Sri Rama Gunarnava Sri Ramanuja Gunarnava

(Y B Angirasa)

When we meditate on Sri Ramanuja, our heart automatically turns towards Sri Rama. This is because there are startling similarities between the manner in which Sri Rama carried and conducted himself and the way Sri Ramanuja lived and behaved in different situations. The months of April/May are auspicious and joyous months to all the devout and to Srivaishnavas, in particular. Sri Rama Navami and Sri Ramanuja Jayanti occur in these months. This year will mark the 991 st birth anniversary of Sri Ramanuja. Let us derive the twin good fortune of loving Sri Rama we cannot do that enough and paying our warm and affectionate obeisance to Sri Ramanuja. The simple truth is that, those for whom Sri Rama is a living reality, cannot but love Sri Ramanuja too with an equal fervour.

Sri Rama was such a person that the young and old, boys and girls, high and the low, felt fulfilled just by reflecting on him ( Ayodhya Kanda 2.52: striyo vriddhaah tarunyascharamaasyarte manasvinah). If Rama was around, every one felt that they were in possession of all they needed. Andal, who considered herself as a cowherdess and constantly yearned for Sri Krishna, referred to Sri Rama as dearest to ones soul because she was intuitively aware of Sri Ramas empathy. That was his natural bhava. He never thought it adequate just to sympathize. Sri Rama was not also a fault-finding person. He knew there was a perfect explanation for both Page 1 of 38

good and the not-so- good, and He knew it even before the affected person discovered it. He stole peoples hearts by His bewitchingly handsome appearance and the way He carried himself and moved, sometimes reminding of the proud lion and sometimes of the sedate, majestic and sure-footed elephant ( Ayodhya Kanda 3.27 28: gandharva raja pratimam pumsaam drishti chitta apahaarinam matta maatanga gaaminam and Aranya Kanda 47.35: simha vikraanta gaaminam ... nrisimham). He was magnificent like an ocean, ever full, but never overflowing (Ayodhya Kanda 34.9: gaambhiryaat saagaropamah).

The love that people felt for Sri Rama was extraordinary and out of the world. In fact, every person felt like saying, Rama, we are finding it impossible to be away from you even for a moment. Please come with us and be a part of our household. Then the realization would dawn on them that Sitadevi and Lakshmana too would miss Him acutely and they cannot also bear to see them suffering. Sri Rama would also find it terrible to be without them. Therefore, they would end up saying, Rama, be where you are. But remain visible to us everyday with Sitadevi and Lakshmana, and feel noble and good over their own sense of propriety and sacrifice!

Sometimes, they also cheekily thought Sri Rama was a shade luckier than their Sita! Rama would be saying later in the forest, O Sita, with you by my side, I do not miss Ayodhya even for a moment. But even before going to the forest Sita would be saying, I am going to be very happy in the forest. That much is certain. I shall accept with delight even the most Page 2 of 38

insignificant thing which You may collect for my sake, with Your own hands, be it an edible-looking root or a flower from some unknown tree. And being with You, assisting in Your dharma, I shall not miss either my father or mother (Ayodhya Kanda sargas, 95 and 30). Sri Rama loved Sita with His mind and heart. Sita loved Sri Rama with Her whole Being.

Sri Rama always spoke like a royal swan would if it took on a human tongue (Ayodhya Kanda 49.14: hamsa mattasvarah sriman). His words were laden with synthesized wisdom and rasa and yet he always conveyed and seldom imposed. Thus, when he made a point, it was difficult not to agree with him. He never took offence and his capacity for tolerance and forgiveness was enormous. Winsome were his ways and petulance was unknown to him: therefore, he had no need of either authority or anger, to subdue or subjugate. Whether it was nature, or peoples behaviour, he observed keenly and often knew far ahead, of the likely turn of events. With all this, he remained an upasaka for satya. A perfection, which ceaselessly strove to be more perfect!

It is astonishing that when we study Sri Ramanujas life and activities, we are able to come across an amazing likeness with Sri Rama, beginning from his magnificent height, striking appearance and overall carriage. His self-effacing nature, simplicity (though it was obvious to the perceptive and far-seeing that he was born to wear a crown), his principles, how he related to others, his ready admiration for the noble and beautiful whatever it was and wherever it manifested, his remarkable organizing Page 3 of 38

and administrative abilities and, above all, his most endearing saulabhya, were strikingly reminiscent of Sri Rama.

It has been mentioned in the Guruparampara Prabhava of Sri Triteeya Brahmatantra Svami that Sriman Narayana asked Adisesha to incarnate as Ramanuja in order to give a helping hand to Sri Alavandar. We may visualize that the great Adisesha may have prayed for a boon with folded hands that, as Ramanuja, he may live, act and speak in the true image of the Sanatana Purusha when He donned the name of Rama, in the avataara in Treta Yuga. The Lord must have also smiled and said, So be it. Let us now make a closer comparative study, commencing from the advent, the birth month and go on.

The Advent

The Lord, Sri Maha Vishnu took a sankalpa that He would take birth in the human form, as a manushya, as Rama, and after disposing off Ravana and others of his ilk, re-establish dharma and also live long enough (11,000 earth years) to ensure that dharma and sanmarga dug deep roots, to sprout ever more and further, as and when needed. Sri Ramanujas advent took place when Sriman Narayana took another sankalpa after the Kali Yuga was born and the satva guna started to languish, the rajo guna took to dry intellectual argument and denial and the tamo guna to greater coarseness. He called Sri Adisesha and gave instructions as mentioned above. Page 4 of 38

Why did the Lord think that Sri Alavandar required a helping hand? This requires an elaboration.

The Lord knew that a progressive holy and holistic mission had passaged itself (through the impulsion provided by Him) via the great Sri Nathamuni and Sri Manakkal Nambi to Sri Alavandar. That work involved the reestablishment of the pristine and absolute nature of the Paratva of Sriman Narayana, that He himself is both the Upeya and Upayai and alongside, the role of Acharya, to lit and lead in the marga (pathway) of karma, jnana, bhakti or absolute surrender. But once in the cycle of birth and death, it takes several births even for a jnaani to become integrally aware that Sri Vasudeva is everything- (Gita, 7:19).

