Varththai 61
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61. avan vENdAm enREnO AzhvAnaip pOlE
Due to the trouble caused by the Chola king, Ramanuja had left Srirangam for Thirunarayanapuram. Periya Nambigal had given up his life and Kooraththazhvan lost his eyesight. After performing the final rites for Periya Nambigal, Azhvan returned to Srirangam.
One time, unable to bear the separation from Ramanuja, Azhvan was in deep despair. To console himself, he went to the Srirangam temple to have the darshan of Sri Ranganatha. However, due to his anger against Ramanuja, the Chola king had decreed that no one
who was associated with Ramanuja should be allowed inside the temple. Therefore, a gatekeeper at the temple stopped Azhvan from entering. Another gatekeeper said "Even though Azhvan is associated with Ramanuja, he is full of good qualities. Therefore, he can be allowed inside", and told Azhvan that he could go in.
Azhvan replied "I should be allowed to see the Lord because of my relationship with my acharya and not because I have good qualities. Seeing the Lord while breaking one's connection with one's acharya is not required". Saying so, he refused to go inside the
temple and went back.
Thirukkolur Ammal is saying "Did I show interest in the relationship to my acharya to the extent of saying no to even Sriman Narayana, like Kooraththazhvan did?"
Varththai 62
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62. adhvaidham venREnO emperumAnAraip pOlE
In explaining the meanings of the Vedas and Vedantas, three major sampradhayams came into being - Advaitam, Visishtadvaitam and Dvaitam. In these, Advaitam says that the Supreme Lord alone is the truth and that everything else is false. Even though the jIva may appear to be different based on our experiences, it is not different from the supreme.
This is the interpretation of Adi Shankara of the famous Upanishad statement "tat tvam asi". Dvaitam says that the Supreme and the jIva are always different and separate.
In the Vedantas, one can see statements that support the former (abheda sruti) and the latter (bheda sruti). Swami Ramanuja followed the teachings of Alavandar and
purvacharyas and the words of Azhvars and established Visishtadvaitam based on both bheda and abheda srutis. The cornerstone of this sampradhayam is the sharIrAtma bhAva between the Supreme and the jIva – that is, the Supreme acts as the antaryami of all souls ("yasya AtmA sharIram"). Azhvar establishes this as "udal misai uyir enak karandhu engum parandhu uLan". Vedas too say the same as "antarbahischa tat sarvam vyApya nArAyaNa sthita:".
In his work Sri Bhashya, that is a commentary to the Brahma Sutra, Ramanuja condemns the mAyA vAda of the advaita sampradhayam. This is celebrated in Dhati Panchakam as "mAyAvAdi bhujanga bhanga garuDa" and by Amudhanar in Ramanuja Nutrandhadhi as "uyirgaL meyvittu AdhipparanOdu onRAm enRu sollum avvallal ellAm vAdhil venRAn".
Even when he was a student and learning from advaita teacher Yadavaprakasha, he had the courage to correct the statements made by him. Later, he debated the great advaita vidwan Yajnamurthi, defeated him and took him as his disciple (he would be renamed as Arulala Perumal Emberumanar).
Thirukkolur Ammal is saying "Did I challenge and win the well established siddhantam of Advaitam like Ramanuja did?"
In this word by Thirukkolur Ammal, an interesting feature that is seen is that it is addressed to Ramanuja and it is about Ramanuja - that is, she speaks to Ramanuja about him in the third person.
Varththai 63
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63. aruLAzhi kaNdEnO nallAnaip pOlE
In the banks of Kaveri river in a town lived a brahmin devotee of Sriman Narayana. One time in the floods of the river, a dead body was washed ashore in that town. The brahmin saw that in the shoulders of that body the marks of Shanka and Chakra and realized that it was a Srivaishnava. Therefore, without examining further to determine who it might have been, what caste he might have belonged to, he performed the final rites for that person.
The people in the town were not pleased with what happened. They said that the body was that of a low caste person and that this brahmin should not have performed final rites for him. Therefore, they made him an outcast. The brahmin prayed to the Lord to correct the townsfolk.
The next day at the temple in the town where the town people were gathered, the Lord spoke through the priest and told them "You may not find the brahmin devotee alright; but to Me, he is a good person ('nallAn'). Therefore, you too accept him as such". From
that day forward,he and his descendants came to be known as "Nallan Chakravarthy". The Lord's Chakra (discus) is also known as "aruL Azhi". Nallan saw only the mark of the "aruLAzhi" and nothing else. In the process, he also saw the depth of the Lord's grace ("aruL Azham").
