RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI

श्री:

DIVYA PRABANDHAM WORKSHOP
SESSION – 24 – RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI
TIRUVARANGATTU AMUDANAR

श्रीरङ्गॆ मीनहस्तॆ च जातं रङ्गार्यनन्दनम् ।
रामानुजपदास्कन्दं रङ्गनाथगुरुं भजॆ ॥
shreerangE meenahastE cha jAtaM rangAryanandanam |
rAmAnujapadAskandaM ranganAthaguruM bhajE ||

NOVEMBER 2023

Shree gurubhyO namah,

NamaskAram dear members,

Welcome to the 24th and the final session of our divayprabandham worskshop.

RAmAnuja NooRRandAdi is a poem of 108 gratitude filled, adulatory verses on the greatness and redemptive power of AchArya rAmAnuja by shree tiruvarangattu amudanAr, a close disciple. 

RAmAnuja NooRRandAdi is also called “prapanna gAyatree” or “prapanna sAvitree” as it has one “rAmAnuja nAmam” in each of its 108 poems. The holy name “rAmAnuja” is equal to reciting one gAyatree mantra.  Hence, it is recommended to be recited everyday by prapannas (devotees who have done “bharaNyAsam”). 

The prabandham starts with salutation to mahAlakshmi (poo mannu mAdu) and ends with salutation to mahAlakshmi (pangaya mAmalar pAvaiyai pORRadum), signifying that our vaishNava sampradAyam is “shree sampradAyam”, and the goal and means of the vaishNavaites is shreeman-nArAyaNa, the Lord with his inspearable consort shreeedEvi (anpAyinee). 

We have learnt that bhagavat sEshatvam (being a servant of the Lord) culminates in bhAgavata sEshatvam (being a servant of His devotees).  In the same way, the 4000 prabandhams which started with bhagavat sEshatvam (namO nArAyaNa) in mudal Ayiram concludes with bhAgavata sEshatvam (namO rAmAnujAya – irAmAnusan aDi poo mannavE) in the nAngAm Ayiram.

Let us take refuge under the propitious feet of our AchArya rAmAnuja and ever sing His glories. 

ShrematE rAmAnujAya nama: |

ADIYEN

AZHVAR EMPERUMANAR DESIKAN TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM

*TIRUVARANGATTU AMUDANAR*

The author of this prabandham tiruvarangattu amudanAr (ranganAtha) was born in panguni hastam in shreerangam.  His ancestors hailed form an ancient village called MoongilkuDi, and so He is also referred as "MoongilkuDi amudanAr’’.  His father’s name was ‘aNiyarangattamudanAr’.  A scholar in vEdas, tamizh and sanskirt languages, He served as the hereditary priest for periya perumAL Lord RanganAtha (purOhitya kainkaryam), gave discourses in purANas (purANa paTanam), and also took up the post of administrator of shreerangam temple.  He became well known as Periya kOyil Nambi.  

When swAmi rAmAnuja took over the task of streamlining the day-to-day affairs of periya kOyil, there was some difference of opinion and amudanAr refused to support his reforms. The mental gap kept increasing and made both restless. AmudanAr was also opposed to rAmAnuja’s growing popularity and tried to stall many of his progressive measures. One day, rAmAnuja decided to stop amudanAr’s service. That day, NamperumAL appeared as an old man in his dream, and told rAmAnuja that Periya kOyil Nambi (amudanAr) has been serving Him since a long time and is totally dependent on Him.    SwAmi rAmAnuja took this message as Rangan’s command and decided to retain amudanAr in the temple kainkaryam.

With a view to correct his resistive ways amicably, swAmi advised His disciple KoorattAzhvAn (koorEsha) to accept amudanAr as his disciple and instruct him on the rahasyas of vishiShTAdvaita siddhAntam.  Just then, amudanAr’s mother expired. On the 11th day (EkOddiShTa) of the 13 day final rites (charama kainkaryam), he could not get any swAmi to partake in the bhOjanam because of his feud with his relatives and friends in the community.  RAmAnuja came to know of his helpless state and ordered koorEsha to take part as swAmigaL and see to it that the shrAddha ceremony concluded well. After the bhOjanam, when amudanAr asked “kim apEkshitam?”, as per the ritual rules, koorEsha who was supposed to say “sakalam sampoorNam”, did not open his mouth.  AmudanAr was deeply disturbed and asked what else he wanted. KoorEsha replied that he wanted the temple keys and the charge of administration. AmudanAr immediately handed over the keys.   

 In due course, amudanAr who was once a proud person, mended his ways under koorEsha’s guidance, and became so humble that he considered swAmi rAmAnuja’s divine pair of feet as the only means (upAyam) and goal (upEyam).  Just as madurakavi AzhvAr was to NammAzhvAr in AchArya Bhakti, so was amudanAr to rAmAnuja.  Madurakavi composed “kaNNinuNsirutAmbu” prabandham on his AchArya NammAzhvAr. AmudanAr’s devotion outpoured into “rAmAnuja nooRRandAdi” which consists of 108 sweet poems in praise of rAmAnuja in the kaTTaLai kalitturai andAdi style of tamizh poetry. 

When amudanAr submitted his work to namperumAl during an utsavam, NamperumAL was extremely delighted. Seeing namperumAl’s happiness, swAmi rAmAnuja renamed him as ‘Pillai amudanAr', and recommended that rAmAnuja nooRRandAdi be included in the iyarpA section of divya prabandha pArAyaNam during adhyayana utsavam.  It is also said that when amudanAr was writing the last three pAsurams, rAmAnuja arrived at his place with his disciples and heard them first. So, the last three pAsurams starting from “iruppiDam vaikuNTham” are taken as “sARRu pADal” (special concluding verses) and all the three pAsurams are recited thrice during pArAyaNam. (Whereas, for the other divya prabandham pArAyaNams, only the last two verses are rendered twice).

SWAMI RAMANUJA (1017 CE – 1137 CE)

The eminence of our jagadAchArya rAmAnuja is truly indescribable in words (pORRa aRuseelattu irAmAnusa).  Lets read through his main contributions to the society.

1. The king of ascetics, rAmAnuja was an outstanding proponent of shreevaishNava philosophy.

2. He authored nine sanskrit vEdAntic treatises namely ShreebhAshyam (elaborate commentary on the brahmasootras), geetA bhAshyam (commentary on the bhagavat geetA), vEdArtha sangraham (a prose on the Upanishads), vEdAnta sAram ( a very concise commentary on the brahmasootras), vEdAnta deepam ( a short commentary on the nature and relationship of brahman, chit and achit), nityam ( a manual of nitya tiruvArAdhanam), sharaNAgati gadyam ( a prose on prapatti), shreeranga gadyam ( a prose on lord RanganAtha), and shree vaikuNTha gadyam (a prose on the supreme abode vaikuNTha). 

3. This is the essence of rAmAnuja's teachings - “VishNu who has for his body all the sentient (chit) and non-sentient (achit) beings, is the immanent self (antarAtmA) of everything.  He is ever associated with Goddess ShreedEvi. He is the ocean of unblemished and unlimited bliss.  The Lord is possessed of a host of auspicious qualities. He is the principal cause of creation and redemption of the universe. He is the highest goal. He can be attained by bhakti or prapatti, prapatti being the easiest means. Once the soul reaches the highest abode vaikuNTham, it never comes back to samsAra.

4. SwAmi rAmAnuja rose to be a mass leader with noble intentions. He honestly wished that everyone in the world should surrender to Lord Shreeman NArAyaNa and attain mOksha.  

5. He travelled to many pilgrimage centres from rAmasEtu to HimAlayas and reformed temples like shreerangam, melokote, tirumala,etc. 

6. RAmAnuja appointed 74 simhAsanAdhipatis as his successors and ordained them to propagate the vaishNAva siddhAntam and sharaNAgati shAstra all over the world.  

 

7. Endowed with sharp intellect and logical acumen, rAmAnuja refuted adversaries in philosophical debates with unbelievable self-confidence. When great philosophers misinterpreted the Bhagavat geetA verse 18.66 - “sarvadharmAn parityajya सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य” to mean “All nitya karmas should be abandoned”, swAmi rAmanuja quoted chapter 18.9 - “sanga tyaktvA phalaM chaiva sa tyAga sAttvikO mata: सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्याग: सात्त्विको मत:” and clarified that “NityakarmA should not be abandoned at all. It should be duly performed but the attachment to the rewards of nityakarma should be relinquished. This is called “sAttvika tyAgam”.  True to his words, swAmi performed his nityAnuShThAnas sincerely until the last notwithstanding the tApa-trayas that afflict humans and left his mortal coils at the age of 120.

8. SwAmi dEsikan’s 11th verse from yatirAja saptati is enough to reveal the austere life of rAmAnuja as a yati.

उपवीतिनं ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रवन्तं त्रिजगत्पुण्यफलं त्रिदण्डहस्तम् ।

शरणागतसार्थवाहमीडे शिखया शेखरिणं पतिं यतीनाम् ॥ ११॥

upaveetinaM oordhvapuNDravantaM trijagatpuNyaphalaM tridaNDahastaM ||

sharaNAgata sArthavAha meeDE shikhayA shEkhariNam yateenAm || 11

Hail the king of ascetics! He wears the sacred thread yagyOpaveetam hanging from the left shoulder, the resplendent tirumaN and shreechoornam (oordhvapuNDram) on his forehead, carries the staff tridaNDa in his hand, the tuft shikhA on his crown. With a countenance of the sum of all penances of the three worlds, rAmAnuja flourishes as the leader of the sharaNAgatas.

9. Although rAmAnuja was orthodox, he made himself affable and approachable to all people without any discrimination. And this exceptional quality is what makes Him emperumAnAr (The Lord of everyone). 

 

SWAMI RAMANUJA'S SIGNAURE

THE NAME RAMANUJA

1.RAmAnuja was the incarnation of AdisEshan. Since Lakshmana was an incarnation of AdisEshan, rAmAnuja is also considered as incarnation of LakshmaNa and hence the name rAmAnuja. (  rAma + anuja  = rAmAnuja.  “anuja” means younger brother of Lord rAma).

2. Lord krishNa was also called “rAmAnuja” meaning younger brother of balarAma. Hence rAmAnuja is also considered as the incarnation of KrishNa. Even amudanAr says in verse 33 that rAmAnuja is the incarnation of krishNa with all His five weapons.

3. NammAzhvAr was considered as Lord rAma. Hence yatirAja who was devoted to nammAzhvAr is like his younger brother (anuja), so he is named rAmAnuja.

4. In his work, ‘Ramanujarya Divya Charitai’ PiLLai LokAchArya narrates that Sri Asuri kEshava sOmayAji and kAntimati from Sriperumbudoor worshipped at Sri PartharasArathy temple in Chennai and performed putrakAmESTii yAgam on the advice of tirukachchi nambi. Lord Parthasarathy appeared in their dream and blessed them that He would Himself be born as their son in order to explain the import of the teachings of the Gita.  Hence rAmAnuja is krishnA incarnate.

RAMANUJA'S NAMES

SwAmi rAmAnuja was conferred with many special titles that include:

1.iLaiyAzhvAr / iLaya perumAL/lakshmaNa - The name was given on birth by Tirumalai Nambi, rAmAnuja’s uncle.  

2.rAmAnuja – Periya Nambi gave the name during rAmAnuja’s pancha-samskAram at MadhurAntakam.

3.EmperumAnAr: The name was conferred by His AchAryan tirukOShTiyoor nambi.  RAmAnuja approached AchArya tirukOShTiyoor nambi for ashTAkshara mantrOpadEsam. After making rAmAnuja come to TirukOShTiyoor from shreerangam 18 times, He finally taught him the tirumantram. But Raamanuja climbed the third tyre of the temple Gopuram, called out all the devotees, and bellowed the mantra so everyone could hear. When an angered nambi taunted him saying that he will reach hell for letting the Rahasya mantra out, Raamaanuja sought his pardon and said: “If crores of people can benefit after hearing the ashtAkshara mantra, “Om namO nArAyaNa”, I am prepared to go to hell”. Moved by rAmAnuja’s unconditional compassion for humanity, Nambi embraced him and exclaimed, “ivar emperumAnArO?”. Is he my master? ThirukOTTiyoor Nambi also declared the shreevaiShNava tradition would become known as "rAmAnuja darshaNam". 

3.yatirAjA -  yatirAjA means king of yatis or sanyAsis – The name was given by kAnchi varadarAja perumAL when rAmAnuja took sannyAsa.

4.uDaiyavar:  This name was given by namperumAL on Raamaanuja’s arrival at Srirangam.  After swAmi had darshan of ranganAtha, namperumAL conferred the name "uDaiyavar" to rAmAnuja and declared that swAmi rAmAnuja will be the owner of the "ubhaya vibhootis" - He will possess leadership of both vibhootis – Nitya vibhooti and LeelA Vibhooti.

5. bhAshyakAra – The name was given by Goddess Saraswati to accredit rAmAnuja’s work on “shree bhAshyam”, a commentary based on the Brahmasootras of Sage bOdhAyana (bOdhAyana vRutti) which his disciple koorattAzhvAn byhearted in Kashmir Saraswati Bhandar Library, Sharadha PeeTham.

6. kOvil aNNan / gOdAgraja – nam kOvil aNNan means ‘my brother in the temple’, gOdA-agraja means – elder brother of gOdA/ANDAL.  SwAmi rAmAnuja offered 100 vessels of sweet pongal and 100 vessels of ghee to Azhagar perumAL of tirumAlirunchOlai to fulfil ANDAL’S wish which she had expressed in nAchchiyAr tirumozhi 9.6 (NOORU TADA VENNAI).  When he came back to Shreevilliputtoor to thank ANDAL,  she acknowledged his kainkaryam saying “nam kOvil aNNanO!” – my brother in the temple. 

7. appanukku sangaazhi ALitta PerumAL – When there was a dispute as to whether the deity in Tirumala is Shiva or VishNu, Raamaanuja came and told the pandits to place two sets of  weapons "trishoola and Damaruka" and  "shankh and chakra" in front of the Lord before closing the door of the sanctum sanctorum at night. Next morning VenkaTEsa Perumal had the shankh and chakra on his shoulders signaling that He wants to give darshan as Vishnu. RAmanuja almost performed samAshrayanam to the Lord and hence is known as 'appanukku sangaazhi aLitta perumAL".

8. tiruppAvai jeeyar – Once, swAmi rAmAnuja was seeking alms singing tiruppAvai in srirangam. When he reached swAmi mahApoorNa’s (periya nambi)house, he was singing 18th pAsuram 'undumadagaliRRan'. As he was uttering the words “seerAr vaLai olippa vandu tiravAy”, the door opened, periyanambi's little daughter "attuzhAy" came out. Thinking that nappinnai pirATTi herself had opened the door, uDaiyavar fainted.  Due to his deep engrossment in tiruppAvai, He was named tiruppAvai jeeyar.

9. lakshmaNa muni- Name given by Tirumalai ANDAN and Tiruvaranga PerumAL Arayar to signify that rAmAnuja served bhagavAn just like LakshmaNa.

10. panchAchArya seeDar - ‘Disciple of Five Acharyas’ - RAmAnuja had five AchAryas: tirukkacchi nambi, tirumalai nambi, tirukOShTiyoor nambi, periya Nambi and tirumalai ANDAN.

11.dEsikEndra – The king of AchAryAs. This name was given by TiruvEnkaTamuDaiyAn.

12.shaThakOpan ponnaDi – This name was given by tirumalai ANDAN after He taught rAmAnuja the essence of tiruvAymozhi.

13.Bhootapureesha – The leader of Bhootapuri alias ShriperumpUdUr, the birth place of rAmAnuja – This title was given by Shree Adi kEsava PerumAL of ShriperumpUdUr.

14.Am mudalvan ivan – He is the future leader – These words of blessing were given by saint yAmunAchArya (ALavandAr) when He saw a spark in young rAmAnuja while he was learning from Guru yAdavaprakAsha.

A poem on rAmAnuja's beauty by swAmi embAr.

