You are here: SriPedia - Oppiliappan - Archives - Feb 2004

Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00143 Feb 2004

 
Feb 2004 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Title: Bhakti List, February 1996: Sri Devarajaashtakam by Thirukkacchi Nambi
 
You are here: Sri Vaishnava Home Page : Bhakti List : Archives : February 1996

Sri Devarajaashtakam by Thirukkacchi Nambi

  • Dear Members of the group:

    On this occasion of the birth day of this great Acharya, I will
    make a few observations on his magnum opus on Sri
    Varadaraja PerumaaL , Sri Devarajaashtakam .

  •  As an Ashtakam , this sthotram has
    eight verses. The number eight has sacred significance
    for Sri Vaishnavaas, since their sacred mantram is Ashtakshari
    or the one with 8 letters. The Acharyas therefore are fond of
    creating Ashtakams or sthutis with 8 verses known as
    Ashtakam . For example, Parasara Bhatta, the son of Kuresa
    composed his Ashtasloki to dwell upon the meaning of
    Ashtaakshari . Swami Desikan composed Ashtabhujaashtakam
    and Kamaseekaashtakam to salute the Archa Murthys of two divya
    desams near Kanchipuram . His third ashtakam is the powerful
    Sudarsanaashtakam. Multiples of 8 and particularly 32 have
    special significance and I have posted earlier a note on that
    number and its relevance to Sri Sampradhaayam..

    Thirukkacchi Nambi, composed in chaste Sanskrit
    the first Ashtakam on the Lord of Kanchi and prayed for the well
    being of Ramanuja and the Sri Sampradhayam that he was going to
    establish as per the wishes of ALavandaar. One can consider therefore
    the Devarajaashtakam of Nambi as the trend setter for the other
    Ashtakams that followed.
       
    Thirukkacchi Nambi was also known as Kaanchi Poorna . As
    one of the early preceptors of Sri Ramanuja, he had a key role to
    play at different stages of Sri Ramanuja"s ascendancy as the heir
    to ALavandaar. Thirukkacchi Nambi was born in Poonamalle . He used
    to go to Kanchi every day to serve Sri Varadaraja .
    The  summum bonum of Nambi"s life was service to 
    Sri Varadaraja. He performed the Fan service to the Lord of Kanchi.
    In hot summer days , he used to dip the fan in water and
    waved the fan in service to the Lord, so that the Archa Murthy
    could benefit from the cool breeze generated by his devotee.
    The Lord of Kanchi did some thing exceptional during those
    hours of kainkaryam. He broke His Archa silence and conversed with
    Thirukkacchi Nambi. Inview of this great devotion and
    status of Nambi, he was revered by one  and all as a Mahatma.

    Sri Perumbudur is in  between  Poonamalle and Kanchi.
    Thirukkacchi Nambi used to walk everyday from his home to kanchi
    to offer his services to Sri Varadaraja.

    One day, the young Ramanuja saw the great devotee of
    Varadaraja walk though his village. He saluted Thirukkacchi Nambi
    and invited him to rest for few minutes at his house. Nambi recognized
    the marks of greatness of a future Acharya in Sri Ramanuja.When
    latter tried to prostrate before Nambi, he said: " O, Ramanuja ! I am
    a low-born Sudra! you should not prostrate before me. How could you
    salute your servant?" Ramanuja was  saddened by the remarks of
    Nambi and replied: " O, Great soul!  dearest devotee of Sri Varadaraja!
    Is it the wearing of the sacred thread that  makes one a Brahmana? He, who
    is devoted to God , he alone is a genuine Brahmana.You know about
    the life of ThiruppaNazhwaar, who became the object of worship of
    the Brahmanas and the temple priest of Srirangam." Nambi was
    very pleased with the utter devotion of Ramanuja and drew close to him.

    Time went by. Ramanuja became the student of the Advaitin, Yadava Prakasa.
    Thirukkacchi Nambi kept up his friendship with Ramanuja .
    Yadava Prakasa  was the promulgator of the rigid Advaita school, that
    would not accept or acknowledge the God with form. Ramanuja was
    all devotion and cared a great deal for the service to God
    with a form (Saguna Brahman ). Ramanuja
    served his Acharya well  inspite of the fundamental differences
    in their view points.The anger and jealousy of Yadava Prakasa
    over Ramanuja"s scholarship and divergence of views
    led the Acharya to think of  doing  away with his star pupil . He
    arranged hastily a Kasi Yatra, during which he wanted to
    drown Ramanuja in the river Ganga at Kasi. . Tipped off by his cousin Govinda,
    Ramanuja escaped from the clutches of his plotters halfway during that Yatra
    and was  rescued by the Divya Dampathis of kanchi , who appeared before
    Ramanuja as a fowler couple. They walked with Ramanuja and received
    water that he fetched from a well to quench their thirst three times.
    When Ramanuja returned
    for the fourth time, the fowler couple had  disappeared and Ramanuja found
    himself at the boundary of Kanchipuram. He understood immediately that
    it was the Divya Dampathis of Kanchi Temple that had blessed him with
    service to them . He returned to his home to the utter joy of his mother.
    Thirukkachi Nambi came to the house on hearing about Ramanuja"s return
    from the ill-fated theertha Yatra and was overjoyed to see Ramanuja. Latter
    fell at the feet of Nambi and asked Nambi to accept him as his disciple.
    Nambi protested and asked Ramanuja to offer service to Varadaraja by
    fetching water daily  from the very same  Well that Ramanuja had used
    earlier to remove the thirst of the Divya Dampathis and that  service will help
    Ramanuja to gain the proper Guru later. Ramanuja continued that
    service and during one of the occasions of such a service, he met
    Maha Purna , who was sent by  ALavandaar topersuade Ramanuja
    to accept the responsibilities of  succeeding  him
    and strengthen Sri Sampradhaayam. Thirukkacchi Nambi"s
    prediction thus came true.

