Num(ber) Ramanujan/எங்(ண்)கள் இராமானுஜன்

Num(ber) Ramanujan/எங்(ண்)கள் இராமானுஜன்    

Posted by:      "Mrs Geetha Vasudevan"            vasugee191193@yahoo.com                                       vasugee191193        
      Thu Apr 19, 2012    


Sreemathey Ramanujaya Namaha
Respected Bhagavtha
 Bandhus,
This article is the result of a thought,which raised in my mind to make a  relation of
 Numbers and their relation to Swamy Ramanuja's charitram/life history
One or the Number 1 occupies the superior position among the numbers & in fact denotes the one and only position or uniqueness

a)Ramanuja is the one and
 only to be revered with the title "Swamy"
b)Swami Ramanuja was
the only acharya to whom the Lord Ranganatha submitted his Vibuthis
(Nithya Vibuthi & Leela Vibuthi) through which the power of
granting moksham
c) Swamy Ramanuja was the only acharya whom
Nammlwar acknowledged and spoke about in Thiruvaimozhi through the
verses "Poliga Poliga......................."
d)Swamy Ramanuja
was the only acharya, whose vigraham came up as "Bavishyat Acharyan"
even before Swami Ramanuja was born, and held by all our poorvacharyas
in their Thiruvaradhanam(worship) 
2)The Number 2:-Among many sishyas (that is 700 yathis(sanyasis) and 12,000
bhagavathas, only 2 were considered as Thandam and Pavitram , that is
Mudaliyandan was his Thandam and Koorthalwan was his Pavitram.
3)The Number 3:-
Aalavandhar wanted to
 initiate Swamy Ramanuja for Darsana Nirvaham, but unfortunately
Aalavandhar left for parmapadham, without meeting
 Swami Ramanuja, he had 3 wishes to be fulfilled represented by his 3
folded fingers & wanted Swamy Ramanuja to fulfill the same, they are
a)To write a commentary for Bramha Sutram by Veda Vyasa according to Bodhaya Vritti from the angle of Visistadwaitha
b)To propagate Sri Nammalwar's prabandham as Alavandhar had a great desire for Nammalwar
c)To perpetuate the memory of Veda Vyasa and Parasara
 and Swami Ramanuja's vows to fulfill all the 3wishes before the charma thirumeni of Alavandhar & fulfills the same  in his life time
4)The Number 4:-The yugas are 4 in number,
  Adisheshan or Ananthan has
 taken different avatars in different yugas
"Anantah
 Prathamam Roopam, Threthaya Lakshmanascha Tathah
Dwapare Balabadrascha Kalou Kaschit Bavishyathi"
 The meaning of this shloka
In Krith yuga (1st) it is Aadi Seshan the Snake Bed of the Lord
In Treta yuga (2nd) it was Lakshmana, brother of Lord Rama
In Dwapara yuga (3rd) it was Balarama, brother of Sri Krishna
In Kali yuga (4th) it is  Swami Ramanuja,
From the above verses it is clear that Swami Ramanuja is the avatharm of Adiseshan
5)The Number 5:- Emperumanaar had 5 acharyas to his credit, earning him the title "Panchacharya Padasrayah". Swamy learnt
a)from Periya Nambi - panchasamskaram, Rahasyarthams & Gita
b)from Periya Thirumalai Nambi - Sri Ramayanam Viseshartham
c)from Thirukoshtiyoor Nambi - Charma slokam
d)from Thirumalai Aandaan- Bhagawad Vishyam
e)from Thiruvaranga Perumal Arayar - Dravida Ganam
6)The number 6:- In the life story of Swamy Ramanuja, swamy requests
Thirukkacchi Nambi to clear certain doubts on truths, where in 6 words
were uttered by Lord Varadhar of Kanchi to be communicated to Swami
Ramanuja by Thirukkachi Nambi, they are
a)Ahameva paramtatvam (I am the supreme truth)
b)Darsanam Bhedha eve acha (Sri Vaishnavam is based on thatva thryam - chit,achit & eeswara)
c)Upayesu Prapattissyat (By faith & surrender shall men reach me their salvation)
d)Antima Smriti Varjanam (Thought of me at the time of death is not compulsory)
e)Dehasvasane Mukthisyaat (Release from bondage follows immediately on death of body)
f)Poornacharya Samashraya(Choose Mahapurna as your acharya)
7)The number 7:-   Swamy Ramanuja and the Lord of 7 hills Thiruvengadamudayan share a unique bondage
a) It
was Swamy Ramanuja who  restored the Sangu & Chakra, to the lord
of seven hills @ Tirumala, previously when they are given by the lord to
 the King Thondaiman Chakravarthy.  And people started believing the lord on the
hills was Shiva/Skanda/Durga, it is the unmatchable kainkaryam of swamy,
 that we Sri Vaishnavas have the lord @ Tirumala. today.  That is why we
 sing the Kattiyam of  Ramanuja as "Appanukku Sanghu Aazhi Allitha Perumal"

