Month: July 2020

Few hundred years ago   Gangaikonda Chozhapuram a place  in Tamil Nadu ,  was ruled by the Cholas  who  were active patrons of the arts , poetry, drama, music and  dance .  The Chola kingdom grew  into an extensive and well-knit empire, efficiently organized and administered by the King .

One fine day  two courtesans from other kingdom  came  to meet the King for his generosity in encouraging their talents . One of them  could sing according to a  pattern  called deva‐gana (celestial mode) and  the other  could sing in the normal method   manushya gana (human mode). Each thought their music was the best  and   excelled the other. Their objective of having an audience with  the King was to settle the dispute  between them  as the King was well versed in those forms of art .

The king  summoned his  royal artists and ordered  the  council to meet, for them to  perform .  In the process ,  the council of royal artists agreed that the courtesan who sung with manushya gana was better than the deva gana  . Thus   the dispute was decided in favor of  the manushya gana .  Rich presents  was  bestowed on that performer with all the honours  while the other was considered to have failed.

The lady of the deva‐gana thought thus  “My method of singing, cannot be appreciated by normal  humans and hence  I shall  submit  the same to the Devas (celestial beings)” in all the temples . So with  deep concern ,  she went to the temples  from one Holy Shrine to another  displaying her art to the deity and seeking their blessings

 In due course  she reached Viranarayanapuram a place near to Kattumannar koil .  She went to the Shrine of  Lord Veeranarayana Perumal  and  sang her song  among  the  opulence audience of our great  Sage Nathamuni  the torch bearer of Srivaishnavam . Nathamuni  was pleased with her recitation  and as a mark of his appreciation  blessed  her   with the tirtha and prasada of  Perumal and encouraged her  with blessings .

The lady thanked  Swami Nathamuni for his  patience and accepting her song  and blessing  on her . Overjoyed ,  she then went to king Chola and said    Oh Highness !! Atlast  “there is one soul, at least in your kingdom , who can understand the inner truth  of my devaganam .  Swamy Nathamuni,  who is the blessed devotee of Lord Mannanar at Viranarayanapuram is the reason for your country’s prosperity .

The king was curious to know about the sage . He sent  his messengers to  Swamy Nathamuni, begging him to visit his  royal palace .  Swamy  Nathamuni ,  on receiving the invitation, thought  “We have set the blessed Divya  Prabhandhas to exquisite music. Let us visit the king’s court, and take this opportunity of making these holy hymns  known to the world. Thus he went to the king’s court taking it as Lord’s command .

On his arrival, the king rose and welcomed  the Sage with every mark of honor,  and offered him a suitable seat. Whereon the Sage blessed the king, and inquired as to his object in inviting him. The king  submitted  “Holy sage can you distinguish between the  two patterns of ragas sung by these courtesans  ? Can we be enlightened about this inner secret ?

Swamy Nathamuni  requested that the performance be given  once again before the audience .  When this was done, he addressed the king  and said  “You all have ears  to receive the flow of  the manushya‐gana only. 

The other one can be understood by  the Devas  only .

 “But”, the king respectfully asked, how can we be made to hear it? There upon  Swamy Nathamuni  directed that the 400 kinds of tala (rhythm) be marked, and explained to the king the rate of each. The king understood from this explanation the  harmonical progression and symphony  in which this  is composed  to the deva‐gana music, which produced in him a bliss never  experienced before  .

 A small demonstration was also shown among the elated arts lovers .A  pair of cymbals was placed near a consecrated post while  the deva‐ gana was sung. Over a period of time , it was found that the post began to melt. The singing was stopped  , and when an attempt was made to lift the cymbals, they stuck to the post  and when the music was once again played they came off.  

It is said that Nathamuni directed a number of bronze cymbals of different weights to be sounded together and forthwith described correctly their different weights from a perception of the acute differences in the pitches of the notes. The king went into raptures over this, and falling at the feet of the Sage proposed to reward him abundantly.

But the Sage, to whom even the offer of Lordship over worlds was no temptation, politely declined the presents offered and blessing the king, returned to Viranarayanapuram. Thus with this incident the King  became a disciple of Swamy Nathamuni and spent his time at Kattumannar learning the esoteric truths regularly .

Swamy  Nathamuni set the 4000  Divya prabhandam to tune and music and taught to his dear disciples  Melai agatthazhwAn and Keezhai agatthazhwAn (his nephews) and propagated the divine nectar  in various divya desams. Nathamuni re arranged 4000 into four parts and introduced the same as part of recitation in Divya Desams, as part of worship.  

