Sri Ramanujar Sarrumurai (1004)
~ 2021
A great day
today (18th Apr 2021) –
‘Chithiraiyil seyya Thiruvathirai’ – the day of our Acarya Empermanaar
thiruvavathara thinam.
Our Acaryar Swami Manavala Mamunigal was so attached to the
feet of Sri Ramanujar and here is a verse from his Yathiraja Vimsati – which
according to our learned vidwans came in to being as a result of the
request of Swami Manavala Maminigal’s acharyan to compose a sthOthra grantham
on Sri Ramanujar, when Mamunigal was a grahasthar and had the name
of Azhagiya MaNavALa NaayanAr. These twenty verses constitute
one of the most beautiful appeals to RaamAnujA for conferring his anugraham.
नित्यं यतीन्द्र तव दिव्यवपुस्स्म्रुतौ
मे सक्तम् मनो भवतु वाग्गुणकीर्तनेSसौ
क्रुत्यञ्च दास्यकरणं तु
करद्वयस्य व्रुत्त्यन्तरेSस्तु विमुखं करणत्रयञ्च ॥ (4)
நித்யம் யதீந்த்ரதவ திவ்ய
வபு:ஸ்ம்ருதௌமே!ஸக்தம் மநோபவது வாக்குணகீர்த்தநேSஸௌ |
க்ருத்யஞ்ச தாஸ்யகரணம்
து கரத்வயஸ்ய வ்ருத்யந்தரேSஸ்து விமுகம் கரணத்ரயஞ்ச ||
O Emperor of Yathis ! Pray my mind be blessed to meditate on your
beautiful body (divya MangaLa vigraham) !
May my speech be engaged always in talking about your excellent
attributes ! May my two hands be always engaged in serving you as your dAsA
! May my three karaNAs ( manas , Vaak and Kaayam ) be diverted from any other
activities ! ~ and be directed in kainkaryam to YOU.
The
NIlamata Purana, (नीलमतपुराण) an ancient text of Kashmir contains information on its history, geography,
religion, and folklore.. .. much has changed in Kashmir since. National security was catapulted into being
the primary issue for this general election for the first time with the car
bombing in Pulwama in mid-February and its aftermath in an aerial confrontation
between India and Pakistan in the Balakot-Naushera episode. First Kashmir, is not what it has all along
been portrayed it to be ~ it has a glorious history .. .. Utpala dynasty, a Kashmiri Hindu kingdom,
ruled over the Kashmir region from 8th to 10th century CE. The cities of Avantipur and Suyapur were
founded during the reign and many Hindu temples dedicated to both Vishnu and
Shiva. Sadly the same Kashmir towards
the end of last century became barren and devoid as Kashmiri pundits were
driven out in pogrom. 5th Aug 2019 will
remain a gold lettered day in the annals of Indian Nation, as the special
status was revoked.
More than a thousand year ago, our Acaryar Sri Ramanujar on a pilgrimmage visited
Srinagar searching for manuscript of Bodhayana-vritti, a commentary on the Brahmasutra by Bodhyana. His ardent disciple Kuresar was able to
memorise it in one glance; the commentary of Udayavar is known as Sri Bashyam ~
Goddess of learning Saraswathi approving Sri Bashyam conferred the title ‘Bashyakara’ on Sri Ramanujar. Thus was fulfilled the main desire of
Alavandhar – writing of an authoritative and illuminating commentary on Brahma
sutra.
It is
astounding to learn, try to understand the path of Bhagawat Ramanuja – who
thousand years ago, came to this earth for enlightening us all. The ethical side of Vaishanavism emphasises
absolute self-surrender to Sriman Narayana -
its mystical aspect presents God as the personification of love and
bhakti, as longing for communion with Him.
Spirituauy awakened, athma will
be satisfied with nothing more and nothing less than communion. Separation
becomes an intolerable burden and the futility of the body in a space-time
setting.
Before
Emperumanar, perhaps stress was exclusively on learning and wisdom, Udayavar
emphasized that the strength of a philosophy
depended upon the following it commanded, that knowledge was auxiliary to
action. He recognised karma as observance ,of' the moral law of Dharma. The great preceptor ensured that the great
movement spread by him would never languish once he left this earth – and in
ensuring continuity, he created the
loving care of Seventy-four of his disciples. Parasara Pattar was his successor
to the 'Srisukti throne. Pillan was in charge of the propagation of the Vishishtadvaitic
commentaries. Parasara’s disciple was
Nanjeer who wrote the commentary for Timvaz'moli known as The
Onbathinayirappadi. More was to come from his devotees .. ..
Emperumanar Swami Ramanujar toured all over the Nation establishing the strength of Vishishtadvaitha and upon his return to Srirangam from Thirunarayanapuram, Acharya Ramanuja as a great administrator established 74 Simhasanadhipathis to grow the Darsanam. He handed over Srikosam on Sri Bhaashyam to Thirukkuruhaippiran Pillan, Ndadur Azhwan, Kidampi Aacchan and Mudaliandan and asked them to continue with the pravachanam of Sri Bhaashyam and made them Sri Bhaashya Simhasanathipathis. In addition to the above 74 Simhasanathipathis, there were 700 Jeeyars and 12,000 EkAnthis and thousands of Kainkarya-Parals, who sought the sacred feet of Ramanuja for refuge.
