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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00063 Nov 2002

 
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Dear BhAagavatas,

AdiyEn had sent this post to this group several months
ago. But, as it is our Mamunigal's thirunakshatthiram
today, adiyEn is resending the post. This is also for
the benefit of new readers and others who might have
missed it the first time.

This is a translation of a beautiful article by Sri
PBA Swami, which analyzes the Srisailesa dayapatram
thaniyan given by our Namperumal to Manavala Mamunigal,
and shows why the author of the thaniyan could be none 
other than Him.

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan

--

Sri Ranganatha and Sri Manavala Mamunigal 
Translation of an article by Sri PB Annangaracharyar Swami 

Sri Ranganatha of Srirangam took Sri Manavala Mamunigal as 
His acharya and delighted in the act of becoming his 
disciple. Having obtained an interest in listening to the 
inner meanings of Thiruvaymozhi as explained by "eedu 
36000padi", He commanded Sri Manavala Mamunigal to present 
it in His presence in the temple. Sri Manavala Mamunigal 
accepting the Lord's order started the upanyasam the next 
day and continued it for a year. At the end of the year, 
Sri Ranganatha Himself in the form of a young son of an 
archaka presented the famous taniyan: 

SrisailEsa dayApAtram dhIbhaktyAdi guNArNavam
yatIndra pravaNam vandE ramyajAmAtaram munim 

(History records that the young boy who presented the 
taniyan immediately disappeared and simultaneously the 
taniyan was presented in a number of other temples 
starting with Thirumalai.) 

It is possible that some people, even those who have 
surrendered at the lotus feet of Sri Manavala Mamunigal, 
would doubt that this event occured. However it is clear 
upon analysis of the arrangement of the words in the 
taniyan that none but Sriman Narayana could have authored 
it. 

It is well known that Sri Ranganatha is none but Sri Rama 
and Sri Krishna. Several azhvars have established this fact

through several pasurams so that there need be no doubt on 
this matter. 

As Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, Sriman Narayana had 
surrendered to a few people and yet each time He was not 
happy with those people. He found drawbacks in each of them

and was dissatisfied. As such, He took Sri Manavala 
Mamunigal as His acharya and became happy that He finally 
had surrendered to one who has all the qualities to be an 
acharya. This is clearly shown by Him in each of the terms 
of the taniyan. 

1. SriSailEsa dayApAtram: In Sri Rama avatar, He took 
refuge with a sailEsa dayApAtran. Now, He salutes 
SrisailEsa dayApAtran. SailEsa dayApAtran is Sugriva. The 
sailam here is Ricyamukha mountain. The Lord of that sailam

is Mathanka Muni, and Sugriva lived under this rishi's 
dayA. At one time, Vali had fought an asura named Dundubi 
and killed him. Vali then had tossed the body of the asura 
a long distance and at that time some blood drops from his 
body had fallen on Mathanka Muni's ashramam. Mathanka Muni 
was angered by that and had cursed that whosoever had done 
that and his associates would die if they stepped on that 
mountain. Sugriva after earning the enemity of Vali had 
taken refuge in this mountain to escape his brother. Hence 
he is the sailEsa dayApAtra. 

Sri Rama had taken refuge with Sugriva initially, but later

was disappointed by him. Even after the rainy season was 
over, after the killing of Vali, Sugriva did not make any 
efforts in helping Sri Rama locate Sri Sita. As such, Sri 
Rama told Sri Lakshmana to meet Sugriva and tell him 
that "one who forgets the help of a friend is a lowly 
person; the way Vali was sent is also open to Sugriva; Sri 
Rama is ready to send Sugriva, his friends and relatives to

the domain of Yama". Thus Sri Rama had become dissatisfied 
with the sailEsa dayApAtran with whom He had taken refuge. 
In order that this be rectified, He now takes refuge with 
Srisailesa Dayapatrar who is Sri Manavala Mamunigal. 

He salutes Sri Manavala Mamunigal who is the receipient of 
the dayA of ThiruvAymozhippiLLai (Thirumalai AzhvAr also 
known as Srisailesar). 

2. dhIbhaktyAdi guNArNavam: In Rama avatar, He had bowed to

the lord of the salty ocean ("lavaNArNavam"). Based on 
Vibeeshana's words, Sri Rama performed saranagati to the 
ocean. However, the lord of the ocean chose to ignore Sri 
Rama and at that time Sri Rama decided to send a fierce 
astram and empty the ocean and make it into dry land. Thus,

He ended up with disappointment with one to whom He had 
made saranagati. In order to make up the disappointment of 
surrendering to the ocean of salt, He now surrenders to the

ocean of great guNas who is Sri Manavala Mamunigal. 

3. yatIndra pravaNam: That Lord Sri Ranaganatha is the same

as Lord Srinivasa is known from pasurams such as "manthipAy

vadavEnkada mAmalai vAnavarkaL santhi seyya ninRAn 
arangaththaravinaNaiyAn". And as Lord Srinivasa, He 
received the Conch and Discus from Sri Ramanuja and 
therefore took him as His acharya. While there was no 
disappointment for the Lord with Sri Ramanuja, after 
listening to the Ramanuja Noorranthathi verse 
"thannaiyuRRat seyyum thanmaiyinOr", where it is said 
that rather than being attached to Sri Ramanuja it is 
better to be attached to those who are attached to Sri 
Ramanuja, He decided on becoming the sishya of Yatindra 
Pravanar rather than being the sishya of Yatindrar. 

Yatindra Pravanar is a special name given to Sri Manavala 
Mamunigal. 

4. vandE ramyajAmAtaram munim: During avatars, He became a 
disciple of muni's: as Sri Rama with Sage Vishvamitra and 
as Sri Krishna with Sage Santhipini. However, He became 
disappointed with them both. In Mythila, He heard about 
the details of Sage Vishvamitra's past and became 
disappointed that He had taken such a person who was 
subject to rajas and tamas, as His acharya. In Sri Krishna 
avatar, even after knowing that Sri Krishna was none but 
Sriman Narayana, Sage Santhipini requested a lower 
purushartha which was his son's life rather than the higher

purushartha which is moksha. As such, He became 
disappointed with this muni as well. Thus, He decided to 
take on the muni who is the ocean of satva guNas as His 
acharya, who is Ramya Jamatru Muni. 

Thus, this taniyan which has so many special and hidden 
meanings could not have been authored by anyone but Sriman 
Narayana. 

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam 

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