    Meanwhile, Ramanuja revered Nambi as his Acharya and once had invited him
    to come to his home and be his guest . Ramanuja"s wife was  a strict observer
    of Varnaasrama formalities and she committed an Apachaara to Nambi , when
    Ramanuja was away. When Ramanuja came home, he learned that Nambi had
    come earlier, partaken the food , gave the remaining food to a Sudra lady and
    his
    wife had cleaned the place, where Nambi had eaten and had taken a bath and was
    cooking afresh to serve him his meal. Ramanuja was extremely unhappy at his wife
    for insulting the Mahatma dear to the Lord and began to distance himself from
    his wife.    

    Before this  incident,Ramanuja had a number
    of doubts on Tattvas and begged Nambi to ask Varadaraja to clarify his
    doubts. Ramanuja appealed to Nambi and said : " To whom but you shall
    I tell about the matters that agitate my mind for long?" . Kanchi Purna during
    the night service to the Lord passed on the queries of Ramanuja. The Lord
    answered Ramanuja"s question and directed Nambi to convey His answers
    to Ramanuja. Next morning , Thirukkacchi Nambi met Ramanuja and
    delivered the message of Sri Varadaraja , which was in six parts. Those
    parts of the message are:

    1.AHAMEVA  PARAM BRAHMA JAGAT KAARANAKAARANAM
    (I am the Absolute Brahman,the cause of Prakriti, which is the
    cause of the Universe).

    2. KSHETRAGYESVARAYHORBHEDA: SIDDHA YEVA MAHAMATEH
    (O Bright one! The distinction between Jiva and Iswara is axiomatic).

    3.MOKSHOPAAYO NYASA EVA JANAANAAM MUKTIMICCHATAAM
    (Self-surrender (at my feet)  is the only means for  liberation for  those
    who seek  Moksham (final Beatitude).    

    4. MADHBHAKTAANAAM JANAANAANAAM CHA NAANTIMASMRITHIIRISHYATEH
    (The liberation of My devotees ,even though they fail to remember Me during the
    last moment of their lives, is sure to take place).

    5.DEHAAVASAANEH BHAKTHAANAAM DADHAAMI PARAMAM PADHAM
    (As soon as My devotees give up their bodies , they attain residence
    at my supreme abode ).

    6.POORNAACHAARYAM MAHAATMAANAM SAMAASRAYA GUNAASRAYAM
    (Seek Refuge in the great soul  Maha Purna, who is endowed with all virtues).

    ITI RAMAANUJAARYAAYA MAYOKTHAM VADHA SATWARAM
    (Go soon to Ramanuja and tell him , what I have told you).

    After hearing the Lord"s answers to his questions, Ramanuja went
    for initiation by Maha Purna at Srirangam. Maha Purna at that time was
    hurrying towards Kanchi at  the command of the Lord to meet Ramanuja.
    They met half  way at Madhuraanthakam .Ramanuja  received the five
    Purificatory rites (Pancha Samskaaram : Yajna, Ankana, Urdhvapundra,
    Mantra and Dasyanama ) from Mahapurna. He also returned with Maha Purna
    and his wife to his home in Kanchipuram. Kanchi Purna met with Maha Purna at
    Ramanuja"s home and both enjoyed each other's company discussing
    Bhagavat Vishayam. Rakshambaal , the wife of Ramanuja committed two
    more grave Apacharas to her Husband"s guru Patni and a guest . Ramanuja
    decided then to take Sanyasa Asrama and tactfully sent his wife to her Parent's
    home
    before becoming a Sanyasi . When Ramanuja took Sanyasam at Kanchi Temple
    of Sri Varadaraja, Kanchi Purna  addressed Ramanuja as Yati Raja for the
    first time at the behest of Lord Varadaraja.

    Thus, Thirukkacchi Nambi"s pervasive influence as the messenger of
    Sri Varadaraja  had a central role in shaping the life of Ramanuja at critical
    moments and set him forth on his journey to strengthen the Sri Sampradaaya
    even unto this day.

    In the next posting, I will comment on the Devarajaashtakam composed by
    Thirukkacchi Nambi on his Ishta Daivam, the Lord Of Kanchi.

    Thirukkacci Nambi Thiruvadigaleh saranam

    Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

          


Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT


Yahoo! Groups Links


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
oppiliappan-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list