Equal: 2017

About six months before the disappearance of Yamunacarya, Ramanuja's mother, Kantimati, had left this world. Now, Raksakambal, the wife of Ramanuja, was the mistress of the house. She was as beautiful as an apsara, devoted to her husband and very strict in her cleanliness and observance of ritual. Unfortunately, she had been unable to imbibe her husband's pure love of God and was more attached to the external features of religious ritual. She was unhappy to see her husband becoming more and more absorbed in devotional sentiments after his return from Sri Rangam, though she tried to conceal her inner feelings.

Ramanuja now passed a lot of his time in the company of Kancipurna. Ramanuja was generally in a serious mood and still unhappy at heart due to feelings of separation from Yamunacarya. Understanding his mind, Kancipurna told him one day, "You should not be troubled at heart. Just remain fixed in your devotion to Lord Varadaraja and continue to serve him in every possible way. Alabandara has now returned to the abode of Lord Narayana, and it is your duty to fulfill the promises you made before Him"

When he heard these words of instruction, Ramanuja bowed before Kancipurna and said, "Please allow me to be your disciple. Please allow me take shelter of your lotus feet"
Immediately, Kancipurna raised Ramanuja, saying, "You are a brahmana and I am sudra. How can I initiate and receive obeisances from one who is my master? Just have faith in the Lord, and sooner or later He will surely send someone who is fit to be your guru."

Having said this, Kancipurna left to worship Lord Varadaraja. Ramanuja thought to himself, "He is refusing to accept me because he knows how my heart is devoid of all devotional sentiments. How can birth or caste affect a person who is the intimate associate of Lord Varadaraja? Merely by his merciful glance, Kancipurna can elevate a dog-eater to the level of a brahmana. Therefore, if I am able to taste the remnants of his food only once, then I will gain immeasurable benefit."

RAKSAKAMBAL'S FOLLY

Later that day, Ramanuja went to persuade Kancipurna to take lunch at his house the next day. Eventually Kancipurna agreed, saying, "Tomorrow I shall break free from the modes of nature by receiving food at the house of a pure devotee."
The next morning, Ramanuja instructed his wife, Raksakambal, that she should cook the very best preparations to honor their exalted guest, Sri Kancipurna. At once she began to cook and before noon had prepared many different types of food. Seeing this Ramanuja was very pleased, and he set out for Kancipurna's asrama to bring him to take prasadam.
Kancipurna could understand all Ramanuja's intentions, and so he came by another way to his friend's house. When he arrived, he said to Raksakambal, "Mother, today I have to go to the temple very quickly. Please serve me with whatever is immediately available, for I cannot stay here for more than a few minutes."
"My husband has gone to your house to bring you here," Raksakambal replied. "If you wait for a short time he will soon return."
"I am afraid I cannot wait here for a moment," said Kancipurna. "How can I neglect my service of Lord Varadaraja just for the sake of my stomach?"
So Raksakambal arranged a sitting place for Kancipurna and then with great attention served him all the different preparations she had cooked. As soon as he had finished eating, Kancipurna stood up and cleaned the place where he had been eating with water mixed with cow dung. He offered his obeisances to Raksakambal and then quickly left the house, taking his leaf plate with him to discard at a distant place. Raksakambal gave away all the remaining prasadam to a sudra woman and then, after taking a bath, began to cook again for her husband.
In the meantime Ramanuja returned home and was very surprised to find his wife still cooking. "Did Kancipurna not come here?" he asked. "Why are you cooking again? Where is all the prasadam that you prepared this morning?"
"Mahatma Kancipurna came here" replied Raksakambal, "but he said that he could not wait for you, as he had service to perform in the temple. Therefore, I served him his lunch and then gave whatever was left to a sudra woman. How could I serve you with the remnants of a sudras meal?"
Ramanuja was very disturbed to hear his wife speak in such a way. "You foolish woman! " he exclaimed. "How can you think of Kancipurna as no more than a sudra. Because of you I am now unable to take the prasada of that pure-hearted devotee, and this is my great misfortune" Having said this, he sat down unhappily with his head in his hands.

KANCIPURNA'S VISIT TO TIRUPATI

Meanwhile, Kancipurna was praying to Lord Varadaraja while fanning Him, "My Lord, what are You trying to do to me? My only desire is to pass my life peacefully in Your service and the service of Your devotees, but now You are trying to make me into a famous acarya. Even Your pure devotee, Ramanuja, now bows down before me. I do not want to become an object of worship, so please give me permission to leave Kanci and go to Tirupati, where I can worship You in the form of Balaji."
Lord Varadaraja gave His permission, and so Kancipurna went to Tirupati. He stayed there for six months, fully absorbed in the service of Sri Balaji, the form of Lord Visnu who resides in the temple there. Then one night Lord Varadaraja appeared to him in a dream, saying, "I am suffering from the severe heat here in Kancipuram. Why don't you come back and fan me again?"

LORD VARADARAJA'S
INSTRUCTIONS TO RAMANUJA

The next day Kancipurna arose and set off at once to return to Kanci. When Ramanuja heard of his return, he went to visit his friend. The two devotees felt great pleasure in regaining one another's association after such a long period of time. After they had been talking for several hours, Ramanuja fully revealed his mind to Kancipurna. "Since I left the school of Yadavaprakasa" he told him, "I have continued to study the scriptures alone. But there are certain points I cannot understand, and this is causing a great disturbance to my mind. Please beg the Lord to enlighten me, for I know Sri Varadaraja will never deny any request that comes from your lips." Kancipurna agreed to Ramanuja's request.
The next day when the young brahmana came to visit him, he spoke very confidentially, "Last night Lord Varadaraja spoke to me and told me I should reveal the following six truths to you. These are the four verses the Lord spoke to me:

aham eva param brahma jagat-karana-karanam
ksetrajnesvaror bhedah siddha eva mahamate

moksopayo nyasa eva jananam muktim icchatam
mad-bhaktanam jananam ca nantim asmritir isyate

dehavasane bhaktanam dadami paramam padam
purnacaryam mahatmanam samasraya gunasrayam

iti ramanujarya mayoktam vada satvaram

"'Firstly, I am the Supreme Brahman, the cause of material nature, from which this universe has come into being. Second, the separate existence of the jiva souls and the Supreme Lord is an eternal truth. Third, surrendering to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord is the only true path for those who desire liberation. Fourth, devotees will certainly be liberated even if by chance they fail to remember Me at the time of death. Fifth, as soon as My devotees give up their present bodies, I bring them to My supreme abode. Sixth, you should immediately take shelter of Mahatma Mahapurna, the reservoir of all good qualities. These are My instructions for Ramanuja."'
When Ramanuja heard these words, he began to dance in ecstasy. He had not revealed his six doubts even to Kancipurna, but now the Lord had supplied the answers to all of them. Having offered obeisances to Sri Varadaraja and to Kancipurna, he returned home and prepared to depart for Sri Rangam. There he hoped to find Mahapurna, one of Yamunacarya’s disciples, and take initiation from him.

