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SrI:

  namasthe ;

    i would like to share during notes on "THE LIFE AND WORKS OF 
ACHARYA RAAMANUJA" at the time of his avathAra Uthsavam . 
 "THE LIFE AND WORKS OF ACHARYA RAAMANUJA"

THE LIFE AND WORKS OF ACHARYA RAAMANUJA


The Life and works of Sri RaamAnujA in nut shell.

ChaithrArdhrA sambhavam VishNO: darsana sthApanOthsukam I
ThuNDIramaNdalE utthitham Seshamoorthim RaamAnujam BhajE II

AchArya RaamAnujA born as the incarnation of AdhisEshan

AchArya RaamAnujA was born in ThoNdai Naadu as the son of Sri BhUmi 
Piratti and Aasurikula Tilakam ,Sri Kesava SomayAji at PerumbhUdhUr 
on a PingaLa Year ,Chitthirai Month, Sukla Paksha Panchami day , 
when ArudhrA constellation ( ThiruvAdhirai ) was in ascendance .This 
PingaLA year in the western calendar is 1017 A.D. Thirumalai Nampi , 
a renowned sishyar of AaLavandhAr was the child's uncle . He 
recognized that the child is an avthAram of Adhi Seshan; he also 
recognized that the child is going to become a great Sri VaishNavite 
AchAryan .Hence; Thirumalai nampi gave the name of RaamAnujan to the 
new born child. This child lived for 120 years on this earth and 
during its rich life systematized and established on a firm footing 
the doctrines of VisishtAdvaithA,
Which have been expounded earlier by BodhAyanA, DramidA and TankA 
and elaborated by Nathamuni and AaLavandhAr

The divine recogniton of Sri RaamAnujA's contributions

AchArya RaamAnujA was recognized for his monumental contributions to 
Sri ViasishtAdvaitha Darsanam in his own life time by the Divya 
Dampathis of Srirangam,Kaanchi ,ThirunArAyaNapuram , ANDAL of 
SrivilliputthUr and
Devi Sarasvathi through their conferring of the titles of Udayavar, 
Sri BhashyakArar and many other honors .AchArya RaamAnujA was also 
addressed as Ilaya PerumAl by his sishyAs. Further, Lord VaradarAjA 
initiated RaamAnujA into SanyAsaasramam and conferred on him the 
title of YathirAjan at that time. Lord VaradarAjA reluctantly gave 
RaamAnujA later as a gift to Sri RanganAthA. Lord VaradarAjA also 
answered through Thirukkacchi Nampi the questions that were topmost 
on the mind of RaamAnujA .The many incidents relating to the 
Vaibhavam of AchArya RaamAnujA are summarized in the special home 
pages created by Srimans Achyutharaman and MadhavakkaNNan of 
Simhapuri and this CD ROM. The works of AchArya RaamAnujA are also 
covered there as well as the highlights of Bhagavad RaamAnuja 
Darsanam. BhakthAs are referred to these pages with the URL, 
http://members.tripod.com/~sri Ramanujar/ for now, we will content 
ourselves with a brief summary of the highlights of the Life and 
works of Sri RaamAnujA the like of whom we will not be able to see 
again.

AchArya RaamAnujA's early Tuetlage at Kaanchipuram

Sri RamAnujA studied VedAnthA first under YadhavaprakAsA at Kaanchi. 
When YadhavaprakAsA misinterpreted the meanings of Sruthi and 
Upanishadh Vaakyams, Sri RaamAnujA pointed out the correct meanings 
following the Sri VisishtAdhvaidhic tradition. This angered the 
Guru .The infuriated Guru plotted to kill RaamAnujA. Lord VaradarAja 
intervened and saved RaamAnujA from the jealous Guru's wrath. 
Meanwhile, the intellectual brilliance and the rich Saastraic 
Jn~Anam of RaamAnujA attracted the attention of Sri ALavandhAr, the 
greatest
Sri VaishNava AchArya of that time, who was staying in Srirangam. 
ALavandhAr came to Kaanchi and prayed to Lord VaradarAjan to bless 
RaamAnujA to become the leading pravarthakA and nirvAhakA of Sri 
VishitAdhvaitha siddhAntham. ALavandhAr did not get to meet 
RaamAnujA in person at Kaanchi
prior to his return to Srirangam .AaLavandhAr's health weakened 
after return to Srirangam and he reached Sri Vaikuntam without 
initiating RaamAnujA in person as his successor .RaamAnujA , who had 
heard about the illness of ALavandhAr
rushed to Srirangam to receive latter's blessings .It was however 
too late .

When RaamAnujA saw the charama ThirumEni of AalavandhAr, he noticed 
that three of the fingers of the right hand were closed as if to 
indicate that he had three unfulfilled wishes .RaamAnujA asked the 
intimate disciples about those wishes. RaamAnujA was told that the 
three wishes were:

(1) Writing of a commentary for the VyAsa Soothrams

(2) Naming of two Brahmin boys with the names of ParAsarA (the 
author of VishNu PurANam) and VyAsA (the author of Brahma Soothrams 
and Many PurANams) and 

(3) The writing of a commentary for Swami NammAzhwAr's 
ThiruvAimozhi. 

RaamAnujA pledged to fulfill the three wishes of AaLavandhAr with 
the anugraham of the divya dampathis of Kanchipuram and the folded 
fingers on the body of AalavandhAr suddenly opened up after hearing 
this pledge. All those assembled in sorrow around the chrama 
ThirumEni of AaLavandhar were overcome by what they witnessed and 
hailed RaamAnujA as the future Darsana SthApakar of Sri 
VisishtAdvaitham .RaamAnujA took the permission of the chief 
disciple of AaLavandhAr, Sri Periya Nampi (MahA PoorNar) and 
returned to Kaanchi with a heavy heart.

Thirukkacchi Nampi and RaamAnujA

Thirukkacchi nampi was a key disciple of AaLavandhAr. He was doing 
fan service to Lord VaradarAjan at Kaanchi and the Lord of Kaanchi 
broke His archA samAdhi (silence) to speak to Thirukkacchi Nampi 
during those ChAmara
Kaimkaryam sessions. RaamAnujA admired Thirukkacchi Nampi for his 
access to the Lord and asked Nampi to get answers from the Lord 
Himself for questions that were troubling him .Nampi agreed to 
present those questions to Lord Varadarajan. The Lord's answer to 
RaamAnujA's questions is known as the six statements referred to 
below:

(1) We, the Srimaan, are the supreme One (Parathvam).
(2) Our darsanam is BhEdham.
(3) Prapatthi is THE MEANS for Moksham.
(4) Moksham will be gained at the time of shedding of the mortal 
coils for a Prapannan.
(5) Take refuge at the feet of Periya Nampi as AchAryan.
(6) Anthima Smruthi (Thoughts on the Lord during the last moments of 
life) is not essential for the One, who has performed Prapatthi. 

RaamAnujA was thrilled to hear the instructions from the Lord 
Himself and hastened to meet Periya Nampi living at Srirangam. 
Meanwhile, Periya nampi had a dream in which he was requested by Sri 
RanganAthA to bring RaamAnujA to Srirangam and groom him to become 
the next great AchAryA to spread the darsanam. Periya nampi hastened 
on his journey towards Kaanchi Both RaamAnujA and Periya Nampi met 
each other half way at MadhurAnthakam.
Periya nampi initiated RaamAnujA into Sri VishNavite fold through 
PanchasamskAram and manthra upadEsams .RaamAnujA at this time was a 
grahasthA . RaamAnujA's wife however had committed three major 
apachArams to Sri VaishNava BhaagavathAs during the last few months 
of RaamAnujA as a GrahasthA and sishyar of Periya Nampi. Those 
incidents took a heavy toll on RaamAnujA's mind. He concluded that 
SanYaasam is better than GrahathAsramam for him and declared his 
intentions to Lord VaradarAjA, who approved RaamAnujA's request to 
enter into SanyAsAsramam .Great Sri VaishNavAs likeNadAdUr AzhwAn, 
KooratthAzhwAn, Mudali AaNDAn learnt about the news of RaamAnujA 
becoming a Yathi and chose him as their own AchAryan. Yaadhava 
PrakAsar, who resented RaamAnujA earlier understood the greatness of 
his former disciple and sought the refuge of RaamAnujA as his own 
AchAryan, although he was much older than his own former disciple 
and lived peacefully at the sacred feet of AchArya RaamAnujA. 

RaamAnujA's move to Srirangam from Kaanchi

One day, Thiruvaranga perumAL Arayar came to Kaanchi and performed 
arayar sevai for the Paasurams of Swami NammAzhwAr before Lord 
VaradarAjan. The Lord of Kaanchi was so pleased with the Arayar that 
He asked the Arayr to choose a boon close to his heart. The Arayar 
blurted out and asked for the gift of RaamAnujA. The Lord agreed and 
gave His permission for RaamAnujA to go to Srirangam with the Arayar 
and start his work as an AchAryan and to continue the work of 
AaLavandhAr. 

The Five AchAryans of AchArya RaamAnujA

Five great disciples of ALavandhar following the command of their 
AchAryan instructed RaamAnujA on the essentials of Sri VaishNavam.

Periya nampi or MahA Poornar performed not only Pancha samskArams 
for RaamAnujA but also taught him the Brahma SoothrAs, the 
BhagavadgitA and 
the esoteric meanings (rahasyArthams) of the Sri VaishNavite 
rahasyams .

Goshti PoorNar or ThirukkOttiyUr nampi tested the readiness of 
RaamAnujA many times and finally trained him in the observance of   
sri VaishNavite religious practices as per the three RahasyAs.

MaalAdhArA or ThirumAlai ANDAn taught RaamAnujA  Bhagavadh Vishayam 
or the subtle meanings of Swami NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi Paasurams 
(DrAvida samhithA)

ThiruvarangapperumAL or AaLavandhAr AazhwAn instructed RaamAnujA on 
the comprehensive text of ThiruvAimozhi, the Sri Sookthis of 
AaLavandhAr and some auspicious sayings (SubhAshithams).

Srisaila PoornA or Thirumalai nampi, the uncle of RaamAnujA taught 
the inner meanings of Srimadh RaamAyana SlOkams. Since Srimadh 
RaamAyaNam is known as the SaraNAgathi Saasthram, this acquisition 
of knowledge from a revered elder AchAryan such as Thirumalai Nampi 
was an important feature of RaamAnujar's tutelage.
 -to be continued 








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