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CONFIRMED VISA TO PARAMAPADAM Sri: Manava:la Ma:muni was one of our eminent a:cha:rya:s. Filled with earnest devotion towards Sri: Ra:ma:nuja and in praise of Ra:ma:nuja’s greatness, he wrote a beautiful composition called Yathira:ja Vimsathi which is being translated & explained by Sri Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji in Telugu.

Translated By K. Deepa Ramanuja Dasi *RG WRRN VHYHUDO LQFDUQDWLRQV WR +HZKRQHYHUOHIWWKHFRPSDQ\RI XSOLIWPDQDQGWRFRUUHFWKLP+H WKH/RUG²WKHJUHDWA:dise:shaIRU

“thasmin ra:ma:nuja:rye gururithi cha padam bha:thi na:nyathra”

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38 %KDNWKLQLYHGDQD‡1RY

A:CHA:RYA:S

YATHIRA:JA VIMSATHI By Sri Sri Sri Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji Scriptures say that God is omnipresent, dwelling

Ma:muni means

in every atom of this universe. Those who reveal

he who is a

this knowledge about the Supreme Reality and His

sage of sages.

auspicious attributes are known as a:cha:ryas. We

Elders who have

worship such a:cha:rya:s more than we worship

experienced his wonderful sweet discourses, named

God. “Bhagavadvandanam ka:ryam guruvandanam pu:rvakam”

him visadava:k sikha:mani. Ma:muni is also known

“We have to first worship and offer our daily prayers to the a:cha:rya:s prior to worshipping God.“

as Varavaramuni. ‘vara:na:m varaha’ means he who is greater than many other great, knowledgeable ascetics. ‘varaihi vri:yathe ithi varavaraha’ means he who is

In Sri Vachana Bh:shanam, Sri Pillai Lo:ka:cha:rya

recognised and venerated by many great ascetics.

Swamy instructed saying, “ japthavyam guruparamparayum dvayamum”

Ma:muni’s a:cha:rya: is Thiruvaimolipillai aka Sri Saile:sa. Sri Sailesa constructed a temple for Sri

“Before meditating on the Lord’s manthram, one has to chant the a:cha:rya: parampara [1]. “

Ra:ma:nuja in A:lwa:r Thirunagari. He passed on the responsibility of the temple’s maintenance

Following this principle, Erumbiyappa, aka

and the responsibility of worshipping Ra:ma:nuja

De:vara:ja, meditated on his a:cha:rya: Sri

to Manava:la Ma:muni. As instructed by his

Manava:la Ma:muni

a:cha:rya:, Sri Manava:la Ma:muni, carried out his

“yasthithim yathipathi prasa:dini:m vya:jaha:ra yathira:ja vimsathim | thamprapanna janacha:tha ka:mbudam naumi soumya varayo:gi pungavam ||” “I am offering my salutations to the great Manava:la Ma:muni, who graced yathira:ja vimsathi that bestows Ramanuja’s blessings on the devotees. He is like the water-filled cloud that satiates the thirst of the prapanna:s who are like the thirsty

duty with excellent care and dedication towards Sri Ra:ma:nuja. Since then, Sri Manava:la Ma:muni came to be known as Yathi:ndra Pravana. Sri Saile:sa observed the sincere service rendered by Manava:la Ma:muni and ordered him to write a stho:thram on Sri Ra:ma:nuja. Sri Manava:la Ma:muni, as instructed by his a:cha:rya:, wrote the Yathira:ja Vimsathi which describes the greatness of Sri Ra:ma:nuja.

cha:thaka birds.“ [We will learn about a prapanna

In a text called varavaramuni sathakam, Prathiva:di

in the coming sections].

Bhayankara Annanan Swami said -

This slo:kam contains a great, hidden meaning!

dra:ksha: madhikshipathi nindathi makaranda

'HF‡%KDNWKLQLYHGDQD35

dha:ra:m sudha:rasajhari:m adhari:karo:thi | yathsamprani:thamathulam yathisa:rvabhouma stho:thram sam:e varavaramunihi vithano:thu bhadram ||

aparasthra:tha” - Authentic sources of scriptures have declared that a guru is the only saviour, none else. The devotees who have complete faith and devotion for God are known as pratthamaparva nishta:s. The devotees who rest their entire faith

“Those who savor the stho:thram of yathira:ja vimsathi will desist the tasty grape-wine, honey and even the nectar relished by the de:vatha:s. May the great Manava:la Ma:muni who bestowed upon us

and devotion in an a:cha:rya are known as charamaparva nishta:s. The latter believe that a:cha:ryas are their only protectors and saviours. They are called the prapannas.

such a great stho:thram, always protect us. “ The Cha:taka birds fly towards the clouds for This stho:thram gifts the grace of Sri Ra:ma:nuja to the one who reads it.

water. Similarly, for the prapannas who are in search of God’s grace, Manava:la Ma:muni is

What does yathira:ja mean?

like the rain cloud! The clouds absorb the water

Sri Ra:ma:nuja accepted a saintly life. He had an

from the seas, eliminating the salts from it. They

absolute control over his senses. Since he is the

abundantly shower sweet water on us in the form

only saint, who can make other saints tread the

of rain. Likewise, the cloud called Sri Manava:la

path of righteousness, he is known as yathipathi or

Ma:muni imbibed the water of God’s compassion,

yathira:ja. The great Ra:ma:nuja, during his times,

experienced it and with pure grace, poured the

mentored 700 Jeeyars to preach to the world, the

wonderful rains of discourses on us!

science of Ultimate Reality of God.

Both the rains and the a:cha:rya:s commonly fulfil

Seek first an a:cha:rya: or the ‘absolutely

our cravings. The cha:taka birds never seek any

independent’ Supreme God?

other source, than the clouds, for water. This is

It is not a good practice to seek God without first

known as unswerving faith. Devotees with such an

worshipping one’s a:cha:rya:. This is because,

unswerving faith are called prapannas.

God is absolutely independent and we the sentient beings are full of faults. If we directly approach God, then He will say ‘kshipa:mi’ and ‘na kshama:mi’ . We may be punished by Him for our sins – leave alone any grace! A:cha:rya:s on the

The generous Manava:la Ma:muni, incarnated for us, to uplift us from our suffering state. Erumbiyappa in his slo:kam lauded Manava:la Ma:muni as a great saint who always prays to the Lord and to Ra:ma:nuja, for our well being.

other hand are always kind and compassionate. -Footnotes-

So, it is always good to first take a stride towards a:cha:rya:s before approaching God for His grace.

>@JXUXSDUDPSDUD²7KHVXFFHVVLRQRIgurus>@

God shall show immense mercy on those who recite

stho:thram – Set of poetic verses in praise of some

the Yathira:ja Vimsathi. This tells us of God’s love for

one.

Sri Ra:ma:nuja! Even highly knowledgeable people always sought refuge in their gurus. “naguroho 36 %KDNWKLQLYHGDQD‡'HF