Sri Udayavar Vellai sarruppadi ~ continued - 2019

"தஸ்மை ராமானுஜார்யாய நம: பரமயோகினே"   ~  we fall at the feet of the Greatest of Acharyas who is hailed as the King of all Sages.   The annual Uthsavam of Emperumanar is set to culminate on 9th May 2019 and today is day 6 – a significant day. ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவ சித்தாந்தத்துக்கும் ~ நம் ஸ்வாமி  எம்பெருமானாருக்கும் கூட விளைய இருந்த கேடு பற்றி நினைவு கூறும் விதமாய் அமைகிறது இந்நாள்.

Had posted at length on the significance of day 6 – Kuthirai vahanam – vellai sarruppadi vaibhavam – of Swami Ramanujar astride a horse wearing white robes - a symbolic tradition when our Great Acharyar dons white garment and is seen without trithandam. Symbolic of the travail and travel that Ramanujar had to undertake donning the dress of a ‘grahastha’ instead of his reverred kashaya. 

Swami Emperumanar travelled along the course of river Kaveri, went out of Cholanadu adorning white dress and went places traversing Kongu nadu,  reached Thondanur, where he constructed a huge lake; thence reached Melukote (Thirunarayanapuram) in Mandya district, where he performed many religious discourses and brought in disciplined ways of temple management.    More was to happen as Udayavar travelled to Delhi to the Court of Delhi sultan where the uthsava vigraham of "Ramapriyan" had been taken by the muslim ruler. The vigraham when invited by Udayavar walked on its own and sat on the lap of Udayavar.

There was another sad side of this unsavoury incident -  Koorathazhwan and Periya nambi underwent untold sufferings .. .. .. the purappadu of Kurathazhvan in a pallakku at Sriperumpudur wearing kashayam makes us grieve more for those sufferings of our Acaryar for our sampradhayam.

                                    Though blinded in that unsavoury incident, Koorathazhwan ensured that Yathi Rajar moved safely to Melukote, 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.

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.

At Thiruvallikkeni – Sri Udayavar halts (mandagappadi) at Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt that is connected to Melukote Thirunarayanapuram.  Here – saffron robes (kashaya Uthareevam) and garlands are offered to Swami Ramanuja. As Melukote is known for the thiruman that we adorn (Swami Ramanujar found them in abundance in the hills of Thirunarayanapuram) are distributed to Srivaishnavas.

Swami Emperumanar lived for 12 years at Melukote, administered the temple and did many kainkaryam changing the fortunes of people living in that area. Let us fall at the feet of our Acaryarn.   Here are some photos taken at Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt this morning.

ஸ்ரீமந்யதீந்த்ர! தவ திவ்யபதாப்ஜஸேவாம்  :  என்றுமழியாத செல்வமுடைய யதிராஜரே அடியேனுக்கு தேவரீருடைய திருவடித்தாமரைகளில் பண்ணும் கைங்கர்யத்தை, அருளவேணும் !!   

ஆழ்வார் எம்பெருமானார் திருவடிகளே சரணம் -

நம் இராமானுஜன் திருவடிகளே சரணம்.

கூரத்தாழ்வான்  ~ ஆசார்யர்  திருவடிகளே சரணம்.

அடியேன் ஸ்ரீனிவாசதாசன்

5^th May 2019.