Ramanuja's Chief Disciples and His Arrival at Srirangam

Ramanuja had now weaned himself from the world. He kept the discipline and daily routine of a monk with great care. He saw with gratitude that the grace-filled glance of Yamunacharya, which had once fallen on him, had cleared every obstacle to a life devoted to God. It was now time to think about how best to carry out the dying wishes of that pioneer-sage of the faith, Sri Yamuna. He could not do it alone; he needed a capable colleague.

No one seemed better suited than Govinda-Bhatta, who possessed the threefold qualifications of loyalty to him, renunciation of the world, and enthusiastic faith in spiritual science. But Govinda had become a staunch Saiva and was serving Siva at Kalahasti, as earlier related. Who could show him that there is but one God, whom the scriptures call "All-scent and All-savour"?

Ramanuja's thoughts turned to Tirumalai Nambi (Srisaila-purna), the venerable worshipper of Venkatesa at Tirupati — a master of the Vedas, deeply versed in the nectarous Prabandhas (Tamil devotional hymns), and endowed with spiritual qualities capable of redeeming men like Govinda. Ramanuja sent a trusted Sri Vaishnava to Nambi with this message: "Holy Sir! Your nephew Vatta-mani Govinda-Bhatta was my schoolmate. I beg you, for my sake, extend your grace to him and bring him back to your blessed feet."

Meanwhile, two other devotees heard that Ramanuja had entered the monastic order: Kurattazhvan, called Tirumaru-marban of the Harita family, and Mudali-y-andan of the Kandadai family. Overjoyed, they hastened to Kanchi, fell at his feet, and asked to be taken into the Sri Vaishnava fold through the sacrament of Pancha-samskara (the fivefold consecration). Ramanuja welcomed them and initiated them as they asked. As scripture says, "After receiving the mantra, the twice-born shall worship his acharya and in all purity remain in his service." They became utterly devoted to him. (From here onward we shall call them by their Sanskrit names, Kuresa for Kurattazhvan and Dasarathi for Mudali-y-andan.) Thus a circle of disciples began to gather around the future pontiff of the Vaishnava faith.

A new chapter was also opening in the life of Yadavaprakasa. His mother was a good woman. She often visited Lord Varada and had won the affection of the sage Kanchipurna. She also spoke often with Ramanuja. All these influences together inclined her towards the new faith, and she began to wish that her son too would join this band.

One day, as she was climbing the steps of Lord Varada's shrine, she overheard someone say, "So be it." Taking this as a favourable sign, she went home and urged her son: give up the single staff of the advaitin and, like Ramanuja, wear the triple-staff, the sacred thread, and the sikha (tuft of hair), embracing the Vaishnava faith.

For a long time Yadavaprakasa had been quietly doubting the soundness of advaita. Ramanuja's reasonable and dignified readings of Vedic texts — so unlike his own — had been working on him. The greatness of Ramanuja had been demonstrated by the Brahma-rakshas that had possessed the princess. And God Himself, disguised as Rama, had delivered Ramanuja from the plot he had hatched against him on the pretext of a pilgrimage to Kasi (Varanasi). These, together with his mother's counsels, had prepared his heart.

Yet he hesitated. "Mother," he said, "as a monk of the advaita persuasion, I cut off my tuft and my sacred thread (yajnopavita). To wear them again, I must perform a penance — the scriptures prescribe a pilgrimage around the world. I am old and unfit for such a journey. I don't know what to do." These thoughts tormented him day after day.

Then one night he had a dream. Lord Varada appeared and said, "There is no need to walk around the world, Yadava! That is accomplished by walking around our Ramanuja. Do so and receive the insignia of the new faith from his hand."

Yadava woke but did not trust the dream. He went to Kanchipurna and asked him, as a favoured devotee of Lord Varada, to consult the Lord on his behalf. That night Kanchipurna laid Yadava's petition before Lord Varada. "I know it all," the Lord replied. "His mother has already persuaded him. He is troubled about how to undo his past by bhu-pradakshina (circling the earth). I have quieted him in a dream by telling him to walk around Ramanuja instead. Being only a dream, he doubts it and now turns to you."

The next morning Kanchipurna conveyed this to Yadava, who was satisfied at last. He went straight to Ramanuja, begged pardon for all that had passed, and asked to be ordained a monk and admitted to the new faith. "But atonement is required before conversion," said Ramanuja, "and in this case that means circling the earth once." "It is enough to circle you, Sire — so commands Lord Varada," Yadava replied humbly, and without waiting for a reply he began walking around Ramanuja and then stood before him with folded hands.