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I see only the mark of the Lord's discus and nothing else like Nallan did?"
Varththai 64
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64. ananthapuram pukkEnO ALavandhAraip pOlE
Alavandar, the grandson of Nathamunigal, was the leader of Srivaishnavas at Srirangam and having taken sanyashrama dharma lived in his mutt there. While doing service to the Lord as the darshana pravarthaka, one day while he was at the temple, Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar was reciting Nammazhvar's Thiruvaymozhi with both music and abhinaya (dramatic action). As he sang "kedum idarAyavellAm" (Thiruvaymozhi 10-2), the phrase "kaduvinai kaLaiyalAgum ... ezhil aNi ananthapuram ... nadaminO namaragaL uLLIr" occured. Araiyar Swami looked at Alavandar's face and repeated "nadaminO"
three times.
Understanding the Lord's command through Araiyar, thet he should go to Thiruvananthapuram and serve the Lord there, as per Azhvar's words, Alavandar took the permission of Namperumal. He then asked one of his disciples, Dheyvariyandan, to take care of his mutt and headed immediately to Thiruvananthapuram. There he performed service to the Lord and stayed for a while before his return to Srirangam. It was during this stay that he missed meeting Kurugai Kavalappan, the disciple of
Nathamunigal, to whom he had taught yoga rahasya and told him to pass it on to Alavandar.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I understand the Lord's wish and go to Thiruvananthapuram like Alavandar did?"
Varththai 65
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65. Ariyanaip pirindhEnO dheyvAriyANdAn pOlE
When Alavandar left for Thiruvananthapuram (see previous vArththai), he left his mutt at Srirangam under the care of his disciple, Dheyvariyandan. Dheyvariyandan did not want to be separated from his acharya. However, as it was the word of his acharya, he stayed back and started taking care of the mutt. The separation was too much to bear for him though and his health started deteriorating. The other disciples at the mutt began to worry about him and had a physician take a look at his health. The physician told them that it was his mental state that was affected due to the separation from his acharya which in turn was affecting his health.
The disciples decided that he would not survive away from Alavandar and decided to take him to Thiruvananthapuram. As he was too weak to walk, they placed him in a chair and began carrying him. As they got closer and closer to Thiruvananthapuram, Andan became happier and happier that he was going to be re-united with Alavandar and as such his health began to pick up. Soon he became healthy enough to walk and started doing so.
At the same time, Alavandar too began his return journey to Srirangam. The two met on the way and Andan fell at the feet of his acharya. Alavandar remarked "Sri Rama told Bharata to stay back at Ayodhya for 14 years. He being supremely independent and powerful, Bharata followed His word and stayed there. Since I am neither, Andan has come here now". Andan felt very bad and stayed on the ground. Alavandar then said "Are you going to stay down till I too become independent?" Fearing even more, Andan came up and stood quietly.
The other disciples then told Alavandar what had happened. Hearing that Alavandar became happy and told Andan "You have lost so much weight. Go and pray to the Lord at Thiruvananthapuram and come back". Andan replied "When my Thiruvananthapuram is standing in front of me (meaning Alavandar), why do I need to go to another Thiruvananthapuram?" and fell at his acharya's feet again. Alavandar appreciated his acharya bhakti and returned to Srirangam with him and the other disciples.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I separate from my acharya and almost lose my life like Dheyvariyandan did?"
Varththai 66
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66. andhAdhi sonnEnO amudhanAraip pOlE
During Ramanuja's time at Srirangam, there was a great scholar there called Periya Koyil Nambi who held a high office at the temple. Initially he was antagonistic to Ramanuja. Ramanuja corrected him through Kooraththazhvan and he became the disciple of
Azhvan. He then developed great devotion toward Ramanuja. Since he was capable of writing wonderful and sweet poems, he was also called as "Amudhanar" (and also Thiruvarangaththamudhanar).
