Sri Ramanuja, the Srivaishnava saint and social Reformer

Dear Srivatsa,
I am just a humble human being with little knowledge, trying to know about the great souls who spread bakthi with their words and deeds. I would be blessed if any one really benefits out of my meagre contribution. Thank you for your compliments.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Dear Sriniketan,
We are almost coming to the end of Sri Ramanuja's life History. But we are moving out to city area and so I might not be able to post until we get phone and BB. Thank you for your FBs.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Dear friends,
I'm back from hybernation due to change of residence. I've missed you all for quite sometime and happy to be back.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Ramanuja Returns to Srirangam and Kurathazwar attains Vaikuntha Prapthi

After staying at Melkottai for twelve years Ramanuja decided to return to Srirangam. When he announced his decision the devotees at Melkottai felt very sad and appealed to Ramanuja to allow them to make a statue replicating him and install it at the temple. Ramanuja was overwhelmed with their devotion and acceded to their request. After fulfilling their wish he started his journey back to Srirangam with his disciples.
On the way he visited several divya desams.He reached Thirumalirunjsolai near <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Madurai</st1lace></st1:City> and stayed there for some time. When he stayed there he remembered Andal’s pasuram in which she made a vow to make hundred thada (pot) sarkarai pongal as prasdam to Lord of Thirumalirunjsolai and hundred pots of butter, if her dream of marrying Lord Ranganatha fructifyed, but she was unable to fulfill her vow as she had merged with the Lord instantly. Ramanuja fulfilled Andal’s vow as a brother would fulfill his sister’s wish by offering to the Lord hundred thadas sarkarai pongal and hundred thadas butter. Thus though Ramanuja was born much later than Andal he was considered as her elder brother. At Sriperumbudur, the birth place of Ramanuja, when thirumanjanam is performed to Ramanuja, the bhatter says in kattiyam ( saying loudly the Lord’s or Acharya’s prabavam)
“ Anju kudikkor santhathiyam Andal thamakkum aNNalaana perumaL.”
"அஞ்சு குடிக்கோர் சந்ததியாம் ஆண்டாள் தமக்கும் அண்ணலான பெருமாள்"

After some time Ramanuja left for Alwarthirunagar and then to other divya desams and then reached Srirangam.
Kurathazwar came to know that Ramanuja had returned to Srirangam. He was longing to see him and to be with him. Hence he came to Srirangam with his wife and his son Parasaran. Ramanuja also was very happy to see his beloved disciple who saved his life. Kurathazwar being elder to Ramanuja had become very old and weak. But he was glad that at the twilight part of his life he was blessed to be near Ramanuja. He was always keeping Ramanuja’s lotus feet in his heart and was constantly praying. He attained vaikuntha prapthi after some time. Ramanuja arranged his funeral to be conducted at the banks of the river Kaveri and Parasara performed his last rites amidst people who had great respect and love for Kurathazwar.
Ramanuja told all the devotees who had assembled there to give the same respect to Parasara as they had given to Kurathazwar. He had given manthropadesam to Parasara and installed him as acharya in Kurathazwar’s place.
Kurathazwar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!
To be continued

 

Installation of Ramanuja’s Thamukantha Thirumeni at Sriperumbudur​

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After returning from Thirunarayanapuram Ramanuja lived at Srirangam for twenty years. On total Ramanuja spent nearly fifty years at Srirangam in his life. In the mean while Ramanuja’s five acharyas had attained Vaikuntha prapthi.
Ramanuja continued his activities of promoting the temple administration and spreading the Vedas and Divya prabandam by chanting them in the temples and also in the streets around the temple. He built libraries, dispensaries and created nandavanams with scented flower plants for the pushpa kaimkaryam of Lord Sri Ranganatha.He reformed and streamlined the administration of the temple in so thorough a style that most of the conventions followed today originated from him. After performing all these tasks he also made arrangements for the continuous flow of finace for the temple. Then he handed over the administration of the temple to King Akalanga.
Even in his old age he used to have discourses for his disciples daily. One day during the discourse suddenly he became silent and two drops of blood came out of his eyes. He became conscious after a few minutes. His disciples got worried and asked him what had happened. He told them at Sriperumbudur his disciple Mudaliyandan’s son Kandadai Andan and other devotees had made a statue of him and were performing the concecration ceremony. While Kandadai Andan was opening the eyes of the statue, the chisel had struck on the pupil. Ramanuja told them that he came to know this through his Jyana dhrushti. Ramanuja was so gracious that he had hugged the statue and then gave it for installation. This archa murthi is called “Thamukantha Thirumeni.” We can still have darshan of this archa murthi of Sri Ramanuja at Sriperumbudur. The one that was installed at Yadavadri
( Melkottai) is called “ Thamarukantha Thirumeni.”

