Sri Yamunacharya
Sri Yamunacharya by Sri Madhava Kannan - must read .
Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:57 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"manoram chaitanyadas" manoramjps
Yamunacharya
Biography of Yamunacharya by Sri Madhavakkannan
Yamunacharya is the grand -Acharya (Pracharya ) of Ramanujacharya (1017 AD to 1137 AD). He established the principles of VisishtAdhvaita as an expansion of the doctrines housed in his grandfather'
Once an arrogant vidwan by name Akkiyalvan was challenging and humiliating learned men. Yamuna (as a 16 year old boy) accepted the challenge and went to the court to argue with him. The queen was so impressed with the boy that she told the king and pursuaded him to give away half the kingdom if he won in the debate and offered herself to be thrown to wild dogs, if the boy failed. Akkiyalvan asked the boy to state three propositions positive or negative which he offered to counter. And, if he could not, the boy would be declared the winner.
Yamuna asked (or stated) three statements. He asked Akkialwan to counter.
( i ) Your mother is not a barren woman- Naturally he could not counter saying that his mother is a barren woman (he is very much standing in front of Yamunacharya)
( ii ) The king is a righteous and powerful ruler – Obviusoly he can not afford to conuter this. and
( iii ) The queen is a model of chastity. – oh no! Never can he counter this.
Akkialvan accepted defeat and the King now asked Yamuna to disprove his own statements.
Yamuna clarified by observing the following:-
( i ) The sacred laws say that an only son is no son at all. So,Akkiyalvan'
( ii ) The king cannot be called righteous when he entertained such an arrogant person to be his chaplain and his not dismissing the chaplain showed that the king was indeed powerless.
( iii ) According to the Sruti texts, every woman is wedded first to Soma, then Gandharva and then Agni before marrying her earthly partner. The queen was no exception and therefore cannot be deemed a model of chastity.
(This is only to drive home a point that logic can not be the solution fully. One needs to fall back on Saasthras and Sruthi/Smrthis for pramanams.)
The King sent Akkiyalvan out of his kingdom and gave Yamuna half his kingdom. The queen hailed the boy as "Alavandhaar"
Thus, Alavandar has become the king and could not attend to spiritual pursuits further.
Meanwhile, Rama Misra (manakkaal nambhi) was trying to catch Yamunacharya'
Rama misrar told Alavandhar that his grandfather Sri Nathamuni had passed on the family wealth (kula dhanam) that needs to be handed over to Sri Alavandhar. Alavandhar said, "in that case, give me that."
"No. It is not here. Come with me.". He took him all the way to Srirangam Koil. (Aradha arulamudham podhintha koil). He showed Alavandhar, the Divya mangala vigraham of Sri Ranganathan. Looking at the Lord, in such divine splendour, the divine beauty- and looking (with tears rolling down his cheeks) at those "kariyavaagi, pudai parandhu, miLirndha, sevvariyOdiya, neeNda, ap periya vaaya kaNgaL.." (those dark, well spread, shining, ruddy lined, long, large eyes)-
He bursts out:
I have nothing to give you. None at all.I have no quailifications. I am not religious. What a Great person my Grand Father was! What am I! I haveno one but You(the embodiment of mercy! Compassion!- dayA) as my refuge. He performed Saranagathy at the Lotus Feet of Lord Ranganathan.
na dharma nishtOsmi na chaatma vedi
na bhaktimaan tvaccharan Aravinde
akinchanoananyagati
tvat paadamoolam saranam prapadye. (Sthothra Rathnam- 22nd sloka)
Oh you worthy of being sought as refuge! I am not one established in Dharma, nor am i a knower of the self. I have no fervent devotion to your lotus-feet. Utterly destitute as I am, and having none else for resort, I take refuge under your feet. (Translation by Swamy Adidevananda)
Rama Misra explained the purpose of his mission and requested Alavandar to take over the reins of spiritual leadership bequeathed to him by his illustrious grandfather, Nathamuni. Alavandar took to Sannyas and was then known as Yamuna Muni.
He has composed for us only.
Aparaaadha-sahasra-
patitam bhiima-bhavaarnav'
agatim saran'aagatam hare!
krpayaa kevalam aatmasaat kuru.
Oh SrI Hari! pray, make me your own out of sheer grace – me, who has fallen into the depths of the terrible ocean of worldly existence, and who, being resortless, have sought refuge at your feet.
amaryadha: kshudra: chalamadhi: asuyAprasavabhu
kruthagno dhurmAni smara paravaso vanchanapara
nrusamsa: papishta: kathamahamitho dukkajaladhe
aparath uttheerna: tava parichareyam charanayo
What a soul stirring sloka! one can not but cry reciting this, (imagining himself as the hero:-( of the sloka)
AlavandhAr describes himself as:
amaryadha: one who has crossed the bounds of established rules
kshudra: engaging in trivial /worldly /material/sensual pursuits
chalamadhi: never steady; (chanchalam)
asuya prasava bhu : Place where jealousy is born
kruthagana: Ungrateful one
dhurmanee: ill feelings towards fellow human beings;
smara paravasa: Fallen into the gamut of desires and sensual impluses
vanchanapara: skillfully deceiving others (at cheating others )
nrusamsa: engaging in violent acts
paapishta: ( Incorrigible sinner – maha paapi)
Swamy Desikan says- ahamasmi aparAdha chakravartthi. (also meant for us)
Biography of Yamunacharya by Sri Madhavakkannan
Yamunacharya is the grand -Acharya (Pracharya ) of Ramanujacharya (1017 AD to 1137 AD). He established the principles of VisishtAdhvaita as an expansion of the doctrines housed in his grandfather'
Once an arrogant vidwan by name Akkiyalvan was challenging and humiliating learned men. Yamuna (as a 16 year old boy) accepted the challenge and went to the court to argue with him. The queen was so impressed with the boy that she told the king and pursuaded him to give away half the kingdom if he won in the debate and offered herself to be thrown to wild dogs, if the boy failed. Akkiyalvan asked the boy to state three propositions positive or negative which he offered to counter. And, if he could not, the boy would be declared the winner.
Yamuna asked (or stated) three statements. He asked Akkialwan to counter.
( i ) Your mother is not a barren woman- Naturally he could not counter saying that his mother is a barren woman (he is very much standing in front of Yamunacharya)
( ii ) The king is a righteous and powerful ruler – Obviusoly he can not afford to conuter this. and
( iii ) The queen is a model of chastity. – oh no! Never can he counter this.
Akkialvan accepted defeat and the King now asked Yamuna to disprove his own statements.
Yamuna clarified by observing the following:-
( i ) The sacred laws say that an only son is no son at all. So,Akkiyalvan'
( ii ) The king cannot be called righteous when he entertained such an arrogant person to be his chaplain and his not dismissing the chaplain showed that the king was indeed powerless.
( iii ) According to the Sruti texts, every woman is wedded first to Soma, then Gandharva and then Agni before marrying her earthly partner. The queen was no exception and therefore cannot be deemed a model of chastity.
(This is only to drive home a point that logic can not be the solution fully. One needs to fall back on Saasthras and Sruthi/Smrthis for pramanams.)
The King sent Akkiyalvan out of his kingdom and gave Yamuna half his kingdom. The queen hailed the boy as "Alavandhaar"
Thus, Alavandar has become the king and could not attend to spiritual pursuits further.
Meanwhile, Rama Misra (manakkaal nambhi) was trying to catch Yamunacharya'
Rama misrar told Alavandhar that his grandfather Sri Nathamuni had passed on the family wealth (kula dhanam) that needs to be handed over to Sri Alavandhar. Alavandhar said, "in that case, give me that."
"No. It is not here. Come with me.". He took him all the way to Srirangam Koil. (Aradha arulamudham podhintha koil). He showed Alavandhar, the Divya mangala vigraham of Sri Ranganathan. Looking at the Lord, in such divine splendour, the divine beauty- and looking (with tears rolling down his cheeks) at those "kariyavaagi, pudai parandhu, miLirndha, sevvariyOdiya, neeNda, ap periya vaaya kaNgaL.." (those dark, well spread, shining, ruddy lined, long, large eyes)-
He bursts out:
I have nothing to give you. None at all.I have no quailifications. I am not religious. What a Great person my Grand Father was! What am I! I haveno one but You(the embodiment of mercy! Compassion!- dayA) as my refuge. He performed Saranagathy at the Lotus Feet of Lord Ranganathan.
na dharma nishtOsmi na chaatma vedi
na bhaktimaan tvaccharan Aravinde
akinchanoananyagati
tvat paadamoolam saranam prapadye. (Sthothra Rathnam- 22nd sloka)
Oh you worthy of being sought as refuge! I am not one established in Dharma, nor am i a knower of the self. I have no fervent devotion to your lotus-feet. Utterly destitute as I am, and having none else for resort, I take refuge under your feet. (Translation by Swamy Adidevananda)
Rama Misra explained the purpose of his mission and requested Alavandar to take over the reins of spiritual leadership bequeathed to him by his illustrious grandfather, Nathamuni. Alavandar took to Sannyas and was then known as Yamuna Muni.
He has composed for us only.
Aparaaadha-sahasra-
patitam bhiima-bhavaarnav'
agatim saran'aagatam hare!
krpayaa kevalam aatmasaat kuru.
Oh SrI Hari! pray, make me your own out of sheer grace – me, who has fallen into the depths of the terrible ocean of worldly existence, and who, being resortless, have sought refuge at your feet.
amaryadha: kshudra: chalamadhi: asuyAprasavabhu
kruthagno dhurmAni smara paravaso vanchanapara
nrusamsa: papishta: kathamahamitho dukkajaladhe
aparath uttheerna: tava parichareyam charanayo
What a soul stirring sloka! one can not but cry reciting this, (imagining himself as the hero:-( of the sloka)
AlavandhAr describes himself as:
amaryadha: one who has crossed the bounds of established rules
kshudra: engaging in trivial /worldly /material/sensual pursuits
chalamadhi: never steady; (chanchalam)
asuya prasava bhu : Place where jealousy is born
kruthagana: Ungrateful one
dhurmanee: ill feelings towards fellow human beings;
smara paravasa: Fallen into the gamut of desires and sensual impluses
vanchanapara: skillfully deceiving others (at cheating others )
nrusamsa: engaging in violent acts
paapishta: ( Incorrigible sinner – maha paapi)
Swamy Desikan says- ahamasmi aparAdha chakravartthi. (also meant for us)
Comments