MAHAPURNA IS SENT
TO KANCI AGAIN

After the disappearance of Sri Yamunacarya, none of his disciples was able to discourse on the scriptures in the same wonderful way that he had done. Tiruvaranga was now in charge of the asrama, but he lacked the ability to expound the meaning of the scriptures as his master had done. Everyone admired his devotional qualities and noted the fact that he spent so much of his time worshipping the Lord, but still the atmosphere in the asrama was not what it had been before.
At that time both the married and unmarried devotees used to live together in the asrama, while the wives would live in separate quarters outside in the city. Their time was passed for the most part in worship of the Deity and the chanting of bhajans glorifying the Lord.
In this way a year passed by uneventfully. On the anniversary of Alabandara’s disappearance all his disciples gathered together, and Tiruvaranga addressed the assembly. ‘It is now one year’, he began , ‘since our guru-maharaja , Sri Yamunacarya, left us to return to the abode of Lord Narayana. While he was with us it was our great fortune that every day we were able to hear his nectarean words. However, since his disappearance no one has been able to describe the glories of the Lord in such an exquisite manner or expound all the subtle points of the scriptures as he was able to do. Although he instructed that I should take over his position at the asrama, I have to admit that I am incapable of properly executing this duty.
‘All of you may recall how, just prior to his departure, our master desired to see Sri Ramanuja of Kancipuram and sent Mahapurna there to fetch him. It is that great soul alone, the intimate friend of Kancipurna, who, having been choosen by Sriman Alabandara himself, is competent to take on the responsibility as acarya for this asrama. Therefore, let one of us go to Kancipuram and, after initiating him, bring him here ton Sri Rangam. He will spread the teachings of Yamunacarya all over the India, as he promised to do whilst looking at the body of our preceptor.’’
All the assembled devotees unanimously accepted Tiruvaranga’s proposal, and Mahapurna was chosen to go to Kancipuram to initiate Ramanuja and bring him to Sri Rangam. He was told, ’’ If at present he is reluctant to abandon the association of Kancipurna, then do not press the matter. You may remain in Kanci for one year, instructing him in all the bhakti-sastras. He need not to be told that your purpose is to bring him to Sri Rangam.’’

RAMANUJA’S INITIATION

Being thus instructed, Mahapurna , along with his wife, set off for Kancipuram. After four days they reached the town of Madurantakam, where there is a Visnu temple with a lake in front of it. While Mahapurna and his wife were resting beside that lake, Ramanuja suddenly appeared there offering obeisances at his feet. Mahapurna was both surprised and delighted by this unexpected turn of events, and he immediately rose to embrace Ramanuja.
‘This is certainly a surprise,’’ he said. ‘Anything can be accomplished by the grace of Lord Narayana. For what reason have you come here?’’
‘This must certainly be the plan of Lord Narayana,’’ Ramanuja replied,’’ for it was only to find you that I left Kancipuram. Varadaraja Himself has instructed me to accept you as my guru. Please bestow your mercy upon me by initiating me at once.’’
Mahapurna agreed to this request, saying, ‘Let us go to Kancipuram so that the ceremony can be performed before Lord Varadaraja.’’
However , Ramanuja was insistent. ‘You know that death makes no distinction between the timely and the untimely," he said. "Do you not recall with what high expectations I went with you to meet Sri Yamunacarya? Providence cheated me then, so why should I trust him now by allowing any delay? Please give me shelter at your lotus feet right at this very moment"
Mahapurna was pleased by Ramanuja's words, and there on the banks of the lake in the shade of a flowering bakula tree he lit a sacrificial fire. In that fire he placed two metal discs, one bearing the sign of Lord Visnu’s cakra and the other that of His conch. When the two discs were hot, Mahapurna pressed them onto Ramanuja's right and left arms, thus marking them with the signs of Lord Visnu. Finally, meditating on the lotus feet of Yamunacarya, Mahapurna whispered the Vaisnava mantra into Ramanuja's ear. When the initiation was thus completed, Ramanuja returned to Kancipuram, accompanied by his guru and his guru’s wife.
When they arrived, they were welcomed by Kancipurna, who took great pleasure in associating with Mahapurna. At Ramanuja's request, Mahapurna then also initiated Raksakambal. Half the house was given over to Mahapurna and his wife, and every day Ramanuja would study the Vaisnava scriptures in his association.

