Shri. Ramanujacharya – The Greatest Exponent of Shri    Vaishnavism Traditions and Vishishtadvaita Philosophy .

        Let us first understand Vaishnavism. Vaishnavism is a part of Hinduism, which is centered on the devotion of Vishnu and his avatars. It is “polymorphic monotheism” – a theology that recognizes many forms (ananta rupa) of the one, single unitary divinity.

Let us begin by understanding the significance of the 77th Sloka of Shri. Vishnu Sahasrasnamam.

Vishvamurtir Mahamurtih Deeptamurtir Amurtimaan,

Anekamurtir Avyaktah Shatamurtish Shataananah

    i.e, Bhagawan Shriman Narayana is the Universe Personified, Monumental in Form and Full of Glory. He is of no defined form and can assume any Form as He Pleases! He is Multiform, Inscrutable and appears in hundreds of forms with hundreds of faces.

Shri. Parasara Bhattar in Shloka no 5 of the Narayana Suktam says –

Yacca kimji jagat sarvam drishyate sruyatepi va

Antar bahishcha tatsarvam vyapya Narayanas Shitah

i.e Whatever is seen or heard of in the Cosmos is permeated by Shriman Narayana – EMPERUMAN. Bhagawan Narayana permeates all space inside and outside of every object in this Universe.

         In the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10, Verse 19, it is given that

Aham Atma Gudakesha! Sarva- bhutataya -sthitah

i.e, Bhagawan Narayana is the Inner soul who resides in the hearts of all beings!

Thus, Emperuman or Bhagawan Narayana or Maha Vishnu is the Creator of this Cosmos, who permeates though anything, everything and nothing. This is Vishnu Bhakti.

   Shri. Ramanujacharya was the Greatest Exponent of Shri.  Vaishnavism Tradition and of the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy.

  This is the story of the greatest Vishnu Bhakta-Seer and divine Philosopher-Saint, who was willing to go to Hell if it would mean that other people could reach God and attain redemption! The incident happened at Thirukkoshtiyur, which is in present day Tamilnadu, where Shri. Ramanujar taught the common people from atop the Temple Gopuram.

    Shri. Ramanujar was known by different names – Ilaya Azhwar, Emperumanaar, Yatirajar, Udayavar, Shri.Bhashyakarar, Thiruppavai Jeeyar, Namkoilnnar, Lakshmanamuni, Sadagopan Ponnadi, Gunam Thigazh Kondal, Jagatachariyar, Godhagrajan, Kovil Annan, Desikendarar and Jagathrakshakar.

  Shri. Ramanujacharya was born in Sriperumbudur, which was then a village (now, a bustling town) around 30 miles to the south west of the current city of Madras in Tamil Nadu in Bharat. He is said to have been born in 1017 A.D., which is more than a 1000 years ago. He is said to have lived between 1017 and 1137 A.D. Thus, he is said to have lived an exceptionally long life of 120 years. However, there are some who believe that he actually lived for only 80 years between 1077 and 1157 A.D. He was born to a Vedic scholar, Asuri Kesava Dikshita and Kantimati. Kesava Dikshita was given the title of ‘Sarvakratu’ since he was an expert in Vedic rituals. There is a temple of Adi Kesava Perumal, which was in existence in Sriperumbudur even before the birth of Yatirajar (Shri.Ramanuja). Shri. Ramanujacharya was born in a home opposite to this famous Adi kesava Perumal koil( the temple of Shri. Adi Kesava). Ramanuja was born after his parents prayed to Lord Parthasarathi at Thiruallikeni(now, Triplicane) in what is known as Chennai( Madras) today.

Asuri Kesavacharya had a dream that Bhagawan Narayana would himself be born as his son. Soon, Ramanujar was born! Thiru. Shaila Purna, the brother of Kanthimathi came to bless his new born nephew. The child had the divine marks of Vishnu. The child was named, Ramanuja or brother of Bhagawan Rama. He had one constant companion; his cousin, Govinda.

  Desikendarar (Shri.Ramanujar)’s Aksharabysam or Introduction to Alphabets began in Manalanda Perumal temple situated near Adi Kesava Perumal temple at Sriperumbudur. Ramanuja was a scholar prodigy and started learning quickly. His first teacher was his father. He learnt Sanskrit and the Vedas under his father before he was sixteen. Ramanuja was made to get married at the early age of sixteen as per the societal norms of those times. His father died within a month of Ramanuja’s marriage. After the demise of his father, his family moved away to Kanchi – the ancient land of great repute and learning. He was sent to study under the famous Advaita philosopher-teacher, Yadavaprakasha at a place called Thirupputkuzhi near Kanchi. Yadava Prakasha was a staunch Advaitist but without perfect knowledge of Sanskrit.

