என்னைப் புவியில் ஒரு பொருளாக்கி * மருள் சுரந்த
முன்னைப் பழவினை வேரறுத்து * ஊழிமுதல்வனையே
பன்னப்பணித்த இராமானுசன் பரன்பாதமும் என்
சென்னித் தரிக்க வைத்தான் * எனக்கு ஏதும் சிதைவு
இல்லையே**
Thiruvarangathu Amuthanar
adds that the reason for his being able sing paeans of Sri Ramanuja is only due
to limitless compassion of Acharyar on the lowly self through the merciful
Koorathazhwan. None else than the most
merciful Ramanuja can make the lowly, unworthy get some credit. The ones who
keep his Lotus feet on their head are indeed fortunate and will not grieve for
anything in life. On the occasion of
Thai Hastham marking the birth anniversary of Swami Koorathazhwan, I had posted
in detail on the greatness of our Acarya ~ here is something more .. ..
நம் கூரத்தாழ்வான் சரண் (Sri Kuresar at avatharasthalam)
Miles away on the
northern tip of this great Nation existed the Sharda Temple located in Kishanganga Valley just across the
Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) in a small village
called Shardi at the confluence of River Kishanganga and River Jhelum which
flows from Kashmir. A famous learning
centre of Kashmiris, it is identified by noted historians and chroniclers.
As we proceed, here
is something read on Kashmir in a book titled
‘the Valley of Kashmir’ by Waltair RR Lawrence published in 1895.
Kashmir
in 1887, when the Settlement commenced, may be described as an absolute
monarchy. If an aristocracy of power ever existed, the tall poppies were cut
down years ago, and the people looked to the Maharaja as their direct lord and
master. They yearn for personal rule centred in one man, and they are
bewildered and disgusted when rule and power filter into many channels. In
Kashmir the Maharaja is represented by a Governor and it is of the highest
importance that this official be a man of energy and experience, and that all
departments, whether revenue, police, forests, &c., should be absolutely
under his control. It is a small country, and an energetic
Governor could visit any village in the valley in a day's ride. His Highness the Maharaja Pratab Singh,
G.C.S.I., recognizing that it was impossible to check these abuses without
records and statistics, resolved on effecting a land Revenue Settlement of his
country. At first it was extremely difficult to persuade the people that the
Settlement would be a reality, or to inspire them with a belief that there
would be some continuity in the administration. Little by little, confidence has sprung up.
IF
one looks at the map of the territories of His Highness the Maharaja of Jammu
and Kashmir one sees a white foot-print set in a mass of black mountains. This
is the valley of Kashmir, known to its inhabitants as KasJiir. Perched securely among the Himalayas
at an average height of about 6,000 feet above the sea, it is approximately
eighty-four miles in length, and twenty to twenty-five miles in breadth. North,
east, and west, range after range of mountains guard the valley from the outer
world, while on the south it is cut off from the Panjab by rocky barriers fifty
to seventy five miles in width. The valley is a resting-place for adventurous
traders who seek the distant markets of Yarkand and Central Asia, and it
furnishes a base whence military operations have been in recent years directed
against the wild and turbulent tribes of the Shinaki country to the north and
north-east.
The
mountains which surround Kashmir are never monotonous. Infinitely varied in
form and colour, they are such as an artist might picture in his dreams.
Looking to the north one sees a veritable sea of mountains, broken into white
crested waves, hastening in wild confusion to the great promontory of Nanga
Parbat (26,620 feet). To the east stands Haramukh (16,903 feet), the grim mountain
which guards the valley of the Sind. On it the legend says the snow only ceases
to fall for one week in July, and men believe that the gleam from the vein of
green emerald in the summit of the mountain renders all poisonous snakes
harmless. Further south is Mahadeo, very sacred to the Hindus, which seems to
almost look down on Srinagar, and south again are the lofty range of Gwash
Brari.