Was it the position that Truth had been obliterated? Truth can never be extinguished. Nor does it distance itself from the Jivaas. It is life that tends to ignore it or turn away from it. In such a situation, it can get shrouded or become beyond perceivable range, due to polemical debate or the high pitch of the reasoning intellectual. The retrieval has to be done with care since a maze (of arguments) may have come around the Satya causing misleading routes or a distorted understanding to gain ground. Many walls of resistance may have to be brought down to reduce the maze to a straight and visible path. The work is enormous in dimension and intricate because, truly, it is one of restoration than a de novo construction.

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Building from the scratch is always easy. But restoring a fissured structure to its past glory is always more complex and challenging. The Supreme Word was there, God-given, in the Vedas. The Truth and its forms had been seen by the sages in a divine vision and sung in the Upanishads. It was artfully sung by the Lord Himself as the Gita and resung in a sweet tongue known to millions, by Divine Emanations or minstrels, as the Divya Prabhandas. The Word had been a setting like valuable gems in an ornament, in Itihasas and Puranas. The Word had to be restored and its supremacy given back to it. The Deity which had got hidden in the bush or buried under the river sand when the river changed its course had to be restored to its sanctum sanctorum. It was not an easy undertaking. It was fit only for the steady and the boldest and the most vigorous, the visionary and the faithful. It was bound to face many hurdles and required valiant and innovative efforts and an unsparing and energetic drive to succeed.

The Lords wish was that the true purpose of His avataaraas, namely the unassailability of paratva, dharma sthaapana its samrakshana for loka hita and bahu jana sukha should be carried forward on the foundations of the revelations already in placeunder the umbrella of the tatva trayaas (chit, achit and Isvara). The paths had been laid, trodden, and rendered easy by Him during His incarnations, principally, the Rama and the Krishna avataaraas. And there was the blanket assurances conveyed in the Sri Varaha avataaraa. The Sri Vaishnava marga needed to be established in an authentic manner, with crystalline clarity and placed Page 6 of 38

under a proper system, a parampara- a comprehensive unassailable tradition, which can hold good for generations. Ineluctable truths already existed in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and the Divya Prabhandas showing in a veiled way, the links, on the one hand, connecting individually from one side, the three(inter-linked) levels, first the gross and the material, secondly, the discerning and the intellectual human at the top of the evolutionary scale and thirdly the life saps bewitchingly nourished and sustained by the Pancha Bhutas and the trigunaas, with the ever Benevolent, Beatific, Transcendent, Supreme on the other side. Those truths needed to be re-revealed authentically with clarity, repeated and enlivened and made incandescent. Such was the role which Sri Alavandar had taken upon himself, which, the Lord Himself felt to be too much of a burden. The Lords wish was that Sri Adisesha should step down into an earth-existence as Ramanuja to take over the baton, become the Commander, give relief to Sri Alavandar and complete the job.

In pursuance of the Supremes wish, Sri Ramanujas birth took place in 1017 A.D. as the first child of Asuri Kesava Somayaji also known as Kesava Perumal and Kantimati, also known as Bhumi Piratti.

Sri Ramanuja was born as an intellectual giant who preferred to remain unobtrusive. His persistent desire was to take his jnana to the level of vijnana. Like Sri Rama, who persistently sought three types of elders (by age and experience, integrity and character, knowledge and wisdom), Sri Page 7 of 38

Ramanuja too kept approaching many sources in a quietly zestful quest, in search of the Ultimate. By the time he was sixteen, he had mastered the essence of all the Vedas with its angas. Considering the directness and calm assurance with which he countered the imperfect and distorted teachings of Sri Yadava Prakasa, it must be said that he must have absorbed the pith and substance of the Upanishads too. All the learning rested on him lightly and it may be visualized that he was the likeable, amazing, scholarly boy next door.

Yet, even while young and keeping his ascent going, he must have had an instinctive realization that intellectual eminence was not all or everything and that there was definitely something higher to which, such eminence should remain, so to say, in a state of servitude. With our knowledge of his whole life and the advantage of hindsight, we may say that perhaps Sri Ramanuja perceived That Higher Truth in as many as four different centres:

With his inner and blessed vision, he saw that Truth initially and exclusively in the Archa Murti of Perarulala Sri Varadaraja of Kanchi, later in an equal extent in Lord Sri Ranganatha and eventually in the Lords residing in all the divya desaas of the Bharata desa.

With his immense reverence for his acharyaas, he must have seen That shining as wisdom and lore in the hearts of Sri Alavandar, Sri Tirumalai

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Nambi, Sri Peria Nambi, Sri Tiruk-koshtiyur Nambi, Sri Tirumalai-andan and Sri Tiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar.

With his humility and admiration, he must have seen That in the great Bhagavata, Sri Tiruk-kachi Nambi and disciples like Kooresa, Govinda, Mudali-andan, Anantazhvan and Vatuka Nambi.

With his sama darsana and sausheelya, he must have encountered That in the hearts of persons like the Urangavilli Dasa, the muscle-man devotee of Uraiyur, the simple village woman of the last varna, in TiruvaliTirunagari and the ten or something old maid of Tiruppulingudi who archly enquired of him, by that time a much aged and much travelled saint, why he could not remember the koovudal varudal pasuram (Thiruvaimozhi 3578) to know how far away was Alwar Tirunagari, and the unpretentious but very evolved woman of Thiruk-kolur who summarized before him in 81 aphoristic questions and exclamations, the Itihasas, the Srimad

Bhagavatam, the Divya Prabhandas and incidents from Ramanujas own life. He heard the trill of the Divine in such heart-beats and voices!

The Birth Month

Sri Rama was born in the month of Chaitra, described as Sriman, Punya among the months chaitrah sriman ayam masah punyah.. (Ayodhya Kanda, 3:4). Sri Ramanuja too was born in the month of Chaitra. If it was Shukla Paksha, Navami in Sri Ramas case, it was Panchami for Sri Page 9 of 38

Ramanuja. For both, the sign Karkata was rising in the East, at the time of birth, making it the Ascendant.

