Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Saint Ramanuja
The connecting Link between orissa and Tamilnadu
during 1060 to 1110.

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S.Balasubramani B+


In the year 1017 A.D., Ramanuja was born in the village of
Perumbudur, about twenty-five miles west of Madras. His father was
Kesava Somayaji and his mother was Kantimathi, a very pious and
virtuous lady. Ramanuja's Tamil name was Ilaya Perumal. Quite early
in life, Ramanuja lost his father. Then he came to Kancheepuram to
prosecute his study of the Vedas under one Yadavaprakasha, a teacher
of Advaita philosophy.

Ramanuja was a very brilliant student. Yadavaprakasha's
interpretations of Vedic texts were not quite up to his satisfaction.
Ramanuja pointed out many mistakes in the exposition of his master.
Sometimes he gave his own interpretations which were much liked by
all the co-students. This made Yadavaprakasha very jealous of
Ramanuja.

Yadavaprakasha made a plan to take away the life of Ramanuja. He
arranged for Ramanuja and his cousin Govinda Bhatta--a fellow student-
-a pilgrimage to Varanasi. Govinda Bhatta, being a favourite student
of Yadavaprakasha, came to know of the latter's plan while they were
travelling. He at once apprised Ramanuja of the danger and helped him
to escape. By the grace of God, Ramanuja escaped with the help of a
hunter and his wife whom he accidentally met on the way.
About the end of the tenth century, the Visishtadvaita system of
philosophy was well established in Southern India and the followers
of this creed were in charge of important Vaishnavite temples at
Kancheepuram, Srirangam, Tirupathi and other important places. The
head of the important Vaishnavite institution was Yamunacharya, a
great sage and profound scholar; and he was also the head of the Mutt
at Srirangam. One of his disciples, by name Kanchipurna, was serving
in the temple at Kancheepuram. Although a Sudra, Kanchipurna was so
very pious and good that the people of the place had great respect
and reverence for him. At present, there is a temple at Kancheepuram
where Kanchipurna's image has been installed and where he is
worshipped as a saint.

Young Ramanuja came under Kanchipurna's influence and had such
reverence for him that he invited him to dinner in his house.
Ramanuja's intention was to attend on Kanchipurna and personally
serve him at dinner and himself take meals afterwards. Unfortunately,
Kanchipurna came to dinner when Ramanuja was not at home, and took
his meals being served by Ramanuja's wife. When Ramanuja returned
home, he found the house washed and his wife bathing for having
served meals to a Sudra. This irritated Ramanuja very much and turned
him against his wife who was an orthodox lady of a different social
ideal. After a few incidents of this nature, Ramanuja abandoned the
life of a householder and became a Sannyasin.

About this time, Yamunacharya being very old was on the look-out for
a young person of good ability and character to take his place as
head of the Mutt at Srirangam. He had already heard of Ramanuja
through his disciples and made up his mind to instal Ramanuja in his
place. He now sent for Ramanuja. By the time Ramanuja reached
Srirangam, Yamunacharya was dead; and Ramanuja saw his body being
taken by his followers to the cremation ground outside the village.
Ramanuja followed them to the cremation ground. There he was informed
that Yamunacharya, before his death, had left instructions that he
had three wishes which Ramanuja was to be requested to fulfil, viz.,
that a Visishtadvaita Bhashya should be written for the Brahma Sutras
of Vyasa which hitherto had been taught orally to the disciples of
the Visishtadvaita philosophy and that the names of Parasara, the
author of Vishnu Purana, and saint Sadagopa should be perpetuated.
Ramanuja was deeply touched, and in the cremation ground itself,
before the dead body of Yamunacharya, he made a solemn promise that,
God willing, he would fulfil all the three wishes of Yamunacharya.
Ramanuja lived for 120 years, and in the course of his long life,
fully redeemed his promise by fulfilling all the three wishes of
Yamunacharya.

After the death of Yamuna, his disciples at Srirangam and other
places wanted Ramanuja to take Yamuna's place as the head of the Mutt
at Srirangam. This was also the expressed wish of Yamuna.
Accordingly, Ramanuja took his place and was duly installed with all
the attendant ceremonies and celebrations as the head of the
Visishtadvaita Mutt at Srirangam.

Ramanuja then proceeded to Thirukottiyur to take initiation from
Nambi for Japa of the sacred Mantra of eight letters Om Namo
Narayanaya. Somehow, Nambi was not willing to initiate Ramanuja
easily. He made Ramanuja travel all the way from Srirangam to Madurai
nearly eighteen times before he made up his mind to initiate him, and
that too, only after exacting solemn promises of secrecy. Then Nambi
duly initiated Ramanuja and said: "Ramanuja! Keep this Mantra a
secret. This Mantra is a powerful one. Those who repeat this Mantra
will attain salvation. Give it only to a worthy disciple previously
tried". But Ramanuja had a very large heart. He was extremely
compassionate and his love for humanity was unbounded. He wanted that
every man should enjoy the eternal bliss of Lord Narayana. He
realised that the Mantra was very powerful. He immediately called all
people, irrespective of caste and creed, to assemble before the
temple. He stood on top of the tower above the front gate of the
temple, and shouted out the sacred Mantra to all of them at the top
of his voice. Nambi, his Guru, came to know of this. He became
furious. Ramanuja said: "O my beloved Guru! Please prescribe a
suitable punishment for my wrong action". Ramanuja said: "I will
gladly suffer the tortures of hell myself if millions of people could
get salvation by hearing the Mantra through me". Nambi was very much
pleased with Ramanuja and found out that he had a very large heart
full of compassion. He embraced Ramanuja and blessed him. Having thus
equipped himself with the necessary qualifications, Ramanuja
succeeded Yamuna.


By this time, Ramanuja's fame had spread far and wide. He became a
good controversialist. Then he wrote his commentary on the Brahma
Sutras known as the Sri Bhashya. The Visishtadvaita system is an
ancient one. It was expounded b