Vedagyan
9th issue
Recap
We have so far learnt about the four principal Vedas, the Smrtis, the Yagnas, Puranas, also about the life of saints and Bhaktas like Sadasiva, Kabir, Sri Adi Sankara and the rishis like Apasthamba, and Yagyavalkya.
In this issue we shall learn about life of a great saint of Vaishnavism that is Sri Ramanuja.
Ramanuja’s period was 1017 –1137 AD. He was born to the couple Sri Kesavapperumal Somayaji and Kanthimathi Ammal at Sriperumpudur near Kancheepuram. Peria Tirumalai Nambi the scholar named the child “Ilaya Perumal” after seeing the lustre on the boy’s face.
At an early age Illaya Perumal lost his father and his family migrated to Kancheepuram and was under care of Sri Tirukkachi Nambi who was engaged in service to Lord Varadaraja and was believed to be in talking terms with him!
In the due course the boy was sent to Sri Yadava Prakasa an Advaitin at Tiruputkuzi to learn the Advaita philosophy and other tenets of our religion. At 16 years he mastered all Vedas and other Sastras.
He was also married to Rakshakambal at 17 years of age and became a householder. Very often the teacher and the taught clashed, as definitions given by the teacher to the vedantic verses were not acceptable to the boy! Their differences reached a point of no return and the teacher decided to kill the boy! And plot was hatched to drown Ilaya Perumal in Ganges during the pilgrimage to the north.
While on the way, Ilaya Perumal learnt about the plot, through Govinda a fellow pupil and also a relative and immediately on the very night, slipped into the forest, to escape the bid on his life! In the forest he lost his way and was wandering, suddenly an old couple appeared and showed the way, and a little later he was in a trance. Upon opening his eyes he found himself on the outskirts of Kancheepuram! The old couple were none other than Lord Varadaraja and his Consort Perundevi Thayar.
Ilaya Perumal resumed his routine life with Tirkkachi Nambi and was serving Lord Varadaraja. At that time there was an invitation from Alavandar a renowned saint to Ilaya Perumal. Both Tirukkachi Nambi and Ilaya Perumal went to meet him. But when they arrived they could witness only his funeral procession! They were at a loss and very dejected. During the last rites they noticed three fingers closed tightly in the mortal remains of the saint. Immediately Ilaya Perumal declared that he would make 1. A Bashya for Brahma Sutra 2. Perpetuate the memory of Vyasa and Parasara 3. Establish a new Philosophy called Visishta Advaita. Soon after these declarations were made the three fingers unfolded signifying that these were the last wishes of the saint!
Tirukkachi Nambi and Ilaya Perumal on returning to Kancheepuram resumed their routine. Tirukkachi Nambi during his conversation with the Lord Varadaraja obtained six commands to be followed they were 1. Narayana is the Paramatma
2.Paramatma and the jeevatmas are different 3. Prapadthi or total surrender to God is necessary for salvation 4. Videha mukthi (Casting off the body at the time of death) is the only possibility to attain mukthi. 5. Last remembrance of the Lord by a departing soul was not necessary. 6. Ilaya Perumal should take refuge under Peria Nambi at Maduranthakam.
Ilaya Perumal’s married life was not a happy one as the catholic ways of his were not acceptable to his wife. Once Ilaya Perumal invited an elderly scholar who was not a Brahmin to his house for lunch and his wife fed the guest and sent him off and cleaned the entire house and cooked afresh before Ilayaperumal could return from his bath! This infuriated him and he decided to renounce the family life and took up sanyasa at the age of 30. He assumed the new name Ramanuja in his Sanyasa Asrama, and was accorded the title Yati Raja by none other than the Lord Devadirajan.
As ordained Ramanuja reached Maduranthakam and met Peria Nambi who initiated him into an order based on Dwaya
We shall continue the life history of Sri Ramanuja in our next issue also.
Titbits
Do you want to know what is “Brahmastra” that Sri Rama and other Godheads used to destroy their enemies?
