You are here: SriPedia - Oppiliappan - Archives - Jan 2007

Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00113 Jan 2007

 
Jan 2007 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Let us continue to enjoy the acharya paramparai. After
Sriman Nathamuni, Sri Pundareekakshar [also called as
Uyyakkondaar], Sri Raamamisrar also called as
maNakkaal nambhi], we have Swami Yamunamuni or Sri
Alavandhaar in our Acharya parampara. 

SrI YAmunAchArya- also called as SrI Alavandhaar- His
period was from year 917 CE to 1042 CE. (about 125
years). He was the Grandson of "thaaLam vazhagith
thamizh maRai innisai thandha vaLLal"- Sri Nathamuni.

YAmunAchArya is the grand -Acharya (PrAchAryA ) of
Ramanujacharya (1017 AD to 1137 CE). He clearly
established the principles of VisishtAdhvaita as an
expansion of the doctrines housed in his grandfather's
treatises and elaborated on those doctrines with
authoritative scriptures such as Sruthis, Bhagavadh
Gita , AzhwAr's pAsurams and Selected SAtvikaPurAnAs.

Swamy Desikan says in YathirAja Sapthathi:

Vighaahe Yaamunam Theertham Saadhu Brindaavane Stitham
|
NirasthaJih Magha Sparse Yatra Krishnah Kritaa Dharah
||

We shall bathe in the holy waters of Yamuna
(Alavandhaar), who has severed all connections with
mean passions and attachment, who stood steadfast in
safeguarding the Saadhus, and in whom the things
emphasised by Krishna were present perfectly. (A
second meaning: We shall bathe in the holy waters of
Yamuna river, form which poisonous snake had been
removed, which is close to Brindhavanam, and in which
Krishna was interested.)

Alavandar who learned Vedantha Arthas at the feet of
MaNakkaal Nambi was not only the one residing on the
banks of Yamuna (Yamunai thuRaivan) by name but was
also like the clear flowing waters of the river
Yamuna. Lord Krishna got rid of the cruel Kaalinga
from the river and made its water pure and clear for
all to drink. He was most delighted when he played
with the Gopis of Brindavanam in the Yamuna waters.
Likewise, Alavandar vanquished those who
misinterpreted the Vedas and established Vedanta
Siddhanta. Just as one can derive supreme pleasure by
bathing in the holy waters of Yamuna, one can enjoy
supreme Bhagavad Gunanubhava by immersing in the lucid
granthas of Yaamuna

Once an arrogant vidwAn by name Akkiyalvan was
challenging and humiliating learned men. Yamuna (as a
16 year old boy) accepted the challenge and went to
the court to argue with him. The queen was so
impressed with the boy that she told the king and
pursuaded him to give away half the kingdom if he won
in the debate and offered herself to be thrown to wild
dogs, if the boy failed. Akkiyalvan asked the boy to
state three propositions positive or negative which he
offered to counter. And, if he could not, the boy
would be declared the winner.

Yamuna asked (or stated) three statements. He asked
Akkialwan to counter.

(i) Your mother is not a barren woman- Naturally he
could not counter saying that his mother is a barren
woman (he is very much standing in front of
Yamunacharya).

(ii) The king is a righteous and powerful ruler -
Obviously he can not afford to counter this. 

and ( iii ) The queen is a model of chastity. - oh no!
Never can he counter this.

Akkialvan accepted defeat and the King now asked
Yamuna to disprove his own statements.

Yamuna clarified by observing the following:-

(i) The sacred laws say that an only son is no son at
all. So, Akkiyalvan's mother was as good as barren in
the eyes of the law.
( ii ) The king cannot be called righteous when he
entertained such an arrogant person to be his chaplain
and his not dismissing the chaplain showed that the
king was indeed powerless.
( iii ) According to the Sruti texts, every woman is
wedded first to Soma, then Gandharva and then Agni
before marrying her earthly partner. The queen was no
exception and therefore cannot be deemed a model of
chastity.

(This is only to drive home a point that logic can not
be the solution fully. One needs to fall back on
Saasthras and Sruthi/Smrthis for praMANams.)

The King sent Akkiyalvan out of his kingdom and gave
Yamuna half his kingdom. The queen hailed the boy as
"Alavandhaar"- One who came to save me..

How the king was changed due to the mercy of his
grandfather Sriman Nathamuni through the krupa deed of
Sri Raamamisrar [MaNakkaal Nambhi]- [as seen earlier
in the post] 

He is the one who composed the earliest Stotras of
Srivaishnava Sampradayam: 

He wrote the following works great in content and yet
lucid.

(1) chathuslOki
(2) StOtra Ratnam
(3) Siddhitrayam consisting of (i) AtmaSiddhi. (ii)
Samvitasiddhi and (iii) Iswara Siddhi
(4) Agama Pramanya
(5) Maha Purusha Nirnayam
(6) Gitartha Sangraha
(7) Nityam
(8) Maayaa Vaadha Khandanam

[Extract from Sri Anbil Ramaswamy Swami?s write up on
Acharya vamsa vruksham] 

[From asmadhAcharyan?s Tamil commentary of Swamy
Desikan?s YathirAja Sapthathi ? translated into
English by Sri CG Balaji Swami]- During the
incarnation of Kannan in this world, he was met
by one of the ancestors of Nathamuni, who asked Kannan
the means to elevate oneself out of the samsaric
affliction. He was then asked by Kannan to perform
aradhanam (worship) to his vigraham (idol), which the
devotee promptly did. This vigraham of Kannan, which
came down as a familial treasure was worshipped by
Sriman Nathamuni and later by Ishwara bhatta and
Alavandar. 

