आषाडेचोत्तराषाडसम्भूतं तत्र वै पुरे। सिंहाननांशं विख्यातं श्रीयामुनमुनिं भजे॥
AshADe ca uttarAshADasambhutam tatra vai pure | simhAsananAmSam vikhyAtAm SriyAmunim bhaje ||
On the banks of Cauvery River, there was an agrhAram known as Veeranarayanapuram. Here, more than a thousand years ago was born SrI Alavandar on dhAtu samvatsaram, ADi month, when Uttirada Naksharam was on the ascent. He is the grandson of SrI Nathamunigal, the first propagator of SrI ViSishTAdvaita siddhAntam. SrI Nathamunigal went once on a pilgrimage to northern region of India with his father, ISvara Bhattar and his son, ISvaramuni. After taking bath in many sacred rivers, and visits to sacred temples, they arrived at the beautiful temple town of BrundAvanam known for the myriad sports of Lord Krishna. They were enchanted by the beauty of BrundAvanam. They decided to extend their stay by a few more days. Thereafter, they took leave of BhagavAn, the BrundAvanacaran and returned to their home in Veeranarayanapuram. While SrI Nathamunigal was staying at BrundAvanam, he became the object of the special anugraham of Lord Krishna, the Yamunaitturaivan on the banks of Yamuna River. SrI Nathamunigal developed extraordinary bhakti now for Kannan, the Yamunaitturaivan. Because of the deep devotion to the Lord Krishna, Nathamunigal wanted to name the child that will be born to his son ISvaramuni as Yamunaitturaivan. Accordingly when the male child was born he was named as Yamunaitturaivan. As this child grew up to become a renowned AcAryan, he acquired the names of SvAmi Alavandar and YaamunAcAriyar.
His VidyAbhyAsam (Education)
Yamunaitturaivan was learning from MahA BhAshya Bhattar to study the SAstrAs. The king of that region had a haughty scholar by the name of AkkiyAzhvAn in the court. This scholar had the habit of taxing and receiving ten percent of the earnings of the VidvAns just like the king who collect tax from his subjects. One day, AkkiyAzhvAn sent king’s soldiers to MahA BhAshya Bhattar to collect the ten percent of [[17]] tax due to him and sent a letter to Bhattar demanding payment through the royal servants of the king. When MahA BhAshya Bhattar received the note of demand from AkkiyAzhvAn, he was very much perturbed. Yamunaitturaivar, who was standing next to his AcAryan was upset to see his AcAryan’s anguish. He took the letter from Bhattar’s hand and tore it in to shreds and gave a response in writing in the form of a Slokam and gave it to the royal servants and asked them to take the letter back to the haughty court scholar -
न वयं कवयस्तु केवलं न वयं केवलतन्त्रपारगा:। अपि तु प्रतिवादिवारण प्रकटाटोपविपाटनक्षमाः॥
na vayam kavayastu na vayam kevala tantrapAragAH | api tu pradivAdivAraNa prakaTATopavipATanakshamAH ||
Here, Yamunaitturaivar declared that they refuse to pay the (Kappam). We are not just poets. Our scholarship is also beyond tantra SAstrAs. We are the mighty lions, who destroy the rut of the haughty elephants.