பற்பமெனத் திகழ் பைங்கழல் உந்தன் பல்லவமே விரலும்
பாவனமாகிய பைந்துவராடை பதிந்த மருங்கழகும்
முப்புரி நூலொடு முன்கையில் ஏந்திய முக்கோல் தன்னழகும்
முன்னவர் தந்திடு மொழிகள் நிறைந்திடு முறுவல் நிலாவழகும்
கற்பகமே விழி கருணை பொழிந்திடு கமலக் கண்ணழகும்
காரி சுதன் கழல் சூடிய முடியும் கன நற்சிகை முடியும்
எப்பொழுதும் எதிராசர் வடிவழகு என் இதயத்துளதால்
இல்லை எனக்கெதிர் இல்லை எனக்கெதிர் இல்லை எனக்கெதிரே. 

paRpamenat tigazh paingkazhal undan pallavamE viralum

pAvanamAgiya paintuvarADai padinda marungazhagum

muppuri nUloDu munkaiyil Endiya mukkOl tannazhagum

munnavar tantiDu mozhigaL niRaintiDu muRuval nilAvazhagum

kaRpakamE vizhi karuNai pozhintiDu kamalak kaNNazhagum

kAri sutan kazhal chUDiya muDiyum kana naRshikai muDiyum

eppozhudum etirAsar vaDivazhagu en idayattuLadAl

illai enakkedir illai enakkedir illai enakkedirE. 

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI AUDIO LESSONS 1 TO 50

TANIYANS

*TANIYAN BY VEDAPIRAN BHATTAR*

1.munnai vinai agala mUngkiR kuDi amudan *

ponnang kazhaR kamalap pOdiraNDum * - ennuDaiya 

sennikkaNiyAgach sErttinEn * ten pulattArkku 

ennuk kaDavuDaiyEn yAn? 

I have adorned my head with the shining lotus feet of amudan hailing from moongilkuDi clan, inorder to dissolve all my accumulated karmas.  That being done, why would I now be subjected to the attendants of Yama (yama-kinkaras) waiting in the southern direction?

*TANIYAN BY EMBAR*

2.nayantaru pErinbam ellAm pazhudinRi naNNinar pAl * 

sayantaru kIrtti irAmAnusa muni tALiNai mEl * 

uyarnda guNattut tiruvarangkattamudu Ongum anbAl 

iyambum * kalittuRai andAdi Oda isai nenjamE!

SwAmi rAmAnuja muni bestowed victory over samsAra for those who considered worldly pleasures as futile and sought refuge under Him.  Oh, heart! May you direct your mind to recite the *“kaTTaLai kalittuRai **andAdi” composed by the highly virtuous tiruvarangattu amudanAr, out of overflowing love for His AchArya.

*கட்டளைக் கலித்துறை

kaTTaLai kalittuRai 

KaTTaLai kalittuRai is a style of writing in tamizh prosody. The style has the below said pattern:

There are four lines in every verse. 

Each line has five words.

Every line has 16 syllables (or 17 syllables) in all. 

Every line’s last word is a phrase.

The verses are in the format of answer for a question.

The last line of the verse always ends with ‘E’ ‘ஏ’sound.

**andAdi is a poetry style where the last word of every verse is the first word of its next verse, both in form and content.

*TANIYAN BY PILLAN*

3. sollin togai koNDu unadaDip pOdukkut toNDu seyyum * 

 nallanbar Ettum un nAmam ellAm endan nAvin uLLE * 

 allum pagalum amarumpaDi nalgu aRu samayam 

 vellum parama! * irAmAnusa! idu en viNNappamE

Oh, the great rAmAnujA who won over the six philosophies!  I have just one request. Please bless me that my mouth ever sings your glorious names uttered by your supreme devotee tiruvarangattu amudanAr who offered his vAchA kainkaryam at your lotus feet by composing the rAmAnuja nooRRandAdi in the apt count of 108 verses.

*TANIYAN BY ABHIYUKTAR (SOMASI ANDAN)*

4.ini en kuRai namakku? emperumAnAr tirunAmattAl * 

muni tanda nURReTTuch sAvittiri ennu nuNporuLai * 

kani tanda senjchol kalittuRai andAdi pADit tandAn * 

punidan tiruvarangattamudAgiya puNNiyanE .

What shortcomings do we have hereafter, when we have the 108 names of emperumAnAr, swAmi rAmAnuja?  In the beginning, bhagavAn instructed BrahmA on the sAvitree mantras. Our noble tirvarangattu amudanAr has embedded the essence of those 108 sAvitree mantras in his sweetly worded prabandham rAmAnuja nooRRandAdi.  It is his great generosity that he has given it for the future generations to recite and get liberated.

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 1 TO 10
PASURAMS 3893 TO 3902

3893. poo mannu mAdu porundiya mArban * pugazh malinda 

pA mannu mARan * aDi paNinduyndavan ** palkalaiyOr 

tAm manna vanda irAmAnusan * charaNAravindam 

nAm manni vAzha * nenjchE! solluvOm avan nAmangkaLE 1 

3893. RAmAnuja surrendered to NammAzhvAr’s feet and immersed Himself into it.

 mAran aDi panintu uyntavan, palkalaiyOr tAm manna vanda irAmAnujan.

NenjE! Listen! SwAmi nammAzhvAr extolled the greatness of Lord Shreeman nArAyaNa along with pirATTi who left the lotus flower to reside permanently in the Lord’s chest. His divine grantham tiruvAymozhi was filled with the kalyANaguNAs and the feats of the Lord. Bhagavad Raamaanuja, an incarnation himself, was a seer who admired the shree-sooktis of nammAzhvAr and rejoiced in being subservient to him (mARan aDipaNindu uyndavan).  Many scholars (like koorattAzhvAn, mudaliyANDAn and embAr) have taken refuge in the divine feet of emperumAnAr. 

 

 Nenje! While on this earth let us humbly and consciously surrender ourselves at the feet of Bhagavad rAmAnuja and incessantly sing his names to get elevated and reach the highest abode of paramapadam (nAm manni vAzh, nenjE solluvOm avan nAmaNgaLE). (1)

3894. kaLLAr pozhil tennarangkan * kamalap padangkaL nenjchil 

koLLA * manisarai neengki ** kuRaiyal pirAn aDik keezh 

viLLAda anban irAmAnusan * mikka seelam allAl 

uLLAdu en nenjchu * onRaRiyEn enakkuRRa pEriyalvE 2.

 

3894. RAmAnuja’s graciousness captures amudanAr.

irAmAnusan mikka seelamallAl uLLAdenenjE!

My heart appears to be firmer in bhakti than me. My mind has vowed not to have any association with those who refrain from placing the divine lotus feet of Rangan in their heart. This lord resides in Srirangam in the south enveloped by abundant groves rich in honey. Resolving thus, my mind has engaged itself with bhakti towards the sousheelya nature of emperumAnAr who never aspired to get separated from the divine feet of tirumaNgai mannan (kuRaiyal pirAn aDikeezh) who admirably resumed the rendering of the divine srisooktis of nammAzhvAr in srirangam during utsavams. He was the one who went to several divyadesams and performed mangalashaasanam glorifying the lords there. 

(Tiruvarangattamudanar considers himself to be a lowly person). I feel blessed to gain the mere thought of pondering over Shreeman Narayana which is truly due to the grace of emperumAnAr. Inspite of being a great and prominent AchAryan, he showered his grace on a lowly person like me. I still wonder whether I deserve this compassion showered by my AchAryan! (uLLAdu en nenju OnRaRiyEn enakku uRa pEriyalvE). 

(This quality expressed by a great person considering himself to be lower than others is called naichyAnusandhAnam). (2)

3895. pEriyal nenjchE! * aDi paNindEn unnai * pEyp piRavip 

pooriyarODuLLa * suRRam pulattip ** poruvarum seer 

Ariyan semmai irAmAnusa munikkanbu seyyum *

seeriya pERuDaiyAr * aDik keezh ennaich sErttadaRkE 3 

3895.  RAmAnuja was staunch in anuShTaNas, but polite with devotees including me.

Poruvu arum seer, Ariyan semmai irAmAnusan!

 O! nenjE! I humbly and proudly prostrate to you, appreciating your nature filled with goodness towards me (pEr iyal nenje! aDi paNindEn unnai). You completely weeded out my bad associations carving out the satsangam with bhAgavatAs and great seers. You led me to have the privilege of being accepted as the foremost disciple of the virtuous emperumAnAr who was staunch is His nitya anuShThAnas like a true Arya,  but moved friendly with devotees.  Due to his unbounded grace, I was honoured to become a disciple of the great koorattAzhvAn the ardent disciple of uDaiyavar who considered emperumAnAr as the paramapurushArtam (anbu seyyum seeriya pERudaiyAr). 

Hence nenjE! Having done this immense favour of uniting a lowly person like me with such pious persons, I humbly prostrate to you (aDikkeezh ennai sErtadaRkE). 

{tirumaNgai AzhvAr says in tiruneDuNtANDakam-14- vaLarttadanAl payan peRREn varuhavenru maDakkiLiyai kaikooppi vaNanginALE || Hearing the glories of the lord from her pet parrot the unconscious parkALa nAyaki recovers. Witnessing this the mother does anjali to the parrot). (3)

3896. ennaip puviyil oru poruLAkki * maruL suranda 

munnaip pazhavinai vEraRuttu ** oozhi mudalvanaiyE 

pannap paNitta irAmAnusan * paran pAdamum en 

sennit tarikka vaittAn * enakkEdum sidaivillaiyE 4 

3896. RAmAnuja convinced everyone that nArAyANa is the principle cause of the universe.

oozhi mudalvanayE panna panNitta irAmAnusan!

Bhagavad Raamaanuja glorified the attributes of the emperumAn, the jagatkArakan through his multiple religious texts, the foremost one being ShreebhAshyam. He emphasised their greatness and influenced the bhaktas to learn and recite the texts. EmperumAnAr who is transcendent, has copiously and compassionately graced a lowly person like me and made me an object of praise who was like an unworthy non sentient being (buviyil ennai oru poruL Akki). He uprooted my karma vAsanAs, eliminated my agyAnam, crushed my pride and instilled knowledge in me through my AchAryan koorattAzhvAn after I took refuge in him. The compassion of emperumAnAr did not stop with this. He placed his divine tiruvaDis on my head and made me feel blessed and auspicious (irAmanusan paran pAdamum en senni tarikka vaittAn). I am indeed very fortunate. I have no grievance as my fate has completely changed for the good (enakku Edum sidaivillayE). (4)

3897. enakkuRRa selvam irAmAnusan enRu * isaiyagillA 

manakkuRRa mAndar * pazhikkil pugazh ** avan 

manniya seer tanakkuRRa anbar avan tirunAmangkaL sARRum enbA * 

inakkuRRam kANagillAr * patti Eynda iyalvidenRE 5 

3897. RAmAnuja is the wealth of the noble souls.

enakku uRRa selvam irAmAnusan!

Whenever a grantham is written, there will be critics who will praise and condemn it. Here amudanAr speaks about the reaction of those who consider emperumAnAr as their prime AchAryan and others who are ignorant of his greatness. Those scholars who consider uDaiyavar as a great seer, wholesome and blissful will perceive these verses to be filled with devotion. They will bless my outpourings packed with his divine names, overlooking small mistakes. (avan tirunAmaNgaL sARRumenpA vinakuRRam kANakillA). The comments of those who condemn this grantham, out of ignorance of emperumAnAr’s greatness, will only add more fame to my bhakti filled verses (manakuRRa mAndar pazhikkil pugazh). (5)

3898. iyalum poruLum isaiyat toDuttu * eenkavigaL anbAl 

mayal koNDu vAzhttum * irAmAnusanai ** madi inmaiyAl

payilum kavigaLil pattiyillAda en pAvi nenjchAl * 

muyalginRanan * avan tan perung keertti mozhindiDavE 6 

3898. RAmAnuja is hailed by sweet, profound, rhythmic and loving words.

een kavigal anbAl, iyalum, poruLum, asai kODuttu, mayal kONDu vAzhttum irAmAnusan

{ amudanAr doubts the sincerity of his bhakti towards Raamaanuja  and concludes that he lacks devotion}. 

There are eminent poets among the disciples of emperumAnAr (like koorattAzhvAn, mudaliANDAn, embAr, piLLAn) who are his passionate devotees and great scholars too. They are adept in composing poems with hidden philosophical meanings.  They can compose rhythmic lines embedded with reverential and devotional words. (eenkavigaL anbAl mayal koNDu vAzhttum irAmAnusanai). My words are no comparison to those of astute scholars. But, my heart that is flawed and lacking bhakti, yearns to perform this vAchika kainkaryam ( patti illAda en pAvinenjAl muyalkinRanan). So, I tried to compose these poetic verses which extols the eminence of emperumAnAr considering it as a dedication to him (avan tam perunkeerti mozhindiDavE). (6)

3899. mozhiyaik kaDakkum perum pugazhAn * vanjcha mukkuRumbAm

kuzhiyaik kaDakkum * nam koorattAzhvAn charaN kooDiya pin**

pazhiyaik kaDattum irAmAnusan * pugazh pADi allA

vazhiyaik kaDattal * enakkiniyAdum varuttamanRE 7 

3899.RAmanuja is the dispeller of sins.

pAzhiyai kaDattum irAmAnusan!

I have completely surrendered myself to koorattAzhvAn, the renowned sishya of bhagavad Ramanuja whose qualities are inexpressible (mozhiyai kaDakkum perum pugazhAn). He is one who has overcome the false pride of education (vidhya garvam), pride of being born in the upper caste (kula garvam) and pride of being rich (selva cherukku) which are dangerous pit falls to prevent our elevation (vanja mukkurumbAm kuzhiyai kaDakkum). I am able to write these verses glorifying the qualities of emperumAnAr only after taking refuge at the feet of my master koorttAzhvAn who showered copious blessings upon me. I consider this as my svaroopam to sing the glories of Ramanuja. This is an attempt to express my gratitude to him who relieves his devotees from the kArmic bondage to reach SrivaikuNTam through the archarAdi mArgam (allA vazhiyai kaDattal). Henceforth it is very clear that my life will be smooth and free from miseries ( enakku ini yAdum varuttam anRE). (7)

3900. varuttum puRaviruL mARRa * em poygaip pirAn maRaiyin

kuruttin poruLaiyum * sentamizh tannaiyum kooTTi ** onRat

tirittanReritta tiruviLakkait tan tiru uLLattE *

iruttum paraman * irAmAnusan em iRaiyavanE 8 

3900. RAmAnuja kept the lamp of poygai AzhvAr glowing inside his heart.

en poygai pirAn aritta tiruviLakkai tan tiru uLLattE iruttum paraman irAmAnusan!

The first of the mudal AzhvAr’s POIGAI AZHVAR desired to remove the darkness of ignorance which was clinching this world that was attached to materialistic desires.

To eliminate the attachment to them, poigai AzhvAr combined the essence of the vedAntas and pure tamizh to create a wick (maRaiyin karuttin porulaiyum sentamizh tannayum kooTTi).  The pasurams of his prabandam mudal tiruvandAdi became the lamp-‘vaiyam tagaLiyA vAr kaDalE neyyAga veyya kadirOn viLakkAga seyya’- {With earth as the lamp, seawater that surrounds the earth as the ghee and the sun having its hot rays as the light -mudal tiruvandAdi-1}. My admirable AchAryan emperumAnAr devotedly held this prabandham inside his heart and kept the lamp glowing. This glorious AchAryan is my swAmi (paraman irAmAnusan en iRaiyavanE). (8) 

3901. iRaivanaik kANum idayattiruL keDa * njAnam ennum

niRai viLakkERRiya * bootat tiruvaDi tALgaL ** nenjchat

tuRaiya vaittALum irAmAnusan * pugazh Odum nallOr

maRaiyinaik kAttu * inda maNNagattE manna vaippavarE 9

 3901. RAmAnuja worships bhoottatAzhvAr’s feet inside his heart.

Bhoota tiruvaDi tALgaL nenjattu uRaiya vaittu ALum irAmAnusan!

To gain a glimpse of the sarvEshvaran Narayanan BHOOTATAZHVAR lit the ever-glowing lamp of love in his heart crushing the darkness of ignorance. Thus emerged the outpourings of the iRanDAm tiruvandAdi (gnyAnam eNNum niRai viLakku ERRiya) beginning with ‘anbE tagaLiyA ArvamE neyyAga’. Bhagavad Ramanuja holds the lotus feet of this AzhvAr in his heart. Those pious vedic scholars and bhAgavatAs who incessantly and eternally enjoy emperumAnAr’s kalyanagunas (irAmAnusar pugazh Odum nallOr) will be capable of protecting the vedic truths, establish them and prevent them from being misinterpreted by other faiths on this earth. (9)

3902. manniya pEriruL mANDa pin * kOvaluL mAmalarAL

tannoDu mAyanaik * kaNDamai kATTum ** tamizht talaivan

ponnaDi pORRum irAmAnusaRku anbu pooNDavar tAL *

senniyil sooDum * tiru uDaiyAr enRum seeriyarE 10

3902. RAmAnuja extols the golden feet of pEyAzhvAr.

tamizh talaivan ponnaDi pORRum irAmAnusan!

