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Preceptor who practised compassion
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Total surrender and Divine grace formed the sheet anchor of Sri Ramanuja's philosophy. R. VARADARAJAN writes about the acharya whose birthday was celebrated recently.
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Sri Ramanuja with Selvapillai.
YATIRAJA IS an address of homage referring to Sri Ramanuja used by the Srivaishnava community. This epithet is a lofty expression of esteem and gratitude for the abundant love and kindness showered by Emberumanar, another surname of endearment immortalising Ramanuja's infinite grace for his disciples.
His theology of a compassionate and merciful god is an outward manifestation of his mind and heart imbued with spiritual values and boundless love for humanity. The basic values of Sanathana Dharma formed the sheet anchor of his life.
Before the advent of Ramanuja in the 11th Century, religious lifestyle lacked method. Ramanuja redefined and codified the injunctions of rituals and reconciled the different doctrines into one single faith of Srivaishnavism with the theoretical base of Visishtadwaita. In doing so he did not denigrate any religion or sect. Even in the worst hour of persecution, he went on a self-imposed exile from Srirangam to Melkote. In his (Vaishnava) religion, none is denied divine grace.
Ramanuja laid the foundation for the universal spiritual maxim in which Kshama — pardon — was easily available from the Providence. This pointed to the inalienable bond of the Jivatma with Paramatma in a spirit of maternal love.
Ramanuja made every one realise their goal of life namely to attain Moksha with the help of a preceptor — Acharya. The significance of the Srivaishnava tradition comes out with full implications in this cardinal principle of Sharanagati — total surrender to God — exemplified in the Ramayana. It underlines the fact that a devotee — Bhagavatha — is more venerable than the Almighty — Bhagawan. His mental acumen was so sharp that he established 74 monasteries to preserve the solidarity of the system for the welfare of his followers. He issued a canon, `Udaiyavar Niyamanapadi,' for Srivaishnavites to follow in social and religious life. This is the glory of Ramanuja.
Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa are the medieval triumvirate Acharyas of the Vedantic school championing the three systems of Advaita, Visishtadwaita and Dwaita respectively. All the three were ascetics, having renounced worldly life, did not even desire for immortality of worldly fame and rejected royal patronage. Ramanuja envisioned a personal god with attributes — Saguna Brahman — with whom a devotee could have an intimate relationship — as Andal had with Krishna. Because of his adulation of Andal and constant recitation of Tiruppavai, he became popular as Tiruppavai Jeeyar. His triple prosody — Gadya Trayam — is the quintessence of Srinvaishnava theism. Ramanuja had the courage to carry his convictions to logical conclusions with scriptural authority to establish his thesis of Visishtadvaita. He differed from his Advaita guru, Yadava Prakasha's interpretation of Taittriya Upanishad that ``Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma" are not God himself but these were only the attributes of god; just like the rays are part of the Sun but not the Sun itself. The legend of Tirukachi Nambi is the credence of his intimate conversation with the Lord of Hastigiri while swinging the flabellum for cool breeze. Ramanuja humbly approached this self-effacing devotee to ask what should be the fundamental acts to attain Moksha. Yielding to his persistent appeal, Tirukachi Nambi conveyed to Ramanuja the six commandments of Varadaraja Perumal that a Srivaishnavite should follow to obtain divine grace and salvation.
Ramanuja was pained that his wife slighted Tirukachi Nambi when he was invited for lunch because of his caste. He was equally generous to feed a hungry man when his wife refused to give him alms; he coolly walked into the kitchen to give the left over meals to the harijan mendicant.
For a saint of Ramanuja's stature, tenacity and perseverance were inherent traits. He was rebuffed by Ghoshtipurna every time he went to get the Mantra Upadesam. On his 18th visit, Ghoshitipurna relented to impart the sacred mantra in strict confidence and solemn pledge that Ramanuja should not divulge it anyone. Realising the efficacy of the mantra to grant moksha, Ramanuja loudly announced the mantra from atop the temple tower for every one to hear and learn the hitherto secretly guarded mantra. This action of Ramanuja was considered sacrilegious and Ghoshtipurna berated him for blasphemy betrayal of trust. Ramanuja did not flinch. He calmly and gently replied that if his going to hell meant salvation for the thousands who had heard the mantra, it was but a small sacrifice on his part which he was willing to make gladly. This humane reply moved Ghoshtipurna so deeply that he embraced him for showing paramount kindness to fellow humans and called him Emberumanar — meaning Our God. Ramanuja preached the Bhakti Marg. The stress was on `Prapatti' or complete surrender to Sriman Narayana in total abandonment of ego as exhorted in the Bhagavat Gita. Ramanuja was said to be fond of Tiruppanazhwar who was an untouchable by birth. He was also visiting a harijan in his hut since he was a great devotee of Tirunarayana in Melukote.
For Ramanuja, caste and other criteria did not matter if the person was a genuine Bhakta. On one occasion, Ramanuja happened to pass by some children playing in sand making a temple with a toy Krishna idol. The children asked him to offer his prayers to their toy god. Ramanuja, to the astonishment of his followers, prostrated before the sand mound, took the prasad that the children gave him with all sincerity. When asked why he took child play so seriously, he replied that in those children, he saw Sriman Narayana as the Purushottama — the Supreme God Head. He and He alone should be meditated upon for Moksha. The thousand names in the Vishnu Sahasranama are endowed with all the great qualities of divinity and beauty of Narayana. His compositions are only in praise of Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi. In fact he considered Lakshmi as Purushakaram to obtain Vishnu's grace. Hence the Visishtadwaitins call themselves Sri Vaishnavites — Sri being Lakshmi who alone could solicit Narayana's grace for the mortals. He mentions as conducive to the attainment of Moksha quiet recitation of prayer (Japa), fasting (Upavasa), charity (Dana) and propitiation of divinities (Devata Aradhana).
A striking quality of Ramanuja was his intense humanism, compassion and charity. To him God was the personification of kindness to both saint and sinner. The true ornaments of a Srivaishnavite, according to Ramanuja, are the qualities of mercy and kindness.
Melkote is the only place which conducts a Brahamotsava on the occasion of Ramanuja's Tirunakshatram — birthday in Chitra Masam Tiruvadirai (Aarudhra Nakshtram). The nine-day Brahmotsava underlines the fact that the Acharya is equivalent to God and should be worshipped as one worships Tirunarayana. In the morning Sri Ramanuja goes round the four Mada Veedhis on the golden mantapa inviting all the people for his birthday celebration. Oil for bath and turmeric are given to every house for the members to have an oil bath and participate in Tirumanjanam.
In the evening there is a combined procession of Sampathkumaran and Ramanujan. In the night the Dasavatara utsava is held. On this day Selvapillai, fulfilled the wish of Ramanuja by showing His ten avataras.
The Jayanti of both Sankara and Ramanuja invariably fall on the same day. They were both born in the Tamil month of Chitirai, Tiruvadirai Nakshatram, two centuries apart. Both made monumental contribution to Vedic heritage. While Sankara lived only for 32 years, Ramanuja had a span of 120 years. This year, their jayanthi was celebrated on April 18.
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