JR
Hare Krishna
Source: https://kmkvaradhan.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/swamy-ramanujas-panchanarayana-kshetram-in-karnataka/
SRI MUDALIANDAN SWAMY VAIBHAVAM
Glory of swami Sri Mudaliandan Swamy the first disciple of Jagath Guru Swamy Ramanujar ( to whose Thirumaligai adiyongal belong to). LORD Sri Rama incarnated HIMSELF as Dasarathi, nephew of Swamy Ramanujar at Purusha mangalam (presently known as Nazrath Pettai in Chennai). Lakshmana’s servitude was incomprehensible and to repay this gratitude, So Lord SriRama appeared as as Dasarathi and served Swamy Ramanujar in Kaliyugam.
After many days of travel and undergoing various hardships following the course of Kaveri, Swamy Ramanuja finally arrived in Karnataka where the local tribals served them. This place is near Srirangapatinam. The local people who were averse to Swamy Ramanujar conspired a plan to do away with him. Swamy Ramanujar learning their evil intentions ordered Mudaliandan Swamy to place his feet in the drinking water pond in that area now called saligrama near Thondanur , which he politely obeyed. By partaking this Sripada theertham, the minds of the evildoers changed and they fell at Swamy Ramanujar seeking forgiveness. Such was the greatness of our Mudaliandan Swamy . Ramanujar named this place as “Saligramam” which is near Melkote. Even today this pond is maintained by the archakar who ensures that no intruder pollutes the pond by locking the gate. There is a small temple opposite to this pond in which Swamy Ramanujar’s Thiruvadi chuvadugal are worshipped. There is also a vigraham of Swamy Ramanujar in Sesharoopam near the garbagriham.
At that time, Jainism was prominent in Mel nadu which was ruled by King Bittideva who was a staunch follower of Jainism. The king’s daughter was possessed by an evil spirit and no one could cure her. Vaduga Nambi, a disciple of Swamy Ramanujar suggested to the queen that his spiritual master was capable of restoring the princess to normalcy. The Jain king invited Ramanujar to his palace to cure the princess but Swamy was initially reluctant to enter a palace. Vaduga nambi persuaded Swamy Ramanujar to resent to the king’s plea which could help in establishing faith in Srivaishanvism. . Swamy Ramanujar consented and sanctified the place , he drove away the evil spirit by placing a dhastamam (stick) on her head uttering some mantra and splashed some water and immediately the princess became normal.(This stick is at Yoga Narasimhar sannidhi in Thondanur . The archakar places the dhastamam on the visitors head and sprinkles water on the face..) King Bittideva, true to his word, became Swamy Ramanujar’s disciple and embraced Srivaishnavism and was named “Vishnu vardhana” and thus the entire kingdom became RAmanujar’s followers.
It is told that about 1000 Jain pandits who could not bear this challenged Ramanujar for an argument . To defeat them, Ramanujar advised a curtain to be drawn in between and taking his original form of Adisesha with 1000 hoods, he answered and defeated all the 1000 Jains at a time. This incident happened at Narasimhar sannidhi in Bhakta nagari (presently known as Thondanur). Sri Mudaliandan Swamy rendered “Dhaati Panchakam”in praise of Ramanujar at this place. This place is on the way to Melkote(about 16 kms) from Srirangapatinam . It is important to remember that our AchArya personages did not give room to wasting emotions when their protocol and place of worship suffered disturbance and, instead, concentrated on alternative positive programmes. Thus, during his ‘exile’ to Tirunarayanapuram, Ramanuja got the ‘pancha nArAyaNa pratishThA’ executed by swamy mudali-ANDAn, with the support of the hoySaLa ruler vishNu-vardhana. The wonderful opportunity given by Swamy Ramanuja to Mudaliandaan is remembered even today .
“Dhati Panchakam” speaks of the victory of Swamy Ramanuja over other philosophies – both those that accept Vedas and those that don’t – and his establishing the Visishtadvaita philosohpy that was built by Azhvars and Purvacharyas. As the name suggests, it comprises of five slokas The word “DHATI” means “attacking” – as this work shows the attack that Ramanuja carried over the other philosophies that were widespread at that time, it is an appropriate name for it. Swamy out of his love composed a wonderful composition on Swamy Ramanuja called “DHATEE PANCHAKAM” which starts with the introductory sloka .. The Varthamana swamy descendant of Swamy MudaliAndaan was kind to recite this sloka at our residence during his recent visit , a clip presented below .. Yath Chakrey Bhakta Nagare Dhaati Panchaka Uthamam Ramanujaya Sath chaathram vandhey Dasarathim gurum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drrayqu7vxA
SRI MUDALIANDAN SWAMY VAIBHAVAM
Glory of swami Sri Mudaliandan Swamy the first disciple of Jagath Guru Swamy Ramanujar ( to whose Thirumaligai adiyongal belong to). LORD Sri Rama incarnated HIMSELF as Dasarathi, nephew of Swamy Ramanujar at Purusha mangalam (presently known as Nazrath Pettai in Chennai). Lakshmana’s servitude was incomprehensible and to repay this gratitude, So Lord SriRama appeared as as Dasarathi and served Swamy Ramanujar in Kaliyugam.
