SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
nAyanAr listens to SrIbhAshyam commentary from kidAmbi nAyanAr
There [at kAnchIpuram], he prostrated before the divine feet of kidAmbi nAyanAr who hailed in the divine clan of kidAmbi AchchAn [one who was appointed by thirukkOttiyUr nambi to carry out madappaLLi kainkaryam (cooking food) for udaiyavar] and requested him to teach him SrI bhAshyam. Along with him, two other Sishyas, aiyaigaL appA and selvanAyanAr also heard SrIbhAshyam commentary from kidAmbi nAyanAr. They were very much supportive of nAyanAr and were listening to the SrIbhAshya kAlakshEpam (intrinsic explanation). aiyaiygaL appA was amazed at the power of nAyanAr’s speech. One day he conveyed his thoughts to kidAmbi nAyanAr “It does not appear that dhEvarIr is teaching him meanings matching his abilities”.
kidAmbi nAyanAr told aiyaigaL appA “You test him out tomorrow” and told him a few hints. aiyaigaL appA, being a thorough expert, was prepared for testing nAyanAr the next day. nAyanAr explained the concepts of the first lesson a thousand times more, through his upanyAsam, the next day. Hearing this, aiyaigaL appA exclaimed ”dhEvarIr has given all the explanations which kidAmbi nAyanAr had told us, and more than that, dhEvarIr had given us special meanings too”. He was ecstatic. Hearing this, kidAmbi nAyanAr came there mercifully. Among his SishyagOshti (assembly of disciples), there were a few vidhwAns (most learned) who expressed their desire in engaging in a debate with nAyanAr. nAyanAr told aiyaigaL appA with humility “There is a ban from adiyEn’s AchAryan in engaging with people from other philosophies” reminiscing the word of thiruvAimozhip piLLai at AzhwAr thirunagari. aiyaigaL appA told him “But aren’t these people SrIvaishNavas! By debating with them, there will be no problem for one’s svarUpam (basic nature). Please fulfil their desire”. nAyanAr gave them an upanyAsam (discourse) on the logic, meanings and philosophy. They praised nAyanAr after hearing him and prostrated at his divine feet. They then told kidAmbi nAyanAr “We thought that he was a normal Sishya like the others. All the SAsthras have taken residence in him”. kidAmbi nAyanAr told them “Think of him as an incarnation”. Intending to spread the meanings of aruLichcheyals through him in later years, kidAmbi nAyanAr started teaching him SrIbhAshyam with a greater urge. nAyanAr used to keep memorising Idu vyAkyAnam several times. Hearing this, kidAmbi nAyanAr met nAyanAr when he was alone one day and told him “It is not for nothing that dhEvarIr has been given the divine name of muppaththARAyirap perukkar. We have not seen such intelligence elsewhere. We have a desire in our mind. dhEvarIr should fulfil it, certainly”. nAyanAr, thinking as to what he should do, asked him as to what he desired. kidAmbi nAyanAr told him “We have heard that dhEvarIr is a significant incarnation. Please do not hide it from us. Please reveal that” nAyanAr told him “dhEvarIr being adiyEn’s AchAryar, adiyEn cannot hide it. Please make sure that the order of periyaperumAL is not revealed to others” He then increased the brightness of the lamp which was nearby, cautioned kidAmbi nAyanAr not to get scared and revealed his real divine form of AdhiSEshan. kidAmbi nAyanAr became very fearful and requested him “Please hide this form”. nAyanAr returned to his regular form. Subsequently, treating this as dhEvarahasyam (most secretive information, known only to emperumAn), kidAmbi nAyaNar showered nAyanAr with deeper affection, offering food apt for his divine form. Until SrIbhAshyam kAlakshEpam was completed, he sent milk taken from cows in his divine residence to nAyanAr. In a few days, SrIbhAshyam was completed. nAyanAr,becoming expert in both samskrutha vEdhAntham and dhrAvida vEdhAntham, stayed in kAnchIpuram for some time, revealing the glories of dhEvapperumAL, just as periyAzhwAr had said in his periyAzhwAr thirumozhi “vEdhAntha vizhupporuLin mElirundha viLakkai vittusiththan viriththanan” (vishNuchiththan (periyAzhwAr) revealed the effulgent emperumAn who is the innermost meaning of upanishaths). It has been heard from eminent people that he mercifully gave discourses at yathOkthakAri sannidhi on SrIbhAshyam and bhagavath vishayam, for a year. It is for this reason that he is seen in upadhESa mudhrA (hands held in the symbol of instructing) in archA form in this temple. During the time that he stayed in kAnchIpuram, he searched in that region for various palm leaf manuscripts which dealt with bhagavath vishayam (matters relating to thiruvAimozhi), and left with them for SrIrangam. As said in the SlOkam
thatha: prathinivruththamtham purushO bhujakESaya:
prathyuthkamya prabhussvairam puna: prAvESaythpuram
(subsequently, SrI ranganAthan, who was reclining on the serpent bed, went to receive that azhagiya maNavALap perumAL and made him to re-enter SrIrangam, as per his desire), being received by perumAL, azhagiya maNavALap perumAL nAyanAr re-entered SrIrangam and worshipped perumAL, who was very happy to offer him sacred water prasAdham. Just as perumAL told him then
nithyam rangE nivAsAya prArthitha: paNiSAyinA
paSyan padhAmbujam thasya pAlayAmAsa SAsanam
(Heeding to the request of perumAL “Hereafter stay in this SrIrangam”, azhagiya maNavALap perumAL obeyed that order), nAyanAr agreed to perumAL’s order “Stay here permanently”. All the eminent people there told him “dhEvarIr should remain here, praising perumAL forever” to which he agreed. In line with the 19th SlOkam of pUrvadhinacharyA
SrImadh rangam jayathu paramam dhAma thEjO nidhAnam
bhUmA thasmin bhavathu kuSalee kOpI bhUmAsahAya:
dhivyam thasmai dhiSathu vibhavam dhESikO dhESikAnAm
kAlE kAlE varavaramuni: kalpayan mangaLAni
(Let SrIrangam which is at an eminent status due to its ability to defeat others, shine well. Let periya perumAL, along with SrIdhEvi and bhUdhEvi reside there aptly. Let varavaramuni (azhagiya maNavALan), who is the first among AchAryars, carry out mangaLASAsanam to that perumAL and bring glories to him), he kept carrying out mangaLASAsanam to perumAL at appropriate times , as a result of which as said in the phrase “arangar tham sIr thazhaippa” (the divine qualities of SrIranganAthan were nurtured), perumAL’s divine wealth became abundant such that it filled up everywhere.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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