invitation of Yamunaitturaivan to the Royal Court
The royal couple came to know about the challenge to their court scholar. They discussed. The Queen concluded that the courageous one who responded this way must be a superior scholar. She suggested to her husband to invite this scholar to the court with royal honors. The king knew that his court scholar might not like this idea and decided not to consult AkkiyazhvAn. The King ordered one of his ministers to invite Yamunaitturaivan to the court and sent his royal palanquin. The minister conveyed the message of the King and mentioned that the King looks very much forward to YaamunAcAriyar’s visit to the royal court. Yaamunar recognized the good intention of the King and accepted the invitation. Yaamunar asked his well wishers to join him on this journey and asked them to recite the two Slokams: आशैलादद्रिकन्याचरण किसलयन्यासधन्योपकण्ठात्
आरक्षानीतसीतामुखकमलसमुल्लासहेतोश्च सेतोः । आ च प्राच्यप्रतीच्यक्षितिधरयुगलादर्कचन्द्रावतंसात्
मीमंसाशास्त्रयुग्मविमलमना मृग्यतां मादृशोऽन्यः॥ [[18]] ASailAdadri kanyAcaraNa kisalayanyAsadhanyopakaNThAt ArakshAnIta sItAmukha kamalasamullAsahetoSca setoH | Aca prAcyapratIcyakshitidhara yugalAdarka candrAvatamsAt mImAmSAstra yugmavimalamanA mrgyatAm mAddrSo’nyaH ||
Meaning: From the fortunate places made sacred by the foot steps of Parvati on the mountain of Himalayas to the region of the dam (Setu) built by Rama that gladdens the heart of SitA PirATTi, abducted by Ravana and in the land in between the Eastern and Western mountains which are the reason for sUryacandrodayam and astmanam, in this earth, there is no one equal to me who has mastered the study of pUrva and uttara mImAmsa and because of this learning is of pure (nirmala) mind!
Reciting these two Slokams, Yaamunar and his well wishers entered the king’s court (rAjasabhA).
The Vow of the Royal Couple
The King stood up when Yaamunar entered the Royal Court and welcomed him. He took Yaamunar to the hall, where many VidvAns from different countries were there. The King invited both AkkiyAzhvAn and Yaamunar to debate. The Queen sitting near the king was overwhelmed by the effulgence (tejas) of Yaamunar and told the king that the young child (Yaamunar) will win in the debate. “रूपमेवास्यै तन्महिमानं व्याचष्टे” (rUpamevAsyai tanmahimAnam vyAcashTe - Yaamunar’s effulgence alone explains his mahimA). The king responded with the statement, “AkkiyAzhvAn only will win. If Yaamunar wins I will give away half of my kingdom”. The queen remarked that she will become a bonded servant of the King, if AkkiyAzhvAn wins.
Yaamunar’s victory over AkkiyAzhvAn in the debate
AkkiyAzhvAn asked Yaamunar - In which specific SAstras you are an expert to debate?
Yaamunar - I am ready to debate on any SAstrA. You can ask.
AkkiyAzhvAn - Oh Yaamuna! You are very young. It will be more interesting to debate with one, who is close in age and scholarship to [[19]] me. I will debate with you on SAstras later. For now, let us debate about worldly matters. You can make any statement and I will refute it and establish that statement is incorrect. If you describe some thing that is real, I will reject it as an incorrect proposition. You can ask the questions first since you are younger to me and will show that the advanced proposition is incorrect".
Yaamuneyar - I am happy to start this debate. I will ask three questions and you have to refute.
- Your mother is infertile (त्वन्माता न वन्ध्या tvanmAtA ba vandhyA) 2) This King is the Lord of all the Universe (राजाऽयं Aसार्वभौमः rAjA ayam sArbahumaH)
- This queen is a chaste one (राज पत्नीयं पतिव्रता rAja patnIyam pativratA)
AkkiyAzhvAn was flabbergasted about finding answers for these three questions. His denial of these questions would put him and the royal couple in a difficult position.
The answer to the first question is that AkkiyAzhvAn’s mother was infertile. How can AzhvAn describe that his mother as infertile (மலடி), when she has given birth to him?
His answer to the second question is that the King is an Emperor of the world. He can not say that the King is not a sArvabhauman (emperor) and thus an insult to the King with this answer.
The answer to the third question is that the queen is not chaste towards her husband. Such an answer will bring out the wrath of the King. AzhvAn recognized the tough spot that Yaamunar has placed him and became quiet.
