Lessons prepared by
M.S.HARI Raamaanuja Daasan (mshari@usa.net)
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In this lesson two, I have given an outline of the history regarding our Sampradayam. In the first lesson, we learnt about “Pramaanam” in brief. It will be explained more in detail from lesson three along with the other related concepts namely Prameyam, Pramaatha and Prama. Lesson two is general with an outline of our sampradayam’s basic tenets. This is given because the reader should get an idea first regarding our philosophy and practice. This will be elaborated in detail with proof in future lessons. “Matham” in Sanskrit can be translated in English as View, thought etc. Here in this context, it refers to philosophy and practice collectively. The reader will find in future that only our Visistaadvaita Shree Vaishnava Matham is having its philosophy and theology components with maximum practical value, rational and universally applicable.
Our Visistaadvaita Shree Vaishnava Matham is an eternal one and has origin in the eternal vedas. No one founded it. Bhagavat Raamaanuja Yatiraaja (who was born as an incarnation of Aadi Sesha at Shree Perum Butur (Maha Buta Puri) nearly 1000 years ago) once again established it that was already & eternally existing. He re-established it after conquering & destroying the falsehood of other sidhdantas like advaita, dvaita, dvaitaadvaita, Buddhism, Jainism, Saankya, Saivam, Saaktam, Charvaakam etc.,. (All these sidhdantas also will be explained in future for contrast and comparisons) This divine wealth of our Visistaadvaita Shree Vaishnava Matam has been protected, preserved, and handed over to us by a unbroken succession of our Shree Vaishnava Guru Parampara. It starts with 1. Lakshmi Naatha Naaraayana Paramaatman. The succession of Gurus then is 2. Shree (Lakshmi), 3. The Commander-in-chief Of Vishnu’s army Shree Vishvaksena, 4. Shree Vaishnava Kula Pati - Prapanna Jana Santaana Koutasta Vakulaabharana Shree Satakopa (Namaalvaar), 5. Shreeman Naatha Muni, 6. Uyiakkondaar (Shree Pundareekaakshar) 7. Manakaal Nambi (Shree Raama Misrar), 8. Yaamunaachaarya Aalavandar, 9. Periya Nambi (Maha Poornar) 10. Shreemat Bhagavat Raamaanuja Yateendra. After Bhagavat Raamaanuja, the Guru Parampara has spread in various branches which each of us gets to know at the time of Pancha Samskaram / Samaastrayanam. After Shree Raamaanuja, notable preceptors (few to name) are Shree Vedanta Maha Desikan, Shree Pillai Lokaacharyar, Shreeman Manavala Ma Munigal, Shreemath Adi Van Satakopa Yatindra Maha Desikan, Ranga Ramajuja Muni.
The
history goes like this. From Paramaatma Naaraayana, the parama
vaidika Shree Vaishnava matam started to spread. It reached Namaalvar
through Vishvaksena as per His wish. After him, due to the kali
kalam’s evil nature, the succession of gurus was not that
prominent - but was present. Other religions started to dominate and
our matam was like the sun hidden by clouds. By the divine grace of
Lakshmi & Naaraayanan, Shreeman Naatha Muni appeared and once
happened to hear a set of 10 pasurams of Namaalvar sung by a group of
Vaishnavas at Kumbakonam Aaravamutan (Saarngapaani) temple. He
was highly impressed and requested the group to let him know all the
1000 pasurams of Alwar as per the information in the last pasuram of
the set of pausrams sung by the group. They said they don’t know
but requested him to proceed to Alwar Tiru Nagari the birth
place of Namaalvar. He reached the place and from a person belonging
to Shree Madhura Kavi Family succession (Shree Paraangusa Daasa)
obtained the upadesa of the work (Prabandham) of Shree Madura Kavi
Aalvar Called “Kanninun Chiru Tambu”. He recited it
several thousand times with devotion and dedication and a divine
incident happened. Shree Satakopa Namaalvar Himself appeared
before Shreeman Naatha Muni in his Yoga and blessed him with all
4000 paasurams of Divya Prabandham. Naatha Muni thus blessed by the
Shree Vaishnava Kula Pati himself became to known Dravida Veda
Vyasa. (Veda Vyasa compiled Vedas and Shree Naatha Muni Compiled
Divya Prabandham - Dravida Vedam). The guru parampara chain thus
got established in a divine form from Vishnu through Satakopa and
Naatha Munigal though Satakopa’s period is different from that
of Naatha Muni’s period.
It should also be noted that
Bodhaayana (a disciple of Veda Vyasa) has written a commentary on
Brahma Sutra explaining our Visistaadvaitam. Similarly Danka,
Dramida, Guhadeva, Kapardi, Bhaaruchi, Brahma Nandi and such
aacharyas were present in succession before Naatha Muni, preserving
our sidhdantam.
Namaalvar did not only bless Shreeman Naatha Muni who
came as an aacharya in such parama vaidika tradition with 4000 divya
prabandam but also with yoga rahasyam. Naatha Muni contributed Nyaaya
Tatvam and Yoga Rahasyam. From him the divine sampradayam was
preached to Uyiakkondar - Pundareekakshar. From him to Manakkal
Nambhigal - Raamamisra. From him to Yaamunaacharya Aaalavandar.
Yaamunaacharya was very bright from his childhood itself. He
conquered the royal court vidwan by defeating his three difficult
arguments. He was rescued from his materialistic life to our
sampradayam by Manakkal Nambhigal as per Naathamunigal’s wish.
Aalavandar contributed 8 works to our sampradayam. They are
Aatma Sidhi, Samvit Sidhi, Iswara Sidhi (Sidhi Trayam), Aagama
Praamaanyam, Purusha Nirnayam, Stotra Ratnam, Chatus Sloki and
Gitaartha Sangraham. He by is divine vision selected Shree Raamaanuja
as his disciple and instructed his 5 disciples to guide Raamaanuja
who was at Kaancheepuram serving Varadaraja and studying under Yadava
Prakasa. Raamaanuja was also blessed by Varadarajan through Aacharya
Kaanchi Poorna with 6 statements explaining our matam. These six
divine statements are going to be explained in this lesson so that
the beginners can get an idea about Visistaadvaita Shree Vaishnavam.
Yaamunacharya expressing his 3 final wishes through his pointed
figures left for Parama Padam. Raamanuja who came to Shree Rangam to
pay his homage to Yaamunaacharya got an explanation from Yaamuna’s
5 disciples including Periya Nambi regarding Yaamuna’s final
wishes. They were.. .
Bhagavat Raamaanuja promised that he would full fill all the three wishes of his aacharya. As soon as he promised, the pointed figures of Yaamunaacharya’s body automatically got unfolded and led everyone to wonder and appreciate the divinity of Shree Bhagavat Raamaanuja. Bhagavat Raamaanuja became the Shree Vaishnava Sidhdanta Nirdharana Saarvabowman and wrote wonderful commentary on Brahma Sutra called Shree Bhasya with the association of Shreevatsaanga Misra Shree Korataalwar who gave his eyes as sacrifice to protect our sampradayam. Thus Yaamuna’s first wish was full filled. By his upadesa and directions, he made Tiru Kurugai Piran Pillan to comment on TiruvaaiMozhi and it came to be known as Bhagavat Vishayam. Thus Yaamuna’s second wish was full filled. He named the sons of Korataalwar as Paraasara Bhatta and Vyasa Bhatta and preached all sampradaya artha to them and made them to contribute a lot for our sampradayam. Thus Yaamuna’s third wish was also full filled by Raamaanuja. Bhagavat Raamanuja’s 9 works includes