It is here: Tyadachopra na: yoyodhi: himadhii syavadergobhamyanervartuvisatatt ||
Do you see Greek and Latin? Yes you would, because it is the Gayatri Mantra in the reverse! One has to recite this ten million times standing neck deep in running water with absolute concentration. Lord Rama did this according to the instructions of sage Visvamitra in the forest and achieved the potency of his utterance!
Is the story that Brahma and Vishnu went about searching the head and feet of Lord Shiva as a bird and a boar true?
The answer is no!
The Rig Veda talks about the Brahman taking a form of huge pillar of light or fire and a hamsa and a boar trying to fathom the top and bottom of that light and not succeeding. Here hamsa bird is mentioned because the bird is supposed to have the innate ability to differentiate between milk and water, similarly a seer will differentiate between what is divine and undivine recall the title given to great seers as Paramahamsa and the boar signifying a creature deeply involved in the earthly life and oblivious of any intellectual capacity. Later these were somehow come to be associated with Lord Brahma and Vishnu!
Navaratri Celebrations are to begin.....
Navaratri is a festival mainly dedicated to the trio goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.It is goddess Lalithambika the Universal Mother appears in her three different aspects of Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.Even as Durga our scriptures worship her in nine different forms! This festival is celebrated throughout India
Every day our temples in South India decorate the deity in all grandiose and take her in procession in the town or village.The significance of this is during these festivals only the young and energetic will be able to visit the temples.What about those who are old, sick or otherwise unable to visit the temple? In order to involve all of them, the deity used to go on a procession into the town! Look, at their foresight!
This festival gives more importance to the girl children because they are considered to be personification of Goddess Durga! The elderly mothers in fact give away a lot of gifts and new clothes to these children to get the blessings of the goddess.
Story time
The Story of Nemi Nandi Adigal.
Nemi Nandi Adigal was a great Shiva Bhakta, who lived in a village near Tiruvarur. He visited the temple every day and had darshan of Lord and then only retires to bed! One day, as usual he visited the temple late in the evening and came out. There was another shiva temple, which he occasionally visits just outside the main temple. On that day he felt like visiting that temple also. But much to his disappointment there were no lamps lit, hence he could not have a glimpse of the Lord. Immediately he thought he would get back home and bring the lamps but decided otherwise because it would be too late. So he decided to approach the nearest house and ask for some oil so that he could light the lamps and have the darshan too.
He knocked at the door and asked for some oil to light the lamps! The person who opened the door greeted him with abuse and curses. The man shouted that he will not give any oil for the God who has fire in his hand, also went on to suggest that he light the lamps with the water from the temple tank! He was a Buddhist!
Nemi Nandi felt pained and went back to the house without having darshan and had a disturbed sleep that night. During his sleep in his dream Lord appeared and told him that he could do exactly the same thing as suggested by the Buddhist and have his darshan to his heart’s content. Nemi Nandi got up early in the morning went straight to the temple tank, had his bath and took water in a vessel and poured them in the lamps and lit them. All the lamps started glowing so brightly that exceeded even oil lit lamps! He was so happy and shed tears of joy and sang songs in praise of the Lord for the mercy he had shown! The lamps kept burning the whole day and through the night. The devotees saw Adigal pouring water in the lamps the water had gone down. The news spread over the entire village and people thronged to see the miracle! The news also reached the Buddhist who felt ashamed and came running to Adigal apologised for his conduct. Adigal had no ill feeling towards him and sent him away with courtesy.
Lord then spoke to every one, that the miracle would prove Nemi Nandi’s greatness!
Bye now see you all in the next issue!
As ordained Ramanuja reached Maduranthakam and met Peria Nambi who initiated him into an order based on Dwaya
Mantra, the basic tenet of Vaishnavism.He also carried out the Pancha Samskara (The rites to formalise Sanyasa). He later returned to Srirangam. The highest seat of religion at Srirangam was vacant and all wanted Sri Ramanuja to adorn it but he preferred to wait a little longer because he wanted to learn the nuances of sastras from Sri Tirukkoshtiyur Nambi. Though Sri Tirukkoshtiyur Nambi was willing to teach Sri Ramanuja, he tested his resolve and made him come to him more than thirty times before accepting him as a student
We shall continue the life history of Sri Ramanuja in our next issue also.
