SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
During the time that Achchi was staying in her father’s house, the thIrtham (SrAdhdham) of kandhAdai aNNan’s father [dhEvarAja thOzhappar] was to be observed. aNNan called siRRaNNar’s wife, Achchi, to come and carry out cooking of food for SrAdhdham. Achchi too went there, cooked the food with purity and enjoyability [of food]. After offering the food to emperumAn, they served SrIvaishNavas and they too consumed it. After consuming the food, kandhAdai aNNan was sitting on the pedestal of his residence.
Narration of singaraiyar
One SrIvaishNavar came out of jIyar’s divine residence. kandhAdai aNNan, looking at him, asked him
“Which is your native place?
“vaLLuva rAjEndhiram”
“For what purpose did you come here?”
“adiyEn is waiting for taking refuge under jIyar’s feet. adiyEn could not get the permission today. adiyEn is waiting with the hope that such a time will come soon”
“There are many AchAryars in this divine abode. Could you not take refuge under one of them?”
“adiyEn has been ordained [by emperumAn] to take refuge under periya jIyar [periya jIyar refers to maNavALa mAmunigaL]”
“How did you get the order from emperumAn?”
“That is dhEvarahasyam (a divine secret)”
“What is your name?”
“singaraiyar”
kandhAdai aNNan decided in his divine mind that singaraiyar should be apt for emperumAn’s katAksham (divine glance). He led singaraiyar by his hand, took him inside his house, offered him thIrtham (sacred water), sandalwood paste etc and told him affectionately “Please stay in our residence for this night”. He stayed with his brothers, kandhAdai appan and thirukkOpuraththu nAyanAr bhattar, on the pedestal outside his house. At that time, Achchi, after completing all the work related to the thiruvadhyayanam (SrAdhdham), feeling enervated, said the words “jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam, piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam, vAzhi ulagAsiriyan” (Only Jiyar’s divine feet are the refuge, only piLLai’s divine feet are the refuge, long live piLLai lOkAchAryar) as she was preparing to lie down to sleep. These words fell on the ears of the three brothers sitting on the pedestal. They were surprised and confused to hear these words. bhattar (the youngest among the three) said “adiyEn will go inside and enquire” and went in calling out “madhiniyArE” (Oh elder sister-in-law!) Achchi knew that they have heard what she had uttered before retiring to bed and was scared. kandhAdai aNNan and appan called bhattar and told him “Do not wake her up now. Once it dawns, we will know everything” and retired to sleep. kandhAdai aNNan could not sleep, as he was overtaken by devotion. His soft bed became too hot for him to sleep; without his brothers knowing, he went to where singaraiyar was sleeping, woke him up, told him a few good words on AdhyAthmikadharmam (rightful deeds of AthmA). Singaraiyar felt happy listening to these. Then aNNan told him “adiyEn is very desirous of knowing from ddhEvarIr as to how dhEvarIr got emperumAn’s order to take refuge under jIyar’s divine feet”. singaraiyar narrated the following:
“It is adiyEn’s custom to offer the vegetables which are grown in our town to the divine residences of eminent persons in this place. One day, a SrIvaishNava told adiyEn to offer them to jIyar’s divine residence. adiyEn considerd that as a fortune and submitted them to matam. Seeing that, jIyar asked adiyEn ‘Where were these cultivated? Which water was used? Who watered the plants? Why were these brought here?’ adiyEn humbly responded to his queries ‘These were cultivated in pure lands. They were watered by dhEvarIr’s followers from adichEri [a location]. These are the properties of bhAgavathas’. jIyar felt happy listening to the answers and accorded his approval. He told adiyEn to go the temple and worship perumAL. Once adiyEn reached the sannidhi, the archakar asked adiyEn ‘Who did you offer the vegetables today?’ adiyEn responded saying ‘jIyar matam’. archakar felt affectionate towards adiyEn, gave a pat on the back and said ‘You are fortunate. You are going to get a distinguished connection’. He offered adiyEn sacred water, sandalwood paste, divine garland, betel leaves, abhaya hastham (impression of namperumAL’s divine hand granting protection made with sandalwood paste) and SrI SatakOpan. adiyEn was wondering ‘adiyEn is being showered with lot of mercy today!’ adiyEn heard the words ‘Catch him firmly’. adiyEn felt some meaning in those words. adiyEn returned to matam, prostrated and said ‘For dhEvarIr’s sake, perumAL showered lot of mercy on adiyEn‘ recounting the events which happened in the temple and asked their permission to leave the matam. The followers in the matam were affectionate towards adiyEn and gave prasAdham [food offered to perumAL] to partake of, on the way. adiyEn ate that prasAdham on the way. Immediately adiyEn felt pureness in the mind and developed an interest in taking refuge under jIyar. That night, in adiyEn’s dream, as adiyEn was worshipping periya perumAL, standing near the thirumaNaththUN (pillars just outside the sanctum sanctorum), periya perumAL lifted his divine hand towards ananthAzhwAn (AdhiSEshan) and told adiyEn mercifully ‘Look! He is azhagiya maNavALach chIyar [jIyar]. Make a connection with him’. After this, being contented, adiyEn has been waiting to take refuge under jIyar’s divine feet”. After listening to this, kandhAdai aNNan was overcome with reverence, thought for a long time within himself and went to sleep. In his sleep, he had a dream.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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