Now, Yaamunar offered to answer these three questions in the affirmative. Regarding the first question, Yaamunar observed: “Oh AzhvAn! Your mother is infertile based on the fact that the crow and the banana plant are described as infertile (kAka vandhyA, kadali vandhyA, malaDi) since the crow lays only one egg and the banana plant yield only one bunch of bananas. You are also the only son of your mother and according to this vyavahAram (ruling), your mother is infertile. [[20]] Yaamunar answered the second question using another VidaNDA vAdam. The king is not a sArvabhauman since he is just a king of Chola rAjyam. A sArvabhauman has to be a ruler of this earth surrounded by the four Oceans.
Yaamunar’s response to the third question that stated the queen is not a pativratA. The answer from Yaamunar was from Veda mantrams used in VivAhams. The two Veda mantrams start with “somaH prathamaH” and goes on to say that the second and the third one to enjoy the KannikA/bride are a Gandarvan and Agni. The bridegroom is the fourth one, the human being. Veda mantram states that Soman, Gandarvan and Agni bless the KannikA with wealth and children. The reference to a human being as the fourth one to receive the KannikA can be interpreted that the KannikA/the queen is not a PativratA.
Yaamunar provided answers to his own question in a deft manner without offending anyone. The queen was immensely delighted and exclaimed, whether Yaamunar is the One who came to rule over her (AlavantIrO?). The king gave away half of his kingdom to Yaamunar as per his promise. Yaamunar came to be called Alavandar from that day. He ruled over half the kingdom of the ChoLa rAjyam. Few years later, he had four sons. They are known as CoTTai Nambi, daivattukkarasu Nambi, PiLLaiyarasu Nambi and Tiruvarangap Perumal.
SrI RamamiSrar awaiting time to perform upadeSams for SvAmi Alavandar
There were eight SishyAs for SrI Nathamunigal. The principal (pradAna) one among the eight was UyyakkoNDAr known also as PuNDarIkAkshar. SrI Nathamunigal attained SrI VaikuNTham, when Alavandar was eight years old only. SrI Nathamunigal prior to his ascent to Sri VaikuNTham, asked UyyakkoNDAr to initiate his grandson in to SrI VaishNava darSanam through sadupadeSams. He assigned PuNDarIkAkshar to teach what he himself had learnt from him (SrI Nathamunigal) to his precocious and pious grandson, Yamunait- turaivan. Although PuNDarIkAkshar was ready to carry out the command of his AcAryan, he felt that he may shed his mortal coils before Alavandar would reach the proper age that is fit for the studies on SrI VaishNava darSanam from him. Therefore, UyyakoNDAr delegated his principal Sishya, SrI RamamiSrar also known as MaNakkAl Nambi to teach Alavandar. SrI RamamiSrar waited for the appropriate time for upadeSams. MaNakkAl Nambi was very happy to [[21]] hear that Alavandar defeated AkkiyAzhvAn in the debate at the Royal Court.
Nambigal arrived at the city from which Alavandar was ruling half of the kingdom given to him by the Chola king. He tried to meet with Alavandar. He could not however succeed in meeting the king Alavandar amidst his royal duties. Nambigal visited now the royal kitchen and made friends with the Brahmins, who were the cooks. He learnt from them that a special kind of spinach (tUtuLai Keerai) was one of the most favorite foods of Alavandar. From the next day onwards, Nambigal brought this special spinach to the cook. Six months went by. SrI RamamiSrar could not get an appointment to meet Alavandar. SrI RamamiSrar was very sad. He decided to stop delivering the spinach for three days. Alavandar asked the cooks as to why the special spinach was not on the royal menu. The cooks briefed the King that an old Brahmin was supplying them the spinach for the last six months continuously but did not bring it for the last three days. Alavandar asked the cooks to bring the old man to him, when he arrives next time. Next day, SrI RamamiSrar arrived with the spinach and the cook took him to Alavandar. On seeing the tejas (effulgence) of SrI RamamiSrar, the King stood up, welcoming SrI RamamiSrar and expressed his thanks for the upakAram of the special spinach and offered to present him with any gift that SrI RamamiSrar might desire. SrI RamamiSrar said that he had come to the palace to give him a gift (nidhi) from his ancestors instead of receiving a gift. He added that the predecessors of Alavandar deputed him to give King Alavandar a priceless and matchless gift to Alavandar at the appropriate time. He said, “Oh King! Please instruct your servants to permit me to meet you without any interruption for upadeSams. Alavandar was very happy and agreed to do so and instructed his servants accordingly. From the next day onwards, the upadeSams started with the teaching of the esoteric meanings of SrImad Bhagavad Gita. The king understood the rahsyArthams of Lord Krishna’s upadeSams on the battle field to Arjuna and felt happy.
