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Thirumalai Anandanpillai • April 23, 1996 


hi all,
This is a forwarded post from Mrs. Nagu Satyan.

Thanks,
Varadhan


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>From Nagu.Satyan@den.mmc.com Tue Apr 23 14:24 MDT 1996
X400-Received: by /c=us/admd=telemail/prmd=mmc/; converted ( IA5-Text);  Relayed; 
 

SRI DASARATHY (MUDALEEAANDAAN) THIRUNAKSHATHTHIRAM

Sri Daasarathy, a devoted and learned disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya, is the son of Sri 
Ananthanarayana Dikshithar and Smt. Bhoomi Naacheyaar, sister of Sri Ramanujacharya.  
This couple lived in Pettai, near Poondhamalli close to Madras.  The presiding deity in the 
village temple is Pachchai Vaarana Perumaal (green color God).  Since the couple, staunch 
devotees of Sri Rama, did not have any children for a long time, they prepared on a journey 
to Tirupathi to pray for a son.  That night Sri Rama appeared in their dream and informed 
them that He (Sri Rama) would be born as their son and asked them not to go to Tirupathi.  
Accordingly, the couple were blessed with a son soon after.  He was born in the month of 
Chitthirai (mesha in sowramana and chaithra in chaandramana) under the star punar 
poosam (punar vasu).  In 1996, his thirunakshatthiram falls on Wednesday, 24 April 1996.

The parents named him Daasarathy (meaning Dasaratha's son).  When Sri Ramanujacharya 
heard about the birth of his nephew, he visited the blessed couple at Pachchai Vaarana 
Perumaal koil (temple).  As soon as he saw the luster (Tejas) in the baby, he named him 
"Mudaleeaandaan" and to protect the child he recited the divya manthiraas (sacred verses).  
The father taught Daasarathy the Vedas and shaastraas, and at the age of eighteen, the 
parents celebrated his marriage.  When Daasarathy heard about his maternal uncle 
becoming a sanyaasin, he visited Sri Ramanujacharya at Kanchipuram who initiated 
Daasarathy in the Pancha Samskaaraas.  Daasarathy stayed back with his uncle and devoted 
his life to be of service to Sri Ramanujacharya.  

When Aalavandaar (Yamunacharya), the spiritual leader of Sri Vaishnavas who was in 
Srirangam realized that his mortal life was nearing an end, he sent Sri Periya Nambi (Maha 
Purna) to escort Sri Ramanujacharya to Srirangam to assume the leadership of Sri 
Vaishnavas.  Sri Periya Nambi offered his prayers to Lord Varadaraja at Kanchipuram, 
obtained the blessings and permission to escort Sri Ramanujacharya to Srirangam.  Sri 
Periya Nambi, Sri Ramanujacharya and Daasarathy left for Srirangam.  By the time they 
reached Srirangam, Aalavandaar's soul had left this world.  Sri Ramanujacharya accepted 
his position as the head of Sri Vaishnavas.  

In accordance with Aalavandaar's instructions, Sri Ramanujacharya requested Sri 
Thirukottiyur Nambi (Gostipurna) to teach him the Ashtaaksharam.  When Sri 
Thirukottiyur Nambi noticed that Daasarathy and Koorathaazhwar (Kuresa, another 
disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya) had accompanied Sri Ramanujacharya, who had been 
specifically instructed to come alone, he questioned Sri Ramanujacharya why he had not 
obeyed his instructions to come alone.  Sri Ramanujacharya then replied, " I am a sanyaasi.  
A sanyaasi never goes anywhere without his ThriDandam and Pavithram".  He referred to 
Daasarathy as his "ThriDandam" and to Kuresa as his ÒPavithramÓ.  According to shastraas 
(not sure about the references), ThriDandam is considered as an Amsam (manifestation) of 
Lord Vishnu, and since Daasarathy was an avathaar of Lord Rama (Vishnu), it is 
acceptable to refer to Daasarathy as ThriDandam. 

However, Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi again instructed Sri Ramanujacharya to come back 
alone.  Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi made Sri Ramanujacharya come back eighteen times before 
he finally instructed Sri Ramanujacharya about the greatness of Ashtaaksharam.  As soon 
as Sri Ramanujacharya came out of Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi's house, Sri Ramanujacharya 
looked at Daasarathy and told him " Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi is in an exalted mood after 
describing the great significance of Ashtaaksharam.  You now go to him and ask him to 
teach you the Ashtaaksharam."  When Daasarathy requested Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi to 
teach him the Ashtaaksharam, Sri Thirukottiyur Nambi replied "After you get rid of your 
pride/ego about your caste, wealth and knowledge, Sri Ramanujacharya himself will 
instruct you about it."  Sri Ramanujacharya eventually instructed him regarding the 
Ashtaaksharam.  

