‘Thai Hastham’ ~ ‘Sri Kuresar Sarrumurai at Thiruvallikkeni 2019

‘Thai Hastham’ ~ ‘Swamy koorathaazhwan’ Sarrumurai at Thiruvallikkeni 2019

Today 26^th Jan 2019  is ‘Thai Hastham’ ~  the day on which ‘Swamy koorathaazhwan’  hailed Kuresar was born, thousand and nine  years ago. 3^rd Feb 2010 marked the 1000^th  year of his advent in this world.  

Sri Ramanujar ~  hailed as Udayavar, Emperumanar, Bashyakarar, Ilayazhwaar, Yathirajar, Thiruppavai Jeeyar, Num Kovil annan,  amongst other names - has the pride of place in the list of our Acharyars;    Of those who remained closest to Sri Ramanuja – Sri  Mudaliandan, Sri Koorathazhwan, Sri Embar,  Sri Ananthazhwan, Arulalaperumal Emperumanar, Kidambi Achaan, Thirukurugai Piraan Pillan, Thiruvarangathu Amuthanar were very prominent.   This song by Thiruvarangathu Amuthanar in ‘Ramanuja Nootranthathi’ typifies the  glory of Sri Kurathazhvaan.

மொழியைக் கடக்கும் பெரும்புகழான், வஞ்ச முக்குறும்பாம்

குழியைக் கடக்கும்  நம் கூரத்தாழ்வான்  சரண் கூடியபின்

பழியைக் கடத்தும் இராமானுசன்  புகழ் பாடியல்லா

வழியைக் கடத்தல் எனக்கினி யாதும் வருத்தமன்றே.

Amuthanar says that the egos which heavily weigh down every person -  that of false pride of born in high caste  (jananam), being blessed with good education (jnanam) and that of being a strict follower of vairagyam and anushtaanam were  cast aside and won by Azhwan. He was devoid of pride though he possessed all these traits.  Taking refuge at his feet, Amuthanar says, he is able to compose the greatness of Emperumanaar who will enable all his disciples to get over bondages and hence there would not be any grievance or regret.

Num Swami Kuresar  was born on this  Thai Hastham in Kooram village near Kanchipuram. Those days Kuram was a kingdom and he was the King of Kooram.  Every day he organized feeding bhakthas in a grandiose manner. In search of understanding the tenets of Srivaishnavism, he renunciated all his material wealth to the poor and set on foot to Srirangam. There he identified his noble Guru, the enlightened Sri Ramanujacharya, obeyed him and became the choicest and most celebrated disciple of him. A strange bond of kinship developed between master and student over the years. Kuresar was Ramanuja’s aide in scriptural study, disputations and exegesis acting as a faithful shadow.

Let us fall at the feet of Kuresan and pray for all good things from him and from our Jagadacharya Ramanujar.   Here are photos of Sri Kurathazhwan and Sri Parthasarathi during Sarrumurai purappadu of Kuresar at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam today.

~adiyen Srinivasadhasan.  

26^th Jan 2019.