RAKSAKAMBAL'S PRIDE

Six months passed by quickly, while Ramanuja felt great satisfaction in hearing all the truths of Vaisnava philosophy from Mahapurna. One day, while both Ramanuja and Mahapurna were away from home, Raksakambal went to the well to get water. It so happened that Mahapurna's wife was drawing water at the same time, and while so doing a few drops from her pitcher felt into that of Raksakambal, who immediately flew into a rage. "Are you blind?" she shouted. "Look what you have done! By your carelessness a whole pitcher of water is wasted. Do you think that you can sit on my shoulders just because you are the gurus wife? Just remember that my father's family is of a superior lineage to yours, so how can I use water that has been touched by you? But why should I blame you, for having fallen into the hands of this husband of mine all my caste and position is lost."
When she heard these harsh words, Mahapurna's wife, who was by nature calm and modest, begged forgiveness from Raksakambal. However, being very disturbed by the woman's anger, she set down her pitcher and began to weep quietly.
When Mahapurna returned and found his wife in that distressed condition, he asked her what was the cause of her unhappiness. When he learned of everything that had taken place at the well, Mahapurna became thoughtful. Eventually he said, "It is no longer the will of Lord Narayana that we should remain here, and for this reason he has caused you to hear these unkind words from the mouth of Raksakambal. Do not be sorry over this matter, for whatever the Lord ordains is for our good. Because we have not worshipped the lotus feet of Lord Ranganatha for a long time, He now desires that we go back to Him."

DEPARTURE OF MAHAPURNA

Without waiting for Ramanuja to return, Mahapurna and his wife then collected together their few possessions and departed for Sri Rangam. While Mahapurna was staying with him in Kancipuram, Ramanuja had been very happy, looking upon his guru as the representative of Lord Narayana. During those six months they spent together, Ramanuja had studied about four thousand verses composed by the great Vaisnavas of south India. That morning he had gone out to purchase fruit, flowers, and new cloth with which to make an offering to his guru, but, when he returned to his house, he found Mahapurna's quarters deserted.
After searching all over the house, he inquired from a neighbor, who told him that Mahapurna and his wife had left Kanci to return to Sri Rangam. Anxious to discover what could have caused his guru’s abrupt departure, Ramanuja went to speak to Raksakambal. She told him, "I had a quarrel with the wife of your guru when we went to fetch water from the well this morning. I hardly spoke any harsh words to her at all, but the great man was so enraged that he left here almost immediately. I had heard that a sadhu is supposed to have given up all feelings of anger, but it must be that he is a new sort of sadhu. I offer millions of obeisances at the feet of your sadhu."
Ramanuja could hardly believe his ears when he heard his wife speak in such a contemptuous and sarcastic way about Mahapurna, and he could not restrain his feelings. "0 sinful woman," he cried out, "it is a great sin even to look at your face" Having said this, he left the house and went to the temple to offer the fruits and flowers he had purchased to Lord Varadaraja.

RAMANUJA'S PLAN

A short time later, a lean and hungry brahmana came to Ramanuja's house to beg for something to eat. Raksakambal was still shocked by her husband's words, and, when the brahmana disturbed her, she immediately became angry and shouted at him in a shrill voice, "Get out of here. Go somewhere else. Who do you think will give you rice here?"
Hurt by these harsh words, the brahmana turned away and began to walk slowly towards the temple of Lord Varadaraja. On the way he met Ramanuja, who was returning home, having made his offering to the Lord. Seeing the brahmanas dejected features and undernourished body, Ramanuja felt compassion and said to him, "0 brahmana, it seems that you have not eaten today."
"I went to your house to ask for a little prasadam, but your wife became angry and turned me away," replied the brahmana.
Ramanuja was shocked to hear that a guest had been so badly mistreated at his house. He was thoughtful for a few moments, and then he said, "Please go back to my house. I will give you a letter, and I want you to tell my wife that you have been sent by her father to deliver it to me. When she hears this, you can be certain she will feed you with great attention."
Ramanuja then wrote out a letter as follows:-

My Dear Son,
My second daughter is to be married soon. Therefore please send Raksakambal to my house with this man. If you have no pressing business at present, I would be very pleased if you could come as well. However, it is very important that Raksakambal comes here as soon as possible, as it will be very difficult for your mother-in-law to cater for all the guests alone.

Promising that he would be well rewarded for his services, Ramanuja sent the brahmana to his house with this letter. When he arrived there, the brahmana told Raksakambal, "Your father sent me here."
She was delighted to hear this and received the brahmana with great courtesy, feeding him and offering him water for bathing. In the meantime, Ramanuja returned home. "My father has sent this letter for you," Raksakambal said modestly and gave it to him.
Ramanuja read the letter out loud and then said to her, "I have some urgent business to attend to at present, so you must go alone. If I get finished quickly, then I will try to come later on. Please convey my greetings to your father and mother." Raksakambal accepted his words, and, after preparing herself for the journey, she offered obeisances to her husband and set out for her father's house, escorted by the brahmana.

TAKING SANNYASA

When she had left, Ramanuja walked back to the temple of Lord Varadaraja, praying constantly to the Lord within his mind, "0 Lord Narayana, please allow this servant of yours to take full shelter at Your lotus feet." When he reached the temple, he bowed down before the Deity and prayed, "My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours in every way. Please accept me."
Then he obtained saffron-colored cloth and a staff that had been touched by the lotus feet of Sri Varadaraja. He went outside the temple and, after bathing, lit a sacrificial fire on the banks of the lake there. At that time Kancipurna, being inspired by Lord Varadaraja, approached him and gave him the name Yatiraja. Ramanuja then accepted the tridanda of Vaisnava sannyasa, which symbolizes, the surrender of thoughts, words, and deeds to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the ceremony was completed, Yatiraja, in his saffron robes, appeared as
effulgent as the rising sun.

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Mahapurna (Periya Nambi) Acharya

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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Ilaya Perumal

Ramanuja's Tamil name was Ilaya Perumal.

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Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan / Ready to Go to Hell / Place

http://adiyenramanujadasan.org/

Ramanuja Dasan is a great religious philosopher of all time.Once he was so eager to discover the meaning for a secret mantra which would lead to heaven after his death. So he approached his guru, Nambi, living in Thirukottiyur. The very moment he reached the doorsteps, he knocked on the door and cried, "Nan Ramanuja Dasan" (read = "I'm Ramanuja Dasan here"). But, Nambi refused to grant his request and replied back to him, "Nan setta piragu vaa" (read = "Come back after I die"). Ramanuja Dasan was confused with Nambi's response but wasn't in the mood to give up. So, he tried visiting him back the very next morning and he got back the same answer from Nambi saying, "Go back now and come back after I die."

This continued for not one or two but about 17 times. Ramanuja Dasan got fed up and started to think what was wrong with him for Nambi not to teach him the powerful manthra. Then he realised the meaning behind his guru's words. The word I" uttered by Nambi simply points to Ramanuja's ego and pride instead of guru himself. So, finally on his 18th attempt, Ramanuja was standing outside the same doorsteps and cried, "Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan" (Read = "Yours humbly, its me Ramanuja Dasan") - getting rid of the "I" (read=ego) in himself. Nambi obliged Ramanuja's request and started teaching him the meaning of the mantra.

Ready to Go to Hell

At the end of the teachings, Nambi extracted a promise from Ramanuja that he would not reveal the mantras to those unqualified to receive them. However, the following day, Ramanuja went to the nearby temple hall announced the sacred mantra to all those assembled there. When Nambi heard this, he demanded an explanation from Ramanuja for his direct disobedience. To this, Ramanuja, replied that if the act of his results in thousand souls reaching Vaikundam (read=heaven), he would be glad to be burned in hell which is the punishment for those who disobey their guru's commands. On hearing the explanation, Nambi was speechless and embraced him and gave him the name

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Place
http://importantteacher.blogspot.in/search/label/Thirukoshtiyur

MaranEri Nambi

The ego that arises out of one's birth/caste, makes the person (with so much knowledge) lose naicyam "adiyArkku adiyOm". This should not only be at the level of thinking but also in practice. That's why
EmperumAnAr(and also Sri NampiLLai),would hold the hands of MudaliyANdAn(R's nephew and disciple,a brahmaNa)on his way to Kaveri for morning ablusions and after ablusions,EmperumAnAr would hold the hands(for support) of his disciple PiLLai uRangA Villi dasan,who was
a sudra. This is cited in AcArya Hrdayam 85. When some people asked EmperumaNAr "how can a brahmaNa touch a sudra and is it not against varnAshram dharma?", EmperumAnAr gave reply

One of Sri YAmunAcAryA's disciple was a sudra and his name was mARanEri nambi. Although
mARanEri nambi was not privileged to learn vedas,he acquired the same knowledge(of brahman)through the grace of AcArya. This disciple even took AcArya's disease called "rAja piLavai", a kind of "spinal cancer/tumor" as a prasAdham. Sri YAmunAcArya instructed another
disciple Periya nambi to do the last rites for MARanEri nambi (brahmameda samskaram) instead of handing over his body to his kith and kin(who think the body as Atma) who do not have any claims on such a noble soul. So periya nambi(a brahmin) also did the last rites when mARanEri nambi passed away.

EmperumAnAr asked Periya nambi: "isn't this particular act violate the rules of varNAshrama dharma?" Periya nambi replied: "Srirama(who performed sAmAnya dharma) did brahmameda
samskaram for Jatayu. In what way I'm superior to Srirama or in what way mARanEri nambi inferior to Jatayu? Did not Yudhishtira do brahma meda samskaram for ViDhura?" Initially Yudhishtira had doubts but his doubts got cleared by sages and rshis.

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Acharya

http://www.acharya.org/
http://shatakopa.blogspot.in/

Puri Jagannath

Sri Ramanujar goes to Puri
Sri Ramanujacharya’s visit to Orissa occurred at a stage in his life when his divnity was well known and he had countless followers. He was at the prime of efforts in holding the flag of Sri Vaishnavism high. He made several trips to holy places in the north of India including Kashmir. It was during one of these trips that he visited Puri, Orissa.

During his trip to Puri, Sri Ramanujar visited a place located some 28 kms south of Puri, known as Brahmagiri. It is said that during Satya Yuga, Brahma performed great tapas on Vishnu, and Vishnu pleased with the worship instructed Brahma to construct a temple here with a standing pose of Vishnu. This place came to be known as Brahmagiri. Delighted to see a beautiful deity of a four armed Sri Maha Vishnu, with conch, discus, mace and lotus flower he named the deity ‘Sri Alwarnath’ or the ‘lord of the alwars’. As we know, the alwars/azhwars were the divine saints of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. The place which housed Alwarnath hence also came to be known as Alwarpur. And today the words have been shortened with time, the temple known as Sri ‘Alarnath’ or ‘Alalanath’ and the place called ‘Alarpur’!

Sri Alarnath, Rukmini and Satyabama - Brahmagiri near Puri

Sri Ramanujacharya - Emar Mutt, Puri

Sri Ramanujar establishes the Embar Mutt at Puri

On reaching Puri, Sri Ramanujacharya began to interact with the local priests and scholars. His natural brilliance attracted people and soon he found a crowd of devotees following in his foot steps. He decided to establish a monastery to be headed by Sri Govinda (his cousin). Govinda was also fondly called Embar by Emperumaanar, hence the mutt came to be known as ‘Embar mutt’.

Today the monastery is known simply as ‘Emar mutt’. The Emar mutt is located right outside the Puri Jagannath temple.*

Sri Ramanujar and the king of Puri

Emperumaanar had many meetings with the king, holding religious discussions with him. ‘Ananta Varman Choda Ganga Deva’ (Chodaganga) was the king at that time, who earlier had a leaning towards Saivite philosophy. The king developed a strong belief in Vaishnavism in his later years, during which time he had the opportunity of meeting Sri Ramanuja. The king was impressed by his preachings and deep knowledge of Vedic literature. It is believed that king Chodaganga grew deeper in his faith in Vaishnavism by the devotion and brilliance he witnessed in Sri Ramanujacharya.

Sri Ramanujar and Puri Jagannath mandir

Sri Ramanujacharya had a deep interest in establishing proper temple worship procedures wherever he went. He strongly believed in the Pancharatra Agama – school of temple worship, as followed at Sri Rangam. He desired to lay the foundations of the same style of worship in the Puri Jagannath temple. King Chodaganga eagerly supported this move. The temple priests came to know about Sri Ramanujacharya’s intentions and grew uncomfortable. They were very stiff in their opposition and were not ready to accept any changes in their earlier practices. During the night, the priests grew anxious and prayed to lord Jagannatha to prevent Emperumaanr from changing the customs followed by them. Lord Jagannatha in all his mercy decided to grant the priests their wish. While Emperumaanar was asleep, Sri Jagannatha appeared in his dreams and informed him that his current mission needed to be abandoned due to the requests of His devotees.

Meanwhile it is believed that a bunch of people wanted to eliminate Ramanujar and headed to where the Acharya was asleep. The Acharya was oblivious to the danger that was expected to befall him. They brandished their weapons ready to strike. And suddenly, Sri Ramanujacharya disappeared from sight right in front of them!

Sri Ramanujar magically transported to a town in Andhra!

With the rising sun the following day, Sri Ramanujar found himself transported several miles away from Puri, to a place near the town of Srikakulam in the present day Andhra Pradesh. Viewed in the perspective of how difficult it would have been for people to travel distances by foot or by cart in those days, the distance to which he had been transported overnight was phenomenal!It is said that Sri Jagannatha out of His kind mercy sent Garuda to transport Sri Ramanujar away from a problematic situation.

Emperumaanar was surprised to be alone in an unknown land and saddened by the separation from his loving disciples. However he could sense that he was in a divine sthala, and noticed that he was near a temple tank. He explored the temple to find out that the inner sanctum housed a black stone which seemed to be Linga. Sri Ramanujar was saddened further as he thought lord Jagannatha had in anger denied the Acharya a glimpse of His form in the temple. As the Acharya would not eat food not offered to the lord (Vishnu), he fasted that day. In his dreams the following night, Sriman Narayana revealed the true identity of the deity at the temple. Emperumaanar woke up the next day and was overjoyed! Lord Jagannath had not sent him here for nothing!

Sri Jagannatha informs Emperumaanar of His true form

The deity at the sanctum sanctorum was a swayambhu – or naturally occurring stone. It has a distinct shape, of the fossilised structure of a turtle. The lord appeared in the Acharya’s dreams to inform him that the deity was none other than the manifestation of the Kurma avatara of the lord. Sri Ramanujar also discussed it with the locals and was surprised to note that many of them already considered the stone as Sri Kurma, based on ancient stories. Even from a geological perspective, the temple is not too far from the sea, which supports the fossilised structure of a turtle theory. Interestingly there is also another stone – apaprently a Sudarshana-saligrama which had been placed earlier by Adi Sankara’s disciples at the tail end of the turtle-structure.

However, there was still a dispute in the village about the true identity of the deity. It is said that to convince everyone that it was indeed a manifestation of lord Vishnu, Emperumaanar asked the deity to turn towards him, towards the west. The deity did as was told! Hence another dwajasthamba or entrance pillar was constructed for the new direction in which the deity faced. This is one of the rare temples in which there are two dwajasthambas! There are more stories to this temple, which is a revered Abhimana sthalam for Sri Vaishnavas, which adiyen hopes to capture in another post.

Sri Kurmam - Andhra Pradesh

Influence on Choddaganga and on Jagannath temple

Despite Sri Ramanujar’s sudden departure from Puri, the influence of his vision on Puri Jagannath temple remains. There is a shrine/sannadhi for Lakshmi built inside the compound of the Jagannath temple by Choddaganga, as suggested by Emperumaanar. The Puri temple is actually also known as Sri Mandira, in line with the belief that Jagannath is always with Lakshmi. There is also said to be considerable influence of Sri Ramanujar on other procedures, including the ther or rath yatra festival. King Choddaganga as a devotee remained singnificantly impacted by the teachings of Emperumaanar.

No matter what the form, or the manifestation – Lord Jagannatha or Sri Kurma – rest assured lord, we as devotees shall always drown in the beauty of your various forms as well as worship the divine feet of our Acharyas!

Azhwar Acharyargal thiruvadigale sharanam l

Srimathe Ramanujaaya Namah l

Srimathe Narayanaaya Namah l

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