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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00116 Nov 2003

 
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Altruistic Anchorite

Verbosity and textual knowledge of books on Vaishnavite Philosophy may give a 
mental satisfaction but the object of such an acquisition will be a futile 
exercise if it is not translated into practice.

Adi Sankara gave to the world the Advaita philosophy which considered every 
creation of God is an ?illusion? (Maya). He criticizes in his great work ?Baja 
Govindham? that knowledge without practice is worthless. Sri Ramanuja who came 
later gave correct interpretation of Vaishanavism which remained latent in the 
hymns of Azhwars and brought about a philosophy called quantified monism 
(Vishitadvaitha). He established with the conviction that in God?s creation 
everything is real and purposeful and his concept was convincing and appealing 
even to a layman. He laid greatest emphasis on compassion, humility and 
universal brotherhood. His concept has no parameter to quantify Vaishnavism, as 
its tenets transcended all limitations. Comparisons are odious and arguing over 
things that are abstract will not serve any purpose and the primary object of 
absolute Bhakthi or to be in tune with the ?Infinite? would be lost. It is 
incumbent that every Vaishnavite should know what our philosophy teaches
 as propounded by our Preceptor, the indisputable awareness that Sriman 
Narayana is Supreme and to develop a strong conviction that the ?Praparthi? is 
the easiest means to obtain God?s Grace for final beatitude. This is the 
?Doctrine of surrender? which delineates the cardinal points as to where, when 
and through whom a jeevatma should surrender in order to attain the 
?Paramathma?.

Saint Thyagaraja of Thiruvaiyar in one of his ?Kirtanas? appeals to Sri Rama 
thus ?I do not know the nuances of Dwaitam or Advaitham, Oh Sri Rama!, I 
believe in absolute Bhakthi your name ad-infinitum?

The Vaishnavite world is very much indebted to Sri Ramanuja who preached the 
parity of all without making invidious distinctions between class, caste or 
creed. This does not however mean or convey that the great pontiff wanted to 
dismantle the edifice of established customs and practices. One would be living 
in fool?s paradise if he jumps to the conclusion that the Apostle advocated 
inter-caste marriage. The crux of his philosophy was to eschew jealousy and to 
love thy neighbors. Sri Ramanuja?s treatise, on Vishitadvaita philosophy called 
?Sri Bashyam? and ?Gadya Thrayam? bear the testimony to his staunch belief on 
his preaching and also discloses his erudition and scholarship.

There are several anecdotes connected with his life to establish Sri Ramanuja 
as a celebrated preceptor and one of which was his bringing round a wrestler by 
name ?Pillai Urangavilli Dasan? (as christened later) hailing from Karambanur 
who admired the beauty of his wife prominently depicted through her glowing 
eyes, by requesting him to have a look at the bewitching eyes of another (Lord 
Ranganatha) which made him change the opinion held by him about the ephemeral 
beauty of his wife. The wrestler and his spouse became Sri Ramanuja?s ardent 
disciple engaged in the service to their Acharya.

Sri Ramanuja?s stupendous and admirable task was the regulation of rituals and 
the codification thereof in the daily routine at Lord Ranganatha?s temple at 
Sri Rangam as obtaining in Srivaikunta are still being followed meticulously.

His visit to Melkote (Thirunarayanpuram) where he made the ?Panchamas? whom he 
respectfully and euphemistically christened as ?Thirukulathar? to participate 
in the festival which was denied to them before due to socio religious taboos. 
Sri Ramanuja?s ?Achrarya Bhakthi? could be seen by his being a disciple of 
great savants like Thirukoshtiyur Nambi, Peria Nambi, Thirukachinambi. He had 
several disciples among whom ?Kurathazhwar? was his trusted lieutenant, who 
assisted Sri Ramanuja in preparing Sri Bashyam with his extra ordinary power of 
remembrance and retentivity.

Ramanuja carried the message of Vishistadvaita philosophy to every nook and 
corner and traveled the length and breadth of our country and surmounted many a 
vicissitudes that he was confronted with his by his convincing exposition and 
the power of reasoning.

Sri Ramanuja imbibed the exemplary qualities of Sri Rama precisely ?Humility?. 
While as Lakshmana he displayed anger and indignation at every stage when he 
found an injustice had been perpetrated on his virtuous brother. He was 
pacified convincingly by Sri Rama on such occasions. This Lakshmana exhibited 
that he was none but incarnation of Adisesha. Perhaps, Adisesha came to this 
earth again sans its natural instinct, as an altruistic anchorite only to 
redeem himself from the general accusation that he was quick tempered and 
petulant while he was the brother of sagacious Sri Rama.

Sri Ramanuja was born at Sri Perambudur in the year 1017, married Thanjamambal 
in the year 1033 at Kancheepuram, took monastic order in the year 1047 and left 
for his Heavenly abode on 22nd July 1138. Thus he lived for 121 years, a life 
fully paced with activities of different hues.  With his strict austerity in 
all ramifications Sri Ramanuja lived longer than the specified limits of 
mortals. He is an Acharya Par excellence.

 This article was written by Late. L.P.Sampath Iyengar. 

Feedback and comments can be sent to suprajaiyengar@xxxxxxxxx



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