Considering the pitiable state of our affairs, Emberuman out of His
causeless compassion has provided us with everything needed for our union
with him. He not only bestowed us with the vedas, upanishads and
shasthras, He also appeared amongst us as Achuthan to show us the
virtuous life. In spite of being the Eshwaran, He also wanted to be an
Acharyan to us. Consequently, he came down as Sri Krishna and blessed us
with Bhagavat Gita.
Sriyapathi first created four faced Brahma and instructed him on the four
vedas and its meanings. Unable to protect the vedas Brahma stood
empty-handed. In a similar state, Arjuna also forgot the truth of Gita
then and there after receiving it. Where even Achuthabanu failed to save
mankind, Azhwar, who dawned like a brilliant sun blessed us all. Untill
Azhwar breathed in this world, he considered everyone like himself and
saved all. Azhwar despised the samsaric cycle of birth and death and was
desperate to leave. When the radiance of the sun called Numazhwar
diminished, Kaliyuga snatched us all again.
Once again, due to Embiran?s great mercy Ramanuja Divakarar appeared for
us. As Azhwar with his gnana-dhrushti said ?Kali will be defeated,
wait and see!?, this world was filled with radiance of Yathiraja
vaibhavam. Swami Ramanuja?s birth lifted the darkness of Kali bringing
back the glories of Kruthayuga proving Azhwar?s mangalasasanam ?Poliga
Poliga?.
?Even after Krishna?s appearance in this world jeevathmas present in
the samsaram for time immemorial did not get enlightened. However, all
the jeevathmas surrendered unto Sriyapathi Narayanan, the moment Ramanuja
was born.?
GURUPARAMPARA
Lakshminathan is the huge ocean. Azhwar is the black cloud. This black
cloud drank the water of compassion from the ocean and showered it as
rain on the hills called Nathamuni. This water thundered down the
mountain as huge waterfalls called Uyyakondar and Manakal Nambi and
reached the great river Yamunachar. This river then merged into the huge
lake Emberumanar. From this lake, 74 acharyas chosen by Emberumanar act
as sluices and spread the compassion of Sriman Narayana to the chetanas.
Swami Ramanuja made sure that Sarveswaran?s mercy reaches all the
chetanas. He established the sidhantham firmly. That is why Namperumal
named our sidhantham as ?Emberumanar Darisanam?, as stated by
Swami Manavala Mamunikal in Upadesa Rathnamaalai. Such is the
Acharyathvam, Emberuman wished for. However, Acharyathvam wished only for
Emberumanar.
During the days of Swami Ramanuja, who is the Jagath Acharyan, Sri
Vaishnavam along with Srirangam grew many folds as per his instructions.
The poorvacharya parampara glowing with the radiance of Emberumanar?s
knowledge ended with Swami Manavala Mamunikal. Mamunikal observed with
pain that after the sunset of the brilliant Ramanuja Divakaram, the
darkness of kaliyuga was gradually creeping back. Swami due to his
compassion for us and to make us all follow the right path gave Upadesa
Rathnamalai and instructed clearly what should be done by every one of
us.
?We must follow our poorvhacharya?s teachings and practices and must live
under the feet of our acharyan. This is the only way to live happily in
this world of darkness.?
Our
U.VE. KARAPANKADU VENKATACHARYAR SWAMI, lived with the spirit of Manavala
Mamunikal?s upadesam, embracing Emberumanar?s holy feet as the only
refuge. Let us now enjoy the vaibhavam of Karapankadu Swami, who lived in
this world as the ocean of knowledge and guiding light of our
sampradhayam.