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Emperumanar ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!​

To be continued​

 

Dear Sriniketan,
When I started this thread I was wondering whether I would be able to complete this and further I was thinking how many would be interested to read this. Thanks for all who had given their FBs and for those who had read this.
From 9th Feb , the time I shifted to the new residence so many happenings which kept me busy, that I bearly had time to log on internet. I had missed a lot of activities of IL and now I'll be out of station for 5days. I have to catch up after my return.
Love,
Pushpavalli

 

Sri Ramanuja attaining the lotus feet of Lord Sri Ranganatha​

Thiruvarangam which is known as "Bhooloka Vaikuntham" was glorified by Sri Ramanuja’s fifty years undaunted service. Sri Ramanuja lived on this earth for 120 years.
He fulfilled Sri ALavandar’s three wishes. All his Acharyas as well as his disciples loved him dearly and also respected him. Sri Ramnuja also loved and respected his Acharyas and disciples. Not only that, even the Lord Thirumal was very much pleased with him for his service performed for the Sri Vaishnava sect and conferred him the title “VaiNava Nambi.” KalaivaNi Saraswathi conferred on him the title “Sri Bhashyakarar” when he explained the meaning of “Kapyasam puNdarikasham.” Lord Sri Ranganatha called him “Em Udaiyavar.”
Ramanuja had appointed 74 Acharyas in order to spread Vishistadvaida all over the country. He also gave advice to his disciples to follow six commands:
They are:
1. To study Sri Bhashyam and also to teach them to others. Or
2. To learn divya Prabandam with meaning and to teach them to others. Or
3. To arrange for Thathiyarathanai at Divya desams. Or
4. To learn dhwayam with meaning. Or
5. To be in the company of a Lord’s devotee.
A true Vaishnava is one who could follow at least any one of the above mentioned commands of Sri Ramanuja.

Sri Ramanuja often used to be in ekantham (stay alone) and observed silence. His disciples felt sad and started crying as they felt that Sri Ramanuja would be leaving this world. His beloved disciples pathetic condition made Sri Ramanuja break his silence. He called them around and told them his mission in this world had come to an end and that they all should be prepared to accept the inevitable. He told them that the body was subject to destruction and so there was no meaning in feeling sad about it. Then they pleaded with him that at least for their sake he should live in this world for some more time. He understood their concern and told them that he would be alive for three more days. People from far and wide came to know about this and they all thronged to have his darshan and his blessings.
In the mean while Govindan, Vatuka Nambikal and MudaliyaNdan implored Ramanuja to give them permission to make a life like statue of him and to insert his soul in that so that the future generation would be able to have the satisfaction of having darshan of his sthoola sariram.
Thus Sri Ramanuja’s statue was made within three days by great sculptors. It was consecrated after due religious ceremonies were performed and Sri Ramanuja had his life inserted in the statue. This life like statue of Sri Ramanuja is known as ‘Thanaana Thirumeni.” Devotees can have darshan of ‘ Thanaana Thirumeni’ of Sri Ramanuja at Sri Ranganathar temple. Even the toe nails of Sri Ramanuja are clearly visible.
Sri Ramanuja was chanting the divya namas of his acharyas and his disciples were chanting Brahmavalli and suuzvisum paNimukil pasurams. He kept his thirumudi on Embar’s lap and thiruvadi on Vatuka Nambi’s lap and facing towards Lord Sri Rangantha’s sannadhi, he left this world to seek an eternal place at the Lord’s saraNara vindham.
Sri Ramanuja attained Vaikuntha prapthi after 120 years in the same Pinkala, Chaithra Arudra star. Thus the life of a saint and social reformer came to an end, but his name and fame would be everlasting.
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Sri Ramanuja’s books:
1. Sri Bhashyam
2. Vedantha Deepam
3. Vedantha Saram
4. Vedantha Sangraham
5. Gita Bhashyam
6. SaraNagathi Gathyam
7. Sriranga Gathyam
8. Vaikunta Gathyam
9. Nithyam

சீராரும் யதிராசர் திருவடிகள் வாழி!
திருவரையில் சாத்தியசெந் துவராடை வாழி!
ஏராரும் செய்யவடி வெப்போதும் வாழி!
இலங்கியமுந் நூல்வாழி! இணைத்தோள்கள் வாழி!
சோராத துய்யசெய்ய முகச்சோதி வாழி!
தூமுறுவல் வாழி! துணை மலர்க்கண்கள் வாழி!
ஈராறு திருநாமம் அணிந்தஎழில் வாழி!
இனிதிருப்போ டெழில்ஞான முத்திரை வாழியே!

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Sri Ramanuja Emperumanar Udaiyavar​

ThiruvadikaLe SaraNam!​

Dear friends,
We had come to the concluding part of Sri Ramanuja’s Divya Sarithram. I am not a scholar and there might be a lot of discrepancies and grammatical errors in my narration. I humbly request you to bear with me for the same. My sincere thanks go to those who read this patiently and for those who sent their feedback and appreciation. Thanks a lot for your encouragement.
With love,
Pushpavalli