Those were the days where Swamy Parasarabhattar was delivering discourses at his ashram in Srirangam . Many devotees used to attend in large numbers .
Amongst them a highly learned pundit and a srivaishnava used to attend the discourses daily .
The learned pundit was received with scant respect and the srivaishnava was received with great attention . One disciple who was watching swamy Parasara bhattar’s indifference reached his Guru and humbly submitted , Acharya !! This pundit is a famous scholar with high respect among the people in entire kingdom .
How could you be indifferent with him considering his scholarship amongst all the people assembled here . Bhattar replied , My child !! Listen to the discourse now . After the discourse you will be able to understand .
In the discourse Bhattar explained the importance of LORD RAMA’s avataram which was a divine gift of free grace to all . LORD irrespective of caste or creed or condition extended friendship with humble folk like Guhan , Sugriva , Vibhishana and many living beings . LORD went a step ahead in performing the obsequies of a brahman for jatayu the bird .
He was humble in accepting food from the hands of Sabari a tribal and partaking food along with hanumanjee. Bhattar continued , The Importance of LORD KRISHNA avatar was Lord delivering the Apocalypse of the epic Srimad Bhagavadgita with its charama sloka and in rejecting the hospitality of Bhishma and Drona for that of Vidura and so forth .
- Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Kovil
The reputation of Srirangam comes to LORD RANGANATHAR having mixed with Tiruppan Azhwar as intimately as body and soul . The reputation of LORD OF SEVEN HILLS was as LORD moved freely with the potter kurumbuatta Nambi and King Thondaman .
The reputation of LORD VARADARAJA was his friendship with his dear devotee Sri Thirukachi Nambee and our LORD NARAYANA of Melkote for accepting Swamy Ramanuja as his father and himself being called Yatiraja Sampath kumara . The discourse had a message for unconditional surrender to Lord Narayana with utmost faith .
Once the discourse was done all the people paid their respects to Bhattar and were leaving .The pundit also came along along with the citizens . Bhattar casually asked the pundit ..
Swamin !! whom have you settled to yourself as Ultimate Truth ? The pundit who was attentively listening the discourse answered ! Some authorities speak of Brahma as Ultimate , Few say It is Rudra and few schools claim it is Lord Mahavishnu .
How can we arrive at a conclusion with so many school of thoughts claiming the supremacy of one over other .
Meanwhile the srivaishnava arrived and paid obesiances to the assembly and took permission to leave . Bhattar casually asked the same question to the srivaishnava .
The srivaishnava politely replied Swamin !
Adiyen knows none others than whom devareer daily discusses ..
the only NARAYANA ..maam” EKAM” ….
Bhattar once again asked Swamin , Pray what other truth is available to you ? The srivaishnava replied …
For adiyen Means as well as end is Swamy Ramanuja ..
my end of salvation is the lotus feet of Swamy Ramanuja …forever and said ..
Satyam satyam Punah Satyam,
YathirAjO Jagath Guru…………………
yO nithyam Achyutha PadhAmbhujayugmarugma
vyAmOhatha: tadhitharANi thruNAya mEnE
asmath GurO:BhagavadhOsya dayaikasindhO:
Raamaanujasya CharaNou SaraNam prapdhyE
I seek the lotus feet of Swamy Ramanuja who considered all the worldly things and pleasures as mere nothing (grass) because of his love towards the lotus feet of Achchuta.
He is our Acharya since he possesses all the auspicious qualities (guNAs) and therefore dayAsAgara (ocean of mercy) for uplifting us .
Continuing , he quotes Embaar’s verse on the divine beauty [azhagu] of Swamy Ramanuja and declares in the end
“illai enaaku edhir, illai enakku edhir, illai enakku edhirE!
“There is none equal to me; none equal to me; none equal to me!”.
True! There is NONE equal to us
FOR BEING BLESSED WITH SWAMY RAMANUJA SAMPRADAYAM….
Adiyen Ramanuja dasan
Pics : Google images
Video : Melkottai Emprumanar Thirumanjana kattiyam by Prasanna Swamigal ( Thirukoshtiyur vembu)