Sri Ramanujacharya was a great devotee of the Supreme Lord Narayana, and a thorough propagandist of the VISHISHTADVAITA THEORY. He was a virtuous, pious, patient and a very learned saint. The son of KESHAV BHATT and KANTHIMATHI, born in the south, in SRIPERUMPUDUR, He lost His father at a tender age. He then headed for KANCHI, and started the study of the Vedas under the watchful eyes of GURU YAADAVPRAKASH. Sri Ramanuj excelled in the study of the Scriptures, character, and love for God. He even learnt a lot of the Yogic Principles.
Yamunacharya the formost exponant of Vaisnava philosophy of the time, knowing of his extraordinary ability and purity, called for Sri Ramanuja with the intent of placing him in charge of the mission after his disappearance. Ramanuja was on his way to see Yamunacharya when he received the news of Yamunacharya’s departure from the world. Arriving at Srirangam, Ramanuja went to have his last darshana of that great soul. There he noticed three of Yamunacharya’s fingers were clenched.
Sri Ramanuj reached in time to see that three fingers of the dead body of the Acharya were bent, He immediately understood the meaning and vowed to the Supreme Lord that He would definitely write or get written a commentary on the three main Holy Scriptures, no sooner was the vow taken that the three fingers of the Acharya straightened. Sri Ramanuj then accepted Sri Pariyanaambi (an important disciple of Acharya Yaamunacharya) as His teacher and followed Vaishnavism and took to the path of Bhakti – or Love for God.
Sri Ramanuj was a family man – but understood too soon that He would not be able to achieve His goals staying as a household man, so He left His household, went off to Srirangam and took Sanyas under the eyes of Sanyasi Yatiraj.
Ramanuja then made three vows:
He would make the people surrender to God and initiate them by the pancasamskara.
He would write a commentary on the Vedantasutra which was later called Sri Bhashya.
He would also write what is like an encyclopedia on the Puranas and would name one greatly learned Vaisnava after Parasara Muni who wrote the gem among the Puranas, the Visnu Purana.
He also was instrumental in the writing of two famous works – VISHNU SAHASTRANAAM, and DIVYA PRABANDHAM, thus completing His vow of getting three important commentaries written.
He lived for 120 years, spreading the name of the Supreme Lord through preachings, writings and extensive traveling. He spread and explained the concept of the Love of the Lord (Bhakti) to thousands of people around the world.
WORKS OF RAMANUJA:
- VEDANTA SANGRAHA
- SRI BASHYAM
- GITA BASHYAM
- VEDANATA DIPA
- VEDANTA SARA
- SARANAGATHI GADYA
- SRIRANGA GADYA
- SRIVAIKUNTA GADYA
- NITYA GRANTA
RAMANUJA IS ALSO CALLED AS :
- BASHYAGARA
- ELAYAZVAN
- UDAIYAVAR
- EMBERUMANAR
- THIRUPPAVAI JEEYAR
- YATHIRAJAN
ARCHA THIRUMENI OF EMBERUMANAR
- THAN UGANDA THIRUMENI - SRIPERUMBUDUR
- TAMAR UGANDA THIRUMENI - THIRUNARAYANAPURAM (MELKOTE)
- TAMANA THIRUMENI - SRIRANGAM
Empermanar thiruvadigale saranam.
|