The King now regretted that he had wasted his life without knowledge about the tattvams. The king’s interest in worldly pomp and pleasure began to diminish. He chose SrI RamamiSrar as his AcAryan and observed: “SvAmin! How can I describe the loftiness of the wealth that my ancestors set aside for me? Thou shalt bless me further fully. SrI RamamiSrar responded positively and continued with the teachings on the subtle meanings of carama Slokam. At the conclusion of these upadeSams, SrI RamamiSrar took Alavandar to the divya deSam of Srirangam, the sacred site that grows one’s j~nAnam and PuNyam. [[22]] Alavandar enjoyed the sevA and gained the mahA bhAgyam of the auspicious darSanam of Lord Ranganatha. Alavandar wondered how any intelligent person could have missed the sevA of the Lord of Srirangam. SrI RamamiSrar revealed now to Alavandar that the Lord of Srirangam is the undiminishing wealth (nidhi) that his ancestors had kept for Alavandar. He instructed Alavandar to enjoy that wealth and protect it. Alavandar was overcome with joy and immersed himself in that blissful anubhavam. He wanted that there is no diminution to that joy and instantly decided to enter in to the sanyASramam as said in SAstra, “यदेहरवे विरजेत् yadaharave virajet”. Alavandar decided to live in Srirangam and performed upadeSams on the noble ViSishTAdvaita sampradAyam to SishyAs. The fifteen SishyAs, who sought SrI Alavandar’s sacred feet as protection are:
- Periya Nambi 2. 2, TirukkottiyUr Nambi 3. TirumAlaiyANDAn 4. AlavantArAzhvAr 5. Tirumalai Nambi 6. ISANDAn 7. deivavAriyANDAn 8. ciRiyANDAn 9. TirumOkUrappan 10. TirumOkUr ninRAn 11. deivapperumAL 12. TirumangaiyALiyAr 13. Pillai TirumAlirumcOlai dAsar 14. mARanEr Nambi 15. AL KoNDi
Visit to SrI KurukaikkAvalappan
Once on another occasion, SrI RamamiSrar realized that his last day (antima kAlam) on this earth was approaching. He went to SrI Alavandar and told him, that his grand father, SrIman Nathamunigal has initiated “KurukaikkAvalappan”, the yogarahasyam that he practiced. He asked SrI Alavandar to go to SrI KurukaikkAvalappan and receive the initiation that came to him from SrI Nathamunigal. Alavandar followed SrI RamamiSrar’s instruction and traveled to Veeranarayanapuram, where SrI KurukaikkAvalappan was residing. Alavandar saw SrI KurukaikkAvalappan inside a dilapidated old hut, engaged in the observance of yoga. Alavandar decided not to disturb SrI KurukaikkAvalappan’s observance of yoga, which helped [[23]] him to have the bliss of the direct visualization of the Lord. SrI Alavandar moved to the back of the hut and wanted to wait there for SrI KurukaikkAvalappan to come out of his yogic practice. At that time, SrI KurukaikkAvalappan asked if there is some one from coTTai kulam, (the lineage of SrI Nathamunigal). SrI Alavandar responded quickly and introduced himself as hailing from that kulam and prostrated before Sri KurukaikkAvalappan. SrI Alavandar also asked him as to how he could recognize him standing at the back. Sri KurukaikkAvalappan explained that he was enjoying Lord Krishna, the kula deivam of SrI Nathamunigal and at that time he noticed that the Lord was looking behind him twice or thrice. I remembered that Kannan is the kula deivam of coTTai kulam and the Lord was showing his pleasure at the sight of a member of the family of SrI Nathamunigal. SrI KurukaikkAvalappan noted that the Lord’s special affection for the descendants of coTTai kulam that led to His distraction. SrI Alavandar was thrilled to hear the explanation of SrI KurukaikkAvalappan and humbly sought from him the upadeSam on yogarahasyam. He suggested SrI Alavandar to come back before the approaching thai month, when Pushya nakshatram would be in ascendance at abhijit muhUrtam, when he will shed his mortal coils and ascend to Paramapadam. He selected a day for upadeSam and asked SrI Alavandar to meet him (Appan) on that day at Veeranarayanapuram. SrI Alavandar was happy and went to the temple for Perumal darSanam.
SrI Alavandar went on to Thiruvananthapuram next to perform MangaLASAsanam of Ananantapadmanabha SvAmi prior to returning for upadeSam at SrI KurukaikkAvalappan’s residence. SrI Alavandar was so joyous and immersed over the sevA of Thiruvananthapuram EmperumAn, he forgot his appointment with SrI KurukaikkAvalappan for the initiation in to yogarahasyam. It was too late to travel back from Thiruvananthapuram. SrI Alavandar was sad that he lost the opportunity to receive the upadeSam and since then the observance of yogarahasyam was lost to future generations. SrI Alavandar returned to Srirangam and became active in SrI VaishNava darSana pravacanam, the teaching of the esoteric aspects of ViSishTAdvaita siddhAntam.
Blessing of Ramanuja by Alavandar
Once, Alavandar traveled to Kanchipuram to bless Ramanuja. He had learned earlier that Ramanuja was studying VedAnta under the advaita Guru, YaadavaprakASar and he had a disagreement with his Guru on the provision of the correct meaning for the Upanishad [[24]] vAkyam (kapyAsam) and advancing the correct meaning according to the tenets of ViSishTAdvaitam. Alavandar had also learnt that the divine couple of Kanchipuram saving Ramanuja from the perils of Vindhya forest and safely bringing Ramanuja back to Kanchipuram. Alavandar was eager now to meet Ramanuja and proceeded to the temple of SrI Varadarajan. There Alavandar performed MangaLASAsanam of the Lord of Kanchi and proceeded next to KarumANikka Perumal sannidhi for sevA. At that time, Alavandar saw YaadavaprakASar and his SishyAs arriving for Perumal sevA. Alavandar asked those nearby as to who is Ramanuja among the group of SishyAs accompanying YaadavaprakASar. One of them pointed out Ramanuja in that group. Alavandar blessed Ramanuja from a distance Ramanuja with the prayer to Lord Varadarajan:
यस्य प्रसादकलया बदिरश्शृणोति पङ्गु: प्रधावति जवेनचवक्ति मूक:। अन्ध: प्रपश्यति सुतं लभतेच वन्ध्या तं देवमेव वरदं शरणं गतोस्मि॥
yasya prasAsakalayA badhiraH SrNoti panguH pradhAvati javenacavakti mUkaH | andhaH prapaSyati sutam labhateca vandhyA tam devameva varadam SaraNam gatosmi ||
aDiyEn performs SaraNAgati at the sacred feet of Lord Varadan with whose anugraham, the deaf one hears, the dumb one speaks, the blind one sees well and the infertile woman gives birth to a child.
