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The 1st thread in this series was about how Bhagavan & Naacchiyaar had revealed the greatness of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar.
The basis for Sri Jeeyar's exaltation is His Acharya Anugraham & this thread aims to highlight that aspect.
#SriVaramangaiMuniVaibhavam
The 1st thread in this series was about how Bhagavan & Naacchiyaar had revealed the greatness of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar.
The basis for Sri Jeeyar's exaltation is His Acharya Anugraham & this thread aims to highlight that aspect.
Before taking up Sanyasa, Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar was known as Sri Azhagiya Varadhar.
Likewise, Swami Manavala Mamunigal was called Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar.
Likewise, Swami Manavala Mamunigal was called Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar.
Sri Azhagiya Varadhar's Father had initially taken Him to Sri Thiruvaimozhi Pillai (Sri Mamunigal's Acharya) to make Him a Shishya of that Acharya.
The great Sri Thiruvaimozhi Pillai identified Sri Azhagiya Varadhar as an amsham of Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar.
The great Sri Thiruvaimozhi Pillai identified Sri Azhagiya Varadhar as an amsham of Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar.
It was Sri Thiruvaimozhi Pillai who directed Sri Azhagiya Varadhar to take refuge in the feet of Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar.
Right from the beginning, Sri Azhagiya Varadhar was quite devoted to His Acharya.
Right from the beginning, Sri Azhagiya Varadhar was quite devoted to His Acharya.
Sri Azhagiya Varadhar considered His Acharya as the sacred feet of Swami Ramanujacharya.
He adored His Acharya's Bhakthi towards Swami Ramanujacharya & Swami Nammazhwar.
Therefore, He served His Acharya with great zeal.
He adored His Acharya's Bhakthi towards Swami Ramanujacharya & Swami Nammazhwar.
Therefore, He served His Acharya with great zeal.
Sri Azhagiya Varadhar realized that He may never be able to uninterruptedly serve His Acharya if He takes up Gruhasthashrama.
So, He requested Sri Deivanayaka Perumal of Sri Vanamamalai Divyadesam to grant Him Sanyasa!
So, He requested Sri Deivanayaka Perumal of Sri Vanamamalai Divyadesam to grant Him Sanyasa!
This Vairaagya (detachment to worldly pleasures) from Brahmacharya Ashrama to Sanyasa Ashrama at a very young age and, that too, even before His Acharya Himself had taken up Sanyasa, has been particularly celebrated by Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai.
Here are a few samples from the Prapatthi & Mangalashasanam composed by Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai:
1. Here, Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai celebrates how Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar didn't spare so much as a glance for Gruhastha & Vanaprastha Ashramas.
1. Here, Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai celebrates how Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar didn't spare so much as a glance for Gruhastha & Vanaprastha Ashramas.
2. Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai explains how worship of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar vanquishes the doshas starting from kaamaa (kaamaa, krodhaa, etc.).
3. Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai says that Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar considered the typical worldly pleasures one obtains from wife, children, etc. to be akin to the grief of imprisonment.
4. Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai compares the Vairaagyam of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar to that of Sri Hanuman and goes on to say that Vairaagaym of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar shines brighter. Perhaps because Sri Jeeyar's sole aim was to serve the Acharya.
5. Sri Dhoddayyangar Appai identifies Vairaagyam as the mukhya kalyana guna of many other auspicious traits of Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar.
Sri Deivanayaka Perumal granted Him Sanyasa and named Sri Azhagiya Varadhar as Sri Vanamamalai Ramanuja Jeeyar.
The young Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar went to Sri Azhwar Thirunagari and fell at the Feet of Sri Azhagiya Manavala Nayanar (i.e. Swami Manavala Mamunigal).
The young Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar went to Sri Azhwar Thirunagari and fell at the Feet of Sri Azhagiya Manavala Nayanar (i.e. Swami Manavala Mamunigal).
Sri Azhagiya Manavala Nayanar, who was a householder at that time, was quite surprised to see His beloved Shishya in saffron robes!!
In an instant, He understood His Shishya’s steadfast Guru Bhakthi and dislike for worldly life.
In an instant, He understood His Shishya’s steadfast Guru Bhakthi and dislike for worldly life.
The Acharya embraced His Shishya with great affection and that's when He addressed His Shishya as Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar!
Thereafter, Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar always stayed by the side of His Acharya and served Him. He accompanied His Acharya to all Divyadesas during Yathras.
Thereafter, Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar always stayed by the side of His Acharya and served Him. He accompanied His Acharya to all Divyadesas during Yathras.
He renovated the Pallavarayan Matam of Sri Manavala Mamunigal @ Srirangam & built the Thirumalai Azhwar Kalakshepa Mantapam.
He always prayed for the welfare of His Acharya even when His Acharya was praying to Emperumaan or when They both went around Sannithis.
He always prayed for the welfare of His Acharya even when His Acharya was praying to Emperumaan or when They both went around Sannithis.
He gained a special place in His Acharya's heart due to His unwavering, dedicated Guru Bhakthi such that Swami Manavala Mamunigal always emphasized that Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar should also be bestowed with every glory that was conferred on Swami Manavala Mamunigal Himself!
Swami Manavala Mamunigal had several Shishyas and 8 of Them were extremely dear to Him and were called Ashtadiggajas. They are:
Swami Manavala Mamunigal ensured that Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar also has Ashtadiggajas and personally chose Them for His Shishya!
They are:
They are:
Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar had worshipped a Theertha utensil (referred to as ‘Sri Ramanujan’ in Sri Vaishnavam, as ‘Panchapathram’ in general) used by Swami Manavala Mamunigal.
Swami Manavala Mamunigal instructed Sri Appachiyaranna (who requested for an Archa Moorthy of Swami Manavala Mamunigal) to use the very same Theertha utensil and make 2 Archa Moorthy of His.
He gifted one to Sri Ponnadikaal Jeeyar who joyfully installed the Thirumeni at Sri Vanamamalai Matam.
He always respectfully informed from this Thirumeni before He started any kainkaryam and only then proceeded with it like Sri Bharatha did wrt Sri Rama Padhuka.
He always respectfully informed from this Thirumeni before He started any kainkaryam and only then proceeded with it like Sri Bharatha did wrt Sri Rama Padhuka.
When Swami Manavala Mamunigal returned to Paramapadam, Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar was on a Digvijaya Yathra to northern Divyadesams to carry out the orders of Swami Manavala Mamunigal.
He came to know of it only when He reached Thiruvenkatam on His return journey.
He came to know of it only when He reached Thiruvenkatam on His return journey.
He then proceeded to Srirangam to pay respects to Swami Manavala Mamunigal’s Purvashrama Grandson (named Sri Jeeyar Nayanar) & received the Sri Thiruvaimozhippillai's Padhukas, the Upadhandam & the Ring of Swami Manavala Mamunigal (as per Sri Mamunigal’s final instructions).
Even today, one can worship the holy Padukas at Sri Vanamamalai Matam of Sri Vanamamalai Divyadesam. The Upadhandam adorns the Thridandam of every Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar. The Ring is worn by Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar on special occasions.
Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar composed the Thirunaal Paattu that celebrates the greatness of Swami Manavala Mamunigal’s Thirunakshathram.
He also composed 18 verses called ‘Guna Vaguppu’ that celebrates the greatness of Swami Manavala Mamunigal.
He also composed 18 verses called ‘Guna Vaguppu’ that celebrates the greatness of Swami Manavala Mamunigal.
Even when selecting the next Jeeyar for Vanamamalai Matam, Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar meditated on the sacred feet of Swami Manavala Mamunigal and, only based on the divine guidance He received during the dhyanam, He appointed Sri Kalamoor Varadha Munigal as the 2nd Pattam Jeeyar.
After Swami Mamunigal's Paramapadham return, whenever Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar visited Srirangam, He always prostrated in front of Swami Manavala Mamunigal Matam and completed His kainkaryam there before even entering the Srirangam Temple.
Sri Ponnadikkaal Jeeyar never entered any Temple as an independent individual but always imagined Swami Manavala Mamunigal walking in front of Him and thought of Himself only as His Acharya's paadha rekha.
When leaving for Paramapadham, Sri Ponnadikkal Jeeyar meditated on His Guru's lotus feet, cried aloud saying "Emperumanar Thiruvadigale Sharanam! Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Sharanam!" And then, He adorned Sri Vaikuntam.
No wonder this exemplary Guru Bhaktha was celebrated thus by Emperumaan and Naacchiyaar!
