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Re: acharyas

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • Fri Oct 26 2001 - 06:38:03 PDT 


At 01:14 AM 10/11/01 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear Bhaghavatas,
>
>A.  Can anyone tell me more about these acharyas?
>
>1. Pillai Uranga Villidasar
>
>2. Mara Neri Nambi
>
>3. Kuruhai Kavalar
>
>I want to know a little about them; about their
>acharyas; any interesting incidents, etc.  I have been
>told that Maraneri Nambi was from Thondar kulam. 
>Correct me if I am wrong.
>
>pranams
>raji sridhar

Namo Narayana ! 

Dear Srimathi Raji Sridhar:

Kuruhai Kaavalar is direct sishya of 
AchArya Naatha Muni, the grand father of 
Swamy Alavandhar . Mara NERi Nampi is 
the disciple of Swamy AlavandhAr . Yes, MaaRa NERi 
nampi belonged to Thondar Kulam. Sri periya
Nampi , anothe rdisciple of Swamy Alavandhar 
and One of the AchAryans for Sri RaamAnujar
perfomed the last rites for MaaRa NERi Nampi 
a the command of His achaaryan.

(1)Kuruhai Kaavalappan (KK)recived upadEsam
from Swamy Naatha Muni on Yoga Rahasyam.
He was immersed in Yogam and wanted 
to pass the Yoga Rahasyam to Swamy Alavandhaaar,
who missed the opportunity due to his inability
to return to Thirukkuruhai Kaavalappan 's
side before he ascended to Sri Vaikuntam. 
The secrets of Yoga Rahasyam that Swamy Naatha Muni recd. 
from Swamy NammAzhwAr was thus lost  to us. 
KK gave us the Taniyan for for MoonRAm ThiruvandhAthi.

(2)MaaRa NERi Nampi is one of the disciples of
Swamy Alavandhar and was born in Aadi Aayilyam at PaaNDya 
Desam.He tok on himself the cancerous growth
on the body odf Swamy AlavandhAr as AchArya prasAdham
due to his matchless Guru Bhakthi.He requested that
his body blessed by Swamy AlavandhAr should not 
be entrusted to his avaishnava brethern and begged 
Periya Nampi to perform his last rites. Periya nampi
obliged and RaamAnujA Questione d his AchAryan ,
Periya nampi about the appropriateness of a Brahmin
( Periya nampi) performing apara KriyAs ( Last rites)
for some one of lower caste. Periya nampi cited
the instance of Raaamachandran performing 
last rites for a bird (Jataayu) and conceded
that he is not loftier than Raamachandran and
that MaaranERi Nampi was not lower in glory than
JatAyu. Periya Nampi also asked Raamaanuja , his
dear disciple , to reflect upon the inner meanings
of Swamy NammAzhwAr's ThiruvAimozhi(TVM) paasurams 
NedumARkkadimai (TVM 8.10) and PayalumsudaroLi (TVM 3.7),
celebrating the greatness of the BhaagavathAs. 

3) PiLLai URangA Villi Daasar:He is  adirect disciple of 
RaamAnujA of Sudra Caste. RaamAnujA used to hold his hand   
for support at his old age during his travel from
Cauveri bank to Matam .When some one questioned 
RaamAnuja about this , he answered :
For Brahmins , there will be pride and hesitation born
out of the pride about performing kaimkaryams after 
being born in the top kulam . For SoodhrAs , whose
varNAsrama dharmam is to serve others , there is 
no hesitation wahtsoever about kaimkaryams . The heart
of SoodhrAs are pure .Hence I hold Urangaavalli
Daasar's hand to remove my VarNAsrama AbhimAnam
and pride.

UrangAvilli Daasar(URD) as in charge of RaamAnujA's
treasury at the matam and he had two disciples 
known as Vandar and Sundar , who helped him in
this task.URD watched over Udayavar during the night
and his name comes from his sleepless vigil just as 
LakshmaNA watched over RaamA during His forest exile.  

The ten messages that AchArya RaamAnujA to Mudali ANDAn 
about the uniqueness of the 4th VarNam ( Soodhra VarNam)
are very important for us to reflect upon.Here we see 
the greatness of AchArya RaamAnujA , the most merciful
to all VarNatthAr . NUmbe rof AzhwArs were not
'born in the BrahmaNa VarNam ( Swamy NammAzhwAr,
Thirumangai Mannan , ThiruppANar et al). AchArya
RaamAnujA wove in these points in his ten messages
to Mudali ANDAN , His Paadhukai and ThridhaNDam.

Empaar's ten messages to Bhattar on VaishNava
LakshaNam are also worth upon by all of us
to practise the true principles of our glorious
tradition as Sri VaishNavAs.

NamO NaarAyaNAya ,
V.Sadagopan 
                                                                            
                                                                   
          



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