Three Great Teachers

 

Nathamuni, 9th century

 

Nathamuni believed to have lived during the 9th century was born in the village Vira-narayana in the Chola kingdom.

One day, his return to his hometown after a long pilgrimage, Nathamuni met some Srivaisnavas, reciting some 10 hymns composed by Nammalvar. Realising that they were part of a much larger work, he decided to go to the holy temple city, Kumbakonam. The Guru-parampara Prabhavam states, that Madhura-kavi alvar, the disciple of Nammalvar, manifested before Nathamuni and told him that after Nammalvar left his body, the local orthodox community fearing that the study of the Tamil hymns would be detrimental to the Vedic religion, threw them into the river Tamraparani. A page of the hymns, was picked up by a man who appreciated and recited them. Thus only 10 hymns have been saved at this time. Nathamuni recited 12000 times the verse composed by Madhura kavi alvar in adoration of Nammalvar, who then revealed the purport of the entire work to Nathamuni. Not satisfied, Nathamuni wanted to know all the words in detailed. He was asked to approach an artisan, who provided Nathamuni with the complete text of the work, which latter came to be known as Tiruvaymozhi. Nathamuni brought the hymns together and with the help of his two nephews, set them to music in the Vedic manner. From then on, these hymns are sung in the temples and are regarded as Dravida Veda. Nathamuni then pass down the text to his disciple Pundarikaksa, who then gave it to his disciple Rama Misra, Rama Misra gave it to Yamunacarya, who gave it to Gosthipurna, who later instructed Sri Ramanuja on the work.

 

Yamunacarya


Yamunacarya, (Alavandar), was the son of Isvara Bhatta and the grandson of Nathamuni. He was born in 916 A.D at Viranarayanapuram (Kattu Mannargudi in Tamil Nadu). He mastered several branches of learning in a very w time, under the guidance of Maha Bhasya Bhatta. It is said that he defeated a conceited royal court scholar. In recognition of this victory, he was given the title Alavandar and was granted a gift of a territory by the Pandya king.

It was due to the tireless efforts of Sri Rama Misra, the disciple of Pundarikaksha, that brought Yamuna back to the vaisnava fold. Sri Rama Misra initiated Yamuna and passed to him the spiritual treasures bequeathed to him by Nathamuni. After his initiation, Yamuna became the leader of Visistadvaita and settled in Srirangam.

Yamunacarya composed eight works:

  • Agamapramanya - This is entirely devoted to vindicating the authoritativeness of Pancharatra Agamas
  • Mahapurusha Nirnaya - In this work, Yamuna shows that the ultimate reality is the Supreme Purusa, Sriman Narayana
  • Atma Siddhi, Iswara Sidhhi and Samvit Siddhi - Collectively, these three works are known as Siddhitrayam. They establish the visistadvaita conception of soul, God and knowledge.
  • Gitartasamgraha - This is a marvellous work on Bhagavad gita, which latter formed the basis of Sri Ramanuja's Gita Bhashya.
  • Chatussloki - This is a poem in praise of Goddess Lakshmi.
  • Stotra-Ratna - This is a poem in praise of Lord Narayana, and also known as The Jewel of Hymns.

 

Ramanujacarya, 1017-1137 AD

 

Ramanuja was born to Kesava Perumal Somayaji Dikhsita and Kanthimathi Ammal in Sriperumbudur. At 16 years of age, he mastered all the Vedas and Sastras and married Rakshakambal at the age of 17.

Ramanuja was placed under the Advaita (non dualism) guru, Yadava Prakasa for training in Advaita Purva Paksha Sastra of Vedanta. In many occasions Ramanuja disagreed with Yadava on the purport of the Vedanta texts. Ramanuja fearlessly pointed out the errors in his Guru's interpretations and corrected him. The enraged Yadava, fearing, Ramanuja would destroy Advaita philosophy, plotted to kill him by drowning him in river Ganges while on a pilgrimage. Learning of the plan through Govinda, another disciple who was his cousin, Ramanuja escaped by slipping out into the forest in the dark night.

During this period, Yamunacarya who wanted Ramanuja to be his successor, sent Periya Nambi to bring Ramanuja to Srirangam. However, before they could reach Srirangam, Yamuna left his material body. Ramanuja returned to Kanchipuram after promising to satisfy the three requests of Yamuna:

  • Compose a commentary on Upanishads, Vedanta Sutras and Bhagavad Gita
  • Compose a commentary on Nammalvar's Tiruvaymozhi
  • The name of Parasara, should be commemorated on the earth by giving it to a person worthy to bear it.

Ramanuja returned to Srirangam after taking up the sanyasa (monk) order. Ramanuja's two important disciples, Kuresa and Mudaliandan accompanied him and stayed with him in Srirangam.

In Srirangam he composed many works such as Vedanta Sangraham, Vedanta Sara, Vedanta Deepam, and Geetha Bashyam. During Panguni Uttram, he did Prapatti (surrender) before their Lordships in Serthi and submitted his famous Gadyatrayam (comprising Saranagati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam and Sri Vaikunta Gadyam).

Later, he wrote a Granta called Nityam detailing the Tiruvaradana Kramam.

Ramanuja, restored many temples rituals to the Vaisnava tradition, including Tirupati, Melkote. He was a great social reformer, and converted many irrespective of caste to Srivaisnavism. He established a list of 74 pontiffs (Simhasana Adhipathis) for the purpose of promoting and teaching Srivaisnavam. With his head on the lap of Embar and his feet on the lap of Vaduga Nambi, Ramanuja breathed his last in 1137 AD listening to the recitation of the Divya Prabandam (Dravida veda).