Manakkal nambi thus taught all the shastras and
Vedantha to Yamunacharya. Manakkal nambi informed
Yamunar that the bhakti yogam of Nathamuni is
available with Kurugai Kaavalappan and ordained him to
obtain initiation into Yoga from him. Yamunar
immediately proceeded to meet Kurugai Kavalappan, who
was immersed in deep meditation (yoga). Not wanting to
disturb his penance, Yamunar went and sat behind him.
Kurugai kavalappan woke up from his penance after a
little while and enquired ?Are there anyone from
chottai kulam here? Alavandar immediately came in
front of him with folded hands and prostrated in front
of him. Addressing himself as adiyen, he then inquired
with curiosity as to how Swamy knew that he had come.
To this Kurugaikavalappan replied that during his
yoga, Kannan withdrew His attention from him and
looked behind him. He continued saying that none other
than a scion of chottai-kulam would Kannan bestow such
anugraham on. 

Having considered this great an anugraham and
affection of Kannan on Alavandar, Swamy Deshikan says,
?yathra Krishna: kruthAdhara: Swamy continues saying
that, just as how we dip in the holy waters of Yamuna
flowing through Brindavanam, which has been the
recipeint of Kannan?s endearment, to wash away all our
sins, so do we pray to this great acharya Yamunar by
immersing ourselves in the flood of his divine
qualities and glories, who has been a recipient of
Kannan?s divine anugraham and who subdued the serpents
propagating other philosophies and who guarantees
definite protection to innumerable flocks of devotees.

Sri Alavandhar's naichyAnusanthAnam (feeling lowly
nature of oneself- the jIvAthma as compared to the
Lord's Greatness, KalyANa guNAs) is very beautifully
reflected in SthOthra Rathnam (total 65 slokas in this
work- reported to be an elaborate reflection of
Dwayam). They are more appropriate and applicable to
us (and not Sri Alavandhar). He has composed for us
only.

Aparaaadha-sahasra-bhaajanam
patitam bhiima-bhavaarnav'odare;
agatim saran'aagatam hare!
krpayaa kevalam aatmasaat kuru.

Oh SrI Hari! pray, make me your own out of sheer grace
- me, who has fallen into the depths of the terrible
ocean of worldly existence, and who, being resortless,
have sought refuge at your feet.

amaryAdha: Kshudra: chalamadhi: asUyAprasavabhU:
kruthagnO dhurmAni smara paravasO vanchanapara:
nrusamsa: pApishta: kathamahamithO dukkajaladhE :
apArAth uttheerNa: tava paricharEyam charanayO :

What a soul stirring sloka! One can not but cry
reciting this, (imagining himself as the hero of the
sloka)

AlavandhAr describes himself as:

amaryAdha: - one who has crossed the bounds of
established rules
Kshudra: - engaging in trivial /worldly
/material/sensual pursuits
chalamadhi:- never steady; (chanchalam), fickle  mind
asUyA prasava bhU : Place where jealousy is born
kruthagana: Ungrateful one
dhurmAnee:- ill feelings towards fellow human beings;
smara paravasa : Fallen into the gamut of desires and
sensual impluses
vanchanapara: skillfully deceiving others (at cheating
others )
nrusamsa: - engaging in violent acts
paapishta: ( Incorrigible sinner - mahA paapi

Swamy Alavandhaar's works are the ones which give us
crystal clear jnAnam about our unparalleled
unambiguous VisishtAdvaita Srivaishnava philosophy,
the presence of which can never take us to the wrong
roads.

After taking so many countless births, We, (dAsars
(servants) of Sri Alavandhar), who have been blessed
to be born (due to the limitless, unconditional grace
of the Lord Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan) as 
Srivaishnava in this birth, and have realized and
taken up the prapatti maargam (due to the nirhEthuka
krupA of the Lord), who are bequeathed with such Great
Acharyan, YamunAchAryan, the learning of whose SrI
sukthis enable us to know the tatvatrayam crystal
clear and upAyam and upEyam (means and goal)
perfectly, and keep us reminded of the same always,
will never ever read (hereafter) works of those who
belong to other religions. 

Says Swamy Desikan in Adhikaara sangraham.

neeLa vandhu inRu vidhivagaiyaal ninaivonRiya naam/
meeLavandhu innum vinai udambu onRil vizhundhu
uzhalaa(dhu)
ALavandhaar ena venRu aruL thandhu viLangiya seer/
Alavandhaar adiyOm padiyOm ini alvazhakkE.

Alavandhaar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm
Regards
namo narayana
dAsan


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. 
Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta.
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_tools.html 


 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:Oppiliappan-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:Oppiliappan-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 


[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