Once , the King  got down  along with his wives to Viranarayanapuram temple . Looking at the Royal couple  in such great ornaments, crown, and silk cloth,  Nathamuni for a moment lost himself and thought  Lord Krishna with His devis have come from Dwarakai. He fell at the feet of the king to prostrate. The king was shocked and immediately sprung to lift  Nathamuni . The King realised the deep devotion of the Sage and submitted himself .

During  another occasion, the king had  just completed discussing with the Sage about Lordships and  took Acharya’s permission to leave. He started walking towards the chariot. When he was about to board, (as usual, the king used to call the chariot driver on whose shoulder he  used to set  his foot to jump into the chariot), the driver was there for the king to jump in.

After he jumped in, he saw below and it was  Nathamuni’s shoulder. The king was shocked . He got down to apologize  for his grave offence . He felt ashamed and said ! Swamin ….  “What have I done! Stepped on your shoulders! I have committed  a great apacharam!”

Nathamuni thought it  was Lord  Rama who had come by the chariot along with Sumanthrar. Hence, he offered his shoulders for Lord  to step into the chariot. That was  Nathamuni’s unalloyed devotion who was always in transcendental bliss always seeing LORDSHIPS everywhere .

One day  Nathamuni was in Samadhi Yoga. The  Chola  king  passed near Veeranarayanpura with his soldiers   after a hunting exercise.  The sage,  interrupted in his meditations by the attendant bustle, opened his eyes and, construing the party to be the divine Lord  Rama and his brother, on whom  his thoughts were wholly bent in meditation, followed the track of the party and walked with weary steps till the very gates of the Chola capital Gangaikondapuram  from Kattumannar Koil  and went searching ..

Nathamuni  already in that bliss  imagined that Lord Rama with his brother Lakshmana and  Mother  Sita is have come to  grace him .

He  fainted  at a place in a divine bliss  and  reached Lord’s abode  on an Ekadasi day.

More details about this great saint can be seen in the appended  linked post below

…The foremost Srivaishnava Acharyar….

All glories to Swamy Nathamunigal

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics : Google images

Lord Rama is an ocean of mercy when protecting his devotees in distress . Lord Rama saved the very army which had formed only to save Rama .

ParamaShiva emphasizes the importance of the innumerable names of the Lord composed by Bheesmacharyar known as Vishnu Sahasranama stotram.

He observed that when a dog who just took the remnants of the pious sri vaishnavas could get salvation what can be told about this holy place where our Nammazhwar had graced this place with his divine darshan .

He thought to himself, “if the owners of the dogs have so much affection and sense of ownership for their loyal dogs that they are ready to give up their lives, then why would not our LORD who owns this dog-“Thirukkannamangai AndAn,” if dedicated to Him, not come to his protection?”

Lord Sriman Narayana the Supreme lord created this universe starting from Brahma (who emerged from HIS navel ) along with innumerable species of birds,animals, humans etc. Appearing as kapila rishi, he gave Saankya yoga , practicing by which one would attain the final beatitude like Devahuti. As Lord Sri Rama, HE demonstrated to the world on living a righteous life and as Lord Sri Krishna , imparted the Bhagavad Gita.   The jivatmas who followed the lord and attained salvation were few. Also, the study of scriptures and Vedas which were in Sanskrit were limited to  only few people  who were authorized to read .  

So Perumal decided to depute HIS (weapons )ayudhams to the world for preaching the Vedas to all irrespective of caste,gender etc.. The various ayudhams of Perumal appeared as 12 azhwars during the end of Dwapara yuga and beginning of kali yuga.   The azhwars who were immersed in bhakti composed various  emotional outpourings known as pasurams which is glorified as “naalayira divya prabhandham”. The Azhwars were so much engrossed in LORDs thoughts that they could not impart knowledge to jivatmas and hence   these divine pasurams were lost to oblivion. 

