Ramanuja trains his disciples and himself receives training from his guru.
Returning to the monastery at Srirangam, Ramanuja the chief among ascetics, stayed there for a few days.
1.when at that time his disciple Kuresa expressed his eagerness to know the mystic meaning of the supreme sloka:
sarva darman paritayjya mamekam sharanam vraja|
aham tvam sarva pabebhyo mokshaisyami ma shucha||
Ramanuja charya answered "Well Kuresa my Guru Sri Goshthipurna has advised me thus in this matter: "To him alone who free of the taint of egotism and observing continence, will attend on his Guru for one year in a spirit of service, you may communicate the significance of the verse and to none else." If you spend a year in this way, I shall give you the interpretation of the verse."
Magnanimous Sir, said Kuresa, life is uncertain How should I know that i shall live a year more? please therefore deign to make me competent to receive the interpretation of the verse even now.
It is laid down in the shastras said Yathiraja that one who fasts for a month attains the merit of observing Brahmacharya for a year. Live one month on alms alone, for living on alms and observing fast are the same. By so living for a month Kuresa gained the interpretation of the verse.
2.His second disciple Dasarathi too approached him for the mystic interpretation of the supreme verse. To him he said "My child you are my relative, born of a good Brahmana family It is my wish that you receive the mystic interpretation from Sri Goshthipurna. Though they may be many faults in you I wont see them because you happen to be my relative. As directed by Ramanuja, Dasarathi went to Goshthipurna. but even after a period of six months the Guru did not bestow his grace but one day addressed him saying Scholarship wealth and birth in a good family can bring pride in small minded men alone. In a virtuous man these being the causes of self control, bring good qualities not blemishes. Do take refuge in your own Guru if you are able to conquer pride.
Dasarathi hastened to Ramanuja without any delay and reported all that had happened. At that time Attulai, the daughter of Mahapurna was narrating to Yatthiraja thus: Dear brother my father has sent me to you. I shall tell you the reason at length. I have just come today from my fatherinlaws house. there i have to fetch water for cooking both in the morning from a far off lake. It is a lonely road so fear of physical exertion overwhelms me. on my submitting this to my mil yesterday instead of sympathisisng with me she in her extreme wrath said could you not bring a cook from your fathers house? i do not command such means to employ a servant so as to keep you sitting idle with one foot over the other. greatly grieved i came away my father directed me to you saying your spiritual brother will solve your issue. {Fortunately for her another disciple too who was there with his woe.}
"Dear sister grieve not Here I have a brahmana whom i am sending along with you. he will do for you the work of fetching water and cooking." He glanced at Dasarathi. knowing full well his Gurus wish Dasharathi followed her for six months he did the work with much care and devotion.
One day a Vaishnava was expounding a verse from a scripture and the assembled people were intently listening. Dasharathy noticed that the exponent had fallen into a dangerous error so he stated his view. At first the expounder was angry and stated so. Dasarathy unperturbed continued to calmly expounding the verse. His exposition was done with such grammatical precision and in such beautiful diction that all were captivated, the exponent himself begged pardon by touching his feet and asked "Why this profession of a servant for a profound scholar like you?"
He replied that he had become a cook to carry out the command of his guru. When they came to know that he was Dasarathi, the great scholar disciple of Yatiraja, in a group they went to Srirangam and supplicated " O Mahatma worthy to be remembered at dawn every day! It is notmeet anymore that your worthy disciple be kept employed as a cook. He has not the slightest trace of pride in him. He is a veritable Paramahamsa. Please give orders so that in great honor we may bring him to your feet."
Yathiraja was so greatly pleased with these words that he himself went along with them and after embracing Dasarathi affectionately gave him his blessings. After he was brought to Srirangam, Yathiraja gave him the esoteric interpretation of the supreme distich and made him blessed. Because he served Vaishnavas to reach this end he also came to be known as Vaisnavadasa.
At the behest of Mahapurna ramanuja studied again the Tamil Prabandhas under Sri Vararanga. Whenhe had finished this course Goshtipurna came to Ramanuja accompanied by Maladhara, a disciple of Yamunamuni, and said " My child he is a great scholar and a disciple of Yamunamuni our Guru. He knows the meanings of Satharisukta, the thousand songs of Sathari profoundly well. Learn all this from him and become blessed. "
And so did Ramanuja according to the word of his Guru. It so happened one day that some interpretation of Maladhara did not seem quiet proper to Ramanujacharya, who expounded the passage in a new way. The Scholar, taking such conduct of the pupil to be audacity, left for his home. Coming to know of it, from hearsay, Goshtipurna went to Maladhara and asked "Could Ramanuja assimilate the entire meaning of the Thousand Songs?"
In reply to this Maladhara narrated all that happened.
"Brother said Goshthipurna, don't take him to be an ordinary man. None of you or I know the core of Yamunamuni's thoughts so well as he does. The younger brother of Rama, Lakshmana himself has incarnated as Ramanuja for the good of the jivas.So take his exposition to be the esoteric meaning coming out of the mouth of Yamunamuni himself, though you might not have heard it from his lips."
Thus counselled by Goshthipurna, Maladhara again went to Ramanuja and continued teaching him. It so happened again another day that Ramanuja gave a different interpretation of a particular verse. But this time instead of being annoyed, Maladhara listened to him attentively. He could never dream that even this verse could have this deep meaning. In great joy he circumbulated Ramanuja and prostrated himself before him. Maladhara then placed his son as a disciple under Ramanuja. After completing his studies of the thousand songs Yathiraja resolved to learn the secrets of Dharma from Sri Vararanga. When Vararanga, the adept in divine songs, got tired singing and dancing before Sri Ranganatha, Ramanuja would remove his exhaustion and physical pain by massaging his feet and anointing turmeric powder on his body. Every night he would himself prepare condensed milk and serve that for his supper. After six months had passed like this, Sri Vararanga cast his gracious look on him. One day when Yathiraja was massaging his feet, Vararanga said, "My child, I know that you have been serving me with a view to take my all. Today I am much pleased with you. Come I shall tell you my innermost feelings."
So saying he continued, my child, what you are doing is the supreme pursuit of man.
Gurureva param brahma gurureva param dhanam
Gurureva param khamo gurureva parayanam.
Gurureva para Vidya Gurureva para gathih
Yasmath tvadupadestaso thasmad gurutaro guru.
Upayaschapyu peyashcha Gururevethi bhavay.
(from Satyaki tantra)
It is Guru himself who is the supreme Brahman;
Guru is the greatest treasure.
Guru is the highest among all desirable things.
He is the most secure refuge.
Guru is the embodiment of the knowledge of Brahman.
It is he who is the supreme goal.
He being your teacher there is none greater than he.
Know that he is the means to realise God, and God himself is he.
Thus Ramanujas wants were all fulfilled he became one whoes desires were all fulfilled. he became one full of supreme joy.
He gave vent to some of this joy in his work Gadyatraya which is a treasure trove as it were.
Sri Vararanga had no issue. He made his younger brother who was very dear to him Chotanambi the disciple of Ramanuja.
The great five Kanchipurna, Mahapurna, Goshthipurna, Maladhara and Vararanga were the mst intimate disciples of Yamunamuni. Trained by each of them Yathiraja became as it were the second manifestation of Sri Yamunacharya.
The books on Sri Ramanuja were only written keeping in mind the target audience of Vaishnava scholars for discussion among themselves, and to cater to a select group of Vaishnavites. Apparently, children were not in the scheme of things with regard to such publications. but to include children will garner a fresh generation of devotees who can follow our great Guru.
Returning to the monastery at Srirangam, Ramanuja the chief among ascetics, stayed there for a few days.
1.when at that time his disciple Kuresa expressed his eagerness to know the mystic meaning of the supreme sloka:
sarva darman paritayjya mamekam sharanam vraja|
aham tvam sarva pabebhyo mokshaisyami ma shucha||
Ramanuja charya answered "Well Kuresa my Guru Sri Goshthipurna has advised me thus in this matter: "To him alone who free of the taint of egotism and observing continence, will attend on his Guru for one year in a spirit of service, you may communicate the significance of the verse and to none else." If you spend a year in this way, I shall give you the interpretation of the verse."
Magnanimous Sir, said Kuresa, life is uncertain How should I know that i shall live a year more? please therefore deign to make me competent to receive the interpretation of the verse even now.
It is laid down in the shastras said Yathiraja that one who fasts for a month attains the merit of observing Brahmacharya for a year. Live one month on alms alone, for living on alms and observing fast are the same. By so living for a month Kuresa gained the interpretation of the verse.
2.His second disciple Dasarathi too approached him for the mystic interpretation of the supreme verse. To him he said "My child you are my relative, born of a good Brahmana family It is my wish that you receive the mystic interpretation from Sri Goshthipurna. Though they may be many faults in you I wont see them because you happen to be my relative. As directed by Ramanuja, Dasarathi went to Goshthipurna. but even after a period of six months the Guru did not bestow his grace but one day addressed him saying Scholarship wealth and birth in a good family can bring pride in small minded men alone. In a virtuous man these being the causes of self control, bring good qualities not blemishes. Do take refuge in your own Guru if you are able to conquer pride.
Dasarathi hastened to Ramanuja without any delay and reported all that had happened. At that time Attulai, the daughter of Mahapurna was narrating to Yatthiraja thus: Dear brother my father has sent me to you. I shall tell you the reason at length. I have just come today from my fatherinlaws house. there i have to fetch water for cooking both in the morning from a far off lake. It is a lonely road so fear of physical exertion overwhelms me. on my submitting this to my mil yesterday instead of sympathisisng with me she in her extreme wrath said could you not bring a cook from your fathers house? i do not command such means to employ a servant so as to keep you sitting idle with one foot over the other. greatly grieved i came away my father directed me to you saying your spiritual brother will solve your issue. {Fortunately for her another disciple too who was there with his woe.}
"Dear sister grieve not Here I have a brahmana whom i am sending along with you. he will do for you the work of fetching water and cooking." He glanced at Dasarathi. knowing full well his Gurus wish Dasharathi followed her for six months he did the work with much care and devotion.
One day a Vaishnava was expounding a verse from a scripture and the assembled people were intently listening. Dasharathy noticed that the exponent had fallen into a dangerous error so he stated his view. At first the expounder was angry and stated so. Dasarathy unperturbed continued to calmly expounding the verse. His exposition was done with such grammatical precision and in such beautiful diction that all were captivated, the exponent himself begged pardon by touching his feet and asked "Why this profession of a servant for a profound scholar like you?"
He replied that he had become a cook to carry out the command of his guru. When they came to know that he was Dasarathi, the great scholar disciple of Yatiraja, in a group they went to Srirangam and supplicated " O Mahatma worthy to be remembered at dawn every day! It is notmeet anymore that your worthy disciple be kept employed as a cook. He has not the slightest trace of pride in him. He is a veritable Paramahamsa. Please give orders so that in great honor we may bring him to your feet."
Yathiraja was so greatly pleased with these words that he himself went along with them and after embracing Dasarathi affectionately gave him his blessings. After he was brought to Srirangam, Yathiraja gave him the esoteric interpretation of the supreme distich and made him blessed. Because he served Vaishnavas to reach this end he also came to be known as Vaisnavadasa.
At the behest of Mahapurna ramanuja studied again the Tamil Prabandhas under Sri Vararanga. Whenhe had finished this course Goshtipurna came to Ramanuja accompanied by Maladhara, a disciple of Yamunamuni, and said " My child he is a great scholar and a disciple of Yamunamuni our Guru. He knows the meanings of Satharisukta, the thousand songs of Sathari profoundly well. Learn all this from him and become blessed. "
And so did Ramanuja according to the word of his Guru. It so happened one day that some interpretation of Maladhara did not seem quiet proper to Ramanujacharya, who expounded the passage in a new way. The Scholar, taking such conduct of the pupil to be audacity, left for his home. Coming to know of it, from hearsay, Goshtipurna went to Maladhara and asked "Could Ramanuja assimilate the entire meaning of the Thousand Songs?"
In reply to this Maladhara narrated all that happened.
"Brother said Goshthipurna, don't take him to be an ordinary man. None of you or I know the core of Yamunamuni's thoughts so well as he does. The younger brother of Rama, Lakshmana himself has incarnated as Ramanuja for the good of the jivas.So take his exposition to be the esoteric meaning coming out of the mouth of Yamunamuni himself, though you might not have heard it from his lips."
Thus counselled by Goshthipurna, Maladhara again went to Ramanuja and continued teaching him. It so happened again another day that Ramanuja gave a different interpretation of a particular verse. But this time instead of being annoyed, Maladhara listened to him attentively. He could never dream that even this verse could have this deep meaning. In great joy he circumbulated Ramanuja and prostrated himself before him. Maladhara then placed his son as a disciple under Ramanuja. After completing his studies of the thousand songs Yathiraja resolved to learn the secrets of Dharma from Sri Vararanga. When Vararanga, the adept in divine songs, got tired singing and dancing before Sri Ranganatha, Ramanuja would remove his exhaustion and physical pain by massaging his feet and anointing turmeric powder on his body. Every night he would himself prepare condensed milk and serve that for his supper. After six months had passed like this, Sri Vararanga cast his gracious look on him. One day when Yathiraja was massaging his feet, Vararanga said, "My child, I know that you have been serving me with a view to take my all. Today I am much pleased with you. Come I shall tell you my innermost feelings."
So saying he continued, my child, what you are doing is the supreme pursuit of man.
Gurureva param brahma gurureva param dhanam
Gurureva param khamo gurureva parayanam.
Gurureva para Vidya Gurureva para gathih
Yasmath tvadupadestaso thasmad gurutaro guru.
Upayaschapyu peyashcha Gururevethi bhavay.
(from Satyaki tantra)
It is Guru himself who is the supreme Brahman;
Guru is the greatest treasure.
Guru is the highest among all desirable things.
He is the most secure refuge.
Guru is the embodiment of the knowledge of Brahman.
It is he who is the supreme goal.
He being your teacher there is none greater than he.
Know that he is the means to realise God, and God himself is he.
Thus Ramanujas wants were all fulfilled he became one whoes desires were all fulfilled. he became one full of supreme joy.
He gave vent to some of this joy in his work Gadyatraya which is a treasure trove as it were.
Sri Vararanga had no issue. He made his younger brother who was very dear to him Chotanambi the disciple of Ramanuja.
The great five Kanchipurna, Mahapurna, Goshthipurna, Maladhara and Vararanga were the mst intimate disciples of Yamunamuni. Trained by each of them Yathiraja became as it were the second manifestation of Sri Yamunacharya.
The books on Sri Ramanuja were only written keeping in mind the target audience of Vaishnava scholars for discussion among themselves, and to cater to a select group of Vaishnavites. Apparently, children were not in the scheme of things with regard to such publications. but to include children will garner a fresh generation of devotees who can follow our great Guru.
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