Ramanuja's Last Days

Parasara-Bhattarya — Bhattarya, for short — the son of Kuresa, had now succeeded to his father's spiritual estate. From the moment of Bhattarya's birth, Ramanuja had known that he was destined to be the next apostle of the Visishtadvaita dispensation, since he had been presented to the world by Lord Ranganatha Himself as His own (God-) Son.

Providence had arranged that Kuresa make his exit from the pontifical stage first — he was too saintly and retiring to be the active propagandist a movement needs. Bhattarya was cast in that active mold.

Ramanuja therefore led this young apostle-delegate to the Lord and presented him.

"We again repeat and confirm our God-fatherhood to you, son," said the Lord. "We consecrate it by giving you this turmeric-water to drink. Grieve not for the loss of our Kuresa, your father — for We stand in that position to you, and still more."

Ramanuja interrupted: "Majestic Lord — bless this scion with Your blessing, symbolized by tirtha and prasada." He returned to his mutt and called Embar (Govinda-Jiyar), giving him the sacred task of preparing Bhattarya for the office he was to hold, through a complete course of studies in both doctrine and discipline.

After discharging this trust, Ramanuja settled down once more to impart teaching to his large congregation on the Sri Bhashya and the Bhagavad-vishaya.

Kandadai-Andan, the son of Dasarathi, one day approached Ramanuja with reverence and said, "Holy Sire — you are to us in this Kali age God Himself incarnate, come on earth to establish Dharma, as Lord Krishna was in the Dvapara age. It is said:

"Permit us therefore to install an image of you in Sri Perumbudur (Bhutapuri), so that every generation to the end of time may know you, love you, and serve you as their Saviour — and so secure their salvation."

Ramanuja granted the request. Andan brought a sculptor to study Ramanuja's figure and reproduce it in metal. When it was shown to him, Ramanuja examined it carefully from head to foot. Satisfied, he embraced the statue, pouring into it all the spiritual power and grace he possessed, for the benefit of posterity. He commanded that it be installed at Bhutapuri in the month of Pushya, when Jupiter would be in that constellation.

Andan carried the image in state to Bhutapuri and installed it, along with the mula (fixed stone image), exactly on the month and day Ramanuja had fixed.

At the very moment the ceremonies were being performed at Bhutapuri, Ramanuja at Srirangam was suddenly taken ill. Startled at first, he soon understood: this was the hour his image was being inaugurated, and the illness was itself a foreboding that his vocation on earth was drawing to its close. He sent word to Andan to return at once. Andan obeyed the summons and came back.

Ramanuja now kept all his disciples and devotees by his side, and gave them the quintessence of his teaching.

"Listen, beloved sons," he began. "Men are of three distinct types: the God-ward (anukula), the God-against (pratikula), and the God-indifferent (anubhaya). The first are the Sri Vaishnavas; the second are the atheists; the third are the worldly (samsarins).

"If you meet men of the first type, rejoice as if you had found flowers, scents, aromatics; as if the blush of moonshine spread around you and a gentle breeze crept over you; as if you had met your own nearest and dearest kin.

"If you meet men of the second type, be wary as if you faced a venomous reptile, or fire.

"If you chance to meet men of the third type, take no notice of them, as you would not notice the stones and stocks that lie on your path. If you see willingness in them, teach them things of the spirit; otherwise, treat them with pity. The reason such men are turned away from God is their love for lust and lucre.

"If out of the pride that comes with lust and lucre men condemn Sri Vaishnavas, it is nothing less than contempt for God Himself. If holy men, flattered by such men's pride, condescend to pay them court, it is as if the king's own wife were wandering the streets begging. If holy men let themselves be lured by the wealth of samsarins, their wisdom is vain — they have not learned to distinguish gem from glass."

"There are six ways in which you can usefully spend your days:

Ramanuja now sent for all the servants of the blessed temple of Ranga and addressed them:

"O faithful servants of our Lord — my time is over, and my service in your company must come to an end. In discharging my duties with you, I may have offended some and pained others. Now, as I am about to leave you, it is right that I ask each and all of you to forgive me for my shortcomings."

"Holy Sire!" they cried with one voice. "Why do you speak like this to your humble servants? Your words are strange — and not only strange, they strike fear into our hearts! You, our beloved father — to leave us orphans? You, the soul of the worlds — to leave us lifeless corpses?"

"Do not speak so, sons," Ramanuja said, comforting them. "You lose nothing by losing me. Your Lord Ranga is here, ever present, and never leaves you. He lies safely on His serpent-couch, gazing steadily to the South — for His devotee Vibhishana dwells there. Never be sparing in your service to Him. Be vigilant, be devout. I wish you always the company of the Lord's own elect — the Sri Vaishnavas. Farewell."

So exhorting them and assigning to chosen disciples the care of the different sections of his large following, Sri Ramanuja led Bhattarya into Lord Ranga's presence and had him receive the tirtha and prasada before himself — signaling by that act that Bhattarya was to be the head of the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam after his departure.

Turning to his disciples, he said, "Gentle folk — he shall be next to me in succession. Look upon him as such." Turning to Bhattarya, he said, "Son — there is a man of repute called Vedanti in the uplands of Mysore. Go there, win him over by debate, and convert him to our faith."

After thus consecrating Bhattarya, Ramanuja returned to his mutt and once more addressed the assembly: "Command yourselves not to stray from the Path when I am gone. Do not let grief over my passing interfere with the proper discharge of the duties I have assigned you — for if you do, you forfeit your connection with me, with Mahapurna, and with Yamuna, and you act against the will of our St. Satthagopa. Come, each of you, and swear by my holy feet that you will carry out my charges and never swerve from the lines of virtue I have marked out for you all."

Ramanuja now commanded them to retire and return after eating the consecrated food prepared for them. They obeyed. When they returned, Sri Ramanuja gave his last words and his last blessing; then, withdrawing gently — as though falling into quiet natural sleep — he closed his eyes and lay down, his head turned toward the temple, resting on the lap of Embar, his feet placed on the lap of Vatu-Purna (Andhra-Purna).

The whole of Srirangam — every man and woman — crowded to the mutt to witness the last moments of the great Ramanuja. One party of elders sang in solemn tones the Brahmavalli and Bhriguvalli of the Vedas; another sang the hymns of the Dravida-Prabandhas.

As they watched him lying in state, their hearts beating with the weight of the supreme moment, the crown of his head — at the pineal gland — burst open, and the holy Ambassador of God winged his way back to His native land, Paramapada.

Like the mighty trees of the forest uprooted by a hurricane, the whole assembly fell flat on the ground senseless — recovering only to feel the keener agony of their irreparable loss, followed by an uproarious outburst of grief unlike any other of its kind. Torrents fell from their blinded eyes; inarticulate words came from their choked throats; their limbs lay paralyzed by the stroke of his passing from the sphere of his labors to heaven — his native home — to enjoy there the unutterable rest that is the reward of all benefactors of mankind.

"Indeed," they cried, "we have learned the truth. When you sprang into our midst, we gained the light of knowledge. Now your exit envelops us in the gloom of evil."

When Ramanuja's own grand-guru Yamunacharya had ascended to heaven, a sequence of observances and sacraments, processions and funeral rites was performed as the Sastras prescribe for a Vaishnava and a sanyasin. All that — to its smallest elaboration and greatest detail — was now solemnly performed for Ramanuja. Thus passed away the great Ramanuja.

"Endless are the incidents in the chapters of Ramanuja's life. It would be impossible to record them all — only the salient features have been recorded," says our chronicler Pinbalagia-Perumal-Jiyar. He now gathers in one summary all the evidence that testifies to Ramanuja's greatness.

Lord Ranga declared with His own lips that all the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven and of earth were placed at Ramanuja's disposal.

Lord Srinivasa confirmed this by His holy word. And to show it was no flattery, a milkmaid named Tumbaiyur Kondi, who supplied curds to Ramanuja, once presented her bill for payment when he was on his way to Tirupati. Ramanuja asked Kidambi-acchan to feed her at the mutt. Having eaten, she prostrated before Ramanuja and asked a favor. "Holy Sire — I desire no coin for my curds. Give me Moksha instead!" "That power I do not possess," Ramanuja replied. "Lord Srinivasa alone can grant it." "Then give me a written permit to take to Him," she said. Moved by her faith, he did. She climbed the holy hill; but before she even reached the summit, the Lord Himself met her on the way, received the permit, and granted her Moksha on the spot.

Lord Varadaraja of Kanchi bore witness twice. Once He appeared in Yadava-Prakasa's dream and commanded that the circumambulation of the world required of a would-be sanyasin was fulfilled by one circuit round Ramanuja. Again, when the debate between Ramanuja and Yajnamurti was going against Ramanuja, the Lord came in his dream and suggested the Vedic passages that, quoted the next morning, laid the adversary flat.

Lord Narayana of Melukote showed the way of Ramanuja's future in a dream while he stayed at Tondanur — and further condescended to assume the place of a beloved son to him, as Sampat-kumara.

Lord Sundararaja of the Azhagar Hill near Madurai proved his witness thus: one day He summoned all Ramanuja's disciples to appear before Him. They obeyed; but Mahapurna's own kinsmen stayed away. When Mahapurna asked why, they said, "We are your kinsmen — so Ramanuja is our disciple." The Lord replied, "Your taking Ramanuja for a disciple is the equal of Dasaratha and Vasudeva taking Rama and Krishna for their sons." On another occasion Kidambi-acchan was reciting before the Lord the verse Aparadha..., which uses the word agathim — "wayless." The Lord interrupted: "How dare you say that, when you have Ramanuja for your way?"

Nambi, the Lord of Tirukkurungudi, expressed surprise that Ramanuja was able to bring so many souls to God's fold when He Himself, despite repeated incarnations, could not accomplish so much. "Would You like to know the secret, Lord?" said Ramanuja. "Then put yourself in the position of a disciple." Nambi did — and Ramanuja whispered the secret of his success into the Lord's ear. From then on Nambi prided Himself on this spiritual tie with Ramanuja.

Yamunacharya, while visiting Kanchipurna, saw Ramanuja passing by in the train of Yadava-Prakasa, and pointed him out to his disciples: "Look — he will be the first leader of our faith."

Mahapurna showed Ramanuja's greatness thus: one day he and his daughter Attulay-amma were seated at home when Ramanuja entered with his retinue. Mahapurna rose and prostrated before him. His daughter asked how he could do obeisance to his own disciple. Mahapurna replied, "Those feet and this head are a match for each other." Another day, returning from a bath in the Kaveri, Ramanuja met Mahapurna, who bowed to him. Ramanuja did not return the customary homage but simply lifted his guru up. His disciples asked him to explain. He said, "My guru wishes to please himself by honoring me. If that is his pleasure, it is my pleasure. I must not cross him." Asked in turn, Mahapurna said, "Sirs — I saw in Ramanuja my own guru, Yamuna. All the perfections of a guru find their haven in Ramanuja." He made his own son Pundarikaksha Ramanuja's disciple.

Goshthi-Purna, Ramanuja's second guru, revealed the secrets of religion only after extracting a promise that Ramanuja would not impart them to others. Ramanuja promptly broke the promise by declaring them openly in the temple. Goshthi-Purna came demanding explanation. Ramanuja confessed the fault, but said that if his disobedience sent him to hell, he had the satisfaction of knowing that thousands were saved — a great price. Goshthi-Purna embraced him: "What a large heart you have for others; my own shallow heart was not so warm. You are no other than he — Yamuna himself." And he made his son Terk-alvar Ramanuja's disciple.

Tirumalai-Nambi (or Srisaila-Purna), another guru, explained why he himself — an elder — had come down the hill at Tirupati to meet Ramanuja: with respect to Ramanuja, he said, he could find no one younger than himself. He also gifted Embar to Ramanuja and made his son Pillan Ramanuja's disciple.

Tirumalai-Andan (or Maladhara), another guru, was teaching Ramanuja the Tiruvaymozhi. When the verse Ariyakkalattu (II.33) was being explained, Ramanuja gave his own interpretation. Offended, the guru stopped teaching. Goshthi-Purna hurried to the scene, told Maladhara that Ramanuja's interpretation was correct because it was Yamunacharya's own, and that he should regard Ramanuja as Krishna was regarded by his teacher Sandipa. Another time, when Ramanuja gave an explanation he said was Yamuna's, Maladhara objected, "You never spoke to Yamuna — how can you know?" Ramanuja replied, "Sir — am I not Ekalavya to Yamuna?" The guru fell to the ground: "Indeed, you are an avatara." He made his son Sundarabahu Ramanuja's disciple.

Tiruvaranga-p-perumal-Araiyar, whom Ramanuja once humbly served, said to him one day: "The price of your services, Ramanuja, is all my knowledge." And he taught him the secrets of the Fifth Path (Panchamopaya), and made his son Tiruvaymozhi Araiyar Ramanuja's disciple.

Andhra-Purna was a firm believer in the Fifth Path, which for him meant nothing but the holy feet of Ramanuja.

Kaniyanur Siri-y-acchan declared on oath — standing half-immersed in water — that faith in Ramanuja was the only road to salvation.

Yajnamurti (a convert from Advaita), whom Ramanuja had made abbot and named Arulalaperumal Emberumanar as a "second Ramanuja," confided to his own intimates — Ecchan, Anandalvan, Tondanur-Nambi, and Marudur-Nambi — that Ramanuja was the real Saviour, and his own "second Ramanuja-ship" was only a gracious honor. He felt it, he said, as a millstone hung around a sparrow's neck.

Pillai-p-pillai-y-azhvan became Kuresa's disciple. When he asked his acharya dakshina (teacher's fee), Kuresa set it as this: that he curb his three instruments — thought, speech, and deed — against ever offending holy men. The disciple found this impossibly hard and showed it. Kuresa called him and said, "Here is your way out, son. You cannot avoid hurtful speech and still keep peace with the world. Thought is hard to curb. So if you wish your mental sins not to offend God, trust in Ramanuja's feet for reconciliation."

Milag-azhvan challenged Dasarathi to a debate. Dasarathi agreed, and Milag-azhvan, certain of his own victory, staked that if beaten he would carry Dasarathi on his shoulders. Dasarathi won. True to his word, Milag-azhvan lifted the victor onto his shoulders, ran a few steps — then set him down and begged forgiveness for his impudence. Dasarathi led him to Ramanuja: "There is your forgiveness — his holy feet."

Embar counseled Bhattarya: "Son — do not boast that you are the God-son of Lord Ranga, the son of Kuresa, and a servant. Faith in Ramanuja alone will save you."

Bhattarya counseled Nanjiyar: "Son — believe firmly in Ramanuja as our Saviour."

Nanjiyar warned Nambillai: "Do not grow haughty because the world calls you 'World-Teacher' (Lokacharya), or because you are a clever expositor of the Prabandhas. Ramanuja's feet alone can save you."

One day Nambillai took the hand of Siva-k-karai-p-pillai to walk out. As he crossed the threshold, he saw a holy man asleep on the pial (veranda platform) outside. Siva-k-karai-p-pillai called out to the holy man to withdraw his legs — "my master is here." Nambillai instantly let go of Pillai's hand. "Son — our saints have declared that the feet of holy men are holy feet. To call them legs is proof of your disrespect and ignorance. Begone!" Siva-k-karai-p-pillai went back to his village in disgrace, set up loud wailing, and cried, "O master — you have cast me out like a stone from a sling, from your holy place between the two rivers." Hearing his repentance, Nambillai sent for him: "Trust in Ramanuja — all faults are remitted."

Tiru-k-kurugai-p-piran Pillan was once in a place called Siru-p-puttur. Somasi-y-Andan read the Sri Bhashya with him three times. When Pillan was about to leave for his own country, Andan pleaded, "Sire — I live far from you. Deign to give me the choicest article of faith as my life-rule." Pillan answered: "Son — keep off the pride that comes of ability to discourse on Purva-Mimamsa and on the Sri Bhashya. Place implicit faith in our Saviour Ramanuja." And Gomathatha-p-pillan gave the same counsel to his disciple Kakkai-p-padi-y-acchan-Pillai.

"When God was angry with you, what did you do?" Engal-Azhvan asked K. P. A. Pillai. "I resorted at such times to the appeasing power vested in our Saviour Ramanuja," he replied.

A circle of disciples was reading the Sri Bhashya under Nadadur-Ammal. They complained, "Father — Bhakti (love of God) is a hard thing to do." He taught them Prapatti (surrender). They complained again, "Sire — even faith is hard to get." "Then," taught Ammal, "your only way is to depend on Ramanuja." Naduvil Azhvan gave the same answer to his own disciples Vangipuratt-acchi and others.

"This is a mighty torrent — this Sri Bhashya!" complained the Aimbattiruvar (the fifty-two magnates of Melukote) when Veda-vyasa Bhattar expounded it before Ramanuja's shrine. "Then," said Bhattar, "trust solely in your household God Ramanuja — that is enough." So also did Naduvil-Tiruvidhi-p-pillai Bhattar comfort his disciple Elaiya-v-alagiyar.

Andhra-Purna often reproached Kuresa and Dasarathi for being "double-hearted" — for wavering in their devotion between God and Ramanuja the Saviour — while he himself was single-hearted in his trust in the latter alone.

The demon Brahma-rakshas testified to Ramanuja's greatness by declaring it to Yadava-Prakasa.

The dumb lad was another witness. He was born in Kanchipuram unable to speak. At the age of five he vanished for two years; then he suddenly reappeared. People surrounded him and asked where he had been. He said he had been charmed away to Kshirabdhi (the Milky Sea). "What news is there?" they asked. "The only news of importance," he said, "was that on earth an avatar in the form of Ramanuja has descended." The boy was never seen again after delivering that message. The holy Bhagavat-senapati-Jiyar took pride in relating this story as further proof of Ramanuja's greatness.

As among divine incarnations Rama and Krishna are noted — as among rishis Vyasa, Parasara, Suka, and Saunaka are noted — as among the holy places Srirangam, Tirupati, Kanchi, and Melukote are noted — as among the saints Nammazhvar is noted — so among the acharyas descending from Nathamuni is noted Ramanuja.

The importance of Rama's avatar lies in His declaring the divine gift of free grace to all who approached Him — regardless of caste, creed, color, or condition; in His friendship with humble folk like Guha; in His performing the last rites for the Brahmana Jatayu; in His accepting food from the hands of Sabari; in His eating in the company of Hanuman — and so on.

The importance of Krishna's avatar lies in His delivering the apocalypse of the Bhagavad-Gita with its Charama Sloka; in His refusing the hospitality of Bhishma and Drona and accepting that of Vidura — and so on.

The glory of Srirangam comes from Lord Ranga's intimate union with the (pariah) saint Tiruppanar — as close as body and soul. The glory of Tirupati comes from Lord Srinivasa's speaking and moving freely with such souls as Bhima (Kurumb-arutta-nambi), the potter, and Tondaman. The glory of Kanchi (Perumal-koil) comes from Lord Varada's intimacy with Kanchipurna. The glory of Melukote comes from Lord Narayana's eating the food offered by Sucharita's son, and from His condescending to become Ramanuja's own son — hence called Yatiraja-Sampat-kumara.

The distinction of Veda-Vyasa is in his Vedanta-Sutras and the Satvika Puranas, through which he proclaimed the ultimate truth in his closing stanza:

The distinction of Parasara is in his Vishnu-Purana, where he gives a clear definition of the three eternal verities — God, soul, and matter — and was for this styled "the Magnificent" by Sage Yamuna. The distinction of Suka is in his Bhagavata — declaring the greatness of Vishnu and his own earning of immediate mukti. The distinction of Saunaka is in his Vishnu-Dharma. The distinction of Narada is in his declaring himself the slave of the holy Vaishnavas. The distinction of St. Nammazhvar is in his composing four Prabandhas analogous to the four Vedas — popularizing scripture — and in his revealing to Sage Nathamuni the Four Thousand Prabandhas, thereby establishing the Vaishnava dispensation.

But above all towers the reputation of Ramanuja, in that he revealed to all the holy sense of the Charama Sloka; made clear the obscure and abstruse texts of the Vedas; brought to light the truths of Nammazhvar's Tiruvaymozhi; wrote commentaries on the Brahma-Sutras according to the canons laid down by the sages Nathamuni and Yamuna in their treatises; composed other independent works such as the Gadya-traya; and won victories over false prophets and philosophers — thus bequeathing to posterity a system pre-eminently known as Ramanuja's system, though it is a system of thought co-eternal with God Himself.

Sri Ramanuja was one day teaching in his assembly on the doctrine of God's free grace to frail humanity, illustrated by the Ramayana. Vibhishana, though born among the rakshasas, was angelic by nature. He had tried to dissuade his brother Ravana from his evil ways; when Ravana would not listen, he cut himself off, soared into the sky with four attendants, and crossing the ocean, came to Lord Rama encamped on the far shore and cried:

And yet the Vanara chiefs of Lord Rama said to Him, "Rama — we wait Your order. All Your foes shall cease to live. Command us, mighty king, and all these shall fall upon the earth lifeless!" (Ramayana, VI.17)

Hearing this, Dhanurdasa stood up and cried, "God-sire — if Vibhishana, who renounced wife, children, and everything to seek Rama's refuge, deserved to be stoned by Rama's vanara chiefs, how much more do I deserve such treatment — I, who have renounced nothing at all?"

"Peace," said Ramanuja. "Listen to me, my son. I will unfold to you the secrets of salvation. Sri Mahalakshmi, the spouse of Lord Narayana, ever stands beside Him as our Mother and mediator. She is the personification of God's highest attribute — Grace, or Mercy. When our Lord, through Sri, is over-anxious to shower His mercy unstintingly on His erring children, what fear is there for us?

"We have an unbroken chain of apostles — Azhvars and acharyas — reaching down to us from God. Its first link is God and His Grace, Sri. The next is St. Sathagopa, who has declared in unmistakable terms that he has obtained Moksha. If he has won it, Nathamuni has won; if Nathamuni has won, Yamuna has won; if Yamuna has won, my own next guru above me, Mahapurna, has won. If Purna has won, I too have surely won. And when I have won, you all have won. Take comfort from this thought.

"The Dvaya-Mantra, which I have taught you, declares the eternal unity of God and His Grace, Sri — and an unbroken chain binds God and His creatures in one bond, from which it is impossible to escape and stand aloof. With me goes my flock. Whatever I share, it shares. The areca tree is watered by the gardener, but the plantain trees around it take the moisture as well. My temple-flock and I are linked together for one testing. My destiny shall be its destiny. When Vibhishana was allowed to come to Lord Rama, no separate invitation was needed for the four rakshasa men with him; nor, when the vanara chiefs wished to drive him off, did they think of driving those four away separately. The four counted with Vibhishana as one, in gains and losses. So my flock counts with me. Rest assured, son — if Heaven is mine, it is yours without question.

"As St. Bhaktisara has said: the flock has even more merit than the shepherd. Satrughna has more merit following Bharata than Bharata has serving Lord Rama; Madhurakavi more than Sathagopa; Andal more than her father Vishnuchitta — and so forth."

Hence Amudanar, in his immortal work the Ramanuja Nuttandadi, sung daily by all Vaishnavas and in every Vishnu temple, testifies to Ramanuja's greatness as saviour of mankind. Thus:

Nadadur Ammal declared that the way to salvation is not by works (karma), nor by knowledge (jnana), nor by devotion (bhakti), nor by faith (prapatti) — but by implicit trust placed in Ramanuja. This, he said, was the ultimate truth proclaimed by Amudanar in his Ramanuja Nuttandadi.

"Here are two holy names," Kuresa often said — "Na-ra-ya-na and Ra-ma-nu-ja, each of four syllables. But Narayana, as God, can both save and damn; Ramanuja, as Saviour, can only save. In this lies our stay, our strength, and our safety."

"Ramanuja," cried Amudanar, "it matters not where I am, hell or heaven — let your beauteous form haunt me always. For this bliss I would forego even the Lord whom you can show upon your hand. Where those great souls, Ramanuja's servants, dwell — that is my Empyrean.

"Ramanuja — my very bones may split in agony, but let me, at all times and all places, indulge in love for your servants."

It is chronicled that, so addressed, Ramanuja looked on Amudanar with eyes beaming with benevolence, and passed on. And Amudanar ended his hymn with this verse:

Lord Ranga declared: "Both Heaven and Earth are granted to you, Ramanuja!"

One day St. Kulasekhara's verse was being read. The verse says that when Rama left Ayodhya for the forest, the whole of Ayodhya — all Rama's kith and kin — went with him. Someone in the audience objected: "They accompanied him only a little way and then turned back. How can the saint say they went with him all the way?"

Ramanuja answered: "When Lakshmana, who said 'All services I shall do,' went with him — it is as if all went with him. The saint refers to all of them through him."

That was the greatness of Ramanuja.