One time he wrote a few verses praising Ramanuja to a great extent and submitted them to Ramanuja. Ramanuja rejected them and threw them away saying that those verses were not appropriate. He then suggested to Amudhanar "If you still wish to write verses srI: about us, write about our great affinity to the divyadesams, Azhvars, our acharyas such as Nathamunigal and Alavandar and your acharya Kooraththazhvan". Amudhanar therefore
wrote the famous Ramanuja Nutrandhadhi pasurams - 108 pasuram in andhadhi style, in which each pasuram uses the word Ramanuja while showing Ramanuja's affinity to divyadesams, Azhvars and Acharyas. In one verse, Amudhanar also included the greatness of his acharya Kooraththazhvan ("mozhiyaik kadakkum perum pugazhAn").
When Ramanuja heard this work, he approved it and it was determined that this work would become part of the daily recitation (nityAnusandAnam) for all Srivaishnavas. This work is included at the end of the Azhvar's divya prabandham and is now part of the 4000 verses.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I write nectar like verses on my acharya like Amudhanar did?"
Varththai 67
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67. anukUlam sonnEnO mAlyavAnaip pOlE
There were many people who gave good advice to Ravana, though he did not listen to them - such as Maricha, Sita Piratti, Vibeeshana, Kumbakarna and Malyavan. Malyavan was Ravana's grandfather. Due to his age, relationship, knowledge and worldly experience, he was in the right position to offer his advice to Ravana.
He told Ravana "O King! You should not go to war with Rama without knowing His strength. Amongst the boons you received, you never got one that protects you against men or monkeys. Now, both are standing together against you. In addition, this Rama does not appear to be an ordinary human being. It is Lord Vishnu Himself who has incarnated as Rama. Our entire clan will be destroyed in this war. So, return Sita to Rama and make peace with Him". Ravana however, rejected this good advice.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I give words of good advice (that show the right path) like Malyavan did?"
Varththai 68
68. kaLvan ivan enREnO lOkaguruvaip pOlE
The name "kaLvan" is one of the many names of Sriman Narayana. He is known by that name in one His divyadesams also. It means, one who steals or one who cheats/tricks others. He does this for the sake of His devotees in many cases.In the yagasala of Mahabali, He arrived in the form of a small dwarf (vAmana), asked for
and obtained three steps of land, grew up as Trivikrama and measured all the worlds with His divine feet. At that time, the asura guru, Sukracharya called Him as a "kaLvan". However, it does not appear appropriate that this is the incident being refered to in this vArththai and that Sukracharya is being called a Loka Guru.
It would be appropriate to refer to Swami Nammazhvar as Loka Guru. In several pasurams, Nammazhvar refers to the Lord as "kaLvan". In Thiruvaymozhi 5-10-4, he
says "kaLLa vEdaththaik koNdu pOyp puram pukkavARum" - here he refers to the Lord
going amidst the asuras and taking away their faith in the Vedas. In Thiruvaymozhi 3-8-9, Azhvar says "koLvan nAn mAvali mUvadi thA enra kaLvanE" - refering to the Lord's
vAmana avtara.In Thiruvaymozhi 2-2-10, he says "kaLvA! emmaiyum Ezulagum nin uLLE thORRiya iRaivA ..." - in this pasuram, it is Shiva who calls the Lord "kaLvA". This refers to the incident where Shiva obtained a boon from Narayana that He would ask for and get a boon from him. To fulfill that promise, during His Krishna avatara, He went on a kailasha yatra and asked Shiva to grant Him children. Shiva calls Him "kaLvA" because, it is He who is the father of all including Shiva and yet He is asking for the boon of a child. Since Shiva is known for the greatness of his knowledge it would be alright that he is refered to
as the Loka Guru. Thirumangai Azhvar in his hirunedunthandagam, says "nIragaththAy! ... kArvAnaththu uLLAy! kaLvA!". Azhvar says it is His trickery that He is hiding and not showing Himself to Azhvar. At another place in Thirunedunthandagam, Azhvar says "puLLUrum
kaLvA! nI pOgEl". Since this Azhvar invited the Lord Himself to learn from him "kaNNa nin thanakkum kuRippAgil kaRkalAm kaviyin poruL", it would be appropriate to refer to him as Loka Guru.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I refer to Him as 'kaLvan' like the knowledgeable devotees who can be called as Loka Guru's?"
Varththai 69
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69. kadalOsai enREnO periyanambiyaip pOlE
One of Alavandar's disciples was Maraneri Nambi who was born in a low caste. He was the target of Alavandar's grace and another disciple of Alavandar, Periya Nambi who was the acharya of Swami Ramanuja, had great affection for him as well. Because he had understood the true nature of his soul, Maraneri Nambi separated from his relatives who did not understand him, and lived separately. After Alavandar ascended to His divine abode, Maraneri Nambi became physically sick and was struggling alone. Periya Nambi took him under his care without looking at their caste difference, and gave him food from his own home.
When Maraneri Nambi was in his final stages of his life, he asked Periya Nambi that his body not be given back to his relatives for final rites. He told Periya Nambi
"purOdAsaththai nAykkidAdhE nOkki aruLa vENum" –
that is, do not give the offering meant for devas to dogs. After Maraneri Nambi left this world, Periya Nambi followed his words and performed all the final rites for him standing in his son's stead. Many brahmins became very upset that an acharya and brahmin such as Periya Nambi performed final rites for a low caste person and refused to interact with him.
At that time, Ramanuja talked to Periya Nambi and requested to him "When there are many others who could have done these final rites, did you have to do them yourself? Now so many are disrespecting you". Periya Nambi replied "Come O Ramanuja! Am I greater than He who was born in the Ikshvaku family and lived as Dharma itself and is Maraneri Nambi any less than Periya Udaiyar? Am I greater than Dharmaputra and is Maraneri Nambi any less than Vidhura?" Periya Nambi refered to the fact that Sri Rama had performed the final rites for a vulture (Jatayu) and that Yudishtra had performed final rites for a low caste person Vidhura.
He added "Do we ask someone else to do our sandhyavandanam?". This was to answer Ramanuja's question as to why he could not have had someone else do the final rites. He also said "Are the words of Nammazhvar in the pasurams Payilum Sudaroli and
Nedumarkkadimai nothing more than noise made by the ocean? Are these something that I have to explain and you have to understand?". These two decades of Thiruvaymozhi
speak of the greatness of bhAgavatas. Periya Nambi was asking if Azhvar's words were not to be actually followed in real life and were empty like the noise of the ocean. Guru
Paramparai records that Ramanuja immediately acceded to Periya Nambi's words.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I do great bhAgavata service and not treat Azhvar's words like mere noise, like Periya Nambi did?"
This episode is also interesting, since Thirukkolur Ammal is reminding Ramanuja of the words spoken by Periya Nambi to Ramanuja himself.
Varththai 70
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70. suRRik kidandhEnO mAlaiyANdAn pOlE
Ramanuja had five main acharyas - Periya Nambi, Thirukkottiyur Nambi, Thirumaalaiyandan, Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar and Thirumalai Nambi. Periya Nambi was the one who performed samashrayanam for Ramanuja and is the first acharya for Ramanuja. By his order, Ramanuja learned the rahasyartthas from Thirukkotiyur Nambi.And, based on the order of Thirukkotiyur Nambi, he learned Bhagavad Vishayam (the
meanings of Nammazhvar's Thiruvaymozhi pasurams) from Thirumaalaiyandan. As Thirumaalaiyandan taught Ramanuja the meanings of Thiruvaymozhi per the teachings of his acharya Swami Alavandar, at some places Ramanuja would propose a different explanation for the pasurams. At one point, Thirumaalaiyandan became upset with the alternate explanations proposed by Ramanuja and told him "These are not the meanings that I have heard from Alavandar. What you are doing is Vishvamitra srushti"and stopped teaching Ramanuja.
When Thirukottiyur Nambi heard that the lessons had stopped, he came to Srirangam and enquired with Thirumaalaiyandan as to what happened. When Thirumaalaiyandan told him what happened and the meanings suggested by Ramanuja, Thirukkottiyur Nambi told him "I have heard these additional meanings from Alavandar. Ramanuja listening to you is similar to Krishna learning from Sandipa. Ramanuja will not think of any meanings that was not in the mind of Alavandar. Do continue the teachings".
Hearing that, Thirumaalaiyandan became pleased that he was able to hear the meanings of the pasurams that he had missed hearing from Alavandar. He continued the teachings to Ramanuja. This teaching of Thirumaalaiyandan to Ramanuja as per the wishes of
Thirukkottiyur Nambi is refered here as "suRRik kidaththal' by Thirukkolur Ammal.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I understand the avatara rahasya of Ramanuja and stay with him like Thirumaalaiyandan did?"
Another interesting episode where Thirukkolur Ammal refers to an incident in Ramanuja's life to himself.
=========
61. avan vENdAm enREnO AzhvAnaip pOlE
Due to the trouble caused by the Chola king, Ramanuja had left Srirangam for Thirunarayanapuram. Periya Nambigal had given up his life and Kooraththazhvan lost his eyesight. After performing the final rites for Periya Nambigal, Azhvan returned to Srirangam.
One time, unable to bear the separation from Ramanuja, Azhvan was in deep despair. To console himself, he went to the Srirangam temple to have the darshan of Sri Ranganatha. However, due to his anger against Ramanuja, the Chola king had decreed that no one
who was associated with Ramanuja should be allowed inside the temple. Therefore, a gatekeeper at the temple stopped Azhvan from entering. Another gatekeeper said "Even though Azhvan is associated with Ramanuja, he is full of good qualities. Therefore, he can be allowed inside", and told Azhvan that he could go in.
Azhvan replied "I should be allowed to see the Lord because of my relationship with my acharya and not because I have good qualities. Seeing the Lord while breaking one's connection with one's acharya is not required". Saying so, he refused to go inside the
temple and went back.
Thirukkolur Ammal is saying "Did I show interest in the relationship to my acharya to the extent of saying no to even Sriman Narayana, like Kooraththazhvan did?"
Varththai 62
==========
62. adhvaidham venREnO emperumAnAraip pOlE
In explaining the meanings of the Vedas and Vedantas, three major sampradhayams came into being - Advaitam, Visishtadvaitam and Dvaitam. In these, Advaitam says that the Supreme Lord alone is the truth and that everything else is false. Even though the jIva may appear to be different based on our experiences, it is not different from the supreme.
This is the interpretation of Adi Shankara of the famous Upanishad statement "tat tvam asi". Dvaitam says that the Supreme and the jIva are always different and separate.
In the Vedantas, one can see statements that support the former (abheda sruti) and the latter (bheda sruti). Swami Ramanuja followed the teachings of Alavandar and
purvacharyas and the words of Azhvars and established Visishtadvaitam based on both bheda and abheda srutis. The cornerstone of this sampradhayam is the sharIrAtma bhAva between the Supreme and the jIva – that is, the Supreme acts as the antaryami of all souls ("yasya AtmA sharIram"). Azhvar establishes this as "udal misai uyir enak karandhu engum parandhu uLan". Vedas too say the same as "antarbahischa tat sarvam vyApya nArAyaNa sthita:".
In his work Sri Bhashya, that is a commentary to the Brahma Sutra, Ramanuja condemns the mAyA vAda of the advaita sampradhayam. This is celebrated in Dhati Panchakam as "mAyAvAdi bhujanga bhanga garuDa" and by Amudhanar in Ramanuja Nutrandhadhi as "uyirgaL meyvittu AdhipparanOdu onRAm enRu sollum avvallal ellAm vAdhil venRAn".
Even when he was a student and learning from advaita teacher Yadavaprakasha, he had the courage to correct the statements made by him. Later, he debated the great advaita vidwan Yajnamurthi, defeated him and took him as his disciple (he would be renamed as Arulala Perumal Emberumanar).
Thirukkolur Ammal is saying "Did I challenge and win the well established siddhantam of Advaitam like Ramanuja did?"
In this word by Thirukkolur Ammal, an interesting feature that is seen is that it is addressed to Ramanuja and it is about Ramanuja - that is, she speaks to Ramanuja about him in the third person.
Varththai 63
=========
63. aruLAzhi kaNdEnO nallAnaip pOlE
In the banks of Kaveri river in a town lived a brahmin devotee of Sriman Narayana. One time in the floods of the river, a dead body was washed ashore in that town. The brahmin saw that in the shoulders of that body the marks of Shanka and Chakra and realized that it was a Srivaishnava. Therefore, without examining further to determine who it might have been, what caste he might have belonged to, he performed the final rites for that person.
The people in the town were not pleased with what happened. They said that the body was that of a low caste person and that this brahmin should not have performed final rites for him. Therefore, they made him an outcast. The brahmin prayed to the Lord to correct the townsfolk.
The next day at the temple in the town where the town people were gathered, the Lord spoke through the priest and told them "You may not find the brahmin devotee alright; but to Me, he is a good person ('nallAn'). Therefore, you too accept him as such". From
that day forward,he and his descendants came to be known as "Nallan Chakravarthy". The Lord's Chakra (discus) is also known as "aruL Azhi". Nallan saw only the mark of the "aruLAzhi" and nothing else. In the process, he also saw the depth of the Lord's grace ("aruL Azham").
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I see only the mark of the Lord's discus and nothing else like Nallan did?"
Varththai 64
=========
64. ananthapuram pukkEnO ALavandhAraip pOlE
Alavandar, the grandson of Nathamunigal, was the leader of Srivaishnavas at Srirangam and having taken sanyashrama dharma lived in his mutt there. While doing service to the Lord as the darshana pravarthaka, one day while he was at the temple, Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar was reciting Nammazhvar's Thiruvaymozhi with both music and abhinaya (dramatic action). As he sang "kedum idarAyavellAm" (Thiruvaymozhi 10-2), the phrase "kaduvinai kaLaiyalAgum ... ezhil aNi ananthapuram ... nadaminO namaragaL uLLIr" occured. Araiyar Swami looked at Alavandar's face and repeated "nadaminO"
three times.
Understanding the Lord's command through Araiyar, thet he should go to Thiruvananthapuram and serve the Lord there, as per Azhvar's words, Alavandar took the permission of Namperumal. He then asked one of his disciples, Dheyvariyandan, to take care of his mutt and headed immediately to Thiruvananthapuram. There he performed service to the Lord and stayed for a while before his return to Srirangam. It was during this stay that he missed meeting Kurugai Kavalappan, the disciple of
Nathamunigal, to whom he had taught yoga rahasya and told him to pass it on to Alavandar.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I understand the Lord's wish and go to Thiruvananthapuram like Alavandar did?"
Varththai 65
=========
65. Ariyanaip pirindhEnO dheyvAriyANdAn pOlE
When Alavandar left for Thiruvananthapuram (see previous vArththai), he left his mutt at Srirangam under the care of his disciple, Dheyvariyandan. Dheyvariyandan did not want to be separated from his acharya. However, as it was the word of his acharya, he stayed back and started taking care of the mutt. The separation was too much to bear for him though and his health started deteriorating. The other disciples at the mutt began to worry about him and had a physician take a look at his health. The physician told them that it was his mental state that was affected due to the separation from his acharya which in turn was affecting his health.
The disciples decided that he would not survive away from Alavandar and decided to take him to Thiruvananthapuram. As he was too weak to walk, they placed him in a chair and began carrying him. As they got closer and closer to Thiruvananthapuram, Andan became happier and happier that he was going to be re-united with Alavandar and as such his health began to pick up. Soon he became healthy enough to walk and started doing so.
At the same time, Alavandar too began his return journey to Srirangam. The two met on the way and Andan fell at the feet of his acharya. Alavandar remarked "Sri Rama told Bharata to stay back at Ayodhya for 14 years. He being supremely independent and powerful, Bharata followed His word and stayed there. Since I am neither, Andan has come here now". Andan felt very bad and stayed on the ground. Alavandar then said "Are you going to stay down till I too become independent?" Fearing even more, Andan came up and stood quietly.
The other disciples then told Alavandar what had happened. Hearing that Alavandar became happy and told Andan "You have lost so much weight. Go and pray to the Lord at Thiruvananthapuram and come back". Andan replied "When my Thiruvananthapuram is standing in front of me (meaning Alavandar), why do I need to go to another Thiruvananthapuram?" and fell at his acharya's feet again. Alavandar appreciated his acharya bhakti and returned to Srirangam with him and the other disciples.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I separate from my acharya and almost lose my life like Dheyvariyandan did?"
Varththai 66
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66. andhAdhi sonnEnO amudhanAraip pOlE
During Ramanuja's time at Srirangam, there was a great scholar there called Periya Koyil Nambi who held a high office at the temple. Initially he was antagonistic to Ramanuja. Ramanuja corrected him through Kooraththazhvan and he became the disciple of
Azhvan. He then developed great devotion toward Ramanuja. Since he was capable of writing wonderful and sweet poems, he was also called as "Amudhanar" (and also Thiruvarangaththamudhanar).
One time he wrote a few verses praising Ramanuja to a great extent and submitted them to Ramanuja. Ramanuja rejected them and threw them away saying that those verses were not appropriate. He then suggested to Amudhanar "If you still wish to write verses srI: about us, write about our great affinity to the divyadesams, Azhvars, our acharyas such as Nathamunigal and Alavandar and your acharya Kooraththazhvan". Amudhanar therefore
wrote the famous Ramanuja Nutrandhadhi pasurams - 108 pasuram in andhadhi style, in which each pasuram uses the word Ramanuja while showing Ramanuja's affinity to divyadesams, Azhvars and Acharyas. In one verse, Amudhanar also included the greatness of his acharya Kooraththazhvan ("mozhiyaik kadakkum perum pugazhAn").
When Ramanuja heard this work, he approved it and it was determined that this work would become part of the daily recitation (nityAnusandAnam) for all Srivaishnavas. This work is included at the end of the Azhvar's divya prabandham and is now part of the 4000 verses.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I write nectar like verses on my acharya like Amudhanar did?"
Varththai 67
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67. anukUlam sonnEnO mAlyavAnaip pOlE
There were many people who gave good advice to Ravana, though he did not listen to them - such as Maricha, Sita Piratti, Vibeeshana, Kumbakarna and Malyavan. Malyavan was Ravana's grandfather. Due to his age, relationship, knowledge and worldly experience, he was in the right position to offer his advice to Ravana.
He told Ravana "O King! You should not go to war with Rama without knowing His strength. Amongst the boons you received, you never got one that protects you against men or monkeys. Now, both are standing together against you. In addition, this Rama does not appear to be an ordinary human being. It is Lord Vishnu Himself who has incarnated as Rama. Our entire clan will be destroyed in this war. So, return Sita to Rama and make peace with Him". Ravana however, rejected this good advice.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I give words of good advice (that show the right path) like Malyavan did?"
Varththai 68
68. kaLvan ivan enREnO lOkaguruvaip pOlE
The name "kaLvan" is one of the many names of Sriman Narayana. He is known by that name in one His divyadesams also. It means, one who steals or one who cheats/tricks others. He does this for the sake of His devotees in many cases.In the yagasala of Mahabali, He arrived in the form of a small dwarf (vAmana), asked for
and obtained three steps of land, grew up as Trivikrama and measured all the worlds with His divine feet. At that time, the asura guru, Sukracharya called Him as a "kaLvan". However, it does not appear appropriate that this is the incident being refered to in this vArththai and that Sukracharya is being called a Loka Guru.
It would be appropriate to refer to Swami Nammazhvar as Loka Guru. In several pasurams, Nammazhvar refers to the Lord as "kaLvan". In Thiruvaymozhi 5-10-4, he
says "kaLLa vEdaththaik koNdu pOyp puram pukkavARum" - here he refers to the Lord
going amidst the asuras and taking away their faith in the Vedas. In Thiruvaymozhi 3-8-9, Azhvar says "koLvan nAn mAvali mUvadi thA enra kaLvanE" - refering to the Lord's
vAmana avtara.In Thiruvaymozhi 2-2-10, he says "kaLvA! emmaiyum Ezulagum nin uLLE thORRiya iRaivA ..." - in this pasuram, it is Shiva who calls the Lord "kaLvA". This refers to the incident where Shiva obtained a boon from Narayana that He would ask for and get a boon from him. To fulfill that promise, during His Krishna avatara, He went on a kailasha yatra and asked Shiva to grant Him children. Shiva calls Him "kaLvA" because, it is He who is the father of all including Shiva and yet He is asking for the boon of a child. Since Shiva is known for the greatness of his knowledge it would be alright that he is refered to
as the Loka Guru. Thirumangai Azhvar in his hirunedunthandagam, says "nIragaththAy! ... kArvAnaththu uLLAy! kaLvA!". Azhvar says it is His trickery that He is hiding and not showing Himself to Azhvar. At another place in Thirunedunthandagam, Azhvar says "puLLUrum
kaLvA! nI pOgEl". Since this Azhvar invited the Lord Himself to learn from him "kaNNa nin thanakkum kuRippAgil kaRkalAm kaviyin poruL", it would be appropriate to refer to him as Loka Guru.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I refer to Him as 'kaLvan' like the knowledgeable devotees who can be called as Loka Guru's?"
Varththai 69
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69. kadalOsai enREnO periyanambiyaip pOlE
One of Alavandar's disciples was Maraneri Nambi who was born in a low caste. He was the target of Alavandar's grace and another disciple of Alavandar, Periya Nambi who was the acharya of Swami Ramanuja, had great affection for him as well. Because he had understood the true nature of his soul, Maraneri Nambi separated from his relatives who did not understand him, and lived separately. After Alavandar ascended to His divine abode, Maraneri Nambi became physically sick and was struggling alone. Periya Nambi took him under his care without looking at their caste difference, and gave him food from his own home.
When Maraneri Nambi was in his final stages of his life, he asked Periya Nambi that his body not be given back to his relatives for final rites. He told Periya Nambi
"purOdAsaththai nAykkidAdhE nOkki aruLa vENum" –
that is, do not give the offering meant for devas to dogs. After Maraneri Nambi left this world, Periya Nambi followed his words and performed all the final rites for him standing in his son's stead. Many brahmins became very upset that an acharya and brahmin such as Periya Nambi performed final rites for a low caste person and refused to interact with him.
At that time, Ramanuja talked to Periya Nambi and requested to him "When there are many others who could have done these final rites, did you have to do them yourself? Now so many are disrespecting you". Periya Nambi replied "Come O Ramanuja! Am I greater than He who was born in the Ikshvaku family and lived as Dharma itself and is Maraneri Nambi any less than Periya Udaiyar? Am I greater than Dharmaputra and is Maraneri Nambi any less than Vidhura?" Periya Nambi refered to the fact that Sri Rama had performed the final rites for a vulture (Jatayu) and that Yudishtra had performed final rites for a low caste person Vidhura.
He added "Do we ask someone else to do our sandhyavandanam?". This was to answer Ramanuja's question as to why he could not have had someone else do the final rites. He also said "Are the words of Nammazhvar in the pasurams Payilum Sudaroli and
Nedumarkkadimai nothing more than noise made by the ocean? Are these something that I have to explain and you have to understand?". These two decades of Thiruvaymozhi
speak of the greatness of bhAgavatas. Periya Nambi was asking if Azhvar's words were not to be actually followed in real life and were empty like the noise of the ocean. Guru
Paramparai records that Ramanuja immediately acceded to Periya Nambi's words.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I do great bhAgavata service and not treat Azhvar's words like mere noise, like Periya Nambi did?"
This episode is also interesting, since Thirukkolur Ammal is reminding Ramanuja of the words spoken by Periya Nambi to Ramanuja himself.
Varththai 70
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70. suRRik kidandhEnO mAlaiyANdAn pOlE
Ramanuja had five main acharyas - Periya Nambi, Thirukkottiyur Nambi, Thirumaalaiyandan, Thiruvaranga Perumal Araiyar and Thirumalai Nambi. Periya Nambi was the one who performed samashrayanam for Ramanuja and is the first acharya for Ramanuja. By his order, Ramanuja learned the rahasyartthas from Thirukkotiyur Nambi.And, based on the order of Thirukkotiyur Nambi, he learned Bhagavad Vishayam (the
meanings of Nammazhvar's Thiruvaymozhi pasurams) from Thirumaalaiyandan. As Thirumaalaiyandan taught Ramanuja the meanings of Thiruvaymozhi per the teachings of his acharya Swami Alavandar, at some places Ramanuja would propose a different explanation for the pasurams. At one point, Thirumaalaiyandan became upset with the alternate explanations proposed by Ramanuja and told him "These are not the meanings that I have heard from Alavandar. What you are doing is Vishvamitra srushti"and stopped teaching Ramanuja.
When Thirukottiyur Nambi heard that the lessons had stopped, he came to Srirangam and enquired with Thirumaalaiyandan as to what happened. When Thirumaalaiyandan told him what happened and the meanings suggested by Ramanuja, Thirukkottiyur Nambi told him "I have heard these additional meanings from Alavandar. Ramanuja listening to you is similar to Krishna learning from Sandipa. Ramanuja will not think of any meanings that was not in the mind of Alavandar. Do continue the teachings".
Hearing that, Thirumaalaiyandan became pleased that he was able to hear the meanings of the pasurams that he had missed hearing from Alavandar. He continued the teachings to Ramanuja. This teaching of Thirumaalaiyandan to Ramanuja as per the wishes of
Thirukkottiyur Nambi is refered here as "suRRik kidaththal' by Thirukkolur Ammal.
Thirukkolur Ammal is asking "Did I understand the avatara rahasya of Ramanuja and stay with him like Thirumaalaiyandan did?"
Another interesting episode where Thirukkolur Ammal refers to an incident in Ramanuja's life to himself.
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