SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya namah:
Dearest Srivaishnavas,
Yaamunaacharya- SrI Alavandhaar- Tradition records his period from
year 917 AD to 1042 AD. (about 125 years). Today is his
Thirunakshathram (Adi UtthirAdam). He was the Grandson of the
thaaLam vazhangith thamizh maRai innisai thandha vaLLal Sri
Nathamuni.
YAmunAcharya is the grand -Acharya (PrAchAryA) of Ramanujacharya.
He 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 paasurams and Selected SaatvikaPurAnAs.
He is the one who composed the earliest Stotras of Srivaishnava
Sampradayam:
He wrote the following works great in content and yet lucid.
(1) chatusloki
(2) Stotra Ratnam
(3) Siddhitrayam consisting of (i) AtmaSiddhi. (ii) Samvitsiddhi and
(iii) Iswara Siddhi
(4) Agama Pramanya
(5 ) Maha Purusha Nirnayam
(6) Gitartha Sangraha
(7) Nityam
(8) Maayaa Vaadha Khandanam
Swamy Desikan says in YathirAja Sapthathi:
Vighaahe Yaamunam Theertham Saadhu Brindaavane Stitham |
NirasthaJih Magha Sparse Yatra Krishnah Kritaa Dharah ||
(meaning) Alavandar who learned Vedanta 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 persuaded 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 - Obviusoly he can
not afford to conuter 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..
Thus, Alavandar has become the king and could not attend to
spiritual pursuits further.
Meanwhile, Rama Misra (maNakkaal nambhi) was trying to catch
Yamunacharya's attention to fulfil his promise to his Guru to
install Alavandar as the spiritual successor to Nathamuni.. But, he
could not meet Alavandar, being a king now to discuss the matter. He
came out with an idea. He came to know that the king relishes
thoodhu vaLai keerai (kind of spinach). He supplied that spinach to
the royal kitchen daily. After few months, he stopped. The king
asked the cook as to why the spinach is not being served. They
replied saying "one brahmin used to supply. He does not come
nowadys." Alavandhar told them that he would like to meet him, if he
comes next. Next day, they met each other.
Rama misrar told Alavandhar that his grandfather Sri Nathamuni had
passed on the family wealth (kula dhanam) that needs to be handed
over to Sri Alavandhar. Alavandhar said, "in that case, give me
that."
"No. It is not here. Come with me.". He took him all the way to
Srirangam Koil. (ArAdha aruLamudham podhintha kOil). He showed
Alavandhar, the Divya mangaLa vigraham of Sri Ranganathan. Looking
at the Lord, in such divine splendour, the divine beauty- and
looking (with tears rolling down his cheeks) at those "kariyavaagi,
pudai parandhu, miLirndha, sevvariyOdiya, neeNda, ap periya vaaya
kaNgaL.." (those dark, well spread, shining, ruddy lined, long,
large eyes)-
He bursts out:
I have nothing to give you. None at all. I have no quailifications.
I am not religious. What a Great person my Grand Father was! What am
I! I have no one but You(the embodiment of mercy! Compassion!- dayA)
as my refuge. He performed Saranagathy at the Lotus Feet of Lord
Ranganathan.
na dharma nishtOsmi na chaatma vEdi
na bhaktimaan tvaccharaNAravindE
akinchanOananyagatih saraNya!
tvat paadamoolam saranam prapadye. (Sthothra Rathnam- 22nd sloka)
Oh you worthy of being sought as refuge! I am not one established in
Dharma, nor am i a knower of the self. I have no fervent devotion to
your lotus-feet. Utterly destitute as I am, and having none else for
resort, I take refuge under your feet. (Translation by Swamy
Adidevananda)
Rama Misra explained the purpose of his mission and requested
Alavandar to take over the reins of spiritual leadership bequeathed
to him by his illustrious grandfather, Nathamuni. Alavandar took to
Sannyas and was then known as YAMUNA MUNI.
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. They are more
appropriate and applicable to us (and not Sri Alavandhar). He has
composed for us only.
Sloka 48:
Aparaaadha-sahasra-bhaajanam
patitam bhiima-bhavaarnav'odare;
agatim saran'aagatam hare!
krpayaa kevalam aatmasaat kuru.
Oh 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 Desikan says- ahamasmi aparAdha chakravartthi. (also meant for
us).
Swamy desikan also writes in Subashithanivi:
I bow with mind, speech and body to that great Lord, who is the best
among all persons, who approaches others of His own accord without
waiting for them to take the initiative because of His innate
goodness and agreeable nature, as also to myself who is chief among
the wicked and who harms others without reason, there being one
thing in common to us both, viz., that the good or evil done to us
once has the effect of wiping off all the good and or evil done
before. If what God, in His wisdom, thinks is good, though not
really good, has been done to Him even once by a person, all the
wrongs committed by him earlier is forgiven by Him. Therefore, I bow
to Him. In my case, if once what I consider wrong, which may not
really be so, is done to me by someone, all the good done by him to
me till then is completely forgotten by me. Fie upon me! Ingratitude-
being the basest of vices, it has been mentioned at the very
beginning.
What a naicchiyAnusanthAnam!
Swamy's works are the ones which give us 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 again 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.
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.
Let us place our heads at the feet of this great Acharya
Saarvabhouman - the One who was the source of inspiration for Sri
Ramanujaachaarya. May he bless us with his vailakshaNya kataaksham
to keep us on track at all times!
SrI yaamunAchArya ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo narayana
dAsan
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/VkWolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |