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
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