 The compassionate LORD decided to instruct the nityasuris to appear as Acharyars to this world who would give the divine knowledge about the Supreme Lord and bring the jivatmas back to Godhead.Nityasuris do not descend from Vaikuntam but bestow their yogic powers to the jivatmas who were to be born in this material world.  Accordingly, Vishwaksenar (Senainayakar)-the chief Commander of Lord Sriman Narayana bestowed his mercy to Nammazhwar.  Vishwaksenar along with wife Sutravathi  had 8 attendants who guard the entrance of Sri Vaikuntam on either sides and the chief among them is known as “Gajanan” . The chief attendant of Vishwaksenar , “Gajanan” appeared as Nathamuni.After about 3500 years, With the blessings of Lord Sri Veera Narayanan perumal , Sri Nathamuni, the first acharyar in Srivaishnava Guruparamparai was born to Sri.Iswara bhattar at Veeranarayana puram (Kaatumannarugudi near Chidambaram)  in the Tamil year “Shobhakruth varusham” on pournami thithi ,Anusham star in the tamil month of Aani (june-july) in 823 A.D.  His parents named him”Ranganathan” but was fondly addressed as “Nathamuni”.  He instructed his son,Iswara muni to name his child as “Yamunai Thuraivan” who was famously known as Yamunacharyar.

srIshailEsha dayApAtram dhIbhaktyAdi guNArNavam |
yatIndra pravaNam vandE ramya jAmAtaram munim ||

lakshmI nAtha samArambhAm nAthayAmuna madhyamAm |
asmadAchArya paryantAm vandE guru paramparAm ||

The above sloka …. reverberates in all srivaishnava temples and homes glorifying the rich sampradaya we have inherited from our poorvacharyas …

Swamy  Nathamunigal and Swamy  Alavandar, the two great acharyas  have been pillars to Srivaishnava sampradayam, took their avatara at  the holy place Kattumannar koil, which is 25 kms from Chidambaram in Cuddalore district of Tamil nadu, South India.

Kattumannarkoil (situated on the banks of the vast Veeranam Lake) hallowed by the birth of these Acharyas is the only place with magnificent temples dedicated to Swamy Nathamunigal and Swamy  Alavandar.

Swamy Nathamunigal  was the  foremost Acharya  of Srivaishnava sampradaya .

Nathamuni mastered himself in Vedas at a  very young age.

He was devoted to Lord  Veera Narayana Perumal and spent most of his time performing daily   ( aaradhanai) poojas for the Lord here.

One day, during his pilgrimage to Thirukudanthai ( present day Kumbakonam ) Temple  he was attracted to the Archakas chanting the divine nectarine verse …. Aaravamuthey song….

The  devotees ended  the song with the words… “ these 10 out of the 1000” verses .

“ Aaraavamudhe Adiyen Udalam,

Ninbaal Anbaaye

Neeraal Alainthu Karaiya Urukinra Nedumaale

Seeraar Sennel Cauvery Veesum,

SezhuNeerth ThiruKudanthai

EraarKolam Thigazhak Kidanthaai, Kanden Emmaane”

Swami Nathamuni was drawn to these songs and  pleaded them to sing the rest of the 990 verses.

However, they expressed ignorance and said they  knew only these 10 songs which they were reciting daily following their ancestors  .

Seeking to find  the remaining  of these  divine songs,  Swamy Nathamuni proceeded  from Kattu Mannar Koil and went to Kumbakonam, where Lord Aaravamudhan appeared before him and asked him to go to Thirukolur for  knowing more ..

Swamy proceeded to Thiru Kolur, where he got initiated with the great Acharyar  Madhura Kavi Azhvaar’s  holy verses of Kannin Siruthambinaal.

Madhurakavi Azhwar was a direct disciple of Swamy Nammazhwar .The divine pastime of Azhwar can be read in the below  appended post

“tEvu maRRariyEn” …….. I do not know of any LORD other than my AchAryan, Swamy NammAzhwAr

He came back to Thiru Kurugur and meditating  under the Tamarind tree,  recited these  divine verses 12000 times.  

On completion of which the all compassionate NammAzhvaar is said to have appeared before him and shared the entire 4000 songs the  “Divyaprabhandam” —Naalaayira Divya Prabandham which we are able to relish glorifying the LORDSHIPS .

Lord Veera Narayana Perumal is then said to have called Swami Nathamuni back to Kattu Mannar Koil where the Vaishnavite Saint  chanted and shared the “Naalayira Divya Prabandham”.

Thus, Nathamuni of Kattu Mannar Koil, was instrumental in bringing back to the world the 4000 verses of the Azhvaars.

He also initiated the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam from here.

