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Re: udayavar sannidhi

From the Bhakti List Archives

Venkatesh K. Elayavalli • April 18, 1999 


[for some reason this email bounced back. I am sorry if this is
email gets duplicated].

Dear Smt  Srimathy

you had three questions in one of your emails: Ramanujar Sannidhi (1)
acharyas prior to Ramanuja (2) and Samashrayanam (3).

I can give some pointers on questions (2) and (3) first and then
go to question 1.

Answer to question (2)

There are a few  acharyas and others important to
Sri Vaishnavam prior to Sri Ramanujar, Starting
with Nathamuni who restored the Divya Prabhandham, the
list includes:

Nathamuni
Uyakkondar (also known as Pundareekaakshar)
Kurukai kavalappan
Melai yakath aazhvaan, keezhai yakath aazhvaan (Nathamuni's nephews)
Tirukkannamangai aandaan
Manarkaal Nambi (also known as Ramamishra)
Alavandar (also known as Yamunachari, grand son of Nathamuni)
Periya nambi
Tirukkottoyur nambi.
Tirumalai aandaan
Periya tirumalai nambi
Tiruvaranga perumal araiyar
tirukkachchi nambi

(Alavanthar had 20 disciples not all listed here).


(There may be more, as this list only outlines the important
personalities
prior to Ramanujar).

For more information on some these acharyas, please refer to

http://www.srivaishnava.org

and select the "Sri Vaishnava Acharya" link

For question 3. pelase go to the same site above and select the
Customs link.

On question (1)

It is believed  that the image of Ramanuja was discribed by Nammalvar
to Nathamuni when he received the 4000 DP from him.
Nathamuni got an idol  created based on his recollection, and was
planning to pass iton to his grandson as per Nammalvar's command.
However since his grand son was not born at the time of his death,
he gave the idol to Uyakkondar making sure that he will pass it
on to Nathamuni's grandson. Again,  when Uyakkondar was
about to reach his teacher's  feet, he passed the idol on to his Sishya
Rama mishra, as Yamunacharya was not born yet. Later, after many
years, when Yamunachari was a prince, Ramamishra sought his
audience and invited him to Sirrangam temple by saying that he
would like to give him the beautiful/huge treasure that belonged to his
grandfather.

When yamunachari went to srirangam, Rama mishra took him to the
Ranganathar Sannithi. This was the turning point of Yamunachari
who later became the spiritual teacher for Ramanujar. After his
initiation, Rama mishra handed over the idol to Yamunachari.
I am not sure if the Sannidhi was built before or after Ramanujar's
time.

The above account is from a book by Smt Ranganayaki Kallaapiran.
I may have made some errors in interpreting the tamil text.

Someone else can mention about the Sannidhi timings

Thanks

--

Venkatesh K. Elayavalli                          Cypress Semiconductor
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