Yatiraja Vimsati -Part 1

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YATIRAJA VIMSATI OF SRI MANAVAALA MAAMUNI

 

This tribute to Sri Ramaanujaa (Yatirajaa) was a response

by MaNavALa Maamuni to the suggestion of his own Acharya,

Thiruvaimozhi Pillai. At that time, ManavALa Maamuni was a

grahasta and his name in that Asramam was Azhagiya ManavAla

NaayanAR. His Acharya had completed the construction of a special

sannidhi for Sri Ramaanujaa in Azhwaar Thirunagari in accord with

the tribute to Raamanuja as "MAARAN ADI PANINTHU UYNDAVIRAAMAANUSAN".

( that Ramaanujan , who became holy through the worship of Nammazhwaar).

Azhwaar Thirunagari is the birth place of Satakopan/MaaRan . Hence,

Thiruvaimozhi Pillai wanted to create a special sannidhi for Yatiraja. He

constructed a prakaram around that Sannidhi and named it

"Sri Ramaanuja Chaturvedi Mangalam "and appointed special

Archakaas for the Sannidhi of Yatiraja. He made his disciple,

Azhagiya MaNavALa NayanAR the trustee and administrator of that

Important Sannidhi. NayanAR conducted the Utsavam and AarAdhanam

for Yatiraja with great devotion and affection for many years. Thiruvaimozhi

PiLLai was so pleased with the devotion and Sraddha of his prime

disciple that he began to call NayanAR as Yatindra Pravanar. He also

commanded his disciple to compose a tribute to Yatiraja. Thus was born the

illustrious Vimasati on Sri Ramanujaa. Those , who heard this tribute for the

first time were so moved by the loftiness of the thoughts and th edepth of

devotion of Sri NayanAR that they composed the following Taniyan

(Invocatory verse ) to salute Sri NayanAR :

 

VALLARGAL VAZHTHUM KUREKASAR TAMMAI MANATTHU VAITTHU

SOLLARA VAZHTTHUM MANAVAALA NAYANAAR tondar kuzhaam

ELLAAM TAZHAIKKA YATIRAASA VIMSATI EENRU ALITTHOHN

PULLARAVINDHA THIRUTTHAALL IRANDAIYUM PORRU NENJEH

 

(meaning) Dwelling on the thought of Nammazhwaar, who is worshipped

by all Aasthikaas, Manavaala Naayanar paid his heart felt tribute to

Ramaanuja so that all of his disciples could prosper . He gave birth to

Yatiraja Vimsati and gave it to us as his gift. O My mind! please pay

homage to the holy feet of this composer, whose beautiful feet are like

a pair of fully blossomed lotus flowers.

 

The beauty and the auspicious attributes of Yatiraja Vimsati has been

praised by anothe rAcharya by the name of Vara Vara Muni this way:

" YADH UDHITHAA YATI BHOOPATI VIMSATI: SAMAVATEERITA

SUDHAA RASAA-------- DRAKSHAAM ATIKSHIPATHI NINDATI

MAAKARANTHA TAARAAM SUDHARASAJAREEM ADHIKAROTHI "

Sri vara Vara Muni states that the Maathuryam (sweetness) of

Yatiraaja Vimsati put the taste of grape juice to shame and excelled the

taste of honey associated with the Makarantham (Pollen ) of flowers and

that it is a cool cascade of Nectar.

 

ManavALa Maamuni is known as an incarnation of Sri Ramanuja and hence

questions have arisen as to how he could praise himself. The Samaadhanams

(justifications ) have been made this way: Sri Ramachandra was the incarnation

of Sriman Naarayanan(VEDA VEDHYEH PAREH PUMSI JAATEH DASARTATHMAJEH)

and yet , he worshipped Sriman Narayana (Sri Ranganatha) as stated in Srimad

Ramaayanam (SAHA PATNYAA VISAALAKSHYAA NARAYANAM UPAAGAAMT ).

Another queston was about the many self-depreciatory statements about

his unfitness (Naicchiyam) as a devotee of Sri Ramanuja ( Verse 6: YATIRAJA

AARYA ! ALPAAPI MEH NA BHAVADHEEYA PADAAPJA BJHAKTHI : ) . Here,

ManavaaLa Maamuni cringes and states that I do not have the adequate

and appropriate Bhakthi at the holy feet of Sri Ramanuja. Such

Naicchanusandhaanam

statements are intended for us as an example to approach the sacred feet of

Yatiraja

with reverence and humility. This and other similar statements do not cast doubt

on

the extraordinary love that Maamuni had for Sri Ramaanuja.

 

TANIYAN FOR THE YATIRAJA VIMSATHI

 

YA: STHUTHIM YATIPATI PRSAADANEEM

VYAAJAHAARA YATIRAJA VIMSATHIM I

TAM PRAPANNAJANA SAATAKAAMBHUDHAM

NAUMI SOWMYA VARA YOGI PUNGAVAM II

 

I salute the Sowmya Vara Yogi ( ManavaaLa Maamuni ) ,

who composed the Yatiraja Vimsathi to gladden

the heart of Sri Ramanuja. He is the one, who is the nectar of

moon's rays(food ) for the PrapannAs taking the form of

the Saataka birds . It is represented that the myhtical Saataka birds partake

the moon's rays alone as their food and reject everything else as their food.

This Taniyan compares the PrapannAs to the SAtakA birds insofar as the

PrapannAs live only by the grace of Sri RamAnujA. It is suggested that the

PrapannAs do not need to go anywhere else for their succor and survival

and Sri RamAnuja"s holy feet are their means and goal for salvation.

 

I will post my comments/observations on the twenty verses of

Yatiraja Vimsathi in the next two postings.

 

Sri Yatiraja charanaou Saranam Prapathyeh ,

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan