After the time of ParASara Bhattar, NamjIyar, the sampradAya Pravartakar was staying in Srirangam. He composed a grantham, onpatinAyiRappaDi (9,000 paDi), a commentary for TiruvAimozhi that he learnt from Bhattar. This work was styled in line with SrI BhAshyam. He asked his SishyAs. “Is there anyone who can write these notes in a palm leaf?” The disciples replied, “One person by name NambUr Varadarajar from the south bank visits here often. He can write very well”. NamjIyar asked them to bring that person. When Varadarajar came to meet NamjIyar, he asked him to write a grantham in a palm leaf. He saw what he has written and noticed that the handwriting was good and very tidy. However, the jIyar said, “This is a work on TiruvAimozhi and so this can be written only with the help of a capable person blessed with an AcAryan. This person is yet to be blessed with panca samskAram. How we can take his service to do this?” On hearing about this, Varadarajar prostrated at the feet of NamjIyar and appealed to him, “Devareer! Please reform me and accept me as a disciple who can fulfil your wises”. NamjIyar was impressed and initiated panca samskAra rituals to him. The jIyar did upadeSam of his work on onpatinAyiRappaDi vyAkhyAnam as well TiruvAimozhi to Varadarajar. The jIyar asked him to write this with out any mistakes and handed over the notes to him.
Varadarajar appealed to NamjIyar saying, “aDiyEn will take these, go to my place, complete the work and present it to you”. NamjIyar agreed and told him to do so. Varadarajar took the palm leaves notes and started for his village. On the way, he had to swim in the Cauvery River water to cross it. He tied the notes to his head and started swimming. While he was midway, a big wave of water swept away the palm leaves notes. Varadarajar reached the south bank and was feeling terrible at the loss of the notes. He was worried and afraid as he felt that his AcAryan may get angry and admonish him for his carelessness. Feeling bad and sad, he was wondering as to what could be done now. He reached his house and completed the daily rituals. After performing bhagavadArAdhanam, he retired to bed without taking food.
That night Periya Perumal appeared in his dream and directed him, saying, “You meditate upon your AcAryar, NamjIyar. When you start writing the commentary on TiruvAimozhi, We (Perumal) will bless and help you to recollect your memory and to recall all the special [[168]] meanings taught to you by your AcAryan”. Then, Namperumal disappeared. Next day morning, Varadarajar woke up and completed all his morning rituals. Meditating upon his AcAryan and Azhagiya Manavalan, he commenced his writing. By the anugraham of NamjIyar and Azhagiya Manavalan, he completed the writing of the onpatinAyiRappaDi commentary on TiruvAimozhi with out any mistakes exactly as per the upadeSam by NamjIyar. Being a highly scholarly person in Tamil, he added at appropriate places, in-depth and profound special meanings and presented his writings to NamjIyar.
NamjIyar opened the palm leaf writings and went through the same. He was very happy. He observed that even though the work was similar to that of his notes, there were several special meanings mentioned and he was pleasantly surprised. He told, “VaradarajarE! This has come out very well. But where are the notes that I gave you?” Varadarajar was scared and kept quiet. NamjIyar said, “You need not fear. Tell me the fact”. Varadarajar said, “SvAmin, when I was crossing the River Cauvery, I tied the notes on my head and was swimming. One big wave struck and swept away the notes and they were lost in the rushing water. I recalled what you taught me once and rewrote this”. NamjIyar heard this and thought, “What an intelligent person he is! He listened to the upadeSam only once and rewrote it so well. He is really a very intelligent and competent”. The jIyar was very happy and embraced Varadarajar. He praised him and said, “இவன் நம்முடைய பிள்ளை ivan nammuDaiya Pillai”. He named Varadarajar as “tirukkalikanRi dAsar’. The jIyar had him as his inner circle of disciples and never left his presence. Since NamjIyar called Varadarajar as “nammuDaiya Pillai”, he came to be known as “Nampilliai”.
Nampillai asked NamjIyar, “At what stage, does one realises that he is blessed with the SrI VaishNava status?” NamjIyar replied that when one realise that the arcAvatAram of Perumal has paratvam, when he reflects the kindness and affection on another SrI VaishNava similar to the feeling exhibited to his children and wife, even if a SrI VaishNavan uses harsh words, remaining neutral and not carrying the grudge are indicative of the realisation that one is blessed with Sri VaishNava status. Therefore the belief on the ultimate superiority (paratvam) of the arcAvatAram, kindness and affection towards BhAgavatAs result in SrI VaishNava status”.
[[169]] NamjIyar lived for one hundred years. During his last days, he was not keeping good health. One of the disciples of NamjIyar named KuTTikuRi iLaiyAzhvAr appealed to NamjIyar to recite dvaya mahA mantram. On hearing this, NamjIyar asked him, “Is it not apt for you? Does it mean only those who are bed ridden are to recite dvayam? Is reciting dvayam not required for those who are moving about?” The disciple hung down his head in shame. This indicates that dvaya mahA mantram is to be recited all the time.
When NamjIyar was not keeping well, teRkAzhvAn Bhattar prostrated at his feet and asked him, “Is there anything aDiyEn can do for SvAmin?” Being a great jIyar, NamjIyar replied that he wishes to have darSan of Periya Perumal in his full splendour. teRkAzhvAn Bhattar conveyed this to TirumAlai tanta Perumal. During the procession (purappADu) of Perumal, the procession stopped in front of the maTham. NamjIyar performed his MangaLASAsanam. At that time, arcaka SvAmi removed the tiruvAbharaNam and the pItAmbharam of the Perumal so that NamjIyar could have a splendid darSan of Perumal tirumEni in His full splendour. After the darSan, a very contented NamjIyar said, “Today, the Lord gave me darSan in His full splendour”. He was overjoyed. As the jIyar could not leave the sight of Perumal, he went along with Perumal for a few steps and then returned to his maTham.
The jIyar called Nampillai and told him, “There is nothing left for you to learn more. You may offer discourses on our siddhAntam to disciples so that our Lord will be glad”. He went on to say, “My AcAryan, Bhattar when he did upadeSam blessed and said not to be proud of having the name as VedAnti, being the Sishya of Bhattar, having did the samarpaNam of lot of wealth to AcAryan as AcArya dakshiNa. Always remember that the holy feet of EmperumAnAr is your shelter”. NamjIyar did upadeSam to Nampillai saying, “You also do not have thoughts such as having the name ‘LokAchAryar’, having competency to render discourses with special meanings on AzhvAr’s nAlAyira divya prabandhangal and the proponent of SrI BhAshyam. Always remember that the holy feet of EmperumAnAr is your shelter”. When his health condition deteriorated, facing the Temple, he lay down with his head on the lap of Bhagavat SenApati jIyar, his holy feet on the lap of PinpazhAgiya Perumal jIyar. He meditated upon the holy feet of his AcAryar ParASara Bhattar and ascended to Paramapadam. Nampillai was very sad. He consoled himself and organized the last rites for NamjIyar appropriate to the status of an ascetic in a perfect manner.
[[170]] tirunakshatram of NamjIyar - Panguni month, uttaram
taniyan
नमो वेदान्तवेद्याय जगन्मङ्गलहेतवे। यस्य वागमृतासारपूरितं भुवनत्रयम् ॥
namo vedAntavedyAya jaganmangalahetave | yasya vAgamrtAsArapUritam bhuvanatrayam ||
[[171]]