartedly continuing his work of raising a garden at the temple, and organizing all the pujas, and he also built a library and a dispensary. In between he made eighteen trips to Thirukoshtiyur by walk and each time he was sent back.

But Ramanuja’s name and fame spread all over for his undaunted task of organizing the Aranganathar Temple and Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal also came to know this. He sent one of his disciples to Srirangam to tell Ramanuja to come alone with his dhandam and pavithram.

Ramanuja took Kurathazwan and Mudaliyandan with him and he prostrated at the feet of Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal.

Nambikal said, “I told you to come alone to receive ashtakshara manthra upadesam. Why did you bring these two with you?”

Ramanuja said, “These two are my dhandam and pavithram and you sent me message to come with my dhandam and pavithram.”

Nambikal was surprised to hear his reply, but he told Ramanuja that he would give manthra upadesam to all three on condition that they would never reveal it to any one. All three received the manthropadesam.

Ramanuja’s face was radiant and he was very happy. Next morning in stead of returning to Srirangam he went to Thirukoshtiyur temple. On the way he was calling out the people and was telling them to come to the temple and he would gift them a valuable gem which would give them eternal bliss.

Kurathazvan and Mudaliyandan who were accompanying Ramanuja were bewildered and a large crowd assembled in front of the temple. Ramanuja climbed up the steps and reached the top of the temple gopuram.

He told the people that he was going to teach them the Narayana mantharam that would free them from the birth circle and they would live ever happily in Vaikuntam. He loudly chanted the ashtakshara manthra and told the people to repeat it. People were all enthralled and repeated the mantharam.

Thirukoshtiyur Nambikal came to know this and he fumed with rage. He came to the temple and Ramanuja prostrated at his feet.

Nambikal’s anger knew no bounds and he said, “I do not want to see your face ever again. By giving you manthropadesam I have committed a sin. You are a guru dhrohi and you would not get a place even in hell.”

Ramanuja replied politely, “Acharya! I know that I will go to hell if I do not abide your command. But if thousands of people would be benefited by chanting this manthram, I a single person would not mind going to hell.”

When Nambikal heard this, his anger had gone and he felt humbled before Ramanuja. He hugged him and appreciated his broadmindedness and gave him the tittle ‘Emperumanar.’


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