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The Ramayana in the Theology and Experience
of the
Srivaishnava Community
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A Postscript
The alvars and Periyavaccan Pillai manifest one facet of the Srivaisnava
community's continuing experience and enjoyment of the Ramayana. Rama
bhakti can be studied in the works of Kurattalvan, a contemporary and close
associate of Ramanuja in the twelfth century A.D. One of his Sanskrit
stavas, the Ati manusa stava portrays his reflections on the very human
nature of the Rama and Krishna avataras. Vedanta Desika, a brilliant
theologian of the thirteenth century wrote a long poem in praise of Rama's
valor; his Raghuvira gadyam (also known as the Mahavira gadyam) is chanted
by many Vatakalai Srivaisnavas everyday; it has been popular enough to be
issued as a record by one of the leading singers of classical Carnatic
music. Desika has also used the Ramayana extensively in his interpretation
of key Srivaisnava themes, especially in his understanding of the sacrament
of prapatti.
In terms of popular piety, one may point out the Srivaisnava
theologians have and continue to hold that their most celebrated preceptor,
Ramanuja was an incarnation of Adisesa, and therefore of Laksmana, the
brother of Rama. Devotion to Hanuman is also an integral part of the
Srivaisnava experience; the phenomenal growth of a Srivaisnava temple at
Madras which is primarily dedicated to Hanuman is just one aspect of this
devotion and reflects a major Srivaisnava concept: service to the devotee of
the lord is better than direct service to the lord himself. One may note
that in this particular temple the shrine to Rama, Sita and Laksmana is to
the side; it is Hanuman who is honored daily with ritual offerings of
garlands made of a spicy doughnut shaped snack called vatai.
There are also
the ever popular harikathas or oral performances of the Ramayana in major
Srivaisnava temples; usually they last about two weeks. When the narrator
reaches certain 'auspicious' points in the story -- the wedding of Rama and
Sita or their coronation, the audience celebrates the events with suitable
propriety and a cast of thousands. We can also see the Srivaisnavas (rather
optimistically) use chosen verses from the Ramayana as texts to be read
everyday as petitions for the occurrence of the events fervently wished
for -- marriages in the family, career advancement etc. These chosen verses
are printed in books ("Karya siddhi Ramayanam", "to obtain desired goals") for
the convenience of the reader.
Still on the popular front, the myth of
Rama's protective instinct is perpetuated at the Srivaisnava temple at
Madurantakam, a village about fifty miles from Madras city. Here, the icon
of Rama is called "Rama who protected the lake" (erikatta Ramar); a name
given to him by Srivaisnavas after he appeared before a British Collector by
the name of Lionel Price (19th century). Rama, it is said, appeared along
with Laksmana and Sita before the skeptical British gentleman during a storm
and then prevented a dam from breaking. The whole village was saved from a
possible flood. Lionel Price had promised that he would build a shrine for
Sita if the village was spared from the flood; he gratefully fulfilled his
promise, and even today we see the inscription to this effect on the portals
of the Sita's shrine. This story has become part of the Madurantakam sthala
purana now.
One may continue at length, discussing these and other manifestations of
the Srivaisnava involvement with the Ramayana. But this paper has grown,
just as Hanuman's tail did in Lanka. In the Tamil version of the Ramayana,
it is said that when Ravana order Hanuman's tail to be set on fire, the
servants tried to bind up the tail with long pieces of cloth dipped in
flammable substances. But Hanuman's tail refers to anything that seems
interminably long. This paper has grown from about ten pages which was the
original estimated length; and it seems to keep growing.
The Ramayana in the Srivaishnava Experience:
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Mani Varadarajan
Last modified: Fri Mar 12 16:27:45 PST