Kuresa and Dasarathi, the new disciples, watched in wonder and exclaimed, "If some reach God through love, others reach Him through hatred as well! May he join our holy band!" Ramanuja was greatly pleased to have won so valuable a soul. He had Yadava undergo all the sacraments of a Brahmana a second time — Chaula and Upanayana — invested him with the triple-staff and the rest, stamped him with the holy marks of sankha and chakra, gave him the holy mantra, and named him Govinda-jiyar. He further instructed him to compose a treatise on Yati-dharma (the rules of monks) that would harmonise the various scriptural passages on the subject. Govinda-jiyar wrote a work of eleven chapters, each treating one aspect, and submitted it to Ramanuja, who read it and gave his approval. Govinda-jiyar did not serve his acharya for long; he soon left the earth for the Great Beyond.

Kuresa and Dasarathi remained deeply attached to Ramanuja, who led them through a course in the two Mimamsas (the exegetical treatises on the ritual and contemplative portions of the Veda). While these studies were under way, news of Ramanuja's entry into the sannyasa order and of all that followed reached Srirangam. Mahapurna and the other disciples of Yamunacharya received the news with joy and longed for Ramanuja to come and make Srirangam his permanent home. But they were powerless to bring him; and Ramanuja himself, once before, had left the place in grief without even seeing Sri Ranganatha, overcome by sorrow at Yamuna's sudden death.

They went together to Sri Ranganatha and petitioned him to prevail upon Lord Varada of Kanchi to spare Ramanuja for them. Sri Ranganatha granted their prayer and sent a message to Lord Varada. But the reply came: "If it is possible for one to give up his beloved, then I too can part with my Ramanuja."

The Srirangam elders, after much discussion, decided to send a senior in person to stand before Lord Varada and persuade Him with hymns. The Lord's very name — Varada, "the Giver" — promised success. They entrusted the mission to Tiruvaranga-p-Perumal Araiyar, the venerable elder of Srirangam. He obtained Sri Ranganatha's permission and set out for Kanchi. Near the city he was met by his relative Varantarum-perumal Araiyar, who escorted him in and hosted him as befitting a distinguished visitor.

The next morning Araiyar went to the temple. That day Lord Varada was seated in state in the pavilion called Kacchikku-vayttan, surrounded by his holy assembly. Kanchipurna was stationed before the Lord, doing his usual service of fanning, and Ramanuja stood beside him devoutly reciting the Devaraja-ashtaka hymn that Kanchipurna had sung. Ramanuja saw Araiyar, went forward, and received him warmly.

"May I pay my obeisance to Lord Varada?" asked Araiyar. Kanchipurna led him into the presence of the enthroned Lord. Araiyar fell prostrate and recited Yamuna's verse: "Oh, when, O Strider of the Three Spheres, will Thy lotus-feet, decked with conch and discus, bedeck my head?" He rose and was honoured with tirtha (sacred water), prasada, and Sri Sathagopa. Then, setting his voice to celestial music (devagana), Araiyar chanted a selection of the lyrical hymns of the Azhvars (saints). As he sang he danced and rose into rapture.

"When His faithful sing and dance for joy, God Himself keeps time" — so it is said. Lord Varada was pleased with the singer's devotion and granted him all the honours of the shrine.

"Why would I want these?" said the singer. "My wish is not for these. Pray grant me a boon, for You are famous as the Boon-Giver." He sang and danced with greater fervour. Pleased, Lord Varada said, "Ask, my beloved — anything except Me and My consorts."

"Pray, grant me Him," the singer replied at once, pointing to Ramanuja, who stood nearby.

"Oh, I have lost!" said the Lord. "I wish I had thought to put Ramanuja on the list of exceptions. However, son — except Ramanuja, ask any other boon."

"But," protested the singer, "do You too go back on Your word, like mortals? Are not Your own words, 'Rama has no two tongues'?" Hearing this, Lord Varada had no choice but to say reluctantly, "Well, we grant you Ramanuja. Take him. And we bestow upon him the title Yatiraja (King of Ascetics)."

At once Araiyar seized Ramanuja by the hand and said, "Proceed, Sire." Ramanuja said not a word. He prostrated before Lord Varada, said, "Yours will be done," and set out immediately, not even pausing to enter his cloister. As he went, he simply ordered his pupils Kuresa and Dasarathi to continue his daily worship of Varada. Kuresa escorted him some of the way and then returned to Kanchi; Dasarathi, who was Ramanuja's sister's son and his only retained relative, continued with him.

Eyes fixed steadily on Srirangam — his future home, the vestibule of the Eternal Home — Ramanuja went on with joy leaping in his heart. In time he reached the northern branch of the Kaveri (the Kolladam, or Coleroon) which encircles the holy island of Srirangam. There he stopped to bathe and adorn his body with the twelve urdhva-pundras — the marks consecrated to the holy names of Kesava and the others.

News of the holy personage's arrival had raced ahead to Srirangam. Mahapurna and the other disciples of Yamunacharya, the elders of the town, the monks and ekangis (acolytes), all rejoiced and went in a body to the temple to tell Sri Ranganatha. His command came forth: "O my faithful, march out in full congregation, office-bearers and all, with every honour of my temple, to meet and receive my Ramanuja."

The whole community formed a grand procession. With music sounding and banners flying, led by Vishvaksena (Senaimudali), they streamed towards the Kolladam — just as the celestials and angels go out from the gates of heaven to the shores of the Viraja river to welcome the souls who have finished their earthly pilgrimage and are arriving at the gates of the city of God.

They met Ramanuja, exchanged religious greetings, and turned back towards Srirangam. Ramanuja crossed the river and came to the Tinkodi rampart and the Damodaran turret, where he lay full-length on the ground. Rising, he reverently threaded the Tirumalai-tanda-perumal street, always beginning in the east and turning to the west and south in the manner of pradakshina (clockwise circumambulation). He went round the inner Trivikraman street and reached the great sacrificial altar (balipitha), where he again prostrated. Then he went to the Mother's shrine and paid homage to Sri Ranganayaki, the consort of Sri Ranganatha. Next he reached the Chandra-pushkarini pond and sipped its holy water. Wheeling round, he reached the southern entrance guarded by the Nayanars (gate-watchers), and visited in order all the saints from Saint Nammazhvar onward, not omitting the many smaller shrines dotted around the temple.

He then entered the courtyard called Ani-y-Arangan-Tirumuttam and prostrated once more. Wheeling round the inner corridor, his loving eyes fixed on the pranava-shaped Vimana (the gold-covered cupola over the sanctum), he reached the shrine of Vishvaksena, made obeisance, and was now in the precincts of the central Father's shrine. In the hall called Azhagiya-manavalan-tirumandapam, Sri Ranganatha himself — the moveable image, Namberumal — came forth to meet Ramanuja, just as the Lord in heaven leaves his throne of glory to embrace the saved souls arriving at the golden gates.

Ramanuja was overwhelmed with joy. He fell, rose, fell again, raised his hands, fell again. So he reverently approached the Holy of Holies, where, supporting himself against the mana-t-tun pillar, he beheld the blessed figure of Sri Ranganatha reclining on the Ananta couch. Fixing his eyes on the holy figure, he enjoyed the vision as Saint Tiruppanazhvar had in his Amalan-adippiran. He recited in tones of bliss the Tiruppallandu of Saint Periyazhvar and these enchanting verses of Yamunacharya:

Sri Ranganatha was enchanted by this outpouring and was pleased to place His blessed feet upon Ramanuja's head. Ramanuja received them in humility as the greatest of honours and stood transfixed, knowing that from that day his life was to be wholly dedicated to the service of God.

As Ramanuja stood absorbed, Sri Ranganatha — Periya Perumal, the Lord stationary on the Serpent Sesha — spoke: "All the riches of our kingdom here and of our upper realms are given to you and to your followers. The title Udayavar is conferred upon you. Take charge of our household here; we appoint you its guardian and trustee, to manage its affairs wisely."

Ramanuja received the command humbly and turned to Mahapurna: "What blessings do they not receive who have trusted acharyas like you, Sire? My spiritual connection with you has brought me this extraordinary favour from Sri Ranganatha today."

"O my noble pupil," said Mahapurna, "the prophecy of Saint Nammazhvar, which we have so long been awaiting, has come true today. He wrote, 'O men, learn that the Kali age will soon come to an end' — and this refers to you. Begin your holy duties now without delay."

Ramanuja obeyed and took charge of his exalted office. Seated in the hall called Periya Tirumandapam, he made searching enquiries into every department: whether the weights and measures in the Sri-bhandara (temple stores) were correct; whether the flower, sandal-paste, food, and light services were properly done; whether the temple servants were carefully chosen and cared for; whether public works on the shrine's noble structures were attended to; whether the flower gardens were properly tended; whether the temple's lands and other properties were well looked after. Day by day he restored order and system to the vast affairs of the temple. He chose Akalanka Natt-azhvan, made him his disciple, and set him over the temple as his assistant, ensuring strict and punctual performance of all daily, fortnightly, monthly, and yearly festivals.