- Swamy Ramanujar appointed 74 simhadipatis (disciples) to propagate Srivaishnavam and our Dasarathi was their leader. Hence Dasarathi came to be known as “Mudali “”Andan”. ( The foremost) Sri Mudaliandan Swamy was entrusted with the job of managing Srirangam temple affairs.
- Swami Mudaliandan is also glorified as the “paaduka” and “Tridandi” of Swamy Ramanujar. When Swamy Ramanujar embraced Sanyasasramam, he did not leave Mudaliandan and Kooratazhwan whom he considered as his Tridandam and Pavitram respectively.
- When Thirugoshtiyur nambi instructed Swamy Ramanujar to come alone to learn about Trimantra rahasyam, Swamy Ramanujar took Mudaliandan along with him. When questioned, Swamy replied that a Sanyasi should always carry Tridandam with him .Such was the intimacy between Swamy Ramanujar and Mudaliandan.
- Kooratazhwan says that he has only “Atma sambandham”with Swamy Ramanujar whereas Mudaliandan has both “deha sambandham” and “atma sambandham”.
After many days of travel and undergoing various hardships following the course of Kaveri, Swamy Ramanuja finally arrived in Karnataka where the local tribals served them. This place is near Srirangapatinam. The local people who were averse to Swamy Ramanujar conspired a plan to do away with him. Swamy Ramanujar learning their evil intentions ordered Mudaliandan Swamy to place his feet in the drinking water pond in that area now called saligrama near Thondanur , which he politely obeyed. By partaking this Sripada theertham, the minds of the evildoers changed and they fell at Swamy Ramanujar seeking forgiveness. Such was the greatness of our Mudaliandan Swamy . Ramanujar named this place as “Saligramam” which is near Melkote. Even today this pond is maintained by the archakar who ensures that no intruder pollutes the pond by locking the gate. There is a small temple opposite to this pond in which Swamy Ramanujar’s Thiruvadi chuvadugal are worshipped. There is also a vigraham of Swamy Ramanujar in Sesharoopam near the garbagriham.
At that time, Jainism was prominent in Mel nadu which was ruled by King Bittideva who was a staunch follower of Jainism. The king’s daughter was possessed by an evil spirit and no one could cure her. Vaduga Nambi, a disciple of Swamy Ramanujar suggested to the queen that his spiritual master was capable of restoring the princess to normalcy. The Jain king invited Ramanujar to his palace to cure the princess but Swamy was initially reluctant to enter a palace. Vaduga nambi persuaded Swamy Ramanujar to resent to the king’s plea which could help in establishing faith in Srivaishanvism. . Swamy Ramanujar consented and sanctified the place , he drove away the evil spirit by placing a dhastamam (stick) on her head uttering some mantra and splashed some water and immediately the princess became normal.(This stick is at Yoga Narasimhar sannidhi in Thondanur . The archakar places the dhastamam on the visitors head and sprinkles water on the face..) King Bittideva, true to his word, became Swamy Ramanujar’s disciple and embraced Srivaishnavism and was named “Vishnu vardhana” and thus the entire kingdom became RAmanujar’s followers.
It is told that about 1000 Jain pandits who could not bear this challenged Ramanujar for an argument . To defeat them, Ramanujar advised a curtain to be drawn in between and taking his original form of Adisesha with 1000 hoods, he answered and defeated all the 1000 Jains at a time. This incident happened at Narasimhar sannidhi in Bhakta nagari (presently known as Thondanur). Sri Mudaliandan Swamy rendered “Dhaati Panchakam”in praise of Ramanujar at this place. This place is on the way to Melkote(about 16 kms) from Srirangapatinam . It is important to remember that our AchArya personages did not give room to wasting emotions when their protocol and place of worship suffered disturbance and, instead, concentrated on alternative positive programmes. Thus, during his ‘exile’ to Tirunarayanapuram, Ramanuja got the ‘pancha nArAyaNa pratishThA’ executed by swamy mudali-ANDAn, with the support of the hoySaLa ruler vishNu-vardhana. The wonderful opportunity given by Swamy Ramanuja to Mudaliandaan is remembered even today .
“Dhati Panchakam” speaks of the victory of Swamy Ramanuja over other philosophies – both those that accept Vedas and those that don’t – and his establishing the Visishtadvaita philosohpy that was built by Azhvars and Purvacharyas. As the name suggests, it comprises of five slokas The word “DHATI” means “attacking” – as this work shows the attack that Ramanuja carried over the other philosophies that were widespread at that time, it is an appropriate name for it. Swamy out of his love composed a wonderful composition on Swamy Ramanuja called “DHATEE PANCHAKAM” which starts with the introductory sloka .. The Varthamana swamy descendant of Swamy MudaliAndaan was kind to recite this sloka at our residence during his recent visit , a clip presented below .. Yath Chakrey Bhakta Nagare Dhaati Panchaka Uthamam Ramanujaya Sath chaathram vandhey Dasarathim gurum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drrayqu7vxA
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