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Srimathe Ramanujaya Namah
 
Uttara Poorva Dinacharya by Sri T.A. Srinidhi - Kanchipuram 
 
 When a new topic is started as a series of lectures, it is customary to give a 
brief introduction to the work (avatArikai) , the subject of the work and the 
author of the work. In the first lecture on this series, Sri. Srinidhi Swamin 
covered all these points beautifully and to the point. Uttara and Poorva 
dinacharya are the works of Erumbiappa about Swami Manavala Mamunigal 
describing his daily routine. Following is a humble attempt to cover some of 
the salient points covered by Srinidhi Swamin for the benefit of those who were 
not fortunate enough to listen that day:
 
· Aipassi (solar Aishwaija) month is even more special than margazi which 
Kannan refers to in Bhagavad Gita as ?mAsAnAm margashIshoham?.  It brought us 
the birth of three Mudal alwars, and five Acharyas namely Swamy Lokachariar, 
Maamunigal, Visvaksenar, Tirukuruhaipiran, and Koorakulottamar dasar.  This 
makes a total of 8 signifying each akshara of tirumantram.
.       To redeem us of this samsaric cycle, He gave us the karaNa 
kalEbara(body and the senses that go with it) and shAstrAs out of immense grace 
towards us. ShastrAs, as the name itself indicates (shAsanAth shAstram), 
prescribe the do's and don'ts of how one should conduct onself in life. But we, 
the samsArIs, ignored that because we were enamored due to vishaya 
chApalya(attachment to mundane things).
· Although He is surrounded by Nityasuris and Muktaatmas in Paramapadam.
just like a father with many sons, who thinks about the son who lives far away 
during festivities, Emberuman always thinks about us (recall "deshAntara 
gatanAna putran pakkalile pitruhrudayam kidakkummAppOlE"- SVB)· Like a parent 
jumping into a well to rescue the fallen child, Emberuman  comes down to this 
earth to help us out. The conversation between the Jeevan and Namperumal can be 
recalled here as depicted by Swami Parashara Bhattar(Twam mE ham mE..). All 
avatars of Bhagawan are absolutely real and as Swami NammAlwar and others say, 
His avatAra itself is a result of His Sowsheelyam. KoorathAlwan does 
mangalAshasanam for this sowsheelya gunam.
· When He takes avataras, He adopts himself to the caste/race He is born into.  
For example, in VarAhAvatAra, He made the pigs comfortable with one of their 
kind around them and in rAmAvatAra Sri Rama was so very human (recall ?na devO 
na yakshO....?). Piratti also follows Him in every avatAra.
· After Krishnaavataram, He closed the Paramapadam door as He was sad that 
nobody went along with Him to Paramapadam.   He felt that He had failed, and 
decided to shower His kripa further on the JeevAthmas and thus came the Alwars. 
Just like a thorn needs to be removed using a sharp object, He thought of using 
other souls to uplift us.
· Why did He choose only a few people to be alwars?  Why not one of us? Both 
Sri Alagia Manavala Perumal Nayanaar and Swamy Sri Vedantachariar give 
examples.  When the king gives a garland to an elephant and announces that who 
ever the elephant garlands becomes the leader, the elephant has complete 
freedom/swatantryam to garland anyone.  Another example quoted is that of a 
king who has many wives but chooses one among them as his most beloved. Just as 
the elephant and the king cannot be questioned, one cannot question Emberuman.
· Ever since nammAlwAr came and went back, paramapadam doors were re-opened 
because along with NammAlwar others will follow. That is the significance of 
VaikunTa Ekadashi, the day NammAlwAr attained paramapadam. 
· Acharyas came to explain the works of AlwArs. Among the achAryas Swami 
EmberumAnAr is like the madhya maNi (central jewel) also referred to as naDu 
nAyakan. Acharyas were of two kinds.
· Anivrutti Prasannaacharyas: Acharya who makes sure of the genuine interest 
possessed by the sishya before giving the rahasyas (Ex: Tirukkottiyoor Nambi).  
· Kripaamaatra Prasannaacharya : Acharya with his kripa transforms the person 
and gives him the knowledge. Examples are Emberumanar, Lokachariar, Maamunigal.
· Perumal ordered Adi sEsha to be on this earth for 200 years as Ramanuja.   
But Swamy returned to paramapadam after 120 tirunakshatrams (years).  EmberumAn 
sent him back as ManavALa MamunigaL for the remaining 80 years.
· Maamunigal was born at Alwar Tirunagari in Saadhaarana year, aipassi month, 
tiru-moola nakshtram, Thursday, Sukla paksham (4th day). Three mahApurushAs 
were born in Alwar tirunagari ?  nammalwar, EmberumAnAr (as Bhavishyad 
Acharyan), and Manvala MamunigaL.  If MamunigaL?s avatara had not taken place, 
we would have had no vyaakyanams on the works of alwars and acharyas.
· In Satya yuga He came as a Brahmin (Dattatreya, Parasurama)
· In Treta Yuga He came as a kshatriya (sri Rama)
· In Dwaapara Yuga He came as a Vaishya (Sri Krishna)
· In Kali Yuga He came as a shudra (Nammalwar)
· Aaye Jananaacharya questions Maamunigal whether he was Perumbudoor Muni, or 
Nammalwar or Kannan Himself...
· As described in YatIndra PravaNa Prabhavam, Maamunigal had 8 sishyas ? 
ashtadiggajas - to carry the torch and spread the sampradAyam.  Of which three 
are sanyasis (Vanamamalai,  Tiruvengada , Battar Piran Jeeyars) and five 
grihastas (Koil annan, Erumbiappa, Apillar, Appullar, Prativaadi Bhayankara 
Annan)
· Dinacharya is the grand work by Erumbiappa (dEvarAjaguru) explaining the 
daily routine of Maamunigal who is the giver of divya gyaana.  Just like the 
self-luminating gem is covered by dust, so is this atma.    When the layer of 
dust is removed the gem sparkles, this is the divya gyaana.
· After several janmas of Surya bhakti leading to Shiva bhakthi and several 
such janmas of Shiva bhakti, one is gifted with a srivaishnava janma.
· The main causes for one to become a srivaishnava are: Iswara kripai, punyam , 
advEsham, satvika guna, Bhaagawata abhimanam/shEshatwam, anukoola to Emberuman. 
 This results in acharya praapti.
· Erumbiappa went to Srirangam and returned to Erumbi after sevai of Periya 
Perumal and listening to Maamunigal's discourse. At that time, he did not care 
to become a desciple of MaamunigaL.  
· Next day as he prepared for the morning tiruvaradhanai, the kovil alwar ( the 
container for sAligrama and vigrahams) did not open.  So he could not do 
aradhanai that day and felt very dejected.  In his dream Emberuman appeared and 
instructed him to go back and surrender to Maamunigal.  Feeling guilty about 
the apachaaram committed, He returned to Srirangam, and as he walked in to the 
ashram he saw Maamunigal (the dazzling tirumeni) coming towards him.

Sloka 1 
Similar to EmberumAnAr's mangala shlOkam in the beginning of SribhAshyam, 
Erumbiappa starts with a managala shlokam (angE kavEra..)
       
· Sukhaaseenam: Prior to Maamunigal?s time, historically there were too many 
troubles in Srirangam for sampradayam, Hence the author uses the word 
sukhaaseenam. Srirangam is like a root which is the most important part of a 
tree. Emberuman appeared on AlaththeElai, dEvaki jaTaram, Piratti tirumarbu, 
nammAlwar vakku and then in Ranga Griham. It is said that the PerumALs from all 
other divya dEsam come to Srirangam after shayanotsava. (recall 
paLLikoLLumiDaththu aDikkotiDa...). TondaradippoDi AlwAr says achchuve 
perinumvEnDEn...
. Swami Tirumalai AnDAn questions whether EmberumAn has 4 bhujam or 2 bhujam 
(in Paramapadam?) and then reflects that if He has two it would be like Periya 
PerumAL and if He has four it will be namPerumAL 
· All three main acharayas appeared at Alwar Tirunagari: Nammalwar, Swamy 
Emberumanar as Bhavishyad acharaya given to Madhurakavi Alwar, and Maamunigal.
· Bhattar tells Namperumal and his shishyas that after reaching Paramapadam if 
he did not witness Namperumal utsavams there, he would dig a hole and come 
right back to Srirangam.  This is the speciality of Srirangam -the roots of 
sampradayam.  Hence he does mangalasasanmas to Srirangam in the opening sloka.
. PrativAdi Bhayankara Annan says in ShrishailEshadayApAtra stOtram that if he 
does not find MaamunigAL doing kAlakshEpam in paramapadam, he would come back. 
He did not come back ...so it means maamunigaL continues to do kAlakshEpam 
there!
 
Sloka 2-13  cover tirumEni soundaryam (enchanting form )of MaamunigaL.
 
 
We humbly request you all not to miss this devotional  nectar...
 
Vedics Team
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Sri Manavaal Maamunigal Vaibhavam - Uttara and Poorva Dinacharya
Time: 5 Consecutive Saturdays - starting October 16, 8:00 PM CST.
Bridge# : 1-702-835-5000 code : 91544#






Sheela V.Belur





                
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