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Article by Sri TA Krishnamacharya Swami

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TCA Venkatesan • April 28, 2002 


Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Dear BhAgavatas,

Adiyen some time ago obtained a book containing
several articles by Nyaya Vedanta Vidwat Siromani
Sri U.Ve. T.A. Krishnamcharya Swami.

I have translated the first of the articles 
titled "Sri Ramanuja Siddhantham and 
Thiruvenkadamudaiyan" and posting it here. As
time permits I will translate some of the other 
articles as well.

Any errors in the translation are entirely mine
due to my poor knowledge and poor grasp of
language and I ask everyone's forgiveness for
the same.

adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan
http://www.acharya.org

--

Sri Ramanuja Siddhantham and Thiruvenkadamudaiyan


Translation of an article by Sri. TA Krishnamacharya
Swami. The article by sri TAK Swami was based on
an upanyasam made by Sri Karappankadu Venkatacharya
Swami in the 1940s in the Nammazhvar Sannidhi at
Thiruppathi.


As Visishtadvaitam has been mentioned in the Vedas, 
it is considered as being timeless. At different 
times it has become hidden and has been brought 
forth by Azhvars and Acharyas. Swami Nammazhvar 
and Swami Ramanujar are considered as the leaders 
among Azhvars and Acharyas and both have brought 
this sampradhayam to the front and made it shine 
for the world.

Amongst the 108 divyadesams that Azhvars sang about,
Koil (Srirangam), Thirumalai and Perumal Koil 
(Thirukkacci Varadaraja Perumal Koil) are 
considered as the prime three. Srirangam was sung 
by all Azhvars, while Thirumalai was sung by all 
Azhvars but Thondaradippodi Azhvar. This could be 
one reason to consider Koil as the first and 
Thirumalai as second among the divyadesams.

However, looking at it in a certain way it can be 
taken that Thirumalai should be considered as the 
first. Thiruppanazhvar enjoyed Sri Ranganathar from 
feet to head and sang the glorious "amalanadi piran" 
pasuram. At the end of these pasurams he said that 
his eyes having seen Arangan will not see anything 
else. However, even he sang about Thiruvenkadavan
in his first and third pasurams of amalanadi piran.
When the vyakyanam for these pasurams are read, it
is understood that the Lord when descending from
Sri Vaikuntam stood first at Thirumalai and then
rested at Srirangam. Since He stopped at Thirumalai
first, it can be considered as first even ahead of
Srirangam. Also, since Thiruvenkadavan and Sriranga
nathan are one and the same (based on the amalanadi
piran pasurams), we can consider that Sri 
Thondaradippodi Azhvar also sang about 
Thiruvenkadamudaiyan. After all, all the Azhvars 
speak in one voice and speak the same words. 
Therefore, Thirumalai can be considered as the 
primary divyadesam.

In bringing the light on the Srivaishnava 
siddhantham, Swami Nammazhvar and Swami Emperumanar 
both were deeply attached to Thirumalai.

The first part of the Dvaya mantram explains the 
Saranagati thathvam. That is, attaching one's 
self to the Lord's lotus feet through His consort 
Sri. The second part of Dvayam requests the fruit 
of eternal kainkaryam following the surrender. 
These two thathvams of Saranagati and Kainkaryam 
were both presented to Thiruvenkadamudaiyan by Sri 
Nammazhvar through the "agalakillen" and "ozhivil 
kalam" pasurams. Sri Ramanujar also began Sri 
Bhashyam by praying that he attain Bhakti to Lord 
Srinivasa, who is the para brahmam. Emperumanar 
also presented the great Vedartha Sangraham to 
Lord Srinivasa. Thus, as Sri Nammazhvar and Sri 
Ramanujar were greatly attached to Thirumalai, 
it can be thought of as the first divyadesam. 

It must be understood that Srirangam is not being 
put down through these words (nahi ninda nyayam).

It is said that the only refuge for the soul is 
that which is presented by an acharya. As
acharyas, we need to know what Sriman Narayana,
Sri Nammazhvar and Sri Ramanujar have told and
followed.

Sriman Narayana has pointed to Bhakti as the path
to Moksha in many places but He has also 
emphasized Sarangati as the main path for 
mumukshus ("mumukshurvai SarNam aham prapadhye").
Sri Nammazhvar also has advised Bhakti margam in
several pasurams but he performed Saranagati
through the "agalakillen" pasuram. Sri Ramanujar 
also emphasized Bhakti in several places in Sri
Bhashyam but performed Sarangati through the
Gadya Trayam. Thus, as acharyas all of them have
pointed to prapatti as the primary method even
ahead of Bhakti, and that the prapatti would lead
to the fruit of eternal kainkaryam.

Let us look further at Azhvar's prapatti. Sri 
Lakshmana swore that he would do everything for 
Sri Rama ("aham sarvam karishyAmi") and obtained 
the fruit of kainkaryam through Sita pirAtti. 
Sri Nammazhvar also wished to do kainkaryam to 
Lord Srinivasa and through pirAtti's purushakAram 
surrendered to Thiruvenkadamudaiyan. However, 
Nammazhvar's Saranagati is to be considered 
greater than even that of Sri Lakshmana. Even
though Ilaya Perumal said he would do everything
that Sri Rama commanded, he did not accept Sri 
Rama's command to stay back in Ayodhya. Sri
Nammazhvar's word was that he should do every 
kind of service and without break to the Lord. 
As there are no false words in Azhvar's works, 
it is clear that he performed that kind of 
service to the Lord. Thus Azhvar's saranagati 
is considered higher.

Let us look at the agalakillen pasuram further.
Here Sri Nammazhvar expressing his inability to 
do anything surrenders to Thiruvenkadamudaiyan, 
who is the repository of all kalyANa guNas, 
through pirAtti. By reahing the Lord through 
Her in the very first line, Azhvar makes sure 
that he will get what he is seeking. It is said 
that there are four requirements for the 
attainment of moksham. They are the body, the 
soul, the Lord and His consort. Sri Varaha 
Perumal when advising Bhooma Devi indicates 
that the body is a requirement ("susvasthe 
shariire sati"). The nama: term in the 
Thirumantram shows that the soul (that has 
understood its incapacity to save itself and 
surrendered to the Lord) is a requirement. In 
the Carama sloka, the Lord has shown that He 
is a requirement. And the Dvaya mantram shows 
that without pirAtti's sambandham He will not 
complete this work. Since it is clear that the 
purpose of Sarangati is incomplete without 
pirAtti, Nammazhvar approaches Her in the very 
first line of the pasuram.

That pirAtti sambandham is needed for Sarangati 
to work is clear when looking at Kakasuran and
Ravanan. Due to the fear of a curse, Ravana
did not even touch Sri Sita, whereas Kakasura
did an unthinkable sin against Her. Ravana during 
the war lost everything and stood incapable of
doing anything in front of Sri Rama. Kakasura
ran the three worlds to escape Sri Rama's astra
and failing fell at His feet without even being 
able to move. Since Saranagati is falling at 
His lotus feet expressing our inability to do
any thing, both of them should have been saved.
Yet while Kakasura's greater sin was forgiven, 
Ravana was killed. The reason being that in the 
case of Kakasura, Sri Sita was with Sri Rama 
but not so in the case of Ravana. In addition, 
after Ravana was killed, Sri Hanuman requested 
Sri Sita that She permit him to kill all the 
rakshasis that were guarding and torturing Her. 
Sri Sita however told Hanuman that everyone 
sins in this world and that he should let them 
go. It is clear that if She can convince Sri 
Hanuman, who was born in the vAnara race that 
does not easily give up any thing, She can 
convince the Lord who would listen to Her to 
forgive our sins.

During the avatara times, She might be separated 
from Him for some time. But, She never leaves 
Her Lord at Thirumalai and as such Nammazhvar
surrenders to Him there. By Her presence, the
kalyANa guNas that come to the fore are 
Vatsalyam, Svamitvam, Sauseelyam and
Saulabhyam. Nammazhvar further talks about 
these guNas in the pasuram as "nigaril pugazhAy", 
"ulagam moonRudaiyAy", "ennai ALvAne", and 
"thiruvEnkadaththAne". In the final line of the 
pasuram he performs complete surrender to Him.

Thus Nammazhvar shows the upAya and upEya
meanings that are Saranagati and Kainkaryam
through his pasurams "agalakillen" and 
"ozhivil kalam". This Ramanuja siddantham,
that kainkaryam is the moksham and that it
is obtained through His grace, is seen in
surrendering to Thiruvenkadamudaiyan and in
performing service to Him.

Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

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