Titbits
Do you want to know what is “Brahmastra” that Sri Rama and other Godheads used to destroy their enemies?
It is here: Tyadachopra na: yoyodhi: himadhii syavadergobhamyanervartuvisatatt ||
Do you see Greek and Latin? Yes you would, because it is the Gayatri Mantra in the reverse! One has to recite this ten million times standing neck deep in running water with absolute concentration. Lord Rama did this according to the instructions of sage Visvamitra in the forest and achieved the potency of his utterance!
Is the story that Brahma and Vishnu went about searching the head and feet of Lord Shiva as a bird and a boar true?
The answer is no!
The Rig Veda talks about the Brahman taking a form of huge pillar of light or fire and a hamsa and a boar trying to fathom the top and bottom of that light and not succeeding. Here hamsa bird is mentioned because the bird is supposed to have the innate ability to differentiate between milk and water, similarly a seer will differentiate between what is divine and undivine recall the title given to great seers as Paramahamsa and the boar signifying a creature deeply involved in the earthly life and oblivious of any intellectual capacity. Later these were somehow come to be associated with Lord Brahma and Vishnu!
Navaratri Celebrations are to begin.....
Navaratri is a festival mainly dedicated to the trio goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.
It is goddess Lalithambika the Universal Mother appears in her three different aspects of Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.
Even as Durga our scriptures worship her in nine different forms! This festival is celebrated throughout India
Let us now learn more about the festival and its interesting features.
Every day our temples in South India decorate the deity in all grandiose and take her in procession in the town or village.
The significance of this is during these festivals only the young and energetic will be able to visit the temples.
What about those who are old, sick or otherwise unable to visit the temple? In order to involve all of them, the deity used to go on a procession into the town! Look, at their foresight!
This festival gives more importance to the girl children because they are considered to be personification of Goddess Durga! The elderly mothers in fact give away a lot of gifts and new clothes to these children to get the blessings of the goddess.
Boys excuse please!
Story time
The Story of Nemi Nandi Adigal.
Nemi Nandi Adigal was a great Shiva Bhakta, who lived in a village near Tiruvarur. He visited the temple every day and had darshan of Lord and then only retires to bed! One day, as usual he visited the temple late in the evening and came out. There was another shiva temple, which he occasionally visits just outside the main temple. On that day he felt like visiting that temple also. But much to his disappointment there were no lamps lit, hence he could not have a glimpse of the Lord. Immediately he thought he would get back home and bring the lamps but decided otherwise because it would be too late. So he decided to approach the nearest house and ask for some oil so that he could light the lamps and have the darshan too.
He knocked at the door and asked for some oil to light the lamps! The person who opened the door greeted him with abuse and curses. The man shouted that he will not give any oil for the God who has fire in his hand, also went on to suggest that he light the lamps with the water from the temple tank! He was a Buddhist!
Nemi Nandi felt pained and went back to the house without having darshan and had a disturbed sleep that night. During his sleep in his dream Lord appeared and told him that he could do exactly the same thing as suggested by the Buddhist and have his darshan to his heart’s content. Nemi Nandi got up early in the morning went straight to the temple tank, had his bath and took water in a vessel and poured them in the lamps and lit them. All the lamps started glowing so brightly that exceeded even oil lit lamps! He was so happy and shed tears of joy and sang songs in praise of the Lord for the mercy he had shown! The lamps kept burning the whole day and through the night. The devotees saw Adigal pouring water in the lamps the water had gone down. The news spread over the entire village and people thronged to see the miracle! The news also reached the Buddhist who felt ashamed and came running to Adigal apologised for his conduct. Adigal had no ill feeling towards him and sent him away with courtesy.
Lord then spoke to every one, that the miracle would prove Nemi Nandi’s greatness!
Bye now see you all in the next issue!