   Shri. Ramanuja was one of a kind. He believed that one who is devoted to Emperuman or Shriman Narayana( BHAGAWAN MAHA VISHNU) alone is a Brahmin. According to Shri. Ramanujacharya, one does not become a Brahmin by merely wearing the Sacred Thread. Ramanuja loved Bhagawan Shriman Narayana (MahaVishnu or Perumal). He was also equally devoted to the devotees of Bhagawan Shriman Narayana. During those times, there was a great devotee of Lord Varadaraja Swamy of Kanchi. This devotee was known as Kanchipurna (Thirukkachi Nambi). Kanchipurna lived at Poonamallee but he used to go to Kanchipuram, every day to worship Lord Varadaraja Swamy. Ramanuja’s home at Sriperumbudur was between Poonamallee and Kanchipuram. Thiru. Ramanujar became friends with Kanchipurna  and admired the latter greatly as Shri. Kancipurna was such a great devotee of Bhagawan Narayana (Lord Varadaraja Swamy). Ramanujar invited Thirukkachi Nambi to his home. Kancipurna hesitated since he felt that his caste status was less than that of Shri. Ramanujar. But he visited Shri. Ramanujar’s home at the latter’s insistence and was very well received and well-fed by Udaiyavar. Thus, Shri. Ramanujar practised what he preached and did not practise caste discrimination. He was loving not just to human beings but also to plants and animals. Bhashyakarar (Shri. Ramanujar) was far ahead of his times. Shri. Ramanujacharya was a great devotee of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi. It was Lord Varadaraja, who disguised as a hunter and safely guided Shri.Ramanujar safely out of the Vindhya hilly forest areas. It was also Lord Varadaraja, who revealed to Thirukkachi Nambi that Lord Varadaraja was the incarnation of Adishesha.

  Udaiyavar(Ramanujar) had different interpretations and insights into the teachings of Shri. Yadava Prakasha. He would often stand up to correct the fallacies in the Advaita Philosophy with his piercing intellect and logical reasoning.  An example is the way, Yadava Prakasha interpreted the Upanishadic passage: ‘Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma’. Yadava Prakasha interpreted it as ‘Brahman is Truth, is Knowledge and is infinity.’ Ramanuja interpreted the same as- ‘Brahman is one with the qualities of Truth, Knowledge and Infinitude.’  In other words, Shri.Ramanujacharya said that ‘the qualities of Brahman are His but not He.’

    Yadava Prakasha was both jealous and critical of Ramanujar. Yadava Prakasha knew that Ramanuja was both young and brilliant and he would later establish a rival system.      Yadava Prakasha along with his other disciples hatched a conspiracy. Yadava Prakasha told his disciplines that they would have to kill Ramanuja to protect their community. Thankfully, Ramanujar’s cousin, Govinda was one among the disciples and he was the one, who would later inform Bhashyakarar about the conspiracy.

 The conspirators decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kasi. Ramanuja was asked to join the others in the pilgrimage. Ramanuja was able to escape on time owing to the information given by his cousin, Govinda. Ramanuja was guided by a Hunter couple in the forest region, from where he had made his escape. We already know how it was Lord Varadaraja and his Consort, who had come to the aid of Shri. Ramanujar disguised as the Hunter couple. Ramanuja was able to reach the safety of Kanchi. Ramanuja re-joined the Gurukulum of Yadava Prakasha. After some time, Ramanuja was asked to leave the Gurukulum by Yadava Prakasha after an incident wherein Shri. Ramanuja was able to exorcise an evil spirit, which had taken over the body of the daughter of the local chieftain of the place.

   After this incident, Ramanujacharya was disheartened as to whom he would have to approach for his further education. Thankfully, Shri. Kanchi Purna, the great devotee of Lord Varadaraja came to visit him. Shri. Ramanuja requested Shri. Kanchi Purna to become his Guru. Kanchi Purna asked as to how he could be the Guru of Ramanuja as the former felt that he belonged an inferior group of people. However, Ramanujar was adamant and said that before God, all people are equal. He said that no person had the right to make a distinction between a Brahmin and a Non-Brahmin. Shri. Ramanujar’s sincerity, divinity, integrity and wisdom delighted the heart of Kanchi Purna. He felt that Shri. Ramanuja was already on the path of True Learning. He asked Shri. Ramanuja to surrender to Lord Varadaraja Swamy of Kanchi.

 Soon, Aalavandhar or Shri.Yamunacharya, the leader of the Vaishnavites of Shrirangam sent Maha Purna (Periya Nambi) to bring Shri. Ramanujar to Srirangam. However, by the time, the duo reached Srirangam, Thiru.Yamunacharya had passed away. Everyone paid their respects to the venerable departed soul.

   Shri. Ramanujar observed that three fingers of Aalavandhar in the right hand were folded. He asked everyone around as to what it meant. No one knew the answer. Shri. Ramanujar understood that the three closed fingers symbolised AALAVANDHAR’s three unfulfilled wishes. On the spot, Thiru. Ramanujar promised that he would fulfil the wishes of Shri. Yamunacharya. He promised to write a Commentary on the Brahmasutras. He promised to pay off the debt to Shri. Parashara, the author of the Vishnupuranas and to Ved Vyasa,the author of  Bhagawatham. He also promised to make Thiru. Nammazhwar’s fame last unto eternity. The three folded fingers of Aalavandhar straightened out after Shru.Ramanuja had made his promises.