The immense darkness of knowledge or agyAnam was completely wiped off by the sweet songs of poigai and bhootat AzhvArs by lighting the lamps of gyAnam. This easily paved the way for pEyAzhvAr to get a glimpse of trivikrama perumAL (kOvaloor Ayanai) and periya pirATTi consequently giving birth to his melodious outpourings in tamizh ‘tirukkaNDEn ponmEni kaNDEn tigazhum arukkan aNi niramum kaNDEn serukkiLarum’(moonRAm tiruvandAdi-1). emperumAnAr who was overwhelmed by this divine vision of this AzhvAr forever enjoyed glorifying the tiruvaDis of pEyAzhvAr. The fortunate and blessed ones who adorn the feet of the bhAgavatas on their head, swelling with bhakti towards emperumAnAr, are considered peerless. (10)

RAMANUJA NOOTRANDAADI 11 TO 20 
PASURAMS 3903 TO 3912

3903. seeriya nAnmaRaich semporuL * sentamizhAl aLitta

pAriyalum pugazhp * pAN perumAL ** charaNAm padumat

tAriyal senni irAmAnusan tannaich sArndavar tam *

kAriya vaNmai * ennAl solloNAdu ikkaDaliDattE 11

3903. RAmAnuja adorns his head with tiruppANAzhvAr’s lotus feet.

(pAN perumAL charaNAm padumat tAriyal chenni irAmAnusan)

Bhagavad Ramanuja had immense respect for TIRUPPANAZHVAR who revealed the inner meanings of the four sacred vedas and the kalyANa guNas of lord nArAyaNa through his tamizh prabandham ‘amalanAdipirAn’ which became famous on this earth (pAr iyalum pugazh pAN perumAn). emperumAnAr adorned his head with the lotus feet of tiruppAN AzhvAr (disappointed that he did not get the opportunity to have AzhvAr's legs around his shoulders). I am at loss of words to describe the greatness of those bhAgavatAs who have taken total refuge in the lotus feet of such emperumAnAr (irAmAnusar tannai sArdavar tam). Their unstinted devotion and steadfast anuShThAnas in accordance with the shastras, is inexpressible as they have spread the greatness of Ramanuja and his sooktis throughout this vast earth surrounded by oceans (ennAl solla oNNadu ikaDal iDattE). They can be proclaimed as the true devotees of emperumAnAr. (11)

3904. iDangkoNDa keertti mazhisaikkiRaivan * iNaiyaDip pOdu

aDangkum * idayattu irAmAnusan ** ampoR pAdam enRum

kaDangkoNDiRainjchum tirumunivarkkanRik kAdal seyyAt *

tiDangkoNDa njAniyarkkE * aDiyEn anbu seyvaduvE (12)

3904. RAmAnuja’s heart is the home for tirumazhisai pirAn.

(mazhisaikku iRaivan iNai aDipOdu aDangum idayattu irAmAnusan!)

TIRUMAZHISAI PIRAN who was well known on this bhoomi (iDaNkoNDa Keerti mazhisaikku iRaivan) established through his sooktis especially nAnmugan tiruvandAdi (pasuram 1-nAnmuganai nArAyaNan paDaittAn--), with pride and staunch bhakti, that Shreeman Narayana alone is the paratattvam and the jagatkArakan. emperumAnAr houses the divine lotus feet of this AzhvAr permanently in his heart. Illustrious bhAgavatAs hold the pristine lotus feet of Ramanuja taking refuge in it with noble thoughts considering that as their svaroopam. I would prefer to remain indebted and subservient to such determined, wise gyAnis and bhAgavatAs who are staunch bhaktas of emperumAnAr (iDaNkoNDa gnyAniyarkE aDiyEn anbu seivaduvE). (12) 

3905. seyyum pasuntuLavat tozhil mAlaiyum * sentamizhil

peyyum * maRait tamizh mAlaiyum ** pErAda seer arangkattu

aiyan kazhaRkaNiyum paran tAL anRi * AdariyA

meyyan * irAmAnusan charaNE gadi vERenakkE 13

3905. RAmAnuja is the servitor of toNDaraAdipoDi AzhvAr’s feet.

(paran tALanRi AdariyA meyyan irAmAnusan!)

TONDARADIPODI AZHVAR who was an ardent devotee of SriranganAthan, passionately performed pushpa-kainkaryam to Him, stringing attractive fragrant tuLasee garlands every day (pasum pon tuLavu tozhil mAlaiyum). He also submitted devotedly at the divine feet of the abundantly virtuous Lord RanganAtha, the melodious granthams tirupaLLiezhuchi and tirumAlai that were woven with the essence of the vEdas. He considered bhAgavata sEshatvam (subservience to bhAgavatas) as a treasure. EmperumAnAr revered the tiruvaDis of toNDaraDipoDi AzhvAr and desires his feet as a source of sustenance (pErAda seer aRangattu aiyan aNiyum). Hence, I yearn and respect the divine tiruvaDis of emperumAnAr alone as my ultimate attainment (irAmAnusan sharaNE gativenRenakkE). (13)

3906. gadikkup padaRi * vengkAnamum kallum kaDalum ellAm

kodikkat * tavam seyyum koLgai aRREn ** kolli kAvalan sol

padikkum kalaik kavi pADum periyavar pAdangkaLE *

tudikkum paraman * irAmAnusan ennaich sOrvilanE 14

3906. RAmAnuja extols the feet of aDiyArs who sing the pAsurams of kulasEkara AzhvAr.

(Kolli kAvalan kavi pADum periyavar pAdangaLE tudikkum paraman irAmAnusar).

KULASHEKARA AZHVAR (kolli kAvalan) who had immense bhakti for Rangan, wrote the beautiful prabandham ‘PerumAL tirumozhi’ interlaced with the essence of the shAstras. EmperumAnAr graciously worshipped the tiruvaDis of those bhAgavatas who passionately recited the pAsurams of PerumAL tirumozhi. Similarly, I consider bhagavad raamanuja alone as my purushArtham, and my refuge. He has magnanimously accepted me and will never leave me (irAmanusan ennai sOrvilanE). I will surely get rid of my sins with his grace. Boasting of the emperumAnAr’s abundant compassion on me, I am going to shun those austere penances which require one to endure the varied weather conditions amidst mountains, seas and forests to attain the Lord (tavam seyyum koLgai aRREn). (14)

3907. sOrAda kAdal perunj suzhippAl * tollai mAlai onRum

pArAdu avanaip * pallANDenRu kAppiDum ** pAnmaiyan tAL

pErAda uLLattu irAmAnusan tan piRangkiya seer *

sArA manisaraich sErEn * enakku enna tAzhviniyE? 15

3907. RAmAnuja’s heart stays fixed on periyAzhvAr.

(pallANDu enRu kAppiDum pAnmayan tAL pErAda uLLattu irAmAnusan!)

PERIYAZHVAR’s incessant flood of devotion for emperumAn lead to the beautiful prabandham, ‘tirupaLLANDu’ and the ‘periyAzhvAr tirumozhi’. Although he knew that the Lord is the sarvEshvaran and sarvarakshagan, when the Lord manifested before him amongst a big crowd of people, periyAzhvAr thought of himself as the protector and bhagavAn as the protected, and sang ‘tirupaLLANDu’ to protect emperumAn from evil eyes (tolmAlai onRum pArAdavanai pallANDenRu kAppiDum). emperumAnAr who has a noble heart never desires to separate from the tiruvaDis of this great AzhvAr who considered it as his duty and svaroopam to protect the Lord (pANmai enRAl pErAda uLLattu irAmAnusar). I will never join the gathering of those who do not take refuge in the divine feet of emperumAnAr or abstain from holding his kalyAnaguNas as their mode of sustenance. Blessed with this power of conviction, what shortcomings do I have? (enakenna tAzhviniyE?) (15)

3908. tAzhvonRillA maRai tAzhndu * talamuzhudum kaliyE

ALginRa nAL vandu * aLittavan kANmin ** arangkar mauli

soozhginRa mAlaiyaich sooDik koDuttavaL tollaruLAl *

vAzhginRa vaLLal * irAmAnusan ennum mAmuniyE 16

3908. RAmAnuja thrives on the causeless mercy of ANDAL.

(chooDi koDuttavaL tol aruLAl vAzhginRa vaLLal irAmAnusan ennum muni).

RAmAnuja muni thrives due to unconditional and immeasurable grace of ANDAL (chooDi koDuttavaL) who considered him as her elder brother. ANDAL, the incarnate of bhoomi devi, was the female AzhvAr who wore the fragrant garland of Rangan on her tresses and made it more fragrant and divine for Him to adorn. (She sang two beautiful prabandhams - TiruppAvai and nAchchiyAr tirumozhi). 

I have taken refuge at the feet of Ramanuja for the humongous kainkaryam that he did for the Vaishnava sampradayam. The great rAmanuja muni took avatAram when the blemishless vEdas were being wrongly interpreted, shunned and at the verge of destruction by other faiths (tAzhvu onRillA maRai tAzhndu) paving a smooth pathway for the kali purushan to rule the world (talamuzhudum kaliyE ALkinRa nAL). Through his preaching and his sri sooktis, he established the vedic truths and protected the world from getting drowned into the darkness of knowledge thus saving the mankind. Hence, I consider my refuge under this eminent saint, as a great privilege. (16)

3909. muniyAr tuyarangkaL mundilum * inbangkaL moyttiDinum

kaniyAr manam * kaNNa mangkai ninRAnai ** kalai paravum

tani yAnaiyait taN tamizh seyda neelan tanakku * ulagil

iniyAnai * engkaL irAmAnusanai vandeydinarE 17

3909.RamAnuja has deep affection for tirumangai AzhvAr!

Neelan tanakku iniyAnai engal irAmAnusan!

TIRUMANGAI AZHVAR (Neelan) composed six tamil prabandhams as the essence of the six vedAngas. He offered it to the unparalleled, bhaktarAvi perumAL of tirukaNNamaNgai, the lord who is powerful like the male elephant, and held in high regard by the shAstras. His pAsurams absolve us of our attachment to the material desires on this earth (ulagil taN tamizh seida). Our emperumAnAr who is an epitome of sympathy loves him. I have immense respect for those great men who have taken refuge in our master Ramanuja. Their unstinted devotion to rAmAnuja keeps them balanced. They do not succumb to miseries (the tApatrayam-tuyaraNgaL mundilum muniyAr) and remain calm in a state of jubilation, unlike the samsArees (inbaNgaL moytiDinum manam kaniyAr). (17)

3910. eydaRkariya maRaigaLai * Ayiram intamizhAl

seydaRku ulagil varum * saDakOpanai ** sindai uLLE

peydaRku isaiyum periyavar seerai uyirgaL ellAm *

uydaRku udavum * irAmAnusan em uRutuNaiyE 18

3910. RAmAnuja extols the knowledge and dedication of venerable madurakavi AzhvAr.

(periyavar seerai uyirgaL ellAm uydarkku udavum irAmAnusan! )

*amudanAr in three verses from this pAsuram exalts the eminence of NammAzhvAr. 

 SwAmi nammAzhvAr incarnated on this earth to compose the thousand melodious and beautiful pAsurams in sweet tamizh. They extol the immeasurable and incomprehensible vedic texts and their meanings in simple language which could be enjoyed by all without discrimination. Bhagavad Ramanuja with immense devotion for AzhvAr respectfully contemplates on the great knowledge of Madhurakavi Izhar,  the pious unstinted devotee of nammAzhvAr whom he held in his heart (saDakOpanai sindai uLLE peydarkku isaiyum periyavar), considering AchArya nishTai (being subservient to AchArya) greater than bhagavad nishTai (being subservient to emperumAn). Hence emperumAnAr alone is my guide in this life whose foremost desire is to elevate all the jeevAtmAs (irAmAnusan em uRu tuNaiyE). (18)

3911. uRuperum selvamum tandaiyum tAyum * uyar guruvum

veRi taru * poomagaL nAdanum ** mARan viLangkiya seer

neRi tarum sentamizh AraNamE enRu inneeNilattOr *

aRitara ninRa * irAmAnusan enakku AramudE 19

3911. RAmAnuja propagated the tamizh vEdas of nammAzhvAr.

(mAran viLangiya seer neRi tarum sem tamizh AraNamE enRu ee neeL nilattOr aRitara ninRa irAmAnusan!)

NammAzhvAr in his prabandham tiruvAymozhi explicitly conveys that sarvEshvaran Narayanan, the beloved of periya pirATTi born in a lotus flower is his wealth, his father, and his caring mother and his sadAchAryan (uRu peru selvamum tandaiyum tAyum uyarguruvum).

 AlavandAr proclaims this in his Stotra Ratnam (sloka 5) which is the Sanskrit taniyan of tiruvAymozhi. 

माता पिता युवतयस्तनया विभूतिः सर्वं यदेव नियमेन मदन्वयानाम् |

आध्यस्य नः कुलपतेः वकुळाभिरामं श्रीमत् तदङ्घ्रि युगळं प्रणमामि मूर्ध्ना ||

mAtA pitA yuvatayastanayA viBUtiH sarvaM yadeva niyamena madanvayAnAm|

Adhyasya naH kulapateH vakuLABirAmaM SrImat tadanghri yugaLaM praNamAmi mUrdhnA|| ||

emperumAnAr asserted that the tiruvAymozhi of 1000 pAsurams elucidated the meanings of the vEdas in a simple manner in tamizh. He propagated them through his sri sooktis that this grantham written in sweet tamizh expounds the kalyANa guNAs of emperumAn who is the only goal to be attained (mARAn viLaNgiya seer neRi tarum sentamizh AraNamE enRu). Thus, emperumAnAr will remain my wealth, my relative, and my insatiable sweet nectar (irAmAnusan enakku AramudE). (19)

3912. Arap pozhil ten kurugaip pirAn * amudat tiruvAy

eerat tamizhin * isai uNarndOrkaTku ** iniyavar tam

seeraip payinRuyyum seelangkoL nAtamuniyai * nenjchAl

vArip parugum * irAmAnusan endan mAnidiyE 20

3912. RAmAnuja adores nAthamuni with all his heart.

(nAthamuniyai nenjAl vAri parugum irAmAnusan!)

NATHAMUNIGAL was a seer who retrieved the 4000 divya prabandhams for us with the blessings of nammAzhvAr. He taught these pAsurams with abhinayam and tALAm and established the aRaiyar sEvai. NAthamunigaL likes to be among those who devotedly sing the melodious songs of tiruvAymozhi which are outpourings from the divine lips of nammAzhvAr who incarnated in tirukurugoor, a town enveloped by sandalwood trees. AzhvAr and his srisooktis have been of great benefit to the mankind. EmperumAnAr embraced the virtuous nAthamuni (iniyavar tan serai payinRu uyyum seelaNkoL nAthamuniyai) affectionately in his heart, contemplating incessantly on his kainkaryams performed. Hence the eminent RAmAnuja is my everlasting treasure like the akshaya nidhi (irAmAnusan endan mAnidhiyE). (20)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI  3913 TO  3922
PASURAMS  21 TO 30

3913. nidiyaip pozhiyum mugil enRu * neesar tam vAsal paRRit *

tutikaRRu ulagil tuvaLginRilEn ini ** tooy neRi sEr

edikaTkiRaivan yamunait tuRaivan iNai aDiyAm *

gadi peRRuDaiya * irAmAnusan ennaik kAttananE 21

3913. RAmAnuja! The one who surrendered at the divine tiruvaDi of yAmunAchariAr.

yamunaithuraivan iNaiaDiyAm gati peRRuDaiya irAmAnusan. 

  Sri ALavandAr is the head of all sanyAsis who lead a pure, principled and austere life ( tooy  neRisEr yahigaTku iRaivan).

     emperumAnAr, rAmAnuja, surrendered at the divine tiruvaDi of ALavandAr and thus became the spiritual leader of the entire mankind. He is my saviour! I no longer need to wait at the doorstep of undeserving people, seeking their help and singing their praise, hailing them as wealthy generous ones who give away alms like a rain cloud.

* tiruvarangathamudanAr says that he had surrendered at the divine tiruvaDi of rAmAnuja. He had placed all his woes at his feet. Having left the responsibility of his welfare at emperumAnAr's disposal, amudanAr says that he need not seek help from wealthy people for his sustenance. (21)

3914. kArttigaiyAnum kari mugattAnum * kanalum mukkaN

moorttiyum * mODiyum veppum mudugiTTu ** moovulagum

poottavanE! enRu pORRiDa vANan pizhai poRutta *

teerttanai Ettum * irAmAnusan endan sEma vaippE 22

 

3914. RAmAnuja! My invaluable treasure chest.

irAmAnusan en dhan sEma vaippE !