The second house in a horoscope, signifies among other things, power of speech. Surya (Sun) the lord of the second house being in exaltation in Sri Ramas horoscope, he spoke with a grandeur and grace, to impart, heal, purify, elevate and occasionally to control and overcome. He was a vaakyakushala-( Ayodhya kanda, 113;11). But he was always restrained and euphemistic when it came to talking about himself. Dasaratha had just asked him to get ready to sit on the throne, from the next day, and while conveying the joyous tiding (one does not hear such news everyday!) to his mother, he said, Mother, I have been asked by father to handle the responsibilities of taking care of peoples welfare from tomorrow (Ibid. 4:35). After returning to Ayodhya, he thanked the assembled Janaka and other kings feelingly that Ravana was destroyed neither by his ability nor by Sugreeva sena but entirely by their good wishes. The great sage Agastya for whom Sri Rama had enormous admiration once described that the way Sri Rama spoke was always marvelous and auspicious ati adbhtham..subha aksharam (Uttara Kanda, 92:7)

Sri Ramanujas second Lord too was Surya who was in exaltation as well. We know how he spoke in a refined, measured, unruffled and controlled manner, always making his listeners feel at home. His Rahu was in the Rishabha rasi (considered by some astrological classics as his sign of Page 10 of 38

exaltation), the house of gains for him, conferring on him the external dynamism to roll on, scattering (the dissidents), winning and expanding Gods domain. His Moon was in the vayu tatva rasi of Mithuna, transiting the auspicious star Ardra (whose ruling Planet is Rahu), conferring on his mind all the powers of vayu, the wind god rapid in taking decision, force in execution and acceleration in progress.

The Name

Sage Vasishtha gave the name Rama, since by just looking at him, everyone was filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and an overflowing sense of contentment. The converse too was true: the person, who could, but did not look at Sri Rama was looked down by everybody and his mind too censured him! Yascha Ramam na pashyet.. ninditah bhavet sva atma api enam vigarhati (Ayodhya Kanda, 17:14). People related to him as they would to the Creator-Brahma with trust, affection, and an enormous sense of security and well being. (Bala Kanda, 77:25.). He is there: what can happen to us?

Sri Ramanuja was named Ilaiya alwar, the reference being wholly to the inimitable younger brother Lakshmana (anuja- ilaiya to Sri Rama) by Sri Tirumali Nambi, the maternal uncle. One look at the child and the radiance it shed revealed to his god-vision that if that Lakshmana was the kainkarya para- I shall do everything for you and Devi Sita- aham sarvam karishyami, this shubha lakshana Lakshmana will be doing Page 11 of 38

unprecedented kainkarya for Sri Vaishnava dharma and the name Ilaiya alwar suggested itself, on its own. Later on, when he decided to take to the robes, Lord Sri Varadaraja, nodded His assent and named him Yatiraja. In Srirangam, Sri Ranganatha applauded that his merits have earned for him the Nitya Vibhuti and by his activities, in the iha, he was shining faultlessly in the Lila Vibhuti. Hence he is the possessor of both, and therefore, the Udaiyavar. Thiru-koshtiyur Nambi gave him the title Emperumanar and we will see more of that by and by.

He was tall, fair complexioned like Lakshmana and handsome. He had an effulgence which made him stand out in a crowd. So much so, when Sri Alavandar saw him from a distance in the temple premises of Lord Sri Varadaraja, in the company of Sri Yadava Prakasa and his disciples, his heart swelled and he thought, Ah, here he is, who is going to be the Chief one day! Learning Skills

Sri Rama was the supreme Being who had incarnated. Yet, He systematically went through the motions of learning everything that he should, as a Kshatriya prince, who would one day wear the crown and be the sovereign. He had the skill of asking an appropriate question, in the right context and elicit a wealth of information. The Bala Kanda is nearly full of what he gathered from Visvamitra and similarly a great part of Uttara Kanda consists of Sage Agastyas narrations, in response to his queries. Page 12 of 38

If the sages Vasishtha and Visvamitra were the two principal gurus of Sri Rama, Sri Ramanuja had several gurus. But his chief guru was Sri Alavandar. Sri Ramanuja has described himself as Sri Alavandars Ekalavya! Lord Sri Varadaraja had communicated through Tirukkachi Nambi that Sri Ramanuja should look to lean on Peria Nambi for guidance for further evolution in the path. It was Peria Nambi who bestowed on him the Pancha Samskaras. Earlier, he was a sincere disciple of Sri Yadava Prakasa who was an Advaitin. Time, events, Sri Ramanujas towering scholarship and awareness of the Truths all combined together to raise him to a far higher plane and orbit and it was inevitable that he should move away from the Adavaita guru.

The rahasyarthas of the Ashtakshara Mantra and Charama Sloka were imparted to him by Tirukkoshtiyur Nambi. Sri Tirumalai Andan conveyed to him the inner essence and rasa of the Tiruvaymozhi. In the process, Sri Andan sensitized himself further to the deeper kernels of Truth inlaid by Sri Nammazhvar, which vibrations he had not been able pick up thus far but which were already flowing like an underground river in Sri Ramanujas heart! The precocious disciple could not resist offering a more exalted meaning than the one mentioned by Sri Andan. This piqued the teacher and he stopped further lessons. When he reported his experience to Tirukkoshtiyur Nambi, the latter made a brief but telling remark: Be like Sandipini, to whom an opportunity was provided by Sri Krishna himself, to assume the role of an instructor, clearly hinting that he Page 13 of 38

should consider himself privileged that Sri Ramanuja was sitting before him as a student. Sri Tiruvarangapperumal Araiyar emphasized to him the glory of an acharya that an Acharya should be regarded virtually as God walking in our midst. All about the samudram iva ratnadyam sarva sruti manoharam, that is Srimad Ramayana, was taught to him, over a period of one year, by his maternal uncle Sri Tirumalai Nambi.

Wherefore was the need to learn from six Acharyas? It seems that Sri Alavandar had deliberately designed it that way, in the manner of a King, who very thoughtful and concerned about the knowledge to be acquired by his prince, the heir apparent, having to be comprehensive and also perfect, would deliberately entrust the job of upbringing to several ministers, each extremely and insularly proficient in a particular branch of knowledge.

The soul grows taller through humility. It becomes richer by appreciating and praising with a natural ease and grace. This was the case with Sri Ramanuja. Sri Ramanujas humilty was so vast and there was spontaneity in his outgoing acts to applaud others for their rare displays of virtues like forgiveness, karuna and great god-ward love. He constantly enlarged and refurbished himself by picking up subtle truths from incidents in the lives of his disciples. When Kooresa was asked by Sri Ramanuja to sing the Varadarajastava and ask the Lord to restore his sight, Kooresa duly sang but remembering the peril which Nalooran was facing he was primarily responsible for Kooresa losing sight- asked the Lord that the good he may Page 14 of 38

be getting may be received by Nalooran also. The Lord, for whom ahimsa is a great dharma (Sundara Kanda 38.39: aanrusamsyam paro dharmah), promptly said, Yes, so be it. And Sri Ramanuja was unhappy, baffled, but was also lost in admiration.

