Sri Ramanuja, the Srivaishnava saint and social Reformer

Discussion in 'Religious places & Spiritual people' started by PushpavalliSrinivasan, Aug 16, 2007.

  1. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Govindan also opting for Sanyasashram



    When Ramanuja sent back Govindan to Thirumalai Nambikal, he waited outside Thirumalai Nambikal’s Thirumalikai to be called in. Though Thirumalai Nambikal’s other disciples went and gave him the information, Thirumalai Nambikal told them to tell Govindan to go back to Sri Ramanuja. Even his wife felt sad for Govindan and requested Thirumalai Nambikal to give him his Sripada Thirtham and prasadam even if he did not want to talk to him. He replied his wife that people did not feed the cow once they sold it to somebody. By saying this he meant that he had offered Govindan to Ramanuja and so he should go and stay with him. Though Govindan felt sad in the beginning, later he understood that Thirumalai Nambikal wanted him to become the disciple of Ramanuja and derive more benefits. Thus Govindan accompanied Ramanuja to Srirangam and was doing kaimkaryam to him. Ramanuja also was very pleased with him for he attended to all his needs without even being told.
    Another disciple of Ramanuja got jealous of him. He went and told Ramanuja that he saw Govindan sitting in front of a devadasi’s house. When Ramanuja called Govindan and asked him about this,
    He told Ramanuja that the lady was singing songs in praise of Ramanuja and so he was listening to that.
    Govindan’s mother was worried about him because he was not following illaRa dharmam as he left his wife alone. She went and told Ramanuja to advise him to be with his wife. Hence Ramanuja told him to go home at night time and be happy with his wife. So Govindan went home, but the whole night he was only talking to his wife only about The Lord and His auspicious qualities and rupa sowndaryam.
    When Ramanuja came to know about this he called him and enquired about this. Govindan told him that when he went to the bedroom he could only see the vision of Lord and he had no other passion. It was difficult for him to lead normal life.
    After hearing this Ramanuja told him that he was not doing justice to his wife. If he was not interested in following IllaRa Dharmam, and had the determination he could better opt for Sanyasashram. Ramanuja told Govindan’s mother also and obtained her permission also. Then he performed the Kiriya’s for inducting Govindan in sanyasashram and conferred him the title “Emperumanar.” But Govindan was reluctant to be called “Emperumanar” because it was the title given to Ramanuja. Hence he preferred to be called “ Embar.” From then onwards Govindan was known as Embar.

    Emperumanar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!





    To be continued
     
  2. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Mrs. Pushpa,
    What a great person, Govindan is. seeing God in every person.
    'Embar' absolutely suits him very much!

    sriniketan
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2007
  3. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sriniketan,
    Govindan was blessed to have his brother as his guru! Ramanuja was indebted to him for saving his life and so his love and affection for him flowed like a spring. He felt sad when he came to know that he was at Kalahasthi as the head of Saivites, he sent Tirumalai Nambikal to Kalahasthi to change his mind. He had brought him into his fold and then Govindan exceled in all his deeds!
    Love,
    Pushpavalli
     
  4. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Ramanuja’s visit to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:smarttags" /><st1:place>Kashmir</st1:place>



    Ramanuja was staying in Srirangam with all his disciples. Among them seventy four were called SimhasanathipathikaL or PeetathipathikaL. Kurathazwar, Sundara ThoLar, Yaghyamurthi, and Embar were prominent ones. Daily they had debates in sasthras, thathvam and bhakthi markam.
    But one day all in a sudden Ramanuja had remembered his vow to ALavandar that he would write the meaning of Brahma Suthram. For writing the meaning of Brahma Suthram he needed Bodayana Maharishi’s Grantham. He came to know it was at the Sarada Peetam in <st1:place>Kashmir</st1:place>. So he started his journey to <st1:place>Kashmir</st1:place> with Kurathazwar and reached there in three months. There were many pundits at Sarada Peetam. Ramanuja mingled with them and had discussions. He got love and respect from them. They all admired Ramanuja’s wisdom and felt that he was equal to Bodhayana Maharishi.
    One day Ramanuja enquired about Bodhayana Vruthi for which he traveled that far. The pundits felt that if he got that Grantham he would use it against advaida principle and so they had lied to him that book was not available then as it was eaten by termites. When Ramanuja heard this he was very much disheartened. He felt exhausted due to disappointment and just fell asleep. In his dream Saraswathi Devi appeared and handed over the book to him. She told him to leave the place at once or else he would get harmed.
    Ramanuja was overjoyed to have the darshan of Saraswathi Devi and also to get the book straight from her. He at once started back his journey to Srirangam reading the book and learning it. But his joy was short lived. The pundits while checking the library found the book missing. They suspected that Ramanuja and Kurathazwar must have taken it. Hence some of them went in pursuit of them and also found them. They forcefully took away the book from them. Ramanuja felt sad that he didn’t finish the whole book. He had finished only one part of the book. He became sad and depressed thinking that though Goddess Saraswathi herself had given him the book, he was unable to complete his job.
    Kurathazwar seeing his guru in the depressed mood consoled him by saying that he had by hearted the whole book the previous night and he could write it and give it to him. Ramanuja rejoiced to hear this from his disciple. They both had returned to Srirangam. Ramanuja narrated his other disciples all that had happened.
    He praised Kurathazwar for his memory power. He requested Kurathazwar to narrate all that was in the book and Ramanuja went on giving its explanation, and Kurathazwar went on writing. Thus Ramanuja fulfilled his vow to write vyakyanam to Brahma Suthras and this book is called Sribashyam. This book also proves that through Dhyanam, upasana and Bhakthi jeevathmas could attain mukthi.




    Bhashyakarar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!


    to be continued
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2007
  5. srinivasan_vanaja

    srinivasan_vanaja Gold IL'ite

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    hello madam,

    a great seva by kurathazwar to his guru. actually when i was reading your post and the particular sentence about Goddess Saraswathi appearing in Emperumanar's dream, i heard "Saraswathi Suktham" being recited from the temple next to my house. it was a coincidence.
     
  6. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Vanaja,
    thanks for your prompt FB. By the by, I am watching the Thiruppavai programme on Vijay, and today the programme started later. Enjoying the programme and I came to know about it because of you only. Thanks a lot,
    Love,
    Pushpavalli
     
  7. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Mrs.Pushpavalli,
    what a great disciple Kurathazhwar is! Helped his Guru in distress, and made him write SriBaashiyam, which is of great help to Bakthas in general to attain Mukthi.

    sriniketan
     
  8. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sriniketan,
    Kurathazwar impersonated Ramanuja to save his life. Perhaps you might have heard about it. We"ll see it in the next episode.
    Love,
    Pushpavalli
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2007
  9. srinivasan_vanaja

    srinivasan_vanaja Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Pushpavalli,

    Thanks for your comments on Thiruppaavai. The pasurams yet to come will be really a feast to your eyes.
     
  10. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Kurathazwar’s Divya Sarithram



    Kurathazwar was very much devoted to Ramanuja and Ramanuja also held Kurathazwar in great esteem. He had such a powerful memory power that helped Ramanuja to write Sribhashyam. Kurathazwar was willing to sacrifice his sariram, thraviyam and even his life for the sake of Ramanuja. Hence I think it is proper to narrate his life story also in Ramanuja’s life history.
    Kurathazwar was born in a rich family in the Village Kooram which is situated around 10 kilometers north from Kancheepuram. He was older to Ramanuja and was born in the year Sowmya, in the month of Thai in the star Hastha. His 1000<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary falls in the year 2010 and elaborate arrangements have already started to celebrate this in a grand manner.
    Earlier I had mentioned that Ramanuja was the amsam of Adisesha. After Ramavathar Thirumal wanted to take birth again in this world and He requested Adisehan also to be born with him. Adisesha told him that he had to undergo lots of stress and pressure when he was born as Lakshman in Ramavathar and so he didn’t want to take birth again in Boolokam. Then Thirumal told him that He would take birth as younger brother and would serve him and he could take birth as His elder brother. So in Krishnavathar Balaraman was elder To Krishna. Again in Kali Yuka Thirumal took birth as Kuresa before Ramanuja and Adiseshan was born as Ramanuja later. The following verse states Adhisesha’s service to Thirumal in His different positions.


    "சென்றாற் குடையாம் இருந்தாற் சிங்காசனமாம்
    நின்றால் மரவடியாம் நீள்கடலுள் -என்றும்
    புனையா மணிவிளக்காம் பூம்பட்டாம்
    புல்குமணையாம் திருமாற்கரவு."


    Later at Srirangam Ramanuja witnessed Kuresan’s bhakthi to Paraman equal to the Azwars and henceforth he was known as Kurathazwar.
    His wife’s name was Andal and she also possessed great knowledge and Kuresan used to ask her to explain when he had doubts. He was spending all his wealth in dhana dharmam. From morn to night his door was open to sadhus, poor and the needy. His door was closed only after the temple door of PeraruLaLa Perumal was closed. One day it so happened that there was some Uthsavam in the temple and the door was not closed in the usual time. Kuresan’s doorkeepers closed the door of his house as usual and PeraruLaLa peruMal heard the sound of the closing door bells. He asked Thirukachinambikal why the door was closed before the visesha puja was over. Thirukachi Nambikal told him that it was not the door of the temple, but the doors of Kuresan’s Thirumalikai, who was doing service to Thirumal Adiyars, the poor and the needy. Though the Lord knew everything, He just wanted to hear it from His devotee. Thirumal Devi also heard this and she was eager to see Kurathazwar and so she requested Thirukachi NambikaL to bring him to the temple. Hence Nambikal went and gave the message to Kurathazwar.

    Kurathazwar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!

    To be continued
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2007

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