b)To execute the
 verses of Nammalwar "Sindhu Poo Magizhum Thiruvengadam". Swamy Ramanuja
 sent one of his sishyas Ananthalwan Pillai to establish a Nanadhavanam @
 Tirumala, one can even see the Nandhavanam (garden) today there named
"Ramanuja Nandhavanam", which also holds in it the Thiruvarasu (brindavanam) of Swamy Ananthalwan Pillai.
c)It was Swami who laid down the  regulations to be followed in executing kainkaryms to Thiruvengadamudayan like Friday thirumanjanam,(recital of Nacchiyar Thirumozhi during the thirumanjanm) Thomala Sevai  & appointed Peria Kelvi Appan Jeeyar of Tirumala to supervise the same.
d)Even
 today one can see Swami Ramanuja's vigraham in Tirumala with
Upadesa/Gyana  Mudra because Swami here is acharyan to
Thiruvengadamudayan himself
8)The number 8:- The mention of number 8, brings to our immediate thought the 8 lettered mantra "Ashtakshari".(which
 is made up of Pranavam, Namha & Narayana) the inner meanings of
these 3 syllables denote "Ananyarha Seshatvam" i,e subservience to none,
 but the lord, "Ananya Sharanathvam" i,e  there
 is no upaya to jeevathama other than the lord Sriman Narayana &
"Ananya Bhogyathvam" i,e Jeeva's kainkaryam is only for the pleasure of
the lord, these are the inner meanings of the "Ashtakshari Mantra"
Swamy
 Manvala Mamunigal in Yatiraja Vimshati prays to the lotus feet of Swamy
 Ramanuja, to grant the devotion towards inner meanings of three
syllables of the 8 lettered "Ashtakshari Mantra", not only in knowing
them but also to live/practice according to them.  Thus we understand,
we require Emperumanaar's grace to understand Emperumaan.
9) The number 9:- Udayavar blessed us with his great 9 works
a)Vedartha Sangraham  (the resume of Vedantha)
b)Shree Bashyam  (Commentary on Bramha Sutras)
c)Vedantha Saara ( essence of Vedantha) an appendix to Sri Bashya
d)Vedantha Deepa  (the light of Vedantha) another appendix to Sri Bashya
e)Git Bashya  (his commentary of Bhagavad Geetha)
f)Nitha Grandham (About day to day activities to be performed by Sri Vaishnavas)
g)Saranagathi
Gadyam (A dialogue between Ramanuja Perumal &  Piratti where Swami
petitions Sri Lakshmi to recommend to the lord to give him grace, both
Perumal & Piratti accept Swami's surrender)           
h)Sri Ranga Gadyam (a Prayer of surrender to the feet of Sri Ranganatha)
i)Vaikunta Gadyam  (describing in detail Sri Vaikutam & recommending meditating it)
10) The number 10:- Swamy
 Ramanuja travelled wide far through the Bharatha Desam propagating
Visisthadwaitha siddantham, out of them, the following can be
categorized as places of interest with relative to swami's charitram
1)Aazhwar Thirnagari (Swami appeared here as Bavishyat Acharyan even before his physical birth in this earth)
2)Thiruvallikeni
 (The place where the parents of Swamy did penance for his birth, and
the Lord Venkata Krishnan/Partha Sarathy  himself incarnated as Swamy Ramanuja)
3)Sri Perumbudur (The avathara sthalam of swamy Ramanuja)
4)Madhuranthakam (Spiritual birth/got panchasamskaram from Periya Nambi)
5)Kanchipuram (Swamy entered Sanyasa Ashrama)
6)Sri Rangam (From here Swamy didSri Vaishnava  Darsana Nirvaham)
7)Thirukoshtiyoor (Walked 18 times from Sri Rangam to here( approximately 120 kms) to get Charmaslokam & other Rahasyarthas from Thirukottiyoor Nambi )
8)Melkote (Reinstalled Moolavar Thirunarayanan and  Utsavar Selva Pillai)
9)Tirumala (Restored the Sangu & chakra to the lord)
10)Thirukurrungudi (became acharya to the lord himself & lord earned the title "Vaishnava Nambi")
Thus greatness of Swamy Ramanuja cannot be measured, adiyen concludes with the words of Swamy Manavala Mamunigal
"Enai Phol Pizhai Seivar Ivvulagil Undoo?
Unai Phol Porukka Vallar Undoo?
Anaithu Ulagam Vazh Pirandha Ethirja Mamuniva
Yezhaikku Erungai Ene"
Meaning
"Who can commit more mistakes than me?
Who can be merciful than you(no one even in Paramapadham)?
Oh! Ethirja ! your birth was the spiritual upliftment of jeevas in this universe, please grace on my poor-self (one who is bonded in samsara)"
Aazhwar Emperumanaar Jeeyar Thiruvadegale Charnam
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Geetha Vasudevan