Chronology of Bahagavath Ramanujacharya’s Service to Srivaishnavam

AvathAram and Young days (VidhyA GrahaNam)

1. PingaLa Chitthirai Aadhirai : His  AvathAram —-1017 CE

2. PingaLa Thai Punarpoosam –EmbAr’s AvathAram—1017  CE

3. Upanayanam for RaamAnujA —-1024 ( Age : 7 )

4. Marriage of elder Sister , BhUmi DEvi—-1025 ( Age 8 )

5. AvathAram of Mudali AaNDAn —1028 (Age 11)

6. Marriage of Younger sister, Kamalai —1028 (Age 11)

7. AvathArams of NadAthUr AazhvAn , KidAmpi AacchAn , PiLLai Thirumala Nambi , Vaduka Nambi —-1028 (Age 11)

8. AvathAram of KuruhUr pirAn PiLLAN —1032 ( Age 15)

9. Marriage to TanjammAL(RakshAmbhA)—1033 ( Age 16)

10. Education with Yaadhava PrakAsa , Thirupputkkuzhi–1033 to 1037 ( Age16-20)

11. His Father , Kesava SomayAji , passes away—1035 ( Age 18)

12. 3rd Son of Periya Thirumalai Nambi is born who is named RaamAnujan —1035 ( Age 18)

13. Journey to Kaasi for Maaga SnAnam with the GhOshti of Yaadhava PrakAsa during Thai , Maasi, Panguni —1038 (Age 21)

14. Continuation of studies with Yaadhava PrakAsar –1038-1040( Age 22, 23)

15. AlavanthAr’s visit to Kaanchi , VaikAsi 1039 (Age 22)

16. Ramanujar leaving Yaadhava PrakAsa and engaging in Kaimkaryam to Lord VaradarAja —1041 ( Age 24)

17.RaamAnujar arriving at Srirangam with Periya Nambi in response to the invitation of AlavanthAr , Latter’s ascent to Parama Padham and RaamAnujA’s 3 vows before the Charama ThirumEni of AlavanthAr– VaikAsi 1042( Age 25)

18. The king of MaaLava ( Jagath Devan) attacking DhvAra Samudhram , Belur and Yadhugiri and taking away Raama Priyar archai —1043( Age 26)

19. MudaliyANDAn joining RaamAnujar after his return from Srirangam— 1044 (Age 27)

20. RaamAnujar’s Mother passes away –1045 (Age 28)

21. Marriage of KurEsar with Andal at Kooram —1045( Age 28)

22. HoysaLa Bitti Devan becoming King at Belur –1046( Age 29

23. RaamAnuja recieves the six instructions from the Lord thru Thirukkacchi Nambi , Meeting with Periya Nambi at MadhurAnthakam, Pancha SamskAram & return to Kaanchi for 6 Months –1049 ( Age 32)

24. KurEsar giving away his wealth and arriving at Kaanchi to become RaamAnuja’s sishyA at the behest of Thirukkacchi Nambi–1049( Age 32)

25. NadAthUr AzhwAn becoming a disciple —1049( Age 32)

26. Yaahdava PrakAsar following his mother’s instruction and becoming a sishya of RaamAnujar with the name of Govinda Daasar& writing Yathi dharma samucchayam—1049 (Age 32)

27. Message to Thirumalai Nambi to return Embar ( Govindha Bhattar ) to VaishNavam from Saivam —1049 (Age 32)

28. Yaadhava PrakAsar’s passing away –Margazhi 1049 (Age 32)

29. Birth of VedAntha Saaram —1050 (Age 33)

Until now RaamAnujar was known as IlayAzhwAr ; from now on He enters the phase of Udayavar .

30. Arrival at Srirangam with Thiruvaranga PerumAL Arayar and being blessed with the title of Udayavar —1050 (Age 33)

31. Matam establishment at Srirangam: Thrivikraman PrAkAram NOrth veedhi , Seran Matam ( Koil Ozhku: P 38) ; appointment of MudaliyANDAn for Kaimkaryam to RanganAthar , while retaining KurEsar as the principal help for darsana nirvAham—1050 ( Age 33)

32. Learning ThiruvAimozhi with Music from Thiruvaranga PerumAL Arayar , one of His five AchAryans —1050 ( Age 33)

33. Second UpadEsam on Dhvaya mantrArtam from Periya Nambi and going for the first time to ThirukkOshtiyUr at the behest of Periya Nambi to be blessed with Thirumantira MantrArta UpadEsam by ThirukkOshtiyUr nambi –1050 ( Age 33)

34.1 Urangavilli comes under the sway of RaamAnujar to become UrangAvilli Dasar —1051 ( Age 34)

34.2  Disappointed with the resistance to reforms at the Srirangam Temple , RaamAnujar exiles himself to ThiruveLLARai—1051-53 (Age 34, 35)

35. Return to Srirangam & the Expansion of the 5 branches of Kaimkaryams at Srirangam to 10 branches —-1053( Age 35) .

36. 18th visit to ThirukkOshtiyUr to recieve ThirumantrOpadEsam from Nambi , who agrees finally to bless RaamAnujar after asking him to undertake one month upavAsam —1053(Age 35)

37. Bringing Periya Koil Nambi under His sway and blessing him with the name of Thiruvarangatthu AmudanAr. Koil nirvAham rests completely with Ramanujar now –1054 (Age 36)

38. KidAmbi AcchAn & PiLLAn become sishyAs—1054 (Age 36)

39. Creation of Nithya Grantham —1054(Age 36)

40. Return to ThirukkOttiyUr for Chrama slOka upadEsam

41. KurEsar fasts for a month to qualify himself to recieve Charama slOka UpadEsam from Ramanuja —1054 ( Age 36)

42. First Female child born to KurEsar —1054( Age 36)

43. MudaliyANDAn peforming kaimkaryam for ThirukkOshtiyUr Nambi and recieves permission to gain upadEsam from AchArya RaamAnuja—–1054 (Age 36)

44. Creation of Gadhya Thrayam & Peformance of SaraNAgathy during Panguni Utthiram  day—1054(Age 36)

45. Utthama Nambi’s attempt to poison RamAnuja ; 3 day upavAsam by Ramanuja ; alarmed ThirukkOttiyUr nambi arrives at Srirangam and appoints Kidambi AcchAn for Kitchen Kaimkaryam for Ramanuja . KidAmbi AcchAn becomes MadapaLLI AacchAn—PurattAsi 1054 (Age 36).

46. KurEsar attends the yEkAham for Thiruvarangatthu AmudanAr’s Mother and gets the pledge from him to take over Temple nirvAham ( PurOhitham , PurANa Padanam and Brahma Ratham ride ) along with the keys to the Temple and hands it over to Ramanuja—Iyppasi 1054 ( Age 36)

47. Kaasi Vaasi from TamilnAdu, Adhvaithi Yaj~na Moorthy looses in debate with Ramanuja ; after 18 days  of debate , he admits his defeat and becomes the sishyA of Ramanuja with the dAsya nAmam of AruLALa PerumAL EmperumAnAr and stays at a seperate Matam created for him by Ramanuja —1055 (Age 37)

48. Reacting to this , ThirukkOttiyUr Nambi , Thirumalai Andan send their children to become sishyAs of Ramanuja—1055(Age 37)

49. Rejection of the Prabhandhams brought by AmudanAr and instructing him to compose on KurEsar , AzhwArs and dhivya dEsams and demonstrating how to compose it . Ramanuja NooRandhAthi is born —1055 (Age 37)

50. Visiting Thiruvaranga PerumAL Arayar to beg for the rights to recite IyaRppaa and handing over that right to AmudanAr and instructing him to recite RaamAnuja NooRanthAdhi with Iyarppaa—Karthikai 1055 (Age 37)

51. AruLALa PerumAL EmperumAnAr creating Jn~Ana Saaram and PramEya Saaram ; NallAn Chakravarthy becoming a sishya–1055(Age 37).

52. Wife of Bitti Devan arrives at Srirangam to recieve RaamAnuja’s blessings and to visit ThondanUr Nambi; she returns home to Belur and presses her husband to become a VaishNavan —Marghazhi 1055 (Age 37).

53. AnanthAzhwAn goes to Thiruppathi to create a nandavanam named Ramanujam and serves Lord SrinivAsan —AvaNi 1056( Age 38)

54. Bitti Devan consecrates Vijaya NaarAyaNan at Belur—hEviLambi Chiittirai, 1055 ( Age 37) .

55. Thiruvaranga PerumAL Arayar ,one of the five AchAryans of Ramanujar ascends to Sri Vaikuntam–1057 ( Age 39)

56. The birth of a second female child to KurEsar —1057 ( Age 39)

57. Visit of Ramanujar to Thiruppathy —1057 (Age 39)

58. On the way stays at Parutthikkollai AmmAl ‘s( VaradAchAr’s ) house —1057 ( Age 39)

59. Impressed there by VaradAcchAr ‘s wife Lakshmi’s AchArya Nishtai

60. Keezha Thiruppathi: Yaadhavakatti DevarAyan prostrates and cedes Vila Mandiyam village to AchAryan ; Ramanuja populates that village with 30 VaishNavAs—1057 (Age 39)

61. Hesitation to Climb Thirumala ; AnanthAzhwAn , His disciple urges Ramanuja to perform  MangaLAsAsanam there ; half way beteween Thirumala and Thiruppathy , Periya Nambi , his uncle meets Ramanuja . Stays at Tirumala , observes upavAsam for 3 days so he does not need to create any asudhdi at Thirumala—1057 ( Age 39).

62. Learning SookshmArthams of Srimath RamayaNam from His uncle ( Periya Thirumalai Nambi ) for an year at Lower Thiruppathi—Kaarthigai 1057 ( Age 39) .

63. Creation of VedArtha Sangraham in front of Lord SrinivAsa at Thirumala —1057/58 ( Age 40).

64. Ramanuja accepts Govindhar (Embar) as dhAnam from Periya Thiru,malai Nambi and PiLLai Thirumalai Nambi as sishya —PurattAsi 1058 (Age 40)

65. When resting at Kanchi after visit to Thirumala, Govindhar wants to return to Periya Thirumalai Nambi ; Ramanuja sends him back and Periya Thirumalai Nambi rejects him ; Govindhar returns and begs to be accepted again as a Sishya by Ramanuja — 1058 ( Age 40) .

66. Govindhar accepts SanyAsAsramam & becomes EmbAr–1058 (Age 40).

67. Some SishyAs get jealous over the speical affection of Ramanujar for AzhwAn ; Ramanuja sends AzhwAn to cut and bring a banana leaf and asks the jealous sishyAs to observe AzhwAn; SishyAs watch the tears flowing from AzhwAn’s eyes , when he had to cut the leaf from the Banana plant and recognize AzhwAn’s greatness —1059 (Age 41)

68. AruLALa PerumAnAr EmperumAnAr levels the walls of his Matam created by Ramanuja for him and becomes a resident of Ramanuja’s Matam to be close to his AchAryan—1059 ( Age 41)

From here on the coverage is on Ramanuja as EmperumAnAr

69. Ramanuja entrusts the protection of the temple to UrangAvilli Daasar , Koil NirvAham to MudaliyANDAn and parivAra nirvAham to AkaLanganAttAzhwAn and leaves on a dhig vijayam with KurEsar and a few other sishyAs —1059 ( Age 41).

70. At Kurungudi , Ramanuja performs UpadEsam on dhvayam to PerumAl, who came as a sishyan and names his new sishyan as VaishNava Nambi.

71.  Visit  to DhwAraka on the way to Kaashmir to defeat adhvaithis in front of SaaradhA Peeta Saraswathi’s sannidhi , declared winner by Her ; Gains BodhAyana Vrutthi and on the way adhvaithis attack and take the Vrutthi back; KurEsar says that he has retained the Vruthti by heart for future reference .

72. Poori JagannAth Visit: Establishment of Ramanuja Matam ; Resistance from local priests to introduce PaancharAthram–1060

(Age 42).

73. Visit to ThiruvEnkatam: rejection of the rights claimed by Saivites and asking the Lord to accept the Sanku and chakram that were removed earlier by the Saivites ; Composition of MangaLa slOkma to commence the writing of Sri BhAshyam—1060 (Age 42).

74. Return to Srirangam —1060 ( Age 42).

75. The birth of Bhattar and SrirAma PiLLai for KurEsar and naming of them as ParAsara and VyAsa by Ramanuja—1062(Age 44).

76. Completion of Sri BhAshyam—1062( Age 44).

77. Ramanuja performs abhinayam for a Paasuram in a  locked room ; PiLLAn sees this thru a key hole and guesses correctly from the signs that his AchAryan was performing abhinayam for Swamy NammAzhwAr’s Paasuram on ThirumAlirumchOlai . When Ramanuja hears about it , He celebrates PiLLAn as the descendant of the NaaTa Muni Vamsam and names him as KuruhUrpirAn PiLLAn and accepts him as his Jn~Ana puthran—1074(Age 56).

78.  Delighted over the blissful reaction of Swamy NammAzhwAr’s Paasuram by PiLLAn , Ramanuja assigns the task of composing the first commentary on ThiruvAimozhi known as 6000 Padi by PiLLAn- – -1074 (Age 56) .

79. PiLLAn completes his commentary (6000 Padi) — — 1076 ( Age 58).

80. The fanatic Saiva king writes “SivAth parataram nAsthi ” ( There is no god greater than Siva) and sends a messenger to get Ramanujar’s agreement thru signature on that palm leaf . NaalUrAn , a sishyan of KurEsar recommends that Ramanuja sign. KurEsar senses danger and requests Ramanuja to leave Srirangam for safety —-1076 (Age 60) .

81.Ramanuja rushes off to Karnaataka ( mEl Naadu)—1078 (Age 60)

82.KurEsar goes to the ChOLA king’s court in place of Ramanujar and accompanied by Periya Nambi; Kuresar & Periya Nambi disagee with the king and lose their eyes —1078( Age 60) .

83. Ramanuja GhOshti travels on towards  Melkote ; Fasting at Yadhu Giri for 7 days—1078(Age 60).

84. The group of Hunters welcome Ramanuja and serve Him and the GhOshti —1078 (Age 60).

85. Ramnaujar asks one member of His ghOshti and one of the Hunters to go to Melkote Koil and bring back 45 sishyAs of His —1078 (Age 60) .

86. The first batch of hunters entrust Ramanuja to another hunter 6 miles away— 1078(Age 60).

87. The new hunter showers the visitors with all kinds of comforts and brings the ghOshti down to the village at the foot of the hills , Harthana Halli , where KaTTaLaivAri KOngu PirAtti dampathis lived —1078(Age 60) .

88. At Harthana Halli  , Ramanuja is served by Kongu PirAtti and stays fro 4 days at her residence and confers the Daasya Naamam of Thiruvaranga Daasan on Her husband .

89. Ramanujar continues on to the village of RamanAtha Puram on the northern banks of Cauvery river and stays for 3 days—1078 (Age 60).

90. Ramanuja GhOshti arrives at Mithilapuri and stays at the Yoga Narasimha Temple—1078 (Age 60).

91. The SmArtha adhvaithis of Mithilapuri (Kovai) are won in debates and the village is renamed SaaLagrAmam —1079 ( Age 61).

92. Vaduga Nambi becomes a sishyan —1079 (Age 61).

93. ThoNdanUr Nambi arrives at SaaLaigrAmam to invite RaamAnuja GhOshti to ThondanUr and houses them in the local Yoga Narasimha temple and briefs Ramanuja on the Vaibhavam of  Yadhu Giri ( ThirunArAyaNa Puram).

94. At ThoNdanUr , Ramanuja defeats the dhigambhara (naked) Jain sanyAsis from behind  a curtain ; the defeatd Jain leaders level their matams and build the ThirumalaasAgaram PushkaraNi from the stones —-1079 (Age 61).

95. KurEsar returns to ThirumAlirumchOlai with his family and composes Sundara Baahu Sthavam there —1079 (Age 61).

96. King VishNu Vardhanan ( Former Bitti DEvan) arrives with his wife to prostrate before RaamAnuja at ThoNDanUr— 1079 (Age 61).

97.Grieved over unavailability of the sacred clay ,Ramanuja fasts for 3 days and goes to Yadhu Giri and finds NaarAyaNa PerumAL at he South western directin of KalyANi PushkaraNi— 1079 (Age 61).

98. That night Ramanuja sleeps with worry about the unavailability of the sacred clay ; he dreams that the desired clay is on the north western bank of KalyANi Theertham and finds it there —1079 (Age 61).

99. Ramanuja builds the broken down temple of NaarAyaNa and consecrates the Lord ( ThirunArAyaNan ) there and renames the village from Dukkha Garudana haLLi to ThirunArAyaNa puram–1080(Age 62).

100. Ramanuja Travels north to bring back Raama Priyar ( uthsava Moorthy of ThirunArAyaNa Puram temple) , finds Him at Delhi and brings HIm back. He names the Lord “Sella PiLLai “—1081(Age 63).

101. Ramanujar gives special rights to Harijans ( ThirukkualatthAr) during the temple festivals at ThirunArAyaNa puram —1083( Age 63)

102. Ramanuja consecrates Lakshmi NaarAyana archa at ThoNDanUr –1085(Age 67).

103. Ramanuar defeats SengAmi MaayA Vaadhis and builds RaamAnuja Matam at ThirunArAyaNapuram ; He performs Prathishtai for Pancha NaarAyaNa at Belur —1089(Age 71) .

104. Visitors from Srirangam brief Ramanuja on the ascent to Parama Padham His AchAryan , Periya Nambi; Ramnauja asks for SrichUrNa ParipAlanam and adhyayana Uthsavam ( iyal SaaRRumuRai) for HIs AchAryan ; RmamAnuja sends his disciple , Maaruthi SiRiyANDan to find out about the well being of KuResar at ThirumAlirumchOlai —-1090(Age 72).

105. SiriyANDAn arrives at ThirumAlirumchOlai  , delivers the greetings to KurEsar . He brings back the invitation from Raja Raja ChOzha raajA for Ramanuja’s return to Srirangam and gives that request from the king to Ramanuja at the banks of KalyANi theertham —1090 (Age 72).

106.Ramanujar appoints 52 sishyAs to stay at ThirunArAyaNapuram for Temple nirvAham and Kaimkaryam . He blesses the Tamar uhantha ThirumEni behind as their raksha and returns to Srirangam—1090 (Age 72).

107. KurEsar returns from ThiurmAlirumchOlai and prostrates before his AchAryan at Srirangam —1090 (Age 72).

108.Ramanuja bathes in Cauvery , performs His anudshtAnams and stops at KurEsar’s house and comforts him —1090(Age 72).

109. Raja Raja ChOzhan hands over Koil NirvAham to Ramanuja and AchAryan accepts it –1090(Age 72).

110. Ramanuja consecrates new image of Swamy NammAzhwAr and other AzhwArs and restarts the Adhyayana Uthsavam that was interrupted due to the fear from road side robbers between AzhwAr Thirunahari and Srirangam—1091 (Age 73).

111.The last rites done by PiLLai Thirumalai Nambi  at Thirumala . Latter arrives at Srirangam to give the news to Ramanuja , who travels to Thirupathy—1091( Age 73).

112. Ramanuja consecrates the archa of Govindha Raaja at Thiruppathi — 1091 (Age 73).

113. Thirukkacchi Nambi ascends to Parama Padham—1092(Age 74).

114. Raamanujar presses KurEsar to create a sthuthi( Sri VaradarAja Sthavam ) . Lord Varada appears in KurEsar’s dream . Ramnuja hears it from KurEsa , reads Sri VaradarAja Sthavam to his AchAryan and both arrive at Kaanchi thereafter—1093 (Age 73).

115. Expansion of Sri BhAshyam by 150% —1095 (Age 75).

116. Viist to ThirumAlirumchOlai with KurEsar to present 100 vessels of AkkAra Vadisil and 100 vessels of VeNNai according to ANDAL’s Paasuram ( NaaRu NaRum Pzhil) in NaachiyAr Thirumozhi—1097 (Age 80).

117. KurEsar ascneds to Parama Padham —1107( Age 90).

118. SathAbhishEkam ( here 100th Thirunakshathram) and recieving the Birudhu of YathirAjar —1117 (Age 100) .

119. Thaam Uhantha ThirumEni Prathishtai through a sculptor named Ramanuja Daasan and having it consecrated at Sri PerumbhUthUr , His avathAra sthalam—1119 (Age 102).

120. Ramanuja ascends to Parama Padham for nithya Kaimkaryam there after entrusting SampradhAyam’s growth with PiLAn , KidAmbi AacchAn , NadathUr AzhwAn and EmbAr —1137(Age 120).