Emperumanar 960 was grandly celebrated in 1977 – one may not have good memory of that; in 2017 it was 1000 and this year 1004 – the modern day equipment & technology ensure capture by way of photos and videos of the grand celebrations at Thiruvarangam, Thirumala, Thirukachi, Sriperumpudur, Melukote Thiruvallikkeni and at many many more places. So many places – Thiruvarangam, Thirumala, Thirukachi, Thiruvallikkeni, Sriperumpudur, Thirukurungudi, Melukote, Mathura, Pushkar, Kashmeeram, KOngunadu and more are associated with Him as he traversed the Nation by foot, propagating vishitadvaita concept.
Life has changed for the Globe – 2020 has been far different & just when one thought things were returning to normalcy and we were about to celebrate Sree Rama Navami uthsavam and Udayavar sarrumurai together, 2021 has erupted with more no. of corona victims – nothing prevents us in reminiscing and celebrating the Birth of Swami Ramanujar at home forgetting Covid and thinking of Acarya alone !
இன்று நன்னாள் ~ எம்பெருமானார் அவதார திருநாள் ..இராமானுசர் 1004 இன்று. நமது பாரததேசம் புண்ணியபூமி. ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவர்களான நமக்கு வேதமும், ஆசார்யர்களுமே பிரதானம். அநுதினமும் நாம் அநுஸந்திக்கும் தனியனில் எம்பெருமானையும், ஆழ்வார்களையும், எம்பெருமானாரையும், நமது ஓராண்வழி ஆசார்யர்களையும் தொழுது – ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணனுக்கே அடிபணிபவர்கள் நாம். தீமனம் கெடுத்து, ஸ்ரீமன்நாராயணனை தொழும் மனமே தந்து, அறியாதன அறிவித்து, பரமபுருஷனைக் காட்டிக்கொடுக்கும் ஆச்சார்யர் மிக உயர்ந்தவர். அவர் நமக்கு உலாவும் பெருமான். ஆச்சார்ய ரத்னஹாரத்தில் நடுநாயகர் ஆன நம்சுவாமி எம்பெருமானார் சாற்றுமுறை! சித்திரையில் செய்ய திருவாதிரை- இன்று, இந்த நல்லுலகமே எதிர்பார்த்துகாத்து இருந்த ~ சீரியநாள் – ஒப்புயர்வற்ற நம்மிராமாநுசமுனியின் ஆயிரத்து மூன்றாவது பிறந்தநாள் சாற்றுமுறை. அவரது சாற்றுமுறை புறப்பாட்டில் திருவல்லிக்கேணி வீதிதனிலே அத்யாபகர்கள் 'வாழிய ராமானுஜன்; அவரடித் தாளினை வாழி' என விஜயீபவ ; விஜயீபவ ; விஜயீபவா எத்சரிகை' என 'வெள்ளைவிசிறி' [தங்கள் உத்தரீவங்களை விசிறி] ஆர்ப்பரிப்பர்.
The fountain of knowledge, he was, handed over to the generation his wealth of knowledge through his many works which include the Magnum Opus ‘Sri Bashyam – the Vishishtavaida commentary of Brahma sutram of Vyasa Bhagavan.; VedanthaDeepam, Vedanta Saram, Vedanta Sangraham, Gadyathrayam and many many more …. The 3 Gadyams – Saranagati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam and Vaikunda Gadyam are collectively known as ‘Gadyatraya’ ~ are in someways considered to be swan song of our Acharyar. The Saranagati Gadyam is live exposition of the doctrine of ‘prapatti’ – the total saranagati. Sri Ramanujar prays that thee Lord may be pleased to bless his sincere and true saranagati at the lotus feet of Srimannathan be accepted as truly and well-performed and lead to the desired end without any interruption. Our Acharyar describes the unique qualities of NamPerumal with words ‘Sathyakama, Sathyasankalpa’ which would mean the most loveable quality of resolve to protect His devotees and the will to be incarnated in any form to come to the succour of devotees – He is Creator, Protector and Sustainer.
On his sarrumurai day, after morning purappadu in which sthothra rathham & Yathiraja vimsathi would be rendered; there would be mangalasasanam, rendering of Gadyatrayam ~ then Thirumanjnam, Thirumozhi sarrumurai .. and .... more celebrations in the form of periya mada veethi purappadu with Sri Parthasarathi Perumal. .. .. ..
Let us fall at the lotus feet of our Acharyar which only will relieve us of all our sins and steer us towards good thinking, good deeds and towards salvation through service to Lord and His bakthas.
18.4.2021.
**the first 2 photos are Emperumanar at Sriperumpudur; next 2 are of Melukore Thirunarayanapuram – rest are Udayar sarrumurai purapadu at Thiruvallikkeni on 9.5.2008 !
Very nice as usual!
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