Swami Ramanuja's Life History: Part 1

"Birth and first schooling of Swami Ramanuja.. "

Almost 1000 years ago, in a place called Sri Perumbhuthur, in Tamil Nadu, there lived a pious Bramhin couple- Kesavacharya and Smt.Kanthimathi. The couple were born Bramhins, and dedicated their life in the service of Lord and in rendering unconditional service to the devotees in that village. After many years of their marriage, Swami Kesavacharya, expressed his desire of having a child with Lord’s grace and sought blessings from Swami Periya Thirumalai Nambi- brother of Smt.Kanthimathi. The couple was blessed with a baby boy on Chithirai (Tamil month) month of Thiruvadhirai nakshathram (star) at Sri Perumbhuthur.

fig: Birth of Swami Ramanuja

Swami Periya Thirumalai Nambi was overwhelmed with joy when he heard the news of his dear sister giving birth to a baby boy and came to Sri Perumbhuthur. He was happy to know that his second sister- Smt. Mahadevi was also blessed with a baby boy.  Looking at the two cute baby boys, he named them- Ramanuja and Govinda. Looking at Swami Kesavacharya’s son’s aura, he was considered as Swami Lakshmana and was thus named Ramanuja-à Ramanuja= Ram+Anuja=> (Ram’s brother). Raamanuja was the son of Swami Kesavacharya and Smt. Kanthimathi and Govinda, later known as Embar in Sri Sampradayam was son of Smt. Mahadevi.

The two little boys were nurtured by the pious family and their dear Uncle. The naming ceremony; first tonsure function; initiation into Sri Sampradayam; wearing the sacred thread and joining them in the Vedic school was done with Lord Sriman Narayanan’s grace. The two boys grew up into great Aacharya’s in Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam.

fig: Swami Ramanuja and Govinda in the Vedic School

Swami Ramanuja and Swami Govinda were admitted in the Vedic School, and were pursuing their studies under Yadavaprakasa in Sri Perumbhuthur. Many children from near and far places of the village attended the school of Yadavaprakasa. Indeed, Yadaprakasa was very happy to have a disciple like Swami Ramunuja. The two boys were very charming and intelligent. Swami Ramunjar, was so intelligent that he would need only one recitation to grasp it. He was very pious and calm; obedient to elders and always in good company. The boys grew up in the school and became scholars.

As days passed, Swami Ramanuja was unable to accept some of the explanations given by his teacher- Yadavaprakasa and used to express his regret with respect to the explanation. This led to a lot of differences of opinion between the teacher and Swami Ramanuja. Swami Ramanuja’s popularity kept growing and the teacher started disliking this. He felt a sort of inferiority complex all of a sudden and decided to get rid of Swami Ramanuja tactfully. He conspired a plan.

fig: Swami Ramanuja debating with Yadavaprakasa.

On an auspicious day, the teacher expressed his interest of taking all the students on a holy tour. Everyone started on the tour with a spiritual mood. They went through lakes, forests and mountains. En route, they had to pass by mellows and jump over the huge barks of tree. The chirping of the birds and the cool breeze in the forest through which they were passing by had stolen their hearts. While every student was immersed in imagining the Lord of Seven Hills- the source of all creation- Lord Sriman Narayana, Yadavaprakasa told selected disciples of his plan of killing Swami Ramanuja in the forest the same night. This plan was overheard by Govinda and he was taken into fear. Govinda, then slipped down from the group and revealed the plan to Swami Ramanuja and requested him to run away from the troop silently. Swami Ramanuja then ran away slowly and swiftly, letting the other disciples and the teacher into an imagination that he was lost in the forest and some wild animal had eaten him.

To be continued…….