On another occasion Govinda, his cousin was unable to bear the sight of a cobra which had a thorn painfully stuck in its tongue and without hesitation and with utter disregard for personal safety, he stuck his hand inside the fangs and removed the thorn. He was not even aware that obeying the reptilian instinct, the cobra had bit him; his karuna and faith made him immune. Sri Ramanuja became speechless when he heard of this incident.

A third instance concerns Urangavilli, the muscle man of Uraiyur. He was deeply in love with Ponnathal (also called Kanakambal). They were not yet married. When she came to Srirangam from Uraiyur, to attend the festivities arranged for Lord Sri Ranganatha, Urangavilli accompanied her and wherever she went, he followed, holding a shielding umbrella ardently over head. He did not pay attention to peoples smirks. Sri Ramanuja saw this. He felt parental towards them and mused, Such a profusion of care and love! Appropriately, it should belong to God! He took Urangavilli by the hand, took him inside the temple and made him experience the bliss of a close darsan of the Lord. The love in Urangavillis heart imbued with worldly hues, turned into the golden-coloured Bhagavat-kama.

Urangavilli fell at Sri Ramanujas feet and said, I am yours hereafter. Tell Page 15 of 38

me what I should do. Kanakamba did the same. Sri Ramanuja did not separate them. They were full of love of the self- giving kind. Such sheep will never graze elsewhere, thought he. He got them into his fold and made them man and wife. To demonstrate his love, he chose Urangavillis shoulder to rest his arm, while returning from Cauvery, after the daily holy bath.

Sauseelya

Is Sri Rama remembered more for his sausheelya or for his saulabhya? He who loves Sri Rama may not want to face this question. For, when any one of his innumerable qualities is capable of giving us all that we need in life here and beyond, why then should we force ourselves to make selection or a choice? Let us consider a few instances of his sausheelya and then take up saulabhya. In his very first encounter, Ravana was bested by Sri Rama in a matter of seconds. With the speed of lightning, Sri Rama rendered him chariotless and with a supreme arrow pierced his chest. Ravana became dizzy and was in a state of utter helplessness. Sri Rama next knocked down his crown and made it roll in the dust. Ravana realized that no one else than Sri Rama could save him and his life. However, his enormous ego prevented that realization from getting the upperhand. Sri Rama read his thoughts clearly. The Supremes generosity and karuna was such that the unspoken state itself claimed eligibility for protection. Sri Rama, therefore, outwardly said: Do not feel small. You had fought hard for a long time today. I give you permission to leave the battlefield. Page 16 of 38

Take rest and come tomorrow in a refreshed condition ( Yuddha Kanda sarga 59). Who else than Sri Rama could say words of such magnanimity to a person who had sunk so mean as to use maya and Maricha to abduct an unprotected Sita? When Sugreeva protested that Vibheeshana should not be accepted, Sri Rama could have replied, Look, I have this vrata. I happen to know more about the proper thing to be done on such occasions. He did not wish to choke any body like that. He gave full opportunity not only to Sugreeva but also to every body like Jambavan, Angada, who wanted to have a say. He was so concerned that while upholding his dearest dharma, he should not be seen as having bruised the feelings of those well wishers who were ready to give up their lives for him. He also knew that once he started speaking, he could convince everybody. Accordingly, he took into account every single argument in the debate and countered all of them. It was only after convincing them, that he said, Sugreeva, please go and fetch him. Even if you discover that it is not Vibheeshana, but Ravana himself in disguise, do not turn back in shock. Bring him. I am ready to accept Ravanas surrender and give him full protection.

Sri Ramanuja too revealed matchless noble mindedness and generosity to Sri Yadavaprakasa, the guru with limited siddhis and Sri Yajnamurti, the much read, vain, much travelled scholar. The former had tried to kill him and had vented on him, his small mindedness on several occasions. His diminutive perception of the real Truth had made him insecure, uncertain of his ground and jealous. But later on he felt like becoming an open page Page 17 of 38

before Sri Ramanuja so that the latter could freely inscribe on the receptive soul, sacred mantras and syllables. The guru longed to be taken as a sishya. The Lord, ever watchful and effusive towards those who wish to mend and turn to the right path, conveyed to Sri Yadavaprakasa that he need not agitate himself about any ritual act of contrition and that it was enough if he circumambulated Sri Ramanuja. Like a traveller who had reverted to the path he has to tread, and peace in his heart, he then approached Sri Ramanuja. Sri Ramanuja did not ridicule or heckle him. Such attitudes were totally unknown to him. On a sign made by him, Kooresa gave an extempore discourse on matter, jiva and the Paramatma how He is the Dual One, the Upeya, the One to be attained and the Upaya, the marga, the means too, and contemplating Him with love, is the Upaya. Sri Ramanuja then accepted him with great affection and also respect, renamed him as Govinda Jeer and asked him to write a valuable grantha called Yatidharma Samucchaya. He had the divinity to illumine ill-will and transform it into goodwill.

Sri Yajnamurthi challenged Sri Ramanauja Darsana and provocatively invited him for a debate to establish its superiority over his (Advaitic) Siddhanta. The loser was to become the disciple of the proclaimed winner. Sri Yajnamurti had no doubt as to who would be the winner.

The debate went on for seventeen days and it seemed to Sri Ramanuja that he had exhausted all his arguments and yet, had not advanced. In sorrow, in self-chastisement and in a mood to perform purificatory Page 18 of 38

penance, he fasted and went to rest, without even a frugal meal. Lord Sri Varadaraja chided him and said His intention was to recruit another able disciple for him. The Lord also drew attention specific portions of Sri Alavandars expositions which countered the mayavada, which had not been invoked. Evidently He had been a keen listener! On the next day, Sri Yajnamurthi looked at the tejas emanating from Sri Ramanuja and accepted defeat without a word and begged for pardon. Sri Ramanuja did not humble him but instead honoured him saying that the Lord had himself conveyed in his dream, the new name of Arulala Perumal Emperumanar and then proceeded to acquaint him with the inner meaning of the Divya Prabhandas. He used to address him as Devaraja muni and got a Math constructed for his stay. He also got him to write to two valuable granthas - Jnana Saram and Prameya Saram, containing an elucidation of the axiom that a good shishyatva is not to look beyond the Acharya. He also made him an essential member of his group, in all his travels thereafter.