This is no post on
Kashmir but on our great Srivaishnavaite so devoted to Sri Ramanuja Acarya –
Sri Koorathazhwan whose Thanian by Parasara Bhattar says:
Shrivathsa chinha mishrebhyo nama
uktheem adheemahe |
yadhukthasyas thrayee kante yaanthi
manggala soothrathaam ||
(Sri Kuresar at Thiruvallikkeni)
I salute the great
mahaan Srivathsa Chinha Misra (Swamy Koorathazhwan) whose Sri Sookthis became the
thirumangalyam of the mother Veda (The 4 Vedas also named as Thrayee as
mentioned in the above thanian). Swamy
Kuresar was born in 1010 in Kooram near Thirukachi. He was destined to be totally influenced by
the teachings of Sri Ramanujar.
In those great
days, when Sri Ramanujar lived in Thiruvarangam in the service of
Namperumal, Yathi Raja had succeeded in
the stupendous task of systematising an exciting and epochal new philosophy, ... to
give it polish of irrefutability, before
it could go into and earn an unchallenged place in the annals of Vedantic
history, Ramanuja wanted access to ancient parchment or document called
``Boddhayana vrutti'' - a rare exegetical treatise on Vyasa's ``Brahmasutras''
incorporating the insights of other great commentators of distant past. The
``Boddhayana vrutti'', Ramanuja learnt, was lying somewhere in a musty library
in the royal library of the then king of an obscure Kashmiri State. For great persons, nothing is daunting or
unattainable – our Acaryar accompanied by Koorathazhvan went to
Kachmeeram, the King gave Ramanuja and Kuresa permission to
access the archives in the royal library. The royal pundits however, were none
too happy and created many obstacles. Ramanuja was not allowed to take the
vrutti or notes out. Kuresa, endowed with a photographic memory, memorised the
whole book. Back in Srirangam, Kuresa and Ramanuja completed the ``Sri
Bhashya'' by incorporating authentic references to the ``Boddhayana vrutti'',
the growing influence of Sri Vaishnavism once again stoked the malevolent fires
of religious bigotry in the land. Amongst some sections of the Saivite
population which at that time was concentrated around Gangaikondachozhapuram,
near Chidambaram, hatred towards Sri Vaishnavism and of Sri Ramanuja began to
flare up.
(Sri Kuresar at Periamet, Chennai)
Though blinded in
that unsavoury incident, Koorathazhwan who ensured that Yathi Rajar moved
safely to Melukote and ensured great kainkaryams there, lived a complete life,
devoted in service, with malice to none; in fact seeking good for the traitor
too. Koorathazhwan ( Srivatsankamisrar ),
gifted us five important stotras, popularly
known as Panchastavam. These are Sri Vaikunta Stavam, Athimanusha Stavam,
Sundarabahu Stavam, Sri Stavam and Varadaraja Stavam. Before ascetic life, he was
a very wealthy person not only endowed with riches – more so with atma gunas
and took care of needy by feeding thousands daily. He was never attached to the material riches
and the World.
He lived a long
life of more than 120 years and in 1132, Sri Koorathazhwaan ascended to Sri
Vaikuntam, 6 months before Sri Mudaliandan attained Vaikuntam, in service of
Lord Ranganatha & Swami Ramanuja. With his head on Pillai azhwaan's lap,
lotus feet on Andal's lap (Azhwan's wife) and hand on Parasara Bhattar's lap,
thinking about Swami Ramanuja's lotus feet, azhwaan attained Sri Vaikuntam.
It is our fortune
that we are in the lineage of such great Acaryas and have the fortune of
worshipping them and reciting the holy works of Azhwar, Acharyas.
(Sri Kuresar at Thirumazhisai with Thirumazhisaippiran above and
alone below)
Sri Ramanujar thiruvadigale
Saranam; Sri Koorathazhwan thiruvadigale Saranam.
~adiyen
Srinivasadhasan.
7th Feb
2018.
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