Who was Aalavandhar?

A group of people had drawn inspiration from the bhakti movement of the Azhwars. They soon found their leader in a Scholar by name, Nathamuni. Shri.Nathamuni was the one who aggregated the Pasurams or verses of devotional poetry dedicated to Bhagawan Narayana into the now famous text of 4000 verses in Tamil known as The Tamil Vedas or the Nalayira divya Prabandhams.  The great scholar, Shri. Nathamuni was a scholar of Sanskrit texts, the Azhwar traditions and in Yogasastra.  SHRI. NATHAMUNI IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FOUNDER OF SRI VAISHNAVISM. It was Nathamuni’s grandson, Shri.Yamunacharya who followed the footsteps of his grandfather and became a great Scholar in both the Sanskrit Vedas and The Tamil Vedas of the Azhwars or the Nalayira Divya Prabandhams.  Finally, it was Shri.Ramanujacharya who became the leader of the Shri. Vaishnavites of SriRangam. They were the followers of Shri.Yamunacharya. Udaiyavar or Shri.Ramanujar became their Acharya or Guru after the demise of Thiru.Yamunacharya.

Shri. Vaishnavites are those who believe and follow both the Sanskrit Vedas combined with The Bhakti traditions of the Azhwars or the Tamil Vedas. The Shri Vaishnavite Sampradaya combines following the Sanskrit Vedas and the Tamil Vedas.

  Thiru. Ramanujar returned to Kanchi after the funeral of Aalavandhar or Shri. Yamunacharya. His differences with his wife, Raksambal over her over-casteist tendencies had reached a peak. She had disrespected Thirukachi Nambi( Kanchi Purna), Maha Purna and his wife. He spent all his time rendering services to the Lord Varadaraja. He had lost his interest in family life. He was also always in the company of Shri.Kanchi Purna.

   A year passed away post the demise of Shri. Yamunacharya. The Vaishnavites of Sriangam, who had held Thiru. Yamunacharya as their Guru now sent Thiru. Maha Purna or Periya Nambi to bring Shri. Ramanujar to SriRangam to fill the void that Aalavandar had left. Periya Nambi met Ramanujar at Madhurantakam, a holy Vaishnava sthala in present day Tamilnadu of Bharat. Maha Purna impressed the seal of Vishnu Conch and discus on both the arms of Shri. Ramanujar. Shri. Ramanujar stayed with Maha Purna at Kanchipuram and learnt by heart, the greatly sacred 4000 Tamil verses of the Azhwars or Vaishnava saints, known as Divya Prabandhams. In the meantime, Shri .Ramanuja’s wife, Raksambal had committed the sin of openly insulting Maha Purna’s wife. She also cursed her husband, Shri.Ramanujacharya in the following manner – ‘I have fallen into the hands of this husband of mine and thereby lost my caste and all.’ Shri.Mahapurna departed from Kanchi to Shri.Rangam when he heard about the incidents without even informing Shri. Ramanuja.  Shri. Ramanuja decided that enough was enough. He sent his wife to her parents’ home using a pretext and became a Sanyasa. He took Lord Varadaraja as his Guru. He was also given the eloquent name, Yatiraja by Shri. Kanchi Purna. After all this, Shri. Ramanujar lived in Kanchi for some time as the head of a temple Mutt.  He gave series of talks on Vedanta and Vaishnavism. There was a young man called Kuresa, who became his devotee. Shri. Ramanuja’s erstwhile teacher, Shri. Yadava Prakasha turned to Vishishtadvaita philosophy from Advaita philosophy.  After Shri. Ramanujar became a Sanyasi, the news of the same reached the Vaishnavites at SriRangam. Soon, Shri.Ramanujacharya reached SriRangam. Ramanujar read many texts on Vaishnavite philosophy. Maha Purna advised Ramanujar to go to Gosti Purna to learn further. Gosti Purna taught Shri.Ramanujar, the potent Maha Mantra ,‘Om Namo Narayana’. Goshti Purna taught Ramanujar that it was a most potent mantra and that whosoever would hear it would attain Moksha and that Ramanujar would go to hell if he told others about the Mantra. However, Shri.Ramanujar did not heed to the words of Goshti Purna. Instead, the next morning, he climbed to the Temple Top at Thirukoshtiyur in modern Sivagangai district in Tamilnadu of Akhanda Bharat and called everyone to assemble together. He taught the ‘Om Namo Narayana’ mantra to the assembled people. Gosti Purna got angry and cursed Ramanujar that he would go to hell. Shri. Ramanujar said that he wouldn’t mind going to hell if others would be able to get salvation. After this incident, Goshti Purna became a disciple of Shri. Ramanujar.

Sri Rangam

Soon Shri. Ramanujacharya was initiated into all aspects of Vaishnavism under five disciples of the late Shri. Yamunacharya. They were Kanci Purna, Maha Purna, Gosti Purna, Maladhara and Vararanga. He was thus, endowed with the wealth of both our Realms, Ubaya and Vibhuti, i.e. of both this world and the external world.