Saulabhya

Sri Ramas saulabhya is the golden thread that runs through the whole of Ramayana. In a simple and unartful way, saulabhya can be explained as that inherent quality by which a person who, because of his exalted birth or other attributes, could have very well lived in an ivory tower, voluntarily and spontaneously discards that exclusivity and instead, makes himself extremely accessible, moves with the common and ordinary folks, and Page 19 of 38

gets touched by their day to day highs and lows. He does not also allow such a tower to be built for him!

Sumantra had a special relationship with Dasaratha. He was endowed with a exclusive knowledge relating to future events. He knew that Sri Sanatkumara had forecast that Dasaratha was bound to be childless for a long time but would be blessed with four immaculate sons and the rishi Rishyasringa would officiate in a yajna and make it possible. He knew through Durvasa, how Sri Ramas personal life would be affected in the era subsequent to the Ravana samhara. May be Sri Rama had all that in his subliminal mind when he gave him the most exquisite and scintillating paryanka darsana along with Sita, on the morning of the day set for his coronation. (His inner Divinity knew that Sumantras arrival meant that the moment for his departure to the forest for achieving the objective of the avataara had come and He rewarded the messenger!)

He referred to Guha as his atmasakha which may have left even Sita and Lakshmana wondering when, how and where such bond began! His concern for Guha was so much that he asked Hanuman to stop at Sringiverapura and convey tidings of his welfare to Guha, even while dashing to meet Bharata in Nandigrama. He subjected himself to vilification and abuse before Vali so that Sugreevas brother could ascend to the higher world to which he belonged without earthly bitterness and vicious hatred. At another level, Sri Rama who was experiencing the pangs of the householder due to separation, disregarded Page 20 of 38

himself and asked Sugreeva to spend some time with the family from whom he had remained away for a very long time, though it meant deferring the commencement of the search for Sita. Earlier, he told the rishis of Dandakaranya (truthfully!) that the main purpose of his stay in Dandaka was to be of assistance to them and Dasarathas command was just serendipity. Who could talk like him? After listening to his enhancing words and uplifting eulogy, everyone cannot but think, Really, Sri Rama, we do not deserve so much attention and praise ( Uttara Kanda 38.30: prashamsaarha na jaanimah).

Sri Ramanuja too overflowed with saulabhya. In Srirangam, when he went for his daily alms, he stopped one day at the house of Kongu Piratti. That lady was full of bhakti and adoration for Sri Ramanuja. She enquired timidly but audibly, Holy sire, kings come to you and wait to see you and hear a few words. Why must you go round like this for daily alms? Sri Ramanuja smiled. He was also pleased. The question was genuine and had come from a pure soul. He inclined his head slightly and said, Daughter, dear, people have many doubts. I just tell them about God, his Compassion and Grace. They become attached to me, therefore. And I have my sphere of duties; I have to go to people who are immersed in their lives and unable to tear themselves off from their whirl, to reach me. Kongu Piratti would not let him go. O Holy One, am I too unworthy to hear a few of those words? Then and there, Sri Ramanuja talked to her of the acharya parampara commencing from Sriman Narayana and narrated the names of all the acharyas, right up to himself. Much later, Page 21 of 38

she pleaded for reinstruction. Ever the compassionate guru, he was not at all irritated. It is said that Sri Ramanuja, a personification of accessibility and affection, stood before her long enough to recapitulate to her all that he had said earlier and also bless her with the knowledge of the precious dvaya mantra. He also presented her with his padukas, which, to her, became an object of life long ceremonious worship, naivedya etc., just as to Bharata, Sri Rama Padukas were in truth, Sri Rama himself.

When Athuzhai, the daughter of Peria Nambi complained that her motherin-law was biting and sarcastic that she had not brought any dowry or even some servants to carry out errands and household duties, Sri Ramanuja did not hold himself aloof. He did not admonish the mother-in -law from a spiritual height. Instead, he sent Mudaliandan along with Athuzhai to act as the in-house errand boy. It did not chasten the motherin-law one bit. She thought it was a cunning device by Peria Nambi to consign her to hell! Sri Ramanuja answered calmly that if she did not want Mudaliandan to be there, he would carry out the duties from the Math.

Whatever be their age or sect or the evolutionary maturity (of God awareness) of people, Sri Ramanuja never kept any barrier between them and himself. He saw the Almighty everywhere and in every activity. He saw all as God and God in all. He saw the Divine even in the play-acting of boys in the streets of Srirangam, enacting games of sanctum sanctorum decoration, ceremonial worship, offering etc.

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Karuna

It was his compassion that made Sri Rama openly grieve when Jatayu breathed his last in his lap. He then used his hidden Divinity to accord moksha to him. It was his sense of compassion and propriety that made him urge Vibheeshana to perform the appropriate kriyas for Ravana and made him shed his reluctance with the remarkable words mama api esha yatha tava (Yuddha Kanda, 113:101) implying that in regard to the respect to be shown to the lifeless sarira of Ravana, he and Vibhishina had identical duties.

Again, compasion it was that made him present himself before the wailing Tara and console her grief by the sheer power of his kindness and presence. Ma veera bharye vimatim kurushva (Kishkinda Kanda, 24:41) you are the wife of a superlative warrior; do not twist yourself to improper attitudes, not befitting yourself. said he to her.

What can be mentioned to equate Sri Ramanujas sense of karuna for the souls of all those leading routine and ordinary lives, though outwardly pious, than that he should have braved the wrath of his Acharya, a definite prospect of naraka and brazenly defy the restraint of nondisclosure placed on him, to give them an open upadesa of the Tirumantra and the charama sloka from atop the temple tower? Sri Ramanuja had learnt those rahasya mantras from Thiruk-koshtiyur Nambi after eighteen attempts, untold austerities and a month long, lifePage 23 of 38

famishing, upavasa. On being summoned and asked to explain, he replied in all simplicity, Yes, I am aware I may have to go to naraka but these men and women in hundreds and thousands will definitely gain moksha through the effect of the mantras, which bear the stamp of your utterance. That the Acharya became speechless and felt small that it had not been his good fortune to feel such an expansive compassion is another matter. That the Acharya hugged Sri Ramanuja, exclaiming, Art thou He? and gave him the name of Emperumanaar is also an altogether different matter. Sri Ramanuja had no thought for such things. His aim was not for himself. He aimed at making the soul buds of the people blossom by giving them an ineffable habit and a way of life in which, remembering Him and adoring Him, gained dominance.

This view is also possible: with an inscrutable smile, he may have aimed at making the Lord happy, by making Him hear His praise and greatness being sung in a chorus by a large collectivity.

It may be said that Sri Ramanujas contribution was to make those who were in one kind of pain or another in samsara and wanted relief and happiness, realize and persevere in that thought that He who alone could assure such relief and happiness. He caused two bonds to remain in place: a movement of aspiration from one side and answering Grace from the other. If the former happened in all sincerity and faith, the latter cannot but follow.

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Sri Rama and Sabari Sri Ramanuja and the Tiruvali-Tirunagari woman

After Sri Rama met Sabari and accepted her quiet satkara, he became a totally different person. His preoccupation with grief over Sitas loss and a sense of helplessness which was afflicting him until then, dropped off. He regained his customary equipoise. After watching Shabari ascend to the higher regions, he told Lakshmana that the bad time has ended and the auspicious and good things were around the corner (Aranya Kanda 75.5-6: pranashtham ashubham ... kalyanam samupastitham ... hrudaye ... shubham avirbhavishyati). The very sight of a devotee with a pure heart and sincere love is a breath of fresh air even to Paramatma! He considers that the time spent with such a devotee to be extremely well spent!

Sri Ramanuja too went through such an expansive experience once during his travels. While in Tiruvali-Tirunagari, Sri Ramanujas travel group encountered a harijan woman coming from the opposite direction. Would you to move to one side so that we may pass on? said one of the party. (In his biography Sri P.Sri has said Sri Ramanuja himself asked her so.) The accosted woman stood without moving, gave them a level look and asked, O Holy Sires, guide this simpleton. Where could she move? On the right, is the holy spot where, it is said the good Lord himself gave mantra upadesa to Sri Thirumngai Alwar. On the left, is the Thiruvali temple, His abode. Everywhere it is His sannidhi. Sri Ramanuja thought that he needed more lessons in humility in realization, because true awareness is Page 25 of 38

to perceive Him in every heart and he had failed there. It is said that he promptly bestowed on her the Sri Vaishnava samskaras.

Humour

Sri Rama was not a person who would wantonly make fun of people. Yet when he was giving away his possessions before leaving for the forest life, an aged Brahmin approached him for financial help. He had no idea that Rama was just then making dana prior to yatra. A smile hovered around Sri Ramas mouth when Trijata that was his name said he had a young wife and many children. He put away that incongruity along with his smile and, somewhat unctuously (Ayodhya Kanda 32.36: parihaasa

samanvitam), asked him to throw away his walking stick as far he might with a promise to donate as many cows of excellent breed as could be accommodated in the intervening space. The aged Tirjata took a long breath, retained it, and threw the stick in a heave which fell near the Sarayu. Valmiki has said that Sri Rama was taken aback, he became very contrite, apologized profusely and repeatedly and gave more than the cows promised.

Sri Ramanuja too was similarly taken aback at the results, when he indulged once in the luxury of a good natured, light hearted banter. He was proceeding towards Tirukkolur, the birth place of Sri Madhurakavi Azhvar to whom should be given the credit of opening up Sri Nammazhvar Page 26 of 38

to outpour the Tiruvaymozhi. As he was entering the town he encountered a village woman who was leaving the place. Sri Ramanujas spirits were high since he had paid respects to Namalwar in Alwar Thirunagari and was seeking to enhance it by visiting the place haloed by saint Sri Madura Kavi. On his own initiative, he jocularly remarked, What a surprise ammani, everywhere people are straining to visit this place but you belonging here, are bent on leaving it!

The village woman was no ordinary character. Her spiritual education was of a high order. She cast a pervasive look at the group and Sri Ramanuja, identified him with her superior instinct. Her eyes twinkled. She gave them a prim smile. Everyone expected her to make a bashful obeisance or stammer something but no one expected her to answer. But answer she did, with unmuffled clarity, swaying gently and holding the burden on her head lightly with one hand and making imperceptible gestures with the palm and fingers of the other. O Holiness, am I truly so worthy that it ought to make any difference as to where I stayed or what I did? She did not pause for a reply but plied as many as 81 aphoristic poserstatements, revealing a deep and intimate knowledge of the Itihaasaas and contemporary events in Sri Ramanujas life. Am I an Anasuya who mothered in the woods? Am I a Guha who escorted across the Ganga? Am I a Lakshmana who swore to serve and slaved away happily? Am I a Vidura who provided a feast for the Lord? Am I Tirumalai Nambi to claim insignificance before a world-saviour? Am I a child-prodigy like Andal? Am I an Amudanar to break into paeans of praise? Page 27 of 38

Sri Ramanuja was stunned. But he was also overjoyed that so many hearts were genuinely aglow with His Immanence.

Anger

It has been the way of the virtuous and the good that they tend to make the simple innocent and the truly devoted, who can bear with silence, the targets of their rare moments of irritation and anger. Sri Rama became grim and angry when Lakshmana expressed his resentment over Bharatas coming with an army, caparisoned elephant and all the associated paraphernalia of a king on the move. He asked him point bank whether he coveted the kingdom and made him collapse in confusion and speechlessness. He sharply rebuked him a second time in Panchavati, You have disobeyed me by coming here and leaving Sita alone. What he told Sita after the Ravana samhaara is too deeply and painfully etched in our hearts and need not be recalled in words.

Sri Ramanuja too became indignant (unjustifiably) with the simple, humble, devoted, straight forward and self effacing scholar Sri Kooresa, whose knowledge of Visishtadhvaita as espoused by Sri Alavandar was immaculate and impeccable. The understanding was that on the basis of the Bodhayana Vritii, as recalled by Sri Kooresa, Sri Ramanuja would dictate to him his Sri Bhashya. At one stage, Sri Kooresa stopped writing and would not resume even after being urged by Sri Ramanuja. Sri Page 28 of 38

Ramanuja was commenting on the Jivatma and the interpretation he had dictated seemed to suggest that it had an independent awareness and consciousness of its own which would be incompatible with its true status as a sesha among many seshas, the Lord alone being the only Seshi. It is said that Sri Ramanuja became annoyed, rose in a huff and went away shouting over his shoulder that Kooresa may himself undertake and complete the job. Sri Kooresa did not react. He did not also encourage any discussion thereon by the other disciples. Later, after a calm reflection, Sri Ramanuja realised that Kooresa was right and amended his interpretation.

As a householder Sri Rama possessed all the virtues and qualities required to make a person be an excellent householder. Marriage is an institution which gloriously facilitates deep care, unceasing self-giving love and that indescribable ambience which makes either feel enhanced all the time, and acknowledge candidly by thee I have greatened my mortal arc of life and carry on with even vaster self-giving acts and deeds. Sri Rama cared deeply and his love for Sita was total and profound. Sri Rama told Bharadvaja while asking him to suggest a suitable place for them to reside, Sita is a sukumari. She would not stay back in Ayodhya. I am very particular that the environment of our settlement here, should make her feel very comfortable and also delighted ( Ayodhya Kanda 54). Sri Rama not only felt great love but also made it a point to make it known in many ways to Sita, sometimes using nature or creating conditions to do so. Our life for about twelve years in Ayodhya was heavenly and there was not a Page 29 of 38

joy which we had not experienced, said Sita to Hanuman in Asoka-vana (Sundara Kanda 33.17: bhunjaanaa maanushaan bhogaan sarva kaama samruddhini). Like radiance cannot be separated from the sun, Sita cannot be separated from me, was what Sri Rama declared ( Yuddha Kanda 121).

Sri Ramanuja had all the qualities of not only being an excellent husband but a remarkable parent. He had nothing but affection and praise to bestow. He knew with his big heart that nothing does so much good as spontaneous love given and acceptance conveyed. But it was not to be that he should have been blessed with a wife of matching qualities and temperament. May be it was all part of His play. Sri Ramanujas wife Thanjamambal was reputed to be a pretty and beautiful lady but her merits abruptly stopped there. Regrettably, her vision and outlook operated on narrow belt of custom, convention and rituals. She had absolutely no idea or even an inclination to understand the higher and vaster consciousness in which her husband was moving all the time. If only it had struck her to feel amazed even once, at Sri Ramanujas flowing goodness and many-sidedness, their marriage-script might have turned different. As it was, it proved to be short-lived. In his biography, touching delicately on this sensitive matter, Sri P Sri has said it cannot be assumed that Sri Ramanuja did not make any attempt to change her nature; but the receptivity happened to be extremely poor. What could he do?

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Thought he thus, I do not have the good fortune of a satpatra kalatra,and went on, Well, I do not have a family: things will be like this; nothing can be changed. The worthy and noble Sri Ramanuja then went into a firm resolve (Uttara Kanda 105.18: na etad asti iti nischitya tushnim asit). He took a unilateral decision, with an inward feeling that Lord Varadaraja was approving his action, and adopted sanyasa.

Sri Ramanuja loved youngsters and children. He had a parental affection towards Govinda (Embar in later years), his cousin and Mudali-andan, his sisters son. He once encouraged Govinda to pay some attention to his domestic life. You ought to spend some quality time with your wife, he once said to Govinda, with a soft twinkle in his eye. The occasion was Govindas mothers complaint that her son does not seem to remember he has a wife to care and that he is not wedded only to his spirituality. But neither Govinda nor his wife were inclined to be worldly - women have always had a greater natural bent to turn body and soul to God, than men - even for a short duration. So Sri Ramanuja accorded them permission to renounce. But when Kooresa was blessed with twins Sri Ramanuja took all responsibilities on himself, to do appropriate samskaras to the new born children. He had them brought before him by Govinda who, while hugging them to his bosom, kept chanting the dvaya as a raksha and as a result Sri Ramanuja exclaimed, How come these infants smell gorgeously of dvaya? He entrusted life time guardianship for the children to Govinda.

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At least on one occasion, Sri Ramanuja is reported to have felt, Look I have become a sanyasi. I cannot be a parent. The pleasure of naming my children after Nammalvar is denied to me. It seems that when Sri Ramanuja was visiting Alwar Thirunagari, a pious dhobi was attending to his duties of washing clothes in the river ghat. The moment he saw Sri Ramanuja, he called out the names of his four sons one by one and asked them to prostrate before the saint. Satagopa, he called the first. Karimara was how he addressed his second son. Vakulabharana was the mouthful name of the third. He addressed the last with great affection, Kuruhur Nambi. Ah, a simple dhobi had an evocative bhakti to name all his sons after Nammalvar, and fell into a reverie. When his disciples asked him what made him suddenly lose in himself, he disclosed his sense of disappointment and sorrow that the joy of giving such picturesque names to his children and calling them out frequently had been denied to him.

Conclusion

We may pause here and look back. Through the incidents recalled from the Ramayana, and Sri Ramanujas life, we are able to understand even better why Sri Adisesha requested Sriman Narayana that in his earth-life as Ramanuja, he may think and act out as He did, in the Rama avatara, though looking like the fair complexioned shubhalakshana Lakshmana. He had been sent to complete a specific job on earth, of taking as many lives and souls as possible, in his capacious compassionate hands, make them Page 32 of 38

seek and hear answers to attain what, attain how, and thereby gently transfigure them. Recalling his svabhaava as Lakshmana, Sri Adisesha knew that in order to succeed in such a mission, he had to be a saulabhya purusha like Sri Rama. Remembering his svabhaava as Balarama, he also knew that what was needed was not abruptness and brusqueness but finesse, debonair manners and studied eloquence, in the manner of Sri Krishna. This may be the occult explanation as to why we are able to perceive both the primacy of Sri Rama- vaatsalya and the immaculateness of Sri Krishna, in Sri Ramanuja.

It was Sri Alavandars dream that the Divya Prabhandhas with which people at large had become familiar, should not be merely remembered and sung as an external activity, tucked away in a time-segment within the ever wheeling daily life- grind, but should be integrally internalized so that they could constantly peal gently and sonorously in every heart. Thereby, every devotee would be able to feel close to any or chosen few or all the archa murtis in the divya deshas, within human reach, and also to the inner Presence, namely the Antaryami, who was none other than the Shriyahpati.

There was another matter also. At least twice, Sri Krishna had advised Arjuna manmanaa bhava (Bhagvad Gita: 9.34 and 18.65). Remain focused on me. With your bhakti bhava, keep addressing me for the removal of all your difficulties and limitations. You may contemplate on my innumerable names, attributes which they signify, qualities,

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uniqueness, miracles performed as a blessing, leelas, avataras. If you do any of these it is worship. Actually, it is a demonstration of your great inseparable love eka bhakti (Gita 7.17), for me As a result, you, who are very dear to me, will attain me. Sri Krishnas words had encapsuled great many Truths not only about Him but also how to reach Him. They required to be formulated appealingly to the lay, and esoterically, to the intellectual. Now Sri Alavandar was a genius and thought high and very profound. When the Truth is exalted and high, the expression has a tendency to take on an abstraction which can put off even the most determined. There were also incontrovertible things like time, balance in the life span and in the context of such constraints, he needed a capable deputy with an ingrained dynamism, a chief. Sri Ramanuja filled that breach to perfection, being Sri Adisesha himself.

Sri Ramanuja meticulously attended to all the three issues, namely winning more hearts for the Divyaprabandha, annotate the Gita and compose the Gadya-traya to make a jijnasu of the common man and the Sribhashya for the wise jnani. With a mellow attention to detail, he himself first internalised the Divyaprabandha. That which is worshipped, carves for itself an inner Presence, and it usually whispers to the worshipper when and how to do a thing best. The Prabhandhas themselves, so to say pointed out to Pillan! Pillan was the late-born son of Sri Tirumalai Nambi and his spiritual care had been entrusted to Sri Ramanuja. He desired to be adorned with the name of Thiru Kuruhai Piran (Sri Nammalvar). Pillan had the unique ability to identify a Tiruvaimozhi pasuram being chanted Page 34 of 38

by Sri Ramanuja, from his facial expression and overall bhava. Sri Ramanuja therefore, chose him to write the Araayirappadi commentary on Thiruvaimozhi.

He then enlarged the Gita Sangraha of Sri Alavandar into a full fledged sloka-by-sloka commentary on the Gita the Gita-bhashya. (The Gitabhashya too was difficult and Svami Desika had to write the Tatparyachandrika to further explain it!) Then after ingathering the Bodhayana vritti, he wrote the Sri Bhashya, for scholar-teachers. Devi Sarasvati, it is said, was so impressed with his elucidations that she reverentially held the grantha and gave the name Sri Bhashya to it and the title Bhashyakara to Sri Ramanuja.

Sri Ramanujas teaching is very simple and straightforward.

The

Paramatma, the Para Brahman, Sriman Narayana is ever there. He is Unborn and Eternal. He is the Sarvasehi. He is the Supreme Creator. Everything came from Him. There is nothing in the existence without Him. It is He who sustains and protects all that He has manifested, all the time. He cannot be seen or approached but he can be experienced all the time, by those who aspire for it with single minded faith, sincerity and consecration. He is accessible to the devoted and the faithful. He doenot withdraw from the earthly beings. The beings do that to Him.

The Paramatmas fond wish is that all He has created should be at their best, and for that, all that they should do is remain in a state of Page 35 of 38

unseverable contact with Him. With your inner mind, be constant touch with Me! That touch is to Him, an invitation to extend help, shed Grace. He knows the Jivas need help all the time. Life is a pressuresituation. The Prakriti is constantly exercising pressure, (which is its way, like water flowing towards a depth) through the tanmatras- physical sensations of sight, smell, touch etc., of the Pancha Bhutaas, the five great elements and the trigunaas (satva, rajas and tamas) but He, for His part, is ready to help and lead forward, to a domain of peace and relief, when the call goes out to him.

That is the crux. The Jivatma endowed with a mind and will must own and admit (unlike Ravana, who did not) unegoistically, that he needs help, and address Him. He can articulate it as prayer, in bhakti bhava or surrender to Him, heart and soul, without even a word. The Supreme can hear unspoken words and register thought waves! More than that, without appearing in person or speaking in a legible tongue, He can make the Jivatma sense that He has heard and His Grace has started working as a force. He does not expect anything in return except that the soul which has taken birth in the world, with a sareera, should love Him with a spontaneous and inner urge to be close to Him - undannodu uravel namakku ingu ozhikka ozhiyadu(Thiruppavai, 28) Human beings enjoy others dependence since that makes them exercise authority and control. The Divine enjoys the dependence of the jivatmaas in order that He could row them safely ashore.

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First remember Him often; thereafter all the time. For, gradually, one will get to a permanent state of being He-minded, like the harijan woman of Thiruvali-Thirunagari. Offer to Him. Begin by offering what you can. Then what you have. Then, all of what one feels to be oneself, as a whole. It does not mean that this is the stage when one has to go into seclusion or a trance. Escape from life is not the teaching. The aarta (he who needs His help to recover lost wealth), the artharthi (he, who Trijata like wants wealth) are also sukritina bhaktaas meritorious devotees.( Gita, 7:16.) Unattachment to anything except Him is the teaching. This is a state of a limpid awareness of the paramountcy of the duties which have devolved on self, as part of the gamut of the inevitable obligations of the lifemovement.- like Mudaliandan who did not cease to be God-minded while helping out in Athuzhais household, which too, was regarded by him, as an offering. Such a self-giving duty does not make one diminished or empty.

Vibheeshana did not retain anything for himself when he surrendered; yet, he remained so rich that the unusual, unthought method of Sri Rama appealing directly to the Samudra Raja to give a helping hand, to cross the ocean, emanated from him. Every work done with He in the thought, becomes an offering, with the stamp of anukulyasya sankalpa- for furthering His will and plans. The consequences of such a dedicated work bear the protective and ineffable marks of His Power, Wisdom, Light, Delight and enormous Love. What was aimed at through such work, gets completed to perfection. Such accomplishments will be absolutely Page 37 of 38

infallible and auspicious because, His objective it is, which gets furthered. He is bound to feel delighted because He has secured a perfect instrument which He could use unhindered. (The mental resistance of the Jivaatma and the egoistic confidence in ones individulity is the hindrance.) Being His Instrument, without being conscious of it, is the ultimate Bliss.

Sri Ramanujas legacy is a rich, vibrant, luminous legacy. He has taught everyone how to build a bridge direct to His doorsteps. He has also taught how to make it incandescent all the way, through bhakti, a self-giving bhakti. Remember Him and love Him the way, Sri Nammalvar, Sri Thirumangai Alvar or Andal did and He, as an antaryaami will turn phosphorescent, he said. The combined luminosity cannot but overflow and become spatial.

References: 1. Guru Parampara Prabhaavam - Muvayirap-padi 2. Guru Parampara Prabhaavam - Aarraayirap-padi 3. Sri Ramanujar P.Sri 4. Sri Ramanujar-Life History - Swami Ramakrishnananda - In Tamil-Ka. Sri.Sri. 5. The Life of Ramanujacharya - Alkondaville Govindacharya 6. Sri Ramanujar T.N. Suki Subramanian 7. Sri Ramanuja Vaibhavam - Vadivazhahiya Nambi Dasar - Meaning and Explanation Sri R. Kannan Swami Page 38 of 38