Sri Ramanuja, the Srivaishnava saint and social Reformer

Dear Sriniketan,
Thank you for your prompt FB. Adiseshan was really blessed to be born with Thirumal and do service to Him in most of His avatharams.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Kurathazwar bestowed with twins


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When Kurathazwar heard from Thirukachi Nambikal that Sri Mahalsksmi wanted to see him and sent for him he felt that he was very much blessed to be invited by the Goddess of wealth. He thought that he should go to meet Sridevi after discarding all his wealth or else he would feel proud of his wealth. So he gave away all his wealth to the poor and needy and even discarded his costly Pattu, pithambaram clothes and put on ordinary clothes. His wife also accompanied him, but she took with her a gold vattil in which Kurathazwar used to have his food. They had to cross a forest enroute to Kanchi and it was quite dark also. Andal , Kurathazwar’s wife got frightened and her heart was beating fast. Kurathazwar noticed that and asked her, “Why are you frightened? Only if you are keeping some costly material you should get frightened. Madiyil kanam irunthal thane vaziyile bhayam? Whatever you have throw it out.” When Andal heard this she threw away the gold vattil. Then they both went to Kanchi and had Darshan of PeraruLaLa PerumaL and Perundevi Thayar. Later he went to Srirangam with Sri Ramanuja.When he went to Srirangam, Ramanuja allotted him a kutil to stay with his wife. From then onwards Kurathazwar used to go for biksha and started living on biksha only. One day heavy rains lashed out and he was unable to go for biksha. Andal was unable to cook anything and both of them spent the day without having any food. That night When Andal heard the bell ringing at the temple when Lord Ranganatha had His Thiruvarathanam, Andal felt bad that her pathi had to sleep with hunger. Lord Ranganatha was so benevolent that he sent His paricharakas (cooks) with prasadam to Kurathazwar’s house. Both husband and wife praised the Lord for His benevolence and ate the prasadam.
The Divine prasadam created a wonder. Andal had conceived and she gave birth to twins, and both of them sons. Ramanuja was very glad to hear this news. He sent Govindan to Kurathazwar’s house on the day of the naming ceremony and told him to name the elder one as Parasara Bhattar and the younger one as Sriramar.
Govindan’s younger brother Bala Govindan also got a male child and this child was given the name Parankusa BhushaNam. Thus Ramanuja fulfilled his third vow to Alavandar that he would give the name of Vyasa Parasaras to honour them.

Emperumanar Thiruvadikale SaraNam!


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to be continued​

 

Dear Bhargavi,
Thank you for your prompt FB. Kurathazwar's guru bhakthi even excels his Devotion to the Almighty.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Dear Srivatsa,
Thank you for your compliments.I am happy to see the interest you are showing.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Sri Ramanuja’s Vijaya Yathra


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With the help of Kurathazwar’s memory power Ramanuja was able to complete Sribhashyam, the meanings of Brahma Suthra. After that he also wrote Vedhanta Deepam, Vedhantha Saram, Vedhanta Sangraham and also Gita Bhashyam. He also wrote three granthas, namely SaraNagathi Gadhyam, Sriranga Gadhyam and Vaikunta Gadhyam.
After completing all these works he went on a Vijaya yathra through out the country with the 74 Simhasanathipathis and his disciples. He visited all the Sri Vaishnava Divya desams. Where ever he went he was spreading the Vishistathvaida philosophy. He visited <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace>Kashmir</st1lace> again and there in Sri Sharada peetam he gave lecture on Sri Bhashyam. The Goddess Saraswthi herself was pleased with him and conferred the title “ Bhashyakarar.” upon him. Then he visited <st1lace>Benares</st1lace>, Puri, Simhachalam and Ahopilam also. At Puri he established a mutt in the name of Embar.
At last he visited Tirupathi and had darshan of Lord Venkatachalapathi. At that time there was a fight going on between the saivites and vaishnavites. Saivites were claiming the Lord at Tirupathi was Lord Siva and vishnavites were claiming that He was Lord Vishnu only. Ramanuja wanted to bring an end to this controversy and he suggested a plan. He told that Lord Vishnu’s Sangu, Chakram and Lord Siva’s Mazu and Thrisulam should be kept in front of the Deity before closing the temple at night and should be left to the Lord to choose Himself. Both the saivites and vaishnavites agreed to his plan.
The next morning when the temple was opened for Suprapatha sevai they all saw the Lord with sangu- Chakram. After this Ramanuja was praised as “Appanukku Sankazi aLiththaruLum perumaL! aRamiku NaRperumputhur avatharitha perumal!”

Thus Ramanuja completed his Vijaya yathra and returned to Srirangam. He continued his Divya Prabanda sevai and lectures for his disciples. Yet another incident took place on a Garudothsavam day of Lord Ranganatha that changed Dhanur Dasan to “ PiLLai Urangavilli.”

Udaiyavar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!


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To be continued​

 

There are lots of interesting incidents in Sri Ramanuja's life. I have also come to know about the Tirupathi story in one of the books. But the controversy regarding Tirupathi Balaji continues on and off.
Love,
Pushpavalli