Next year we will be celebrating the thousandth year of the advent of Bhaghavadh Ramanujacharya. Devotees all over the globe are celebrating the event in different ways. From Durmukhi Chitra Tiruvadhirai onwards every Tiruvadhirai events are being organised to remember The Mahan. Things like medical-camps, chanting of slokams in praise of him or ‘Tiruppavai’ his favourite, musical events and upanyasams, rath-yatras etc are being organised. “Kuthi-villaku” puja was done by women devotees at ‘Udaiyavar Tirumaaligai’ behind the East gopuram.
At Kanchi Sri Bashyakarar Sannidhi Tirumanjanam and vishesa satrumurai takes place every Tiruvadhirai. This year additionaly discourses by exponents of Srivaishnava sampradaya are giving talks discussing finer points in swami’s life and works. Durmukhi Aadi Tiruvadhirai there was an upanyasam by Ubha Ve Villur Nadadhur Karunakarachariar swami.
Inorder to get through to the audience swami makes use of his lap-top to display illustrative pictures and slokams on a screen. Swami talked about the uniqueness of Bhaghavadh Bashyakarar in Varadaraja Perumal koil. He is under the punyakoti vimanam. He is in ‘upadesa mudrai’ as described by swami Desikan in’ Yathiraja sapthathi’.Swami then recalled the episode in which Varadan and Perundevi Thayar brought him safely to Kanchi in the garb of a hunter and his wife. The ‘kaapyasam pundarikaksham’episode was narrated with the visuals of a monkey’s posterior and a lotus. Kapi is not a monkey but refers to the sun who drinks the water from water- bodies(evaporation). The buds of a lotus bloom by the sun’s rising and that this is the right comparison is shown by Parasara Bhattar’s observation that the Supreme Lord is Lotus-Eyed’, by Hanuman’s description of Sri Rama’s Eyes as ‘kamala-patraksham’ and the statement ‘ravikara vikasithapundarika nayanasi’. Swami discussed the four reasons for Ramanuja’s taking up sanyaasam. Swami talked about Ramanuja’s first shishyas Mudaliaandan and Nadadhuraazhwan who he declared he could never forsake. Again though a sanyasi he had a brother’s relationship with Goda Piratti and was the father of Sampath kumara of Melkote. Ghanta swami rendered a few slokams from Yathiraja sapthathi as conclusion. Swami was honoured with “ponadai ” offered to Bhaghavadh Bashyakarar as also his garland photos and sambhavanai and Srisathari and theertham blessing. The upanyasam done with ease and dwelt on pertinent points and was educating and fulfilling.
The following are photos taken during this occasion..
Aadi Thiruvadhirai
Vilakku Poojai
Writeup: Smt.Vyjayanthi Rajan