  Shri. Ramanujacharya soon took charge of the Lord Ranganatha Swamy temple at Sri Rangam. He reorganised the management of the temple, completely. The Head Priest or Archakar of the temple was against the reforms, which would curtail his income and authority. Shri. Ramanujacharya stood up against the corrupt System and made the requisite changes. There was even a plot to kill him. Divine intervention again saved Shri. Ramanujar -again! We must remember how his own Guru, Shri. Yadava Prakasha had once plotted to kill Shri. Ramanuja because he was brilliant and truthful. Throughout his life, Shri. Ramanujar was repeatedly targeted because he was brilliant in arguing his points on the Vishishtadwaita philosophy and that he possessed a very impressive personality and demeanour. Thiru. Ramanujar laid down the rules of worship of Bhagawan Arangan or Ranganathaswamy temple at SriRangam.

    Thiru. Ramanujacharya was already a well-known Vedic scholar. His knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads was indisputable. It was at Srirangam that the Vedic Scholarship of Shri. Ramanuja mingled with the Vaishnavism Bhakti ideology of the Azhwars. The Azhwars were a group of 12 Vaishnavite saints, who were in divine love with Bhagawan Shriman Narayana.

   The twelve Azhwars were born in different parts of South India and composed poems in  செம்மொழி தமிழ் ( classical Tamil). The poems are known as Pasurams in Tamil. The 12 Azhwars composed 4000 Pasurams  in total and these are collectively called Divya Prabandams or Nalayira Divya Prabandhams.

  Nammazhwar was a great Vishnu Bhakta. Nammazhwar’s favourite mantra was Poliga Poliga. Nammazhwar wanted to attain Moksha.  Shriman Narayana revealed to Nammazhwar, HIS infinite auspicious attributes. Bhagawan Maha Vishnu revealed to Nammazhwar, his Vishwaroopa.  Nammazhwar contributed 1000 verses out of the 4000 verses or PASURAMS in praise of Shriman Narayana. In other words, he was the author of ¼ of the 4000 verses(pasurams) collectively now called Nalayira Divya Prabhandams or TAMIL VEDAS. In his verses, Nammazhwar conveys the message that all of creation is the body of  Shri. Maha Vishnu. Thirumazhisai Azhwar was a devotee of Emperuman  at Kumbakonam and he wrote many beautiful verses in praise of Bhagawan Maha Vishnu. Peyazhwar was another great Azhwar. Kulasekara Azhwar was Kausthubam ( the brilliant gem) worn by Perumal, reborn. Periazhwar wished Bhagawan Shriman Narayana, a long life. He sang ‘Pallandu Pallandu’.  This earned him the title as ‘Periazhwar’ or Elder Azhwar or Big Azhwar. Periazhwar was born as Vishnuchitta and lived at Srivilliputhur. He explained the value of Om (Pranava) and Dvayamantra. He also wrote many verses on Bhagawan Shri.Krishna. His daughter, Andal or Godha was another great Azhwar and the only woman Azhwar. Thus, the various Azhwars filled the Universe with their Bhakti or Devotion to the Lord Maha Vishnu. Thondaradipodi Azhwar through his verses in Thirumaalai regrets how he had wasted his precious time lured by temptations and not searching for God and Higher Truths.

    From then on, Shri. Ramanujar spent most of his lifetime at Srirangam except for two time periods. The longer period of over twelve years was at Yadugiri Hills or Thirunarayanapuram or Melkote.

Contribution to Sri Saila or Tirupati

 It was upon the insistence of Shri. Ramanujacharya that his devotee, Shri. Anantacharya went to develop the holy town of Sri Saila (Tirupati). It was Shri. Nammazhwar, who had sung the glory of Sri Saila (Tirupat) in his Pasurams. Today, the Temple of Tirupati is considered among the richest temples in the world, owing to the humungous donations of its devotees.  Sri Saila or Tirupati owes its present glory to Nammazhwar, Shri. Ramanujacharya and to Shri. Anantacharya. The modern town of present Tirupati owes all its glory to the aforementioned people.

The Concept of Acharya

 According to Ilayaperumal, The Acharya is the link between the individual and the Cosmic soul. Shri.Ramanujacharya is considered to be a ‘Bhaskara’. He was called Bhaskara or Sun because he was filled with great qualities such as humility, who placed stress on deeds rather than birth. Shri. Ramanujacharya earned the sobriquet because of his scholarship and virtuousness. He had accepted two great souls as teachers, irrespective of the social strata that they belonged to! He did this in an extremely orthodox time, a thousand years back. Bashyakarar knew that Knowledge and Bhakti is supreme. He was a great admirer of Shri. Kanchi Purna, who visited the temple of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi, every day. He had also tried  to reason with his wife, Raksambal that a person like Maha Purna was above caste distinctions because Periya Nambi or Maha Purna conversed with God, directly. Shri. Ramanuja saw divinity in both Kanchi Purna ( Thirukachi Nambi) and Maha Purna (Periya Nambi) as both of them were great bhaktas or devotees of Bhagawan Shriman Narayana. According to shri. Ramanuja, Bhakti or devotion to Perumal is most important. According to him, a True Vaishnava was one who was full of compassion and detached from material or worldly things.

