SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
Rejecting kudhrushti with the help of vEdalappai
A person who was engaged in kudhrushti philosophy (wrongly interpreting vEdhams) came to the SrIrangam temple and was rather arrogant in teaching his philosophy. While jIyar was more than capable in debating with him and to silence him in the divine assembly, just as it has been said by thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr in thirumalai pAsuram 8 “kalaiyaRakkaRRa mAndhar … kANbarO kEtparO thAm” (Will a person who is learned in SAsthrams ever accept other philosophies by analysing about them or hearing them?), he treated him on a par with grass and vowed “We shall drive this person, who is inimical to experiencing matters related to bhagavAn, out of this place”. He knew that this person was earlier a disciple of vEdalappai who was born in the clan of vAdhUla (mudhaliyANdAn thiruvamSam (divine clan)) and due to improper companionship, he had got bewildered and joined inimical forces such as baudhdha/jaina groups and had become a follower of other philosophies. Due to this he became, like thriSanku, a karma chaNdALa (person who attains the status of a person from a lowly birth due to one’s deeds). Feeling disinclined to engage in a debate with him, he sent word for vEdalappai to reject him. He too came there, saw this kudhrushti and told him “Oh mANee (lowly creature)! Have you come here too?” As soon as the kudhrushti saw vEdalappai, he became fearful just as a snake would feel upon seeing garuda, worshipped him and fled that place. Looking at the expertise of vEdalappai, jIyar was amazed and requested him to stay there. Considering his advanced age, he kept dhASarathiyaNNan as his representative in jIyar matam and left for his village.
Narration on prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNA
jIyar, after vEdalappai left, was wondering as to who will sustain viSishtAdhvaitha sidhdhAntham (philosophy of bhagavAn being together with chith and achith entities), debating with those who are spreading other philosophies, even if they are meaningless. Around that time, there was a person who was known as “hasthigirinAthar aNNa”, who debated with those who were opposed to rAmAnuja dharSanam and won over them all, thus earning the title of “prathivAdhi bhayankarar”, who was conversant with both laukika (related to worldly matters) and vaidhika (related to vEdhic matters), without any parallel. He lived for sometime in perumAL kOyil (kAnchIpuram) and then shifted to thirumalai permanently. He had three divine sons while he was in thirumalai. They were very learned in SAsthrams. His wife was like ANdAL (kUraththAzhwAn’s wife), being learned in SAsthrams. prathivAdhi bhayankaram aNNa, like kUraththAzhwAn, detested material wealth since it was an impediment in attaining emperumAn. He was a sathvanishtar (fully engaged with purely good qualities and activities), meditating on phrases such as “arthasampathvimOhAya” (wealth will make one bewildered), apportioning his wealth among bhagavAn and bhAgavathas and was firm in his divine mind that kainkaryam towards bhagavAn alone is purushArtham. He decided that he should carry out faultless service towards the divine feet of thiruvEngadamudaiyAn, without any break, as mentioned in thiruvAimozhi pAsuram 3-3-1 “ozhivil kAlam ellAm udanAy manni vazhuvilA adimai seyyavENum” (I should carry out faultless service at the divine feet of emperumAn at thiruvEngadam without any break). Hearing his desire, thirumalai thOzhappar was very happy and as said in “anyath pUrNAdhapAm kumbhAdhanyath padhAvanEjanAth anyath kuSala sampraSnA na cha ichchathi janArdhana:” (kaNNapirAn, who is janArdhanan, will not desire anything other than pUrNakumbham (pot full of water), washing his divine feet or enquiring about him) gave aNNa a silver pot and told him “Fetch water from AkASagangai (a stream near thiruvEngadam), mix fragrant powders such as cardamom etc [for thriuvEngadamudaiyAn’s thiruvArAdhanam (divine worship)]” aNNA was extremely happy, taking the pot to fetch water, thinking “It is great that SEshathvam (servitorship) has got realised to this extent” and started that as his daily activity.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
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