Once, Lord subhramaNya, ganEsha, the agnidEvatA( kanal)( who was deputed to assist them), paramashivA, his consort durgA ( mOdi) and the jwara dEvatA ( veppu) were all defeated in the battle and they had to retreat, when they defended bANAsuran's kingdom from attack by Krishna. BANAsuran surrendered. He hailed Krishna as the Lord who created all the three worlds from the lotus that emerged from His divine navel.

    Taking pity on him, Krishna forgave all his misdeeds. memperumAnAr, who worships this unblemished sarvEswaran is my invaluable treasure chest ( sEmavaippu).  (22)

3915. vaippAya vAnporuL enRu * nallanbar manattagattE *

eppOdum vaikkum irAmAnusanai ** iru nilattil

oppAr ilAda uRuvinaiyEn vanjcha nenjchil vaittu *

muppOdum vAzhttuvan * ennAm idu avan moy pugazhkkE? 23

3915. One who is always held by his ardent devotees in their hearts. 

nal anbar manattagattE eppOdum vaikkum irAmAnusan !

Devotees with pure bhakti, hold emperumAnAr in their hearts, meditate constantly on him and praise him as the undiminishing treasure that saves them during dire straits. 

    In this large world, I am the most sinful person. But I too hold emperumAnAr in my deceitful heart and worship him all the time!

    Oh! Will it bring ill fame to him, if I, the lowly, ignorant one worship an illustrious person like rAmAnuja? (23) 

3916. moytta en teevinaiyAl * palluDal toRum moottu * adanAl

eyttozhindEn * muna nALgaL ellAm ** inRu kaNDuyarndEn

poyttavam pORRum pulaich samayangkaL nilattaviyak *

kaitta mey nyAnattu * irAmAnusan ennum kAr tannaiyE 24

3916. The one who is benevolent like the rain clouds.

irAmAnusan ennum kAr ! 

Taking several janmas, I resided in several bodies, lived until old age with my atmA caught in the heat of the accumulated karmas. Caught in the cycle of birth and death, I suffered and withered. 

     Challenging the distorted philosophies portrayed by the promotors of false and baseless faiths, emperumAnAr debated, routed them without a trace, and established the superior spiritual knowledge. I surrendered and worshipped this emperumAnAr who is benevolent as the rain cloud and hence, and I have become elevated. (24) 

3917. kArEy karuNai irAmAnusa! * ikkaDaliDattil

ArE aRibavar * nin aruLin tanmai ** allalukku

nErE uRaiviDam nAn vandu nee ennai uytta pin * un

seerE uyirkkuyirAy * aDiyERku inRu tittikkumE 25

3917. One whose boundless compassion is like the rain laden cloud. 

kArEy karuNai irAmAnusA!

EmperumanArE! RAmAnujA! One whose boundless compassion is like the rain laden cloud!

    I am a repository for all miseries. But you willingly and with compassion, took me into your fold. Since then, it is your kalyANaguNas that lights up my AtmA like its life. They add flavor to my life making it delectable.

    Is there anyone in this vast world surrounded by the seas, who can realise the depth and dimension of your limitless compassion?  (25)

3918. tikkuRRa keertti irAmAnusanai * en sey vinaiyAm

meyk kuRRam neekki * viLangkiya mEgattai ** mEvu nallOr

ekkuRRavALar edu piRappu EdiyalvAga ninROr *

akkuRRam appiRappu * avviyalvE nammai ATkoLLumE 26

3918. One whose fame is spread all over. 

tikkuRRa keerti irAmAnusan !

EmperumAnAr removed all the wrongs accumulated as a result of my misdeeds. Generous as the rain cloud, his fame is spread far and wide! 

Every good hearted person (mEvum nallOr) who has taken refuge at emperumAnAr's tiruvaDi, is accepted with whatever faults they have ( ekkuRRavALar), notwithstanding the community in which they were born ( edhu piRappu) or the character they display ( Edu iyalvu)...... the same faults, birth and character being the qualification for emperumAnAr to give them refuge.   (26) 

3919. koLLak kuRaivaRRilangki * kozhundu viTTOngkiya un

vaLLal tanattinAl * valvinaiyEn manam nee pugundAy **

veLLaich suDar viDum un peru mEnmaikku izhukkidenRu *

taLLuRRirangkum * irAmAnusa! en tani nenjchamE 27

3919. One who is my sole and exclusive heart!

 irAmAnusA en tani nenjamE ! 

RAmAnujA! Your generosity is such that it does not diminish even if you give away amply. It only grows like the glowing flame!

It is entirely because of your compassion that you seated yourself in my sinful heart. My heart cringes and becomes frail when I think about how my sinned heart is the dwelling place for such a pure, illustrious, superior one as You! O! My sole heart, rAmAnuja!  (27) 

3920. nenjchil kaRai koNDa kanjchanaik kAynda nimalan * nangkaL

panjchit tiruvaDip * pinnai tan kAdalan ** pAdam naNNA

vanjcharkkariya irAmAnusan * pugazh anRi en vAy

konjchip paravagillAdu * enna vAzhvu inRu kooDiyadE! 28

3920. One who is elusive to those who do not surrender to Krishna. 

pAdam naNNA vanjarkku aRiya irAmAnusan! 

RAmAnuja is not attainable by people who do not surrendered at the tiruvaDi of Lord Krishna. 

Krishna is the faultless one who killed kamsa whose heart was filled with hatred for Krishna.  

He is the beloved of nappinnai pirATTi who has soft delicate feet and who is always sweetly disposed to the devotees.

   My mouth shall only sing in praise of emperumAnAr's keerti (fame). My lips shall not sing fondly about anyone else. My present disposition is indeed a divine blessing!*

   * amudanAr says that he who had been an undeserving and unqualified candidate has been transformed today to become a desirable devotee. Similarly, his lips which refused to sing in praise of rAmAnuja earlier, now, refuses to sing anything else but emperumAnAr's keerti. Isn't this a wonder!  (28) 

3921. kooTTum vidi enRu kooDum kolO? * ten kurugaip pirAn

pATTennum * vEdap pasuntamizh tannait ** tan patti ennum

veeTTin kaN vaitta irAmAnusan * pugazh mey uNarndOr

eeTTangkaL tannai * en nATTangkaL kaNDu inbam eydiDavE 29

3921. One who cherished the tiruvAymozhi. 

vEdappasuntamizh tannai tan batti ennum veeTTinkaN vaitta irAmAnusan ! 

EmperumAnAr cherished the tiruvAymozhi, the chaste tamizh pAsurams composed by nammAzhwAr. He preserved it in his house of devotion.

When will I be blessed to witness and enjoy being with the assembly of devotees who have truly realized the keerti and kalyANaguNas of emperumAnAr?   (29)

3922. inbam taru peru veeDu vandeydilen? * eNNiRanta

tunbam taru * nirayam pala soozhilen? ** tollulagil

manpalluyirgaTku iRaiyavan mAyan ena mozhinda *

anban anagan * irAmAnusan ennai ANDananE 30

 

3922. One whorules over me.

irAmAnusan ennai ANDananE! 

The most compassionate and blemishless emperumAnAr proclaimed in His sribhAshyam that mahAvishNu ( iRaivan mAyan) alone is the Supreme Lord of all the jeevAtmas in this endless universe. 

He graciously accepted me as his servant. Having achieved this status, does it matter if I attain the blissful heaven, or the hell which is shrouded in miseries?  (30)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI  3923 TO 3932
PASURAMS 31 TO 40 

3923. *ANDugaL nAL tingkaLAy * nigazh kAlam ellAm manamE!

eeNDu * pal yOnigaL tORuzhalvOm ** inROreNNinRiyE

kANtagu tOL aNNal tennattiyoorar kazhaliNaik keezhp *

pooNDa anbALan * irAmAnusanaip porundinamE 31

3923.One who is devoted to the divine tiruvaDis of pEraruLALan.

ten atTiyoorAr kazhal iNaikkeezh pooNda anbALan irAmAnusan !

Dear heart! We existed aimlessly all these days, months, years, the current days and for several eons! 

   Today, without any effort on my part, I have been blessed to be engulfed into the compassionate fold of EmperumAnAr who set his heart lovingly on the divine tiruvaDis of pEraruLALan ( ten attiyoorAr), whose broad shoulders captures the eyes of the devotees.  (31) 

3924. porundiya tEsum poRaiyum tiRalum pugazhum * nalla

tirundiya njAnamum * selvamum sErum ** seRu kaliyAl

varundiya njAlattai vaNmaiyinAl * vandeDuttaLitta

aruntavan * engkaL irAmAnusanai aDaibavarkkE 32

3924. One who relieved the earth from the ravages of kaliyugam.

seRu kaliyAl varundiya gyAlattai vandu aLitta aruntavan irAmAnusan!

My swAmi rAmAnuja, with compassion, saved this earth, which was shrouded in the misery of kaliyuga where dharma was ignored and neglected. He adhered to the sublime philosophy of sharaNAgati. 

     The disciples who join his fold will be automatically endowed with the radiance exclusive to srivaishNavas and the kalyANaguNas like forgiving nature, victory, fame, illustrious knowledge and the supreme wealth bhakti. (32) 

3925. aDaiyAr kamalattu alarmagaL kELvan * kai Azhi ennum

paDaiyODu nAndagamum paDar taNDum ** oN sArngka villum

puDaiyAr purisangkamum indap bootalam kAppadaRku * enRu

iDaiyE * irAmAnusa muni Ayina innilattE 33

3925. rAmAnuja..the incarnation of the five divine weapons!

bhootalam kAppadaRku enRu iDaiyE irAmAnusa muni Ayina ! 

Shreeman nArAyaNan, the beloved of periya pirATTi who was born on the densely petalled lotus, holds the sudharshana chakram in His hand.  He also has the sword, the nandakam, the mace, the beautiful bow, sArngam, and the coiled conch, all of which are both ornaments as well as weapons. 

    All these five weapons themselves incarnated as emperumAnAr to protect and save this world.   (33) 

3926. nilattaich seRuttuNNum neesak kaliyai * ninaippariya

balattaich seRuttum * piRangkiyadillai ** en peyvinai ten

pulattil poRitta apputtagach chummai poRukkiya pin *

nalattaip poRuttadu * irAmAnusan tan nayap pugazhE 34

3926. One whose kalyANaguNas burnt my sins and reformed me!

en pEyvinai....poRukkiyappin nalattai poRuttadu irAmAnusan tan nayappugazhE !

     Empowered with immense valour and haughtiness, Kalipurusha, the ruler of kaliyuga, was creating havoc and causing inexplicable miseries to mankind.  SwAmi rAmAnujA's kalyANaguNas brought solace to the suffering people and controlled the ravages of kaliyuga. 

     All my misdeeds and sins were recorded and kept in the bundles of books in hell, the yamalOkha. After I surrendered at the divine tiruvaDis of rAmAnuja, his kalyANaguNas burnt up all these records and reformed me. 

      EmperumAnAr’s kalyANaguNas which did not shine when he saved the earth from kalipurusha, shone when he saved and reformed me. Such is the gravity of sins accumulated by me! (34) 

3927. nayavEn oru deyvam nAnilattE * sila mAniDattaip

puyalE enak * kavi pORRi seyyEn ** ponnarangkam ennil

mayalE perugum irAmAnusan * mannu mAmalart tAL

ayarEn * aruvinai ennai evvARu inRaDarppaduvE? 35

3927. One who melts with passion on uttering the name ' tiruvarangam'.

pon aragam ennil mayalE perugum irAmAnusan !

I shall not seek any other God. I shall not sing the praise of any undeserving human, hailing them as being generous as rain clouds. I shall never forget the divine tiruvaDis of bhaghavat rAmAnuja, who was swept over by passion on merely spelling the name ' tiruvarangam'! 

     Terrible sins will never touch me henceforth, since I have sought refuge at emperumAnAr's tiruvaDi.  (35) 

3928. aDal koNDa nEmiyan Aruyir nAtan * anRAraNach sol

kaDal koNDa oNporuL kaNDaLippa ** pinnum kAsiniyOr

iDarin kaN veezhndiDat tAnum avvoNporuL koNDu * avar pin

paDarum guNan * em irAmAnusan tan paDi iduvE 36

3928. One who seeks out people in distress and preach them the valuable upadEsham from Gita.

kAsiniyOr iDarinkaN veezhndiDa, tAnum oN poruL koNDu padarum guNan irAmAnusan !

Sriman nArAyaNan holds the valorous, resplendent sudharshana chakram which eliminates the enemies.  He is the Lord of all AtmAs (Aruyir nAthan). He collected the intrinsic, valuable messages ( oNporuL) from the vedas (AraNachol) and preached them to Arjuna, as the Bhagavad Gita, when He was the charioteer for him during the kurukshEtra war.  

     Later, when the people of the earth were immersed in the samsAric existence,experiencing miseries, emperumAnAr, sought the people in distress and taught them the invaluable upadEsham ( oNporuL) and provided succour to them. (36) 

3929. paDi koNDa keertti irAmAyaNam ennum patti veLLam *

kuDi koNDa kOyil irAmAnusan guNam kooRum ** anbar

kaDikoNDa mAmalart tAL kalanduLLam kaniyum nallOr *

aDi kaNDu koNDugandu * ennaiyum ALavarkku AkkinarE 37 

3929. One who held rAmAyaNA devotedly in his heart.

rAmAyaNAm ennum bathi veLLam kudi koNda kOil irAmAnusan !

The itihAsa rAmAyaNA is held in great esteem throughout the world. It speaks eloquently about bhakti and is described as the ocean of devotion.  EmperumAnAr made his heart the sacred temple for rAmAyaNA. 

     Devoted shreevaishNavas were drawn by emperumAnAr's worthy traits and remained devoted to his lotus tiruvaDis. These learned bhAgavatas, understanding the value of adhering to rAmAnuja's teachings, took me along with them enabling me to become deserving for his karuNai. (37) 

3930. Akki aDimai nilaip pittanai ennai inRu * avamE

pOkkip puRattiTTadu * enporuLA munbu ** puNNiyar tam

vAkkil piriyA irAmAnusa! * nin aruLin vaNNam

nOkkil terivaridAl * uraiyAy inda nuNporuLE 38

3930. One who is hailed by the blessed bhAgavatas. 

puNNiyartham vAkkil piriyA irAmAnusA ! 

SwAmi! I was arrogant and egoistic until now. You refined me to become a deserving person today. You allowed me to serve you and you accepted my services. 

     Why did you let me waste my time pursuing frivolous, material pleasures all these days?

    O rAmAnuja! One who is eternally hailed by the blessed bhAgavatas! One can never estimate the extent of your grace and compassion. Only you have to reveal the intent of your incomparable kalyANaguNas!  (38) 

3931. poruLum pudalvarum boomiyum * poongkuzhalArum enRE

maruL koNDiLaikkum * namakku nenjchE! ** maRRuLAr taramO

iruL koNDa ventuyar mARRit tanneeRil perum pugazhE *

teruLum teruL tandu * irAmAnusan seyyum sEmangkaLE 39

3931. The one who removes miseries and gives knowledge and wisdom.

ventuyar mARRi tan eerily perumpugazhE teruLum teruL tarum irAmAnusA ! 

Thinking that there was no security beyond one's own acquisition  like wealth, family, property and beautiful braided women, we were broiling in the misery of ignorance.  

     Removing all the miseries and ignorance, emperumAnAr provided us the essential knowledge and wisdom ( teruLum teruL tandhu) , to meditate on his endless ( eeRu il) kalyANaguNas( pugazh). The blessings swAmi rAmAnuja showers on us, O dear heart, is so special and pure...and who else but we are ordained to receive his anugraham? (39) 

3932. sEma nal veeDum poruLum darumamum * seeriya naR

kAmamum * enRivai nAnkenbar ** nAnkinum kaNNanukkE

Amadu kAmam aRam poruL veeDidaRkenRuraittAn *

vAmanan seelan* irAmAnusan inda maN misaiyE 40

3932. One who has kalyANaguNas like vAmanamoorti.

vAmanan seelan irAmAnusan !

The learned vaidikas speak eloquently about the four purushArthams, viz. liberation (mOksham), material wealth (artham),  good deeds (dharmam) and desire (kAmam). Of these four purushArthams, desire should be only towards emperumAn kaNNan.  Dharma, wealth and mOksha are only subordinate to kAmArtham. This is the message conveyed by srirAmAnuja to the people of the world, who had kalyANaguNas like that of emperumAn who took the vAmana avatAram.   (40)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 3933 TO 3942
PASURAMS 41 TO 50

3933. maNmisai yOnigaL tORum piRandu * engaL mAdavanE

kaNNuRa niRkilum * kANagillA ** ulagOrgaL ellAm

aNNal irAmAnusan vandu tOnRiya appozhudE *

naNNaru njAnam talaik koNDu * nAraNaRkAyinarE 41

3933. rAmAnujA! The one who gave the wisdom to the people and made them EmperumAn 's servants.

 aNNal irAmAnusan tOnRiya appozhudE naNNaru gyAlam talaikoNDu nAraNarkAyinarE !

Even when emperumAn tirumAl, took avatAram during all the yugas and even when He visibly appeared before them, the people of the world were so ignorant that they neither realized him, nor acknowledged Him as the Supreme Lord. 

      But after swAmi rAmAnuja's avatAram, the people blessed with good intellect and wisdom ( naNNaru gyAlam), became subservient to nArAyaNan. (41)

3934. AyizhaiyAr kongai tangum * akkAdal aLaRRazhundi

mAyum en Aviyai * vandeDuttAn inRu ** mAmalarAL

nAyagan ellA uyirgaTkum nAtan * arangan ennum

tUyavan * teedil irAmAnusan tollaruL surandE 42

 

3934.  rAmAnujA, the blemishless one!

teedil irAmAnusan!

The beloved of periya pirATTi who was born on the lotus, and the Lord of all the AtmAs, is indeed periya perumAL, arangan.

  uDaiyavar, rAmAnuja, who is blemishless and pure, preached this truth.     

   I had let my soul slip into the slush of materialistic pleasures of yearning to be in the company of beautiful women. But with utmost compassion, emperumAnAr saved me from the mire in which I was caught. (42)

3935. surakkum tiruvum uNarvum * solappugil vAyamudam

parakkum * iruvinai paRRaRavODum ** paDiyil uLLeer!

uraikkinRanan umakku yAn aRam seeRum uRukaliyait *

turakkum perumai * irAmAnusan enRu solluminE 43

 

3935. One who chased the kalipurusha who was averse to dharmic practice.

seeRum uRu kaliyai turakkum perumai irAmAnusan!

O people of this world! I have a message to convey to you. Chant the nAmA of emperumAnAr. He chased the kalipurusha who was averse to dharma. When you chant his nAma, your bhakti ( tiru) and wisdom ( gyAnam) shall flourish. Your speech will be like the amrutam. All your sins will be absolved completely.  (43)

3936. sollAr tamizh oru mUnRum * surudikaL nAnkum ellai

illA aRa neRi * yAvum terindavan ** eNNarum seer

nallAr paravum irAmAnusan * tirunAmam nambik

kallAr agaliDattOr * etu pERenRu kAmipparE 44

3936. rAmAnujA....the one who is worshipped by virtuous learned people.

nallAr paravum irAmAnusan!

SwAmi rAmAnujA is well versed in prose, poetry and drama....the three platforms exclusive to the tamizh language, the four vedas ( surutigaL nAngu) and has mastered countless shAstrams and several artforms ( ellai illA aRam neRi yAvum). He is endowed with endless kalyANaguNas ( eNNaru seer). He is worshipped by the virtuous, learned people ( nallOr paravum). 

        No one listens to me when I tell them to chant uDaiyavar's tirunAmam. Instead, they seek the path to liberation! (without realizing that chanting emperumAnAr's nAmam is the only means for liberation).  (44) 

3937. pERonRu maRRillai nin charaN anRi * appERu aLittaRku

ARonRum illai * maRRachcharaN anRi ** enRu ipporuLait

tERum avarkkum enakkum unait tanda semmai sollAl *

kURum paramanRu * irAmAnusa! meymmai kURiDilE 45

   

3937. EmpermAnAr's tiruvaDi is the goal to be achieved.

pEronRumaRRillai nin charaNanRi, irAmAnusA!

EmperumanArE!  Other than your divine tiruvaDi, there is no other desired goal. And the means to attain this goal is none other than your divine tiruvaDis themselves. Only the mahAns have realized this truth. 

       But you accepted me, the ignorant one, just as you accepted the MahAns, without discrimination! In fact, am I even eligible to praise your incomparable kalyANaguNas?  (45)

3938. kURum samayangaL ARum kulaiya * kuvalayattE

mARan paNitta * maRai uNarndOnai ** madiyiliyEn

tERumpaDi en manam pugundAnait * tisai anaittum

ERum guNanai * irAmAnusanai iRainjchinamE 46

 

3938. One whose peerless guNas radiate in every direction.!

tisai anaittum Erum guNan irAmAnusan!

In this world, baseless and falsified philosophies were propagated by the six pseudo religious faiths.

EmperumAnAr, who learnt in depth, nammAzhvAr's tiruvAymozhi, disproved their philosophies. He also removed my ignorance and entered my heart. We worship this rAmAnujA whose fame and kalyANaguNas spread in all the directions.  (46) 

3939. iRainjappaDum paran eesan arangan enRu * ivvulagattu

aRam seppum * aNNal irAmAnusan ** en aruvinaiyin

tiRam seRRu iravum pagalum viDAdu endan sindai uLLE *

niRaindu oppaRa irundAn * enakku Arum nigarillaiyE 47

3939. One who preaches and practices the dhArmic values.

aRam seppum aNNal irAmAnusan!

EmperumAnAr, swAmi rAmAnujA, declared that the Supreme God who is worshipped by all, is Sriranganathan. He preached and practiced the dharmic values. Removing all my sins, rAmAnujA, the matchless one, established himself, forever, in my heart. There is none as blessed as I am !  (47) 

3940. nigarinRi ninRa en neesadaikku * nin aruLin kaNanRip

pugal onRum illai * aruTkum aqdE pugal ** punmaiyilOr

pagarum perumai irAmAnusa! * ini nAm pazhudE

agalum poruL en? * payan iruvOmukkumAna pinnE 48

3940. One who is worthy of praise by mahAns. 

punmaiyilOr pagarum perumai irAmAnusA!

RAmAnujA! You are worthy of being praised by mahAns. 

      In my ignorant, piteous state, I have no other place to seek refuge, other that in your compassionate guNa.  Your compassion is most required to elevate my condition.  When our needs are addressed mutually, why should we remain away from each other?   (48)

3941. Anadu semmai aRa neRi * poymmai aRusamayam

pOnadu ponRi * iRandadu vengali ** pUngamalat

tEnadi pAy vayal tennarangan kazhal senni vaittut *

tAn adil mannum * irAmAnusan ittalattudittE 49

 

3941. One who delights in holding periya perumAL's tiruvaDi on his head.

tennarangan kazhal senni vaittu tAn adil mannum irAmAnusA! 

In Srirangam, where the fields are flooded with the honey that drips from the lotuses, resides the periya perumAL.  EmperumAnAr holds ranganAtha's tiruvaDi on His head and delights in the anubhavam.  

      After rAmAnujA's avatAram, the dhArmic way of life was well established.  The six faiths which propagated falsehood were thwarted. The deadly kaliyuga saw its demise.   (49)

3942. udippana uttamar sindaiyuL * onnalar nenjcham anjchik

kodittiDa * mARi naDappana ** koLLai van kuRRam ellAm

paditta en punkavip pAvinam pUNDana pAvutol seer *

edittalai nAtan * irAmAnusan tan iNai aDiyE  50

3942.  RAmAnujA! The leader and swAmi of all sanyAsis. 

eti talai nAdan irAmAnusan! 

RAmAnujA 's kalyANaguNas spreads radiantly all over the world.  He is the leader of all the sanyAsis. His divine tiruvaDis are such that, they shine in the hearts of the virtuous and instill fear in the hearts of the adversaries.  

He compassionately accepted the pAsurams I have composed, which are full of faults.  (50)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI AUDIO LESSONS 51 TO 108

RAMANUJA NOOTRANDADI 51 TO 60
PASURAMS 3943 TO 3952

3943. aDiyait toDarndezhum aivargaTkAy * anRu bAratap pOr

muDiyap * parineDuntEr viDum kOnai ** muzhuduNarnda

aDiyarkkamudam irAmAnusan * ennai ALa vandu ip

paDiyil piRandadu * maRRillai kAraNam pArttiDilE 51 

3943. RAmAnuja is nectar for his devotees.

aDiyArkku amudam irAmAnusan!

Long ago kaNNapirAn rode the mighty chariot for Arjuna during the MahAbharata war to support the pancha pANDavas who had surrendered to Him, and killed duryOdhana and the hundred Kauravas. Those bhAgavatas who have realised the unparalleled attribute of saulabhyam and paratvam of kaNNapirAn cherish Him. They also revere emperumAnAr as the insatiable nectar. AmudanAr says that the only reason for Bhagavad Ramanuja incarnating in this world was to make amudanAr subservient to him (ennai Ala vandu ippaDiyil pirandadu) and remain permanently in the state of sEshatva bhAvam towards rAmAnuja. Apart from this, I cannot perceive any other reason. (51)

3944. pArttAn aRusamayangkaL padaippa * ippAr muzhudum

pOrttAn pugazh koNDu * punmaiyinEn iDait tAn pugundu **

teerttAn iruvinai teerttu arangkan seyya * tALiNaiyODu

ArttAn * ivai em irAmAnusan seyyum aRpudamE 52

3944. rAmAmuja, the performer of amazing feats!

ivai em irAmAnusan seiyyum aRpudamE!

Bhagavad rAmAnuja caused the preachers of the six anti-vEdic faiths to tremble, by instilling fear in them through his arguments, and prevented these faiths from flourishing (aRu samayaNgaL paDaippa). His eminence and superior attributes captivated this vast earth and he was admired by all. 

(amudanAr humbly recounts his blessings). emperumAnAr, a great AchAryan, due to his nirhEtuka krupA,  entered my heart which was devoid of goodness. He absolved me from heinous crimes and kArmic afflictions (teertAn iru vinai). Furthermore, he performed prapatti for me by surrendering my soul at the lotus feet of sriranganAtha perumAn (AchArya nishTai) to remain permanently sub servient to Him (bhagavat sEshatvam). These are the astounding feats performed by my dear AchAryan Bhagavad RAmAnuja.(52)

3945. aRpudan semmai irAmAnusan * ennai ALa vanda

kaRpagam * kaRRavar kAmuRu seelan ** karudariya

paRpalluyirgaLum pallulagu yAvum paranadennum *

naRporuL tannai * innAnilattE vandu nATTinanE 53

3945.  RAmanuja, the wondrous and the noblest one!

arpudan semmai irAmAnusan!

 emperumAnAr is the most merciful and accessible to all and he has captivated me and enslaved me by his magnanimous nature (udARakan-ennai Ala vanda kaRpagam). His qualities are praiseworthy. He who is filled with goodness and focussed on emperumAn alone was extolled by great scholars (kaRRavar kAmaRu seelan). His virtuous deeds were incredible (aRpudan). He who possesses such immeasurable divine qualities incarnated on this earth and propagated the essence of truth about Lord Narayana (naRporuL tannai in nAnilattE vandu nATTinanE). He communicated in a simple way that the sentient and non-sentient beings and the massive universe created for them to reside are the sole possessions of the Lord. (53)

3946. nATTiya neesach samayangkaL mANDana * nAraNanaik

kATTiya vEdam kaLippuRRadu ** ten kurugai vaLLal

vATTamilA vaN tamizh maRai vAzhndadu * maNNulagil

eeTTiya seelattu * irAmAnusan tan iyalvu kaNDE 54

3946. rAmAnuja, the gracious one of extra-ordinary accomplishments!

maN ulagil eeTTiya seelattu irAmAnusan!

 The jubilant amudanAr praises emperumAnAr. Upon discovering the righteousness, divinity, and magnanimity of emperumAnAr who elevated people without discrimination (irAmAnusan tan iyalvu kaNDE), the weak philosophies established by the anti-vedic religions that were flourishing at that time, were completely annihilated (nATiya Neesa samayaNgaL mANDana). Thus, the vEdas, upanishads and srisooktis that spoke firmly the truth that Lord Narayana is the supreme, rejoiced with pride and contentment (nAraNanai kATTiya vEdam kaLipuRRadu). The people knew that these texts will not be misinterpreted anymore. The melodious, pristine tamil vEdas known as tiruvAymozhi composed by nammAzhvAr born in the beautiful city of tirukurugoor flourished fearlessly (vATTamilA vaN tamizh maRai vAzhndadu). (54)

3947. kaNDavar sindai kavarum * kaDipozhil tennarangkan *

toNDar kulAvum irAmAnusanait ** togaiyiRanda

paNtaru vEdangkaL pArmEl nilaviDap pArttaruLum *

koNDalai mEvit tozhum * kuDiyAm engkaL kOkkulamE 55 

3947. RAmAnuja is celebrated by his devotees.

toNDar kulAvum irAmAnusan!

Bhagavad RAmAnuja stood tall, by re-establishing the vEdas that resound with its swaras. The fame of emperumAnAr spread on the earth as people were enchanted by his virtuous qualities and divinity. He captivated the mind of all (kaNDavar sindai kavarum). The bhAgavatas who perform ceaseless kainkaryam at the lotus feet of Rangan in Srirangam enveloped by cool gardens applaud emperumAnAr, have resolved to take eternal refuge at his feet. Hence, I can say with assurance that I consider such bhAgavatAs as our masters who are worthy of protecting our sidhdhantam established by emperumAnAr. I belong to the supreme clan of devotees who prostrate rAmAnuja. (irAmanusanai mEvi tozhum kuDi engal gOkkulamE) (55)

3948. kOkkula mannarai moovezhukAl * oru koor mazhuvAl

pOkkiya dEvanaip * pORRum punidan ** buvanam engkum

Akkiya keertti irAmAnusanai aDainda pin * en

vAkkuraiyAdu * en manam ninaiyAdu ini maRRonRaiyE 56

3948. RAmAnuja’s fame is world famous!

bhuvanam engum Akkiya keertti irAmAnusan!

AmudanAr answers those who doubted if he would remain persistently subservient to emperumAnAr. Bhagavad Ramanuja who is pristine and divine, hailed the strength and virtues of ParashurAma avatAra of Lord Naaraayana (mazhuvAl pOkkiya dEvanai pORRum punidan) who wielded the invincible axe (parashu). He was the svaroopa AvEsha avatAra of emperumAn who vanquished 21 generations of the prideful kshatriya kings beginning with kArtaveeryArjunA. Having taken refuge at the feet of emperumAnAr whose fame has spread worldwide, I intend to spend my lifespan with a divine purpose. My tongue will not spend time talking of trivial worldly matters and my mind will not dwell in the pleasures of the material realm. They shall not seek or laud anything other than emperumAnAr (or Lord Narayana) (irAmAnusanai aDainda pin en vAkku uraiyAdu en manam ninaiyAdu ini maRRu onRiyE). (56)

3950. maRRoru pERu madiyAdu * arangkan malaraDikku AL

uRRavarE * tanakkuRRavarAyk koLLum uttamanai **

naRRavar pORRum irAmAnusanai * innAnilattE

peRRanan * peRRa pin maRRaRiyEn oru pEdaimaiyE 57

3949. rAmAnuja, the greatest human, is ever glorified by prapannas.

nal tavar pORRum uttaman, irAmAnusan!

EmperumAnAr, the uttamapurushan considers devoted bhAgavatas who perform unstinted kainkaryam to the divine lotus feet of araNgan as his Atmabandhu (tanakku uRRavar aa koLLum uttamanai). He who is peerless in the four parts of the world considers himself subservient to them. He hails them as they consider rangan alone as the paramapurushArtam and follow the sharaNAgati tattvam (naltavar pORRum). Having been highly privileged to take refuge at the feet of emperumAnAr I am not foolish to divulge myself away from this to dwell in unworthy acts (maRRu Or pEdaimai aRiyEn). (57)

3951. pEdaiyar vEdap poruL idenRu unnip * piramam nanRenRu

Odi * maRRellA uyirum aqdenRE ** uyirgaL mey viTTu

Adip paranODu onRAm enRu sollum avvallal ellAm *

vAdil venRAn * em irAmAnusan meymmadik kaDalE 58

3950. rAmAnuja is the ocean of true knowledge.

mey madi kaDal, em irAmAnusan!

Several schools of philosophy and religious faiths misinterpreted the meanings of the vedas (vipareeta gnyAnam) and effectually spread it across the world (pEdaiyAr vEda poruL idu enRu enni). Some assertively said, “The parabrahmam is unique in all ways and the jeevAtmA is considered as the brahmam itself. What we preach is the correct meanings of the vEdas.” Some others proclaimed,” The state of highest abode or mOksha is when the jeevAtmA merges with the parabrahmam after death.” emperumAnAr who is the repository of true knowledge of the sacred texts (em irAmAnusan mei madi kaDalE), refuted these falsified doctrines by quoting appropriately from the vedas, and won their debates and arguments (avvallal ellAm vAdil venRAn). (58)

3952. kaDal aLavAya tisai eTTinuLLum * kali iruLE

miDai taru kAlattu irAmAnusan ** mikka nAnmaRaiyin

suDar oLiyAl avviruLait turandilanEl * uyirai

uDaiyavan * nAraNan enRu aRivAr illai uRRuNarndE 59

3951. If rAmAnuja had not revealed that nArAyaNa is the master of the soul, this truth would have remained unknown for ever. 

irAmAnusan avviruLai turandilan El, uyirai uDaiyavan nAraNan enRu arivAr illai!

Bhagavad RAmAnuja incarnated during the period when kalipurusha had engulfed the whole world including the eight directions with the darkness of knowledge (kali iruL). People were under the spell of acquiring the wrong knowledge and illusionary meanings for the vedas which had spread due to kalipurusha’s strength. The replesendent, brilliant and knowledgeable emperumAnAr with the radiant light of the proofs from the vedas (mikka nAnmaRaiyin suDar oLiyAl) firmly instituted the true knowledge that ‘Lord Shreeman Narayana alone is our master (sarvasEshi) and all the sentient and non-sentient beings remain eternally subservient to Him (uyirai uDaiyavan nAraNan enRu)’. If not for our Acharya emperumAnAr the world would have been misdirected from this truth. (59)

3953. uNarnda meynj njAniyar yOgantoRum * tiruvAymozhiyin

maNam tarum * innisai mannum iDantoRum ** mAmalarAL

puNarnda ponmArban porundum padi toRum pukku niRkum *

guNam tigazh koNDal * irAmAnusan em kulak kozhundE 60

3952. RAmAmuja, the raincloud filled with auspicious virtues, is the leader of our community of nArAyaNa dAsas.

guNam tigazh koNDal irAmAnusan engaL kulakozhundE!

Bhagavad Ramanuja is the treasure of kalyANaguNas. His AtmaguNa of magnanimity towards all is comparable to a rain bearing cloud which pours without discrimination (koNDal). He is the chief of our srivaishnava SampradAyam. Just like a tender leaf that shines at the tip of the tree. (kula kozhundu).

 AmudanAr says: ’Our emperumAnAr enters the following places and remains there with great jubilation and contentment’ (pati dOrum pukku niRkum):

He is present in the assembly of scholars who have realised the truth contained in rAmAnuja siddhAntam. He makes his presence wherever the sweet, fragrant, and melodious pAsurams of tiruvAymozhi are sung. He is present in all the divya dEsams where emperumAn resides, with tAyar doing nityavAsam on His majestic chest. (60)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 61 TO 70
PASURAMS 3953 TO 3962

61. kozhundu viTTODip paDarum vengkOLvinaiyAl * nirayattu

azhundiyiTTEnai * vandAT koNDa pinnum ** arumunivar

tozhum tavattOn em irAmAnusan * tol pugazh suDar mik

kezhundadu * attAl nalladisayam kaNDadu irunilamE 61

3953.rAmAnuja was meditated upon by great yOgis.

arumunivar tozhum tavattOn em irAmAnusan!

In this verse amudhanAr replies to those who queried emperumAnAr's qualities.

amudhanAr says: My rAmAnuja is the yOgi who was meditated upon by mahAyOgis like nAthamunigal and yAmunAchArya.  (Even before rAmAnuja’s birth, these yOgis were worshipping the “bhavishyadAchArya vigraham” granted by nammAzhvAr to madurakavi AzhvAr, awaiting the birth of a Jagadguru).

Without having requested for anything, my emperumAnAr willingly came near me and with motherly care and affection, corrected me and made me his servitor. Such is His divine nature which shines (kozhundhu vittu) and spreads wide to the eight directions of the earth. If alone he had not changed my path, I would have ended my life as a sinner and would have drowned in the ocean of samsAram which is full of sorrows.  (61)

62. irundEn iruvinaip pAsam kazhaRRi * inRu yAn iRaiyum

varundEn * ini em irAmAnusan ** mannu mAmalart tAL

porundA nilaiyuDaip punmaiyinOrkku onRum nanmai seyyAp *

perundEvaraip paravum * periyOr tam kazhal piDittE 62

3954. rAmAnuja removes our good and bad karmas!

Iru vinai pAsam kazhaRRi irundEn, em irAmAnusan!

The underlying message in this pasuram is that one will face sorrow by both good and bad (iruvinAi) karmA. So, it is better to shed them and fall at the feet of emperumAnar.

AmudanAr says:  Periya perumAl  (peru dEvar) never favors those who refuse to surrender to swAmi rAmAnuja. KoorattAzhvAn was the ardent devotee of periya perumAL and rAmAnuja.   I surrendered at the divine feet of koorattAzhvAn and got rid of my twin karmAs namely pApa and puNya. (The shAstras say that our sins are equal to iron shackles and our good deeds are equal to gold shackles, but both bind the jeevAtmAs in samsAra).  I, who have been made spotless by empermAnAr, shall not repent even a bit for anything. (62)

63. piDiyait toDarum kaLiRenna * yAn un piRangkiya seer

aDiyait toDarumpaDi nalga vENDum ** aRusamayach

cheDiyait toDarum maruL seRindOr sidaindODa vandu * 

ippaDiyait toDarum * irAmAnusa! mikka paNDitanE! 63

3955.rAmAnuja, the learned scholar full of wisdom!

mikka paNDitan irAmAnusan!

Oh rAmAnuja! You incarnated on this earth to chase away the people who were caught inside the dense shrubs of the six bAhya maThas that interpreted the vEdas wrongly.   Kindly bestow on me the opportunity to serve at your divine feet which possess the unique attributes of beauty, softness, and fragrance. Just as the male elephant (kalirennA) follows its spouse out of love and affection, I am following you. (He says that the people are fools if they miss this chance to adopt the all-merciful philosophy propounded by swAmi rAmAnuja).  (63)

64. paNtaru mARan pasuntamizh * Anandam pAy madamAy

viNDiDa * engkaL irAmAnusa muni vEzham ** meymmai

koNDa nal vEdak kozhundaNDam Endik kuvalayattE *

maNDi vandEnRadu * vAdiyargAL! ungkaL vAzhvaRRadE 64

3956. rAmAnuja, the vigorous elephant that chases away the anti-vEdic supporters.

engaL irAmAnusa muni vEzham!

rAmAnuja muni has come to the boomi like an elephant holding a huge rod, to fight against those who misinterpret our vEdas.  His driving force comes from the happiness experienced by understanding the tiruvAymozhi pAsurams of nammAzhvAr.  His happiness is compared to the ichor fluid that is secreted from the head of the mad elephant that is experiencing the vigorous state of musth. 

emperumAnAr, like the majestic male elephant destroys all the pseudo philosophies with his big rod that is the vEdas. Oh vAdiyarkAL!  Oh opposers of the vEdas! It is difficult for you to sustain anymore. (64)

65. vAzhvaRRadu tollai vAdiyarkku * enRum maRaiyavar tam

tAzhvaRRadu * tavam tAraNi peRRadu ** tattuva nUl

kUzhaRRadu kuRRam ellAm paditta guNattinarkku * an

nAzhaRRadu * nam irAmAnusan tanda njAnattilE 65

3957. The benefit of the wisdom acquired through rAmAnuja are immense.  

nam irAmAnusan tanda gyAnam!

The knowledge transmitted by rAmAnuja had caused the wrong interpreters of the vEdas to become non-existent.  The vaidikas have now regained their name and fame for eternity.  The earth has become blessed to be treaded upon by the purifying sage rAmAnuja.  The tattvas of the vEdas are now being interpreted in perfect manner by learned scholars who have been initiated by swAmi rAmAnuja.  With all their doubts dispelled, the seekers have become free of confusions and blemish. (65)

66. njAnam kaninda nalam koNDu * nAL toRum naibavarkku

vAnam koDuppadu mAdavan ** valvinaiyEn manattil

eenam kaDinda irAmAnusan * tannai eydinarkku at

tAnam koDuppadu * tan tagavennum charaN koDuttE 66

3958.rAmAnuja’s mercy can destroy the defects of the most terrible sinner and grant him mOksha.

valvinaiyEn manattil eenam kaDinda irAmAnusan!

Lord nArayana the consort of Sri mahAlakshmi grants the unparalled boon of mOksham only to those whose knowledge has matured into devotion in due course and who are constantly in the process of figuring out the means to remove their faults (valvinai) and the ways to perform kainkaryam in the divine abode of paramapadham. SwAmi rAmAnuja, out of his abundant mercy, grants the same mOksham to those who just surrender to him humbly. (66)

67. saraNam aDainda darumanukkA * paNDu nURRuvarai

maraNam aDaivitta mAyavan ** tannai vaNangka vaitta

karaNam ivai umakkanRenRu irAmAnusan * uyirgaTku

araN angkamaittilanEl * araNAr maRRu ivvAruyirkkE? 67

3959. rAmAnuja is the guard of all lives!

irAmAnusan uyirkaTku aran!

Dharmaputra used his senses given to Him properly and attained krishNa’s divine feet.  DuryOdhana and his 100 brothers lost their lives in the kurukshetra war because they were slave to their senses. EmperumanAr advised the people that they have been given senses and organs not to enjoy worldly pleasures but to engage them in the service of the Lord.  amudanAr feels with passion, “Who else would have done this great act of protecting the soul other than our rAmAnuja muni? (67)

68. Ar enakkinRu nigar sollil? * mAyan anRu aivar deyvat

tErinil seppiya * geetaiyin semmaip ** poruL teriyap

pArinil sonna irAmAnusanaip paNiyum nallOr *

seerinil senRu paNindadu * en Aviyum sindaiyumE 68

3960. rAmAnuja is the one who explained the inner meaning of geetA!

poruL teriya pArinil sonna irAmAnusan!

AmudanAr says that there is none equal to him and that his mind and soul follows the actions of emperumAnAr's disciples.

By acting as a charioteer for arjunA emperuman proved that He is truthful to His bhaktas and obeys them. He preached the geetA not only to arjuna (when he kept his bow down (reluctant to fight against his guru's and blood brothers) but (as a divine lesson) to all His devotees.

amudanAr is overwhelmed and ever contemplates on the amazing qualities of emperumanAr who gave the true inner (semmai porul) meanings of the geetA through his geetA bhAshyam to the world (pArinil) so that everyone would understand better. (68)

69. sindaiyinODu karaNangkaL yAvum sidaindu * munnAL

andamuRRAzhndadu kaNDu ** ivai endanakku anRaruLAl

tanda arangkanum tan charaN tandilan * tAnadu tandu *

endai irAmAnusan vanteDuttanan inRennaiyE 69

3961. I was uplifted by rAmAnuja!

Endai irAmAnusan inRu ennai eDuttanan!

amudanAr becomes happy on the great benefits poured on him by rAmAnuja.

 amudanAr says that during the time of pralayA his mind and all the senses lost their originality and they failed to distinguish the good and the bad.  Luckily lord rangan took pity on me and made my senses active. But, it was emperumanAr who acted as a father and showed his divine feet and pulled me out of the ocean of samsAram and made me realise the true joy. (69)

70. ennaiyum pArttu en iyalvaiyum pArttu * eNNil palguNatta

unnaiyum pArkkil * aruL seyvadE nalam ** anRi enpAl

pinnaiyum pArkkil nalam uLadE? * un perung karuNai

tannai en pArppar? * irAmAnusa! unnaich sArndavarE 70

3962.rAmAnuja should always bless everyone!

irAmAnusa, aruL seyvadE nalam!

amudanAr says:  My virtues are limited.  But rAmAnuja’s virtues are unlimited. Is rAmAnuja going to analyse my character and fitness to attain mOksha, or shower his unlimited grace on me naturally? He better shower His causeless mercy ( nirhEtuka krupA) on all his followers without considering their past deeds. That alone befits his compassionate nature. Otherwise, what will his servitors think of Him?  Will they not doubt his sheela guNam ?  (70)

When Ramanuja was returning from Kasi, he was lost in the Vindhya Ranges. Kanchi Varadan and Tayar came in the guise of a hunter couple.  The lady was thirsty and so she asked him to bring water from the nearby well. When he returned, they had vanished. RAmAnuja turned and was surprised to see that he was actually transported to Kancheepuram by the divine couple.  From that day onwards he carried water from the well called sAlai kiNaru for daily ablutions of the kAnchi deities.

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 71 TO 80
PASURAMS 3963 TO 3972

3963. sArntaden sindai un tALiNaik keezh * anbu tAn migavum

koorndadu * attAmarait tALgaLukku ** undan guNangkaLukkE

teerndadu en seygai mun seyvinai * nee seyvinai adanAl

pErndadu * vaNmai irAmAnusa! em peruntagaiyE! 71

3963. RAmAnuja, the generous and great-hearted one!

vaNmai irAmAnusA, em peru tagai!

O! emperumAnArE! Your attribute of oudAryam (being magnanimous towards all without discrimination) is astounding. Your nirhEtuka KrupA towards me is uncountable. Thus, my mind has resolved to direct all my thoughts towards your lotus feet. The knowledge and bhakti in me have blossomed to contemplate on your lotus feet consistently. All my senses have begun to offer their kainkaryam to your tirukalyANa guNas.  It is due to your unlimited grace showered on me that all my accumulated sins (sanchita karmas) have disappeared (mun seivinai nee seivinai adanAl pErndadu). (71)

3964. kaittanan teeya samayak kalagaraik * kAsinikkE

uyttanan * tooya maRai neRi tannai ** enRunni uLLam

neyttavan pODirundEttum niRai pugazhOruDanE *

vaittanan ennai * irAmAnusan mikka vaNmai seydE 72

3964. RAmAnuja elevates us to a status at par with scholars!

niRai pugazhOruDanE vaittennai irAmAnusan!

EmperumAnAr vanquished the supporters of non-vedic faiths and established the pure and pristine dharma ordained by the vEdas on the earth (tooya maRai neRi tannai). Pondering over this wonderful act of Ramanuja, my heart melts and is in a state of immense happiness. Merely by his compassionate glances, emperumAnAr uplifted me and placed me among the great scholars and bhAgavatAs who glorify him abundantly. (niRaipugazhAr uDanE vaitanan ennai). (72)

3965. vaNmaiyinAlum tan mAtagavAlum * madi puraiyum

taNmaiyinAlum * ittAraNiyOrgaTku ** tAn saraNAy

uNmai nal njAnam uraitta irAmAnusanai unnum *

tiNmai allAl enakkillai * maRROr nilai tErndiDilE 73

3965. RAmAnuja revealed the highest truth.

unmai nal gyAnam uraitta irAmAnusan!

EmperumAnAr’s attributes of benevolence, empathy and concern for one and all was like the cool showers of the moon on this blazing samsAra.  He became the protector of every human on this earth (dAraNiyOrkaTku tAn sharaNAy). He revealed the highest truth that Lord nArAyaNa is the supreme Lord and all AtmAs are naturally subservient to Him. My best way to show my gratitude towards is to contemplate on emperumAnAr rather than analysing anymore (tiNmai allAl enakku illai). (73)

3966. tErAr maRaiyin tiRam enRu * mAyavan teeyavaraik

koorAzhi koNDu kuRaippadu ** koNDal anaiya vaNmai

ErAr guNattu em irAmAnusan * avvezhil maRaiyil

sErAdavaraich sidaippadu * appOdu oru sintai seydE 74

3966. RAmanuja, the reformer who convinces opposers and brings them into his fold!

Em irAmAnusan SerAdavarai sidaippadu appOdu our sindai seydu

Lord NarayaNa (mAyavan) disapproves of those who defame the eternal vedas or refrain from following the Veda mArgam. He punishes them with his sharp dazzling sudarshana chakra. Unlike the Lord, emperumAnAr is very different and unique, says amudanAr. His shrewdness and kAruNyam, generosity like the heavy rain-bearing cloud, sausheelyam and sulabhatvam, his divine power and his confidence in the nArAyana being the supreme truth remains unparalleled (ErAr guNattu). EmperumAnAr easily defeated the non-vedic and anti-vedic supporters in debates by countering them then and there with perfect pramANams from the vEdas and vEdantas and convince them that the true nature of the soul is to be in eternal servitude to Lord nArAyaNa. (appOdu oru sindai seidE). (74)  

3967. seyttalaich sangkam sezhumuttameenum * tiruvarangkar

kaittalattAzhiyum * sangkamum Endi ** nangkaN mugappE

moyttalaittu unnai viDEn enRirukkilum nin pugazhE *

moyttalaikkum vandu * irAmAnusa! ennai muRRum ninRE 75

3967. Ramanuja’s virtues captivate us.

Nin pugazhE moittalaikkum vandu ennai muRRu ninRE irAmAnusa!

 Lord ranganAtha resides in shreerangam, the fields of which are filled with abundant conches, shells and pearls brought around by the floods.  Even if emperumAn rangan manifests with his shankh and chakram in his hands and comes in front of me with this enticing tirumEni saying, “I shall not leave you’,(unnai viTTEn enRu irikkilum),  I will never get charmed by His words. Your kalyAnagunas like dayA have captivated me to hold them in highest priority (nin pugazh moytalaikkum vandu). (75)

3968. ninRavaN keerttiyum neeL punalum * niRai vEngkaDap poR

kunRamum * vaikunta nADum kulaviya pARkaDalum **

undanakku ettanai inbam tarum un iNai malart tAL *

endanakkum adu * irAmAnusa! ivai eendaruLE 76

3968. RAmAnuja’s pair of feet bestow limitless joy!

ettanai inbam tarum un iNai malar tAL, irAmAnusa!

EmperumanArE! The renowned and famed, beautiful, divine Hill, the tiruvEnkaTam, which has plenty of waterbodies; the eternally blissful land which all AtmAs desire to ultimately reach-- the srivaikuNTam..; the celebrated tirupArkaDal.....all of these instil limitless joy in you! But your divine pair of tiruvaDis instil the same amount of joy in me!  RAmAnujA! I beg you to give me access to your divine tiruvaDis!  (76) 

3969. eendanan eeyAda innaruL * eNNil maRaik kuRumbaip

pAyndanan * ammaRaip palporuLAl ** ippaDi anaittum

Eyndanan keerttiyinAl en vinaigaLai * vEr paRiyak

kAyndanan * vaNmai irAmAnusaRku en karuttiniyE? 77

3969. RAmanuja, the noble bestower of unmatched grace!

eeyAda in aruL eendanan, vaNmai irAmAmusan!

O RAmAnujA! One who has blessed me amply like no one else has been blessed. One who, with the help of the same veda verses, debated and condemned the other adverse faiths which propagated false and distorted interpretation of the vedas.!  One who manifested in the entire world, on the merit of your own virtue!  One who completely uprooted all the sins accumulated by me!  Oh! One who is full of generosity and compassion! What more do you intend to bless me with! I am fortunate to receive all your compassion! (77) 

3970. karuttil pugundu uLLil kaLLam kazhaRRi * karudariya

varuttattinAl * miga vanjchittu ** nee inda maNNagattE

tiruttit tirumagaL kELvanukkAkkiya pin * en nenjchil

poruttap paDAdu * em irAmAnusa! maRROr poyp poruLE 78 

3970.Our rAmAnuja removes our delusion and takes us to the supreme Lord.

em irAmAnusa, maRROr poyporuL en nenjil poruttapaDAdu!

 RAmAnujA! You undertook such inconceivable troubles (karudha ariya varuthathinAl) and stealthily entered my heart. You removed all the sins that covered my AtmA ( uLLil kaLLam kazhaRRi). You reformed me to become the devotee of shreeman NArAyaNan( tirumagaLkELvanukku Akkiyapin). After all the transformation that you brought about in me, no wrongful thoughts will ever enter my heart ( maRRu oru poi poruL en nenjil porutta paDAdu)!   (78) 

3971. poyyaich surakkum poruLait tuRandu * indap bootalattE

meyyaip purakkum * irAmAnusan niRka ** vERu nammai

uyyak koLLa valla deyvam ingku yAdenRu ularndavamE *

aiyappaDA niRpar * vaiyattuLLOr nallaRivizhandE 

3971. Ramanuja destroyed fallacy and protected the truth. 

Poyyai surakkum poruLai turandu, meyyai purakkum irAmAnusa!

In this vast world, swAmi rAmAnujA condemned the faiths that spread falsehood ( poyyai surakkum poruLai thurandhu) and upheld the absolute truth( meimai purakkum), the dharma. Even during rAmAnujA's time, the people went about in search of other dEvatas who could save them from their troubles and in the process, they worried and withered. Alas! These people are wasting their time and are not realizing that surrendering at RAmAnujA's tiruvaDis is the only source for salvation. (79)

3972. nallAr paravum irAmAnusan * tiru nAmam namba

vallAr tiRattai * maRavAdavargaL evar ** avarkkE

ellA iDattilum enRum eppOdilum ettezhumbum *

sollAl manattAl * karumattinAl seyvan sOrvinRiyE 80 

 

3972. RAmanuja, the one on whom the noble heap praise!

nallAr paravum irAmAnusan!

I shall tirelessly, in every place, in every situation, at all times, perform kainkaryam (tozhumbu), by way of deed, thought and speech, to the devotees of swAmi rAmAnuja! These devotees are those who constantly meditate on the divine nAmas of rAmAnuja who is celebrated by the good and chaste people. (80)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 81 TO 90
PASURAMS 3973 TO 3982

81. sOrvinRi undan tuNai aDik keezh * toNDu paTTavar pAl

sArvinRi ninRa enakku ** arangkan seyya tALiNaigaL

pErvinRi inRu peRuttum irAmAnusa! * ini un

seer onRiya karuNaikku * illai mARu terivuRilE 81 

3973.  RAmAnuja’s compassion is matchless!
irAmAnusa, ini un seer onRiya karuNaikku illai mAru therivUrilE!

My Lord irAmAnusa! Earlier, I was not inclined towards the bhAgavatas who offer relentless kainkaryam unto your pair of divine feet.  But today, You have blessed me to adorn my head with the lotus feet of Lord RanganAtha, never to separate from Him and His servitors.  Your compassionate grace has no match because it is unconditional. 

YatirAja Saptati 60

यतिपति दया दिव्य तटिनी
yatipati dayA divya taTinee

SwAmi Desikan compares the compassion of Lord rAmAnuja to river gangA. It flows endlessly and is capable of purifying everyone.  (81)

82. terivuRRa njAlam seRiyap peRAdu * ventee vinaiyAl

uruvaRRa njAnattu uzhalginRa ennai ** oru pozhudil

poruvaRRa kELviyanAkki ninRAn enna puNNiyanO? *

terivuRRa keertti * irAmAnusan ennum seer mugilE 82 

3974. RAmAnuja’s is the most virtuous person!
enna puNNiyanO! terivuRRa Keerti irAmAnusan ennum seer mugilE!

Devoid of true wisdom, I was engulfed by the terrible fire of karmA. Deluded by false knowledge, I was wandering around, unable to keep my mind fixed on a single philosophy.  But, in one second, swAmi irAmAnusa made me a great scholar by teaching the tenets of “sharanAgati shAstra /prapatti yOga” (and made me a true vaishNavite). He possesses growing fame, and overflowing generosity like the rain-bearing clouds.  Isn't he the most virtuous one (enna puNNiyanO)e? 

YatirAja Saptati – 11

SwAmi rAmAnuja administered the path of sharaNagati (prapatti) to numerous seekers during  his lifetime, and so is referred by swAmi desikan as  "शरणागत सार्थवाह  sharaNAgata sArthavAha”. (82)

83. seer koNDu pEraRam seydu * nalveeDu seRidum ennum

pAr koNDa mEnmaiyar kUTTan allEn ** un pada yugamAm

Er koNDa veeTTai eLidinil eyduvan * unnuDaiya

kAr koNDa vaNmai * irAmAnusa! idu kaNDu koLLE 83 

3975.  RAmAnuja’s divine feet itself shall grant the ultimate abode, Paramapadam.
kAr kONDa vaNmai irAmAnusa! Un pada yugamAm Er kONDa veeTTai eLidilin eyduvan!

The prapannas who have surrendered to bhagavAn have strong control over their senses and strictly demonstrate the virtues of “Akinchanyam” (not having any means other than Lord nArAyaNa), and “ananyagatitvam” (not having any goal other than Lord nArAyaNa).  The shAstras say : “prapatti paramO dharma: Prapatti is the best religion”.  Practising prapatti strictly gives the devotees confidence that they will certainly attain mOksha.

 Oh, irAmAnusA! I have not performed any such sincere prapatti yOga like them, and so I don’t fit in such prapanna gOShThi who are well-known for their austerity.  But I will easily attain mOksha which for me is your distinguished pair of feet itself.  I am sure that Your lotus feet is capable of liberating me. Do I have to explicitly say that my confidence is due to your causeless generosity akin to that of a rain showering cloud? (83)

84. kaNDu koNDEn em irAmAnusan tannai * kANDalumE

toNDu koNDEn avan toNDar poRRALil ** en tollai vennOy

viNDu koNDEn avan seer veLLavAriyai * vAymaDuttu inRu

uNDu koNDEn * innam uRRanavOdil ulappillaiyE 84

3976. RAmAnuja is the ocean of countless auspicious attributes.
kaNDukkoNDEn en rAmAnusan tannai, avan seer veLLavAriyai!

Although rAmAnuja mingled among us like a normal human being, I hold a different opinion about him.  He is not a human being at all. I have understood my irAmAnusa.  He is verily an incarnation of a nityasoori from vAikuNTham to redeem the world.  He is the incarnation of AdisEsha. (This is the explanation for the phrase “rAmAnujan tannai kaNDukkoNDEn).  The moment I realised this truth, my service to Him extended even to His aDiyArs.  The moment I started serving swAmi’s servitors, my accumulated sins were ousted one by one. The moment my sins started moving away, I got the good fortune of singing with my mouth, His auspicious qualities (kalyAna guNas) that stream forth like the resurgent waves of the ocean.   If I keep telling the benefits received by me, there will be no end to it.  (84)

85. Odiya vEdattin uTporuLAy * adan uchchi mikka

sOdiyai * nAtan ena aRiyAdu uzhalginRa toNDar **

pEdaimai teertta irAmAnusanait tozhum periyOr *

pAdam allAl endan Aruyirkku * yAdonRum paRRillaiyE 85 

3977. RAmAnuja’s made His disciples mahAns.
tONDar pEdamai teerta irAmAnusa!

Saint rAmAnuja dispelled the ignorance of lay men who were unaware that shreeman nArAyaNa is the essence of the vEdic mantras; who were not knowing that He is the subject of the upanishads which is at the summit of vEdas; who did not know that He is the Lord of everyone and everything. By removing their nescience, he brought them under His tutelage and made them mahAns.   After realising such greatness of His, my dear soul shall not take refuge under the feet of anyone but the great bhAgavatas who serve swAmi rAmAnuja uninterruptedly.

YatirAja Saptati 22

रङ्गॆशभक्तजन मानस राजहंसॊ रामानुज: शरणमस्तु मुनि: स्वयं न: ||

rangEshabhaktajana mAnasa rAjahaMsO rAmAnuja: sharaNamastu muni: svayaM na:

The royal swan, rAmanuja lives in the hearts of Lord ranganAtha’s devout devotees who remain in His contemplation and serve Him with their thoughts, words and deeds. So, shreevaishavas who take refuge at the holy lotus feet of uDaiyavar are considered mahAns. AmudanAr believes that serving such devotees of swAmi rAmAnuja is his good fortune. (85)

86. paRRA manisaraip paRRi * appaRRu viDAdavarE

uRRAr ena uzhanRu * ODi naiyEn ini ** oLLiya nUl

kaRRAr paravum irAmAnusanaik * karudum uLLam

peRRAr yavar * avar emmai ninRALum periyavarE 86 

3978. RAmAnuja’s devotees are my rulers!
irAmAnusanaik karudum uLLam peRRAr yavar avar, emmai ninRALum periyavarE!

Previously, I was a slave of materialistic people.  I got attached to them and considered them closer than my blood relatives.  I followed them and ran around doing jobs ordained by them. But now I shall not stoop before them who have no worries about my welfare.   I shall surrender only to the rule of those who hold in their heart our swAmi rAmAnuja, the saint celebrated by vEdic scholars. They are indeed mahAns.  (86)

87. periyavar pEsilum pEdaiyar pEsilum * tan guNangkaTku

uriya sol enRum * uDaiyavan enRenRu ** uNarvin mikkOr

teriyum vaNkeertti irAmAnusan * maRai tErndulagil

puriyu nal njAnam * porundAdavaraip porum kaliyE 87 

3979. RAmAnuja is celebrated by scholars.
uNarvil mikkOr teriyum vaN keerththi irAmAnusan 

Whether the learned scholars praise him in the most intellectual words, or the illiterate praise him with simple words, swAmi rAmAnuja’s graciousness is such that all words spoken in praise of his guNas would be just apt for Him.  This is how great scholars celebrate swAmi.  Those who do not acknowledge swAmi’s teachings that are based on the research of the vEdas will be caught by kalipurusha. (87)

88. kali mikka sennel kazhanik kuRaiyal * kalaip perumAn

oli mikka pADalai uNDu * tan uLLam taDittu ** adanAl

vali mikka seeyam irAmAnusan * maRai vAdiyarAm

pulimikkadenRu * ipbuvanattil vandamai pORRuvanE (88)

3980. RAmAnuja was inspired by tirumangai AzhvAr and became like a lion.
vali mikka seeyam irAmAnusan!

Our swAmi rAmAnuja enjoyed the six divya prabandhams of the great poet and AzhvAr, tirumangai mannan, who was born in trirukuraiyaloor, the city that flourished with agricultural fields and water bodies. After thoroughly reading His six prabandhams which are equalled to the six vEdAngas, especially the melodious periya tirumozhi, swAmi rAmAnuja was endowed with the power to defeat the opponents supporting kudRuShti maThas (heterodox philosophical doctrines). I would like to record my appreciation that the lion that is emperumAnAr has incarnated on this earth to defeat the tigers (debaters) who oppose the vEdas. (88)

89. pORRarum seelattu irAmAnusa! * nin pugazh terindu

sARRuvanEl * adu tAzhvu adu teeril ** un seer tanakkOr

ERRamenRE koNDirukkilum * en manam Etti anRi

ARRakillAdu * idaRken ninaivAy enRiTTanjchuvanE 89 

3981. RAmAnuja is beyond praise.
pORRa aRu-seelattu irAmAnusa!

amudanAr says: Oh, irAmAnusa whose virtues can never be adequately extolled!  First, I am unfit to praise you. If I praise you, the words are never enough, and I feel I have actually demeaned you by praising you.  When I decide not to praise you and keep quiet for the better, my heart doesn’t listen to me. It keeps thinking about you and keeps chanting your kalyANa guNas continuously.  Oh, what can I do? I am afraid that you will be annoyed with me for attempting to write this poem on you. (89)

90. ninaiyAr piRaviyai neekkum pirAnai * inneeL nilattE

enaiyALa vanda irAmAnusanai ** irungkavigaL

punaiyAr punaiyum periyavar tALgaLil * pUntoDaiyal

vanaiyAr * piRappil varunduvar mAndar maruL surandE 90 

3982. Bhagavad rAmAnuja incarnated to destroy samsArabandham.
piraviyai neekkum pirAn irAmAnusan!

SwAmi rAmAnuja incarnated in this vast earth to cut our bondage with samsAra and take control of me inorder to save me from the afflictions of samsArabandham.   People who refrain from meditating on Him, singing his praises, and honouring with flowers the feet of bhAgavatas who sing his praises, shall be shrouded by ignorance, and remain in this samsAra to suffer rebirths. (90)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 91 TO 100
PASURAMS 3983 TO 3992

3983. maruL surandu Agama vAdiyar kURum * avap poruLAm

iruL surandu eytta * ulagiruL neengka ** tan eeNDiya seer

aruL surandu ellA uyirgaTkum nAtan * arangkan ennum

poruL surandAn * em irAmAnusan mikka puNNiyanE 91 

3983.  RAmAnuja established the supremacy of Lord nArAyaNa.
ellA uyirgaTkum nAthan arangan ennum poRuLsurandAn, en irAmAnusan mikka puNNiyanE!

The wrong arguments put forward by the debaters from other Agamas pushed everyone into the darkness of ignorance.   Unable to bear their fallacious ideologies, SwAmi rAmAnuja the doyen in VaishNava Agama, bestowed his overflowing mercy on them and explained the truth that Lord RanganAtha is the supreme Lord of all beings.  He is indeed a great puNyAtmA, the pure-souled one who honestly wished that everyone should know the truth that shreeman nArAyaNa is the supreme Lord (paramAtmA) controlling them. (91)

3984. puNNiya nOnbu purindumilEn * aDi pORRi seyyum

nuNNarum kELvi nuvanRumilEn ** semmai nURpulavarkku

eNNarum keertti irAmAnusa! * inRu nee pugundu en

kaNNuLLum nenjchuLLum * ninRa ikkAraNam kaTTuraiyE 92 

3984. RAmAnuja’s greatness is beyond the comprehension of erudite scholars.

semmai nool pulavarkku eNNa aRu Keerti irAmAnusa!

Oh rAmAnuja whose renown is incalculable even by scholars holding doctorates in shAstras! I have neither performed any penance to attain You nor have I used my ears to listen to your glories or understand the deep purports of your discourses.  But today, You happily stand tall and bright inside my eyes and my heart, enthralling me fully. Can you please tell me the reason for this causeless providence of yours? (92)

3985. kaTTap poruLai maRaip poruL enRu * kayavar sollum

peTTaik keDukkum pirAn allanE? ** en peru vinaiyaik

kiTTik kizhangkoDu tan aruL ennum oLvAL uruvi *

veTTik kaLainda * irAmAnusan ennum meyttavanE 93 

3985. RAmAnuja is the sage who caused misleading philosophers to flee
kaTTa poRuLai maRai poRuL enRu  peTTai keDukkum pirAn allanE, irAmAnusan ennum mey tavanE!

Oh, great sage rAmAnuja! You came to me on your own, removed the sword of mercy from its cover, and using it, cut all my sins right from the root. Are you not the mighty Lord who refuted and chased away the heterodox preachers (kudRuShTi) who misinterpreted the vedic verses.

YatirAja saptati 13

शमितोदाय शङ्करादिगर्व स्वबलादुधृत यादवप्रकाशः | 
shamitOdAya shankarAdigarva stabalAddhRuta yAdavaprakAsha;

EmperumAnAr curtailed the misinterpretations of vEdas by schools of shankara and yAdavaprakAsha. (93)

3986. tavam tarum selvam tagavum tarum * saliyAp piRavip

pavam tarum * teevinai pARRit tarum ** parantAmam ennum

tivam tarum teedil irAmAnusan tannaich sArndavargaTku *

uvandarundEn * avan seer anRi yAn onRum uLmagizhndE 94 

3986. RAmanuja is the spotless one who grants the supreme VaikuNTham.
param dhAmam ennum divam tarum teedu il irAmAnusan.

The immaculate one rAmAnuja expounded the sharanAgati shAstra to those who sought refuge in Him.  He instilled devotion in the Ashritas and blessed them abundantly.  He put an end to all their karmas that would push the soul into interminable samsAra bandham.  He is the granter of Paramapadam, the supreme abode filled with interminable divine bliss.  Being the beneficiary of rAmAnuja’s compassionate blessings, I shall find no delight, desire, or delectation in anything other than his auspicious virtues.  (94)

3987. uNNinRu uyirgaLukku uRRanavE seydu * avarkku uyavE

paNNum paranum * parivilanAmpaDi ** palluyirkkum

viNNin talai ninRu veeDaLippAn em irAmAnusan *

maNNin talattudittu * maRai nAlum vaLarttananE 95 

3987. RAmAnuja incarnated from vaikuNTham to grant us vaikuNTham.
pal uyirkkum veeDu aLippAn, maNNin talattu udittu uy maRai nAlum vaLarttAn.

ParamAtmA shreeman nArAyaNa is residing inside every soul. He is the antarAtmA of all beings and governs them from within.  But this benevolence and concern of His is hidden and not at all revealed to us easily. Our ignorance is huge to the extent that we say, “God has no love for us, or God has no eyes”.  The paramapurushan, the supreme being, has independent control over his (nigrahams) punishments and (anugrahams) blessings.  But my rAmAnuja is kinder than emperumAn.  He can do only anugraham and never punish anyone. An epitome of compassion, He descended from VaikuNTham and incarnated in bhoolOka to grant mOksha and foster the spread of the vEdas for the upliftment of the jeevAtmAs. (Raamaanuja is considered by amudanAr as the incarnation of “krishNa with the panchAyudas” – RN 33). (95)

3988. vaLarum piNi koNDa valvinaiyAl * mikka nalvinaiyil

kiLarum tuNivu kiDaittaRiyAdu ** muDaittalaiyUn

taLarum aLavum tarittum vizhundum tani tirivERku *

uLar em iRaivar * irAmAnusan tannai uRRavarE 96 

3988. RAmAnuja’s devotees are there for our support.
iRaivar em irAmAnusan tannai uRRavar uLar.

My accumulated karmas which yield endless miseries prevented me from reposing faith in the most redemptive dharma called prapatti yOga or sharaNAgati shAstra.  I remained attached to my perishable body that is the seat of bad smell. Pampering my body and senses, I wandered alone without any support. But now I have the mahAbhAgavatas who have surrendered to rAmAnuja, as my masters and my refuge. (Having served them with love, I have become their favorite servant, tadeeyAbhimAna niShThan). (96) 

3989. tannai uRRAT cheyyum tanmaiyinOr * mannu tAmarait tAL

tannai uRRAT cheyya * ennai uRRAn inRu ** tan tagavAl

tannai uRRAr anRit tanmai uRRAr illai enRaRindu *

tannai uRRArai * irAmAnusan guNam sARRiDumE 97 

3989. RAmAnuja take pride in praising his disciples. 
tannai uRRArai irAmAnusan guNam kARRiDumE!

RAmAnuja pondered, “Everyone is seeking refuge in me.  But no one is seeking refuge in my shishyas who are serving me with unswerving devotion. No one is praising their guNas like dedication, humility, knowledge, sincerity, etc. So let amudanAr seek refuge in my ardent shishya”.  Thinking so, the utterly merciful rAmAnuja made me a servitor of his shishya koorattAzhvAr today and engaged me in the service of his lotus feet.  This is how emperumAnar praises and favours his devotees and makes them shine as future gurus. (97)

3990. iDumE iniya suvarkkattil * innum naragil iTTuch

suDumE? * avaRRait toDar taru tollai ** suzhal piRappil

naDumE? ini nam irAmAnusan * nammai nam vasattE

viDumE? saraNam enRAl * manamE! naiyal mEvudaRkE 98 

3990. RAmAnuja’s feet removes all our apprehensions about our future.
nam irAmAnusan sharaNam enRAl, manamE! mEvudarku naiyal!

Oh heart, Don’t worry even a bit whether you will attain mOksha or not!  Leave all doubts such as – Will I go to swargalOka (heaven)? Will I go to naraka (hell)? Will I be left to suffer in this samsAra for ever?  Or Will I be left to wander according to my whims and fancies?

When the words “emperumAnAr tiruvaDigalE sharaNam” are uttered just once, swAmi rAmAnuja will grant us protection under His feet and ensure that we attain shreeman nArAyaNa’s abode.  He will not abandon us or leave us to suffer in this samsAra ever again.  (98)

3991. taRkach chamaNarum sAkkiyap pEygaLum * tAzh saDaiyOn

soRkaRRa sOmbarum * sUniya vAdarum ** nAnmaRaiyum

niRkak kuRumbu sey neesarum mANDanar neeLnilattE *

poR kaRpagam * em irAmAnusa muni pOnda pinnE 99 

3991.  RAmanuja is the wish fulfilling karpaga tree!
pon karpagam em irAmAnusa muni!

The argumentative preachers of non-vedic faiths who exert themselves to be free from worldly sufferings, the hypnotics who draw people to their common-sense ideologies, the followers of the tAmasic Agamas of the lord with long tresses, the shoonyavAdis- voidists whose ultimate goal is zero,(merge into nothing),  and the wrong interpreters of the vEdas were all vanquished after the incarnation of our rAmAnujamuni who was generous like the golden, wish fulfilling tree, kalpavRuksha.  He argued with them presenting apt logics and protected the vEdic culture for everyone’s benefit.  There is no more threat from the opponents of VishNu dharma.  (99)

3992. pOndaden nenjchennum pon vaNDu * unadaDip pOdil oNsee

rAm teLi tEn uNDu * amarndiDa vENDi ** nin pAl aduvE

eendiDa vENDum irAmAnusa! * idu anRi onRum

mAndakillAdu * ini maRRonRu kATTi mayakkiDalE 100 

3992. RAmAnuja keeps his devotees fixed to his feet.
irAmAnusa, unadu aDipOdi eendiDa vENDum!

Oh, rAmAnuja! My heart that is a honeybee has attained dEvareer’s lotus feet inorder to enjoy your nectareous, beautiful guNas for eternity.  May you allow me to stay fixed at your divine feet without letting me loose into this samsAra.  May you bless me that I don’t praise anything else but your guNas.  Please don’t divert me by showing some other goal. (100)

RAMANUJA NOORRANDADI 101 TO 108
PASURAMS 3993 TO 4000

3993. mayakkum iruvinai valliyil pUNDu * madi mayangkit

tuyakkum piRaviyil * tOnRiya ennait ** tuyar agaRRi

uyak koNDu nalgum irAmAnusa! * enRadunnai unni

nayakkum avarkku idu izhukkenbar * nallavar enRum naindE 101 

3993. RAmAnuja purifies everyone.
tuyar agaRRi uya kONDu nalgum irAmAnusa!

Continuously chained by the two repetitive shackles of pApa and puNya, I was deluded and pushed to be born into the samsAra that is filled with ignorance.  Oh, beneficent rAmAnuja! You are the one who removes our sorrows and confers supreme bliss upon us*. Being a recipient of your generous blessing, I am appreciating your compassionate guNa of granting mOksha to everyone.  But, your immediate devotees who are ever in your service, who melt for you and take care of you with affection, may not cherish my nooRRandAdi that speaks only of your redemptive powers. 

*amudanAr hails rAmAnuja as the one who purifies everyone by dissolving their sins. This attribute of rAmanuja is called pAvanatvam. There is another attribute greater than pAvanatvam. It is called bhOgyatvam meaning rAmAnuja is so affable that he allows his devotees to enjoy his presence, his guNas and serve him closely. AmudanAr feels he has not delved upon rAmAnuja’s bhOgyatvam which is held higher than his pAvanatvam. (101)

3994. naiyum manam un guNangkaLai unni * en nA irundu em

aiyan * irAmAnusan enRazhaikkum ** aruvinaiyEn

kaiyum tozhum kaN karudiDum kANak kaDal puDai sUzh *

vaiyam idanil * un vaNmai en pAl en vaLarndaduvE? 102 

3994. RAmAnuja’s name is firmly etched in our tongue.
en nA irundu en aiyan irAmAnusan enRu azhaikkum. 

My heart melts on thinking of your countless, auspicious virtues like sausheelyam, oudhAryam, vAtsalyam, pAvanatvam, bhOgyatvam,  etc. My tongue is firm in reciting the words - “en aiyyan irAmAnusa” – my father rAmAnuja! My hands that committed numerous sins earlier is now praying to you in anjali mudrA!  My eyes are craving to see you and behold you!  (What a change you have brought in me!) What is the reason for you selecting me and showering your compassion on me (who is a speckle) in this vast earth surrounded by oceans? (102)

3995. vaLarnda vengkOpa maDangkalonRAy * anRu vAL avuNan

kiLarnda * pon Agam kizhittavan ** keerttip payir ezhundu

viLaindiDum sindai irAmAnusan * endan meyvinai nOy

kaLaindu nan njAnam aLittanan * kaiyil kani ennalE 103 

3995. RAmAnuja’s heart is a fertile land for the growth of bhagavat guNas.!
keertti payir ezhundu viLaindiDum sindai rAmAnuja!

The reason for the abundant compassion of rAmAnuja is that He was deeply in contemplation of Lord Narasimha who incarnated out of compassion towards prahlAda to kill the gold-hued chest of HiraNyAsura.  As rAmAnuja was always thinking of the tirukalyANa guNas of Lord Narasimha, His heart became a fertile field for the crops of bhagavAn’s famous guNas to grow abundantly.  It is that abundant kindness that has flown towards me, amudanAr, to destroy all the diseases afflicting my body and grant me the divine knowledge which became easily reachable to me like a ready fruit in my hand. (103)

3996. kaiyil kani ennak kaNNanaik kATTit tarilum * undan

meyyil piRangkiya * seer anRi vENDilan yAn ** nirayat

toyyil kiDakkilum sOdi viN sErilum ivvaruL nee *

seyyil tarippan * irAmAnusa! en sezhung koNDalE! 104 

3996. RAmAnuja’s kind divya mangaLa vigraham is to be worshipped.
sezhu koNDalE en irAmAnusa! ivvaruL nee seyyil tarippan.

Oh rAmAnuja, generous like the rain cloud!  You have sumptuously given all that I wanted.  Though you have easily shown me the supreme truth that is KrishNa, like a ready fruit in my hand, I shall not interest in anything other than your divine tirumEni *that emits abundant compassion continuously. Whether I am submerged in the hellish swamp of samsAra, or given mOkshAnandam in the resplendent abode of Paramapadam, I shall be happy only if you bless me to enjoy your divyamangaLa vigraham continuously.

*The above verse reminds us of madhurakavi AzhvAr’s kaNNinunsirutAmbu in which he says dEvu maRRaRiyEn kurugoor nambi pAvin inniSai pADi tirivanE  - I don’t know any god other than Kurugoor nambi (nammAzhvAr). I shall keep wandering around, singing his prabandhams. (104) 

3997. sezhuntiraip pARkaDal * kaNtuyil mAyan * tiruvaDik keezh

vizhundiruppAr nenjchil * mEvu nan njAni ** nal vEdiyargaL

tozhum tiruppAdan irAmAnusanait tozhum periyOr *

ezhundiraittADum iDam * aDiyEnukku iruppiDamE 105 

3997. RAmAnuja’s feet is adored by vEdic scholars.
nal vEdiyargaL tozhum tiru pAdan irAmAnusan!

Hearing about amudanAr’s one pointed longing for rAmAnuja and total disinterest in the attractive samsAra and the blissful paramapadam, some people ask him to declare the name of the place where he would like to live in permanently. AmudanAr replies to them:

RAmAnuja’s divine feet is worshipped by revered vedic scholars. Even mahAn’s who humbly fall at the feet of the amazing Lord Vishnu reclining in the beautiful milk ocean, place rAmAnuja inside their heart and meditate on him like a great gyAni.  As a fruit of their meditation, they get ecstatic, scream, and dance in joy in the anubhavam of being under His divine providence. I shall reside in those places where such mahAtmAs celebrate rAmAnuja in high spirits. (105)

3998. iruppiDam vaikuntam vEngkaDam * mAlirunjsOlai ennum

poruppiDam * mAyanukkenbar nallOr ** avai tammoDum vandu

iruppiDam mAyan irAmAnusan manattu * inRavan vandu

iruppiDam * endan idayattuLLE tanakkinbuRavE 106 

3998. RAmanuja’s heart is the abode of the Lord and all divyadEsams.
mAyan avan tannODum vandu iruppiDam irAmAnusan manattu!

Deeply touched by amudanAr’s limitless affection for him, rAmAnuja says, “I shall never leave the heart of amudanAr who loves me so much”.  AmudanAr shares this wonderful experience with us: 

The noble say that mAyan, bhagavAn, takes abode in holy places like vaikuNTham, and the hills of vENkaTam and tirumAlirunchOlai.  That sarvEshvaran has come along with those divya dEsams and taken residence inside rAmAnuja’s heart with all his paraphernalia.  And that rAmAnuja has come today and taken permanent residence inside my heart to live happily for ever. While emperumAnAr captured the 'ubhaya vibhooti vishiShThan' inside his heart. Amudanar captured emeprumAnAr inside his heart. (106)

3999. inbuRRa seelattu irAmAnusa! * enRum evviDattum

enbuRRa nOy * uDal tORum piRandiRandu ** eNNariya

tunbuRRu veeyinum solluvadonRuNDu * un toNDargaTkE

anbuRRirukkumpaDi * ennai Akki angkATpaDuttE 107 

3999. RAmAnuja rests in our heart with affection and compassion. 
inbuRRa seelattu irAmAnusa!

Oh, gracious rAmAnuja who dwells in my heart with complete joy! I have a favor to ask of you.  Even if my body is infested with disease up to the bones; even if I must undergo the cycle of birth and death and suffer unimaginable illness and die, you must bless me that I remain devoted to your servitors and also remain subservient to them at all times and in all places.  (107)

4000. angkayal pAy vayal tennarangkan * aNiyAga mannum

pangkaya mAmalarp * pAvaiyaip pORRudum ** 

patti ellAm tangkiyadennattazhaittu nenjchE! nam talai misaiyE *

pongkiya keertti * irAmAnusan aDip pU mannavE 108 

4000. RAmAnuja’s glorious feet are the most beautiful flowers that can adorn our head.
pongiya keertti irAmAnusan aDi poo nam talai misai manna!

Oh, my heart that has become the receptacle of all the bhakti every known!  We are blessed that the ever famous lotus feet of swAmi rAmAnuja has taken its permanent abode on our head. Let us praise and offer our gratitude to the lotus born mahAlakshmi residing inseparably in the chest of Lord ranganAtha who reclines in the holy abode of shreerangam where grey mullet fishes (kayal) leap in and out of lovely paddy fields. (108)

JAYA JAYA RAMANUJA

AZHVAR EMPRUMANAR DESIKAN TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM