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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA
SRIMATHE BALADHANVI MAHAGURUVE NAMAHA
SRIMAD VARAVARAMUNUYE NAMAHA


ALAVANDAR VAIBHAVAM
(By Sri. U.Ve. Elayavilli Sriraman swami)


Sri Nathamunigal is considered to be the first Acharya in our 
Srivaishnava Sampradayam.  Though Periya Perumal (Srimannarayanan), 
Periya Pirattiyar (Sri MahaLakshmi) and Senai Mudaliar (Commander-in-
chief/ Vishvaksena) are the first three Acharyas in order, they are 
from Paramapada (Sri Vaikuntum).  Swami Nummular the fourth Acharya 
belongs to the Alzhvar group.  Hence the first Acharya to be born in 
this mortal world was Sriman Nathamunigal.

When Nathamunigal was ready to shed His body to reach Paramapadam, 
with His infinite knowledge about the past, present and the future, 
he foresaw the birth of his grandson.  He requested his son 
Iswaramuni, to name his grandson, ¡°Yamunamuni¡± or ¡°Yamunai Thuraivar¡± 
(the name means Lord Sri Krishna.  He was so called, because Krishna 
always dwelled on the banks of the river Yamuna, aspiring the union 
with gopikas.  Why did he do this?  Can¡¯t he get beautiful girls from 
the water?  Yes, He did get one from the water; He got Sri 
MahaLakshmi from Ksheerabhdi, the milky ocean.  

Sri Nathamunigal, out of His immense bhakthi towards Lord Krishna and 
River Yamuna, resided for a while at Brindavan and therefore asked 
His son Iswaramuni to name his grandson Yamunai Thuraivan.

After Sri Nathamunigal, reached Paramapadam, Uyyakkondar headed our 
Vishistadwaita Sampradayam for some time.  Later Manakkal Nambi 
occupied the throne of our Sampradayam staying at Sri Rangam, the 
capital of Srivaishnava Sampradayam.  It was at this period that a 
son was born to Iswaramuni in the month of Adi (July 15th to Aug15th) 
under the star Uttaradam (Uttarashada).  On the twelfth day, he was 
named Yamunai Thuraivar, as per the wish of Sri Nathamunigal (His 
grand father).




Iswaramuni did all the prescribed rituals to Yamunai Thuraivar 
according per shastras (chaula {shikha}, Upanayana {investiture of 
sacred thread} etc.  He also made Him learn all the Vedas.  While 
studying the Vedas, He did not go to patashala (school), the next 
day. When asked why He didn¡¯t attend the class He replied, ¡°They are 
teaching the same lessons that were taught yesterday.  Hence I did 
not attend it¡±.  This gifted boy Yamunai Thuraivar learnt all the 
Vedas along with all the Angas and Upangas including their meanings 
and got married at the appropriate age.

Time rolled by resulting into the passing away of Iswaramuni.  Sri 
Yamuna did all the last rites as per the mandate of shastras.

Wishing to learn the remaining shastras, Sri Yamuna became the pupil 
of Sri Mahabhashya Bhatta well versed in all the lores.  During that 
period all the Vidwans (scholars) in the Chola Kingdom had to pay 
annual tribute (prescribed fee) to Aakkialwan, the royal purohit and 
court pundit. One day on receiving the notice for the tribute, 
Mahabhashya Bhatta, became very sad, as he was penny less.  Observing 
his sad face, and coming to know the difficult situation, Sri Yamuna 
took it upon Himself to put an end to the audacity and the atrocity 
of Aakkialwan and He tore the notice to pieces and sent the messenger 
back.  On hearing this, Aakkialwan sent the messenger back to ask 
Yamuna, whether he was a poet or a scholar well versed in Shastras.  
Yamuna replied
  
Navayam kavayastu kevalam Navayam kevala tantra paraga: ©¦
Api tu prativaadi vaarana prakatatopa vipaatana kshma: ¨U

¡°We are not just poets.  We are not mere scholars who have seen the 
other shore of the Shastras. But we have the strength and ability to 
tear open the temple of the wild elephant called the opponent 
debaters who indulge only in cheap publicity.

Seeing the reply, Aakkialwan was astonished at the scholarship 
of              Sri Yamuna and told the same to the Chola King.   The 
King ordered          this young Scholar to come to his court 
immediately, which was refused by           Sri Yamuna.  The King 
realizing that he wasn¡¯t dealing with an ordinary person sent a 
palanquin along with its bearers to bring Sri Yamuna.  When Sri 
Yamuna reached the courts, he wrote a sloka to show his scholarship.





Aashailadadrikanya Charanakisalaya nyasa dhanyapakantath
Aaraksho nita sita mukha kamala sammulaasa hethoscha setho: ©¦
Aacha prachya pratichya kshitidara yugalath arkha Chandra vathamsath
Meemamsa shastra yugma shrama vimala mana: mrugyatam madrushonya: ¨U
Strive hard to find an equal to me who has mastered both the 
Meemamsas starting from the slope of the Himalaya mountain (in the 
north) which is lucky enough to possess the tender foot prints of the 
mountain girl Parvathi up to the bridge (in the south) which caused 
the blooming of the Lotus like face of Sita, abducted by the demon 
Ravana and also beginning from the rising mountain (in the east) of 
both the luminaries Sun and Moon and ending with the setting mountain 
(in the west).

When Aakkialwan read the sloka, his face turned crimson and he 
shouted aloud that he would debate with this young imposter.  Looking 
at Sri Yamuna, the king ordered him ¡°You please start the debate with 
our court pundit, Aakkialwan¡±.  Sri Yamuna replied, ¡°Well, your 
Majesty it is hard for you to decide the winner and the loser when we 
debate and we both may not accept defeat.  Therefore it would be 
appropriate if we argue in the midst of learned scholars who are 
assembled here¡±.   Having invited all learned men, he occupied the 
royal throne along with his queen at the debating hall.  The queen, 
being very much impressed by the handsome appearance of the young 
man, drew the attention of the King towards him and exclaimed that he 
would never sustain defeat in the wordy quarrel.  If at all he is 
defeated, she said that she would become a maid and cook the food for 
the dogs in the palace.  The King too retorted saying that in case 
Aakkialwan was the loser, he would part with half of his kingdom by 
presenting it to Sri Yamuna.

Now the debate started.  Aakkialwan said to Sri Yamuna, ¡°Let us start 
with ordinary worldly affairs. I will negate all your affirmatives 
and your negative statements will be made affirmatives by me.¡±  
Agreeing to this proposal, Sri Yamuna uttered three sentences to 
Aakkialwan.



1)      ¡°Your mother is a barren woman.

2)      The King is righteous one

3)      The Queen is a very chaste woman.

Fearing corporeal punishment at the hands of the king by the denial 
of the three statements, Aakkialwan simply blinked and wringed his 
hands.  But Sri Yamuna came out with his denial of these three 
statements.

1)      A single tree cannot become a garden.  Similarly one child is 
not enough to make a mother.  As Aakkialwan is the only son of his 
mother, she is still a barren woman.

2)      The sins committed by the subjects will go to the King, as he 
has not prevented them from doing so.  Thus the king loses his 
righteousness.

3)      Normally a girl becomes the wife of some divine personalities 
like Indra etc. after her marriage.  Hence, the husband is not 
allowed to share her bed immediately after the marriage.  Thus the 
queen has forfeited her claim for chastity.

These negations earned the approval of all scholars and thus 
Aakkialwan was put to shame.  The same fate overtook Aakkialwan in 
the Shastra debate that followed.  Now Sri Yamuna had acquired the 
right to strike on the head of Aakkialwan.  But he politely declared 
his decent decision, ¡°Oh gentleman! I will not strike you on your 
head as per our agreement before the debate.  It is because, I give 
due respect to your age and the exalted position that you occupy in 
the royal court¡±.  This proclamation earned the appreciation and 
approval of all the scholars.  The queen rushing towards Sri Yamuna 
embraced him and observed with a slippery tone full of affection ¡°You 
have come to my rescue.  Hence you are my ruler (Ennai 
Aalavandeero!)¡±. From that day onwards he came to be called 
Aalavandar. Having said so, she took him to the palace accompanied by 
the King.  His Majesty also kept up his promise by offering half of 
his kingdom to Sri Aalavandar. Enjoying all the royal pleasures in 
the company of his wife, the young prince ruled over the kingdom 
happily and peacefully.


Manakkal Nambi got this news.  He desired to fulfill his promise to 
his revered Guru Uyyakkondar.  He thought that Aalavandar would be 
easily accessible but it was not so.  The denial of his entry into 
the palace by the royal soldier at the gate made him resort to back 
door entry.  He understood from the cook of Sri Yamuna, that he very 
much liked a particular variety of greens called ¡°Thoodulai¡±.  He 
surmised that he would draw the attention of Sri Aalavandar by 
supplying the greens everyday.  But this attempt proved useless.  So 
after some days, he stopped the supply of the greens.  When Sri 
Aalavandar asked the cook, why the greens was not cooked, He was 
explained the source of the greens and its stoppage.  Sri Aalavandar 
now expressed his desire to meet that old man when he visited next.

Prompted by his eagerness to discharge his duty by his teacher, 
Manakkal Nambi, came to the kitchen with the greens after sometime.  
Thus the most awaited and desired meeting took place.

When asked by Aalavandar why he was regularly supplying the greens, 
Manakkal Nambi said that it was not for anything else but to hand 
over his ancestral property as instructed by His grandfather Sri 
Nathamunigal. When Sri Aalavandar asked Manakkal Nambi to show the 
property, He was told that they have to travel some distance and they 
left for Sri Rangam. On the way Aalavandar listened to the lecture on 
Srimad Bhagavad Gita regularly and towards the end He longed to see 
the Lord, who is the inner meaning of Gita.  Manakkal Nambi took him 
to SriRangam and showed the Lord reclining on the serpent bed and 
announced that this is Your ancestral property. Aalavandar became the 
receptacle of His mercy and He immediately relinquished all the 
mundane pleasures and became a Seer (Jeeyar/Yathi/Sanyasi).

He wrote Geetartha Sangraha, which was subsequently used by Sri 
Ramanuja in writing his matchless commentary on Srimad Bhagavad 
Gita.  His devotional lyric Stotraratnam is the first of its kind.  
He is the pioneer in the field of devotional lyric.  In Stotraratnam, 
he first of all takes refuge unto the Lord but quickly realizes his 
folly.  After all the soul, which is offered to the Lord as a rare 
and rich gift, belongs to Him only.  Strictly speaking Saranagathi is 
an act of offense as it means offering to the Lord, His own property 
(the soul).  So, even Saranagathi, the best and easiest means of 
salvation has gone in waste.  Then what will secure salvation?





Pondering over this matter, Sri Aalavandar finally declared that his 
relationship with his Acharya Sri Nathamunigal who is also his 
grandfather would certainly ensure his emancipation.  He also appeals 
to the Lord to ignore his good conduct, which may fetch him salvation 
but care for only his grandfather¡¯s natural love for His holy feet 
and his (Aalavandar¡¯s) relationship with him.  We may go on enlisting 
all the virtues and activities of Sri Aalavandar which is endless.  
As an initial step, a portion of his life history is sketched here 
for the benefit of Srivaishnavas, a reading of which will get the 
blessings of Sri Aalavandar.

Hoping to continue on another occasion. 

Sri Ramanuja Dasan Elayavilli Sriraman.
08/08/2006 ¨C Sri Aalavandar¡¯s Tirunakshatram.
Tel No: 080-23348585










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