Alavandar prayed to Lord Varadan to bless Ramanuja to become the protector of SrI ViSihTAdvaita siddhAntam. Alavandar did not interrupt the ongoing studies of the pUrvapaksha granthams under YaadavaprakASar. Therefore, Alavandar without speaking directly to Ramanuja returned to Srirangam. After the passage of some time, Alavandar became ill and he wanted to see Ramanuja and asked his principal Sishya, Periyanambigal, to bring Ramanuja from Kanchi to Srirangam. During the MangaLASAsanam of Lord Varadarajan, Periyanambigal was reciting the Sloka, “brahmA Siva SatamakaH”. On hearing this Slokam, Ramanuja approached Periyanambigal and asked [[25]] him as to who was the author of this auspicious Slokam. Periyanambigal said that this SrI sUkti was composed by SvAmi Alavandar. Now, Ramanuja wanted to meet SvAmi Alavandar at Srirangam.
The sevA of SvAmi Alavandar’s body after his death (carama tirumEni) and SrI Ramanuja’s vows
Both Periyanambigal and Ramanuja arrived at Srirangam. Before they arrived at Srirangam, SvAmi Alavandar ascended to SrI VaikuNTham. His SishyAs were waiting for the arrival of Periyanambigal and Ramanuja. They both were very much saddened by the ascent of SvAmi Alavandar to the Supreme Abode of the Lord. Ramanuja paid his obeisance to the sacred tirumEni (carama tirumEni) of SrI Alavandar from his sacred feet to his Siras (head). Ramanuja noted that SrI Alavandar’s three fingers of the hand were bent. He asked the nearby SishyAs as to whether the fingers always stayed bent, while he was alive. The Sishya answered that the fingers were straight before his passing away. The Sishya explained that this recent event was connected to the deep desire of SrI Alavandar to fulfill his three wishes that he could not complete, while he was alive. Those wishes of SvAmi were:
(1) Expressing his gratitude for the anugraham received by him from the great sages like ParASara, the author of VishNu PurANam and other venerable AcAryAs by giving their names to his successors.
(2) The creation of a commentary for the sacred prabandhams of SvAmi NammAzhvAr to reveal his bhakti for him.
(3) The creation of a commentary (bhAshyam) for the Brahma sUtrams of VyAsa Muni, consistent with the ViSishTAdvaita siddhAntam.
The SishyAs observed further that SrI Alavandar’s sorrow over his missed opportunity to fulfill the three wishes might have been some thing to do with the three bent fingers. After hearing this explanation, Ramanuja with his palms of the hands folded as in anjali, facing SrI Alavandar’s body, and vowed that he will fulfill SrI Alavandar’s three wishes with the anugraham of Lord Varadan as one who has been specially blessed by SrI Alavandar. Immediately after Ramanuja declared his vow, the three bent fingers of SrI Alavandar straightened out. The SishyAs were now filled with AcArya bhakti and felt that the glory of a sadAcAryan is immeasurable. [[26]] SrI sUktis of SrI Alavandar
The granthams created by SrI Alavandar are eight in number. The proper order (kramam) of these granthams were indicated by one Slokam blessed by SvAmi DeSikan. Even though, SvAmi DeSikan has referred to the proper order of these Sri sUktis in his one Slokam, at other references, did not indicate them in proper order.
The eight granthams bequeathed to us by SvAmi Alavandar are:
(1) AgamaprAmANyam (5) ISvarasiddhi (2) Purusha nirNayam (6) gItArtha sangraham (3) Atmasiddhi (7) catuSSlokI (4) samvidsiddhi (8) Stotraratnam
taniyan:
विगाहे यामुनं तीर्थं साधुबृन्दावने स्थितम् । निरस्त जिह्मगस्पर्शे यत्र कृAष्ण: कृAतादरः॥
vihAhe yAmunam tIrtham sAdhubrndAvane sthitam | nirasta jihmagasparSe yatra krshNaH krtAdaraH |
**** [[27]]