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Satakopa & Ramanuja are like Eyes for Shree Vaishnavam

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M.S.HARI (Madabhushi Sarangarajan Hari) • May 17, 2000 


Dear Shree Vaishnavas,

Namaskaram. On the day we celebrate Satakopa Namalwars's Tiru Nakshaktram,
let us remember the divine contribution of Shree Satakopar (Namalwar)
and pray to get Alwar's blessings.

Shree Satakopar (Namalwar), an incarnation of Shree Vishvaksena 
(who is a Nitya Soori, commander-in-chief of Vishnu's divine army),
is attributed with four divine works called Divya Prabandams in
Tamil namely "Tiru Vaai Mozhi, Tiru Virutham, Tiru Aasiriyam and
Periya Tiru Andaadi". These four works are purport of four Vedas.
The six divya prabandams of Tiru Mangai Alwar are equivalent to
the six angas of the Veda. Shree Satakopar Namalwar made the Veda
in Tamil and that is why he is called "Vedam Tamil Seydavar".

He is the head of our Shree Sampradaya and that is why he is called
"Shree Vaishnava Kula Pati". He is in the lotus feet of the Lord
Shreeman Naaraayana. Only by his divine mercy, we can get the correct
knowledge regarding liberation so that we can adopt Prapatthi. He is
therefore called as "Saranaagatha Santhana Jana Kootasta" - The head
of all Prapannas. He is called Vakulaabharana because he used the
Vakula (Magizam Poo) flower garland.

During the birth time, a Vayu named "Satam" makes the child to forget
his iGnayaanam. As Namalwar is a divine incarnation, he made a roar
"Humkaaram" with anger and made the Sata-Vayu not to come near him.
Therefore he was born with divine knowledge and also the Lord blessed
him with the ultimate knowledge. He is therefore called "Satakopa,
Satari, Satavairi, Satajit etc.".

Only Shree Madhurakavi Alwar can tell Shree Satakopa's greatness as
it is infinite. "Kanninun Chiru Tambu" prabandam talks about that. 

Shree Bhagavat Ramanuja Yatiraja had the highest regards and respect
for Shree Satakopa Namalvar and used his Divya Prabandams to comment
on Brahma Sutra. He made his disciple Tiru Kurugai Piran Pillan to
write commentry on Tiru Vai Mozhi which is called Bhagavat Vishayam's
Tiru Aaraayira Padi.

Shreemath Vedanta Maha Desikar and Shreemath Manavaala Ma Munigal
have written extraordinary articles/works on Alwar's divya prabandams.

Shree Satakopa's divya prabandams resulted because of his divine
experiences with the Lord. He got very much impressed by the divine
beauty of Lord Hari's Eyes which are celebrated in the Veda. Whenever
Alwar refers the Lord by the name "Kamala Kannan", the heart
of Alwar melts because of the beauty of the Lord's eyes. But whenever
we listen to the meaning of Alwar's prabandams, our heart melts because
of the beauty of Alwar's prabandams. Just like each Guna of the Lord 
is an extraordinary wonder and each form of Lord is full of divine 
beauty, each Paasuram/word of Alwar's prabandams is even more
wonderful and beautiful as Alwar's prabandams have the capacity to
make the Lord to show all his gunas and forms to the listener of
the same.

When I told about the Lotus-like-divine-beautiful eyes of the Lord,
I remembered how Bhagavat Ramanuja explained that beauty as celebrated
in the Veda. 

"Kapyaasam Pundarekameva Akshani"
=================================
Once Shree Ramanuja was helping his guru Yadavaprakasa (who was a 
Bhedhaabheda vadin and later became the diciple of Shree Ramanuaja) to take
oil  bath and Yadavaprakasa was explaining the purport of a
Chandogya Upanishad statement as told by a celebrated Advaita Scholar. He 
said, "Kapyaasam" means the  back(buttocks) of monkey and the Lord's eyes 
are red like the back of   monkey(ape) - this was his 'vytputi' for 
Kapyaasam. 

On hearing this Shree Ramanuja's eyes got filled with tears because he
felt sorry for such an interpretation and the warm tears fell on the
shoulders of Yadavaprakasa. Yadavaprakasa was shocked and asked Shree
Ramanuja the reason or tears. Shree Ramanuja humbly told that the 
interpretation given was not at all proper. Shree Raamaanuja said 
"Kapyaasam" means blown/flowered (lotus) by the sun. "Kapi means Sun 
because, 'Kam pibati iti kapi' the sun drinks(evoporates) the water". 
"Aasam" means "Vikasita" blown/flowered by the sun. The lotus bud unfolds 
itself by the rays of Sun. Therefore Shree Ramanuja said that Lord Hari's 
eyes are as beautiful as the lotus flower bud unfolded by the Sun. He 
later explained this in his Bhaashyaas the same vedic verse as "Gambhira
Ambas Sambhootha Sumrushta Naala Ravi Kara Kirana Vikasita Pundareekam
Iva Akhshani" meaning the Lord Vishnu's eyes are like the lotus flower
which is grown in rich deep water with thick stem unfolded by the hands
(rays) of the Sun" - This explanation of Shree Ramanuja is more 
beautiful than the eyes of the Lord! The lord is therefore called
"Pundareekaaksha:". This verse not only ascertains that the Supreme
Self (Brahman-Paramaatman) has divine body explained by Veda but also
the Supremacy and identity of the Lord.

Hope you enjoyed the beauty of eyes of the Lord and the real purport 
as given by Bhagavat Ramanuja Yatiraja. To have more and more 
anubhavam of the same, please read Tiru Vai Mozhi of Namalwar. 

These 2 great gurus who are unparalled and unsurpassed in divine wisdom
are themselfs like two eyes for our Visistaadvaita Shree Vaishnava
philosophy and practice. On Shree Satakopa Namalwar's Tiru Nakshatram
day, let us get Alwar-Aacharya-Emberumaanaar-Seeraar Toopul Tiru
Venkatamudayan-Manavaala Ma Munigal-Bhagavat-Bhaagavata anugrahams by
thinking about their divine mercy.

Thanks & Regards
M.S.HARI Ramanuja Daasan.

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