  This was the reason that he greatly admired the true Shri. Vaishnava, his cousin Govinda who removed a thorn stuck in the mouth of a Snake! Does a Compassionate person need to show any other sign of Godliness or Divinity or even religion? Compassion is true religion and is the right path for a true Shri. Vaishnavite.

Shri Vaishnavism combines the path of  Bhakti or devotion towards Emperuman as shown by the Azhwars along with the right understanding of the true nature of Brahman, as shown in the Sanskrit Vedas and Upanishads.

Vishishtadvaita philosophy:

  Vishishtadvaita Philosophy is a Vedantic Philosophy. Vedanta is also known as Uttara Mīmāṃsā. It is a Hindu philosophical tradition that is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. The word “Vedanta” means “end of the Vedas”. The Vedanta Philosophy has developed into many sub-traditions, all of which base their ideas on the authority of a common group of texts called the Prasthānatrayī , translated as “the three sources”: the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.

The main traditions of Vedanta are: Bhedabheda (difference and non-difference), Advaita (non-dualism), Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), Tattvavada (Dvaita) (dualism), Suddhadvaita (pure non-dualism), and Achintya-Bheda-Abheda (inconceivable difference and non-difference).

The five great Vedantic Commentators on the Brahmasutras were Sankara(ADVAITA), Ramanuja(VISHISHTADVAITA), Madhwa(DVAITA), Nimbarka and Vallabha. According to all these great commentators of Hinduism – Brahman, the world and the souls are the three components. Shri. Ramanuja integrates the three into an organic whole wherein Brahman or Paramatma or Supreme God or Supreme Soul is the Head and the other two entities constitute the body. According to Ramanuja, Brahman is free from imperfections and is full of positive attributes.

 Bodhayana, Dramida, Tanka, Guhadeva, Kapardi, and Bharuci are some of the well-known philosophers are thought to have developed the Vishishtadvaitic system. Bodhayana is considered to have written an extensive VRITTI (commentary) on the Purva and Uttara  Mimamsas. Tanka is attributed with having written commentaries on Chandogya Upanishad and Brahma Sutras.

Shri. Badarayana or Bodhayana tried to systematise the teachings of the Upanishads in his Brahmasutras. There were five great Vedantic commentators on the Brahmasutras or the Vedanta Sutras. Most scholars feel that Badarayana and Veda Vyasa are one and the same. Few others feel that Veda Vyasa had a hand in the writing of the Brahmasutras.

Shri. Ramanujacharya became the greatest exponent of the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy.

Vishishtadvaita philosophy can be roughly translated as Qualified Non-Dualism.

According to Vishistadvaita Philosophy, God is the Head and the Universe is God’s body. God (Paramatma) and the Universe (filled with Jeevatmas or individual living selves) are unique and real but there is a special relationship between the Paramatma and the Jeevatmas. Both are conjoined together in a special way. This is in contrast to Advaita or Non-Dualism, according to which there is no difference between the Paramatma and the Universe.

According to Advaita philosophy propagated by Shri. Adi Sankaracharya, God is the only real and absolute reality. The Universe is Unreal or Maya. The Universe is only relatively real. – an illusion created by the sensory apparatus.

    Also, according to Sankara, God has no attributes. According to Udaiyavar, God has attributes.  According to Shri. Ramanuja, Brahman or God is not attributeless. Parabrahman is full of auspicious attributes. Brahman is Personal God possessing infinite benign attributes.

 According to the Vishishtadawaita philosophy propagated by Shri. Ramanujacharya – all creation is from Brahman. The disciples of Vishishtadwaita believe that the World is Real and that there is no Maya. Ramanuja believed like Adi Sankara that Brahman is the Cause of all Creation and that the Knowledge of Brahman leads to Moksha or Final Emancipation, which is the Highest Goal of any Living Being.

Thus, he began to propagate the path of devotion to God by the propagation of Qualified Non-Dualism or Vishistadwaita.

   By now, Udaiyavar was undefeatable in arguments on Vedantic Philosophies. He defeated the fallacious arguments of Shri. Yajnamurthi, a great Advaita scholar from North India. Shri. Yajnamurthi accepted Shri.Ramanujacharya as his Guru and embraced the Vishishtadvaita Vedantic Philosophy.

   Soon, Shri. Ramanujar had gathered around him, a large group of disciples and devotees. His disciples had no attachments to the material world and were compassionate as well as helpful. They had the attributes of a True Vaishnavite as elucidated by Lakshmanamuni ( Shri. Ramanujar). Shri.Ramanujar had a worthy disciple in his cousin, Govinda who was unattached and greatly compassionate.

 Shri. Ramanujacharya’s Travels.

 He knew that it was time for him to begin to fulfil the promises that he had made to Shri. Yamunacharya.  He travelled all the way to Kashmir to obtain Bodhayana’s Commentary on the Brahmasutras after he came to know that it was available at Sarada Peeta at Kashmir.  Shri. Bodhayana was a great proponent of the Vaishnava Philosophy. Shri. Ramanuja met the King of Kashmir, himself. The king was impressed both by the personality and knowledge of Udaiyavar and asked the acharyas of Sarada Peeta to hand over Bodhayana’s vrittis to Shri. Ramanujar. The Pandits of Sarada Peeta were forced to hand over the precious and original work of Vaishnava philosophy of Bodhayana.  However, after giving the Text to him, some of them secretly chased (without informing the King of Kashmir) Shri. Ramanujar and his disciples and managed to wrest the Text from them. Lakshmanamuni was greatly disappointed. However, his disciple, Kuresa informed his Guru to not to worry and that he had memorised the Text by Bodhayana, throughout the previous night before it was snatched away. Kuresha made a copy of Bodhayana’s Commentary on the Brahmasutras or Vrittis. Ramanuja studied it and wrote the SriBhashya, a commentary on the Brahmasutras. Shri.Ramanujar was also the author of Gita Bhashya, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. He also authored Vedartha Sangraha, a work on the Upanishads.

   Shri.Ramanujar set out on a pilgrimage all over Bharat. This was in the nature of a Digvijaya or Victory Tour. He argued with various Philosophers of his times, firmly and effectively placing the greatness of the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy of Vaishnavism for all to see and accept. He visited all the holy places in south Bharat, then went further North visiting Dwaraka, Mathura, Vrindavana, Salagrama, Saketa, Badarikasrama, Naimisa, Puskara etc. He went to Puri and founded Embar Math. He went to Ahobila and established a monastery there. He worshipped the deity of Narasimha at Isalinga and then went to Sri Saila or Tirupati. He settled the dispute of whether the image at the temple was of Bhagawan Shiva or Vishnu in favour of Bhagawan Vishnu. Finally, he returned to Srirangam and enroute he visited his beloved Varadarajaswamy temple at Kanchi.

  Shri. Ramanuja faced defeat only twice – once at the great temple of Ananta Padmanabha Swamy temple at Trivandrum, which is in the present-day state of Kerala in Bharat (land of Shri.Kulasekhara Azhwar) and the second at the Jagannatha temple at Puri in present day Odisha. In Sri.Ramanuja’s Shri.Vaishnava traditions, the Pancharatra Code is followed whereas in the aforementioned temples, the Ritualistic Code or Vaikhanasa Agamas are followed.

Fulfilment of the Promises: Over the years, Shri. Ramanujar fulfilled all his promises. He wrote ShriBhasya, a commentary on the Brahmasutras, which had taken the Vrittis of Boddhayana for reference.

    He was also able to keep up his other promise made to Shri.Yamunacharya, which was naming worthy persons after Parashara and Vyasa, who had produced the Vishnupurana. All this was possible because of the support of his disciple, Kuresa (Kurathazhwar). Kuresa and his wife were greatly devoted to the Shri. Vaishnava cause of Thiru. Ramanujar. They had given up their wealth and all worldly attachments. Kuresa and his wife were true practitioners of the Shri Vaishnava Philosophy. They were both compassionate and devoid of any attachments to materialism. Shri. Ramanujar blessed the pair of twins born to Thiru. Kuresa and his wife, Andal. They received their names from Udaiyavar and became known as Parasara and Vyasa, thus fulfilling the promise made to Aalavandar. Later, the child, who had been named Parasara grew up to become the leader of the Shri. Vaishnavite community. The commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama is known till today as Parashara Bhattar’s commentary.

Then, he fulfilled the promise of always remaining in the Vaishnava fold, propagating the sacred name of Nammazhwar by making his disciple, Thirukurukaipiran Pillan to write a commentary on Thiruvazhmozhi, the pasurams of Nammazhwar and preaching the doctrine of self-surrender.

The Period of Kulottunga Chozha and Migration to Melkote

   Kulottunga Chozha was a fanatical Shaivite or worshipper of Shiva. He hated Bhagawan Vishnu and the devotees of Vishnu. He called Ilaya Azhwar to his capital. Yatirajar’s devoted disciple, Kuresa went to the capital instead of his Acharya. He was accompanied by Periya Nambi or Maha Purna. The Chola ruler understood the impersonation and had the eyes of Shri. Periya Nambi and Thiru. Kuresha gouged out. Such was the cruelty meted out by the Chozha ruler, who was very powerful but by no means, a good person. Periya Nambi died on the spot and Kuresha went into retirement. Yatirajar had to move into the hills of the modern Mysore territory, which was ruled by King Bittideva of the Hoysala dynasty. Thiru. Ramanujar was over seventy years when he left Srirangam , according to popular legend. Bittideva was a Jain, who converted to Vaishnavism under the influence of Yatirajar. King Bittideva assumed the name, Vishnu Vardhana. Yadugiri corresponds to the Modern town of Melkote in present day Mandya district of Karnataka region in Bharat. Shri. Ramanujar had a temple dedicated to Maha Vishnu built at Melkote and he had the idol of Shriman Narayana consecrated there.  Today, it is known as Thirunarayanapuram temple. The temple of Thirunarayanapura is also known as the Cheluva Narayana Swamy temple. There is an annual festival known as the Vaira Mudi Utsavam. The Vaira Mudi festival takes place in April, every year. On the 6th day of the Brahmotsavam, Selva Pillai or the presiding deity is adorned with a Diamond Crown and  taken on  a street procession. The Ashta Theertotsavam festival is celebrated in the month of Karthika during the Raja Mudi Brahmotsavam. The temple of Thirunarayanapuram is also known as ‘Dakshina Badri’. There is a lore that childless couples, who offer their genuine prayers to Bhagawan Thirunarayanan or Cheluva Narayana Swamy and bathe in the Kalyani Pushkarni for eight days will surely be blessed with a child.

    Shri. Ramanujar spread the Shri. Vaishnavite philosophy as he toured through the areas of Modern Karnataka. He passed through a forest near Yadugiri. He followed the scent and the fragrance led him to an Ant-Hill.  He asked his men to dig it up. Ramanujar was able to retrieve an idol of Bhagawan Narayan after the layers of earth had been dug away. Shri. Ramanujacharya was extremely happy to behold the image of Bhagawan Shriman Narayana. Later, some elders from Yadugiri came to meet Udaiyavar. They explained as to how invaders had ransacked Yadugiri, years prior to the visit of Bhaskara(Shri.Ramanujacharya) They were referring to the attacks by foreign invaders – Mohammedan invaders from outside Bharat, who had invaded many places in Bharat and demolished the temples, therein. The elders explained as to how they had managed to hide the idols. The idol found by Bhashyakarar was one of them. The other was the idol of Ramapriya, which had been taken to Delhi and was in the house of a Muslim Nobleman. Bhashyakarar took it upon himself to obtain the idol. On his return journey, he was attacked by a group of raiders before he could reach Thirunarayanapura or Yadugiri. The raiders said that the daughter of the moslem nobleman had wanted the idol back. At the right time, a group of villagers passed by the same place. The villagers defeated the raiders from Delhi. Shri. Ramanujar invited the villagers, who belonged to an ordinary community to come to the temple of Thirunarayanapuram. He treated the villagers with love and affection and did not practise any social discrimination, which was highly prevalent in those times. Bhashyakarar invited people belonging to all castes to come to the temple of Yadugiri. He also consecrated a Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at the top of Melkote hill. Thus, there are two prominent temples at Melkote today – one, the temple of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha and second, the temple of Sriman Narayana (Cheluva Narayana). The Goddess is Yathu Giri Naachiyar.

   Bhashyakarar stayed at Yadugiri for 12 years. One day, when Udaiyavar was performing his pooja at the Kalyani Pusharni at Yadugiri, he heard that Kulottunga Chozha was dead. Shri. Ramanujar decided that it was time to head back to Srirangam.  Then, Shri.Ramanujar returned to Srirangam and spent the rest of his days, there. Shri.Bhashyakarar laid down strictly, the detailed processes for the temple poojas at Thirunarayanapuram as he had done for the Perumal temple at Srirangam and elsewhere. Ramanujar bought 52 Bhattars from Srirangam to perform the daily poojas at the lord Narayana temple at Thirunarayanapura. The people of Melkote were deeply distressed at the departure of their Guru from Melkote. Shri. Ramanujar created a bronze image of himself at Melkte and asked the people of Melkote to take good care of his beloved Selva Pillai ( Shriman Narayana or Cheluva Narayana Swamy). A reference to the temple of Melkote is found in 12 chapters under the topic of Yadava Giri Mahatmiyam in the Narada Puranam. A special highlight of the Thirunarayanapuram temple at Yadugiri or Melkote is the ARAIYAR SEVAI – an artistic song and dance enactment of the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.

Thus , there are four Swayambu Kshetrams of Shriman Narayana – Srirangam, Kanchipuram, Tirupati and Thirunarayanapuram.

Return to Srirangam:

    After leaving Yadugiri, Shri. Ramanujacharya returned to Srirangam to his own monastery. He visited various holy places enroute. He visited Alwar-Tirunagari, the birth place of Nammazhwar. He also visited Srivilliputtur, the birthplace of the only woman Azhwar, Andal. Both places are in modern day Tamilnadu.

  Shri. Ramanujar lived for many more years at Srirangam. He is said to have died at the ripe old age of 120 years. He breathed life into his own image, which was made quickly as soon as he explained to his disciples that he would leave for his heavenly abode soon. He then left his body.  He told his disciples to not to be swayed by the senses. He told them to treat all their feelings with indifference. He told them that rendering services to the devotees of God is as important as serving God, himself.  He told his disciples to devote a portion of their everyday reading the writings of the Azhwars and the Acharyas. He told them to be respectful to Holy men and not see any caste distinctions AMONGST THE EMINENT DEVOTEES OF God.  He told his followers to read the Sribhasya and teach it to others.

Main  Written works of Shri.Ramanujar

1. Sribhashya on the Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana(Bodhayana)

2. Vedartha Sangraha expounding the Philosophy of the Upanishads – Emperumanar praises Bhagawan Shriman Narayana and Shri.Yamunacharya. The main message of Vedartha Sangraha is that The Upanishads reveal the following Truth – A Seeker of God must first acquire a true understanding of the individual self and the Supreme Emperuman or Bhagawan Maha Vishnu. A Seeker must be equipped with the performance of the duties pertaining to his station in life. A Seeker of Truth(God) must be devoted to the Meditation, Worship and Salutation of ParaBrahman or Supreme GodHead, who is MahaVishnu in Vishwaroopa. It is Bhakti, Jnana, Karma and Raja Yogas done with immeasurable joy, which leads to the attainment of the Supreme God.

   Emperumanar was sure that an individual self who knows Him ( Shriman Narayana) attains Moksha or Immortality, right here in the human realm itself, i.e while being alive. In this, Shri. Ramanujar differs from Adi Sankara. Adi Sankara believed that a person could attain Moksha only after death. Shri.Ramanujar believed that a person could attain Moksha or Immortality, while being alive if he knew Brahman. The Jiva (Individual Self) could attain Paramatma( The Supreme) by understanding the greatness of ParaBrahman or Paramatma. In other words, whosoever understood Shriman Narayana would achieve Mukti or freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

The Vedartha Sangraha is written in clear prose style. Its structure is Scientific. However, it is written without the usual chapterisation.  The Vedartha Sangraha was first expounded in the form of a lecture by Emperumanar before Bhagawan Srinivasa at Tirumalai.

3. Vedanta sara and Vedanta Dipa

4. Nitya Granthas about daily rituals/practices

5. Gita -Bhashya – a commentary on the BhagavadGita

It is to be noted that Shri.Ramanujar did not write much in Tamil. However, his discourses on the devotional hymns of Nammazhwar – the Thiruvaimozhi form the main body of a highly sanskritised work in Tamil known as the Six Thousand by Kuresha or Pillan. Thus, the 2nd vow of Ramanuja to Yamunacharya was redeemed, which was to popularise the teachings of the Greatest Azhwar- Nammazhwar.

Thus, Shri.Ramanujacharya wrote a total of nine works in Sanskrit on the Philosophy of Vishishtadvaita. Thus, although Bodhayana was the original proponent of the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy in his Vrittis written around 400 B.C, Shri. Ramanujacharya became its greatest exponent.

Shri. Ramanujacharya’s greatness consists of being the Founder of Shri. Vaishnavism and Vishishtadvaita Philosophy. He was able to integrate the Sanskrit Vedic concepts, methods and rituals with the Bhakti heritage of the Azhwars. This is what came to be known as Ubaya Vedanta.

POST UDAIYAVAR ERA

The greatest Shri.Vaishnavite Acharya after Udaiyavar was Vedanta Desikar, who was also known as Venkatanatha. Shri. Vedanta Desikar composed 1000 verses on Bhagawan Shriman Narayana’s Padukas(holy feet of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam) in one single night. This is famously known as SAHASRA PADUKA STOTRAM. Shri.Vedanta Desikar was a staunch devotee of Bhagawan Shri.VaradarajaSwamy of Kanchi. Shri.Vedanta Desikar wrote poems, dramas, stotras and philosophical treatises. He was a literary, philosophical and spiritual genius. Shri.Vedanta Desikar was given the title of SARVA THANTHRA SWATANTRA and KAVITHARKIKA SIMHAM.

The Srivaishnavite tradition split into two sub-traditions around the 16th-century called the Vadakalai (sect giving Veda the first preference) and Thenkalai (sect giving Divya Prabandham the first preference).

 Attacks on the temples in the South of India by Foreign invaders

  The Shri. Vaishnavite traditions, acharyas, idols and temples were disturbed by Rakshasas like Malik Kafur, the general of Allauddin Khilji, the foreign plunderer, who first sacked the Meenakshi Temple at Madurai and then attacked the Lord Ranganatha Swamy temple at Srirangam. The Islamic marauders killed the Vaishnava devotees, broke the idols of Lord Narayana and other Hindu Gods while also stealing away Hindu temple treasures. Shri. Sudarshana Suri, the Sanskrit scholar who produced the standard Gloss on Shri.Ramanujacharya’s ShriBhashya was one among those Vaishnavas who were butchered by Malik Kafur , when he plundered and destroyed Srirangam.

Thus, is the history of Shri. Ramanujacharya, Shri Vaishnavism and Vishishtadwaita Philosophy.

    It is to be clearly noted that Shri. Ramanujacharya was neither the Founder of the Sri Vaishnavite Sampradaya nor the Propounder of The Vishishtadvaita Philosophy. He was, however the greatest Exponent of both Sri Vaishnavism Traditions and Vishishtadvaita Philosophy. Sri Vaishanavism Traditions of Sri Rangam incorporated the Vishishtadvita Philosophy after the advent of Shri. Ramanujacharya. In other words, Shri.Ramanujacharya enriched the Sri Vaishnavite traditions by Vishishtadvaita Philosophy.

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