Sometime later because of the ruling Chola King's harassment, Sri Ramanujacharya 
escaped to Thirunaaraayanapuram (MElkOte) in Karnaataka, along with Daasarathy and 
other disciples.  After Sri Ramanujacharya restored the Moolavar (main god) and Utsavar 
(procession God) at Thirunaaraayanapuram, Daasarathy traveled north visiting places like 
Belur and defeated the Maayavadhins in a series of debates and made them realize their 
mistakes and helped them in becoming disciples of Sri Ramanujacharya.  Along the way 
Daasarathy established the following five Narayana divya sthalams (sacred places)--1) 
Keerthi Narayana at Thaayak-kaatil, 2) Sriman Narayana at Thondanoor, 3) Veera 
Narayana at Karukala, 4) Vijaya Narayana at Vijayapuram and 5) Kesava Narayana at 
Belur.

After being away for twelve years at Thirunaaraayanapuram, Sri Ramanujacharya and his 
disciples returned to Srirangam after they learned about the demise of the Chola King.  The 
prince (son) of the Chola King met Sri Ramanujacharya and asked him for forgiveness and 
became Sri Ramanujacharya's follower.  Daasarathy won a debate with a great vidhwaan 
(scholar) Milakaazhvaan, convincing about his wrong assumptions and made him a 
follower of Sri Ramanujacharya.  

At the temple in Srirangam, Daasarathy got deeply involved in the service of various tasks.  
One day he approached his teacher (Guru) Sri Ramanujacharya and expressed his sorrow 
that he was getting old and did not have a son to continue the service to God.  
Unexpectedly, at that time Sri Ramanujacharya received Prasaadam from the temple.  Sri 
Ramanujacharya noticed the cloth used to cover the sacred prasaadam.  His face blossomed 
and his body felt a thrilling moment.  He removed the cloth which had been used to drape 
over Perumaal during Thirumanjanam.  The cloth was full of the sacred fragrance.  Sri 
Ramanujacharya informed Daasarathy that God had heard Daasarathy's trouble.  He gave 
the cloth to Daasarathy's wife, who accepted it with bhakthi (devotion) and placed it on her 
head with reverence.  Sri Ramanujacharya took some prasaadam and gave the left over to 
Daasarathy's wife.  Soon after that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.  Because 
the son was born after eating the prasaadam left over by his guru Sri Ramanujacharya, 
Daasarathy named him Ramanujam.  However, Sri Ramanujacharya named the child 
Kandaadai Aandaan (one who wore kandaadai) since Sri Ramanujacharya felt that the child 
was the blessings received through Perumaal's fragrant (kandam) cloth (aadai).  The 
second meaning for Kanda is torn and Kandaadai means torn cloth.  The followers of 
Kandaadai Aandaan have come to be known as Kandaadai family.

It is also believed that Daasarathy is the Paadukai (sandals) of Sri Ramanujacharya.  
Daasarathy is also known as Vaathula Desikar in Srirangam as well as in Pettai, his birth 
place.  Because he was born in Chitthirai there is ten day celebration observed in Pettai, 
ending in his birth star Punar Poosam (Punar Vasu). 

Background on Sri Rama avathaaram

When Sriman Narayana took Sri Rama avathaar to protect the devas, Sri Adisesha was 
born as his younger brother Lakshmana.  Lakshmana spent his whole life selflessly serving 
Sri Rama with utmost love and devotion.  When Rama observed that Lakshmana was fully 
engrossed in serving him (Rama) without thinking about his needs, Rama had a yearning to 
be born as Adisesha's younger brother to serve him (Adisesha).  Accordingly, in the 
Dvaapara yuga, Lakshmana was born as the older brother Balarama and Rama as younger 
brother Sri Krishna.  It appears that Rama (Krishna) was not fully satisfied that he had 
adequately served Adisesha (Balarama).  Rama was waiting for another opportunity to be 
born to serve Adisesha.  In Kali yuga, Sri Ramanujacharya came to earth as Adisesha's 
manifestation.  Sri Rama waited for the opportune time and manifested as Daasarathy, 
devoted student of Sri Ramanujacharya and served him to fulfill Rama's desires in Thraita 
yuga.  
				3



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