As Lord Narayana came here as ‘Mannan’ to wed  Mahalakshmi and  asked Nathamuni to share the Divya Prabandham and the Vaishnava Sampradayam to the world at large, he was referred to as ‘ Kattum’ ‘Mannan- Aanaar’ (the Lord who came aa kings and later presented the entire prabandham through Nathamuni).

Poorvacharyars glorify this place as “divya prabhandham vilaindha oor”-the place where Divya prabhandham came into existence.  the Lord KAatu Mannar(another thirunaamam of Veeranarayanan) came to be known as “KAatum mannar”

In course of time, Kattum Mannan-Aanaar became Kattu Mannar.

Nathamuni’s grandson was named as ‘Yamunai Thuraivan’(Alavandar) .

Born in Kattu Mannar Koil, Aalavanthar would travel to Srirangam and spread the message of SriVaishnavism. Swamy Ramanuja was nominated by him  as the ’to be’  next Acharyar of the great sampradhayam  after his disappearance .

Alavandar’s  disciples include Periya Nambi, ThiruKoshtiyur Nambi, Thiru Kachi Nambi and Srirangam Araiyar.

A clip was taken during our in which Bhattar elaborately explains in tamil about the glorious Srivaishnava Sampradayam.

Swamy  Nathamuni set the 4000  Divya prabhandam to tune and music and taught to his dear disciples  Melai agatthazhwAn and Keezhai agatthazhwAn (his nephews) and propagated the divine nectar  in various divya desams.

Nathamuni re arranged 4000  nectarine verses equivalent to Vedas  into four parts and introduced the same as part of recitation in Divya Desams, as part of worship in all temples

During the period ,once , the  Chozha  King  got down  along with his wives to  have darshan of Lord at Viranarayanapuram temple at Kattumannar  .

Looking at the Royal couple  in such great ornaments, crown, and silk cloth,  Nathamuni who was a transcendental devotee , for a moment lost himself and thought  Lord Krishna with His devis would  have come from Dwarakai.

He fell at the feet of the king seeing him as  Lord Krishna .

The king was shocked and immediately sprung to lift  Nathamuni and  realized the deep devotion  the Sage  had .He immediately  submitted himself for his offense .

During  another occasion, the king had  just completed discussing with the Sage about Lordships  divine pastimes. He took Acharya’s permission to leave.

He started walking towards the chariot. When he was about to board, (as usual, the king used to call the chariot driver on whose shoulder he  used to set  his foot to jump into the chariot), the driver was there for the king to jump in.

After he jumped in, he saw below and it was  Nathamuni’s shoulder.

The king was shocked . He got down to apologize  for his grave offense .

He felt ashamed and said ! Swamin ….  

“What have I done! Stepped on your shoulders! that too my Acharyar !!! 

I have committed  a great apacharam!”

Nathamuni thought it  was Lord  Rama who had come by the chariot along with Sumanthrar. 

Hence, he offered his shoulders for Lord  to step into the chariot.

That was  Nathamuni’s unalloyed devotion who was always in transcendental bliss always seeing LORDSHIPS everywhere .

One day   Swamy Nathamuni was in  deep meditation .

The  Chozha  king  passed near Veeranarayanpura with his soldiers   after a hunting exercise.  

The sage,  interrupted in his meditations by the attendant bustle, opened his eyes and, construing the party to be the divine Lord  Rama and his brother in the streets ,( on whom  his thoughts were wholly bent in meditation )  followed the track of the party and walked with weary steps till the very gates of the Chozha capital Gangaikondapuram  from Kattumannar Koil  and went searching ..

Nathamuni  already in that bliss  imagined ” Lord Rama with his brother Lakshmana and  Mother  Sita  have come to  grace him .

He  fainted  at a place in a divine bliss  and  reached Lord’s abode  on an Ekadasi day.

All glories to Swamy Nathamunigal

Swamy Natha Munigals appearance day is  being celebrated  on  2-07-2020                  ( Aaani Anusham ) in all Srivaishnava temples .

nama: achinthya adhbudha aklishta jnAna vairAgya rAsayE
nAthAya munayE agAdha bhagavadh bhakthi sindhavE

All glories to the devotees participating in all the temples 

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics credits : Google images uploaded by several devotees

The purpose of worship is to understand the mind, to understand the truth.

The final benefit or loss will be caused by the mind.

Mind is the seed that gives birth to the tree of action.
He, who has merged his identity with the Lord Vittala,
cannot see others suffering. Tukaram Maharaj says, making the mind calm is the true worship.